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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Popular Adventure Tales
+
+Author: Mayne Reid
+
+Release Date: June 1, 2008 [EBook #25665]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Marcia Brooks and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES
+
+[Illustration: THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.]
+
+
+
+
+Popular Adventure Tales
+
+COMPRISING
+
+_THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS_
+OR, THE BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH
+
+_THE FOREST EXILES_
+OR, ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON
+
+_THE BUSH-BOYS_
+OR, ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
+
+By
+
+CAPTAIN MAYNE REID
+
+AUTHOR OF
+"_The Rifle Rangers_" "_The Wood Rangers_"
+_&c., &c._
+
+_ILLUSTRATED_
+
+LONDON
+SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO.
+GLASGOW: THOMAS D. MORISON
+
+
+
+
+BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
+
+
+Captain Mayne Reid was born at Ballyroney, County Down, on the 4th
+April, 1818, and was the son of the Rev. Thomas Mayne Reid. Mayne Reid
+was educated with a view to the Church, but finding his inclinations
+opposed to this calling, he emigrated to America and arrived in New
+Orleans on January, 1840. After a varied career as plantation over-seer,
+school-master, and actor, with a number of expeditions in connection
+with hunting and Indian warfare, he settled down in 1843 as a journalist
+in Philadelphia, where he made the acquaintance of Edgar Allan Poe.
+
+Leaving Philadelphia in 1846, he spent the summer at Newport, Rhode
+Island, as the correspondent of the _New York Herald_, and in December
+of the same year, having obtained a commission as second lieutenant in
+the 1st New York Volunteers, he sailed for Vera Cruz to take part in the
+Mexican war. He behaved with conspicuous gallantry in many engagements,
+and was severely wounded and disabled at the storming of Chapultepec on
+the 13th September, 1847.
+
+Returning to the United States in the spring of 1848, he resumed
+literary work. But in June, 1849, he sailed for Europe in order to take
+part in the revolutionary movements going on in Hungary and Bavaria,
+arriving however too late, he turned his attention again to literature,
+and in London in 1850, published his first novel "The Rifle Rangers," in
+two volumes. Between this date and his death, he produced a large number
+of volumes, which indeed no one else was capable of writing, for in them
+are avowedly embodied the observations and experiences of his own
+extraordinary career.
+
+Unfortunate building and journalistic speculation and enterprises
+involved him in financial failure, so he returned to New York in
+October, 1867. There he founded and conducted _The Onward Magazine_, but
+owing to recurring bad effects of his old Mexican wound, he had to
+abandon work for sometime and go into the hospital, on leaving which he
+returned to England in 1870. During the later years of his life he
+resided at Ross in Herefordshire where he died on the 22nd October,
+1883, and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.
+
+Mayne Reid wrote in all thirty-five works, chiefly books of adventure
+and travel. As in the case of all authors, the books vary much in merit,
+but most of them are of a high order in their own department of
+literature. Many of them have been extraordinary popular and have become
+standard works. Reid has not been surpassed by any other writer in
+combining at one and the same time, the features of thrilling adventure
+and great instruction in the fields of natural history. Many of the
+works have been translated into Continental languages and are as highly
+esteemed among the French and Germans as at home.
+
+
+
+
+                      CONTENTS
+
+                THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+                        OR
+
+              BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.
+
+
+  _CHAPTER I_                                        PAGE
+  THE FUR COUNTRIES                                    13
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS                                  16
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE                22
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT                            29
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  "CAST AWAY"                                          34
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN                                 37
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  DECOYING THE ANTELOPES                               41
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  "A PARTRIDGE DANCE"                                  45
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL                             48
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  THREE CURIOUS TREES                                  52
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE                            56
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  THE CHAIN OF LAKES                                   59
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE                        62
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS                                69
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER                                73
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA                               79
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  THE BLAIREAU, THE "TAWNIES," AND THE "LEOPARDS"      82
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK                            86
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS                     91
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  THE FISH-HAWK                                        94
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT                            97
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED                              102
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  FISHING UNDER THE ICE                               105
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  AN ODD ALARM                                        107
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE                              113
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  LIFE IN A LOG-HUT                                   117
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES                            121
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE BARREN GROUNDS                                  125
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  THE ROCK-TRIPE                                      130
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  THE POLAR HARE AND THE GREAT SNOWY OWL              133
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE                    138
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF                       140
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE                  145
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE            147
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE "ALARM BIRD" AND THE CARIBOU                    151
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  A BATTLE WITH WOLVES                                155
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  END OF THE "VOYAGE"                                 160
+
+
+                 THE FOREST EXILES,
+
+                          OR
+
+         ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON
+
+  _CHAPTER I_
+  THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD                       162
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE REFUGEES                                        164
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE POISON-TREES                                    169
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  THE SUPPER OF GUAPO                                 173
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  THE PUNA                                            175
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA                           179
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  THE "VAQUERO"                                       181
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICUÑAS, AND GUANACOS              184
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  A VICUÑA HUNT                                       187
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  CAPTURING A CONDOR                                  189
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD                       191
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF                              194
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST                        197
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  THE DESERTED MISSION                                201
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE                       203
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE PALM-WOODS                                      207
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  A HOUSE OF PALMS                                    209
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  TRACKING THE TAPIR                                  212
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  THE POISONED ARROWS                                 216
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  THE MILK-TREE                                       221
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS                  224
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  THE CINCHONA-TREES                                  227
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS                                231
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  THE BARK-HUNTERS                                    233
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR                     236
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS                            239
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  THE ANT-LION                                        242
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS                246
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  AN ARMADILLO HUNT                                   248
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  THE OCELOT                                          251
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  A FAMILY OF JAGUARS                                 255
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  THE RAFT                                            259
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE GUARDIAN BROTHER                                262
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  THE VAMPIRE                                         265
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE MARIMONDAS                                      269
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  THE MONKEY MOTHER                                   274
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  AN UNEXPECTED GUEST                                 276
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVIII_
+  THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS                         279
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIX_
+  FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE                   282
+
+  _CHAPTER XL_
+  ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA                          284
+
+  _CHAPTER XLI_
+  A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES                            288
+
+  _CHAPTER XLII_
+  THE FOREST FESTIVAL                                 291
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIII_
+  ACRES OF EGGS                                       295
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIV_
+  A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES            298
+
+  _CHAPTER XLV_
+  A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES                          301
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVI_
+  THE "GAPO"                                          304
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVII_
+  THE ARAGUATOES                                      306
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVIII_
+  BRIDGING AN IGARIPÉ                                 308
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIX_
+  THE MANATI                                          311
+
+  _CHAPTER L_
+  THE CLOSING CHAPTER                                 314
+
+
+                    THE BUSH-BOYS,
+
+                          OR
+
+      ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.
+
+
+  _CHAPTER I_
+  THE BOERS                                           317
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE KRAAL                                           319
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE SPRING-HAAN                                     322
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS                                325
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  THE LOCUST-FLIGHT                                   329
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  "INSPANN AND TREK!"                                 333
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  WATER! WATER!                                       335
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  THE FATE OF THE HERD                                339
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  A LION COUCHANT                                     341
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  THE LION IN THE TRAP                                345
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  THE DEATH OF THE LION                               348
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED                            351
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  THE TREK-BOKEN                                      354
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  SPOORING FOR A SPRING                               359
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  THE TERRIBLE TSETSE                                 361
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS                          364
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  A HEAVY COMBAT                                      367
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT                           371
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  TURNED HUNTERS                                      375
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  JERKING AN ELEPHANT                                 377
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE HIDEOUS HYENA                                   379
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  STALKING THE OUREBI                                 382
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE                              388
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS                         390
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS                     393
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  UPON THE SPOOR                                      397
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  A ROGUE ELEPHANT                                    400
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS             405
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA                             409
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST                       411
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  BESIEGED BY THE BULL                                414
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  A HELPLESS BEAST                                    416
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING ROOM                        420
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED                           423
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA                            425
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS                 429
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  THE PIT-TRAP                                        433
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVIII_
+  DRIVING IN THE ELAND                                436
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIX_
+  A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK                          439
+
+  _CHAPTER XL_
+  THE GUN-TRAP                                        444
+
+  _CHAPTER XLI_
+  THE WEAVER-BIRDS                                    447
+
+  _CHAPTER XLII_
+  THE SPITTING-SNAKE                                  450
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIII_
+  THE SERPENT-EATER                                   452
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIV_
+  TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS                               456
+
+  _CHAPTER XLV_
+  THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST                  460
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVI_
+  CONCLUSION                                          465
+
+
+[Transcriber's Note: Obvious printer errors, (missing accents, missing
+letters, etc) including punctuation, have been silently corrected.
+
+All other inconsistencies including archaic spellings have been left as
+they were in the original.
+
+Added a List of Illustrations.]
+
+
+
+
+           LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.      Frontispiece
+
+  THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.               28
+
+  BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.                            50
+
+  THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.                        67
+
+  THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS                         84
+
+  THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.                   99
+
+  BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL.                           116
+
+  THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.                   129
+
+  THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.                      150
+
+  THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.                         167
+
+  GUAPO'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.                   196
+
+  GUAPO AND THE 'NIMBLE PETERS.'                      230
+
+  THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.                        250
+
+  THE VAMPIRE BAT.                                    266
+
+  ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.                         287
+
+  THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.                              332
+
+  THE LION IN A FIX.                                  350
+
+  A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.                                 370
+
+  HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.                       386
+
+  SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.                          404
+
+  HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.                      417
+
+  THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.                           432
+
+  HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.                       443
+
+  TOTTY IN TROUBLE.                                   459
+
+
+
+
+Popular Adventure Tales.
+
+THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+OR
+
+BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE FUR COUNTRIES
+
+
+Boy reader, you have heard of the Hudson's Bay Company? Ten to one you
+have worn a piece of fur which it has provided for you; if not, your
+pretty little sister has--in her muff, or her boa, or as a trimming for
+her winter dress. Would you like to know something of the country whence
+come these furs?--of the animals whose backs have been stripped to
+obtain them? As I feel certain that you and I are old friends, I make
+bold to answer for you--yes. Come, then! let us journey together to the
+"Fur Countries;" let us cross them from south to north.
+
+A vast journey it will be. It will cost us many thousand miles of
+travel. We shall find neither railway-train, nor steamboat, nor
+stagecoach, to carry us on our way. We shall not even have the help of a
+horse. For us no hotel shall spread its luxurious board; no road-side
+inn shall hang out its inviting sign and "clean beds;" no roof of any
+kind shall offer us its hospitable shelter. Our table shall be a rock, a
+log, or the earth itself; our lodging a tent; and our bed the skin of a
+wild beast. Such are the best accommodations we can expect upon our
+journey. Are you still ready to undertake it? Does the prospect not
+deter you?
+
+No--I hear you exclaim--I shall be satisfied with the table--what care I
+for mahogany? With the lodging--I can tent like an Arab. With the
+bed--fling feathers to the wind!
+
+Enough, brave boy! you shall go with me to the wild regions of the
+"North-west," to the far "fur countries" of America. But, first--a word
+about the land through which we are going to travel.
+
+Take down your atlas. Bend your eye upon the map of North America. Note
+two large islands--one upon the right side, Newfoundland; another upon
+the left, Vancouver. Draw a line from one to the other; it will nearly
+bisect the continent. North of that line you behold a vast territory.
+How vast? You may take your scissors, and clip fifty Englands out of it!
+There are lakes there in which you might _drown_ England, or make an
+island of it! Now, you may form some idea of the vastness of that region
+known as the "fur countries."
+
+Will you believe me, when I tell you that all this immense tract is a
+wilderness--a howling wilderness, if you like a poetical name? It is
+even so. From north to south, from ocean to ocean--throughout all that
+vast domain, there is neither town nor village--hardly anything that can
+be dignified with the name of "settlement." The only signs of
+civilisation to be seen are the "forts," or trading posts of the
+Hudson's Bay Company; and these "signs" are few and far--hundreds of
+miles--between.
+
+For inhabitants, the country has less than ten thousand white men, the
+_employés_ of the Company; and its native people are Indians of many
+tribes, living far apart, few in numbers, subsisting by the chase, and
+half starving for at least a third part of every year! In truth, the
+territory can hardly be called "inhabited." There is not a man to every
+ten miles; and in many parts of it you may travel hundreds of miles
+without seeing a face, red, white, or black!
+
+The physical aspect is, therefore, entirely wild. It is very different
+in different parts of the territory. One tract is peculiar. It has been
+long known as the "Barren Grounds." It is a tract of vast extent. It
+lies north-west from the shores of Hudson's Bay, extending nearly to the
+Mackenzie River. Its rocks are _primitive_. It is a land of hills and
+valleys--of deep dark lakes and sharp-running streams. It is a woodless
+region. No timber is found there that deserves the name. No trees but
+glandular dwarf birches, willows, and black spruce, small and stunted.
+Even these only grow in isolated valleys. More generally the surface is
+covered with coarse sand--the _debris_ of granite or quartz-rock--upon
+which no vegetable, save the lichen or the moss, can find life and
+nourishment.
+
+In one respect these "Barren Grounds" are unlike the deserts of Africa:
+they are well watered. In almost every valley there is a lake; and
+though many of these are land-locked, yet do they contain fish of
+several species. Sometimes these lakes communicate with each other by
+means of rapid and turbulent streams passing through narrow gorges; and
+lines of those connected lakes form the great rivers of the district.
+
+Such is a large portion of the Hudson's Bay territory. Most of the
+extensive peninsula of Labrador partakes of a similar character; and
+there are other like tracts west of the Rocky Mountain range in the
+"Russian possessions."
+
+Yet these "Barren Grounds" have their denizens. Nature has formed
+animals that delight to dwell there, and that are never found in more
+fertile regions. Two ruminating creatures find sustenance upon the
+mosses and lichens that cover their cold rocks: they are the caribou
+(reindeer) and the musk-ox. These, in their turn, become the food and
+subsistence of preying creatures. The wolf, in all its varieties of
+grey, black, white, pied, and dusky, follows upon their trail. The
+"brown bear"--a large species, nearly resembling the "grizzly"--is found
+only in the Barren Grounds; and the great "Polar bear" comes within
+their borders, but the latter is a dweller upon their shores alone, and
+finds his food among the finny tribes of the seas that surround them. In
+marshy ponds, existing here and there, the musk-rat builds his house,
+like that of his larger cousin, the beaver. Upon the water sedge he
+finds subsistence; but his natural enemy, the wolverene, skulks in the
+same neighbourhood.
+
+The "Polar hare" lives upon the leaves and twigs of the dwarf
+birch-tree; and this, transformed into its own white flesh, becomes the
+food of the Arctic fox. The herbage, sparse though it be, does not grow
+in vain. The seeds fall to the earth, but they are not suffered to
+decay. They are gathered by the little lemmings and meadow-mice, who, in
+their turn, become the prey of two species of _mustelidæ_, the ermine
+and vison weasels. Have the fish of the lakes no enemy? Yes--a terrible
+one in the Canada otter. The mink-weasel, too, pursues them; and in
+summer, the osprey, the great pelican, the cormorant, and the
+white-headed eagle.
+
+These are the _fauna_ of the Barren Grounds. Man rarely ventures within
+their boundaries. The wretched creatures who find a living there are the
+Esquimaux on their coasts, and a few Chippewa Indians in the interior,
+who hunt the caribou, and are known as "caribou-eaters." Other Indians
+enter them only in summer, in search of game, or journeying from point
+to point; and so perilous are these journeyings, that numbers frequently
+perish by the way. There are no white men in the Barren Grounds. The
+"Company" has no commerce there. No fort is established in them: so
+scarce are the fur-bearing animals of these parts, their skins would not
+repay the expense of a "trading post."
+
+Far different are the "wooded tracts" of the fur countries. These lie
+mostly in the southern and central regions of the Hudson's Bay
+territory. There are found the valuable beaver and the wolverene that
+preys upon it. There dwells the American hare with its enemy the Canada
+lynx. There are the squirrels, and the beautiful martens (sables) that
+hunt them from tree to tree. There are found the foxes of every variety,
+the red, the cross, and the rare and highly-prized silver-fox, whose
+shining skin sells for its weight in gold! There, too, the black bear
+yields its fine coat to adorn the winter carriage, the holsters of the
+dragoon, and the shako of the grenadier. There the fur-bearing animals
+exist in greatest plenty, and many others whose skins are valuable in
+commerce, as the moose, the wapiti, and the wood-bison.
+
+But there is also a "prairie" district in the fur countries. The great
+table prairies of North America, that slope eastward from the Rocky
+Mountains, also extend northward into the Hudson's Bay territory. They
+gradually grow narrower, however, as you proceed farther north, until,
+on reaching the latitude of the Great Slave Lake, they end altogether.
+This "prairie-land" has its peculiar animals. Upon it roams the buffalo,
+the prong-horned antelope, and the mule-deer. There, too, may be seen
+the "barking wolf" and the "swift fox." It is the favourite home of the
+marmots, and the gauffres or sand-rats; and there, too, the noblest of
+animals, the horse, runs wild.
+
+West of this prairie tract is a region of far different aspect--the
+region of the Rocky Mountains. This stupendous chain, sometimes called
+the Andes of North America, continues throughout the fur countries from
+their southern limits to the shores of the Arctic Sea. Some of its peaks
+overlook the waters of that sea itself, towering up near the coast. Many
+of these, even in southern latitudes, carry the "eternal snow." This
+"mountain-chain" is, in places, of great breadth. Deep valleys lie in
+its embrace, many of which have never been visited by man. Some are
+desolate and dreary; others are oäses of vegetation, which fascinate the
+traveller whose fortune it has been, after toiling among naked rocks, to
+gaze upon their smiling fertility.
+
+These lovely wilds are the favourite home of many strange animals. The
+argali, or mountain-sheep, with his huge curving horns, is seen there;
+and the shaggy wild goat bounds along the steepest cliffs. The black
+bear wanders through the wooded ravines; and his fiercer congener, the
+"grizzly"--the most dreaded of all American animals--drags his huge body
+along the rocky declivities.
+
+Having crossed the mountains, the fur countries extend westward to the
+Pacific. There you encounter barren plains, treeless and waterless;
+rapid rivers, that foam through deep, rock-bound channels; and a country
+altogether rougher in aspect, and more mountainous, than that lying to
+the east of the great chain. A warmer atmosphere prevails as you
+approach the Pacific, and in some places forests of tall trees cover the
+earth. In these are found most of the fur-bearing animals; and, on
+account of the greater warmth of the climate, the true _felidæ_--the
+long-tailed cats--here wander much farther north than upon the eastern
+side of the continent. Even so far north as the forests of Oregon these
+appear in the forms of the cougar and the ounce.
+
+But it is not our intention at present to cross the Rocky Mountains. Our
+journey will lie altogether on the eastern side of that great chain. It
+will extend from the frontiers of civilization to the shores of the
+Arctic Sea. It is a long and perilous journey, boy reader; but as we
+have made up our minds to it, let us waste no more time in talking, but
+set forth at once. You are ready? Hurrah!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+
+There is a canoe upon the waters of Red River--Red River of the north.
+It is near the source of the stream, but passing downward. It is a small
+canoe, a frail structure of birch-bark, and contains only four persons.
+They are all young--the eldest of them evidently not over nineteen years
+of age, and the youngest about fifteen.
+
+The eldest is nearly full-grown, though his body and limbs have not yet
+assumed the muscular development of manhood. His complexion is dark,
+nearly olive. His hair is jet black, straight as an Indian's, and long.
+His eyes are large and brilliant, and his features prominent. His
+countenance expresses courage, and his well-set jaws betoken firmness
+and resolution. He does not belie his looks, for he possesses these
+qualifications in a high degree. There is a gravity in his manner,
+somewhat rare in one so young; yet it is not the result of a morose
+disposition, but a subdued temperament produced by modesty, good sense,
+and much experience. Neither has it the air of stupidity. No: you could
+easily tell that the mind of this youth, if once roused, would exhibit
+both energy and alertness. His quiet manner has a far different
+expression. It is an air of coolness and confidence, which tells you he
+has met with dangers in the past, and would not fear to encounter them
+again.
+
+It is an expression peculiar, I think, to the hunters of the "Far
+West,"--those men who dwell amidst dangers in the wild regions of the
+great prairies. Their solitary mode of life begets this expression. They
+are often for months without the company of a creature with whom they
+may converse--months without beholding a human face. They live alone
+with Nature, surrounded by her majestic forms. These awe them into
+habits of silence. Such was in point of fact the case with the youth
+whom we have been describing. He had hunted much, though not as a
+professional hunter. With him the chase had been followed merely as a
+pastime; but its pursuit had brought him into situations of peril, and
+in contact with Nature in her wild solitudes. Young as he was, he had
+journeyed over the grand prairies, and through the pathless forests of
+the West. He had slain the bear and the buffalo, the wild cat and the
+cougar. These experiences had made their impression upon his mind, and
+stamped his countenance with that air of gravity we have noticed.
+
+The second of the youths whom we shall describe is very different in
+appearance. He is of blonde complexion, rather pale, with fair silken
+hair that waves gently down his cheeks, and falls upon his shoulders. He
+is far from robust. On the contrary, his form is thin and delicate. It
+is not the delicacy of feebleness or ill-health, but only a body of
+slighter build. The manner in which he handles his oar shows that he
+possesses both health and strength, though neither in such a high degree
+as the dark youth. His face expresses, perhaps, a larger amount of
+intellect, and it is a countenance that would strike you as more open
+and communicative. The eye is blue and mild, and the brow is marked by
+the paleness of study and habits of continued thought. These indications
+are no more than just, for the fair-haired youth _is_ a student, and one
+of no ordinary attainments. Although only seventeen years of age, he is
+already well versed in the natural sciences; and many a graduate of
+Oxford or Cambridge would but ill compare with him. The former might
+excel in the knowledge--if we can dignify it by that name--of the laws
+of scansion, or in the composition of Greek idylls; but in all that
+constitutes _real_ knowledge he would prove but an idle theorist, a
+dreamy imbecile, alongside our practical young scholar of the West.
+
+The third and youngest of the party--taking them as they sit from stem
+to bow--differs in many respects from both those described. He has
+neither the gravity of the first, nor yet the intellectuality of the
+second. His face is round, and full, and ruddy. It is bright and smiling
+in its expression. His eye dances merrily in his head, and its glance
+falls upon everything. His lips are hardly ever at rest. They are either
+engaged in making words--for he talks almost incessantly--or else
+contracting and expanding with smiles and joyous laughter. His cap is
+jauntily set, and his fine brown curls, hanging against the rich roseate
+skin of his cheeks, give to his countenance an expression of extreme
+health and boyish beauty. His merry laugh and free air tell you he is
+not the boy for books. He is not much of a hunter either. In fact, he is
+not particularly given to anything--one of those easy natures who take
+the world as it comes, look upon the bright side of everything, without
+getting sufficiently interested to excel in anything.
+
+These three youths were dressed nearly alike. The eldest wore the
+costume, as near as may be, of a backwoods hunter--a tunic-like
+hunting-shirt, of dressed buckskin, leggings and mocassins of the same
+material, and all--shirt, leggings, and mocassins--handsomely braided
+and embroidered with stained quills of the porcupine. The cape of the
+shirt was tastefully fringed, and so was the skirt as well as the seams
+of the mocassins. On his head was a hairy cap of raccoon skin, and the
+tail of the animal, with its dark transverse bars, hung down behind like
+the drooping plume of a helmet. Around his shoulders were two leathern
+belts that crossed each other upon his breast. One of these slung a
+bullet-pouch covered with a violet-green skin that glittered splendidly
+in the sun. It was from the head of the "wood-duck" the most beautiful
+bird of its tribe. By the other strap was suspended a large
+crescent-shaped horn taken from the head of an Opelousas bull, and
+carved with various ornamental devices. Other smaller implements hung
+from the belts, attached by leathern thongs: there was a picker, a
+wiper, and a steel for striking fire with. A third belt--a broad stout
+one of alligator leather--encircled the youth's waist. To this was
+fastened a holster, and the shining butt of a pistol could be seen
+protruding out; a hunting-knife of the kind denominated "bowie" hanging
+over the left hip, completed his "arms and accoutrements."
+
+The second of the youths was dressed, as already stated, in a somewhat
+similar manner, though his accoutrements were not of so warlike a
+character. Like the other, he had a powder-horn and pouch, but instead
+of knife and pistol, a canvass bag or haversack hung from his shoulder;
+and had you looked into it, you would have seen that it was half filled
+with shells, pieces of rock, and rare plants, gathered during the
+day--the diurnal storehouse of the geologist, the palæontologist, and
+botanist--to be emptied for study and examination by the night
+camp-fire. Instead of the 'coon-skin cap he wore a white felt hat with
+broad leaf; and for leggings and mocassins he had trousers of blue
+cottonade and laced buskins of tanned leather.
+
+The youngest of the three was dressed and accoutred much like the
+eldest, except that his cap was of blue cloth--somewhat after the
+fashion of the military forage cap. All three wore shirts of coloured
+cotton, the best for journeying in these uninhabited regions, where soap
+is scarce, and a laundress not to be had at any price.
+
+Though very unlike one another, these three youths were brothers. I knew
+them well. I had seen them before--about two years before--and though
+each had grown several inches taller since that time, I had no
+difficulty in recognising them. Even though they were now two thousand
+miles from where I had formerly encountered them, I could not be
+mistaken as to their identity. Beyond a doubt they were the same brave
+young adventurers whom I had met in the swamps of Louisiana, and whose
+exploits I had witnessed upon the prairies of Texas. They were the "Boy
+Hunters,"--Basil, Lucien, François! I was right glad to renew
+acquaintance with them. Boy reader, do you share my joy?
+
+But whither go they now? They are full two thousand miles from their
+home in Louisiana. The Red River upon which their canoe floats is not
+that Red River, whose blood-like waters sweep through the swamps of the
+hot South--the home of the alligator and the gar. No, it is a stream of
+a far different character, though also one of great magnitude. Upon the
+banks of the former ripens the rice-plant, and the sugar-cane waves its
+golden tassels high in the air. There, too, flourishes the giant reed,
+the fan-palm, and the broad-leafed magnolia, with its huge snow-white
+flowers. There the aspect is Southern, and the heat tropical for most
+part of the year.
+
+All this is reversed on the Red River of the North. It is true that on
+its banks sugar is also produced; but it is no longer from a plant but a
+lordly tree--the great sugar-maple. There is rice too,--vast fields of
+rice upon its marshy borders; but it is not the pearly grain of the
+South. It is the wild rice, "the water oats," the food of millions of
+winged creatures, and thousands of human beings as well. Here, for
+three-fourths of the year, the sun is feeble, and the aspect that of
+winter. For months the cold waters are bound up in an icy embrace. The
+earth is covered with thick snow, over which rise the needle-leafed
+_coniferæ_--the pines, the cedars, the spruce, and the hemlock. Very
+unlike each other are the countries watered by the two streams, the Red
+River of the South and its namesake of the North.
+
+But whither go our Boy Hunters in their birch-bark canoe? The river upon
+which they are _voyaging_ runs due northward into the great lake
+Winnipeg. They are floating with its current, and consequently
+increasing the distance from their home. Whither go they?
+
+The answer leads us to some sad reflections. Our joy on again beholding
+them is to be mingled with grief. When we last saw them they had a
+father, but no mother. Now they have neither one nor the other. The old
+Colonel, their father--the French _émigré_, the _hunter naturalist_--is
+dead. He who had taught them all he knew; who had taught them to ride,
+to swim, to dive deep rivers, to fling the lasso, to climb tall trees,
+and scale steep cliffs, to bring down birds upon the wing or beasts upon
+the run, with the arrow and the unerring rifle; who had trained them to
+sleep in the open air, in the dark forest, on the unsheltered prairie,
+along the white snow-wreath--anywhere--with but a blanket or a buffalo
+robe for their bed; who had taught them to live on the simplest food,
+and had imparted to one of them a knowledge of science, of botany in
+particular, that enabled them, in case of need, to draw sustenance, from
+plants and trees, from roots and fruits, to find resources where
+ignorant men would starve.
+
+He also had taught them to kindle a fire without flint, steel, or
+detonating powder; to discover their direction without a compass, from
+the rocks and the trees and the signs of the heavens; and in addition to
+all, had taught them, as far as was then known, the geography of that
+vast wilderness that stretches from the Mississippi to the shores of the
+Pacific Ocean, and northward to the icy borders of the Arctic Sea--he
+who had taught them all this, their father, was no more; and his three
+sons, the "boy men," of whom he was so proud, and of whose
+accomplishments he was wont to boast, were now orphans upon the wide
+world.
+
+But little more than a year after their return from their grand
+expedition to the Texan prairies, the "old Colonel" had died. It was one
+of the worst years of that scourge of the South--the yellow fever--and
+to this dread pestilence he had fallen a victim.
+
+Hugot, the _ex-chasseur_ and attached domestic, who was accustomed to
+follow his master like a shadow, had also followed him into the next
+world. It was not grief that killed Hugot, though he bore the loss of
+his kind master sadly enough. But it was not grief that killed Hugot. He
+was laid low by the same disease of which his master had died--the
+yellow fever. A week had scarcely passed after the death of the latter,
+before Hugot caught the disease, and in a few days he was carried to the
+tomb and laid by the side of his "old Colonel."
+
+The Boy Hunters--Basil, Lucien, François--became orphans. They knew of
+but one relation in the whole world, with whom their father had kept up
+any correspondence. This relation was an uncle, and, strange as it may
+seem, a Scotchman--a Highlander, who had strayed to Corsica in early
+life, and had there married the Colonel's sister. That uncle had
+afterwards emigrated to Canada, and had become extensively engaged in
+the fur trade. He was now a superintendent or "factor" of the Hudson's
+Bay Company, stationed at one of their most remote posts near the shores
+of the Arctic Sea! There is a romance in the history of some men wilder
+than any fiction that could be imagined.
+
+I have not yet answered the question as to where our Boy Hunters were
+journeying in their birch-bark canoe. By this time you will have divined
+the answer. Certainly, you will say, they were on their way to join
+their uncle in his remote home. For no other object could they be
+travelling through the wild regions of the Red River. That supposition
+is correct. To visit this Scotch uncle (they had not seen him for years)
+was the object of their long, toilsome, and perilous journey. After
+their father's death he had sent for them. He had heard of their
+exploits upon the prairies; and, being himself of an adventurous
+disposition, he was filled with admiration for his young kinsmen, and
+desired very much to have them come and live with him.
+
+Being now their guardian, he might command as much, but it needed not
+any exercise of authority on his part to induce all three of them to
+obey his summons. They had travelled through the mighty forests of the
+Mississippi, and upon the summer prairies of the South. These great
+features of the earth's surface were to them familiar things, and they
+were no longer curious about them. But there remained a vast country
+which they longed eagerly to explore. They longed to look upon its
+shining lakes and crystal rivers; upon its snow-clad hills and ice-bound
+streams; upon its huge mammalia--its moose and its musk-oxen, its wapiti
+and its monster bears. This was the very country to which they were now
+invited by their kinsman, and cheerfully did they accept his invitation.
+
+Already had they made one-half the journey, though by far the easier
+half. They had travelled up the Mississippi by steamboat as far as the
+mouth of the St. Peter's. There they had commenced their canoe
+voyage--in other words became "voyageurs"--for such is the name given to
+those who travel by canoes through these wild territories. Their
+favourite horses and the mule "Jeannette" had been left behind. This was
+a necessity, as these creatures, however useful upon the dry prairies of
+the South, where there are few or no lakes, and where rivers only occur
+at long intervals, would be of little service to the traveller in the
+Northern regions. Here the route is crossed and intercepted by numerous
+rivers; and lakes of all sizes, with tracts of inundated marsh, succeed
+one another continually. Such, in fact, are the highways of the country,
+and the canoe the travelling carriage; so that a journey from one point
+of the Hudson's Bay territory to another is often a canoe voyage of
+thousands of miles--equal to a "trip" across the Atlantic.
+
+Following the usual custom, therefore, our Boy Hunters had become
+voyageurs--"_Young Voyageurs_." They had navigated the St. Peter's in
+safety, almost to its head-waters. These interlock with the sources of
+the Red River. By a "portage" of a few miles they had crossed to the
+latter stream; and, having launched their canoe upon its waters, were
+now floating downward and northward with its current. But they had yet a
+long journey before them--nearly two thousand miles! Many a river to be
+"run," many a rapid to be "shot," many a lake to be crossed, and many a
+"portage" to be passed, ere they could reach the end of that great
+_voyage_.
+
+Come, boy reader, shall we accompany them? Yes. The strange scenes and
+wild adventures through which we must pass, may lighten the toils, and
+perhaps repay us for the perils of the journey. Think not of the toils.
+Roses grow only upon thorns. From toil we learn to enjoy leisure. Regard
+not the perils. "From the nettle danger we pluck the flower safety."
+Security often springs from peril. From such hard experiences great men
+have arisen. Come, then, my young friend! mind neither toil nor peril,
+but with me to the great wilderness of the North!
+
+Stay! We are to have another "_compagnon du voyage_." There is a fourth
+in the boat, a fourth "young voyageur." Who is he? In appearance he is
+as old as Basil, full as tall, and not unlike him in "build." But he is
+altogether of a different _colour_. He is fair-haired; but his hair
+(unlike that of Lucien, which is also light-coloured) is strong, crisp,
+and curly. It does not droop, but stands out over his cheeks in a
+profusion of handsome ringlets. His complexion is of that kind known as
+"fresh," and the weather, to which it has evidently been much exposed,
+has bronzed and rather enriched the colour. The eyes are dark blue, and,
+strange to say, with _black_ brows and lashes! This is not common,
+though sometimes observed; and, in the case of the youth we are
+describing, arose from a difference of complexion on the part of his
+parents. He looked through the eyes of his mother, while in other
+respects he was more like his father, who was fair-haired and of a
+"fresh" colour.
+
+The youth, himself, might be termed handsome. Perhaps he did not possess
+the youthful beauty of François, nor the bolder kind that characterized
+the face of Basil. Perhaps he was of a coarser "make" than any of his
+three companions. His intellect had been less cultivated by education,
+and _education adds to the beauty of the face_. His life had been a
+harder one--he had toiled more with his hands, and had seen less of
+civilized society. Still many would have pronounced him a handsome
+youth. His features were regular, and of clean outline. His lips
+expressed good-nature as well as firmness. His eye beamed with native
+intelligence, and his whole face bespoke a heart of true and determined
+honesty--_that made it beautiful_.
+
+Perhaps a close scrutinizer of countenances might have detected some
+resemblance--a family one--between him and his three companions. If such
+there was, it was very slight; but there might have been, from the
+relationship that existed between them and him. He was their
+cousin--their full cousin--the only son of that uncle they were now on
+their way to visit, and the messenger who had been sent to bring them.
+Such was the fourth of "the young voyageurs."
+
+His dress was not unlike that worn by Basil; but as he was seated on the
+bow, and acting as pilot, and therefore more likely to feel the cold,
+he wore over his hunting-shirt, a Canadian _capote_ of white woollen
+cloth, with its hood hanging down upon his shoulders.
+
+But there was still another "voyageur," an old acquaintance, whom you,
+boy reader, will no doubt remember. This was an animal, a quadruped, who
+lay along the bottom of the canoe upon a buffalo's hide. "From his size
+and colour--which was a tawny red--you might have mistaken him for a
+panther--a cougar. His long black muzzle and broad hanging ears gave him
+quite a different aspect, however, and declared him to be a hound. He
+_was_ one--a bloodhound, with the cross of a mastiff--a powerful animal.
+It was the dog 'Marengo.'" You remember Marengo?
+
+In the canoe there were other objects of interest. There were blankets
+and buffalo robes; there was a small canvas tent folded up; there were
+bags of provisions, and some cooking utensils; there was a spade and an
+axe; there were rifles--three of them--and a double-barrelled shot-gun;
+besides a fish-net, and many other articles, the necessary equipments
+for such a journey.
+
+Loaded almost to the gunwale was that little canoe, yet lightly did it
+float down the waters of the Red River of the North.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE
+
+
+It was the spring season, though late. The snow had entirely disappeared
+from the hills, and the ice from the water, and the melting of both had
+swollen the river, and rendered its current more rapid than usual. Our
+young voyageurs needed not therefore to ply their oars, except now and
+then to guide the canoe; for these little vessels have no rudder, but
+are steered by the paddles. The skilful voyageurs can shoot them to any
+point they please, simply by their dexterous handling of the oars; and
+Basil, Lucien, and François, had had sufficient practice both with
+"skiffs" and "dug-outs" to make good oarsmen of all three. They had made
+many a canoe trip upon the lower Mississippi and the bayous of
+Louisiana; besides their journey up the St. Peter's had rendered them
+familiar with the management of their birchen craft. An occasional
+stroke of the paddle kept them in their course, and they floated on
+without effort.
+
+Norman--such was the name of their Canadian or Highland cousin--sat in
+the bow and directed their course. This is the post of honour in a
+canoe; and as he had more experience than any of them in this sort of
+navigation, he was allowed habitually to occupy this post. Lucien sat in
+the stern. He held in his hands a book and pencil; and as the canoe
+glided onward, he was noting down his memoranda. The trees upon the
+banks were in leaf--many of them in blossom--and as the little craft
+verged near the shore, his keen eye followed the configuration of the
+leaves, to discover any new species that might appear.
+
+There is a rich vegetation upon the banks of the Red River; but the
+_flora_ is far different from that which appears upon the low _alluvion_
+of Louisiana. It is Northern, but not Arctic. Oaks, elms, and poplars,
+are seen mingling with birches, willows, and aspens. Several species of
+indigenous fruit trees were observed by Lucien, among which were
+crab-apple, raspberry, strawberry, and currant. There was also seen the
+fruit called by the voyageurs "le poire," but which in English
+phraseology is known as the "service-berry." It grows upon a small bush
+or shrub of six or eight feet high, with smooth pinnate leaves. These
+pretty red berries are much esteemed and eaten both by Indians and
+whites, who preserve them by drying, and cook them in various ways.
+
+There was still another bush that fixed the attention of our young
+botanist, as it appeared all along the banks, and was a _characteristic_
+of the vegetation of the country. It was not over eight feet in height,
+with spreading branches of a grey-colour. Its leaves were three inches
+wide, and somewhat lobed like those of the oak. Of course, at this early
+season, the fruit was not ripe upon it; but Lucien knew the fruit well.
+When ripe it resembles very much a red cherry, or, still more, a
+cranberry, having both the appearance and acrid taste of the latter.
+Indeed, it is sometimes used as a substitute for cranberries in the
+making of pies and tarts; and in many parts it is called the "bush
+cranberry."
+
+The name, however, by which it is known among the Indians of Red River
+is "_anepeminan_" from "_nepen_," summer, and "_minan_," berry. This has
+been corrupted by the fur-traders and voyageurs into "Pembina;" hence,
+the name of a river which runs into the Red, and also the name of the
+celebrated but unsuccessful settlement of "Pembina," formed by Lord
+Selkirk many years ago. Both took their names from this berry that grows
+in abundance in the neighbourhood. The botanical appellation of this
+curious shrub is _Viburnum oxycoccos_; but there is another species of
+the viburnum, which is also styled "oxycoccos." The common "snowball
+bush" of our garden is a plant of the same genus, and very like the
+"Pembina," both in leaf and flower. In fact, in a wild state they might
+be regarded as the same; but it is well known that the flowers of the
+snowball are sterile, and do not produce the beautiful bright crimson
+berries of the "Pembina."
+
+Lucien lectured upon these points to his companions as they floated
+along. Norman listened with astonishment to his philosophic cousin, who,
+although he had never been in this region before, knew more of its
+plants and trees than he did himself. Basil also was interested in the
+explanations given by his brother. On the contrary, François, who cared
+but little for botanical studies, or studies of any sort, was occupied
+differently. He sat near the middle of the canoe, double-barrel in hand,
+eagerly watching for a shot. Many species of water-fowl were upon the
+river, for it was now late in the spring, and the wild geese and ducks
+had all arrived, and were passing northward upon their annual migration.
+During the day François had got several shots, and had "bagged" three
+wild geese, all of different kinds, for there are many species of wild
+geese in America.
+
+He had also shot some ducks. But this did not satisfy him. There was a
+bird upon the river that could not be approached. No matter how the
+canoe was manoeuvred, this shy creature always took flight before
+François could get within range. For days he had been endeavouring to
+kill one. Even upon the St. Peter's many of them had been seen,
+sometimes in pairs, at other times in small flocks of six or seven, but
+always shy and wary. The very difficulty of getting a shot at them,
+along with the splendid character of the birds themselves, had rendered
+François eager to obtain one. The bird itself was no other than the
+great wild swan--the king of aquatic birds.
+
+"Come, brother!" said François, addressing Lucien, "bother your
+viburnums and your oxycocks! Tell us something about these swans. See!
+there goes another of them! What a splendid fellow he is! I'd give
+something to have him within range of buckshot."
+
+As François spoke he pointed down-stream to a great white bird that was
+seen moving out from the bank. It was a swan, and one of the very
+largest kind--"a trumpeter."
+
+It had been feeding in a sedge of the wild rice, and no doubt the sight
+of the canoe or the plash of the guiding oar had disturbed, and given it
+the alarm. It shot out from the reeds with head erect and wings slightly
+raised, offering to the eyes of the voyageurs a spectacle of graceful
+and majestic bearing, that, among the feathered race at least, is quite
+inimitable.
+
+A few strokes of its broad feet propelled it into the open water near
+the middle of the stream, when, making a half wheel, it turned head down
+the river, and swam with the current.
+
+At the point where it turned it was not two hundred yards ahead of the
+canoe. Its apparent boldness in permitting them to come so near without
+taking wing, led François to hope that they might get still nearer; and,
+begging his companions to ply the paddles, he seized hold of his
+double-barrel, and leaned forward in the canoe. Basil also conceived a
+hope that a shot was to be had, for he took up his rifle, and looked to
+the cock and cap. The others went steadily and quietly to work at the
+oars. In a few moments the canoe cleft the current at the rate of a
+galloping horse, and one would have supposed that the swan must either
+at once take wing or be overtaken.
+
+Not so, however. The "trumpeter" knew his game better than that. He had
+full confidence both in his strength and speed upon the water. He was
+not going to undergo the trouble of a fly, until the necessity arose for
+so doing; and, as it was, he seemed to be satisfied that that necessity
+had not yet arrived. The swim cost him much less muscular exertion than
+flying would have done, and he judged that the current, here very swift,
+would carry him out of reach of his pursuers.
+
+It soon began to appear that he judged rightly; and the voyageurs, to
+their chagrin, saw that, instead of gaining upon him, as they had
+expected, every moment widened the distance between him and the canoe.
+The bird had an advantage over his pursuers. Three distinct powers
+propelled him, while they had only two to rely upon. He had the current
+in his favour--so had they. He had oars or paddles--his feet; they had
+oars as well. He "carried sail," while they spread not a "rag." The wind
+chanced to blow directly down-stream, and the broad wings of the bird,
+held out from his body, and half extended, caught the very pith of the
+breeze on their double concave surfaces, and carried him through the
+water with the velocity of an arrow. Do you think that he was not aware
+of this advantage when he started in the race?
+
+Do you suppose that these birds do not _think_? I for one am satisfied
+they do, and look upon every one who prates about the _instinct_ of
+these creatures as a philosopher of a very old school indeed. Not only
+does the great swan think, but so does your parrot, and your piping
+bullfinch, and the little canary that hops on your thumb. All think, and
+_reason_, and _judge_. Should it ever be your fortune to witness the
+performance of those marvellous birds, exhibited by the graceful Mdlle.
+Vandermeersch in the fashionable _salons_ of Paris and London, you will
+agree with me in the belief that the smallest of them has a mind like
+yourself.
+
+Most certainly the swan, which our voyageurs were pursuing, thought, and
+reasoned, and judged, and calculated his distance, and resolved to keep
+on "the even tenor of his way," without putting himself to extra trouble
+by beating the air with his wings, and lifting his heavy body--thirty
+pounds at least--up into the heavens. His judgment proved sound; for, in
+less than ten minutes from the commencement of the chase, he had gained
+a clear hundred yards upon his pursuers, and continued to widen the
+distance. At intervals he raised his beak higher than usual, and uttered
+his loud booming note, which fell upon the ears of the voyageurs as
+though it had been sent back in mockery and defiance.
+
+They would have given up the pursuit, had they not noticed that a few
+hundred yards farther down the river made a sharp turn to the right. The
+swan, on reaching this, would no longer have the wind in his favour.
+This inspired them with fresh hopes. They thought they would be able to
+overtake him after passing the bend, and then, either get a shot at him,
+or force him into the air. The latter was the more likely; and, although
+it would be no great gratification to see him fly off, yet they had
+become so interested in this singular chase that they desired to
+terminate it by putting the trumpeter to some trouble. They bent,
+therefore, with fresh energy to their oars, and pulled onward in the
+pursuit.
+
+First the swan, and after him the canoe, swung round the bend, and
+entered the new "reach" of the river. The voyageurs at once perceived
+that the bird now swam more slowly. He no longer "carried sail," as the
+wind was no longer in his favour. His wings lay closely folded to his
+body, and he moved only by the aid of his webbed feet and the current,
+which last happened to be sluggish, as the river at this part spread
+over a wide expanse of level land. The canoe was evidently catching up,
+and each stroke was bringing the pursuers nearer to the pursued.
+
+After a few minutes' brisk pulling, the trumpeter had lost so much
+ground that he was not two hundred yards in the advance, and "dead
+ahead." His body was no longer carried with the same gracefulness, and
+the majestic curving of his neck had disappeared. His bill protruded
+forward, and his thighs began to drag the water in his wake. He was
+evidently on the threshold of flight. Both François and Basil saw this,
+as they stood with their guns crossed and ready.
+
+At this moment a shrill cry sounded over the water. It was the scream of
+some wild creature, ending in a strange laugh, like the laugh of a
+maniac!
+
+On both sides of the river there was a thick forest of tall trees of the
+cotton-wood species. From this forest the strange cry had proceeded, and
+from the right bank. Its echoes had hardly ceased, when it was answered
+by a similar cry from the trees upon the left. So like were the two,
+that it seemed as if some one of God's wild creatures was mocking
+another. These cries were hideous enough to frighten any one not used
+to them. They had not that effect upon our voyageurs, who knew their
+import. One and all of them were familiar with the voice of the
+_white-headed eagle_!
+
+The trumpeter knew it as well as any of them, but on him it produced a
+far different effect. His terror was apparent, and his intention was all
+at once changed. Instead of rising into the air, as he had premeditated,
+he suddenly lowered his head, and disappeared under the water!
+
+Again was heard the wild scream and the maniac laugh; and the next
+moment an eagle swept out from the timber, and, after a few strokes of
+its broad wing, poised itself over the spot where the trumpeter had gone
+down. The other, its mate, was seen crossing at the same time from the
+opposite side.
+
+Presently the swan rose to the surface, but his head was hardly out of
+the water when the eagle once more uttered its wild note, and, half
+folding its wings, darted down from above. The swan seemed to have
+expected this, for before the eagle could reach the surface, he had gone
+under a second time, and the latter, though passing with the velocity of
+an arrow, plunged his talons in the water to no purpose. With a cry of
+disappointment the eagle mounted back into the air, and commenced
+wheeling in circles over the spot. It was now joined by its mate, and
+both kept round and round watching for the reappearance of their
+intended victim.
+
+Again the swan came to the surface, but before either of the eagles
+could swoop upon him he had for the third time disappeared. The swan is
+but an indifferent diver; but under such circumstances he was likely to
+do his best at it. But what could it avail him? He must soon rise to the
+surface to take breath--each time at shorter intervals. He would soon
+become fatigued and unable to dive with sufficient celerity, and then
+his cruel enemies would be down upon him with their terrible talons.
+Such is the usual result, unless the swan takes to the air, which he
+sometimes does. In the present case he had built his hopes upon a
+different means of escape. He contemplated being able to conceal himself
+in a heavy sedge of bulrushes that grew along the edge of the river, and
+towards these he was evidently directing his course under the water.
+
+At each emersion he appeared some yards nearer them, until at length he
+rose within a few feet of their margin, and diving again was seen no
+more! He had crept in among the sedge, and no doubt was lying with only
+his head, or part of it, above the water, his body concealed by the
+broad leaves of the _nymphæ_, while the head itself could not be
+distinguished among the white flowers that lay thickly along the
+surface.
+
+The eagles now wheeled over the sedge, flapping the tops of the
+bulrushes with their broad wings, and screaming with disappointed rage.
+Keen as were their eyes they could not discover the hiding-place of
+their victim. No doubt they would have searched for it a long time, but
+the canoe--which they now appeared to notice for the first time--had
+floated near; and, becoming aware of their own danger, both mounted into
+the air again, and with a farewell scream flew off, and alighted at some
+distance down the river.
+
+"A swan for supper!" shouted François, as he poised his gun for the
+expected shot.
+
+The canoe was headed for the bulrushes near the point where the
+trumpeter had been last seen; and a few strokes of the paddles brought
+the little craft with a whizzing sound among the sedge. But the culms of
+the rushes were so tall, and grew so closely together, that the
+canoe-men, after entering, found to their chagrin they could not see six
+feet around them. They dared not stand up, for this is exceedingly
+dangerous in a birch canoe, where the greatest caution is necessary to
+keep the vessel from careening over. Moreover, the sedge was so thick,
+that it was with difficulty they could use their oars.
+
+They remained stationary for a time, surrounded by a wall of green
+bulrush. They soon perceived that that would never do, and resolved to
+push back into the open water. Meanwhile Marengo had been sent into the
+sedge, and was now heard plunging and sweltering about in search of the
+game. Marengo was not much of a water-dog by nature, but he had been
+trained to almost every kind of hunting, and his experience among the
+swamps of Louisiana had long since relieved him of all dread for the
+water. His masters therefore had no fear but that Marengo would "put up"
+the trumpeter.
+
+Marengo had been let loose a little too soon. Before the canoe could be
+cleared of the entangling sedge, the dog was heard to utter one of his
+loud growls, then followed a heavy plunge, there was a confused
+fluttering of wings, and the great white bird rose majestically into the
+air! Before either of the gunners could direct their aim, he was beyond
+the range of shot, and both prudently reserved their fire. Marengo
+having performed his part, swam back to the canoe, and was lifted over
+the gunwale.
+
+The swan, after clearing the sedge, rose almost vertically into the air.
+These birds usually fly at a great elevation--sometimes entirely beyond
+the reach of sight. Unlike the wild geese and ducks, they never alight
+upon land, but always upon the bosom of the water. It was evidently the
+intention of this one to go far from the scene of his late dangers,
+perhaps to the great lake Winnipeg itself.
+
+After attaining a height of several hundred yards, he flew forward in a
+horizontal course, and followed the direction of the stream. His flight
+was now regular, and his trumpet note could be heard at intervals, as,
+with outstretched neck, he glided along the heavens. He seemed to feel
+the pleasant sensations that every creature has after an escape from
+danger, and no doubt he fancied himself secure. But in this fancy he
+deceived himself. Better for him had he risen a few hundred yards
+higher, or else had uttered his self-gradulation in a more subdued tone;
+for it was heard and answered, and that response was the maniac laugh of
+the white-headed eagle.
+
+At the same instant two of these birds--those already introduced--were
+seen mounting into the air. They did not fly up vertically, as the swan
+had done, but in spiral curves, wheeling and crossing each other as they
+ascended. They were making for a point that would intersect the flight
+of the swan should he keep on in his horizontal course. This, however,
+he did not do. With an eye as quick as theirs, he saw that he was
+"headed;" and, stretching his long neck upward, he again pursued an
+almost vertical line.
+
+But he had to carry thirty pounds of flesh and bones, while the largest
+of the eagles--the female bird--with a still broader spread of wing, was
+a "light weight" of only seven. The result of this difference was soon
+apparent. Before the trumpeter had got two hundred yards higher, the
+female of the eagles was seen wheeling around him on the same level.
+The swan was now observed to double, fly downward, and then upward
+again, while his mournful note echoed back to the earth. But his efforts
+were in vain. After a series of contortions and manoeuvres, the eagle
+darted forward, with a quick toss threw herself back-downward, and,
+striking upward, planted her talons in the under part of the wing of her
+victim. The lacerated shaft fell uselessly down; and the great white
+bird, no longer capable of flight, came whistling through the air.
+
+[Illustration: THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.]
+
+But it was not allowed to drop directly to the earth; it would have
+fallen on the bosom of the broad river, and that the eagles did not
+wish, as it would have given them some trouble to get the heavy carcass
+ashore. As soon as the male--who was lower in the air--saw that his
+partner had struck the bird, he discontinued his upward flight, and,
+poising himself on his spread tail, waited its descent. A single instant
+was sufficient. The white object passed him still fluttering; but the
+moment it was below his level he shot after it like an arrow, and,
+clutching it in his talons, with an outward stroke sent it whizzing in a
+diagonal direction. The next moment a crashing was heard among the
+twigs, and a dull sound announced that the swan had fallen upon the
+earth.
+
+The eagles were now seen sailing downward, and soon disappeared among
+the tops of the trees.
+
+The canoe soon reached the bank; and François, accompanied by Basil and
+Marengo, leaped ashore, and went in search of the birds. They found the
+swan quite dead and lying upon its back as the eagles had turned it. Its
+breast was torn open, and the crimson blood, with which they had been
+gorging themselves, was spread in broad flakes over its snowy plumage.
+The eagles themselves, scared by the dog Marengo, had taken flight
+before the boys could get within shot of them.
+
+As it was just the hour for a "noon halt" and a luncheon, the swan was
+carried to the bank of the river, where a crackling fire was soon
+kindled to roast him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT
+
+
+A few days brought our travellers to the settlement of Red River, where
+they made but a very short stay; and, having procured a few articles
+which they stood in need of, they resumed their journey, and floated on
+towards Lake Winnipeg. The swans were seen in greater numbers than ever.
+They were not less shy however, and François, as before, in vain tried
+to get a shot at one.
+
+He was very desirous of bringing down one of these noble birds, partly
+because the taste he had had of their flesh had given him a liking for
+it; and partly because their shyness had greatly tantalized him. One is
+always more eager to kill shy game, both on account of the rarity of the
+thing, and the credit one gets for his expertness. But the voyageurs had
+now got within less than twenty miles of Lake Winnipeg, and François had
+not as yet shot a single swan. It was not at all likely the eagles would
+help him to another. So there would be no more roast swan for supper.
+
+Norman, seeing how eager François was to shoot one of these birds,
+resolved to aid him by his advice.
+
+"Cousin Frank," said he, one evening as they floated along, "you wish
+very much to get a shot at the swans?"
+
+"I do," replied François,--"I do; and if you can tell me how to
+accomplish that business, I'll make you a present of this knife." Here
+François held up a very handsome clasp-knife that he carried in his
+pouch.
+
+A knife in the fur countries is no insignificant affair. With a knife
+you may sometimes buy a horse, or a tent, or a whole carcass of beef,
+or, what is stranger still, a wife! To the hunter in these wild
+regions--perhaps a thousand miles from where knives are sold--such a
+thing is of very great value indeed; but the knife which François
+offered to his cousin was a particularly fine one, and the latter had
+once expressed a wish to become the owner of it. He was not slow,
+therefore, in accepting the conditions.
+
+"Well," rejoined he, "you must consent to travel a few miles by night,
+and I think I can promise you a shot at the trumpeters--perhaps
+several."
+
+"What say you, brothers?" asked François, appealing to Basil and Lucien;
+"shall we have the sport? Say yes."
+
+"Oh! I have no objection," said Lucien.
+
+"Nor I," added Basil. "On the contrary, I should like it above all
+things. I wish very much to know what plan our cousin shall adopt. I
+never heard of any mode of approaching these birds."
+
+"Very well, then," answered Norman, "I shall have the pleasure of
+instructing you in a way that is in use in these parts among the
+Indians, who hunt the swan for its skin and quills, which they trade to
+us at the post. We can manage it to-night, I think," continued he,
+looking up at the sky: "there is no moon, and the sky is thick. Yes, it
+will be dark enough."
+
+"Is it necessary the night should be a dark one?" asked François.
+
+"The darker the better," replied Norman. "To-night, if I am not
+mistaken, will be as black as pitch. But we need to make some
+preparations. It is near sundown, and we shall have just time to get
+ready for the business. Let us get ashore, then, as quickly as
+possible."
+
+"Oh! certainly--let us land," replied all three at once.
+
+The canoe was now turned to the shore; and when it had arrived within a
+few feet of the land it was brought to a stop. Its keel was not allowed
+to touch the bottom of the river, as that would have injured the little
+craft. The greatest precaution is always observed both in landing and
+embarking these vessels. The voyageurs first get out and wade to the
+shore, one or two remaining to hold the canoe in its place. The cargo,
+whatever it be, is then taken out and landed; and after that the canoe
+itself is lifted out of the water, and carried ashore, where it is set,
+bottom upward, to dry.
+
+The birch-bark canoe is so frail a structure, that, were it brought
+rudely in contact either with the bottom or the bank, it would be very
+much damaged, or might go to pieces altogether. Hence the care with
+which it is handled. It is dangerous, also, to stand upright in it, as
+it is so "crank" that it would easily turn over, and spill both
+canoe-men and cargo into the water. The voyageurs, therefore, when once
+they have got in, remain seated during the whole passage, shifting about
+as little as they can help. When landed for the night, the canoe is
+always taken out of the water as described. The bark is of a somewhat
+spongy nature; and if left in the water for a length of time, would
+become soaked and heavy, and would not run so well. When kept all night,
+bottom upward, it drips and becomes dryer and lighter. In the morning,
+at the commencement of the day's journey, it sits higher upon the water
+than in the afternoon and evening, and is at that time more easily
+paddled along.
+
+Our voyageurs, having got on shore, first kindled a fire to cook their
+supper. This they intended to despatch earlier than usual, so as to give
+them the early part of the night for their swan hunt, which they
+expected to finish before midnight. Lucien did the cooking, while
+Norman, assisted by Basil and François, made his preparations for the
+hunt. François, who was more interested in the result than any of them,
+watched every movement of his cousin. Nothing escaped him.
+
+Norman proceeded as follows:--
+
+He walked off into the woods, accompanied by François. After going about
+an hundred yards or so, he stopped at the foot of a certain tree. The
+tree was a birch--easily distinguished by its smooth, silvery bark. By
+means of his sharp hunting-knife he "girdled" this tree near the ground,
+and then higher up, so that the length between the two "girdlings," or
+circular cuttings, was about four feet. He then made a longitudinal
+incision by drawing the point of his knife from one circle to the other.
+This done he inserted the blade under the bark, and peeled it off, as he
+would have taken the skin from a buffalo. The tree was a foot in
+diameter, consequently the bark, when stripped off and spread flat, was
+about three feet in width; for you must remember that the circumference
+of a circle or a cylinder is always about three times the length of its
+diameter, and therefore a tree is three times as much "_round_" as it is
+"_through_."
+
+They now returned to the camp-fire, taking along with them the piece of
+bark that had been cut off. This was spread out, though not quite flat,
+still leaving it somewhat curved. The convex side, that which had lain
+towards the tree, was now blackened with pulverized charcoal, which
+Norman had directed Basil to prepare for the purpose; and to the bark at
+one end was fastened a stake or shaft. Nothing more remained but to fix
+this stake in the canoe, in an upright position near the bow, and in
+such a way that the bottom of the piece of bark would be upon a level
+with the seats, with its hollow side looking forward. It would thus form
+a screen, and prevent those in the canoe from being seen by any creature
+that might be ahead.
+
+When all this had been arranged, Norman shouldered the axe, and again
+walked off into the woods. This time his object was to obtain a quantity
+of "knots" of the pitch-pine (_Pinus rigida_), which he knew would most
+likely be found in such a situation. The tree was soon discovered, and
+pointed out to François, who accompanied him as before. François saw
+that it was a tree of about fifty feet in height, and a foot in diameter
+at its base. Its bark was thick, very dark in the colour, and full of
+cracks or fissures. Its leaves, or "needles," were about three inches
+long, and grew in threes, each three forming a little bunch, bound
+together at its base by a brownish sheath.
+
+These bunches, in botanical language, are termed "fasciles." The cones
+were somewhat shorter than the leaves, nearly the shape of eggs, and
+clustered together in threes and fours. François noticed that the tree
+was thickly branched, and therefore there are many knots in the wood.
+For this reason it is not much use as timber; but on account of the
+resin which it contains, it is the best species for firewood; and for
+that purpose it is used in all parts of the United States, where it
+grows. Most of the _pine-wood_ sold for fuel in the large cities of
+America is the wood of this species.
+
+François supposed that his companion was about to fell one of the trees.
+He was mistaken, however; Norman had no such intention; he had only
+stopped before one to examine it, and make sure that it was the species
+he was in search of. He was soon satisfied of this, and moved on,
+directing his eyes along the ground. Again he stopped; but this time it
+was by a tree that had already fallen--blown down, perhaps, by the wind.
+It was half decayed; but François could see that it was one of the same
+species--the pitch-pine.
+
+This was the very thing Norman wanted, and plying his axe, he soon
+knocked out a large quantity of the resinous knots. These he at length
+collected, and putting them into a bag, returned with François to the
+fire. He then announced that he had no further preparations to make.
+
+All four now sat down to supper, which consisted of dry meat, with
+biscuits and coffee; and, as their appetites were sharpened by their
+water journey, they made a hearty meal of it.
+
+As soon as they had finished eating, the canoe was launched and got
+ready. The screen of birch-bark was set up, by lashing its shaft to the
+bottom timbers, and also to one of the seats. Immediately in front of
+this, and out upon the bow, was placed the frying-pan; and this having
+been secured by being tied at the handle, was filled with dry
+pine-knots, ready to be kindled at a moment's notice. These arrangements
+being made, the hunters only awaited the darkness to set forth.
+
+In the progress of their hunt they would be carried still farther
+down-stream; but as that was the direction in which they were
+travelling, they would only be progressing on their journey, and thus
+"killing two birds with one stone." This was altogether a very pleasant
+consideration; and having stowed everything snugly in the canoe, they
+sat chatting agreeably and waiting for the arrival of night.
+
+Night came at length, and, as Norman had predicted, it was as "dark as
+pitch." Stepping gently into the canoe, and seating themselves in their
+respective places, they pushed out and commenced floating down-stream.
+Norman sat near the bow, in order to attend to his torch of pine-knots.
+François was next to him, holding his double-barrel, loaded with
+buckshot, which is the same size as that used for swans, and in England
+is even known as "swan-shot."
+
+Next came Basil with his rifle. He sat near François, just by the middle
+of the little vessel. Lucien, who was altogether a man of peace
+principles, and but little of a shot compared with either of his
+brothers, handled the oar--not to propel the canoe, but merely to guide
+it. In this way the party floated on in silence.
+
+Norman soon kindled his torch, which now cast its red glare over the
+surface of the river, extending its fiery radii even to the banks on
+both sides of the stream. The trees that overhung the water seemed
+tinged with vermilion, and the rippling wave sparkled like liquid gold.
+The light only extended over a semicircle. From the manner in which the
+torch was placed, its light did not fall upon the other half of the
+circle, and this, by contrast, appeared even darker than it would
+otherwise have done.
+
+The advantage of the plan which Norman had adopted was at once apparent
+to all. Ahead of the canoe the whole river was plainly seen, for a
+distance of several hundred yards. No object larger than a cork could
+have floated on its surface, without being visible to those in the
+vessel--much less the great white body of a trumpeter swan. Astern of
+the canoe, on the other hand, all was pitchy darkness, and any one
+looking at the vessel from a position ahead could have seen nothing but
+the bright torch and the black uniform surface behind it.
+
+As I have already stated, the convex side of the bark was _towards_ the
+blaze, and the pan containing the torch being placed close into the
+screen, none of the light could possibly fall upon the forms of those
+within the canoe. They were therefore invisible to any creature from the
+front, while they themselves could see everything before them.
+
+Two questions yet remained unanswered. First--would our hunters find any
+swans on the river? Second--if they should, would these birds allow
+themselves to be approached near enough to be shot at? The first
+question Norman, of course, could not answer. That was a matter beyond
+his knowledge or control. The swans might or might not appear, but it
+was to be hoped they would. It was likely enough. Many had been seen on
+the preceding day, and why not then? To the second question, the young
+Canadian gave a definite reply.
+
+He assured his cousins that, if met with, the birds would be easily
+approached in this manner; he had often hunted them so. They would
+either keep their place, and remain until the light came very near them,
+or they would move towards it (as he had many times known them to do),
+attracted by curiosity and the novelty of the spectacle. He had hunted
+deer in the same manner; he had shot, he said, hundreds of these animals
+upon the banks of rivers, where they had come down to the water to
+drink, and stood gazing at the light.
+
+His cousins could well credit his statements. They themselves had hunted
+deer by torchlight in the woods of Louisiana, where it is termed
+"fire-hunting." They had killed several in this way. The creatures as if
+held by some fascination, would stand with head erect looking at the
+torch carried by one of the party, while the other took sight between
+their glancing eyes and fired the deadly bullet. Remembering this, they
+could easily believe that the swans might act in a similar manner.
+
+It was not long until they were convinced of it by actual experience. As
+the canoe rounded a bend in the river, three large white objects
+appeared in the "reach" before them. A single glance satisfied all that
+they were swans, though in the deceptive glare of the torch, they
+appeared even larger than swans. Their long upright necks, however,
+convinced the party they could be nothing else, and the canoe was headed
+directly for them.
+
+As our hunters approached, one of the birds was heard to utter his
+strange trumpet note, and this he repeated at intervals as they drew
+nearer.
+
+"I have heard that they sing before death," muttered François to Basil,
+who sat nearest him. "If so, I hope that's the song itself;" and
+François laughed quietly at the joke he had perpetrated.
+
+Basil also laughed; and Lucien, who had overheard the remark, could not
+refrain himself from joining in the laughter.
+
+"I fear not," rejoined Basil; "there is hardly enough music in the note
+to call it a song. They may live to 'blow their own trumpet' a long
+while yet."
+
+This remark called forth a fresh chorus of laughter, in which all took
+part; but it was a very silent kind of laughter, that could not have
+been heard ten yards off: it might have been termed "laughing in a
+whisper."
+
+It soon ended, however, as matters now became serious: they were already
+within less than two hundred yards of the game, and the greatest caution
+had to be observed. The gunners had arranged the order of fire: Basil
+was to shoot first, taking steady aim with his rifle at any one of the
+birds; while François should fire as soon as he heard the report of his
+brother's gun, taking the remaining swans upon the wing, with one or
+both barrels, as he best might.
+
+At length Basil deemed himself near enough, and, levelling his piece,
+fired. The bird threw out its wings, and flattened down upon the water,
+almost without a struggle. The other two were rising into the air, when
+"crack! crack!" went the two barrels of François' piece, and one of the
+swans fell back with a broken wing, and fluttered over the surface of
+the stream. Basil's had been shot dead, and was taken up easily; but the
+wounded bird was only captured after a long chase with the canoe; and
+when overtaken, it struck so fiercely with its remaining wing, that one
+of the blows inflicted a painful wound on the wrist of François. Both,
+however, were at length got safely aboard, and proved to be a male and
+female of the largest dimensions.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+"CAST AWAY"
+
+
+Of course, the reports of the guns must have frightened any other swans
+that were near. It was not likely they would find any more before going
+some distance farther down the river; so, having stowed away in a safe
+place the two already killed, the hunters paddled rapidly onward.
+
+They had hardly gone half-a-mile farther, when another flock of swans
+was discovered. These were approached in a similar way, and no less than
+three were obtained--François making a remarkable shot, and killing with
+both barrels. A little farther down, one of the "hoopers" was killed;
+and still farther on, another trumpeter; making in all no less than
+seven swans that lay dead in the bottom of the canoe!
+
+These seven great birds almost filled the little craft to the gunwales,
+and you would think that our "torch-hunters" ought to have been content
+with such a spoil; but the hunter is hard to satisfy with game, and but
+too often inclined to "spill much more blood" than is necessary to his
+wants. Our voyageurs, instead of desisting, again set the canoe in
+motion, and continued the hunt.
+
+A short distance below the place where they had shot the last swan, as
+they were rounding a bend in the river, a loud rushing sounded in their
+ears, similar to that produced by a cascade or waterfall. On first
+hearing it, they were startled and somewhat alarmed. It might be a
+"fall," thought they. Norman could not tell: he had never travelled this
+route; he did not know whether there were falls in the Red River or not,
+but he believed not. In his voyage to the South, he had travelled by
+another route; that was, up the Winnipeg River, and through Rainy Lake
+and the Lake of the Woods to Lake Superior. This is the usual and
+well-known track followed by the _employés_ of the Hudson's Bay
+Company; and Norman had travelled it.
+
+In this uncertainty the canoe was brought to a stop, and our voyageurs
+remained listening. The noise made by the water was not very distant,
+and sounded like the roaring of "rapids," or the rush of a "fall." It
+was evidently one or the other; but, after listening to it for a
+considerable time, all came to the conclusion that the sound did not
+proceed from the Red River itself, but from some stream that emptied
+into it upon the right. With this belief they again put the canoe in
+motion, and glided slowly and cautiously onward.
+
+Their conjecture proved to be correct. As they approached nearer, they
+perceived that the noise appeared every moment more and more to their
+right; and presently they saw, below them, a rapid current sweeping into
+the Red River from the right bank. This was easily distinguished by the
+white froth and bubbles that were carried along upon its surface, and
+which had evidently been produced by some fall over which the water had
+lately passed. The hunters now rowed fearlessly forward, and in a few
+moments came opposite the _débouchure_ of the tributary stream, when a
+considerable cascade appeared to their view, not thirty yards from the
+Red River itself. The water foamed and dashed over a series of steps,
+and then swept rapidly on, in a frothy current. They had entered this
+current, and were now carried along with increased velocity, so that the
+oarsmen suspended operations, and drew their paddles within the canoe.
+
+A flock of swans now drew their attention. It was the largest flock they
+had yet seen, numbering nearly a score of these noble birds,--a sight,
+as Norman informed them, that was exceedingly rare even in the most
+favoured haunts of the swan. Rarely are more than six or seven seen
+together, and oftener only two or three. A grand _coup_ was determined
+upon. Norman took up his own gun, and even Lucien, who managed the stern
+oar, and guided the craft, also brought his piece--a very small
+rifle--close to his hand, so that he might have a shot as well as the
+others.
+
+The canoe was directed in such a manner that, by merely keeping its head
+down the stream, it would float to the spot where the swans were.
+
+In a short while they approached very near the great birds, and our
+hunters could see them sitting on the water, with upraised necks, gazing
+in wonder at the torch. Whether they sounded their strange note was not
+known, for the "sough" of the waterfall still echoed in the ears of the
+canoe-men, and they could not hear aught else.
+
+Basil and Norman fired first, and simultaneously; but the louder
+detonations of François' double-barrel, and even the tiny crack of
+Lucien's rifle, were heard almost the instant after. Three of the birds
+were killed by the volley, while a fourth, evidently "winged," was seen
+to dive, and flutter down-stream. The others mounted into the air, and
+disappeared in the darkness.
+
+During the time occupied in this manoeuvre, the canoe, no longer guided
+by Lucien's oar, had been caught by some eddy in the current, and swept
+round stern-foremost. In this position the light no longer shone upon
+the river ahead, but was thrown up-stream. All in a downward direction
+was buried in deep darkness. Before the voyageurs could bring the canoe
+back to its proper direction, a new sound fell upon their ears that
+caused some of them to utter a cry of terror. It was the noise of
+rushing water, but not that which they had already heard and passed. It
+was before them in the river itself. Perhaps it was a cataract, and
+_they were sweeping rapidly to its brink_!
+
+The voice of Norman was heard exclaiming, "Hold with your oars!--the
+rapids!--the rapids!" At the same time he himself was seen rising up and
+stretching forward for an oar. All was now consternation; and the
+movements of the party naturally consequent upon such a sudden panic
+shook the little craft until her gunwales lipped the water. At the same
+time she had swung round, until the light again showed the stream ahead,
+and a horrid sight it was.
+
+Far as the eye could see, was a reach of foaming rapids. Dark points of
+rocks, and huge black boulders, thickly scattered in the channel, jutted
+above the surface; and around and against these, the water frothed and
+hissed furiously. There was no cataract, it is true--there is none such
+in Red River--but for all purposes of destruction the rapids before them
+were equally dangerous and terrible to the eyes of our voyageurs. They
+no longer thought of the swans. The dead were permitted to float down
+unheeded, the wounded to make its escape. Their only thought was to stop
+the canoe before it should be carried upon the rapids.
+
+With this intent all had taken to the oars, but in spite of every
+exertion they soon found that the light craft had got within the
+influence of the strong current, and was sucked downward more rapidly
+than ever. Their backward strokes were to no purpose.
+
+In a few seconds the canoe had passed over the first stage of the
+rapids, and shot down with the velocity of an arrow. A huge boulder lay
+directly in the middle of the channel, and against this the current
+broke with fury, laving its sides in foaming masses. The canoe was
+hurried to this point; and as the light was again turned up-stream, none
+of the voyageurs could see this dangerous rock. But they could not have
+shunned it then. The boat had escaped from their control, and spun round
+at will. The rock once more came under the light, but just as the canoe,
+with a heavy crash, was driven against it.
+
+For some moments the vessel, pressed by the current against the rock,
+remained motionless, but her sides were stove in, and the water was
+rushing through. The quick eye of Basil--cool in all crises of extreme
+danger--perceived this at a glance. He saw that the canoe was a wreck,
+and nothing remained but to save themselves as they best might. Dropping
+the oar, and seizing his rifle, he called to his companions to leap to
+the rock; and all together immediately sprang over the gunwale. The dog
+Marengo followed after.
+
+The canoe, thus lightened, heeled round into the current, and swept on.
+The next moment she struck another rock, and was carried over on her
+beams. The water then rushed in--the white bodies of the swans, with the
+robes, blankets, and implements, rose on the wave; the blazing knots
+were spilled from the pan, and fell with a hissing sound; and a few
+seconds after they were extinguished, and all was darkness!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN
+
+
+The canoe was lost, and all it had contained, or nearly all. The
+voyageurs had saved only their guns, knives, and the powder-horns and
+pouches, that had been attached to their persons. One other thing had
+been saved--an axe which Basil had flung upon the rock as he stepped out
+of the sinking vessel. All the rest--robes, blankets, swans, cooking
+utensils, bags of provisions, such as coffee, flour, and dried
+meat--were lost--irrecoverably lost. These had either drifted off upon
+the surface, or been carried under water and hidden among the loose
+stones at the bottom. No matter where, they were lost; and our voyageurs
+now stood on a small naked rock in the middle of the stream, with
+nothing left but the clothes upon their backs, and the arms in their
+hands. Such was their condition.
+
+There was something so sudden and awful in the mishap that had befallen
+them, that for some minutes they stood upon the spot where they had
+settled without moving or addressing a word to one another. They gazed
+after the canoe. They knew that it was wrecked, although they could see
+nothing either of it or its contents. Thick darkness enveloped them,
+rendered more intense from the sudden extinction of the torchlight. They
+saw nothing but the foam flickering along the river; like the ghosts of
+the swans they had killed, and they heard only the roaring of the water,
+that sounded in their ears with a hoarse and melancholy wail.
+
+For a long time they stood impressed with the lamentable condition into
+which the accident had plunged them; and a lamentable condition it was,
+sure enough. They were on a small rock in the midst of a rapid river.
+They were in the midst of a great wilderness too, many long miles from a
+settlement. The nearest could only be reached by travelling through
+pathless forests, and over numerous and deep rivers. Impassable swamps,
+and lakes with marshy shores, lay on the route, and barred the direct
+course, and all this journey would have to be made on foot.
+
+But none of our young voyageurs were of that stamp to yield themselves
+to despair. One and all of them had experienced perils before--greater
+even than that in which they now stood. As soon, therefore, as they
+became fully satisfied that their little vessel was wrecked, and all its
+contents scattered, instead of despairing, their first thoughts were how
+to make the best of their situation.
+
+For that night, at least, they were helpless. They could not leave the
+rock. It was surrounded by rapids. Sharp, jagged points peeped out of
+the water, and between these the current rushed with impetuosity. In the
+darkness no human being could have crossed to either shore in safety. To
+attempt it would have been madness, and our voyageurs soon came to this
+conclusion. They had no other choice than to remain where they were
+until the morning; so, seating themselves upon the rock, they prepared
+to pass the night.
+
+They sat huddled close together. They could not lie down--there was not
+room enough for that. They kept awake most of the night, one or other of
+them, overcome by fatigue, occasionally nodding over in a sort of
+half-sleep, but awaking again after a few minutes' uncomfortable
+dreaming. They talked but little, as the noise of the rushing rapids
+rendered conversation painful. To be heard, they were under the
+necessity of shouting to one another, like passengers in an omnibus. It
+was cold, too. None of them had been much wetted in escaping from the
+canoe; but they had saved neither overcoat, blanket, nor buffalo-robe;
+and, although it was now late in the spring, the nights near Lake
+Winnipeg, even at that season, are chilly. They were above the latitude
+of 50°; and although in England, which is on that parallel, it is not
+very cold of a spring night, it must be remembered that the line of
+equal temperature--in the language of meteorologists the "_isothermal
+line_,"--is of a much lower latitude in America than in Europe.
+
+Our voyageurs were chilled to the very bones, and of course glad to see
+the daylight glimmering through the tops of the trees that grew upon the
+banks of the river. As soon as day broke, they began to consider how
+they would reach those trees. Although swimming a river of that width
+would have been to any of the four a mere bagatelle, they saw that it
+was not to be so easy an affair. Had they been upon either bank, they
+could have crossed to the other without difficulty--as they would have
+chosen a place where the water was comparatively still. On the rock they
+had no choice, as the rapids extended on both sides above and below it.
+Between the boulders the current rushed so impetuously, that had they
+attempted to swim to either bank, they would have been carried downward,
+and perhaps dashed with violence against one or other of the sharp
+stones.
+
+As soon as it was light, they saw all this; not without feelings of
+apprehension and uneasiness. Their whole attention was now occupied with
+the one object--how they should get to the bank of the river.
+
+The right bank was the more distant; but the passage in that direction
+appeared the easier one. The current was not so swift, nor yet did it
+seem so deep. They thought they might ford it, and Basil made the
+attempt; but he soon got beyond his depth; and was obliged, after being
+carried off his feet, to swim up under the lee of the rock again.
+
+From the rock to the right bank was about an hundred yards' distance.
+Here and there, at irregular intervals, sharp, jagged stones rose above
+the surface, some of them projecting three feet or more out of the
+water, and looking very much like upright tombstones. Lucien had noticed
+these, and expressed the opinion that if they only had a rope, they
+might fling it over one of these stones, and then, holding it fast at
+the other end, might pass by that means from one to the other.
+
+The suggestion was a good one, but where was the rope to come from? All
+their ropes and cords--lassoes and all--had been swept away in the
+wreck. Not a string remained, except those that fastened their horns,
+flasks, and other accoutrements; and these were only small thongs, and
+would be of no use for such a purpose. It would require a rope strong
+enough to carry the weight of a man impelled by a rapid current--in
+fact, a weight equal to that of several men. They all set to thinking
+how this was to be obtained. Each looked at the other, and scanned the
+straps and thongs that were around their bodies.
+
+They were satisfied at a glance that these would not be sufficient to
+make such a rope as was wanted. They did not give up the hope of being
+able to obtain one. They were all of them accustomed to resort to
+strange expedients, and a sufficiently strange one now suggested itself.
+Basil and Norman seemed to have thought of it at the same time, for both
+at once unbuckled their straps, and commenced pulling off their buckskin
+hunting-shirts. The others said nothing, as they knew well what they
+were going to do with them--they knew they intended cutting them into
+strips, and then twisting a rope out of them.
+
+All four set to work together. Lucien and François held the shirts taut,
+while Basil and Norman handled the knives, and in a few minutes the rock
+was covered with strips of buckskin about two inches wide, by a yard or
+so in length. These were next joined and plaited together in such a
+manner that a rope was formed nearly forty feet long. An eye was made at
+one end, and through this the other end was reeved--so that a running
+noose was obtained, in the same manner as the Mexicans and Indians make
+their lassoes. The rope was now ready for use, and Basil was the very
+hand to use it; for Basil knew how to fling a lasso as well as either
+Mexican or Indian. He had practised it often, and had lassoed many a
+long-horned bull upon the prairies of Opelousas and the Attakapas. To
+Basil, therefore, the rope was given.
+
+He placed himself on the highest part of the rock, having first coiled
+the new-made lasso, and hung the coil lightly over his left arm. He then
+took the noose-end in his right hand, and commenced winding it around
+his head. His companions had laid themselves flat, so as not to be in
+the way of the noose as it circled about. After a few turns the rope was
+launched forth, and a loud "hurrah!" from François announced that the
+throw was successful.
+
+It was so in fact, as the noose was seen settling smoothly over the
+jutting-stone, taking full hold upon it. A pull from Basil fixed it; and
+in a few minutes it was made quite fast, without the slightest danger of
+its slipping off. The other end was then carried round a projecting
+point of the rock on which they stood, and knotted firmly, so that the
+rope was quite taut, and stretched in a nearly horizontal direction,
+about a foot above the surface of the water.
+
+The voyageurs now prepared to cross over. Their guns, pouches, and
+flasks were carefully secured, so that the water could not damage them.
+Then each took a piece of the buckskin thong, and fastened it round his
+waist, leaving enough to form a running loop. This loop was intended to
+embrace the rope, and run along it, as they drew themselves forward by
+their hands.
+
+Basil passed over first. He was the oldest, and, as he asserted, it was
+but right he should run the risk in testing the new-fashioned bridge, of
+which he was the architect. It worked admirably, and sustained the
+weight of his body, with the whole force of the current acting upon it.
+Of course he was swept far down, and the rope was stretched to its full
+tension, but he succeeded in handing himself along, until he was able to
+touch the second rock, and clamber upon it in safety. During the passage
+across he was watched by his companions with emotions of no ordinary
+character, but as soon as he had reached the opposite end of the rope
+all three uttered a loud and simultaneous cheer. Lucien passed over
+next, and after him François. Notwithstanding his danger, François
+laughed loudly all the time he was in the water, while his brothers were
+not without some fears for his safety. Marengo was next attached to the
+rope, and pulled safely over.
+
+Norman was the last to cross upon the buckskin bridge, but, like the
+others, he landed in safety; and the four, with the dog, now stood upon
+the little isolated boulder where there was just room enough to give
+them all a footing.
+
+A difficulty now presented itself, which they had not hitherto thought
+of. Another reach of rapid current was to be crossed, before they could
+safely trust themselves to enter the water. This they knew before, but
+they had also noticed that there was another jutting rock, upon which
+they might fling their rope. But the rope itself was now the difficulty.
+It was fast at both ends, and how were they to release it from the rock
+they had left? One of them could easily cross over again and untie it,
+but how was he to get back to the others? Here was a dilemma which had
+not presented itself before, and they now saw themselves no better off
+than ever. The rapid that remained to be crossed, was as dangerous as
+the one they had succeeded in passing. There was no hope that they could
+swim it in safety. They would certainly be swept with violence against
+the rocks below. There was no chance, then, of their going an inch
+farther--unless by some means similar to that they had just used, and
+the rope was no longer at their service.
+
+For some time they all stood silent, each considering the matter in his
+own way. How could they free the rope?
+
+"It cannot be done," said one.
+
+"Impossible," rejoined another. "We must make a second rope. François's
+shirt still remains, and our leggings--we can use them."
+
+This was the mode suggested by François and Norman, and Lucien seemed to
+assent to it. They had already commenced untying their leggings, when
+Basil uttered the ejaculation--
+
+"Stop!"
+
+"Well, what is it, brother?" asked Lucien.
+
+"I think I can free the rope at the other end. At all events, let me
+try. It will not cost much, either in time or trouble."
+
+"How do you mean to do it, brother?"
+
+"Sit close, all of you. Give me room--you shall see presently."
+
+As directed by Basil, they all cowered closely down, so as to occupy as
+little space as possible. Basil, having uncovered the lock of his
+rifle--which had been carefully bound up in a piece of deer's
+bladder--placed himself in a firm position, and appeared as if about to
+fire. Such was his intention--for in a few moments he was seen to raise
+the gun to his shoulder, and take aim. None of his companions uttered a
+word. They had already guessed the object of this movement, and sat
+silently awaiting the result.
+
+On the rock which they had left, the rope still bound fast passed around
+one of the angles, in such a way that, from the point where Basil stood,
+it offered a fair mark. It was at this Basil was aiming. His object was
+to cut the thong with his bullet. He could not do it with a single shot,
+as the thong was broader than the bullet, but he had calculated that he
+might effect his purpose with several. If he did not succeed in cutting
+it clean through, the ball flattening upon the rock would, perhaps, tear
+the rope in such a manner that, by pulling by the other end, they might
+detach it. Such were the calculations and hopes of Basil.
+
+A moment more and the crack of his rifle was heard. At the same instant
+the dust rose up from the point at which he had aimed, and several small
+fragments flew off into the water. Again was heard François's "hurrah,"
+for François, as well as the others, had seen that the rope had been hit
+at the right place, and now exhibited a mangled appearance.
+
+While Basil was reloading, Norman took aim and fired. Norman was a good
+shot, though perhaps not so good a one as Basil, for that was no easy
+matter, as there were few such marksmen to be found anywhere, not even
+among the professional trappers and hunters themselves. But Norman was a
+fair shot, and this time hit his mark. The thong was evidently better
+than half divided by the two bullets. Seeing this, François took hold of
+the other end, and gave it a strong jerk or two, but it was still too
+much for him, and he ceased pulling and waited the effect of Basil's
+second shot.
+
+The later had now reloaded, and, taking deliberate aim again, fired. The
+rope was still held taut upon the rock, for part of it dragged in the
+current, the force of which kept pressing it hard downward. Scarcely was
+the report heard, when the farther end of the thong flew from its
+fastening, and, swept by the running water, was seen falling into the
+lee of the boulder on which the party now stood. A third time was heard
+the voice of François uttering one of his customary "hurrahs." The rope
+was now dragged up, and made ready for further use. Basil again took
+hold of it; and, after coiling it as before, succeeded in throwing the
+noose over the third rock, where it settled and held fast. The other end
+was tied as before, and all passed safely to the new station. Here,
+however, their labour ended. They found that from this point to the
+shore the river was shallow, and fordable; and, leaving the rope where
+it was, all four took the water, and waded safely to the bank.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+DECOYING THE ANTELOPES
+
+
+For the present, then, our voyageurs had escaped. They were safe upon
+the river's bank; but when we consider the circumstances in which they
+were placed, we shall perceive that they were far from being pleasant
+ones. They were in the midst of a wilderness, without either horse or
+boat to carry them out of it. They had lost everything but their arms
+and their axe. The hunting-shirts of some of them, as we have seen, were
+destroyed, and they would now suffer from the severe cold that even in
+summer, as we have said, often reigns in these latitudes. Not a vessel
+was left them for cooking with, and not a morsel of meat or anything was
+left to be cooked. For their future subsistence they would have to
+depend upon their guns, which, with their ammunition, they had
+fortunately preserved.
+
+After reaching the shore, their first thoughts were about procuring
+something to eat. They had now been a long time without food, and all
+four were hungry enough. As if by one impulse, all cast their eyes
+around, and looked upward among the branches of the trees, to see if any
+animal could be discovered that might serve them for a meal. Bird or
+quadruped, it mattered not, so that it was large enough to give the four
+a breakfast. But neither one nor the other was to be seen, although the
+woods around had a promising appearance. The trees were large, and as
+there was much underwood, consisting of berry-bushes and plants with
+edible roots, our voyageurs did not doubt that there would be found game
+in abundance. It was agreed, then, that Lucien and François should
+remain on the spot and kindle a fire, while Basil and Norman went off in
+search of something to be cooked upon it.
+
+In less than an hour the latter returned, carrying an animal upon his
+shoulders, which both the boys recognised as an old acquaintance--the
+prong-horned antelope, so called from the single fork or prong upon its
+horns. Norman called it "a goat," and stated that this was its name
+among the fur-traders, while the Canadian voyageurs give it the title of
+"cabree." Lucien, However, knew the animal well. He knew it was not of
+the goat kind, but a true antelope, and the only animal of that genus
+found in North America. Its habitat is the prairie country, and at the
+present time it is not found farther east than the prairies extend, not
+farther north either, as it is not a creature that can bear extreme
+cold.
+
+In early times, however--that is nearly two centuries ago--it must have
+ranged nearly to the Atlantic shores, as Father Hennipen in his
+_Travels_ speaks of "goats" being killed in the neighbourhood of
+Niagara, meaning no other than the prong-horned antelopes. The true wild
+goat of America is a very different animal, and is only found in the
+remote regions of the Rocky Mountains.
+
+What Norman had shot, then, was an antelope; and the reason why it is
+called "cabree" by the voyageurs, and "goat" by the fur-traders, is
+partly from its colour resembling that of the common goat, but more from
+the fact, that along the upper part of its neck there is a standing
+mane, which does in truth give it somewhat the appearance of the
+European goat. Another point of resemblance lies in the fact, that the
+"prong-horns" emit the same disagreeable odour, which is a well-known
+characteristic of the goat species. This proceeds from two small
+glandular openings that lie at the angles of the jaws, and appear spots
+of a blackish-brown colour.
+
+Both Lucien and François had shot antelopes. They had decoyed them
+within range in their former expedition on the prairies, and had seen
+wolves do the same. The Indians usually hunt them in this manner, by
+holding up some bright-coloured flag, or other curious object, which
+rarely fails to bring them within shot; but Norman informed his cousins
+that the Indians of the Hudson's Bay Company care little about the
+antelope, and rarely think it worth hunting. Its skin is of little value
+to them, and they consider its flesh but indifferent eating. But the
+chief reason why they take so little notice of it is, because it is
+found in the same range, with the buffalo, the moose, and the elk; and,
+as all these animals are more valuable to the Indian hunter, he allows
+the antelope to go unmolested, unless when he is hard pressed with
+hunger, and none of the others are to be had.
+
+While skinning the antelope for breakfast, Norman amused his companions
+by relating how he had killed it. He said he had got near enough to
+shoot it by practising a "dodge." After travelling through the woods for
+some half-mile or so, he had come out into a country of "openings," and
+saw that there was a large prairie beyond. He saw that the woods
+extended no farther than about a mile from the banks of the river, and
+that the whole country beyond was without timber, except in scattered
+clumps. This is, in fact, true of the Red River country, particularly
+of its western part, from which the great prairies stretch westward even
+to the "foot-hills" of the Rocky Mountains.
+
+Well, then, after arriving at the openings, Norman espied a small herd
+of antelopes, about ten or a dozen in all. He would rather they had been
+something else, as elk or deer; for, like the Indians, he did not much
+relish the "goat's" meat. He was too hungry, however, to be nice, and so
+he set about trying to get within shot of the herd. There was no cover,
+and he knew he could not approach near enough without using some
+stratagem. He therefore laid himself flat upon his back, and raised his
+heels as high as he could into the air. These he kicked about in such a
+manner as soon to attract the attention of the antelopes, that, curious
+to make out what it was, commenced running round and round in circles,
+of which Norman himself was the centre.
+
+The circles gradually became smaller and smaller, until the hunter saw
+that his game was within range; when slyly rolling himself round on one
+shoulder, he took aim at a buck, and fired. The buck fell, and the rest
+of the herd bounded off like the wind. Norman feeling hungry himself,
+and knowing that his companions were suffering from the same cause, lost
+no time in looking for other game, but shouldering the "goat," carried
+it into camp.
+
+By this time Lucien and François had a fire kindled--a roaring fire of
+"pine-knots"--and both were standing by it, smoking all over in their
+wet leggings. They had got nearly dry when Norman returned, and they
+proceeded to assist in butchering the antelope. The skin was whipped off
+in a trice; and the venison, cut into steaks and ribs, was soon spitted
+and sputtering cheerily in the blaze of the pine-knots. Everything
+looked pleasant and promising, and it only wanted the presence of Basil
+to make them all feel quite happy again. Basil, however, did not make
+his appearance; and as they were all as hungry as wolves, they could not
+wait for him, but set upon the antelope-venison, and made each of them a
+hearty meal from it.
+
+As yet they had no apprehensions about Basil. They supposed he had not
+met with any game, and was still travelling about in search of it.
+Should he succeed in killing any, he would bring it in; and should he
+not, he would return in proper time without it. It was still early in
+the day.
+
+But several hours passed over and he did not come. It was an unusual
+length of time for him to be absent, especially in strange woods of
+which he knew nothing; moreover, he was in his shirt sleeves, and the
+rest of his clothing had been dripping wet when he set out. Under these
+circumstances would he remain so long, unless something unpleasant had
+happened to him?
+
+This question the three began to ask one another. They began to grow
+uneasy about their absent companion; and as the hours passed on without
+his appearing, their uneasiness increased to serious alarm. They at
+length resolved to go in search of him. They took different directions,
+so that there would be a better chance of finding him. Norman struck out
+into the woods, while Lucien and François, followed by the dog Marengo,
+kept down the bank--thinking that if Basil had got lost, he would make
+for the river to guide him, as night approached. All were to return to
+the camp at nightfall whether successful or not.
+
+After several hours spent in traversing the woods and openings, Norman
+came back. He had been unable to find any traces of their missing
+companion. The others had got back before him. They heard his story with
+sorrowing hearts, for neither had they fallen in with the track of
+living creature. Basil was lost, beyond a doubt. He would never have
+stayed so long, had not some accident happened to him. Perhaps he was
+dead--killed by some wild animal--a panther or a bear. Perhaps he had
+met with Indians, who had carried him off, or put him to death on the
+spot. Such were the painful conjectures of his companions.
+
+It was now night. All three sat mournfully over the fire, their looks
+and gestures betokening the deep dejection they felt. Although in need
+of repose, none of them attempted to go to sleep. At intervals they
+discussed the probability of his return, and then they would remain
+silent. Nothing could be done that night. They could only await the
+morning light, when they would renew their search, and scour the country
+in every direction.
+
+It was near midnight, and they were sitting silently around the fire,
+when Marengo started to his feet, and uttered three or four loud barks.
+The echoes of these had hardly died among the trees when a shrill
+whistle was heard at some distance off in the woods.
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted François, leaping to his feet at the instant; "that's
+Basil's whistle, I'll be bound. I'd know it a mile off. Hurrah!"
+
+François' "hurrah!" rang through the woods, and the next moment came
+back a loud "Hilloa!" which all recognised as the voice of Basil.
+
+"Hilloa!" shouted the three by the fire.
+
+"Hilloa, my boys! all right!" replied the voice; and a few seconds
+after, the tall upright form of Basil himself was seen advancing, under
+the glare of the pine-knots. A shout of congratulation was again raised;
+and all the party, preceded by Marengo, rushed out to meet the
+new-comer. They soon returned, bringing Basil up to the fire, when it
+was seen that he had not returned empty-handed. In one hand he carried a
+bag of grouse, or "prairie hens," while from the muzzle of his
+shouldered rifle there hung something that was at once recognised as a
+brace of buffalo tongues.
+
+"_Voilà_!" cried Basil, flinging down the bag, "how are you off for
+supper? And here," continued he, pointing to the tongues, "here's a pair
+of tit-bits that'll make you lick your lips. Come! let us lose no time
+in the cooking, for I'm hungry enough to eat either of them raw."
+
+Basil's request was instantly complied with. The fire was raked up,
+spits were speedily procured, a tongue and one of the grouse were
+roasted; and although Lucien, François, and Norman, had already supped
+on the "goat's meat," they set to upon the new viands with fresh
+appetites. Basil was hungrier than any, for he had been all the while
+fasting. It was not because he was without meat, but because he knew
+that his comrades would be uneasy about him, and he would not stop to
+cook it. Of meat he had enough, since he had slain the two buffaloes to
+which the tongues had belonged; and these same buffaloes, he now
+informed them, had been the cause of his long absence.
+
+Of course, all were eager to know how the buffaloes could have delayed
+him; and therefore, while they were discussing their savoury supper,
+Basil narrated the details of his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+A "PARTRIDGE DANCE."
+
+
+"After leaving here," said Basil, "I struck off through the woods in a
+line that led from the river, in a diagonal direction. I hadn't walked
+more than three hundred yards, when I heard a drumming sound, which I at
+first took to be thunder; but, after listening a while, I knew it was
+not that, but the drumming of the ruffed grouse. As soon as I could
+ascertain the direction of the sound, I hurried on in that way; but for
+a long time I appeared to get no nearer it, so greatly does this sound
+deceive one. I should think I walked a full mile before I arrived at the
+place where the birds were, for there were many of them. I then had a
+full view of them, as they went through their singular performances.
+
+"There were, in all, about a score. They had selected a piece of open
+and level ground, and over this they were running in a circle, about
+twenty feet in diameter. They did not all run in the same direction, but
+met and crossed each other, although they never deviated much from the
+circumference of the circle, around which the grass was worn quite bare,
+and a ring upon the turf looked baked and black. When I first got near,
+they heard my foot among the leaves, and I saw that one and all of them
+stopped running, and squatted close down.
+
+"I halted, and hid myself behind a tree. After remaining quiet a minute
+or so, the birds began to stretch up their necks, and then all rose
+together to their feet, and commenced running round the ring as before.
+I knew they were performing what is called the 'Partridge Dance;' and as
+I had never witnessed it I held back awhile, and looked on. Even hungry
+as I was, and as I knew all of you to be, so odd were the movements of
+these creatures, that I could not resist watching them a while, before I
+sent my unwelcome messenger into their 'ball-room.'
+
+"Now and then an old cock would separate from the pack, and running out
+to some distance, would leap upon a rock that was there; then, after
+dropping his wings, flirting with his spread tail, erecting the ruff
+upon his neck, and throwing back his head, he would swell and strut upon
+the rock, exhibiting himself like a diminutive turkey-cock. After
+manoeuvring in this way for a few moments, he would commence flapping his
+wings in short quick strokes, which grew more rapid as he proceeded,
+until a 'booming' sound was produced, more like the rumble of distant
+thunder than anything I can think of.
+
+"This appeared to be a challenge to the others; and then a second would
+come out, and, after replying to it by putting himself through a similar
+series of attitudes, the two would attack each other, and fight with all
+the fury of a pair of game-cocks."
+
+"I could have watched their manoeuvres much longer," continued Basil,
+"but hunger got the better of me, and I made ready to fire. Those that
+were 'dancing' moved so quickly round the ring that I could not sight
+one of them. If I had had a shot gun, I might have covered several, but
+with the rifle I could not hope for more than a single bird; so, wanting
+to make sure of that, I waited until an old cock mounted the rock, and
+got to 'drumming.' Then I sighted him, and sent my bullet through his
+crop. I heard the loud whirr of the pack as they rose up from the ring;
+and, marking them, I saw that they all alighted only a couple of hundred
+yards off, upon a large spruce-tree.
+
+"Hoping they would sit there until I could get another shot, I loaded,
+as quickly as possible, and stepped forward. The course I took brought
+me past the one I had killed, which I picked up, and thrust hastily into
+my bag. Beyond this I had to pass over some logs that lay along the
+ground, with level spaces between them. What was my surprise in getting
+among these, to see two of the cocks down upon the grass, and fighting
+so desperately that they took no notice of my approach! At first I threw
+up my rifle, intending to fire, but seeing that the birds were within a
+few feet of me, I thought they might let me lay hold of them, which
+they, in fact, did; for the next moment I had 'grabbed' both of them,
+and cooled their bellicose spirits by wringing their heads off.
+
+"I now proceeded to the pack, that still kept the tree. When near
+enough, I sheltered myself behind another tree; and taking aim at one, I
+brought him tumbling to the ground. The others sat still. Of course, I
+shot the one upon the lowest branch: I knew that, so long as I did this,
+the others would sit until I might get the whole of them; but that if I
+shot one of the upper ones, its fluttering down through the branches
+would alarm the rest, and cause them to fly off. I loaded and fired, and
+loaded and fired, until half-a-dozen of the birds lay around the root of
+the tree.
+
+"I believe I could have killed the whole pack, but it just then occurred
+to me that I was wasting our precious ammunition, and that, considering
+the value of powder and shot to us just now, the birds were hardly worth
+a load a-piece; so I left off cracking at them. As I stepped forward to
+gather what I had killed, the rest whirred away into the woods.
+
+"On reaching the tree where they had perched, I was very much surprised
+to find a raw-hide rope neatly coiled up, and hanging from one of the
+lower branches. I knew that somebody must have placed it there, and I
+looked round to see what "sign" there was besides. My eye fell upon the
+cinders of an old fire near the foot of the tree; and I could tell that
+some Indians had made their camp by it. It must have been a good while
+ago, as the ashes were beaten into the ground by the rain, and,
+moreover, some young plants were springing up through them. I concluded,
+therefore, that whoever had camped there had hung the rope upon the
+tree, and on leaving the place had forgotten it.
+
+"I took the rope down to examine it: it was no other than a lasso, full
+fifty feet long, with an iron ring neatly whipped into the loop-end;
+and, on trying it with a pull, I saw it was in the best condition. Of
+course, I was not likely to leave such a prize behind me. I had grown,
+as you may all conceive, to have a very great regard for a rope,
+considering that one had just saved all our lives; so I resolved on
+bringing the lasso with me. In order to carry it the more conveniently,
+I coiled it, and then hung the coil across my shoulders like a belt. I
+next packed my game into the bag, which they filled chock up to the
+mouth, and was turning to come back to camp, when my eye fell upon an
+object that caused me suddenly to change my intention.
+
+"I was near the edge of the woods, and through the trunks I could see a
+large open space beyond, where there were no trees, or only one here and
+there. In the middle of this opening there was a cloud of dust, and in
+the thick of it I could see two great dark animals in motion. They were
+running about, and now and then coming together with a sudden rush; and
+every time they did so, I could hear a loud thump, like the stroke of a
+sledge-hammer. The sun was shining upon the yellow dust-cloud, and the
+animals appeared from this circumstance to be of immense size--much
+larger than they really were. Had I not known what kind of creatures
+were before me, I should have believed that the mammoths were still in
+existence. But I knew well what they were: I had seen many before,
+carrying on just such a game. I knew they were buffalo bulls, engaged in
+one of their terrible battles.
+
+"Here Basil's narrative was interrupted by a singular incident. Indeed,
+it had been interrupted more than once by strange noises that were heard
+at some distance off in the woods. These noises were not all alike: at
+one time they resembled the barking of a cur dog; at another, they might
+have been mistaken for the gurglings of a person who was being hanged;
+and then would follow a shriek so dreadful that for some time the woods
+would echo with its dismal sound! After the shriek a laugh would be
+heard, but a miserable "haw-haw-haw!" unlike the laugh of a sane person.
+
+"All these strange voices were calculated to inspire terror, and so have
+they many a time, with travellers not accustomed to the solitary woods
+of America. But our young voyageurs were not at all alarmed by them.
+They knew from what sort of a creature they proceeded; they knew they
+were the varying notes of the great horned-owl; and as they had seen and
+heard many a one before, they paid no heed to this individual.
+
+"While Basil was going on with his relation, the bird had been several
+times seen to glide past, and circle around upon his noiseless pinions.
+So easy was his flight, that the slightest inclining of his spread tail,
+or the bending of his broad wing, seemed sufficient to turn and carry
+him in any direction. Nothing could be more graceful than his flight,
+which was not unlike that of the eagle, while he was but little inferior
+in size to one of these noble birds.
+
+"What interrupted Basil was, that the owl had alighted upon a branch not
+twenty feet from where they were all sitting round the fire, by the
+blaze of which they now had a full view of this singular creature. The
+moment it alighted, it commenced uttering its hideous and unmusical
+cries, at the same time going through such a variety of contortions,
+both with its head and body, as to cause the whole party a fit of
+laughter. It was, in fact, an odd and interesting sight to witness its
+grotesque movements, as it turned first its body, and then its head
+around, without moving the shoulders, while its great honey-coloured
+eyes glared in the light of the fire. At the end of every attitude and
+utterance, it would snap its bill with such violence, that the cracking
+of the mandibles upon each other might have been heard to the distance
+of several hundred yards.
+
+"This was too much for François' patience to bear, and he immediately
+crept to his gun. He had got hold of the piece, and cocked it; but, just
+as he was about to take aim, the owl dropped silently down from the
+branch, and, gliding gently forward, thrust out its feathered leg, and
+lifted one of the grouse in its talons. The latter had been lying upon
+the top of a fallen tree not six feet from the fire! The owl, after
+clutching it, rose into the air; and the next moment would have been
+lost in darkness, but the crack of François' rifle put a sudden stop to
+its flight, and with the grouse still clinging to its claws it fell
+fluttering to the earth. Marengo jumped forward to seize it; but Marengo
+little knew the sort of creature he had to deal with."
+
+It happened to be only "winged," and as soon as the dog came near, it
+threw itself upon its back, and struck at him with its talons so
+wickedly, that he was fain to approach it with more caution. It cost
+Marengo a considerable fight before he succeeded in getting his jaws
+over it. During the contest it continually snapped its bill, while its
+great goggle eyes kept alternately and quickly opening and closing, and
+the feathers being erected all over its body, gave it the appearance of
+being twice its real size. Marengo at length succeeded in "crunching"
+it--although not until he was well scratched about the snout--and its
+useless carcass having been thrown upon the ground, the dog continued to
+worry and chew at it, while Basil went on with his narration.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.
+
+
+"As soon as I saw the buffaloes," continued Basil, "my first thought was
+to get near, and have a shot at them. _They_ were worth a charge of
+powder and lead, and I reflected that if I could kill but one of them,
+it would ensure us against hunger for a couple of weeks to come. So I
+hung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about approaching
+them. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there was no danger of
+their scenting me. But there was no cover near them--the ground was as
+level as a table, and there was not a score of trees upon as many acres.
+It was no use crawling up, and I did not attempt it, but walked straight
+forward, treading lightly as I went. In five minutes, I found myself
+within good shooting range. Neither of the bulls had noticed me. They
+were too busy with one another, and in all my life I never saw two
+creatures fighting in such earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, and
+the steam poured out of their nostrils incessantly."
+
+At times, they would back from each other like a pair of rams, and then
+rush together head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with the
+terrible collision. One would have fancied that they would break them at
+every fresh encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's skull
+before that time. I remember having fired a musket at one that stood
+fronting me not more than six feet distant, when, to my surprise, the
+bullet flattened and fell to the ground before the nose of the buffalo!
+The creature was not less astonished than myself, as up to that time it
+had not seen me.
+
+"Well," continued Basil after a pause, "I did not stop long to watch the
+battle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had seen
+such many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I paused just long
+enough to select the one that appeared to have the most fat upon his
+flanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed for the heart, and my
+aim was a true one, for the animal came to its knees along with the
+crack. Just at that moment the other was charging upon it, and, to my
+surprise, it continued to run on, until striking the wounded one full
+butt upon the forehead, it knocked the latter right over upon its side;
+where, after giving half-a-dozen kicks, it lay quite dead.
+
+"The remaining bull had dashed some paces beyond the spot, and now
+turned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagonist
+stretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much astonished as I
+was. At first, no doubt, he fancied himself the author of a grand
+_coup_, for it was plain that up to this time he had neither noticed my
+presence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing noise that both
+were making had drowned the latter; and the dust, together with the long
+shaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had prevented him from seeing
+anything more than his rival, with whom he was engaged.
+
+"Now that the other was no longer able to stand before him, and thinking
+it was himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his head and snorted
+in triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was thrown back from his
+eyes, and the dust having somewhat settled away, he sighted me, where I
+stood reloading my gun. I fancied he would take off before I could
+finish, and I made all the haste in my power--so much so that I dropped
+the box of caps at my feet. I had taken one out, however, and hurriedly
+adjusted it, thinking to myself, as I did so, that the box might lie
+where it was until I had finished the job.
+
+"I brought the piece to my shoulder, when, to my surprise, the bull,
+instead of running away, as I had expected, set his head, and uttering
+one of his terrible bellows, came rushing towards me. I fired, but the
+shot was a random one, and though it hit him in the snout, it did not in
+the least disable him. Instead of keeping him off, it only seemed to
+irritate him the more, and his fury was now at its height.
+
+"I had no time to load again. He was within a few feet of me when I
+fired, and it was with difficulty that, by leaping to one side, I
+avoided his horns; but I did so, and he passed me with such violence
+that I felt the ground shake under his heavy tread.
+
+"He wheeled immediately, and made at me a second time. I knew that if he
+once touched me I was gone. His horns were set, and his eyes glared with
+a terrible earnestness. I rushed towards the body of the buffalo that
+lay near, hoping that this might assist me in avoiding the onset. It did
+so, for, as he dashed forward over it, he became entangled among the
+limbs, and again charged without striking me. He turned, however, as
+quick as thought, and again rushed bellowing upon me. There was a tree
+near at hand. I had noticed it before, but I could not tell whether I
+should have time to reach it. I was now somewhat nearer it, and, fearing
+that I might not be able to dodge the furious brute any longer upon the
+ground, I struck out for the tree.
+
+"You may be sure I did my best at running. I heard the bull coming
+after, but before he could overtake me, I had got to the root of the
+tree. It was my intention, at first, only to take shelter behind the
+trunk; but when I had got there, I noticed that there were some low
+branches, and catching one of these I swung myself up among them.
+
+[Illustration: BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.]
+
+"The bull passed under me with a rush--almost touching my feet as I hung
+by the branch--but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and out of his
+reach.
+
+"My next thought was to load my gun, and fire at him from my perch,
+and, with this intention, I commenced loading. I had no fear but that he
+would give me an opportunity, for he kept round the tree, and at times
+attacked the trunk, butting and goring it with his horns, and all the
+while bellowing furiously. The tree was a small one, and it shook so,
+that I began to fear it might break down. I therefore made all the haste
+I could to get in the load, expecting soon to put an end to his attacks.
+
+"I succeeded at length in ramming down the bullet, and was just turning
+the gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box was still
+lying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden attack of the animal
+had prevented me from taking it up. My caps were all within that box,
+and my gun, loaded though it was, was as useless in my hands as a bar of
+iron. To get at the caps would be quite impossible. I dared not descend
+from the tree. The infuriated bull still kept pacing under it, now going
+round and round, and occasionally stopping for a moment and looking
+angrily up.
+
+"My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear that I
+might not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to be most
+pertinacious in vengeance. I could have shot him in the back, or the
+neck, or where I liked, if I had only one cap. He was within three feet
+of the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I could not get the gun
+to go off? After a while I thought of making some tinder paper, and then
+trying to 'touch off' the piece with it, but a far better plan at that
+moment came into my head. While I was fumbling about my bullet-pouch to
+get at my flint and steel, of course my fingers came into contact with
+the lasso, which was still hanging around my shoulders. It was this that
+suggested my plan, which was no other than to _lasso the bull, and tie
+him to the tree_!
+
+"I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope, and
+first made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end, and
+reeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while I leaned
+over and watched my opportunity. It was not long before a good one
+offered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, and
+passed round and round. It was no new thing for me to fling a lasso, and
+at the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the noose pass over
+the bison's head, and settle in a proper position behind his horns. I
+then gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and after that I ran the
+rope over a branch, and thus getting 'a purchase' upon it, I pulled it
+with all my might.
+
+"As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he began
+to plunge and 'rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously out from
+the tree. But he soon came to the end of his tether; and the quick jerk,
+which caused the tree itself to crack, brought him to his haunches,
+while the noose tightening on his throat was fast strangling him. But
+for the thick matted hair it would have done so, but this saved him, and
+he continued to sprawl and struggle at the end of the rope. The tree
+kept on cracking, and as I began to fear that it might give way and
+precipitate me to the ground, I thought it better to slip down. I ran
+direct to where I had dropped the caps; and, having got hold of the box,
+I soon had one upon my gun. I then stole cautiously back, and while the
+bison was hanging himself as fast as he could, I brought his struggles
+to a period by sending a bullet through his ribs.
+
+"As it was quite night when I had finished the business, of course I
+could not stay to butcher the bulls. I knew that you would be wondering
+what kept me, so I cut out the tongues, and coming by the place where I
+had left the grouse, brought them along. I left a 'scare-wolf' over both
+the bulls, however, and I guess we'll find them all right in the
+morning."
+
+Basil having finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh fuel
+was heaped on the embers, and a huge fire was built--one that would last
+until morning. This was necessary, as none of them had now either
+blankets or bedding. Basil himself and Norman were even in their
+shirt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for keeping warmth in
+their bodies would be to keep up a roaring fire all the night. This they
+did, and all four laying themselves close together, slept soundly
+enough.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THREE CURIOUS TREES.
+
+
+Next morning they were awake at an early hour. There was still enough of
+the tongues and grouse left, along with some ribs of the antelope, to
+breakfast the party; and then all four set out to bring the flesh of
+Basil's buffaloes into camp. This they accomplished, after making
+several journeys. It was their intention to dry the meat over the fire,
+so that it might keep for future use. For this purpose the flesh was
+removed from the bones, and after being cut into thin slices and strips,
+was hung up on poles at some distance from the blaze. Nothing more could
+be done, but wait until it became sufficiently parched by the heat.
+
+While this process was going on our voyageurs collected around the fire,
+and entered into a consultation about what was best to be done. At first
+they thought of going back to the Red River settlement, and obtaining
+another canoe, as well as a fresh stock of provisions and implements.
+But they all believed that getting back would be a toilsome and
+difficult matter. There was a large lake and several extensive marshes
+on the route, and these would have to be got round, making the journey a
+very long one indeed. It would take them days to perform it on foot, and
+nothing is more discouraging on a journey than to be forced by some
+accident to what is called "taking the back-track."
+
+All of them acknowledged this, but what else could they do? It is true
+there was a post of the Hudson's Bay Company at the northern end of Lake
+Winnipeg. This post was called Norway House. How were they to reach that
+afoot? To walk around the borders of the lake would be a distance of
+more than four hundred miles. There would be numerous rivers to cross,
+as well as swamps and pathless forests to be threaded. Such a journey
+would occupy a month or more, and at Norway House they would still be as
+it were only at the beginning of the great journey on which they had set
+out. Moreover, Norway House lay entirely out of their way. Cumberland
+House--another trading-post upon the River Saskatchewan--was the next
+point where they had intended to rest themselves, after leaving the Red
+River settlements. To reach Cumberland House _afoot_ would be equally
+difficult, as it, too, lay at the distance of hundreds of miles, with
+lakes, and rivers, and marshes, intervening. What, then, could they do?
+
+"Let us _not_ go back," cried François, ever ready with a bold advice:
+"let us make a boat, and keep on, say I."
+
+"Ha! François," rejoined Basil, "it's easy to say 'make a boat;' how is
+that to be done, I pray?"
+
+"Why, what's to hinder us to hew a log, and make a dug-out? We have
+still got the axe, and two hatchets left."
+
+Norman asked what François meant by a dug-out. The phrase was new to
+him.
+
+"A canoe," replied François, "hollowed out of a tree. They are sometimes
+called 'dug-outs' on the Mississippi, especially when they are roughly
+made. One of them, I think, would carry all four of us well enough.
+Don't you think so, Luce?"
+
+"Why, yes," answered the student; "a large one might: but I fear there
+are no trees about here of sufficient size. We are not among the great
+timber of the Mississippi bottom, you must remember."
+
+"How large a tree would it require?" asked Norman, who knew but little
+of this kind of craft.
+
+"Three feet in diameter, at least," replied Lucien; "and it should be of
+that thickness for a length of nearly twenty feet. A less one would not
+carry four of us."
+
+"Then I am sure enough," responded Norman, "that we won't find such
+timber here. I have seen no tree of that size either yesterday, or while
+we were out this morning."
+
+"Nor I," added Basil.
+
+"I don't believe there's one," said Lucien.
+
+"If we were in Louisiana," rejoined François, "I could find fifty
+canoe-trees by walking as many yards. Why I never saw such insignificant
+timber as this here."
+
+"You'll see smaller timber than this Cousin Frank, before we reach the
+end of our voyage."
+
+This remark was made by Norman, who knew that, as they proceeded
+northward, the trees would be found decreasing in size until they would
+appear like garden shrubbery.
+
+"But come," continued he, "if we can't build a craft to carry us from
+_one_ tree, perhaps we can do it out of _three_."
+
+"With three!" echoed François. "I should like to see a canoe made from
+three trees! Is it a raft you mean, Cousin Norman?"
+
+"No," responded the other; "a canoe, and one that will serve us for the
+rest of our voyage."
+
+All three--Basil, Lucien, and François--looked to their cousin for an
+explanation.
+
+"You would rather not go back up the river?" he inquired, glancing from
+one to the other.
+
+"We wish to go on--all of us," answered Basil, speaking for his brothers
+as well.
+
+"Very well," assented the young fur-trader; "I think it is better as you
+wish it. Out of these trees I can build a boat that will carry us. It
+will take us some days to do it, and some time to find the timber, but I
+am tolerably certain it is to be found in these woods. To do the job
+properly I want three kinds; two of them I can see from where I sit; the
+third I expect will be got in the hills we saw this morning."
+
+As Norman spoke he pointed to two trees that grew among many others not
+far from the spot. These trees were of very different kinds, as was
+easily told by their leaves and bark. The nearer and more conspicuous of
+them at once excited the curiosity of the three Southerners. Lucien
+recognised it from its botanical description. Even Basil and François,
+though they had never seen it, as it is not to be found in the hot clime
+of Louisiana, knew it from the accounts given of it by travellers. The
+tree was the celebrated "canoe-birch," or as Lucien named it,
+"paper-birch," celebrated as the tree out of whose bark those beautiful
+canoes are made that carry thousands of Indians over the interior lakes
+and rivers of North America; out of whose bark whole tribes of these
+people fashion their bowls, their pails, and their baskets; with which
+they cover their tents, and from which they even make their soup-kettles
+and boiling-pots! This, then, was the canoe birch-tree, so much talked
+of, and so valuable to the poor Indians who inhabit the cold regions
+where it grows.
+
+Our young Southerners contemplated the tree with feelings of interest
+and curiosity. They saw that it was about sixty feet high, and somewhat
+more than a foot in diameter. Its leaves were nearly cordate, or
+heart-shaped, and of a very dark-green colour; but that which rendered
+it most conspicuous among the other trees of the forest was the shining
+white or silver-coloured bark that covered its trunk, and its numerous
+slender branches. This bark is only white externally. When you have cut
+through the epidermis you find it of a reddish tinge, very thick, and
+capable of being divided into several layers. The wood of the tree makes
+excellent fuel, and is also often used for articles of furniture. It has
+a close, shining grain, and is strong enough for ordinary implements;
+but if exposed to the weather will decay rapidly.
+
+The "canoe-birch" is not the only species of these trees found in North
+America. The genus _Betula_ (so called from the Celtic word _batu_,
+which means birch) has at least half-a-dozen other known representatives
+in these parts. There is the "white birch," a worthless tree of some
+twenty feet in height, and less than six inches diameter. The bark of
+this species is useless, and its wood, which is soft and white, is unfit
+even for fuel. It grows, however, in the poorest soil. Next there is a
+species called the "cherry-birch," so named from the resemblance of its
+bark to the common cherry-tree. It is also called "sweet birch," because
+its young twigs, when crushed, give out a pleasant aromatic odour.
+Sometimes the name of "black birch," is given to this species. It is a
+tree of fifty or sixty feet in height, and its wood is much used in
+cabinet-work, as it is close-grained, of a beautiful reddish colour, and
+susceptible of a high polish.
+
+The information regarding the birches of America was given by Lucien to
+his brothers, not at that time, but shortly afterward, when the three
+were engaged in felling one of these trees. Just then other matters
+occupied them, and they had only glanced, first at the canoe-birch and
+then at the other tree which Norman had pointed out. The latter was of a
+different genus. It belonged to the order _Coniferæ_, or cone-bearing
+trees, as was evident from the cone-shaped fruits that hung upon its
+branches, as well as from its needle-like evergreen leaves.
+
+The cone-bearing trees of America are divided by botanists into three
+great sub-orders--the _Pines_, the _Cypresses_ and the _Yews_. Each of
+these includes several genera. By the "pine tribe" is meant all those
+trees known commonly by the names pine, spruce, fir, and larch: while
+the _Cupressinæ_, or cypress tribe, are the cypress proper, the cedars,
+the arbor-vitæ, and the junipers. The yew tribe has fewer genera or
+species; but the trees in America known as yews and hemlocks--of which
+there are several varieties--belong to it.
+
+The pines cannot be termed trees of the tropics, yet do they grow in
+southern and warm countries. In the Carolinas, tar and turpentine,
+products of the pine, are two staple articles of exportation; and even
+under the equator itself, the high mountains are covered with
+pine-forests. But the pine is more especially the tree of a northern
+_sylva_. As you approach the Arctic circle, it becomes the
+characteristic tree. Then it appears in extensive forests, lending their
+picturesque shelter to the snowy desolation of the earth. One species of
+pine is the very last tree that disappears as the traveller, in
+approaching the pole, takes his leave of the limits of vegetation. This
+species is the "white spruce" the very one which, along with the
+birch-tree, had been pointed out by Norman to his companions.
+
+It was a tree not over thirty or forty feet high, with a trunk of less
+than a foot in thickness, and of a brownish colour. Its leaves or
+"needles" were about an inch in length, very slender and acute, and of a
+bluish green tint. The cones upon it, which at that season were young
+were of a pale green. When ripe, however, they become rusty-brown, and
+are nearly two inches in length.
+
+What use Norman would make of this tree in building his canoe, neither
+Basil nor François knew. Lucien only guessed at it. François asked the
+question, by saying that he supposed the "timbers" were to come out of
+it.
+
+"No," said Norman, "for that I want still another sort. If I can't find
+that sort, however, I can manage to do without it, but not so well."
+
+"What other sort?" demanded François.
+
+"I want some cedar-wood," replied the other.
+
+"Ah! that's for the timbers," said François; "I am sure of it. The
+cedar-wood is lighter than any other, and, I dare say, would answer
+admirably for ribs and other timbers."
+
+"You are right this time, Frank--it is considered the best for that
+purpose."
+
+"You think there are cedar-trees on the hills we saw this morning?" said
+François, addressing his Canadian cousin.
+
+"I think so. I noticed something like them."
+
+"And I, too, observed a dark foliage," said Lucien, "which looked like
+the cedar. If anywhere in this neighbourhood, we shall find them there.
+They usually grow upon rocky, sterile hills, such as those appear to
+be--that is their proper situation."
+
+"The question," remarked Basil, "ought to be settled at once. We have
+made up our mind to the building of a canoe, and I think we should lose
+no time in getting ready the materials. Suppose we all set out for the
+hills."
+
+"Agreed--agreed!" shouted the others with one voice; and then
+shouldering their guns, and taking the axe along, all four set out for
+the hills. On reaching these, the object of their search was at once
+discovered. The tops of all the hills--dry, barren ridges they
+were--were covered with a thick grove of the red cedar. The trees were
+easily distinguished by the numerous branches spreading horizontally,
+and thickly covered with short dark green needles, giving them that
+sombre, shady appearance, that makes them the favourite haunt of many
+species of owls. Their beautiful reddish wood was well known to all the
+party, as it is to almost every one in the civilized world. Everybody
+who has seen or used a black-lead pencil must know what the wood of the
+red cedar is like--for it is in this the black-lead is usually incased.
+In all parts of America, where this tree grows in plenty, it is employed
+for posts and fence-rails, as it is one of the most durable woods in
+existence. It is a great favourite also for kindling fires, as it
+catches quickly, and blazes up in a few seconds, so as to ignite the
+heavier logs of other timbers, such as the oak and the pine.
+
+"Now," said Norman, after examining a few of the cedar-trees, "we have
+here all that's wanted to make our canoe. We need lose no more time, but
+go to work at once."
+
+"Very well," replied the three brothers, "we are ready to assist
+you,--tell us what to do."
+
+"In the first place," said the other, "I think we had better change our
+camp to this spot, as I see all the different kinds of trees here, and
+much better ones than those near the river. There," continued he,
+pointing to a piece of moist ground in the valley,--"there are some
+splendid birches, and there beside them is plenty of the _épinette_" (so
+the voyageurs term the white spruce). "It will save us many journeys if
+we go back and bring our meat to this place at once."
+
+To this they all of course agreed, and started back to their first camp.
+They soon returned with the meat and other things, and having chosen a
+clean spot under a large-spreading cedar-tree, they kindled a new fire
+and made their camp by it--that is, they strung up the provisions, hung
+their horns and pouches upon the branches around, and rested their guns
+against the trees. They had no tent to pitch, but that is not necessary
+to constitute a camp. In the phraseology of the American hunter,
+wherever you kindle your fire or spend the night is a "camp."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE.
+
+
+Norman expected that they would be able to finish the canoe in about a
+week. Of course, the sooner the better, and no time was lost in setting
+about it. The ribs or "timbers" were the first thing to be fashioned,
+and a number of straight branches of cedar were cut, out of which they
+were to be made. These branches were cleared of twigs, and rendered of
+an equal thickness at both ends. They were then flattened with the
+knife; and, by means of a little sweating in the ashes, were bent so as
+to bear some resemblance in shape to the wooden ox-yokes commonly used
+in America, or indeed to the letter U.
+
+The ribs when thus bent were not all of the same width. On the contrary,
+those which were intended to be placed near the middle or gangway of the
+vessel, were about two feet across from side to side, while the space
+between the sides of the others was gradually less in each fresh pair,
+according as their position was to be near to the stem and stern. When
+the whole of them had been forced into the proper shape, they were
+placed, one inside the other after the manner of dishes, and then all
+were firmly lashed together, and left to dry. When the lashing should be
+removed, they would hold to the form thus given them, and would be ready
+for fastening to the kelson.
+
+While Norman was occupied with the timbers the others were not idle.
+Basil had cut down several of the largest and straightest birches, and
+Lucien employed himself in carefully removing the bark and cleansing it
+of nodules and other inequalities. The broad sheets were suspended by a
+smoke fire, so as completely to dry up the sap, and render it tough and
+elastic. François had his part to play, and that was to collect the
+resinous gum which was distilled in plenty from the trunks of the
+épinette or spruce-trees.
+
+This gum is a species of pitch, and is one of the most necessary
+materials in the making of a bark canoe. It is used for "paying" the
+seams, as well as any cracks that may show themselves in the bark
+itself; and without it, or some similar substance, it would be difficult
+to make one of these little vessels water-tight. But that is not the
+only thing for which the épinette is valued in canoe-building; far from
+it. This tree produces another indispensable material; its long fibrous
+roots when split, form the twine-like threads by which the pieces of
+bark are sewed to each other and fastened to the timbers. These threads
+are as strong as the best cords of hemp, and are known among the Indians
+by the name of "watap."
+
+In a country, therefore, where hemp and flax cannot be readily procured,
+the "watap" is of great value. You may say that deer are plenty, and
+that thongs of buckskin would serve the same purpose. This, however, is
+not the case. The buckskin would never do for such a use. The moment it
+becomes wet it is liable to stretch, so that the seams would open and
+the canoe get filled with water. The watap, wet or dry, does not yield,
+and has therefore been found to be the best thing of all others for this
+purpose.
+
+The only parts now wanted were the gunwale and the bottom. The former
+was easily obtained. Two long poles, each twenty feet in length, were
+bent somewhat like a pair of bows, and then placed with their convex
+sides towards each other, and firmly lashed together at the ends. This
+was the gunwale. The bottom was the most difficult part of all. For that
+a solid plank was required, and they had no saw. The axe and the
+hatchet, however, were called into requisition, and a log was soon hewn
+and thinned down to the proper dimensions. It was sharpened off at the
+ends, so as to run to a very acute angle, both at the stem and stern.
+
+When the bottom was considered sufficiently polished, and modelled to
+the right shape, the most difficult part of the undertaking was supposed
+to be accomplished. A few long poles were cut and trimmed flat. These
+were to be laid longitudinally between the ribs and the bark, somewhat
+after the fashion of laths in the roofing of a house. Their use was to
+prevent the bark from splitting. The materials were now all obtained
+complete, and, with a few days' smoking and drying, would be ready for
+putting together.
+
+While waiting for the timbers to dry, paddles were made, and Norman,
+with the help of the others, prepared what he jokingly called his
+"dock," and also his "ship-yard." This was neither more nor less than a
+long mound of earth--not unlike a new-made grave, only three times the
+length of one, or even longer. It was flat upon the top, and graded
+with earth so as to be quite level and free from inequalities.
+
+At length all the materials were considered quite ready for use, and
+Norman went to work to put them together.
+
+His first operation was to untie the bundle of timbers, and separate
+them. They were found to have taken the exact form into which they had
+been bent, and the thongs being no longer necessary to keep them in
+place, were removed. The timbers themselves were next placed upon the
+bottom or kelson, those with the widest bottoms being nearer to
+"midships," while those with the narrower bend were set towards the
+narrower ends of the plank. Thus placed, they were all firmly lashed
+with strong cords of watap, by means of holes pierced in the bottom
+plank.
+
+Fortunately Lucien happened to have a pocket-knife, in which there was a
+good awl or piercer, that enabled them to make these holes--else the
+matter would have been a much more difficult one, as an awl is one of
+the most essential tools in the construction of a bark canoe. Of course
+it took Norman a considerable time to set all the ribs in their proper
+places, and fasten them securely; but he was ably assisted by François,
+who waited upon him with much diligence, handing him now the awl, and
+then the watap, whenever he required them.
+
+Norman's next operation was the laying of his kelson "in dock." The
+timbers being attached to it, it was lifted up on the earthen mound,
+where it reached quite from end to end. Half-a-dozen large heavy stones
+were then placed upon it, so that, pressed down by these upon the even
+surface of the mould, it was rendered quite firm; and, moreover, was of
+such a height from the ground that the young shipwright could work upon
+it without too much bending and kneeling.
+
+The gunwale, already prepared, was next placed so as to touch the ends
+of the ribs all round, and these ends were adjusted to it with great
+nicety, and firmly joined. Strong cross-pieces were fixed, which were
+designed, not only to keep the gunwale from spreading or contracting,
+but afterwards to serve as seats.
+
+Of course the gunwale formed the complete mouth, or upper edge of the
+canoe. It was several feet longer than the bottom plank, and, when in
+place, projected beyond the ribs at both ends. From each end of the
+bottom plank, therefore, to the corresponding end of the gunwale, a
+straight piece of wood was stretched, and fastened. One of these pieces
+would form the stem or cutwater, while the other would become the stern
+of the craft. The long poles were next laid longitudinally upon the ribs
+outside, and lashed in their places; and this done, the skeleton was
+completed, ready for the bark.
+
+The latter had been already cut to the proper dimensions and shape. It
+consisted of oblong pieces--each piece being a regular parallelogram, as
+it had been stripped from the tree. These were laid upon the ribs
+longitudinally, and then sewed to the edge of the bottom plank, and also
+to the gunwale. The bark itself was in such broad pieces that two of
+them were sufficient to cover half a side, so that but one seam was
+required lengthwise, in addition to the fastenings at the top and
+bottom. Two lengths of the bark also reached cleverly from stem to
+stern, and thus required only one transverse seam on each side. There
+was an advantage in this arrangement, for where the birch-bark can only
+be obtained in small flakes, a great number of seams is a necessary
+consequence, and then it is extremely difficult to keep the canoe from
+leaking. Thanks to the fine birch-trees, that grew in abundance around,
+our boat-builders had procured the very best bark.
+
+The canoe was now completed all but the "paying," and that would not
+take long to do. The gum of the épinette had to be boiled, and mixed
+with a little grease, so as to form a species of wax. For this the fat
+already obtained from the buffaloes was the very thing; and a small tin
+cup which Basil had saved from the wreck (it had been strung to his
+bullet-pouch), enabled them to melt the gum, and apply it hot. In less
+than an hour the thing was done. Every crack and awl-hole was payed, and
+the canoe was pronounced "water-tight," and, as François added, with a
+laugh, "seaworthy."
+
+A small pond was near, at the bottom of the hill: François espied it.
+
+"Come, boys," cried he, "a launch! a launch!"
+
+This was agreed to by all. The great stones were taken out. Basil and
+Norman, going one to the stem the other to the stern, lifted the canoe
+from the "dock," and, raising it upon their shoulders, carried it down
+to the pond. The next moment it was pushed into the water, where it
+floated like a cork. A loud cheer was given, in which even Marengo
+joined; and a salute was then fired--a full broadside--from the four
+guns. François, to complete the thing, seized one of the paddles, and
+leaping into the canoe, shot the little craft out upon the bosom of the
+pond, cheering all the while like one frantic.
+
+After amusing himself for some minutes, he paddled back to the shore,
+when they all looked eagerly into the canoe, and perceived to their
+gratification that not as much as a drop of water had leaked during the
+"trip." Thanks and congratulations now greeted Norman from every side;
+and, taking their vessel from the water, the young voyageurs returned to
+their camp, to regale themselves with a grand dinner, which Lucien had
+cooked for the occasion.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+THE CHAIN OF LAKES
+
+
+Our young voyageurs now prepared to resume their journey. While Norman
+was engaged in building his canoe, with his assistant, François, the
+others had not been idle. Basil was, of course, the hunter of the party;
+and, in addition to the small game, such as hares, geese, and grouse, he
+had killed three caribou, of the large variety known as "woodland
+caribou." These are a species of the reindeer of which I have more to
+say hereafter. Lucien had attended to the drying of their flesh; and
+there was enough of it still left, as our voyageurs believed, to supply
+their wants until they should reach Cumberland House, where they would,
+of course, procure a fresh stock of provisions. The skins of the caribou
+had also been scraped and dressed by Lucien--who understood the process
+well--and these, with the skin of the antelope, were sufficient to make
+a pair of hunting-shirts for Basil and Norman, who, it will be
+remembered, had lost theirs by cutting them up.
+
+Next morning the canoe was launched upon the river--below the
+rapids--and the dried meat, with their other matters, snugly stowed in
+the stern. Then the young voyageurs got in, and, seating themselves in
+their places, seized hold of the paddles. The next moment the canoe shot
+out into the stream; and a triumphant cheer from the crew announced that
+they had recommenced their journey. They found to their delight that the
+little vessel behaved admirably--shooting through the water like an
+arrow, and leaking not water enough, as François expressed it, "to drown
+a mosquito."
+
+They had all taken their seats in the order which had been agreed upon
+for the day. Norman was "bowsman," and, of course, sat in the bow. This,
+among the regular Canadian voyageurs, is esteemed the post of honour,
+and the bowsman is usually styled "Captain" by the rest of the crew. It
+is also the post that requires the greatest amount of skill on the part
+of its occupant, particularly where there are rapids or shoals to be
+avoided. The post of "steersman" is also one of honour and importance;
+and both steersman and bowsman receive higher wages than the other
+voyageurs who pass under the name of "middlemen." The steersman sits in
+the stern, and that place was now occupied by Lucien, who had proved
+himself an excellent steersman. Basil and François were, of course, the
+"middlemen," and plied the paddles.
+
+This was the arrangement made for the day; but although on other days
+the programme was to be changed, so as to relieve Basil and François, on
+all occasions when there were rapids or other difficulties to be
+encountered they were to return to this order. Norman, of course,
+understood canoe navigation better than his Southern cousins; and
+therefore, by universal assent, he was acknowledged "the Captain," and
+François always addressed him as such. Lucien's claim to the post of
+second honour was admitted to be just, as he had proved himself capable
+of filling it to the satisfaction of all. Marengo had no post, but lay
+quietly upon the buffalo skin between Lucien's legs, and listened to the
+conversation without joining in it, or in any way interfering in the
+working of the vessel.
+
+In a few hours our voyageurs had passed through the low marshy country
+that lies around the mouth of the Red River, and the white expanse of
+the great Lake Winnipeg opened before them, stretching northward far
+beyond the range of their vision. Norman knew the lake, having crossed
+it before, but its aspect somewhat disappointed the Southern travellers.
+Instead of a vast dark lake which they had expected to see, they looked
+upon a whitish muddy sheet, that presented but few attractive points to
+the eye, either in the hue of its water or the scenery of its shores.
+
+These, so far as they could see them, were low, and apparently marshy;
+and this is, in fact, the character of the southern shores of Winnipeg.
+On its east and north, however, the country is of a different character.
+There the geological formation is what is termed _primitive_. The rocks
+consist of granite, sienite, gneiss, &c.; and, as is always the case
+where such rocks are found, the country is hilly and rugged. On the
+western shores a _secondary_ formation exists. This is _stratified
+limestone_--the same as that which forms the bed of many of the great
+prairies of America; and, indeed, the Lake Winnipeg lies between this
+secondary formation and the primitive, which bounds it on the east.
+Along its western shores extends the flat limestone country, partly
+wooded and partly prairie land, running from that point for hundreds of
+miles up to the very foot of the Rocky Mountains, where the primitive
+rocks again make their appearance in the rugged peaks of that stupendous
+chain.
+
+Lake Winnipeg is nearly three hundred miles in length, but it is very
+narrow--being in its widest reach not over fifty miles, and in many
+places only fifteen miles from shore to shore. It trends nearly due
+north and south, leaning a little north-west and south-east, and
+receives many large rivers, as the Red, the Saskatchewan, and the
+Winnipeg. The waters of these are again carried out of it by other
+rivers that run from the lake, and empty into the Hudson's Bay. There is
+a belief among the hunters and voyageurs that this lake has its tides
+like the ocean. Such, however, is not the case. There is at times a rise
+and overflow of its waters, but it is not periodical, and is supposed to
+be occasioned by strong winds forcing the waters towards a particular
+shore.
+
+Lake Winnipeg is remarkable, as being in the very centre of the North
+American continent, and may be called the centre of the _canoe
+navigation_. From this point it is possible to travel _by water_ to
+Hudson's Bay on the north-east, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to
+the Gulf of Mexico on the south, to the Pacific on the west, and to the
+Polar Sea on the north and north-west. Considering that some of these
+distances are upwards of three thousand miles, it will be perceived that
+Lake Winnipeg holds a singular position upon the continent. All the
+routes mentioned can be made without any great "portage," and even a
+choice of route is often to be had upon those different lines of
+communication.
+
+These were points of information communicated by Norman as the canoe was
+paddled along the shore; for Norman, although troubling himself but
+little about the causes of things, possessed a good practical knowledge
+of things as they actually were. He was tolerably well acquainted with
+the routes, their portages, and distances. Some of them he had travelled
+over in company with his father, and of others he had heard the accounts
+given by the voyageurs, traders, and trappers. Norman knew that Lake
+Winnipeg was muddy--he did not care to inquire the cause. He knew that
+there was a hilly country on its eastern and a low level land on its
+western shores, but it never occurred to him to speculate on this
+geological difference.
+
+It was the naturalist, Lucien, who threw out some hints on this part of
+the subject, and further added his opinion, that the lake came to be
+there in consequence of the wearing away of the rocks at the junction of
+the stratified with the primitive formation, thus creating an excavation
+in the surface, which in time became filled with water and formed the
+lake. This cause he also assigned for the existence of a remarkable
+"chain of lakes" that extends almost from the Arctic Sea to the
+frontiers of Canada. The most noted of these are Martin, Great Slave,
+Athabasca, Wollaston, Deer, Lake Winnipeg and the Lake of the Woods.
+
+Lucien further informed his companions, that where primitive rocks form
+the surface of a country, that surface will be found to exhibit great
+diversity of aspect. There will be numerous lakes and swamps, rugged
+steep hills with deep valleys between, short streams with many falls and
+rapids. These are the characteristics of a primitive surface. On the
+other hand, where secondary rocks prevail the surface is usually a
+series of plains, often high, dry, and treeless, as is the case upon the
+great American prairies.
+
+Upon such topics did Lucien instruct his companions, as they paddled
+their canoe around the edge of the lake. They had turned the head of
+their little vessel westward--as it was their design to keep along the
+western border of the lake until they should reach the mouth of the
+Saskatchewan. They kept at a short distance from the shore, usually
+steering from point to point, and in this way making their route as
+direct as possible. It would have been still more direct had they struck
+out into the open lake, and kept up its middle; but this would have been
+a dangerous course to pursue.
+
+There are often high winds upon Lake Winnipeg, that spring up suddenly;
+and at such times the waves, if not mountains high, at least arrive at
+the height of houses. Among such billows the little craft would have
+been in danger of being swamped, and our voyageurs of going to the
+bottom. They, therefore, wisely resolved not to risk such an accident,
+but to "hug the shore," though it made their voyage longer. Each night
+they would land at some convenient place, kindle their fire, cook their
+supper, and dry their canoe for the next day's journey.
+
+According to this arrangement, a little before sunset of the first day
+they came to land and made their camp. The canoe was unloaded, carefully
+lifted out of the water, and then set bottom upward to drip and dry. A
+fire was kindled, some of the dry meat cooked, and all four sat down and
+began to eat, as only hungry travellers can.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE
+
+
+The spot where our voyageurs had landed was at the bottom of a small
+bay. The country back from the lake was level and clear of timber. Here
+and there, nearer the shore, however, its surface was prettily
+interspersed with small clumps of willows, that formed little copse-like
+thickets of deep green. Beside one of these thickets, within a hundred
+yards of the beach, the fire had been kindled, on a spot of ground that
+commanded a view of the plain for miles back.
+
+"Look yonder!" cried François, who had finished eating, and risen to his
+feet. "What are these, captain?" François pointed to some objects that
+appeared at a great distance off upon the plain.
+
+The "captain" rose up, placed his hand so as to shade his eyes from the
+sun, and, after looking for a second or two in the direction indicated,
+replied to the other's question by simply saying--
+
+"Wapiti."
+
+"I'm no wiser than before I asked the question," said François. "Pray,
+enlighten me as to what a wapiti may be!"
+
+"Why, red deer; or elk, if you like."
+
+"Oh! elk--now I understand you. I thought they were elk, but they're so
+far off I wasn't sure."
+
+Lucien at this moment rose up, and looking through a small telescope,
+which he carried, confirmed the statement of the "captain," and
+pronounced it to be a herd of elk.
+
+"Come, Luce," demanded François, "tell us what you know of the elk. It
+will pass the time. Norman says it's no use going after them out there
+in the open ground, as they'd shy off before one could get within shot.
+You see there is not a bush within half-a-mile of them."
+
+"If we wait," interrupted Norman, "I should not wonder but we may have
+them among the bushes before long. They appear to be grazing this way. I
+warrant you, they'll come to the lake to drink before nightfall."
+
+"Very well then: the philosopher can tell us all about them before
+that."
+
+Lucien, thus appealed to, began:--
+
+"There are few animals that have so many names as this. It is called in
+different districts, or by different authors, _elk_, _round-horned elk_,
+_American elk_, _stag_, _red deer_, _grey moose_, _le biche_, _wapiti_
+and _wewaskish_.
+
+"You may ask, Why so many names? I shall tell you. It is called 'elk'
+because it was supposed by the early colonists to be the same as the elk
+of Europe. Its name of 'grey moose' is a hunter appellation, to
+distinguish it from the real moose, which the same hunters know as the
+'black moose.' 'Round-horned elk' is also a hunter name. 'Wewaskish,' or
+'waskesse,' is an Indian name for the animal. 'Stag' comes from the
+European deer so called, because this species somewhat resembles the
+stag; and 'red deer' is a name used by the Hudson Bay traders. 'Le
+biche' is another synonyme of French authors.
+
+"Of all these names I think that of 'wapiti,' which our cousin has
+given, the best. The names of 'elk,' 'stag,' and 'red deer,' lead to
+confusion, as there are other species to which they properly belong, all
+of which are entirely different from the wapiti. I believe that this
+last name is now used by the best-informed naturalists.
+
+"In my opinion," continued Lucien, "the wapiti is the noblest of all the
+deer kind. It possesses the fine form of the European stag, while it is
+nearly a third larger and stronger. It has all the grace of limb and
+motion that belongs to the common deer, while its towering horns give it
+a most majestic and imposing appearance. Its colour during the summer is
+of a reddish brown, hence the name red deer; but, indeed, the reddish
+tint upon the wapiti is deeper and richer than that of its European
+cousin.
+
+"The wapiti, like other deer, brings forth its fawns in the spring. They
+are usually a male and female, for two is the number it produces. The
+males only have horns; and they must be several years old before the
+antlers become full and branching. They fall every year, but not until
+February or March, and then the new ones grow out in a month or six
+weeks. During the summer the horns remain soft and tender to the touch.
+They are covered at this time with a soft membrane, that looks like
+greyish velvet, and they are then said to be 'in the velvet.' There are
+nerves and blood-vessels running through this membrane, and a blow upon
+the horns at this season gives great pain to the animal. When the autumn
+arrives the velvet peels off, and they become as hard as bone.
+
+"They would need to be, for this is the 'rutting' season, and the bucks
+fight furious battles with each other, clashing their horns together, as
+if they would break them to pieces. Very often a pair of bucks, while
+thus contending, 'lock' their antlers, and being unable to draw them
+apart, remain head to head, until both die with hunger, or fall a prey
+to the prowling wolves. This is true not only of the elk, but also of
+the reindeer, the moose, and many other species of deer. Hundreds of
+pairs of horns have been found thus 'locked,' and the solitary hunter
+has often surprised the deer in this unpleasant predicament.
+
+"The wapiti utters a whistling sound, that can be heard far off, and
+often guides the hunter to the right spot. In the rutting season the
+bucks make other noises, which somewhat resemble the braying of an ass,
+and are equally disagreeable to listen to.
+
+"The wapiti travel about in small herds, rarely exceeding fifty, but
+often of only six or seven. Where they are not much hunted they are
+easily approached, but otherwise they are shy enough. The bucks, when
+wounded and brought to bay, become dangerous assailants; much more so
+than those of the common deer. Hunters have sometimes escaped with
+difficulty from their horns and hoofs, with the latter of which they can
+inflict very severe blows. They are hunted in the same way as other
+deer; but the Indians capture many of them in the water, when they
+discover them crossing lakes or rivers. They are excellent swimmers, and
+can make their way over the arm of a lake or across the widest river.
+
+"They feed upon grass, and sometimes on the young shoots of willows and
+poplar trees. They are especially fond of a species of wild rose which
+grows in the countries they frequent.
+
+"The wapiti at one time ranged over a large part of the continent of
+North America. Its range is now restricted by the spread of the
+settlements. It is still found in most of the Northern parts of the
+United States, but only in remote mountainous districts and even there
+it is a rare animal. In Canada it is more common; and it roams across
+the continent to the shores of the Pacific. It it not an animal of the
+tropical countries, as it is not found in Mexico proper. On the other
+hand, wapiti do not go farther north than about the fifty-seventh
+parallel of latitude, and then they are not in their favourite habitat,
+which is properly the temperate zone."
+
+Lucien was interrupted by an exclamation from Basil, who stood up
+looking out upon the prairie. They all saw that he had been observing
+the wapiti.
+
+"What is it?" cried they.
+
+"Look yonder!" replied Basil, pointing in the direction of the herd.
+"Something disturbs them. Give me your glass, Luce."
+
+Lucien handed the telescope to his brother, who, drawing it to the
+proper focus, pointed it towards the deer. The rest watched them, with
+the naked eye. They could see that there was some trouble among the
+animals. There were only six in the herd, and even at the distance our
+voyageurs could tell that they were all bucks, for it was the season
+when the does secrete themselves in the woods and thickets to bring
+forth their young. They were running to and fro upon the prairie, and
+doubling about as if playing, or rather as if some creature was chasing
+them. With the naked eye, however, nothing could be seen upon the ground
+but the bucks themselves, and all the others looked to Basil, who held
+the glass, for an explanation of their odd manoeuvres.
+
+"There are wolves at them," said Basil, after regarding them for a
+second or two.
+
+"That's odd," rejoined Norman. "Wolves don't often attack full-grown
+wapiti, except when wounded or crippled somehow. They must be precious
+hungry. What sort of wolves are they?"
+
+To you, boy reader, this question may seem strange. You, perhaps, think
+that a wolf is a wolf, and there is but one kind. Such, however, is not
+the exact truth. In America there are two distinct species or wolves,
+and of these two species there are many varieties, which differ so much
+in colour and other respects, that some authors have classed them as so
+many distinct species instead of considering them mere varieties.
+Whether they may be species or not is still a question among
+naturalists; but certain it is that _two_ well-defined species do exist,
+which differ in size, form, colour, and habits.
+
+These are the _large_ or _common wolf_, and the barking or prairie wolf.
+The first species is the American representative of the common wolf of
+Europe; and although an animal of similar nature and habits, it differs
+very much from the latter in form and appearance. It is, therefore, not
+the _same_, as hitherto supposed. This American wolf is found in greater
+or less numbers throughout the whole continent; but in the Northern
+regions it is very common, and is seen in at least five different
+varieties, known by the characteristic names of _black_, _pied_,
+_white_, _dusky_, and _grey_ wolves. Of these the grey is the most
+numerous kind; but as I shall have occasion to speak of the large wolves
+hearafter, I shall say no more of them at present, but direct your
+attention to the second and very different species, the _prairie
+wolves_.
+
+These are a full third smaller than the common kind. They are swifter,
+and go in larger packs. They bring forth their young in burrows on the
+open plain, and not among the woods, like the other species. They are
+the most cunning of American animals, not excepting their kindred the
+foxes. They cannot be trapped by any contrivance, but by singular
+manoeuvres often themselves decoy the over-curious antelope to approach
+too near them. When a gun is fired upon the prairies they may be seen
+starting up on all sides, and running for the spot in hopes of coming in
+for a share of the game. Should an animal--deer, antelope, or
+buffalo--be wounded, and escape the hunter, it is not likely to escape
+them also. They will set after it, and run it down if _the wound has
+been a mortal one_.
+
+On the other hand, if the wound has been only slight, and is not likely
+in the end to cripple the animal, the wolves will not stir from--the
+spot. This extraordinary sagacity often tells the hunter whether it is
+worth his while to follow the game he has shot at; but in any case he is
+likely to arrive late, if the wolves set out before him, as a dozen of
+them will devour the largest deer in a few minutes' time. The prairie
+wolves as well as the others follow the herds of buffaloes, and attack
+the gravid cows and calves when separated from the rest. Frequently they
+sustain a contest with the bulls, when the latter are old or wounded,
+but on such occasions many of them get killed before the old bull
+becomes their prey.
+
+They resemble the common grey wolf in colour, but there are varieties in
+this respect, though not so great as among the larger species. Their
+voice is entirely different, and consists of three distinct barks,
+ending in a prolonged howl. Hence the specific and usual name "barking
+wolf." They are found only in the Western or prairie half of the
+continent, and thence west to the Pacific. Their Northern range is
+limited to the fifty-fifth parallel of latitude--but they are met with
+southward throughout Mexico, where they are common enough, and known by
+the name of "coyoté."
+
+Their skins are an article of trade with the Hudson's Bay Company. The
+fur is of about the same quality with that of other wolves, and consists
+of long hairs, with a thick wool at the base. In commerce they are
+termed "cased wolves," because their skins, on being removed, are not
+split open as with the large wolf-skins, but are stript off after the
+manner of rabbits, and then turned inside out, or "cased," as it is
+termed.
+
+"Prairie wolves!" said Basil, in answer to the question put by his
+cousin.
+
+"There must be something the matter with one of the bucks, then,"
+remarked Norman, "or else there's a good big pack of the wolves, and
+they expect to tire one down. I believe they sometimes do try it that
+way."
+
+"There appears to be a large pack," answered Basil, still looking
+through the glass; "fifty at least--See! they have separated one of the
+bucks from the herd--it's running this way!"
+
+Basil's companions had noticed this as soon as himself, and all four now
+leaped to their guns. The wapiti was plainly coming towards them, and
+they could now distinguish the wolves following upon his heels, strung
+out over the prairie like a pack of hounds. When first started, the buck
+was a full half-mile distant, but in less than a minute's time he came
+breasting forward until the boys could see his sparkling eyes and the
+play of his proud flanks. He was a noble animal to look at. His horns
+were full grown, but still "in the velvet," and as he ran with his snout
+thrown forward, his antlers lay along both sides of his neck until their
+tips touched his shoulders.
+
+He continued on in a direct line until he was within less than an
+hundred paces of the camp; but, perceiving the smoke of the fire, and
+the figures crouching around it, he swerved suddenly from his course,
+and darted into the thicket of willows, where he was for the moment
+hidden from view. The wolves--fifty of them at least--had followed him
+up to this point; and as he entered the thicket several had been close
+upon his heels. The boys expected to see the wolves rush in after
+him--as there appeared to be no impediment to their doing so--but, to
+the astonishment of all, the latter came to a sudden halt, and then went
+sneaking back--some of them even running off as if terrified!
+
+At first the hunters attributed this strange conduct to their own
+presence, and the smoke of the camp; but a moment's reflection convinced
+them that this could not be the reason of it, as they were all well
+acquainted with the nature of the prairie wolf, and had never witnessed
+a similar exhibition before.
+
+They had no time to think of the wolves just then. The buck was the main
+attraction, and, calling to each other to surround the thicket, all four
+started in different directions. In a couple of minutes they had placed
+themselves at nearly equal distances around the copse, and stood
+watching eagerly for the reappearance of the wapiti.
+
+The willows covered about an acre of ground, but they were tolerably
+think and full-leaved, and the buck could not be seen from any side.
+Wherever he was, he was evidently at a stand-still, for not a rustle
+could be heard among the leaves, nor were any of the tall stalks seen to
+move.
+
+Marengo was now sent in. This would soon start him, and all four stood
+with guns cocked and ready. But before the dog had made three lengths of
+himself into the thicket, a loud snort was heard, followed by a
+struggle and the stamping of hoofs, and the next moment the wapiti came
+crashing through the bushes. A shot was fired--it was the crack of
+Lucien's small rifle--but it had missed, for the buck was seen passing
+onward and outward. All ran round to the side he had taken, and had a
+full view of the animal as he bounded off. Instead of running free as
+before, he now leaped heavily forward, and what was their astonishment
+on seeing that he _carried another animal upon his back_!
+
+[Illustration: THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.]
+
+The hunters could hardly believe their eyes, but there it was, sure
+enough, a brown shaggy mass, lying flat along the shoulders of the
+wapiti, and clutching it with large spreading claws. François cried out,
+"A panther!" and Basil at first believed it to be a bear, but it was
+hardly large enough for that. Norman, however, who had lived more in
+those parts where the animal is found, knew it at once to be the dreaded
+"wolverene." Its head could not be seen, as that was hid behind the
+shoulder of the wapiti, whose throat it was engaged in tearing. But its
+short legs and broad paws, its bushy tail and long shaggy hair, together
+with its round-arching back and dark-brown colour, were all familiar
+marks to the young fur-trader; and he at once pronounced it a
+"wolverene."
+
+When first seen, both it and the wapiti were beyond the reach of their
+rifles; and the hunters, surprised by such an unexpected apparition, had
+suddenly halted. François and Basil were about to renew the pursuit, but
+were prevented by Norman, who counselled them to remain where they were.
+
+"They won't go far," said he; "let us watch them a bit. See! the buck
+takes the water!"
+
+The wapiti, on leaving the willows, had run straight out in the first
+direction that offered, which happened to be in a line parallel with the
+edge of the lake. His eye, however, soon caught sight of the water, and,
+doubling suddenly round, he made directly towards it, evidently with the
+intention of plunging in. He had hopes, no doubt, that by this means he
+might rid himself of the terrible creature that was clinging to his
+shoulders, and tearing his throat to pieces.
+
+A few bounds brought him to the shore. There was no beach at the spot.
+The bank--a limestone bluff--rose steeply from the water's edge to a
+height of eight feet, and the lake under it was several fathoms in
+depth. The buck did not hesitate, but sprang outward and downwards. A
+heavy plash followed, and for some seconds both wapiti and wolverene
+were lost under the water. They rose to the surface, just as the boys
+reached the bank, but they came up _separately_. The dip had proved a
+cooler to the fierce wolverene; and while the wapiti was seen to strike
+boldly out into the lake and swim off, the latter--evidently out of his
+element--kept plunging about clumsily, and struggling to get back to the
+shore.
+
+Their position upon the cliff above gave the hunters an excellent
+opportunity with their rifles, and both Basil and Norman sent their
+bullets into the wolverene's back. François also emptied his
+double-barrelled gun at the same object, and the shaggy brute sank dead
+to the bottom of the lake. Strange to say, not one of the party had
+thought of firing at the buck. This persecution by so many enemies had
+won for him their sympathy, and they would now have suffered him to go
+free, but the prospect of fresh venison for supper overcame their
+commiseration, and the moment the wolverene was despatched all set about
+securing the deer.
+
+Their guns were reloaded, and, scattering along the shore, they prepared
+to await his return. But the buck, seeing there was nothing but death in
+his rear, swam on, keeping almost in a direct line out into the lake. It
+was evident to all that he could not swim across the lake, as its
+farther shore was not even visible. He must either return to where they
+were, or drown; and knowing this to be his only alternative, they stood
+still and watched his motions. When he had got about half-a-mile from
+the shore, to the surprise of all, he was seen to rise higher and higher
+above the surface, and then all at once stop, with half of his body
+clear out of the water! He had come upon a shoal, and, knowing the
+advantage of it, seemed determined to remain there.
+
+Basil and Norman ran to the canoe, and in a few minutes the little craft
+was launched, and shooting through the water. The buck now saw that it
+was likely to be all up with him, and, instead of attempting to swim
+farther, he faced round, and set his antlers forward in a threatening
+attitude. But his pursuers did not give him the chance to make a rush.
+When within fifty yards or so, Norman, who used the paddles, stopped and
+steadied the canoe, and the next moment the crack of Basil's rifle
+echoed over the lake, and the wapiti fell upon the water, where, after
+struggling a moment, he lay dead.
+
+The canoe was paddled up, and his antlers being made fast to the stern,
+he was towed back to the shore, and carried into camp. What now
+surprised our voyageurs was, their finding that the wapiti had been
+wounded before encountering either the wolves, wolverene, or themselves.
+An arrow-head, with a short piece of the shaft, was sticking in one of
+his thighs. The Indians, then, had been after him, and very lately too,
+as the wound showed. It was not a mortal wound, had the arrow-head been
+removed; but of course, as it was, it would have proved his death in the
+long run. This explained why the wolves had assailed an animal, that
+otherwise, from his great size and strength, would have defied them.
+
+The wolverene, moreover, rarely attacks game so large as the wapiti; but
+the latter had, no doubt, chanced upon the lair of his fierce enemy, who
+could not resist such a tempting opportunity of getting a meal. The
+wolves had seen the wolverene as they approached the thicket, and that
+accounted for their strange behaviour in the pursuit. These creatures
+are as great cowards as they are tyrants, and their dread of a wolverene
+is equal to that with which they themselves often inspire the wounded
+deer.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS.
+
+
+THE wapiti was carefully skinned, and the skin spread out to dry. Since
+their mishap our voyageurs had been very short of clothing. The three
+skins of the woodland caribou had made only a pair of jackets, instead
+of full hunting-shirts, and even these were pinched fits. For beds and
+bed-clothes they had nothing but the hides of buffaloes, and these,
+although good as far as they went, were only enough for two. Lucien, the
+most delicate of the party, appropriated one, as the others insisted
+upon his so doing. François had the other.
+
+As for Basil and Norman, they were forced each night to lie upon the
+naked earth, and but for the large fires which they kept blazing all the
+night, they would have suffered severely from cold. Indeed, they did
+suffer quite enough; for some of the nights were so cold, that it was
+impossible to sleep by the largest fire without one-half of their bodies
+feeling chilled. The usual practice with travellers in the West is to
+lie with their feet to the fire, while the head is at the greatest
+distance from it. This is considered the best mode, for so long as the
+feet are warm, the rest of the body will not suffer badly; but, on the
+contrary, if the feet are allowed to get cold, no matter what state the
+other parts be in, it is impossible to sleep with comfort.
+
+Of course our young voyageurs followed the well-known practice of the
+country, and lay with their feet to the fire in such a manner that, when
+all were placed, their bodies formed four radii of a circle, of which
+the fire was the centre. Marengo usually lay beside Basil, whom he
+looked upon as his proper master.
+
+Notwithstanding a bed of grass and leaves which they each night spread
+for themselves, they were sadly in want of blankets, and therefore the
+skin of the wapiti, which was a very fine one, would be a welcome
+addition to their stock of bedding. They resolved, therefore, to remain
+one day where they had killed it, so that the skin might be dried and
+receive a partial dressing. Moreover, they intended to "jerk" some of
+the meat--although elk-venison is not considered very palatable where
+other meat can be had. It is without juice, and resembles dry
+short-grained beef more than venison. For this reason it is looked upon
+by both Indians and white hunters as inferior to buffalo, moose,
+caribou, or even the common deer. One peculiarity of the flesh of this
+animal is, that the fat becomes hard the moment it is taken off the
+fire. It freezes upon the lips like suet, and clings around the teeth of
+a person eating it, which is not the case with that of other species of
+deer.
+
+The skin of the wapiti, however, is held in high esteem among the
+Indians. It is thinner than that of the moose, but makes a much better
+article of leather. When dressed in the Indian fashion--that is to say,
+soaked in a lather composed of the brains and fat of the animal itself,
+and then washed, dried, scraped, and smoked--it becomes as soft and
+pliable as a kid-glove, and will wash and dry without stiffening like
+chamois leather. That is a great advantage which it has, in the eyes of
+the Indians, over the skins of other species of deer, as the moose and
+caribou--for the leather made from these, after a wetting, becomes harsh
+and rigid and requires a great deal of rubbing to render it soft again.
+
+Lucien knew how to dress the elk-hide, and could make leather out of it
+as well as any Indian squaw in the country. But travelling as they were,
+there was not a good opportunity for that; so they were content to give
+it such a dressing as the circumstances might allow. It was spread out
+on a frame of willow-poles, and set up in front of the fire, to be
+scraped at intervals and cleared of the fatty matter, as well as the
+numerous parasites that at this season adhere to the skins of the
+wapiti.
+
+While Lucien was framing the skin, Basil and Norman occupied themselves
+in cutting the choice pieces of the meat into thin slices and hanging
+them up before the fire. This job being finished, all sat down to watch
+Lucien currying his hide.
+
+"Ho, boys!" cried François, starting up as if something had occurred to
+him; "what about the wolverene? It's a splendid skin--why not get it
+too?"
+
+"True enough," replied Norman, "we had forgotten that. But the beast's
+gone to the bottom--how can we get at him?"
+
+"Why, fish him up, to be sure," said François. "Let's splice one of
+these willow-poles to my ram rod, and I'll screw it into him, and draw
+him to the surface in a jiffy. Come!"
+
+"We must get the canoe round, then," said Norman. "The bank's too steep
+for us to reach him without it."
+
+"Of course," assented François, at the same time going towards the
+willows; "get you the canoe into the water, while I cut the sapling."
+
+"Stay!" cried Basil, "I'll show you a shorter method. Marengo!"
+
+As Basil said this, he rose to his feet, and walked down to the bluff
+where they had shot the wolverene. All of them followed him as well as
+Marengo, who bounded triumphantly from side to side, knowing he was
+wanted for some important enterprise.
+
+"Do you expect the dog to fetch him out?" inquired Norman.
+
+"No," replied Basil; "only to help."
+
+"How?"
+
+"Wait a moment--you shall see."
+
+Basil flung down his 'coon-skin cap, and stripped off his caribou
+jacket, then his striped cotton shirt, then his under-shirt of fawn
+skin, and, lastly, his trousers, leggings, and mocassins. He was now as
+naked as Adam.
+
+"I'll show you, cousin," said he, addressing himself to Norman, "how we
+take the water down there on the Mississippi."
+
+So saying, he stepped forward to the edge of the bluff; and having
+carefully noted the spot where the wolverene had gone down, turned to
+the dog, and simply said,--
+
+"Ho! Marengo! _Chez moi_!"
+
+The dog answered with a whimper, and a look of intelligence which showed
+that he understood his master's wish.
+
+Basil again pointed to the lake, raised his arms over his head, placing
+his palms close together, launched himself out into the air, and shot
+down head-foremost into the water.
+
+Marengo, uttering a loud bay, sprang after so quickly that the plunges
+were almost simultaneous, and both master and dog were for some time
+hidden from view. The latter rose first, but it was a long time before
+Basil came to the surface--so long that Norman and the others were
+beginning to feel uneasy, and to regard the water with some anxiety. At
+length, however, a spot was seen to bubble, several yards from where he
+had gone down, and the black head of Basil appeared above the surface.
+It was seen that he held something in his teeth, and was pushing a heavy
+body before him, which they saw was the wolverene.
+
+Marengo, who swam near, now seized hold of the object, and pulled it
+away from his master, who, calling to the dog to follow, struck out
+towards a point where the bank was low and shelving. In a few minutes
+Basil reached a landing-place, and shortly after Marengo arrived towing
+the wolverene, which was speedily pulled out upon the bank, and carried,
+or rather dragged, by Norman and François to the camp. Lucien brought
+Basil's clothes, and all four once more assembled around the blazing
+fire.
+
+There is not a more hideous-looking animal in America than the
+wolverene. His thick body and short stout legs, his shaggy coat and
+bushy tail, but, above all, his long curving claws and dog-like jaws,
+gave him a formidable appearance. His gait is low and skulking, and his
+look bold and vicious. He walks somewhat like a bear, and his tracks
+are often mistaken for those of that animal. Indians and hunters,
+however, know the difference well. His hind feet are plantigrade, that
+is, they rest upon the ground from heel to toe; and his back curves like
+the segment of a circle. He is fierce and extremely voracious--quite as
+much so as the "glutton," of which he is the American representative.
+
+No animal is more destructive to the small game, and he will also attack
+and devour the larger kinds when he can get hold of them; but as he is
+somewhat slow, he can only seize most of them by stratagem. It is a
+common belief that he lies in wait upon trees and rocks to seize the
+deer passing beneath. It has been also asserted that he places moss,
+such as these animals feed upon under his perch, in order to entice them
+within reach; and it has been still further asserted, that the arctic
+foxes assist him in his plans, by hunting the deer towards the spot
+where he lies in wait, thus acting as his jackals.
+
+These assertions have been made more particularly about his European
+cousin, the "glutton," about whom other stories are told equally
+strange--one of them, that he eats until scarce able to walk, and then
+draws his body through a narrow space between two trees, in order to
+relieve himself and get ready for a fresh meal. Buffon and others have
+given credence to these tales upon the authority of one "Olaus Magnus,"
+whose name, from the circumstance, might be translated "great fibber."
+There is no doubt, however, that the glutton is one of the most
+sagacious of animals, and so, too, is the wolverene. The latter gives
+proof of this by many of his habits; one in particular fully illustrates
+his cunning. It is this.
+
+The marten trappers of the Hudson Bay territory set their traps in the
+snow, often extending over a line of fifty miles. These traps are
+constructed out of pieces of wood found near the spot, and are baited
+with the heads of partridges, or pieces of venison, of which the marten
+is very fond. As soon as the marten seizes the bait, a trigger is
+touched, and a heavy piece of wood falling upon the animal, crushes or
+holds it fast. Now the wolverene _enters the trap from behind_, tears
+the back out of it before touching the bait, and thus avoids the falling
+log! Moreover, he will follow the tracks of the trapper from one to
+another, until he has destroyed the whole line.
+
+Should a marten happen to have been before him, and got caught in the
+trap, he rarely ever eats it, as he is not fond of its flesh. But he is
+not satisfied to leave it as he finds it. He usually digs it from under
+the log, tears it to pieces, and then buries it under the snow. The
+foxes, who are well aware of this habit, and who themselves greedily eat
+the marten, are frequently seen following him upon such excursions. They
+are not strong enough to take the log from off the trapped animal, but
+from their keen scent can soon find it where the other has buried it in
+the snow. In this way, instead of their being providers for the
+wolverene, the reverse is the true story. Notwithstanding, the wolverene
+will eat _them_ too, whenever he can get his claws upon them; but as
+they are much swifter than he, this seldom happens.
+
+The foxes, however, are themselves taken in traps, or more commonly shot
+by guns set for the purpose, with the bait attached by a string to the
+trigger. Often the wolverene, finding the foxes dead or wounded, makes a
+meal of them before the hunter comes along to examine his traps and
+guns. The wolverene kills many of the foxes while young, and sometimes
+on finding their burrow, widens it with his strong claws, and eats the
+whole family in their nests. Even young wolves sometimes become his
+prey. He lives, in fact, on very bad terms with both foxes and wolves,
+and often robs the latter of a fat deer which they may have just killed,
+and are preparing to dine upon. The beaver, however, is his favourite
+food, and but that these creatures can escape him by taking to the
+water--in which element he is not at all at home--he would soon
+exterminate their whole race. His great strength and acute scent enable
+him to overcome almost every wild creature of the forest or prairie. He
+is even said to be a full match for either the panther or the black
+bear.
+
+The wolverene lives in clefts of rock, or in hollow trees, where such
+are to be found; but he is equally an inhabitant of the forest and the
+prairie. He is found in fertile districts, as well as in the most remote
+deserts. His range is extensive, but he is properly a denizen of the
+cold and snowy regions. In the southern parts of the United States he is
+no longer known, though it is certain that he once lived there when
+those countries were inhabited by the beaver. North of latitude 40° he
+ranges perhaps to the pole itself, as traces of him have been found as
+far as man has yet penetrated.
+
+He is a solitary creature, and, like most predatory animals, a nocturnal
+prowler. The female brings forth two, sometimes three and four, at a
+birth. The cubs are of a cream colour, and only when full grown acquire
+that dark brown hue, which in the extreme of winter often passes into
+black. The fur is not unlike that of the bear but is shorter-haired, and
+of less value than a bear-skin. Notwithstanding, it is an article of
+trade with the Hudson's Bay Company, who procure many thousands of the
+skins annually.
+
+The Canadian voyageurs call the wolverene "carcajou;" while among the
+Orkney and Scotch servants of the Hudson's Bay Company he is oftener
+known as the "quickhatch." It is supposed that both, these names are
+corruptions of the Cree word _okee-coo-haw-gew_ (the name of the
+wolverene among the Indians of that tribe). Many words from the same
+language have been adopted by both voyageurs and traders.
+
+Those points in the natural history of the wolverene, that might be
+called _scientific_, were imparted by Lucien, while Norman furnished the
+information about its habits. Norman knew the animal as one of the most
+common in the "trade"; and in addition to what we have recorded, also
+related many adventures and stories current among the voyageurs, in
+which this creature figures in quite as fanciful a manner as he does in
+the works either of Olaus Magnus, or Count de Buffon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER.
+
+
+After remaining a day at their first camp on the lake, our voyageurs
+continued their journey. Their course lay a little to the west of north,
+as the edge of the lake trended in that direction. Their usual plan, as
+already stated, was to keep out in the lake far enough to shun the
+numerous indentations of the shore, yet not so far as to endanger their
+little craft when the wind was high. At night they always landed,
+either upon some point or on an island. Sometimes the wind blew "dead
+ahead," and then their day's journey would be only a few miles. When the
+wind was favourable they made good progress, using the skin of the
+wapiti for a sail. On one of these days they reckoned a distance of over
+forty miles from camp to camp.
+
+It was their custom always to lie by on Sunday, for our young voyageurs
+were Christians. They had done so on their former expedition across the
+Southern prairies, and they had found the practice to their advantage in
+a physical as well as a moral sense. They required the rest thus
+obtained; besides, a general cleaning up is necessary, at least, once
+every week. Sunday was also a day of feasting with them. They had more
+time to devote to culinary operations, and the _cuisine_ of that day was
+always the most varied of the week. Any extra delicacy obtained by the
+rifle on previous days, was usually reserved for the Sunday's dinner.
+
+On the first Sunday after entering Lake Winnipeg the "camp" chanced to
+be upon an island. It was a small island, of only a few acres in extent.
+It lay near the shore, and was well wooded over its whole surface with
+trees of many different kinds. Indeed, islands in a large lake usually
+have a great variety of trees, as the seeds of all those sorts that grow
+around the shores are carried thither by the waves, or in the crops of
+the numerous birds that flit over its waters. But as the island in
+question lay in a lake, whose shores exhibited such a varied geology, it
+was natural the vegetation of the island itself should be varied. And,
+in truth, it was so.
+
+Among the low bushes and shrubs there were rose and wild raspberry;
+there were apple and plum trees, and whole thickets of the "Pembina."
+There is, in fact, no part of the world where a greater variety of wild
+fruit has been found indigenous than upon the banks of the Red River of
+the North, and this variety extended to the little island where our
+voyageurs had encamped.
+
+The camp had been placed under a beautiful tree--the tacamahac, or
+balsam poplar. This is one of the finest trees of America, and one of
+those that extend farthest north into the cold countries. In favourable
+situations it attains a height of one hundred and fifty feet, with a
+proportionate thickness of trunk; but it is oftener only fifty or eighty
+feet high. Its leaves are oval, and, when young, of a rich yellowish
+colour, which changes to a bright green. The buds are very large,
+yellow, and covered with a varnish, which exhales a delightful
+fragrance, and gives to the tree its specific name.
+
+It was near sunset on the afternoon of Saturday, the travellers had just
+finished their repast, and were reclining around a fire of red cedar,
+whose delicate smoke curled up among the pale green leaves of the
+poplars. The fragrant smell of the burning wood, mixed with the aromatic
+odour of the balsam-tree, filled the air with a sweet perfume, and,
+almost without knowing why, our voyageurs felt a sense of pleasure
+stealing over them. The woods of the little island were not without
+their voices.
+
+The scream of the jay was heard, and his bright azure wing appeared now
+and then among the foliage. The scarlet plumage of the cardinal grosbeak
+flashed under the beams of the setting sun; and the trumpet-note of the
+ivory-billed woodpecker was heard near the centre of the island. An
+osprey was circling in the air, with his eye bent on the water below,
+watching for his finny prey; and a pair of bald eagles were winging
+their way towards the adjacent mainland. Half-a-dozen turkey vultures
+were wheeling above the beach, where some object, fish or carrion, had
+been thrown up by the waves.
+
+For some time the party remained silent, each contemplating the scene
+with feelings of pleasure. François, as usual, first broke the silence.
+
+"I say, cook, what's for dinner to-morrow?"
+
+It was to Lucien this speech was addressed. He was regarded as the
+_maitre de cuisine_.
+
+"Roast or boiled--which would you prefer?" asked the cook, with a
+significant smile.
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed François; "boiled, indeed! a pretty boil we could
+have in a tin cup, holding less than a pint. I wish we _could_ have a
+boiled joint and a bowl of soup. I'd give something for it. I'm precious
+tired of this everlasting dry roast."
+
+"You shall have both," rejoined Lucien, "for to-morrow's dinner. I
+promise you both the soup and the joint."
+
+Again François laughed increduously.
+
+"Do you mean to make soup in your shoe, Luce?"
+
+"No; but I shall make it in this."
+
+And Lucien held up a vessel somewhat like a water-pail, which the day
+before he had himself made out of birch-bark.
+
+"Well," replied François, "I know you have got a vessel that holds
+water, but cold water ain't soup; and if you can boil water in that
+vessel, I'll believe you to be a conjuror. I know you can do some
+curious things with your chemical mixtures; but that you can't do, I'm
+sure. Why, man, the bottom would be burned out of your bucket before the
+water got blood-warm. Soup, indeed!"
+
+"Never mind, Frank, you shall see. You're only like the rest of
+mankind--incredulous about everything they can't comprehend. If you'll
+take your hook and line, and catch some fish, I promise to give you a
+dinner to-morrow, with all the regular courses--soup, fish, boiled,
+roast, and dessert, too! I'm satisfied I can do all that."
+
+"_Parbleu_! brother, you should have been cook to Lucullus. Well, I'll
+catch the fish for you."
+
+So saying, François took a fish-hook and line out of his pouch, and
+fixing a large grasshopper upon the hook, stepped forward to the edge of
+the water, and cast it in. The float was soon seen to bob and then sink,
+and François jerked his hook ashore with a small and very pretty fish
+upon it of a silver hue, with which the lake and the waters running into
+it abound. Lucien told him it was a fish of the genus _Hyodon_. He also
+advised him to bait with a worm, and let his bait sink to the bottom,
+and he might catch a sturgeon, which would be a larger fish.
+
+"How do you know there are sturgeon in the lake?" inquired François.
+
+"I am pretty sure of that," answered the naturalist; "the sturgeon is
+found all round the world in the northern temperate zone--both in its
+seas and fresh waters; although, when you go farther south into the
+warmer climate, no sturgeons exist. I am sure there are some here,
+perhaps more than one species. Sink your bait for the sturgeon is a
+toothless fish, and feeds upon soft substances at the bottom."
+
+François followed the advice of his brother, and in a few minutes he
+had a "nibble," and drew up and landed a very large fish, full three
+feet in length. Lucien at once pronounced it a sturgeon, but of a
+species he had not before seen. It was the _Acipenser carbonarius_, a
+curious sort of fish found in these waters. It did not look like a fish
+that would be pleasant eating; therefore François again took to bobbing
+for the silver fish which, though small, he knew to be excellent when
+broiled.
+
+"Come," said Basil, "I must furnish my quota to this famous dinner that
+is to be. Let me see what there is on the island in the way of game;"
+and shouldering his rifle, he walked off among the trees.
+
+"And I," said Norman, "am not going to eat the produce of other people's
+labour without contributing my share."
+
+So the young trader took up his gun and went off in a different
+direction.
+
+"Good!" exclaimed Lucien, "we are likely to have plenty of meat for the
+dinner. I must see about the vegetables;" and taking with him his
+new-made vessel, Lucien sauntered off along the shore of the islet.
+François alone remained by the camp and continued his fishing. Let us
+follow the plant-hunter, and learn a lesson of practical botany.
+
+Lucien had not gone far, when he came to what appeared to be a mere
+sedge growing in the water. The stalks or culms of this sedge were full
+eight feet high, with smooth leaves, an inch broad, nearly a yard in
+length, and of a light green colour. At the top of each stalk was a
+large panicle of seeds, somewhat resembling a head of oats. The plant
+itself was the famous wild rice so much prized by the Indians as an
+article of food, and also the favourite of many wild birds especially
+the reed-bird or rice-bunting. The grain of the zizania was not yet
+ripe, but the ears were tolerably well filled, and Lucien saw that it
+would do for his purpose. He therefore waded in, and stripped off into
+his vessel as much as he wanted.
+
+"I am safe for rice-soup, at all events," soliloquised he, "but I think
+I can do still better;" and he continued on around the shore, and
+shortly after struck into some heavy timber that grew in a damp, rich
+soil. He had walked about an hundred yards farther, when he was seen to
+stoop and examine some object on the ground.
+
+"It ought to be found here," he muttered to himself; "this is the very
+soil for it--yes, here we have it!"
+
+The object over which he was stooping was a plant, but its leaves
+appeared shrivelled, or rather quite withered away. The upper part of a
+bulbous root, however, was just visible above the surface. It was a bulb
+of the wild leek. The leaves, when young, are about six inches in
+length, of a flat shape and often three inches broad; but, strange to
+say, they shrivel or die off very early in the season--even before the
+plant flowers, and then it is difficult to find the bulb.
+
+Lucien, however, had sharp eyes for such things; and in a short while he
+had rooted out several bulbs as large as pigeons' eggs, and deposited
+them in his birchen vessel. He now turned to go back to camp, satisfied
+with what he had obtained. He had the rice to give consistency to his
+soup, and the leek roots to flavour it with. That would be enough.
+
+As he was walking over a piece of boggy ground his eye was attracted to
+a singular plant, whose tall stem rose high above the grass. It was full
+eight feet in height, and at its top there was an umbel of conspicuous
+white flowers. Its leaves were large, lobed, and toothed, and the stem
+itself was over an inch in diameter, with furrows running
+longitudinally. Lucien had never seen the plant before, although he had
+often heard accounts of it, and he at once recognised it from its
+botanical description. It was the celebrated "cow parsnip." Its stem was
+jointed and hollow, and Lucien had heard that the Indians called it in
+their language "flute stem," as they often used it to make their rude
+musical instruments from, and also a sort of whistle or "call," by which
+they were enabled to imitate and decoy several kinds of deer. But there
+was another use to which the plant was put, of which the naturalist was
+not aware. Norman who had been wandering about, came up at this moment,
+and seeing Lucien standing by the plant, uttered a joyful "Hulloh!"
+
+"Well," inquired Lucien, "what pleases you, coz?"
+
+"Why, the flute-stem, of course. You talked of making a soup. It will
+help you, I fancy."
+
+"How?" demanded Lucien.
+
+"Why, the young stems are good eating, and the roots, if you will; but
+the young shoots are better. Both Indians and voyageurs eat them in
+soup, and are fond of them. It's a famous thing, I assure you."
+
+"Let us gather some, then," said Lucien; and the cousins commenced
+cutting off such stems as were still young and tender. As soon as they
+had obtained enough, they took their way back to the camp. Basil had
+already arrived with a fine _prairie hen_ which he had shot, and Sandy
+had brought back a squirrel; so that, with François's fish, of which a
+sufficient number had been caught, Lucien was likely to be able to keep
+his promise about the dinner.
+
+François, however, could not yet comprehend how the soup was to be
+boiled in a wooden pot; and, indeed, Basil was unable to guess. Norman,
+however, knew well enough, for he had travelled through the country of
+the Assinoboil Indians, who take their name from this very thing. He had
+also witnessed the operation performed by Crees, Chippewas, and even
+voyageurs, where metal or earthen pots could not be obtained.
+
+On the next day the mystery was cleared up to Basil and François. Lucien
+first collected a number of stones--about as large as paving-stones. He
+chose such as were hard and smooth. These he flung into the cinders,
+where they soon became red-hot. The water and meat were now put into the
+bark pot, and then one stone after another,--each being taken out as it
+got cooled,--until the water came to a fierce boil. The rice and other
+ingredients were added at the proper time, and in a short while an
+excellent soup was made. So much, then, for the soup, and the boiled
+dishes with vegetables. The roast, of course, was easily made ready upon
+green-wood spits, and the "game" was cooked in a similar way. The fish
+were broiled upon the red cinders, and eaten, as is usual, after the
+soup. There were no puddings or pies, though, no doubt, Lucien could
+have made such had they been wanted.
+
+In their place there was an excellent service of fruit. There were
+strawberries and raspberries, one sort of which found wild in this
+region is of a most delicious flavour. There were gooseberries and
+currants; but the most delicious fruit, and that which François liked
+best, was a small berry of a dark blue colour, not unlike the
+huckleberry, but much sweeter and of higher flavour. It grows on a low
+bush or shrub with ovate leaves; and this bush when it blossoms is so
+covered with beautiful white flowers, that neither leaves nor branches
+can be seen. There are no less than four varieties of it known, two of
+which attain to the height of twenty feet or more. The French Canadians
+call it "le poire," but in most parts of America it is known as the
+"service-berry," although several other names are given to it in
+different districts. Lucien informed his companions, while they were
+crushing its sweet purplish fruit between their teeth, that its
+botanical name is _Amelanchier_.
+
+"Now," remarked François, "if we only had a cup of coffee and a glass of
+wine, we might say that we had dined in fashionable style."
+
+"I think," replied Lucien, "we are better without the wine, and as for
+the other I cannot give you that, but I fancy I can provide you with a
+cup of tea if you only allow me a little time."
+
+"Tea!" screamed François; "why, there's not a leaf of tea nearer than
+China; and for the sugar, not a grain within hundreds of miles!"
+
+"Come, Frank," said Lucien, "nature has not been so ungenerous here,
+even in such luxuries as tea and sugar. Look yonder! You see those large
+trees with the dark-coloured trunks. What are they?"
+
+"Sugar-maples," replied François.
+
+"Well," said Lucien, "I think even at this late season we might contrive
+to extract sap enough from them to sweeten a cup of tea. You may try,
+while I go in search of the tea-plant."
+
+"Upon my word, Luce, you are equal to a wholesale grocery. Very well.
+Come, Basil, we'll tap the maples; let the captain go with Luce."
+
+The boys, separating into pairs, walked off, in different directions.
+Lucien and his companion soon lighted upon the object of their search in
+the same wet bottom where they had procured the _Heracleum_. It was a
+branching shrub, not over two feet in height, with small leaves of a
+deep green colour above, but whitish and woolly underneath. It is a
+plant well known throughout most of the Hudson's Bay territory by the
+name of "Labrador tea-plant;" and is so called because the Canadian
+voyageurs, and other travellers through these northern districts, often
+drink it as tea. It is one of the _Ericaceæ_, or heath tribe, of the
+genus _Ledum_--though it is not a true heath, as, strange to say, no
+true heath is found upon the continent of America.
+
+There are two kinds of it known,--the "narrow-leafed" and "broad-leafed"
+and the former makes the best tea. But the pretty white flowers of the
+plant are better for the purpose than the leaves of either variety; and
+these it was that were now gathered by Lucien and Norman. They require
+to be dried before the decoction is made; but this can be done in a
+short time over a fire; and so in a short time it was done, Norman
+having parched them upon heated stones.
+
+Meanwhile Basil and François had obtained the sugar-water, and Lucien
+having washed his soup-kettle clean, and once more made his boiling
+stones red-hot, prepared the beverage; and then it was served out in the
+tin cup, and all partook of it. Norman had drunk the Labrador tea
+before, and was rather fond of it, but his Southern cousins did not much
+relish it. Its peculiar flavour, which somewhat resembles rhubarb, was
+not at all to the liking of François. All, however, admitted that it
+produced a cheering effect upon their spirits; and, after drinking it,
+they felt in that peculiarly happy state of mind which one experiences
+after a cup of the real "Bohea."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA.
+
+
+From such a luxurious dinner you may suppose that our young voyageurs
+lived in prime style. But it was not always so. They had their fasts as
+well as feasts. Sometimes for days they had nothing to eat but the
+jerked deer-meat. No bread--no beer--no coffee, nothing but water--dry
+venison and water. Of course, this is food enough for a hungry man; but
+it can hardly be called luxurious living. Now and then a wild duck, or a
+goose, or perhaps a young swan, was shot; and this change in their diet
+was very agreeable. Fish were caught only upon occasions, for often
+these capricious creatures refused François' bait, however temptingly
+offered.
+
+After three weeks' coasting the Lake, they reached the Saskatchewan, and
+turning up that stream, now travelled in a due westerly direction. At
+the Grand Rapids, near the mouth of this river, they were obliged to
+make a portage of no less than three miles, but the magnificent view of
+these "Rapids" fully repaid them for the toil they underwent in passing
+them.
+
+The Saskatchewan is one of the largest rivers in America, being full
+1600 miles in length, from its source in the Rocky Mountains to its
+_débouchure_, under the name of the "Nelson River," in Hudson's Bay. For
+some distance above Lake Winnipeg, the country upon its banks is well
+wooded. Farther up, the river runs through dry sandy prairies that
+extend westward to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. Many of these
+prairies may be properly called "deserts." They contain lakes as salt as
+the ocean itself, and vast tracts--hundreds of square miles in
+extent--where not a drop of water is to be met with. But the route of
+our voyageurs did not lie over these prairies. It was their intention,
+after reaching Cumberland House, to turn again in a northerly direction.
+
+One evening, when within two days' journey of the Fort, they had
+encamped upon the bank of the Saskatchewan. They had chosen a beautiful
+spot for their camp, where the country, swelling into rounded hills, was
+prettily interspersed with bushy copses of _Amelanchiers_, and _Rosa
+blanda_ whose pale red flowers were conspicuous among the green leaves,
+and filled the air with a sweet fragrance, that was wafted to our
+voyageurs upon the sunny breeze. The ground was covered with a grassy
+sward enamelled by the pink flowers of the _Cleome_, and the deeper red
+blossoms of the beautiful wind-flower.
+
+Upon that day our travellers had not succeeded in killing any game, and
+their dinner was likely to consist of nothing better than dry venison
+scorched over the coals. As they had been travelling all the morning
+against a sharp current, and, of course, had taken turn about at the
+paddles, they all felt fatigued, and none of them was inclined to go in
+search of game. They had flung themselves down around the fire, and were
+waiting until the venison should be broiled for dinner.
+
+The camp had been placed at the foot of a tolerably steep hill, that
+rose near the banks of the river. There was another and higher hill
+facing it, the whole front of which could be seen by our travellers as
+they sat around their fire. While glancing their eyes along its
+declivity, they noticed a number of small protuberances or mounds
+standing within a few feet of each other. Each of them was about a foot
+in height, and of the form of a truncated cone--that is, a cone with its
+top cut off, or beaten down.
+
+"What are they?" inquired François.
+
+"I fancy," answered Lucien, "they are marmot-houses."
+
+"They are," affirmed Norman; "there are plenty of them in this country."
+
+"Oh! marmots!" said François. "Prairie-dogs, you mean?--the same we met
+with on the Southern prairies?"
+
+"I think not," replied Norman: "I think the prairie-dogs are a different
+sort. Are they not, cousin Luce?"
+
+"Yes, yes," answered the naturalist; "these must be a different species.
+There are too few of them to be the houses of prairie-dogs. The 'dogs'
+live in large settlements, many hundreds of them in one place; besides,
+their domes are somewhat different in appearance from these. The mounds
+of the prairie-dogs have a hole in the top or on one side. These, you
+see, have not. The hole is in the ground beside them, and the hill is in
+front, made by the earth taken out of the burrow, just as you have seen
+it at the entrance of a rat's hole. They are marmots, I have no doubt,
+but of a different species from the prairie-dog marmots."
+
+"Are there not many kinds of marmots in America? I have heard so," said
+François.
+
+This question was of course addressed to Lucien.
+
+"Yes," answered he. "The _fauna_ of North America is peculiarly rich in
+species of these singular animals. There are thirteen kinds of them,
+well known to naturalists; and there are even some varieties in these
+thirteen kinds that might almost be considered distinct species. I have
+no doubt, moreover, there are yet other species which have not been
+described. Perhaps, altogether, there are not less than twenty different
+kinds of marmots in North America. As only one or two species are found
+in the settled territories of the United States, it was supposed, until
+lately, that there were no others. Latterly the naturalists of North
+America have been very active in their researches, and no genus of
+animals has rewarded them so well as the marmots--unless, perhaps, it
+may be the squirrels. Almost every year a new species of one or the
+other of these has been found--mostly inhabiting the vast wilderness
+territories that lie between the Mississippi and the Pacific Ocean.
+
+"These little animals seem to form a link between the squirrels and
+rabbits. On the side of the squirrels they very naturally join on, if I
+may use the expression, to the ground-squirrel, and some of them, differ
+but little in their habits from many of the latter. Other species,
+again, are more allied to the rabbits, and less like the squirrels; and
+there are two or three kinds that I should say--using a Yankee
+expression--have a 'sprinkling' of the rat in them. Some, as the
+ground-hog, or wood-chuck of the United States, are as large as rabbits,
+while others, as the leopard-marmot, are not bigger than Norway rats.
+
+"Some species have cheek-pouches, in which they can carry a large
+quantity of seeds, nuts, and roots, when they wish to hoard them up for
+future use. These are the spermophiles, and some species of these have
+more capacious pouches than others. Their food differs somewhat,
+perhaps according to the circumstances in which they may be placed. In
+all cases it is vegetable. Some, as the prairie-dogs, live upon grasses,
+while others subsist chiefly upon seeds, berries, and leaves.
+
+"It was long supposed that the marmots, like the squirrels, laid up
+stores against the winter. I believe this is not the case with any of
+the different species. I know for certain that most of them pass the
+winter in a state of torpidity, and of course require no provisions, as
+they eat nothing during that season. In this we observe one of those
+cases in which Nature so beautifully adapts a creature to its
+circumstances. In the countries where many of the marmots are found, so
+severe are the winters, and so barren the soil, that it would be
+impossible for these creatures to get a morsel of food for many long
+months.
+
+"During this period, therefore, Nature suspends her functions, by
+putting them into a deep, and, for aught we know to the contrary, a
+pleasant sleep. It is only when the snow melts, under the vernal sun,
+and the green blades of grass and the spring flowers array themselves on
+the surface of the earth, that the little marmots make their appearance
+again. Then the warm air, penetrating into their subterranean abodes,
+admonishes them to awake from their protracted slumber, and come forth
+to the enjoyment of their summer life. These animals may be said,
+therefore, to have no winter. Their life is altogether a season of
+summer and sunshine."
+
+"Some of the marmots," continued Lucien, "live in large communities, as
+the prairie dogs; others, in smaller tribes, while still other species
+lead a solitary life, going only in pairs, or at most in families.
+Nearly all of them are burrowing animals, though there are one or two
+species that are satisfied with a cleft in the rock, or a hole among
+loose stones for their nests. Some of them are tree-climbers, but it is
+supposed they only ascend trees in search of food, as they do not make
+their dwellings there. Many of the species are very prolific, the
+females bringing forth eight, and even ten young at a birth.
+
+"The marmots are extremely shy and watchful creatures. Before going to
+feed, they usually reconnoitre the ground from the tops of their little
+mounds. Some species do not have such mounds, and for this purpose
+ascend any little hillock that may be near. Nearly all have the curious
+habit of placing sentries to watch while the rest are feeding. These
+sentries station themselves on some commanding point, and when they see
+an enemy approaching give warning to the others by a peculiar cry. In
+several of the species this cry resembles the syllables 'seek-seek'
+repeated with a hiss. Others bark like 'toy-dogs,' while still other
+kinds utter a whistling noise, from which one species derives its
+trivial name of 'whistler' among the traders, and is the 'siffleur' of
+the Canadian voyageurs.
+
+"The 'whistler's' call of alarm can be heard at a great distance; and
+when uttered by the sentinel is repeated by all the others as far as the
+troop extends.
+
+"The marmots are eaten both by Indians and white hunters. Sometimes they
+are captured by pouring water into their burrows; but this method only
+succeeds in early spring, when the animals awake out of their torpid
+state, and the ground is still frozen hard enough to prevent the water
+from filtering away. They are sometimes shot with guns; but, unless
+killed upon the spot, they will escape to their burrows, and tumble in
+before the hunter can lay his hands upon them."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+THE BLAIREAU, THE "TAWNIES," AND THE "LEOPARDS."
+
+
+Perhaps Lucien would have carried his account of the marmots still
+farther--for he had not told half what he knew of their habits--but he
+was at that moment interrupted by the marmots themselves. Several of
+them appeared at the mouths of their holes; and, after looking out and
+reconnoitring for some moments, became bolder, and ran up to the tops of
+their mounds, and began to scatter along the little beaten paths that
+led from one to the other. In a short while as many as a dozen could be
+seen moving about, jerking their tails, and at intervals uttering their
+seek-seek.
+
+Our voyageurs saw that there were two kinds of them, entirely different
+in colour, size, and other respects. The larger ones were of a greyish
+yellow above, with an orange tint upon the throat and belly. These were
+the "tawny marmots," called sometimes "ground-squirrels," and by the
+voyageurs, "siffleurs," or "whistlers."
+
+The other species seen were the most beautiful of all the marmots. They
+were very little smaller than the tawny marmots; but their tails were
+larger and more slender, which rendered their appearance more graceful.
+Their chief beauty, however, lay in their colours and markings. They
+were striped from the nose to the rump with bands of yellow and
+chocolate colour, which alternated with each other, while the chocolate
+bands were themselves variegated by rows of yellow spots regularly
+placed. These markings gave the animals that peculiar appearance so well
+known as characterising the skin of the leopard, hence the name of these
+little creatures was "leopard marmots."
+
+It was plain from their actions that both kinds were "at home" among the
+mounds, and that both had their burrows there. This was the fact, and
+Norman told his companion that the two kinds are always found together,
+not living in the same houses, but only as neighbours in the same
+"settlement." The burrows of the "leopard" have much smaller entrances
+than those of their "tawny kin," and run down perpendicularly to a
+greater depth before branching off in a horizontal direction. A straight
+stick may be thrust down one of these full five feet before reaching an
+"elbow."
+
+The holes of the tawny marmots, on the contrary, branch off near the
+surface, and are not so deep under ground. This guides us to the
+explanation of a singular fact--which is, that the "tawnies" make their
+appearance three weeks earlier in spring than the "leopards," in
+consequence of the heat of the sun reaching them sooner, and waking them
+out of their torpid sleep.
+
+While these explanations were passing among the boys, the marmots had
+come out, to the number of a score, and were carrying on their gambols
+along the declivity of the hill. They were at too great a distance to
+heed the movements of the travellers by the camp fire. Besides, a
+considerable valley lay between them and the camp, which, as they
+believed, rendered their position secure. They were not at such a
+distance but that many of their movements could be clearly made out by
+the boys, who after a while noticed that several furious battles were
+being fought among them. It was not the "tawnies" against the others,
+but the males of each kind in single combats with one another.
+
+They fought like little cats, exhibiting the highest degree of boldness
+and fury; but it was noticed that in these conflicts the leopards were
+far more active and spiteful than their kinsmen. In observing them
+through his glass Lucien noticed that they frequently seized each other
+by the tails, and he further noticed that several of them had their
+tails much shorter than the rest. Norman said that these had been bitten
+off in their battles; and, moreover, that it was a rare thing to find
+among the males, or "bucks," as he called them, one that had a perfect
+tail!
+
+While these observations were being made, the attention of our party was
+attracted to a strange animal that was seen slowly crawling around the
+hill. It was a creature about as big as an ordinary setter dog, but much
+thicker in the body, shorter in the legs, and shaggier in the coat. Its
+head was flat, and its ears short and rounded. Its hair was long, rough,
+and of a mottled hoary grey colour, but dark-brown upon the legs and
+tail. The latter, though covered with long hair, was short, and carried
+upright; and upon the broad feet of the animal could be seen long and
+strong curving claws. Its snout was sharp as that of a greyhound--though
+not so prettily formed--and a white stripe, passing from its very tip
+over the crown, and bordered by two darker bands, gave a singular
+expression to the animal's countenance.
+
+It was altogether, both in form and feature, a strange and
+vicious-looking creature. Norman recognised it at once as the
+"blaireau," or American badger. The others had never seen such a
+creature before--as it is not an inhabitant of the South, nor of any
+part of the settled portion of the United States.
+
+The badger when first seen was creeping along with its belly almost
+dragging the ground, and its long snout projected horizontally in the
+direction of the marmot "village." It was evidently meditating a
+surprise of the inhabitants. Now and then it would stop, like a pointer
+dog when close to a partridge, reconnoitre a moment, and then go on
+again. Its design appeared to be to get between the marmots and their
+burrows, intercept some of them, and get a hold of them without the
+trouble of digging them up--although that would be no great affair to
+it, for so strong are its fore-arms and claws that in loose soil it can
+make its way under the ground as fast as a mole.
+
+Slowly and cautiously it stole along, its hind-feet resting all their
+length upon the ground, its hideous snout thrown forward, and its eyes
+glaring with a voracious and hungry expression. It had got within fifty
+paces of the marmots, and would, no doubt, have succeeded in cutting off
+the retreat of some of them, but at that moment a burrowing owl that had
+been perched upon one of the mounds, rose up, and commenced hovering in
+circles above the intruder. This drew the attention of the marmot
+sentries to their well-known enemy, and their warning cry was followed
+by a general scamper of both tawnies and leopards towards their
+respective burrows.
+
+The blaireau, seeing that further concealment was no longer of any use,
+raised himself higher upon his limbs, and sprang forward in pursuit. He
+was too late, however, as the marmots had all got into their holes, and
+their angry "seek-seek" was heard proceeding from various quarters out
+of the bowels of the earth. The blaireau only hesitated long enough to
+select one of the burrows into which he was sure a marmot had entered;
+and then, setting himself to his work, he commenced throwing out the
+mould like a terrier. In a few seconds he was half buried, and his
+hind-quarters and tail alone remained above ground.
+
+[Illustration: THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS]
+
+He would soon have disappeared entirely, but at that moment the boys,
+directed and headed by Norman, ran up the hill, and, seizing him by the
+tail, endeavoured to jerk him back. That, however, was a task which they
+could not accomplish, for first one and then another, and then Basil and
+Norman--who were both strong boys--pulled with all their might, and
+could not move him. Norman cautioned them against letting him go, as in
+a moment's time he would burrow beyond their reach. So they held on
+until François had got his gun ready. This the latter soon did, and a
+load of small shot was fired into the blaireau's hips, which, although
+it did not quite kill him, caused him to back out of the hole, and
+brought him into the clutches of Marengo.
+
+A desperate struggle ensued, which ended by the bloodhound doubling his
+vast black muzzle upon the throat of the blaireau, and choking him to
+death in less than a dozen seconds; and then his hide--the only part
+which was deemed of any value--was taken off and carried to the camp.
+The carcass was left upon the face of the hill, and the red shining
+object was soon espied by the buzzards and turkey vultures, so that in a
+few minutes' time several of these filthy birds were seen hovering
+around, and alighting upon the hill.
+
+But this was no new sight to our young voyageurs, and soon ceased to be
+noticed by them. Another bird, of a different kind, for a short time
+engaged their attention. It was a large hawk, which Lucien, as soon as
+he saw it, pronounced to be one of the kind known as buzzards. Of these
+there are several species in North America, but it is not to be supposed
+that there is any resemblance between them and the buzzards just
+mentioned as having alighted by the carcass of the blaireau. The latter,
+commonly called "turkey buzzards," are true vultures, and feed mostly,
+though not exclusively, on carrion; while the "hawk buzzards" have all
+the appearance and general habits of the rest of the falcon tribe.
+
+The one in question, Lucien said, was the "marsh-hawk," sometimes also
+called the "hen-harrier." Norman stated that it was known among the
+Indians of these parts as the "snake-bird," because it preys upon a
+species of small green snake that is common on the plains of the
+Saskatchewan, and of which it is fonder than of any other food.
+
+The voyageurs were not long in having evidence of the appropriateness of
+the Indian appellation; for these people, like other savages, have the
+good habit of giving names that express some quality or characteristic
+of the thing itself. The bird in question was on the wing, and from its
+movements evidently searching for game. It sailed in easy circlings near
+the surface, _quartering_ the ground like a pointer dog. It flew so
+lightly that its wings were not seen to move, and throughout all its
+wheelings and turnings it appeared to be carried onwards or upwards by
+the power of mere volition.
+
+Once or twice its course brought it directly over the camp, and François
+had got hold of his gun, with the intention of bringing it down, but on
+each occasion it perceived his motions; and, soaring up like a
+paper-kite until out of reach, it passed over the camp, and then sank
+down again upon the other side, and continued its "quarterings" as
+before. For nearly half-an-hour it went on manoevring in this way, when
+all at once it was seen to make a sudden turning in the air as it fixed
+its eyes upon some object in the grass.
+
+The next moment it glided diagonally towards the earth, and poising
+itself for a moment above the surface, rose again with a small
+green-coloured snake struggling in its talons. After ascending to some
+height, it directed its flight towards a clump of trees, and was soon
+lost to the view of our travellers.
+
+Lucien now pointed out to his companions a characteristic of the hawk
+and buzzard tribe, by which these birds can always be distinguished from
+the true falcon. That peculiarity lay in the manner of seizing their
+prey. The former skim forward upon it sideways--that is, in a horizontal
+or diagonal direction, and pick it up in passing; while the true
+falcons--as the merlin, the peregrine, the gerfalcon, and the great
+eagle-falcons--shoot down upon their prey _perpendicularly_ like an
+arrow, or a piece of falling lead.
+
+He pointed out, moreover, how the structure of the different kinds of
+preying birds, such as the size and form of the wings and tail, as well
+as other parts, were in each kind adapted to its peculiar mode of
+pursuing its prey; and then there arose a discussion as to whether this
+adaption should be considered a _cause_, or an _effect_. Lucien
+succeeded in convincing his companions that the structure was the effect
+and not the cause of the habit, for the young naturalist was a firm
+believer in the changing and progressive system of nature.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK.
+
+
+Two days after the adventure with the blaireau, the young voyageurs
+arrived at Cumberland House--one of the most celebrated posts of the
+Hudson's Bay Company. The chief factor, who resided there, was a friend
+of Norman's father, and of course the youths were received with the
+warmest hospitality, and entertained during their stay in the best
+manner the place afforded. They did not make a long stay, however, as
+they wished to complete their journey before the winter should set in,
+when canoe-travelling would become impossible.
+
+During winter, not only the lakes, but the most rapid rivers of these
+Northern regions, become frozen up, and remain so for many months.
+Nearly the whole surface of the earth is buried under deep snow, and
+travelling can only be done with snow-shoes, or with sledges drawn by
+dogs. These are the modes practised by the Indians, the Esquimaux, and
+the few white traders and trappers who have occasion in winter to pass
+from one point to another of that icy and desolate region.
+
+Travelling under such circumstances is not only difficult and laborious,
+but is extremely perilous. Food cannot always be obtained--supplies fall
+short, or become exhausted--game is scarce, or cannot be found at all,
+as at that season many of the quadrupeds and most of the birds have
+forsaken the country, and migrated to the South--and whole parties of
+travellers--even Indians, who can eat anything living or dead, roast or
+raw--often perish from hunger.
+
+Our travellers were well acquainted with these facts; and being anxious,
+therefore, to get to the end of their journey before the winter should
+come down upon them, made all haste to proceed. Of course they obtained
+a new "outfit" at the Fort; but they took with them only such articles
+as were absolutely necessary, as they had many portages to make before
+they could reach the waters of the Mackenzie River. As it required two
+of the party to carry the canoe, with a few little things besides, all
+the baggage was comprised in such loads as the others could manage; and
+of course that was not a great deal, for François was but a lad, and
+Lucien was far from being in robust health. A light axe, a few cooking
+utensils, with a small stock of provisions, and of course their guns,
+formed the bulk of their loads.
+
+After leaving the Fort they kept for several days' journey up the
+Saskatchewan. They then took leave of that river, and ascended a small
+stream that emptied into it from the north. Making their first portage
+over a "divide," they reached another small stream that ran in quite a
+different direction, emptying itself into one of the branches of the
+Mississippi, or Churchill River. Following this in a north-westerly
+course, and making numerous other portages, they reached Lake La Crosse,
+and afterwards in succession, Lakes Clear, Buffalo, and Methy.
+
+A long "portage" from the last-mentioned lake brought them to the head
+of a stream known as the "Clear Water;" and launching their canoe upon
+this, they floated down to its mouth, and entered the main stream of the
+Elk, or Athabasca, one of the most beautiful rivers of America. They
+were now in reality upon the waters of the Mackenzie itself, for the
+Elk, after passing through the Athabasca takes from thence the name of
+Slave River, and having traversed Great Slave Lake, becomes the
+Mackenzie--under which name it continues on to the Arctic Ocean.
+
+Having got, therefore, upon the main head-water of the stream which they
+intended to traverse, they floated along in their canoe with light
+hearts and high hopes. It is true they had yet fifteen hundred miles to
+travel, but they believed that it was all down-hill work now; and as
+they had still nearly two months of summer before them, they doubted not
+being able to accomplish the voyage in good time.
+
+On they floated down stream, feasting their eyes as they went--for the
+scenery of the Elk valley is of a most picturesque and pleasing
+character; and the broad bosom of the stream itself, studded with wooded
+islands, looked to our travellers more like a continuation of lakes than
+a running river. Now they glided along without using an oar, borne
+onward by the current; then they would take a spell at the paddles,
+while the beautiful Canadian boat-song could be heard as it came from
+the tiny craft, and the appropriate chorus "Row, brothers, row!" echoed
+from the adjacent shores. No part of their journey was more pleasant
+than while descending the romantic Elk.
+
+They found plenty of fresh provisions, both in the stream itself and on
+its banks. They caught salmon in the water, and the silver-coloured
+hyodon, known among the voyageurs by the name of "Doré." They shot both
+ducks and geese, and roast-duck or goose had become an everyday dinner
+with them. Of the geese there were several species. There were
+"snow-geese," so called from their beautiful white plumage; and
+"laughing geese," that derive their name from the circumstance that
+their call resembles the laugh of a man.
+
+The Indians decoy these by striking their open hand repeatedly over the
+mouth while uttering the syllable "wah." They also saw the "Brent
+goose," a well-known species, and the "Canada goose," which is the _wild
+goose par excellence_. Another species resembling the latter, called the
+"barnacle goose," was seen by our travellers. Besides these, Lucien
+informed them that there were several other smaller kinds that inhabit
+the northern countries of America. These valuable birds are objects of
+great interest to the people of the fur countries for months in the
+year. Whole tribes of Indians look to them as a means of support.
+
+With regard to ducks, there was one species which our travellers had not
+yet met with, and for which they were every day upon the look-out. This
+was the far-famed "canvass-back," so justly celebrated among the
+epicures of America. None of them had ever eaten of it, as it is not
+known in Louisiana, but only upon the Atlantic coast of the United
+States. Norman, however, had heard of its existence in the Rocky
+Mountains--where it is said to breed--as well as in other parts of the
+fur countries, and they were in hopes that they might fall in with it
+upon the waters of the Athabasca.
+
+Lucien was, of course, well acquainted with its "biography," and could
+have recognised one at sight; and as they glided along he volunteered to
+give his companions some information, not only about this particular
+species, but about the whole genus of these interesting birds.
+
+"The canvass-back," began he, "is perhaps the most celebrated and
+highly-prized of all the ducks, on account of the exquisite flavour of
+its flesh--which is thought by some epicures to be superior to that of
+all other birds. It is not a large duck--rarely weighing over three
+pounds--and its plumage is far from equalling in beauty that of many
+other species. It has a red or chestnut-coloured head, a shining black
+breast, while the greater part of its body is of a greyish colour; but
+upon close examination this grey is found to be produced by a whitish
+ground minutely mottled with zig-zag black lines. I believe it is this
+mottling, combined with the colour, which somewhat resembles the
+appearance and texture of ship's canvass, that has given the bird its
+trivial name; but there is some obscurity about the origin of this.
+
+"Shooting the canvass-backs is a source of profit to hundreds of gunners
+who live around the Chesapeake Bay, as these birds command a high price
+in the markets of the American cities. Disputes have arisen between the
+fowlers of different States around the Bay about the right of shooting
+upon it; and vessels full of armed men--ready to make war upon one
+another--have gone out on this account. But the government of these
+States succeeded in settling the matter peacefully, and to the
+satisfaction of all parties."
+
+The canoe at this moment shot round a bend, and a long smooth expanse of
+the river appeared before the eyes of our voyageurs. They could see that
+upon one side another stream ran in, with a very sluggish current; and
+around the mouth of this, and for a good stretch below it, there
+appeared a green sedge-like water-grass, or rushes. Near the border of
+this sedge, and in a part of it that was thin, a flock of wild fowl was
+diving and feeding. They were small, and evidently ducks; but the
+distance was yet too great for the boys to make out to what species they
+belonged.
+
+A single large swan--a trumpeter--was upon the water, between the shore
+and the ducks, and was gradually making towards the latter. François
+immediately loaded one of his barrels with swan, or rather "buck" shot,
+and Basil looked to his rifle. The ducks were not thought of--the
+trumpeter was to be the game. Lucien took out his telescope, and
+commenced observing the flock. They had not intended to use any
+precaution in approaching the birds, as they were not extremely anxious
+about getting a shot, and were permitting the canoe to glide gently
+towards them.
+
+An exclamation from Lucien, however, caused them to change their
+tactics. He directed them suddenly to "hold water," and stop the canoe,
+at the same time telling them that the birds ahead were the very sort
+about which they had been conversing--the "canvass-backs." He had no
+doubt of it, judging from their colour, size, and peculiar movements.
+
+The announcement produced a new excitement. All four were desirous not
+only of shooting, but of _eating_, a canvass-back; and arrangements were
+set about to effect the former. It was known to all that the
+canvass-backs are among the shyest of water-fowl, so much so that it is
+difficult to approach them unless under cover. While feeding, it is
+said, they keep sentinels on the look-out. Whether this be true or not,
+it is certain that they never all dive together, some always remaining
+above water, and apparently watching while the others are under.
+
+A plan to get near them was necessary, and one was suggested by Norman,
+which was to tie bushes around the sides of the canoe, so as to hide
+both the vessel and those in it. This plan was at once adopted--the
+canoe was paddled up to the bank--thick bushes were cut, and tied along
+the gunwale; and then our voyageurs climbed in, and laying themselves as
+low as possible, commenced paddling gently downward in the direction of
+the ducks. The rifles were laid aside, as they could be of little
+service with such game. François' double-barrel was the arm upon which
+dependence was now placed; and François himself leaned forward in the
+bow in order to be ready, while the others attended to the guidance of
+the vessel. The buckshot had been drawn out, and a smaller kind
+substituted. The swan was no longer cared for or even thought of.
+
+In about a quarter of an hour's time, the canoe, gliding silently along
+the edge of the sedge--which was the wild celery--came near the place
+where the ducks were; and the boys, peeping through the leafy screen,
+could now see the birds plainly. They saw that they were not all
+canvass-backs, but that three distinct kinds of ducks were feeding
+together. One sort was the canvass-backs themselves, and a second kind
+very much resembled them, except that they were a size smaller. These
+were the "red-heads" or "pochards."
+
+The third species was different from either. They had also heads of a
+reddish colour, but of a brighter red, and marked by a white band that
+ran from the root of the bill over the crown. This mark enabled Lucien
+at once to tell the species. They were widgeons; but the most singular
+thing that was now observed by our voyageurs was the terms upon which
+these three kinds of birds lived with each other. It appeared that the
+widgeon obtained its food by a regular system of robbery and plunder
+perpetrated upon the community of the canvass-backs. The latter, as
+Lucien explained, feeds upon the roots of the valisneria; but for these
+it is obliged to dive to the depth of four or five feet, and also to
+spend some time at the bottom while plucking them up. Now the widgeon is
+as fond of the "celery" as the canvass-back, but the former is not a
+diver--in fact, never goes under water except when washing itself or in
+play, and it has therefore no means of procuring the desired roots.
+Mark, then, the plan that it takes to effect this end.
+
+Seated as near as is safe to the canvass-back, it waits until the latter
+makes his _somersault_ and goes down. It (the widgeon) then darts
+forward so as to be sufficiently close, and, pausing again, scans the
+surface with eager eye. It can tell where the other is at work, as the
+blades of the plant at which it is tugging are seen to move above the
+water. These at length disappear, pulled down as the plant is dragged
+from its root, and almost at the same instant the canvass-back comes up
+holding the root between his mandibles.
+
+But the widgeon is ready for him. He has calculated the exact spot where
+the other will rise; and, before the latter can open his eyes or get
+them clear of the water, the widgeon darts forward, snatches the
+luscious morsel from his bill, and makes off with it. Conflicts
+sometimes ensue; but the widgeon, knowing himself to be the lesser and
+weaker bird, never stands to give battle, but secures his prize through
+his superior agility. On the other hand, the canvass-back rarely
+attempts to follow him, as he knows that the other is swifter upon the
+water than he. He only looks after his lost root with an air of chagrin,
+and then, reflecting that there is "plenty more where it came from,"
+kicks up its heels, and once more plunges to the bottom.
+
+The red-head rarely interferes with either, as he is contented to feed
+upon the leaves and stalks, at all times floating in plenty upon the
+surface.
+
+As the canoe glided near, those on board watched these curious manoeuvres
+of the birds with feelings of interest. They saw, moreover, that the
+"trumpeter" had arrived among them, and the ducks seemed to take no
+notice of him. Lucien was struck with something unusual in the
+appearance of the swan. Its plumage seemed ruffled and on end, and it
+glided along in a stiff and unnatural manner. It moved its neck neither
+to one side nor the other, but held its head bent forward, until its
+bill almost touched the water, in the attitude that these birds adopt
+when feeding upon something near the surface. Lucien said nothing to his
+companions, as they were all silent, lest they might frighten the ducks;
+but Basil and Norman had also remarked the strange look and conduct of
+the trumpeter. François' eyes were bent only upon the ducks, and he did
+not heed the other.
+
+As they came closer, first Lucien, and then Basil and Norman, saw
+something else that puzzled them. Whenever the swan approached any of
+the ducks, these were observed to disappear under the water. At first,
+the boys thought that they merely dived to get out of his way, but it
+was not exactly in the same manner as the others were diving for the
+roots. Moreover, none of those that went down in the neighbourhood of
+the swan were seen to come up again!
+
+There was something very odd in all this, and the three boys, thinking
+so at the same time, were about to communicate their thoughts to one
+another, when the double crack of François' gun drove the thing, for a
+moment, out of their heads; and they all looked over the bushes to see
+how many canvass-backs had been killed. Several were seen dead or
+fluttering along the surface; but no one counted them, for a strange,
+and even terrible, object now presented itself to the astonished senses
+of all. If the conduct of the swan had been odd before, it was now
+doubly so.
+
+Instead of flying off after the shot, as all expected it would do, it
+was now seen to dance and plunge about on the water, uttering loud
+screams, that resembled the human voice far more than any other sounds!
+Then it rose as if pitched into the air, and fell on its back some
+distance off; while in its place was seen a dark, round object moving
+through the water, as if making for the bank, and uttering, as it went,
+the same hideous human-like screams!
+
+This dark object was no other than the poll of a human being; and the
+river shallowing towards the bank, it rose higher and higher above the
+water, until the boys could distinguish the glistening neck and naked
+shoulders of a red and brawny Indian! All was now explained. The Indian
+had been duck-hunting, and had used the stuffed skin of the swan as his
+disguise; and hence the puzzling motions of the bird. He had not noticed
+the canoe--concealed as it was--until the loud crack of François' gun
+had startled him from his work.
+
+This, and the heads and white faces of the boys peeping over the bushes,
+had frightened him, even more than he had them. Perhaps they were the
+first white faces he had ever seen. But, whether or not, sadly
+frightened he was; for, on reaching the bank, he did not stop, but ran
+off into the woods, howling and yelling as if Old Nick had been after
+him: and no doubt he believed that such was the case.
+
+The travellers picked up the swan-skin put of curiosity; and, in
+addition to the ducks which François had killed, they found nearly a
+score of these birds, which the Indian had dropped in his fright, and
+that had afterwards risen to the surface. These were strung together,
+and all had their necks broken.
+
+After getting them aboard, the canoe was cleared of the bushes; and the
+paddles being once more called into service, the little craft shot down
+stream like an arrow.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS
+
+
+The picturesque scenery of the Elk appeared to be a favourite resort
+with the feathered creation. Here our voyageurs saw many kinds of birds;
+both those that migrate into the fur countries during summer, and those
+that make their home there in the cold, dark days of winter. Among the
+former were observed--the beautiful blue bird of Wilson which, on
+account of its gentle and innocent habits, is quite as much esteemed in
+America as the "robin" in England.
+
+Another favourite of the farmer and the homestead, the purple martin,
+was seen gracefully wheeling through the air; while, among the green
+leaves, fluttered many brilliant birds. The "cardinal grosbeak" with his
+bright scarlet wings; the blue jay, noisy and chattering; the rarer
+"crossbill" with its deep crimson colour; and many others, equally
+bright and beautiful, enlivened the woods, either with their voice or
+their gaudy plumage.
+
+There was one bird, however, that had neither "fine feathers" nor an
+agreeable voice, but that interested our travellers more than any of the
+others. Its voice was unpleasant to the ear, and sounded more like the
+grating of a rusty hinge than anything else they could think of. The
+bird itself was not larger than a thrush, of a light grey colour above,
+white underneath, and with blackish wings. Its bill resembled that of
+the hawks, but its legs were more like those of the woodpecker tribe;
+and it seemed, in fact, to be a cross between the two. It was neither
+the colour of the bird, nor its form, nor yet its song, that interested
+our travellers, but its singular habits; and these they had a fine
+opportunity of observing at one of their "noon camps," where they had
+halted to rest and refresh themselves during the hot mid-day hours. The
+place was on one of the little islets, which was covered with underwood,
+with here and there some larger trees. The underwood bushes were of
+various sorts; but close to the spot where they had landed was a large
+thicket of honeysuckle, whose flowers were in full bloom, and filled the
+air with their sweet perfume.
+
+While seated near these, François' quick eye detected the presence of
+some very small birds moving among the blossoms. They were at once
+pronounced to be humming-birds, and of that species known as the
+"ruby-throats" so called, because a flake of a beautiful vinous colour
+under the throat of the males exhibits, in the sun, all the glancing
+glories of the ruby. The back, or upper parts, are of a gilded green
+colour; and the little creature is the smallest bird that migrates into
+the fur countries, with one exception, and that is a bird of the same
+genus--the "cinnamon humming-bird." The latter, however, has been seen
+in the Northern regions, only on the western side of the Rocky
+Mountains; but then it has been observed even as far north as the bleak
+and inhospitable shores of Nootka Sound. Mexico, and the tropical
+countries of America, are the favourite home of the humming-birds; and
+it was, for a long time, supposed that the "ruby-throats" were the only
+ones that migrated farther north than the territory of Mexico itself. It
+is now known, that besides the "cinnamon humming-bird," two or three
+other species annually make an excursion into higher latitudes.
+
+The "ruby-throats" not only travel into the fur countries, but breed in
+numbers upon the Elk River, the very place where our travellers now
+observed them.
+
+As they sat watching these little creatures, for there were several of
+them skipping about and poising themselves opposite the flowers, the
+attention of all was attracted to the movements of a far different sort
+of bird. It was that one we have been speaking of. It was seated upon a
+tree, not far from the honeysuckles; but every now and then it would
+spring from its perch, dash forward, and after whirring about for some
+moments among the humming-birds fly back to the same tree.
+
+At first the boys watched these manoeuvres without having their curiosity
+excited. It was no new thing to see birds acting in this manner. The
+jays, and many other birds of the fly-catching kind have this habit, and
+nothing was thought of it at the moment. Lucien, however, who had
+watched the bird more narrowly, presently declared to the rest that it
+was catching the humming-birds, and preying upon them--that each time it
+made a dash among the honeysuckles, it carried off one in its claws, the
+smallness of the victim having prevented them at first from noticing
+this fact. They all now watched it more closely than before, and were
+soon satisfied of the truth of Lucien's assertion, as they saw it seize
+one of the ruby-throats in the very act of entering the corolla of a
+flower.
+
+This excited the indignation of François, who immediately took up his
+"double-barrel," and proceeded towards the tree where the bird, as
+before, had carried this last victim. The tree was a low one, of the
+locust or _pseud-acacia_ family, and covered all over with great thorny
+spikes, like all trees of that tribe. François paid no attention to
+this; but, keeping under shelter of the underwood, he crept forward
+until within shot. Then raising his gun, he took aim, and pulling
+trigger, brought the bird fluttering down through the branches. He
+stepped forward and picked it up--not that he cared for such unworthy
+game, but Lucien had called to him to do so, as the naturalist wished to
+make an examination of the creature.
+
+He was about turning to go back to camp, when he chanced to glance his
+eye up into the locust-tree. There it was riveted by a sight which
+caused him to cry out with astonishment. His cry brought the rest
+running up to the spot, and they were not less astonished than he, when
+they saw the cause of it. I have said that the branches of the tree were
+covered with long thorny spikes that pointed in every direction; but one
+branch in particular occupied their attention. Upon this there was about
+a dozen of these spikes pointing upward, and upon each spike _was
+impaled a ruby-throat_!
+
+The little creatures were dead, of course, but they were neither torn
+nor even much ruffled in their plumage. They were all placed back
+upwards, and as neatly spitted upon the thorns as if they had been put
+there by human hands. On looking more closely it was discovered that
+other creatures as well as the humming-birds, had been served in a
+similar manner. Several grasshoppers, spiders, and some coleopterous
+insects were found, and upon another branch two small meadow-mice had
+been treated to the same terrible death.
+
+To Basil, Norman, and François, the thing was quite inexplicable, but
+Lucien understood well enough what it meant. All these creatures, he
+informed them, were placed there by the bird which François had shot,
+and which was no other than the "shrike" or "butcher-bird"--a name by
+which it is more familiarly known, and which it receives from the very
+habit they had just observed. Why it follows such a practice Lucien
+could not tell, as naturalists are not agreed upon this point. Some have
+asserted that it spits the spiders and other insects for the purpose of
+attracting nearer the small birds upon which it preys; but this cannot
+be true, for it preys mostly upon birds that are not insect-eaters, as
+the finches: besides, it is itself as fond of eating grasshoppers as
+anything else, and consumes large quantities of these insects.
+
+The most probable explanation of the singular and apparently cruel habit
+of the butcher-bird is, that it merely places its victims upon the
+thorns, in order to keep them safe from ground-ants, rats, mice,
+raccoons, foxes, and other preying creatures--just as a good cook would
+hang up her meat or game in the larder to prevent the cats from carrying
+it off. The thorny tree thus becomes the storehouse of the shrike, where
+he hangs up his superfluous spoil for future use, just as the crows,
+magpies and jays, make their secret deposits in chinks of walls and the
+hollows of trees. It is no argument against this theory, that the
+shrike sometimes leaves these stores without returning to them. The fox,
+and dog, as well as many other preying creatures have the same habit.
+
+Wondering at what they had seen, the voyageurs returned to their camp,
+and once more embarked on their journey.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+THE FISH-HAWK.
+
+
+A few days after, another incident occurred to our voyageurs, which
+illustrated the habits of a very interesting bird, the "osprey," or
+fish-hawk, as it is more familiarly known in America.
+
+The osprey is a bird of the falcon tribe, and one of the largest of the
+genus--measuring two feet from bill to tail, with an immense spread of
+wing in proportion, being nearly six feet from tip to tip. It is of a
+dark brown colour above, that colour peculiar to most of the hawk tribe,
+while its lower parts are ashy white. Its legs and bill are blue, and
+its eyes of a yellow orange. It is found in nearly all parts of America,
+where there are waters containing fish, for on these it exclusively
+feeds. It is more common on the sea-coast than in the interior, although
+it also frequents the large lakes, and lives in the central parts of the
+continent during summer, when these are no longer frozen over. It is not
+often seen upon muddy rivers, as there it would stand no chance of
+espying its victims in the water. It is a migratory bird, seeking the
+South in winter, and especially the shores of the Great Mexican Gulf,
+where large numbers are often seen fishing together.
+
+In the spring season these birds move to the northward, and make their
+appearance along the Atlantic coast of the continent, where they diffuse
+joy into the hearts of the fishermen--because the latter know, on seeing
+them, that they may soon expect the large shoals of herring, shad, and
+other fish, for which they have been anxiously looking out. So great
+favourites are they with the fisherman, that they would not knowingly
+kill an osprey for a boat-load of fish, but regard these bold fishing
+birds in the light of "professional brethren." In this case the old
+adage that "two of a trade never agree" is clearly contradicted.
+
+The farmer often takes up his gun to fire at the osprey--mistaking it
+for the red-tailed buzzard or some other hawk, several species of which
+at a distance it resembles--but, on discovering his mistake, brings down
+his piece without pulling trigger, and lets the osprey fly off unharmed.
+This singular conduct on the part of the farmer arises from his
+knowledge of the fact, that the osprey will not only _not_ kill any of
+his ducks or hens, but that where he makes a settlement he will drive
+off from the premises all the hawks, buzzards, and kites, that would
+otherwise prey upon the poultry. With such protection, therefore, the
+osprey is one of the securest birds in America. He may breed in a tree
+over the farmer's or fisherman's door without the slightest danger of
+being disturbed in his incubation.
+
+I say _his_ incubation; but the male takes no part in this domestic
+duty, further than to supply his loved mate with plenty of fish while
+she does the hatching business. Of course, thus protected, the osprey is
+not a rare bird. On the contrary, fish-hawks are more numerous than
+perhaps any other species of the hawk tribe. Twenty or thirty nests may
+be seen near each other in the same piece of woods, and as many as three
+hundred have been counted on one little island. The nests are built upon
+large trees--not always at the tops, as those of rooks, but often in
+forks within twenty feet of the ground. They are composed of large
+sticks, with stalks of corn, weeds, pieces of wet turf, and then lined
+plentifully with dry sea-grass, or any other grass that may be most
+convenient.
+
+The whole nest is big enough to make a load for a cart, and would be
+heavy enough to give any horse a good pull. It can be seen, when the
+woods are open, to an immense distance, and the more easily, as the tree
+upon which it is built is always a "dead wood," and therefore without
+leaves to conceal it. Some say that the birds select a dead or decaying
+tree for their nest. It is more probable such is the effect and not the
+cause, of their building upon a particular tree. It is more likely that
+the tree is killed partly by the mass of rubbish thus piled upon it, and
+partly by the nature of the substances, such as sea-weed in the nest,
+the oil of the fish, the excrement of the birds themselves, and the dead
+fish that have been dropped about the root, and suffered to remain
+there; for when the osprey lets fall his finny prey, which he often
+does, he never condescends to pick it up again, but goes in search of
+another.
+
+Boys "a-nesting" might easily discover the nest of the osprey; but were
+they inclined to despoil it of its three or four eggs (which are about
+the size of a duck's, and blotched with Spanish brown), they would find
+that a less easy task, for the owners would be very likely to claw their
+eyes out, or else scratch the tender skin from their beardless cheeks:
+so that boys do not often trouble the nest of the osprey.
+
+A very curious anecdote is related of a negro having climbed up to
+plunder a nest of these birds. The negro's head was covered with a close
+nap of his own black wool, which is supposed by a certain stretch of
+fancy to have the peculiarity of "growing in at both ends." The negro,
+having no other protection than that which his thick fur afforded him,
+was assailed by both the owners of the nest, one of which, making a dash
+at the "darkie's" head, struck his talons so firmly into the wool, that
+he was unable to extricate them, and there stuck fast, until the
+astonished plunderer had reached the foot of the tree. We shall not
+answer for the truthfulness of this anecdote, although there is nothing
+improbable about it; for certain it is that these birds defend their
+nests with courage and fury, and we know of more than one instance of
+persons being severely wounded who made the attempt to rob them.
+
+The ospreys, as already stated, feed exclusively on fish. They are not
+known to prey upon birds or quadrupeds of any kind, even when deprived
+of their customary food, as they sometimes are for days on account of
+the lakes and rivers, in which they expected to find it being frozen
+over to a later season than usual. Other birds, as the purple grakles,
+often build among the sticks of the osprey's nest, and rear their young
+without being meddled with by this generous bird. This is an important
+point of difference between the osprey and other kinds of hawks; and
+there is a peculiarity of structure about the feet and legs of the
+osprey, that points to the nature of his food and his mode of procuring
+it. His legs are disproportionately long and strong. They are without
+feathers nearly to the knees. The feet and toes are also very long, and
+the soles are covered with thick, hard scales, like the teeth of a rasp,
+which enable the bird to hold securely his slippery prey. The claws,
+too, are long, and curved into semicircles, with points upon them almost
+as sharp as needles.
+
+I have stated that an incident occurred to our party that illustrated
+some of the habits of this interesting bird. It was upon the afternoon
+of a Saturday, after they had fixed their camp to remain for the
+following day. They had landed upon a point or promontory that ran out
+into the river, and from which they commanded a view of a fine stretch
+of water. Near where they had placed their tent was the nest of an
+osprey, in the forks of a large poplar. The tree, as usual, was dead,
+and the young were plainly visible over the edge of the nest. They
+appeared to be full-grown and feathered; but it is a peculiarity of the
+young ospreys that they will remain in the nest, and be fed by the
+parent birds, until long after they might be considered able to shift
+for themselves. It is even asserted that the latter become impatient at
+length, and drive the young ones out of the nest by beating them with
+their wings; but that for a considerable time afterwards they continue
+to feed them--most likely until the young birds learn to capture their
+finny prey for themselves.
+
+This Lucien gave as a popular statement, but did not vouch for its
+truth. It was not long, however, before both he and his companions
+witnessed its complete verification.
+
+The old birds, after the arrival of the voyageurs upon the promontory,
+had remained for some time around the nest, and at intervals had shot
+down to where the party was, uttering loud screams, and making the air
+whizz with the strokes of their wings. Seeing that there was no
+intention of disturbing them, they at length desisted from these
+demonstrations, and sat for a good while quietly upon the edge of their
+nest. Then first one, and shortly after the other, flew out, and
+commenced sailing in circles, at the height of an hundred feet or so
+above the water. Nothing could be more graceful than their flight. Now
+they would poise themselves a moment in the air, then turn their bodies
+as if on a pivot, and glide off in another direction.
+
+All these motions were carried on with the most perfect ease, and as if
+without the slightest aid from the wings. Again they would come to a
+pause, holding themselves fixed in mid-air by a gentle flapping, and
+appearing to scrutinise some object below. Perhaps it was a fish; but it
+was either too large a one, or not the species most relished, or maybe
+it had sunk to too great a depth to be easily taken. Again they sail
+around; one of them suddenly arrests its flight, and, like a stone
+projected from a sling, shoots down to the water. Before reaching the
+surface, however, the fish, whose quick eye has detected the coming
+enemy, has gone to the dark bottom and concealed himself; and the
+osprey, suddenly checking himself by his wings and the spread of his
+full tail, mounts again, and re-commences his curvilinear flight.
+
+After this had gone on for some time, one of the birds--the larger one,
+and therefore the female--was seen to leave off hunting and return to
+the nest. There she sat only for a few seconds, when, to the
+astonishment of the boys, she began to strike her wings against the
+young ones, as if she was endeavouring to force them from the nest. This
+was just what she designed doing. Perhaps her late unsuccessful attempt
+to get them a fish had led her to a train of reflections, and sharpened
+her determination to make them shift for themselves. However that may
+be, in a few moments she succeeded in driving them up to the edge, and
+then, by half pushing, and half beating them with her wings, one after
+the other--two of them there were--was seen to take wing, and soar away
+out over the lake.
+
+At this moment, the male shot down upon the water, and then rose again
+into the air, bearing a fish, head-foremost, in his talons. He flew
+directly towards one of the young, and meeting as it hovered in the air,
+turned suddenly over and held out the fish to it. The latter clutched it
+with as much ease as if it had been accustomed to the thing for years,
+and then turning away, carried the fish to a neighbouring tree, and
+commenced devouring it.
+
+The action had been perceived by the other youngster, who followed
+after, and alighted upon the same branch, with the intention of sharing
+in the meal. In a few minutes the best part of the fish was eaten up,
+and both, rising from the branch, flew back to their nest. There they
+were met by the parents, and welcomed with a loud squeaking, that was
+intended, no doubt, to congratulate them upon the success of their first
+"fly."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT.
+
+
+After remaining for some time on the nest along with the others, the old
+male again resolved to "go a-fishing," and with this intent he shot out
+from the tree, and commenced wheeling above the water. The boys, having
+nothing better to engage them, sat watching his motions, while they
+freely conversed about his habits and other points in his natural
+history. Lucien informed them that the osprey is a bird common to both
+Continents, and that it is often seen upon the shores of the
+Mediterranean, pursuing the finny tribes there, just as it does in
+America. In some parts of Italy it is called the "leaden eagle," because
+its sudden heavy plunge upon the water is fancied to resemble the
+falling of a piece of lead.
+
+While they were discoursing, the osprey was seen to dip once or twice
+towards the surface of the water, and then suddenly check himself, and
+mount upward again. These manoeuvres were no doubt caused by the fish
+which he intended to "hook" having suddenly shifted their quarters. Most
+probably experience had taught them wisdom, and they knew the osprey as
+their most terrible enemy. But they were not to escape him at all times.
+As the boys watched the bird, he was seen to poise himself for an
+instant in the air, then suddenly closing his wings, he shot vertically
+downward.
+
+So rapid was his descent, that the eye could only trace it like a bolt
+of lightning. There was a sharp whizzing sound in the air--a plash was
+heard--then the smooth bosom of the water was seen to break, and the
+white spray rose several feet above the surface. For an instant the bird
+was no longer seen. He was underneath, and the place of his descent was
+marked by a patch of foam. Only a single moment was he out of sight. The
+next he emerged, and a few strokes of his broad wing carried him into
+the air, while a large fish was seen griped in his claws. As the
+voyageurs had before noticed, the fish was carried head-foremost, and
+this led them to the conclusion that in striking his prey beneath the
+water the osprey follows it and aims his blow from behind.
+
+After mounting a short distance the bird paused for a moment in the air,
+and gave himself a shake, precisely as a dog would do after coming out
+of water. He then directed his flight, now somewhat slow and heavy,
+toward the nest. On reaching the tree, however, there appeared to be
+some mismanagement. The fish caught among the branches as he flew
+inward. Perhaps the presence of the camp had distracted his attention,
+and rendered him less careful. At all events, the prey was seen to drop
+from his talons; and bounding from branch to branch, went tumbling down
+to the bottom of the tree.
+
+Nothing could be more opportune than this, for François had not been
+able to get a "nibble" during the whole day, and a fresh fish for dinner
+was very desirable to all. François and Basil had both started to their
+feet, in order to secure the fish before the osprey should pounce down
+and pick it up; but Lucien assured them that they need be in no hurry
+about that, as the bird would not touch it again after he had once let
+it fall. Hearing this, they took their time about it, and walked
+leisurely up to the tree, where they found the fish lying. After taking
+it up they were fain to escape from the spot, for the effluvium arising
+from a mass of other fish that lay in a decomposed state around the tree
+was more than any delicate pair of nostrils could endure.
+
+The one they had secured proved to be a very fine salmon of not less
+than six pounds weight, and therefore much heavier than the bird itself!
+The track of the osprey's talons was deeply marked; and by the direction
+in which the creature was scored, it was evident the bird had seized it
+from behind. The old hawks made a considerable noise while the fish was
+being carried away; but they soon gave up their squealing, and, once
+more hovering out over the river, sailed about with their eyes bent upon
+the water below.
+
+"What a number of fish they must kill!" said François. "They don't
+appear to have much difficulty about it. I should think they get as much
+as they can eat. See! there again! Another, I declare!"
+
+As François spoke the male osprey was seen to shoot down as before, and
+this time, although he appeared scarcely to dip his foot in the water,
+rose up with a fish in his talons.
+
+"They have sometimes others to provide for besides themselves," remarked
+Lucien. "For instance, the bald eagle----"
+
+Lucien was interrupted by a cackling scream, which was at once
+recognised as that of the very bird whose name had just escaped his
+lips. All eyes were instantly turned in the direction whence it
+came--which was from the opposite side of the river--and there, just in
+the act of launching itself from the top of a tall tree, was the great
+enemy of the osprey--the white-headed eagle himself!
+
+"Now a chase!" cried François, "yonder comes the big robber!"
+
+With some excitement of feeling, the whole party watched the movements
+of the birds. A few strokes of the eagle's wing brought him near; but
+the osprey had already heard his scream, and knowing it was no use
+carrying the fish to his nest, turned away from it, and rose spirally
+upward, in the hope of escaping in that direction. The eagle followed,
+beating the air with his broad pinions, as he soared after. Close behind
+him went the female osprey, uttering wild screams, flapping her wings
+against his very beak, and endeavouring to distract his attention from
+the chase. It was to no purpose, however, as the eagle full well knew
+her object, and disregarding her impotent attempts, kept on in steady
+flight after her mate. This continued until the birds had reached a high
+elevation, and the ospreys, from their less bulk, were nearly out of
+sight. But the voyageurs could see that the eagle was on the point of
+overtaking the one that carried the fish.
+
+[Illustration: THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.]
+
+Presently, a glittering object dropped down from the heavens, and fell
+with a plunge upon the water. It was the fish, and almost at the same
+instant was heard the "whish!" of the eagle, as the great bird shot
+after it. Before reaching the surface, however, his white tail and wings
+were seen to spread suddenly, checking his downward course; and then,
+with a scream of disappointment, he flew off in a horizontal direction,
+and alit upon the same tree from which he had taken his departure. In a
+minute after the ospreys came shooting down, in a diagonal line, to
+their nest; and, having arrived there, a loud and apparently angry
+consultation was carried on for some time, in which the young birds bore
+as noisy a part as either of their parents.
+
+"It's a wonder," said Lucien, "the eagle missed the fish--he rarely
+does. The impetus which he can give his body enables him to overtake a
+falling object before it can reach the earth. Perhaps the female osprey
+was in his way, and hindered him.
+
+"But why did he not pick it up in the water?" demanded François.
+
+"Because it went to the bottom, and he could not reach it--that's
+clear."
+
+It was Basil who made answer, and the reason he assigned was the true
+one.
+
+"It's too bad," said François, "that the osprey, not half so big a bird,
+must support this great robber-tyrant by his industry."
+
+"It's no worse than among our own kind," interposed Basil. "See how the
+white man makes the black one work for him here in America. That,
+however, is the _few_ toiling for the _million_. In Europe the case is
+reversed. There, in every country, you see the million toiling for the
+few--toiling to support an oligarchy in luxurious case, or a monarch in
+barbaric splendour."
+
+"But why do they do so? the fools!" asked François, somewhat angrily.
+
+"Because they know no better. That oligarchy, and those monarchs, have
+taken precious care to educate and train them to the belief that such is
+the _natural_ state of man. They furnish them with school-books, which
+are filled with beautiful sophisms--all tending to inculcate principles
+of endurance of wrong, and reverence for their wrongers. They fill their
+rude throats with hurrah songs that paint false patriotism in glowing
+colours, making loyalty--no matter to whatsoever despot--the greatest of
+virtues, and revolution the greatest of crimes; they studiously divide
+their subjects into several creeds, and then, playing upon the worst of
+all passions--the passion of religious bigotry--easily prevent their
+misguided helots from uniting upon any point which would give them a
+real reform. Ah! it is a terrible game which the present rulers of
+Europe are playing!"
+
+It was Basil who gave utterance to these sentiments, for the young
+republican of Louisiana had already begun to think strongly on political
+subjects. No doubt Basil would one day be an M.C.
+
+"The bald eagles have been much blamed for their treatment of the
+ospreys, but," said Lucien, "perhaps they have more reason for levying
+their tax than at first appears. It has been asked: Why they do not
+capture the fish themselves? Now, I apprehend, that there is a _natural_
+reason why they do not. As you have seen, the fish are not always caught
+upon the surface. The osprey has often to plunge beneath the water in
+the pursuit, and Nature has gifted him with power to do so, which, if I
+am not mistaken, she has denied to the eagles. The latter are therefore
+compelled, in some measure, to depend upon the former for a supply. But
+the eagles sometimes do catch the fish themselves, when the water is
+sufficiently shallow, or when their prey comes near enough to the
+surface to enable them to seize it."
+
+"Do they ever kill the ospreys?" inquired François.
+
+"I think not," replied Lucien; "that would be 'killing the goose,' etc.
+They know the value of their tax-payers too well to get rid of them in
+that way. A band of ospreys, in a place where there happens to be many
+of them together, have been known to unite and drive the eagles off.
+That, I suppose, must be looked upon in the light of a successful
+_revolution_."
+
+The conversation was here interrupted by another incident. The ospreys
+had again gone out fishing, and, at this moment, one of them was seen to
+pounce down and take a fish from the water. It was a large fish, and, as
+the bird flew heavily upward, the eagle again left its perch, and gave
+chase. This time the osprey was overtaken before it had got two hundred
+yards into the air, and seeing it was no use attempting to carry off the
+prey, it opened its claws and let it drop.
+
+The eagle turned suddenly, poised himself a moment, and then shot after
+the falling fish. Before the latter had got near the ground, he overtook
+and secured it in his talons. Then, arresting his own flight by the
+sudden spread of his tail, he winged his way silently across the river,
+and disappeared among the trees upon the opposite side. The osprey,
+taking the thing as a matter of course, again descended to the proper
+elevation, and betook himself to his work. Perhaps he grinned a little,
+like many another royal taxpayer, but he knew the tax had to be paid all
+the same, and he said nothing.
+
+An incident soon after occurred that astonished and puzzled our party
+not a little. The female osprey, that all this time seemed to have had
+but poor success in her fishing, was now seen to descend with a rush,
+and plunge deeply into the wave. The spray rose in a little cloud over
+the spot, and all sat watching with eager eyes to witness the result.
+What was their astonishment when, after waiting many seconds, the bird
+still remained under water! Minutes passed, and still she did not come
+up. _She came up no more!_ The foam she had made in her descent floated
+away--the bosom of the water was smooth as glass--not a ripple disturbed
+its surface. They could have seen the smallest object for a hundred
+yards or more around the spot where she had disappeared.
+
+It was impossible she could have emerged without them seeing her. Where,
+then, had she gone? This, as I have said, puzzled the whole party; and
+formed a subject of conjecture and conversation for the rest of that
+day, and also upon the next. Even Lucien was unable to solve the
+mystery. It was a point in the natural history of the osprey unknown to
+him. Could she have drowned herself? Had some great fish, the "gar
+pike," or some such creature, got hold of and swallowed her? Had she
+dashed her head against a rock, or become entangled in weeds at the
+bottom of the river?
+
+All these questions were put, and various solutions of the problem were
+offered. The true one was not thought of, until accident revealed it.
+It was Saturday when the incident occurred. The party, of course,
+remained all next day at the place. They heard almost continually the
+cry of the bereaved bird, who most likely knew no more than they what
+had become of his mate. On Monday our travellers re-embarked and
+continued down-stream. About a mile below, as they were paddling along,
+their attention was drawn to a singular object floating upon the water.
+They brought the canoe alongside it.
+
+It was a large fish, a sturgeon, floating dead, with a bird beside it,
+also dead! On turning both over, what was their astonishment to see that
+the talons of the bird were firmly fixed in the back of the fish! It was
+the _female osprey_! This explained all. She had struck a fish too heavy
+for her strength, and being unable to clear her claws again, had been
+drawn under the water and had perished along with her victim!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER, XXII.
+
+THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED.
+
+
+About ten days' rapid travelling down the Elk River brought our party
+into the Athabasca Lake--sometimes called the "Lake of the Hills." This
+is another of those great bodies of fresh water that lie between the
+primitive rocks of the "Barren Grounds," and the more fertile limestone
+deposit upon the west. It is nearly two hundred miles long from west to
+east, and it is only fifteen miles in breadth, but in some places it is
+so narrow and full of islands that it looks more like a broad river than
+a lake. Its shores and many of its islands are thickly wooded,
+particularly upon the southern and western edges; and the eye of the
+traveller is delighted with many a beautiful vista as he passes along.
+But our voyageurs took little heed of these things.
+
+A gloom had come over their spirits, for one of their party had taken
+ill, and was suffering from a painful and dangerous disease--an
+intermittent fever. It was Lucien--he that was beloved by all of them.
+He had been complaining for several days--even while admiring the fair
+scenery of the romantic Elk--but every day he had been getting worse,
+until, on their arrival at the lake, he declared himself no longer able
+to travel. It became necessary, therefore, to suspend their journey; and
+choosing a place for their camp, they made arrangements to remain until
+Lucien should recover. They built a small log-hut for the invalid, and
+did everything to make him as comfortable as possible. The best skins
+were spread for his couch; and cooling drinks were brewed for him from
+roots, fruits, and berries, in the way he had already taught his
+companions to prepare them.
+
+Every day François went forth with his gun, and returned with a pair of
+young pigeons, or a wood-partridge, or a brace of the beautiful ruffed
+grouse; and out of these he would make delicate soups, which he was the
+better able to do as they had procured salt, pepper, and other
+ingredients, at the Fort. They had also brought with them a stock of
+tea--the real China tea--and sugar; and as the quantity of both was but
+small, this luxurious beverage was made exclusively for Lucien, and was
+found by him exceedingly beneficial during his illness.
+
+To the great joy of all the invalid was at length restored to health,
+and the canoe being once more launched and freighted, they continued
+their journey.
+
+They coasted along the shores of the lake, and entered the Great Slave
+River, which runs from the Athabasca into the Great Slave Lake. They
+soon came to the mouth of another large river, called the Peace. This
+runs into the Great Slave a short distance below Lake Athabasca, and,
+strange to say, the sources of the Peace River lie upon the _western_
+side of the Rocky Mountains, so that this stream actually runs across
+the mountain-chain! It passes through the mountains in a succession of
+deep gorges, which are terrible to behold. On both sides dizzy cliffs
+and snow-capped peaks rise thousands of feet above its rocky bed, and
+the scenery is cold and desolate.
+
+Its head-waters interlock with those of several streams that run into
+the Pacific; so that, had our voyageurs wished to travel to the shores
+of that ocean, they might have done so in their birch-bark canoe nearly
+the whole of the way. But this was not their design at present, so they
+passed the _débouchure_ of the Peace, and kept on for the Great Slave
+Lake. They were still upon the same water as the Elk, for the Great
+Slave is only another name for that part of the river lying between the
+two lakes--Athabasca and Great Slave. Of course the river had now become
+much larger by the influx of the Peace, and they were travelling upon
+the bosom of a magnificent stream, with varied scenery upon its banks.
+
+They were not so happy, however, as when descending the Elk--not but
+that they were all in good health, for Lucien had grown quite strong
+again. No, it was not any want of health that rendered them less
+cheerful. It was the prospect before them--the prospect of coming
+winter, which they now felt certain would arrive before they had got to
+the end of their journey. The delay of nearly a month, occasioned by
+Lucien's illness, had deranged all their calculations; and they had no
+longer any hope of being able to finish their voyage in what remained of
+the short summer. The ice would soon make its appearance; the lakes and
+rivers would be frozen up; they could no longer navigate them in their
+canoe. To travel afoot would be a most laborious undertaking, as well as
+perilous in an extreme degree.
+
+In this way it is only possible to carry a very small quantity of
+provisions--for the traveller is compelled to load himself with
+skin-clothing in order to keep out the cold. The chances of procuring
+game by the way in that season are precarious, and not to be depended
+upon. Most of the birds and many of the quadrupeds migrate to more
+southern regions; and those that remain are shy and rare. Besides, great
+snow-storms are to be encountered, in which the traveller is in danger
+of getting "smoored." The earth is buried under a deep covering of snow,
+and to pass over this while soft is difficult, and at times quite
+impossible. All these circumstances were known to our young
+voyageurs--to Norman better than any of them--and of course the prospect
+was a cheerless one--much more so than those unacquainted with the
+winter of these dreary regions would be willing to believe.
+
+It was the month of August, near its end, when they reached the Great
+Slave Lake, in the latitude of 62°. The days had now become very short,
+and their journeys grew short in proportion. They already experienced
+weather as cold as an English winter. There were slight frosts at
+night--though not yet enough to cover the water with ice--and the
+mid-day hours were hot, sometimes too hot to be comfortable. But this
+only caused them to feel the cold the more sensibly when evening set in;
+and all their robes and skins were necessary to keep them warm during
+the night.
+
+The Great Slave Lake, like the Athabasca, is very long and very narrow.
+It extends full 260 miles from east to west, but at its widest part is
+not over thirty, and in some places much less. Along its northern shores
+lies the edge of the "Barren Grounds," and there nothing meets the eye
+but bleak and naked hills of primitive rock. On its southern side the
+geology is entirely of a different character. There the limestone
+prevails, and scarcely anything that deserves the name of hill is to be
+seen. There are fine forests too, in which poplars, pines, and birches,
+are the principal trees. The lake is filled with islands, many of which
+are wholly or partially covered with timber of these kinds, and willows
+also are abundant.
+
+There are fish of several species in its waters--which are in many
+places of great depth--sixty fathoms deep--and in some of the islands,
+and around the wooded shores, game exists in abundance in the summer
+season. Even in winter it is not scarce, but then it is difficult to
+follow it on account of the deep snow. Many of the animals, too, at this
+season become torpid, and are of course hidden in caves and hollow
+trees, and even in the snow itself, where no one can find them.
+Notwithstanding all this, our voyageurs knew that it would be the best
+place for them to make their winter camp. They saw that to complete
+their journey during that season would be impossible. Even had it been a
+month earlier it would have been a difficult undertaking.
+
+In a few days winter would be upon them. They would have to stop
+somewhere. There was no place where they could so safely stay as by the
+lake. One thing they would have there, which might not be found so
+plenty elsewhere, that was wood for their fire; and this was an
+inducement to remain by the lake. Having made up their minds, therefore,
+to encamp on some part of it, they looked from day to day for a place
+that would be most suitable, still continuing their journey towards its
+western end. As yet no place appeared to their liking, and as the lake
+near its western point trends away towards the south, Norman proposed
+that they should follow the shore no longer, but strike across to a
+promontory on the northern shore of the lake, known as "Slave Point."
+
+This promontory is of the limestone formation, and as Norman had heard,
+is well wooded, and stocked with game. Even buffaloes are found there.
+It is, in fact, the farthest point to the north-east that these animals
+range, and this presents us with a curious fact. It is the farthest
+point that the limestone deposit extends in that direction. Beyond that,
+to the east and north, lie the primitive rocks of the Barren Grounds,
+into which the buffaloes never stray. Thus we observe the connexion that
+exists between the _fauna_ of a country and its geological character.
+
+Of course they all agreed to Norman's proposal. The canoe was,
+therefore, headed for the open waters; and, after a hard day's
+paddling--for there was a head-wind--the voyageurs landed upon a small
+wooded island, about half-way over the lake, where they encamped for
+the night, intending next day to cross the remaining part.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+FISHING UNDER THE ICE.
+
+
+On awaking next morning, to their great surprise, they saw that the
+_lake was frozen over_! They had almost anticipated as much, for the
+night was one of the coldest they had yet experienced--so cold that one
+and all of them had slept but badly. As yet the ice was thin, but so
+much the worse. It was thick enough to prevent them from using the
+canoe, but too thin to bear their weight, and they now saw that they
+were _prisoners upon the island_!
+
+It was not without some feelings of alarm that they made this discovery;
+but their fears were allayed by reflecting, that they could remain upon
+the island until the ice either thawed away or become strong enough to
+bear them, and then they could cross upon it to the northern shore. With
+this consolation, therefore, they set about making their temporary
+quarters upon the island as snug as circumstances would permit. Their
+apprehensions, however, began to return again, when several days had
+passed over, and the ice neither grew any thinner nor any thicker, but
+seemed to remain at a stand-still. In the early part of the morning it
+was almost strong enough to bear them; but during the day the sun melted
+it, until it was little better than a scum over the surface of the
+water.
+
+The alarm of our voyageurs increased. Their provisions were nearly out.
+There was no game on the islet--not so much as a bird--for they had
+beaten every bush, and found nothing. Once or twice they thought of
+launching their canoe and breaking a way for it through the ice. But
+they knew that this proceeding would be one of much labour as well as
+danger. The islet was full ten miles from the shore, and they would
+therefore have to break the ice for ten miles. Moreover, to stand up in
+a bark canoe, so as to get at the work, would be a difficult task. It
+could not be accomplished without endangering the equilibrium of the
+vessel, and indeed without upsetting it altogether. Even to lean forward
+in the bow would be a perilous experiment; and under these
+considerations the idea of breaking a way was abandoned.
+
+But their provisions were at length entirely exhausted, and what was to
+be done? The ice was still too weak to carry them. Near the shore it
+might have been strong enough, but farther out lay the danger. There
+they knew it was thinner, for it had not frozen over until a later
+period. It would have been madness to have risked it yet. On the other
+hand, they were starving, or likely to starve from hunger, by staying
+where they were. There was nothing eatable on the island. What was to be
+done? In the water were fish--they doubted not that--but how were they
+to catch them? They had tried them with hook and line, letting the hook
+through a hole in the ice; but at that late season the fish would not
+take a bait, and although they kept several continually set, and
+"looked" them most regularly and assiduously, not a "tail" was taken.
+
+They were about to adopt the desperate expedient, now more difficult
+than ever, of breaking their way through the ice, when, all at once, it
+occurred to Norman, that, if they could not coax the fish to take a
+bait, they might succeed better with a net, and capture them against
+their will. This idea would have been plausible enough, had there been a
+net; but there was no net on that islet, nor perhaps within an hundred
+miles of it. The absence of a net might have been an obstacle to those
+who are ever ready to despair; but such an obstacle never occurred to
+our courageous boys. They had two _parchment_ skins of the caribou which
+they had lately killed, and out of these Norman proposed to make a net.
+
+He would soon do it, he said, if the others would set to work and cut
+the deer-skins into thongs fine enough for the purpose. Two of them,
+therefore, Basil and Lucien, took out their knives, and went briskly to
+work; while François assisted Norman in twining the thongs, and
+afterwards held them, while the latter wove and knotted them into
+meshes. In a few hours both the skins were cut into fine strips, and
+worked up; and a net was produced nearly six yards in length by at least
+two in width. It was rude enough, to be sure, but perhaps it would do
+its work as well as if it had been twined out of silk. At all events, it
+was soon to have a trial--for the moment it was finished the sinkers
+were attached to it, and it was carried down to the edge of the water.
+
+The three "Southerners" had never seen a net set under ice--for in their
+country ice is an uncommon thing, and indeed never freezes of sufficient
+thickness to carry the weight of a man. They were therefore very curious
+to know how the thing was to be done. They could not conceive how the
+net was to be stretched under the ice, in such a manner as to catch the
+fish. Norman, however, knew all about it. He had seen the Indians, and
+had set many a one himself. It was no new thing for him, and he set
+about it at once.
+
+He first crept out upon the ice to the distance of about twenty or
+thirty yards from the shore. He proceeded cautiously, as the ice creaked
+under him. Having arrived at the place where he intended to set the net,
+he knelt down, and with his knife cut several holes in the ice, at the
+distance of about six feet from each other, and all in one line. He had
+already provided himself with a straight sapling of more than six feet
+in length, to one end of which he had attached a cord. The other end of
+this cord was tied to the net, at one of its corners. He now thrust the
+sapling through the first hole he had made, and then guided it so as to
+pass directly under the second.
+
+At this hole he took a fresh hold of the stick, and passed it along to
+the next, and so on to the last, where he pulled it out again, and of
+course along with it the string. The net was not drawn into the first
+hole, and by means of the cord already received through, was pulled out
+to its full length. The sinkers, of course, fell down in the water, and
+drew it into a vertical position. At both its upper corners the net was
+made fast above the ice, and was now "set." Nothing more could be done
+until the fish came into it of their own accord, when it could be drawn
+out upon the ice by means of the cord attached; and, of course, by the
+same means could easily be returned to its place, and set again.
+
+All of them now went back to the fire, and with hungry looks sat around
+it, waiting the result. They had made up their minds, should no fish be
+caught, to get once more into the canoe and attempt breaking their way
+to the shore. Summoning all their patience, therefore, they waited for
+nearly two hours, without examining the net. Then Norman and Basil
+crawled back upon the ice, to see what fortune had done for them. They
+approached the spot, and, with their hearts thumping against their ribs,
+untied the knot and commenced hauling out.
+
+"It certainly feels heavy," said Basil, as the net was being drawn.
+"Hurrah!" he shouted, "Something kicks, hurrah!" and with the second
+"hurrah!" a beautiful fish was pulled up through the hole, and landed
+upon the ice. A loud "hurrah" was uttered in response by Lucien and
+François--who, fearing the ice might not bear so many, had remained upon
+the shore. A yard or two more of the net was cleared, and a second fish
+still larger than the former was greeted with a general "hurrah!" The
+two fish were now taken out--as these were all that had been caught--and
+the net was once more carefully set. Basil and Norman came back to the
+shore--Norman to receive quite a shower of compliments from his
+companions.
+
+The fish--the largest of which weighed nearly five pounds--proved to be
+trout; and it was not long before their quality was put to the proof.
+All declared they had never eaten so fine trout in their lives; but when
+the condition of their appetites is taken into account, we may infer
+that there was, perhaps, a little exaggeration in this statement. If
+hunger really makes good sauce, our voyageurs had the best of sauce with
+their fish, as each of them was as hungry as a half-famished wolf.
+
+They felt quite relieved, as far as present appetite went, but they were
+still uneasy for the future. Should they not succeed in taking more
+fish--and it was by no means certain they should succeed--they would be
+no better off than ever. Their anxiety, however, was soon removed. Their
+second "haul" proved even more successful than the first--as five fish,
+weighing together not less than twenty pounds, were pulled up.
+
+This supply would enable them to hold out for a long time, but they had
+not much longer to remain on the islet. Upon that very night there was
+one of those severe frosts known only in high latitudes, and the ice
+upon the lake became nearly a foot in thickness. They had no longer any
+fear of its breaking under their weight; and taking their canoe with all
+their "traps," they set out to cross over upon the ice. In a few hours
+they reached the shore of the lake, near the end of the promontory,
+where they chose a spot, and encamped.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+AN ODD ALARM.
+
+
+The first thing our voyageurs did after choosing a suitable situation,
+was to build a log-hut. Being young backwoodsmen this was but a trifle
+to them. All four of them knew how to handle an axe with dexterity. The
+logs were soon cut and notched, and a small cabin was put up, and roofed
+with split clap-boards. With the stones that lay near the shore of the
+lake they built a chimney. It was but a rude structure, but it drew
+admirably. Clay was wanted to "chink" the cabin, but that could not be
+had, as the ground was hard frozen, and it was quite impossible to make
+either clay or mud.
+
+Even hot water poured out would freeze into ice in a few minutes. This
+was a serious want--for in such a cold climate even the smallest hole in
+the walls will keep a house uncomfortable, and to fill the interstices
+between the logs, so as to make them air-tight, some soft substance was
+necessary. Grass was suggested, and Lucien went off in search of it.
+After awhile he returned with an armful of half-withered grass, which
+all agreed would be the very thing; and a large quantity was soon
+collected, as it grew plentifully at a short distance from the cabin.
+
+They now set to work to stuff it into the chinks; when, to their
+astonishment, they found that this grass had a beautiful smell, quite as
+powerful and as pleasant as that of mint or thyme! When a small quantity
+of it was flung into the fire it filled the cabin with a fragrance as
+agreeable as the costliest perfumes. It was the "scented grass," which
+grows in great profusion in many parts of the Hudson's Bay territory,
+and out of which the Indians often make their beds, burning it also upon
+the fire to enjoy its aromatic perfume.
+
+For the first day or two, at their new abode, the travellers had lived
+altogether on fish. They had, of course, brought their net with them
+from the island, and had set it near the shore in the same way as
+before. They had captured as many as they wanted, and, strange to say,
+at one haul they found no less than five different species in the net!
+One kind, a white fish, the _Coregonus albus_ of naturalists, but which
+is named "tittameg" by the fur-traders, they caught in great plenty.
+This fish is found in nearly all the lakes and rivers of the Hudson's
+Bay territory, and is much prized both by whites and Indians for its
+delicate flavour. At some of the trading posts it often forms, for weeks
+together, the only food which the residents can obtain; and they are
+quite satisfied when they can get enough of it. The tittameg is not a
+large fish; the largest attain to the weight of about eight pounds.
+
+There was another and still smaller species, which, from its colour, the
+voyageurs call the "poisson bleu," or blue fish. It is the _Coregonus
+signifer_ of ichthyologists. It is a species of grayling, and frequents
+sharp-running water, where it will leap at the fly like a trout. Several
+kinds of trout also inhabit the Great Slave Lake, and some of these
+attain to the enormous weight of eighty pounds! A few were caught, but
+none of so gigantic proportions as this. Pike were also taken in the
+net, and a species of burbot. This last is one of the most voracious of
+the finny tribe, and preys upon all others that it is able to swallow.
+It devours whole quantities of cray-fish, until its stomach becomes
+crammed to such a degree as to distort the shape of its whole body. When
+this kind was drawn out, it was treated very rudely by the boys--because
+its flesh was known to be extremely unsavoury, and none of them cared to
+eat it. Marengo, however, had no such scruples, and he was wont to make
+several hearty meals each day upon the rejected burbot.
+
+A fish diet exclusively was not the thing; and as our party soon grew
+tired of it, the hunter Basil shouldered his rifle, and strode off into
+the woods in search of game. The others remained working upon the cabin,
+which was still far from being finished.
+
+Basil kept along the edge of the lake in an easterly direction. He had
+not gone more than a quarter of a mile, when he came upon a dry gravelly
+ridge, which was thickly covered with a species of pine-trees that
+resembled the Scotch fir. These trees were not over forty feet in
+height, with very thick trunks and long flexible branches. No other
+trees grew among them, for it is the nature of this pine--which was the
+"scrub" or grey pine--to monopolise the ground wherever it grows. As
+Basil passed on, he noticed that many of the trees were completely
+"barked," particularly on the branches; and small pieces of the bark lay
+scattered over the ground, as though it had been peeled off and gnawed
+by some animal. He was walking quietly on and thinking what creature
+could have made such a wreck, when he came to a place where the ground
+was covered with fine sand or dust.
+
+In this, to his astonishment, he observed what he supposed to be the
+tracks of human feet! They were not those of a man, but small tracks,
+resembling the footsteps of a child of three or four years of age. He
+was about stooping down to examine them more closely, when a voice
+sounded in his ears exactly like the cry of a child! This brought him
+suddenly to an erect attitude again, and he looked all round to discover
+who or what had uttered that strange cry. He could see no one--child or
+man--and strange, too, for he had a clear view through the tree-trunks
+for several hundred yards around. He was filled with curiosity, not
+unmixed with alarm; and, stepping forward a few paces, he was about to
+bend down and examine the tracks a second time, when the singular cry
+again startled him.
+
+This time it was louder than before, as if he was closer to whatever had
+uttered it, but Basil now perceived that it proceeded from above him.
+The creature from which it came was certainly not upon the ground, but
+high up among the tops of the trees. He looked up, and there, in the
+fork of one of the pines, he perceived a singular and hideous-looking
+animal--such as he had never before seen. It was of a brown colour,
+about the size of a terrier-dog, with thick shaggy hair, and clumped up
+in the fork of the tree--so that its head and feet were scarcely
+distinguishable.
+
+Its odd appearance, as well as the peculiar cry which it had uttered,
+would have alarmed many a one of less courage than our young hunter, and
+Basil was at first, as he afterwards confessed, "slightly flurried;" but
+a moment's reflection told him what the animal was--one of the most
+innocent and inoffensive of God's creatures--the Canada porcupine. It
+was this, then, that had barked the scrub pines--for they are its
+favourite food; and it was its track--which in reality very much
+resembles that of a child--that Basil had seen in the sand.
+
+The first thought of the young hunter was to throw up his rifle, and
+send a bullet through the ungainly animal; which, instead of making any
+effort to escape, remained almost motionless, uttering, at intervals,
+its child-like screams. Basil, however, reflected that the report of his
+rifle would frighten any large game that might chance to be near; and as
+the porcupine was hardly worth a shot, he concluded, upon reflection, it
+would be better to leave it alone. He knew--for he had heard Lucien say
+so--that he would find the porcupine at any time, were it a week, or
+even a month after--for these creatures remain sometimes a whole winter
+in the same grove. He resolved, therefore, should no other game turn up,
+to return for it; and, shouldering his rifle again, he continued his
+course through the woods.
+
+As he proceeded, the timber became thinner. The scrub-pines gave place
+to poplar-trees, with here and there an undergrowth of willows. The
+trees stood far apart, and the willows grew only in clumps or "islands,"
+so that the view was nearly open for many hundred yards around. Basil
+walked on with all the silence and watchfulness of a true "still"
+hunter--for, among backwoodsmen, this species of hunting is so called.
+He ascended a low hill, and keeping a tree in front of him, looked
+cautiously over its crest. Before him, and stretching from the bottom of
+the hill, was a level tract of considerable extent.
+
+It was bounded on one side by the edge of the lake, and on all the
+others by thin woods, similar to those through which the hunter had been
+for some time travelling. Here and there, over the plain, there stood
+trees, far apart from each other, and in nowise intercepting the view
+for a mile or more. The ground was clear of underwood, except along the
+immediate edge of the lake, which was fringed by a thicket of willows.
+
+As Basil looked over the hill, he espied a small group of animals near
+the interior border of the willows. He had never seen animals of the
+same species before, but the genus was easily told. The tall antlered
+horns, that rose upon the head of one of them, showed that they were
+deer of some kind; and the immense size of the creature that bore them,
+together with his ungainly form, his long legs, and ass-like ears, his
+huge head with its overhanging lip, his short neck with its standing
+mane, and, above all, the broad palmation of the horns themselves, left
+Basil without any doubt upon his mind that the animals before him were
+moose-deer--the largest, and perhaps the most awkward, of all the deer
+kind.
+
+The one with the antlers was the male or bull-moose. The others were the
+female and her two calves of the preceding year. The latter were still
+but half-grown, and, like the female, were without the "branching horns"
+that adorned the head of the old bull. They were all of a dark-brown
+colour--looking blackish in the distance--but the large one was darker
+than any of the others.
+
+Basil's heart beat high, for he had often heard of the great moose, but
+now saw it for the first time. In his own country it is not found, as it
+is peculiarly a creature of the cold regions, and ranges no farther to
+the south than the northern edge of the United States territory. To the
+north it is met with as far as timber grows--even to the shores of the
+Polar Sea! Naturalists are not certain, whether or not it be the same
+animal with the elk of Europe. Certainly the two are but little, if
+anything, different; but the name "elk" has been given in America to
+quite another and smaller species of deer--the wapiti.
+
+The moose takes its name from its Indian appellation, "moosöa," or
+"wood-eater;" and this name is very appropriate, as the animal lives
+mostly upon the leaves and twigs of trees. In fact, its structure--like
+that of the camelopard--is such that it finds great difficulty in
+reaching grass, or any other herbage, except where the latter chances to
+be very tall, or grows upon the declivity of a very steep hill. When it
+wishes to feed upon grass, the moose usually seeks it in such
+situations; and it may often be seen browsing up the side of a hill,
+with its legs spread widely on both sides of its neck. But its favourite
+food is found at a more convenient height, and consists of the young
+shoots of many species of trees. It prefers those of the poplar, the
+birch-tree, and willows, and one kind of these last, the red willow, is
+its particular favourite.
+
+The "striped" maple is also much relished by the moose--hence the name
+"moose-wood," by which this tree is known among the hunters. It loves
+also the common water-lilies, and in summer it may be seen wading out
+into lakes, and plucking up their succulent leaves. It takes to the
+water also for other purposes--to cool its body, and rid itself of
+several species of gnats and mosquitoes that at this season torment it
+exceedingly. At such times it is more easily approached; and the Indians
+hunt it in their canoes, and kill it in the water, both with spears and
+arrows. They never find the moose, however, in large numbers--for it is
+a solitary animal, and only associates in pairs during one part of the
+year, and in families at another season--as Basil now found it.
+
+In winter the Indians track it through the snow, following it upon
+snow-shoes. These give them the advantage of skimming along the surface,
+while the moose plunges through the deep rift, and is therefore impeded
+in its flight. Notwithstanding, it will frequently escape from the
+hunter, after a _chase of several days' duration_! Sometimes, in deep
+snow, a dozen or more of these animals will be found in one place, where
+they have got accidentally together. The snow will be trodden down until
+the place appears as if enclosed by a wall. This the hunters term a
+"moose-pound," and when found in such situations the moose are easily
+approached and surrounded--when a general _battue_ takes place, in which
+few or none of the animals are allowed to escape.
+
+I have said that Basil's heart beat high at the sight of the moose. He
+was very desirous of killing one--partly on account of the novelty of
+the thing, and partly because he and his companions at the camp were
+anxious for a change of diet. Moose-meat was the very thing; and he knew
+that if he could return to camp with a few pieces of this strung over
+his gun, he would receive a double welcome. He was well aware that the
+flesh of the moose was of the most savoury and delicate kind, and that
+the long pendulous upper lip is one of the "tit-bits" of the fur
+countries. Moreover, the fine hide would be an acceptable addition to
+their stock, as it is the best of all deer-skins for mocassins, as well
+as snow-shoes--articles which Basil knew would soon be needed. For these
+reasons he was unusually desirous of killing one of the moose.
+
+He knew it would be difficult to approach them. He had heard that they
+were shyest at that very season--the beginning of winter--and indeed
+such is the case. No deer is so difficult to get a shot at as a moose in
+early winter. In summer it is not so--as then the musquitoes torment
+these animals to such a degree that they pay less heed to other enemies,
+and the hunter can more easily approach them. In winter they are always
+on the alert. Their sense of smell--as well as of sight and hearing--is
+acute to an extreme degree, and they are cunning besides. They can scent
+an enemy a long distance off--if the wind be in their favour--and the
+snapping of a twig, or the slightest rustle of the leaves, is sufficient
+to start them off.
+
+In their journeyings through the snow, when they wish to rest
+themselves, they make a sort of _détour_, and, coming back, lie down
+near the track which they have already passed over. This gives them an
+opportunity of hearing any enemy that may be following upon their
+trail, and also of making off in a side-direction, while the latter will
+be looking steadfastly ahead for them.
+
+Basil had heard of all these tricks of the moose--for many an old
+moose-hunter had poured his tale into Basil's ear. He proceeded,
+therefore, with all due caution. He first buried his hand in his
+game-bag, and after a little groping brought out a downy feather which
+had chanced to be there. This he placed lightly upon the muzzle of his
+rifle, and having gently elevated the piece above his head, watched the
+feather. After a moment, the breeze carried it off, and Basil noted the
+direction it took. This is called, in hunter phrase, "tossing the
+feather," and gave Basil the exact direction of the wind--an important
+knowledge in the present case.
+
+To Basil's gratification he saw that it was blowing down the lake, and
+nearly towards himself. He was not exactly to leeward of the moose; but,
+what was better still, the willows that fringed the lake were, for he
+could see them bending from the deer, as the breeze blew freshly. He
+knew he could easily get among the willows; and as they were not quite
+leafless, and, moreover, were interspersed with tall reed grass, they
+formed a tolerable cover under which he might make his approach.
+
+Without losing time, then, he made for the willows, and placing them
+between himself and the game, commenced "approaching" along the shore of
+the lake.
+
+He had a full half-hour's creeping--at one time upon his hands and
+knees--at another crawling flat upon his breast like a gigantic lizard,
+and now and then, at favourable spots, walking in a bent attitude. A
+full half-hour was he, and much pain and patience did it cost him,
+before getting within shot. But Basil was a hunter, and knew both how to
+endure the pain and practise the patience--virtues that, in hunting as
+well as in many other occupations usually meet with their reward. And
+Basil was likely to meet with his, for on parting the leaves, and
+looking cautiously through, he saw that he had arrived at the right
+spot. Within fifty yards of him he saw the high shoulders of the
+bull-moose and his great flat antlers towering over the tops of the
+willows, among the leaves of which the snout of the animal was buried.
+He also caught a glimpse of parts of the other three beyond; but he
+thought only of the bull, and it was upon him that he kept his eyes
+fixed. Basil did not think of the quality of the meat, else he would
+have selected either the cow or one of the calves. Had it been buffaloes
+he would certainly have done so; but as he had never killed a moose, he
+was determined to slay the leader of the herd.
+
+Indeed, had he wished to shoot one of the others, it might not have been
+so easy, as they were farther off, and he could only see the tops of
+their shoulders over the willows. Neither did the bull offer a fair
+mark. He stood face to face with the hunter, and Basil fancied that a
+shot on the frontal bone might not kill him. He knew it would not kill a
+buffalo. There was only one other part at which he could aim--the
+fore-shoulder; and after waiting some moments for the animal to give him
+a fairer chance he took aim at this and fired. He heard a loud cracking
+of hoofs, as the cow and calves shambled off over the plain, but he saw
+that the bull was not with them. He was down behind the willows. No
+doubt he was dead.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE.
+
+
+What was a rare thing for Basil to do, he rushed forward without
+reloading his gun. A few springs brought him into the open ground, and
+in presence of the game. To his astonishment, the bull was not dead, nor
+down neither, but only upon his knees--of course wounded. Basil saw the
+"crease" of the bullet along the neck of the animal as he drew near. It
+was only by a quick glance that he saw this, for as soon as the bull saw
+_him_ he rose to his full height--his eyes flashing like a tiger's--and
+settling his antlers in a forward position, sprang upon the hunter!
+Basil leaped aside to avoid the encounter; and in the first rush was
+successful, but the animal turned suddenly, and, coming up a second
+time, raised his fore-feet high in the air, and struck forward with his
+long-pointed hoofs.
+
+Basil attempted to defend himself with his rifle, but the piece was
+struck out of his hand in an instant. Once more avoiding the forward
+rush of the infuriated beast, the young hunter looked around for some
+object to save him. A tree fell under his eye, and he ran towards it
+with all his speed. The moose followed close upon his heels, and he had
+just time to reach the tree and get around its trunk, when the animal
+brushed past, tearing the bark with his sharp antlers. Basil now slipped
+round the trunk, and when the moose again turned himself the two were on
+opposite sides of the tree! The beast, however, rushed up, and struck
+the tree furiously first with his brow antlers, and then with his hoofs,
+uttering loud snorts, and at intervals a shrill whistling sound that was
+terrible to hear.
+
+The disappointment which the enraged animal felt, at seeing his enemy
+thus escape him, seemed to have added to his rage; and he now vented his
+spite upon the tree, until the trunk, to the height of six feet, was
+completely stripped of its bark. While this was going on, Basil remained
+behind the tree, "dodging" round as the moose manoeuvred, and taking care
+always to have the animal on the opposite side. To have got into a safer
+situation he would have climbed the tree; but it happened to be a
+poplar, without a branch for many feet from the ground, and of too great
+a girth to be "embraced." He could do nothing, therefore, but remain
+upon the ground, and keep the tree-trunk between himself and the bull.
+
+For nearly an hour this lasted, the moose now remaining at rest for a
+few minutes, and then making fresh onsets that seemed to abate nothing
+in their fury. His rage appeared to be implacable, and his vengeance as
+tenacious as that of a tiger or any other beast of prey. The wound which
+the hunter had given him was no doubt painful, and kept his resentment
+from cooling. Unfortunately, it was not a mortal wound, as Basil had
+every opportunity of seeing. The bullet had hit the fore-shoulder; but,
+after tearing along the skin, had glanced off without injuring the bone.
+It had only enraged the bull, without crippling him in the least degree.
+
+Basil began to dread the result. He was becoming faint with fatigue as
+well as hunger. When would he be relieved? When would the fierce brute
+feel inclined to leave him? These were questions which the hunter put to
+himself repeatedly, without being able to divine an answer. He had heard
+of hunters being killed by wounded moose. He had heard that these
+creatures will remain for days watching a person whom they may have
+"treed." He could not stand it for days. He would drop down with
+fatigue, and then the bull would gore and trample him at pleasure. Would
+they be able to trace him from the camp? They would not think of that
+before nightfall. They would not think of him as "lost" before that
+time; and then they could not follow his trail in the darkness, nor even
+in the light--for the ground was hard as a rock, and he had made no
+footmarks. Marengo might trace him. The dog had been left at the camp,
+as Basil preferred "still-hunting" without him. But in his present
+situation the hunter's apprehensions were stronger than his hopes. Even
+Marengo might be baffled in lifting the scent.
+
+The trail was an exceedingly devious one, for Basil had meandered round
+the sides of the hill in search of game. Deer or other animals might
+have since crossed it, which might mislead the hound. It would be cold
+at night, and much colder next morning. There were many chances that no
+relief might reach him from the camp. Impressed with this conviction,
+Basil began to feel serious alarm. Not despair, however--he was not the
+boy to despair. His mind only grew more alive to the necessity for
+action. He looked around to discover some means of escape. His gun lay
+not a hundred yards off. Could he only get hold of the piece, and return
+safely to the tree again, he could there load it and put an end to the
+scene at once. But to reach the gun was impossible. The moose would
+bound after and overtake him to a certainty. The idea of getting the gun
+was abandoned.
+
+In the opposite direction to that in which the gun lay, Basil perceived
+that there were other trees. The nearest was but a dozen yards from him;
+and others, again, grew at about the same distance from that one, and
+from each other. Basil now conceived the idea of escaping to the
+nearest, and from that to the next, and by this means getting back into
+the thick forest. Once there, he believed that he would be the better
+able to effect his escape, and perhaps reach the camp by dodging from
+tree to tree. He could beat the moose for a dozen yards--getting a
+little the start of him--and this he hoped to be able to do. Should he
+fail in his short race, however--should his foot slip--the alternative
+was fearful. _It was no other than death!_
+
+He knew that, but it did not change his resolution to make the attempt.
+He only waited for the animal to work round between him and the tree
+towards which he intended to run. You will wonder that he did not prefer
+to have the moose on the other side. But he did not, for this
+reason--had the bull been there, he could have sprung after him at the
+first start; whereas, when heading the other way, Basil believed he
+could brush close past, and gain an advantage, as the unwieldy brute,
+taken by surprise, would require some time in turning himself to give
+chase.
+
+The opportunity at length arrived; and, nerving himself for the race,
+the hunter sprang past the moose, brushing the very tips of its antlers.
+He ran without either stopping or even looking back, until he had
+reached the tree, and sheltered himself behind its trunk. The moose had
+followed, and arrived but the moment after, snorting and whistling
+furiously. Enraged at the _ruse_, it attacked this tree, as it had the
+other, with hoof and horns; and Basil nimbly evaded both by keeping on
+the opposite side, as before.
+
+In a few minutes he prepared himself for a second rush, and once more
+started. A third tree was reached in safety--and then a fourth, and a
+fifth, and many others, in a similar manner--the moose all the while
+following in hot pursuit. Basil had begun to hope that in this way he
+would get off, when, to his chagrin, he saw that an open space still
+intervened between him and the thick woods, upon which there were only a
+few trees, and those so small that not one of them would have sheltered
+him. This tract was full two hundred yards in width, and extended all
+along the edge of the thick forest. He dared not cross it. The moose
+would overtake him before he could get half the way; and he was obliged
+to give up the idea of making the attempt.
+
+As he stood behind the last tree he had reached, he saw that it
+branched, and the lowest branches grew but a little above his head. He
+could easily climb it, and at once resolved to do so. He would there be
+safe for the time, and could at least rest himself, for he was now weak
+with fatigue. He therefore stretched up his hands, and, laying hold of a
+branch, swung himself up into the tree. Then, climbing up a little
+higher, he sat down on one of the forks.
+
+The moose appeared as furious as ever; and ran round the tree, now
+striking it with his horns, and then rearing upon his hind-legs, and
+pouncing against the trunk with his hoofs. At times his snout was so
+close to Basil, that the latter could almost touch it; and he had even
+drawn his hunting-knife, and reached down with the intent of giving the
+creature a stab.
+
+This last action led to a train of thought, and Basil seemed suddenly to
+adopt some new resolution. Leaving the fork where he had perched
+himself, he climbed higher up the tree; and, selecting one of the
+longest and straightest branches, commenced cutting it off close to the
+trunk. This was soon effected; and then, drawing it along his knee, he
+trimmed off all the twigs and tops until the branch became a straight
+pole, like a spear-handle. Along one end of this he laid the handle of
+his knife; and with thongs, which he had already cut out of the strap of
+his bullet-pouch, he spliced the knife and pole together. This gave him
+a formidable weapon--for the knife was a "bowie," and had a long blade,
+with a point like a rapier. He was not slow in using it.
+
+Descending again to the lowermost limbs, he commenced making
+demonstrations, in order to bring the moose within reach. This he very
+soon succeeded in doing; and the animal ran forward and reared up
+against the tree. Before it could get upon its four legs again, Basil
+had thrust it in the neck, giving full force to the blow. The blood
+rushed forth in a thick stream, as the jugular vein had been cut by the
+keen blade; and the huge brute was seen to totter in its steps, and then
+fall with a dull heavy sound to the earth. In a few moments the hunter
+had the satisfaction of perceiving that it was quite dead.
+
+Basil now dropped out of the tree, and walking back to where his rifle
+lay, took up the piece and carefully reloaded it. He then returned to
+the moose, and opening the great jaws of the animal, gagged them with a
+stick. He next unspliced his knife, took off the gristly lips, and cut
+out the tongue. These he placed in his game-bag, and shouldering his
+rifle, was about to depart; when some new idea caused him to halt, put
+down his gun, and again unsheath his knife. Once more approaching the
+carcass, he made an incision near the kidneys; and having inserted his
+hand, drew forth what appeared to be a part of the intestines. It was
+the bladder. He then looked around as if in search of something.
+Presently his eye rested upon some tall reed-grass that was growing
+near. This was just what he wanted, and, pulling up one of the stems, he
+cut and fashioned it into a pipe.
+
+[Illustration: BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL.]
+
+With this the moose-bladder was blown out to its full dimensions, and
+tied at the neck by a piece of thong. The other end of the thong was
+fastened to one of the branches of the tree above, so that the bladder
+dangled within a few feet of the carcass of the moose, dancing about
+with the lightest breath of wind. All these precautions Basil had taken
+to keep the wolves from devouring the moose--for it was his intention to
+return and butcher it, as soon as he could get help. When he had hung
+the bladder to his liking, he put up his knife again; and, once more
+shouldering his rifle, walked off.
+
+On reaching the camp--which he did shortly after--the tongue of the
+moose was broiled without delay, and, after making a delicious meal of
+it, the whole party went off for the remainder of the meat. They found
+it all quite safe; although, had it not been for the bladder, not much
+of it would have been there--as no less than a dozen great gaunt wolves
+were seen lurking about, and these would have eaten it up in the
+shortest possible time. The bladder, however, had kept them off; for,
+strange to say, these creatures, who are as cunning as foxes, and can
+hardly be trapped, can yet be deceived and frightened by such a simple
+thing as a bladder dangling from a branch.
+
+The moose proved to be one of the largest of his kind. His height was
+quite equal to that of a horse; and his horns, flattened out to the
+breadth of shovels, weighed over sixty pounds. His carcass was not less
+than fifteen hundred pounds weight; and our voyageurs had to make two
+journeys to convey the meat to their camp. On the last journey, François
+brought the porcupine as well--having found it on the very same tree
+where Basil had left it!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+LIFE IN A LOG-HUT.
+
+
+The log-hut was finished on the 1st of September, and not a day too
+soon; for on that very day the winter set in with full severity. A heavy
+fall of snow came down in the night; and next morning, when our
+voyageurs looked abroad, the ground was covered to the depth of a foot,
+or more; and the ice upon the lake was also white. Walking through the
+great wreaths now became very difficult; and the next thing to be done
+was the making of "snow-shoes."
+
+Snow-shoes are an invention of the Indians; and, in the winter of the
+Arctic regions of America, are an article almost as indispensable as
+clothing itself. Without them, travelling afoot would be impossible. In
+these countries, as already stated, the snow often covers the ground to
+the depth of many feet; and remains without any considerable diminution
+for six, and, in some years, eight or nine months. At times, it is
+frozen hard enough on the surface to bear a man without the snow-shoes;
+but oftener on account of thaws and fresh falls, it becomes quite soft,
+and at such times travelling over it is both difficult and dangerous. To
+avoid both the difficulty and the danger, the Indians make use of this
+very singular sort of foot-wear--called "snow-shoes" by the English, and
+"raquets" by the Canadian voyageurs.
+
+They are used by all the Indian tribes of the Hudson's Bay territory;
+and were it not for them these people would be confined to one place for
+months together, and could not follow the deer or other game. As almost
+all savages are improvident, and none more so than the North American
+Indians, were they prevented for a season from going out to hunt, whole
+tribes would starve. Indeed, many individuals of them perish with hunger
+as it is; and the life of all these Indians is nothing more than one
+continued struggle for food enough to sustain them. In summer they are
+often in the midst of plenty; slaughtering deer and buffalo by hundreds,
+taking out only the tongues, and recklessly leaving the flesh to the
+wolves! In winter the very same Indians may be seen without a pound of
+meat in their encampment--the lives of themselves and their families
+depending upon the success of a single day's hunt!
+
+But let us return to the snow-shoes. Let us see what they are, and learn
+how they are made.
+
+Any boy who has snared sparrows in snow-time, has, no doubt, done so by
+tying his snares upon a hoop netted across with twine or other small
+cord. Now, if he will conceive his hoop bent into an oblong
+shape--something like what the figure of a boat turned on its mouth
+would make in snow--and if he will also fancy the netting to consist of
+thongs of twisted deer-hide woven somewhat closely together, he will get
+a very good idea of an Indian snow-shoe. It is usually from three to
+four feet long, by about a foot wide at the middle part, from which it
+tapers gently to a point, both at the heel and toe.
+
+The frame, as I have said, is like the hoop of a boy's bird-snare. It is
+made of light, tough wood, and, of course, carefully bent and polished
+with the knife. The slender branches of the "scrub-pine" are esteemed
+excellent for this purpose, as their wood is light, flexible and tough
+in its fibres. This is also a favourite tree, where it grows, to make
+tent-poles, canoe-timbers, and other implements required by the Indians;
+and these people use so much of it for their arrows, that it has
+received from the Canadian voyageurs the name of _bois de flêche_
+(arrow-wood).
+
+Well, then, the frame of the snow-shoes being bent to its proper shape,
+two transverse bars are placed across near the middle, and several
+inches from each other. They are for the foot to rest upon, as well as
+to give strength to the whole structure. These being made fast, the
+netting is woven on, and extends over the whole frame, with the
+exception of a little space in front of the bars where the ball of the
+foot is to rest. This space is left free of netting, in order to allow
+play to the toes while walking. The mesh-work is made of thongs usually
+cut from the parchment-skin of a deer, and twisted. Sometimes twisted
+intestines are used, and the netting exactly resembles that seen in
+"racquets" for ball play.
+
+The snow-shoe, when finished, is simply fastened upon the foot by means
+of straps or thongs; and a pair of them thus placed, will present a
+surface to the snow of nearly six square feet--more, if required, by
+making them larger. But this is enough to sustain the heaviest man upon
+the softest snow, and an Indian thus "shod" will skim over the surface
+like a skater.
+
+The shoes used by all tribes of Indians are not alike in shape. There
+are fashions and fancies in this respect. Some are made--as among the
+Chippewa Indians--with one side of the frame nearly straight; and these,
+of course, will not do for either foot, but are "rights and lefts."
+Generally, however, the shape is such that the snow-shoe will fit either
+foot.
+
+The snow-shoes having now become a necessary thing, our young voyageurs
+set about making a complete set for the whole party--that is, no less
+than four pairs. Norman was the "shoemaker," and Norman knew how. He
+could splice the frames, and work in the netting, equal to an Indian
+squaw. Of course all the others assisted him. Lucien cut the moose-skin
+into fine regular strips; Basil waded off through the snow, and procured
+the frames from the wood of the scrub-pine trees where he had
+encountered the porcupine; and then he and François trimmed them with
+their knives, and sweated them in the hot ashes until they became dry,
+and ready for the hands of the "shoemaker."
+
+This work occupied them several days, and then each had a pair of shoes
+fitted to his size and weight.
+
+The next consideration was, to lay in a stock of meat. The moose had
+furnished them with enough for present use, but that would not last
+long, as there was no bread nor anything else to eat with it. Persons in
+their situation require a great deal of meat to sustain them, much more
+than those who live in great cities, who eat a variety of substances,
+and drink many kinds of drinks. The healthy voyageur is rarely without a
+keen appetite; and meat by itself is a food that speedily digests, and
+makes way for a fresh meal; so that the ration usually allowed to the
+_employés_ of the fur companies would appear large enough to supply the
+table of several families. For instance, in some parts of the Hudson's
+Bay territory, the voyageur is allowed eight pounds of buffalo-meat _per
+diem_! And yet it is all eaten by him, and sometimes deemed barely
+sufficient.
+
+A single deer, therefore, or even a buffalo, lasts a party of voyageurs
+for a very short time, since they have no other substance, such as bread
+or vegetables, to help it out. It was necessary, then, that our
+travellers should use all their diligence in laying up a stock of dried
+meat, before the winter became too cold for them to hunt. There was
+another consideration--their clothing. They all had clothing sufficient
+for such weather as they had yet experienced; but that would never do
+for the winter of the Great Slave Lake, and they knew it. Many deer must
+be killed, and many hides dressed, before they could make a full set of
+clothing for all, as well as a set of deer-skin blankets, which would be
+much needed.
+
+As soon as the snow-shoes were finished, therefore, Basil and Norman
+went out each day upon long hunting expeditions, from which they rarely
+returned before nightfall. Sometimes they brought with them a deer, of
+the caribou or reindeer species, and the "woodland" variety, which were
+in plenty at this place. They only carried to camp the best parts with
+the skin, as the flesh of the woodland caribou is not much esteemed. It
+is larger than the other kind--the "Barren Ground caribou," weighing
+about one hundred and fifty pounds; but both its venison and hide are of
+inferior quality to those of the latter species. Sometimes our hunters
+killed smaller game; and on several occasions they returned without
+having emptied their guns at all.
+
+But there was one day that made up for several--one grand day when they
+were extremely successful, and on which they killed a whole herd of
+moose, consisting of five individuals--the old bull, a spike buck--that
+is, a young buck, whose horns had not yet got antlers upon them--the
+cow, and two calves. These they had tracked and followed for a long
+distance, and had succeeded, at length, in running them into a valley
+where the snow was exceedingly deep, and where the moose became
+entangled. There had been a shower of rain the day before that had
+melted the surface of the snow; and this had again frozen into an icy
+crust, upon which the deer lacerated their ankles at every plunge,
+leaving a track of blood behind them as they ran.
+
+Under these circumstances they were easily trailed, and Basil and
+Norman, skimming along upon their snow-shoes, soon came up with them,
+and shot first one and then another, until the whole herd were stretched
+in the valley. They then butchered them, and hung the hides and quarters
+upon high branches, so as to secure them from wolves and wolverenes.
+When the job was finished, the whole place looked like a great
+slaughter-yard! Next day a rude sledge was constructed; and the
+voyageurs, returning in full force, transported the meat to camp. Huge
+fires were kindled outside the hut, and several days were spent in
+cutting up and drying the flesh. Had our travellers been certain that
+the frost would have continued all winter, this would not have been
+necessary--since the meat was already frozen as hard as a brick.
+
+But they knew that a sudden thaw would spoil it; and, as there was
+plenty of good firewood on the spot, they were not going to run the risk
+of losing it in that way.
+
+They had now enough provision to last them for months; and hunting
+became no longer necessary, except to obtain fresh meat--which was, of
+course, preferable to the dry stock. Hunting, also, gave them exercise
+and amusement--both of which were necessary to their health; for to
+remain idle and inactive in a situation such as that in which they were
+placed is the worst possible plan, and is sure to engender both sickness
+and _ennui_. Indeed, the last grew upon them, notwithstanding all the
+pains they took to prevent it. There were days on which the cold was so
+extreme, that they could not put their noses out of the door without the
+danger of having them frost-bitten--although each had now a complete
+suit of deer-skin clothing, made by Lucien, the "tailor" of the party.
+
+Upon such days they were fain to remain shut up in their hut; and,
+seated around their huge log-fire, they passed the time in cleaning
+their guns, mending their nets, stitching their clothes, and such-like
+employments. These days were far from being their dullest; for, what
+with the varied and scientific knowledge of Lucien, which he took
+pleasure in imparting to his companions--what with the practical
+experience of Norman amid scenes of Arctic life, and the many "voyageur
+tales" he could tell--what with François merry jokes and _bon mots_--and
+what with Basil's _talent for listening_--not the least important
+element in a good _conversazione_,--our _quartette_ of young voyageurs
+found their indoor days anything but dull.
+
+This was all well enough for a while. For a month or two they bore their
+odd kind of life cheerfully enough; but the prospect of nearly six
+months more of it began to appal them, when they reflected upon it; and
+they soon found themselves longing for a change. Hunting adventures,
+that at other times would have interested them, now occurred without
+creating any excitement; and the whole routine of their employments
+seemed monotonous. Nearly all of them were boys of an active character
+of mind; and most of them were old enough to reason about the value of
+time. Their idea of such a long isolation from civilized life, and,
+above all, the being debarred from following any useful pursuit, began
+to impress some of them forcibly. Others, as François, could not be
+contented for a very great stretch of time with any sort of life; so
+that all of them began to sigh for a change.
+
+One day, while conversing upon this theme, a bold proposal was made by
+Basil. It was, that they should "strike camp," and continue their
+journey. This proposal took the others by surprise, but they were all
+just in the frame of mind to entertain and discuss it; and a long
+consultation was held upon the point. François chimed in with the
+proposal at once; while Lucien, more cautious, did not exactly oppose,
+but rather offered the reasons that were against it, and pointed out the
+perils of the undertaking. Norman, of course, was appealed to--all of
+them looking to him as one whose advice, upon that question at least,
+was more valuable than their own.
+
+Norman admitted the dangers pointed out by Lucien, but believed that
+they might overcome them by a proper caution. On the whole, Norman
+approved of the plan, and it was at length adopted. Perhaps Norman's
+habitual prudence was to some extent influenced on this occasion by the
+very natural desire he had of returning to what he considered his home.
+He had now been absent nearly two years, and was desirous of once more
+seeing his father and his old companions at the Fort.
+
+There was another feeling that influenced nearly all of them: that was
+_ambition_. They knew that to make such a journey would be something of
+a feat, and they wished to have the credit of performing it. To minds
+like that of Basil, even the danger had something attractive in it. It
+was resolved then to break up the encampment, and continue their
+journey.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES.
+
+
+Once their resolution was taken, they lost but little time in making
+preparations to carry it out. Most of the articles required for such a
+journey were already in their hands. They had the proper
+dresses--snow-shoes, skin-blankets, and gloves. They had prepared for
+themselves sets of "snow spectacles." These were made out of red
+cedar-wood. Each pair consisted of two small thin pieces, that covered
+the eyes, joined together and fastened on by thongs of buckskin. In each
+piece an oblong slit served for the eye-hole, through which the eye
+looked without being dazzled by the snow. Without this, or some like
+contrivance, travelling in the Arctic regions is painful to the eyes,
+and the traveller often loses his sight. Indeed, one of the most common
+infirmities of both the Indians and Esquimaux of these parts is
+blindness or soreness of the eyes, caused by the reflexion of the
+sunbeams from the crystals of the frozen snow. Norman was aware of this,
+and had made the spectacles to guard against this peril.
+
+Out of their spare skins they had made a small tent. This was to be
+carried along by Marengo in a light sledge, which they had long since
+constructed, and taught the dog to draw. Nothing else remained but to
+pack their provisions in the smallest bulk possible, and this was done,
+according to the custom of the country, by making "pemmican." The dry
+meat was first pounded until it became a powder; it was then put into
+small skin bags, made for the purpose, and the hot melted fat was poured
+in and well mixed with it. This soon froze hard, and the mixture--that
+resembled "potted meat,"--was now ready for use, and would keep for an
+indefinite time without the least danger of spoiling. Buffalo-beef,
+moose-meat, or venison of any sort, thus prepared, is called
+"_pemmican_," and is more portable in this shape than any other. Besides
+no further cooking is required--an important consideration upon those
+vast prairie deserts, where firewood is seldom to be procured without
+the trouble of carrying it a great distance.
+
+Norman, who was the maker of the pemmican, had produced a superior
+article upon this occasion. Besides the pounded meat and fat, he had
+mixed another ingredient with it, which rendered it a most delicious
+food. This third ingredient was a small purple-coloured berry--of which
+we have already spoken--not unlike the whortleberry, but sweeter and of
+a higher flavour. It grows through most of the Northern regions of
+America; and in some places, as upon the Red River and the Elk, the
+bushes that produce it are seen in great plenty.
+
+Previous to the setting in of winter, our voyageurs had collected a
+large bagful upon the banks of the Elk, which they had dried and stored
+away--expecting to stand in need of them for this very purpose. They now
+came into use, and enabled Norman to make his pemmican of the very
+choicest quality. Five bags of it were put up, each weighing over thirty
+pounds. One of these was to be drawn upon the sledge, along with the
+tent, the axe, and a few other articles. The rest were to be carried by
+the voyageurs themselves--each shouldering one, which, along with their
+guns and accoutrements, would be load enough.
+
+These arrangements being at length complete, the party bid adieu to
+their log-hut--gave a parting look to their little canoe, which still
+rested by the door--and then, shouldering their guns and bags of
+pemmican, set out over the frozen surface of the snow.
+
+Of course before starting they had decided upon the route they were to
+take. This decision, however, had not been arrived at until after much
+discussion. Lucien advised that they should follow the shore of the lake
+until they should reach the Mackenzie River--which of course was now
+frozen up. Its channel, he argued, would then guide them; and, in case
+their provisions should run short, they would be more likely to find
+game upon its banks than elsewhere, as these were wooded almost to the
+sea--in consequence of its head-waters rising in southern latitudes, and
+carrying with them a warmer climate.
+
+There was plausibility in Lucien's argument, combined with much
+prudence. Norman, however, advised a contrary course. He said that they
+would have to make a considerable journey westward before reaching the
+place where the Mackenzie River flows out of the lake; and, moreover, he
+knew that the river itself was very crooked--in some places winding
+about in great curves, whose ends come near meeting each other. Should
+they keep the course of the river, Norman believed it would almost
+double their journey. A much shorter route, he said, would be obtained
+by striking across the country in a north-westerly direction, so as to
+reach the Mackenzie near where another great stream--the River of the
+Mountains--empties into it from the west. This would certainly be a more
+direct route, and they would avoid the windings of the river channel.
+
+Norman's reasoning prevailed. Basil and François readily agreed to his
+plan, and Lucien at length also gave his assent, but with some
+reluctance. Norman knew nothing whatever of the route he was advising
+them to take. His former journeys up and down the Mackenzie had been
+made in summer, and of course he had travelled by canoe, in company with
+the traders and voyageurs. He only knew that to strike across the
+country would be the shorter way. But "the shortest way is not always
+the nearest," says the proverb; and although Lucien remembered this
+prudent maxim, the others did not give it a thought. Before the end of
+their journey they received a practical lesson of its wisdom--a lesson
+they were not likely to forget. But they knew not what was before them,
+and they started off in high spirits.
+
+Their first three or four days' journeys were without any event worth
+being chronicled. They travelled full twenty miles each day. The
+Southerners had become quite skilful in the management of their
+snow-shoes, and they skimmed along upon the icy crust at the rate of
+three or four miles an hour.
+
+Marengo and his sledge gave them very little trouble. There was full
+sixty pounds weight upon it; but to the huge dog this was a mere
+bagatelle, and he pulled it after him without any great strain. His
+harness was neatly made of moose-skin, and consisted of a collar with a
+back strap and traces--the traces meeting behind, where they were
+attached to the head of the sledge. No head-gear was necessary, as
+Marengo needed not to be either led or driven. The sledge consisted of
+two or three light planks of smooth wood, laid alongside each other, and
+held together by transverse bands. In front it turned up with a circular
+sweep, so as not to "plough" the snow; and at the top of this curved
+part the traces were adjusted. The load was, of course, carefully packed
+and tied, so that the overturning of the vehicle did no damage whatever,
+and it could be easily righted again. Marengo required no one to guide
+him, but followed quietly in the tracks of the snow-shoes, and thus
+avoided the trees, rocks, and other inequalities. If a rabbit or other
+creature started up, Marengo knew better than to go galloping after it;
+he felt that he had a more important duty to perform than to throw away
+his time upon rabbit-hunting.
+
+Each night a spot was chosen for the camp by the side of some lake or
+stream, where wood could be obtained for their fire. Water was got by
+breaking a hole in the ice, and the little tent was always set up in a
+sheltered situation.
+
+Upon the fifth day after leaving the log-hut the woods began to grown
+thinner and more straggling; and towards night of the same day they
+found themselves travelling through a country, where the timber only
+grew here and there in small clumps, and the individual trees were small
+and stunted. Next day still less timber was seen upon their route; and
+when camping-time came, they were obliged to halt at a spot where
+nothing but willows could be procured for their fire. They had, in fact,
+arrived upon the edge of that vast wilderness, the Barren Grounds, which
+stretches in all its wild desolation along the Northern half of the
+American continent from the Great Slave Lake even to the shores of the
+Arctic Sea on the north, and to those of Hudson's Bay on the east.
+
+This territory bears an appropriate name, for, perhaps, upon the whole
+surface of the earth there is no tract more barren or desolate--not even
+the Saära of Africa. Both are deserts of immense extent, equally
+difficult to cross, and equally dangerous to the traveller. On both the
+traveller often perishes, but from different causes. On the Saära it is
+_thirst_ that kills; upon the Barren Grounds _hunger_ is more frequently
+the destroyer. In the latter there is but little to be feared on the
+score of water. That exists in great plenty; or where it is not found,
+snow supplies its place. But there is water everywhere. Hill succeeds
+hill, bleak, rocky, and bare. Everywhere granite, gneiss, or other
+primitive rocks, show themselves.
+
+No vegetation covers the steep declivities of the hills, except the moss
+and lichen upon the rocks, a few willows upon the banks of streams, the
+dwarf birch-tree or the scrub-pines, rising only to the height of a few
+inches, and often straggling over the earth like vines. Every hill has
+its valley, and every valley its lake--dark, and deep, and silent--in
+winter scarce to be distinguished under the snow-covered ice. The
+prospect in every direction exhibits a surface of rocks, or bleak hills,
+half covered with snow. The traveller looks around and sees no life. He
+listens and hears no sound. The world appears dead and wrapped in its
+cold winding-sheet!
+
+Amidst just such scenes did our voyageurs find themselves on the seventh
+day after parting from the lake. They had heard of the Barren
+Grounds--had heard many fearful stories of the sufferings of travellers
+who had attempted to cross them; but the description had fallen far
+short of the actual reality. None of them could believe in the
+difficulties to be encountered, and the desolateness of the scene they
+were to witness, until now that they found themselves in its midst; and,
+as they proceeded on their journey, getting farther and farther from the
+wooded region, their apprehensions, already aroused by the wild aspect
+of the country, grew stronger and stronger. They began to entertain
+serious fears, for they knew not how far the barren tract extended along
+their route.
+
+On calculation they found they had provisions enough to last them for a
+month. That in some measure restored their confidence; but even then,
+they could not help giving way to serious reflections. Should they get
+lost or retarded in their course by mountains, or other obstacles, it
+might take them longer than a month to reach some place where game was
+to be met with. Each day, as they advanced, they found the country more
+hilly and difficult. Precipices often bounded the valleys, lying
+directly across their track; and as these could not be scaled, it was
+necessary to make long _détours_ to pass them, so that some days they
+actually advanced less than five miles upon their journey.
+
+Notwithstanding these impediments, they might still have got over the
+Barren Grounds without further suffering than the fatigue and necessary
+exposure to cold; but at this time an incident occurred, that not only
+frustrated all their calculations, but placed them in imminent danger of
+perishing.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE BARREN GROUNDS
+
+
+The Barren Grounds are not entirely destitute of animal life. Even in
+winter--when they are almost covered with snow, and you would suppose
+that no living creature could procure subsistence upon them--even then
+they have their denizens; and, strange to say, there are many animals
+that choose them for their home. There is no part of the earth's surface
+so sterile but that some animated being can find a living upon it, and
+such a being Nature adapts to its peculiar situation. For instance,
+there are animals that prefer the very desert itself, and would not
+thrive were you to place them in a country of mild climate and fertile
+soil. In our own species this peculiarity is also found--as the
+Esquimaux would not be happy were you to transplant him from his icy hut
+amid the snows of the Arctic regions, and give him a palace under the
+genial skies of Italy.
+
+Among other creatures that remain all winter upon the Barren Grounds are
+the wolves. How they exist there is almost a question of the
+naturalists. It is true they prey upon other animals found at times in
+the same district; but wolves have been met with where not the slightest
+traces of other living creatures could be seen!
+
+There is no animal more generally distributed over the earth's surface
+than the wolf. He exists in nearly every country, and most likely has at
+one time existed in all. In America there are wolves in its three zones.
+They are met with from Cape Horn to the farthest point northward that
+man has reached. They are common in the tropical forests of Mexico and
+South America. They range over the great prairies of the temperate zones
+of both divisions of the continent, and in the colder regions of the
+Hudson's Bay territory they are among the best known of wild animals.
+They frequent the mountains, they gallop over the plains, they skulk
+through the valleys, they dwell everywhere--everywhere the wolf seems
+equally at home.
+
+In North America two very different kinds are known. One is the
+"prairie" or "barking" wolf, which we have already met with and
+described. The other species is the "common" or "large" wolf; but it is
+not decided among naturalists that there are not several distinct
+species of the latter. At all events, there are several _varieties_ of
+it--distinguished from each other in size, colour, and even to some
+extent in form. The habits of all, however, appear to be similar, and it
+is a question, whether any of these varieties be _permanent_ or only
+_accidental_. Some of them, it is well known, are accidental--as wolves
+differing in colour have been found in the same litter--but late
+explorers, of the countries around and beyond the Rocky Mountains, have
+discovered one or two kinds that appear to be specifically distinct from
+the common wolf of America--one of them, the "dusky wolf," being much
+larger.
+
+This last is said to resemble the wolf of Europe more than the other
+American wolves do--for there is a considerable difference between the
+wolves of the two continents. Those of the Northern regions of America
+have shorter ears, a broader snout and forehead, and are of a stouter
+make, than the European wolves. Their fur, too, is finer, denser, and
+longer; their tails more bushy and fox-like; and their feet broader. The
+European wolf, on the contrary, is characterized by a gaunt appearance,
+a pointed snout, long jaws, high ears, long legs, and feet very narrow.
+It is possible, nothwithstanding these points of difference, that both
+may be of the same species, the difference arising from a want of
+similitude in the circumstances by which they are surrounded.
+
+For instance, the dense wool of the Hudson's Bay wolf may be accounted
+for by the fact of its colder habitat, and its broader feet may be the
+result of its having to run much upon the surface of the snow. The
+writer of this little book believes that this peculiar adaptation of
+Nature--which may be observed in all her kingdoms--may explain the
+difference that exists between the wolves of the Northern parts of
+America and those of the South of Europe. He believes, moreover, that
+those of the Southern parts of the American continent approximate more
+nearly to the Pyrenean wolves, as he has seen in the tropical forest of
+Mexico some that possessed all that "gaunt" form and "sneaking" aspect
+that characterize the latter.
+
+It would be interesting to inquire whether the wolves of Siberia and
+Lapland, inhabitating a similar climate to that of the Northern parts of
+America, do not possess the same peculiarities as the North American
+kind--a point which naturalists have not yet considered, and which you,
+my boy reader, may some day find both amusement and instruction in
+determining for yourself.
+
+With regard to colour the wolves of both continents exhibit many
+varieties. In North America there are more than half-a-dozen colours of
+them, all receiving different names. There is the "grey wolf," the
+"white," the "brown," the "dusky," the "pied," and the "black." These
+trivial names will give a good enough idea of the colours of each kind,
+but there are even varieties in their markings. "Yellow" wolves, too,
+have been seen, and "red" ones, and some of a "cream colour." Of all
+these the grey wolf is the most common, and is _par excellence the
+wolf_; but there are districts in which individuals of other colours
+predominate. Wolves purely black are plenty in many parts, and white
+wolves are often seen in large packs.
+
+Even those of the same colour differ in size, and that to a considerable
+extent. And what is also strange, large wolves will be found in one
+district of country, while much smaller ones _of the same colour and
+species_ inhabit another. The largest in size of American wolves are
+about six feet in length, the tail included; and about three feet in
+height, measuring to the tips of the standing fur. The tail is usually
+about one-third of the whole length.
+
+The habits of the American wolf are pretty much like those of his
+European cousin. He is a beast of prey, devouring all the smaller
+animals he can lay hold of. He pursues and overtakes the deer, and often
+runs down the fox and makes a meal of it. He will kill and eat Indian
+dogs, although these are so near his own species that the one is often
+taken for the other. But this is not all, for he will even eat his own
+kind, on a pinch. He is as cunning as the fox himself, and as cowardly;
+but at times, when impelled by hunger, he becomes bolder, and has been
+known to attack man. Instances of this kind, however, are rare.
+
+The American wolves burrow, and, like the fox, have several entrances
+to their holes. A litter of young wolves numbers five puppies, but as
+many as eight are often produced at one birth.
+
+During their journey through the Barren Grounds our voyageurs had
+frequently observed wolves. They were mostly grey ones, and of great
+size, for they were travelling through a district where the very largest
+kind is found. At times they saw a party of five or six together; and
+these appeared to be following upon their trail--as each night, when
+they came barking about the camp, our travellers recognised some of them
+as having been seen before. They made no attempt to shoot any of
+them--partly because they did not want either their skins or flesh, and
+partly because their ammunition had been reduced to a small quantity,
+and they did not wish to spend it unnecessarily.
+
+The wolves, therefore, were allowed to approach very near the camp, and
+howl as much as they liked--which they usually did throughout the
+livelong night. What they found to allure them after our travellers, the
+latter could not make out; as they had not shot an animal of any kind
+since leaving the lake, and scarcely a scrap of anything was ever left
+behind them. Perhaps the wolves were _living upon hope_.
+
+One evening our travellers had made their camp on the side of a
+ridge--which they had just crossed--and under the shelter of some rough
+rocks. There was no wood in the neighbourhood wherewith to make a fire;
+but they had scraped the snow from the place over which their tent was
+pitched, and under it their skins were spread upon the ground. As the
+tent was a very small one, Marengo's sledge, with the utensils and
+pemmican bags, was always left outside close by the opening. Marengo
+himself slept there, and that was considered sufficient to secure all
+these things from wolves, or any other creatures that might be prowling
+about.
+
+On the evening in question, the sledge was in its usual place--the dog
+having been taken from it--and as our voyageurs had not yet had their
+supper, the pemmican bags were lying loosely about, one or two of them
+being open. There was a small rivulet at the foot of the ridge--some two
+hundred paces distant--and Basil and François had gone down to it to get
+water. One of them took the axe to break the ice with, while the other
+carried a vessel. On arriving near the bank of the rivulet, the
+attention of the boys was attracted to a singular appearance upon the
+snow. A fresh shower had fallen that morning, and the surface was still
+soft, and very smooth. Upon this they observed double lines of little
+dots, running in different directions, which, upon close inspection,
+appeared to be the tracks of some animal.
+
+At first, Basil and François could hardly believe them to be such, the
+tracks were so very small. They had never seen so small ones
+before--those of a mouse being quite double the size. But when they
+looked more closely at them, the boys could distinguish the marks of
+five little toes with claws upon them, which left no doubt upon their
+minds that some living creature, and that a very diminutive one, must
+have passed over the spot. Indeed, had the snow not been both
+fine-grained and soft, the feet of such a creature could not have made
+any impression upon it.
+
+The boys stopped and looked around, thinking they might see the animal
+itself. There was a wide circle of snow around them, and its surface
+was smooth and level; but not a speck upon it betrayed the presence of
+any creature.
+
+"Perhaps it was a bird," said François, "and has taken flight."
+
+"I think not," rejoined Basil. "They are not the tracks of a bird. It is
+some animal that has gone under the snow, I fancy."
+
+"But I see no hole," said François, "where even a beetle could have gone
+down. Let us look for one."
+
+At François' suggestion, they walked on following one of the dotted
+lines. Presently they came to a place, where a stalk of long grass stood
+up through the snow--its seedless panicle just appearing above the
+surface. Round this stalk a little hole had been formed--partly by the
+melting of the snow, and partly by the action of the wind upon the
+panicle--and into this hole the tracks led. It was evident that the
+animal, whatever it was, must have gone down the culm of the grass in
+making its descent from the surface of the snow!
+
+They now observed another track going _from_ the hole in an opposite
+direction, which showed that the creature had climbed up in the same
+way. Curious to know what it might have been, the boys hailed Lucien and
+Norman, telling them to come down. These, followed by Marengo, soon
+arrived upon the spot. When Lucien saw the tracks, he pronounced them at
+once to be those of the little shrew-mouse, the smallest of all the
+quadrupeds of America. Several of them had evidently been out upon the
+snow--as there were other dotted lines--and the tops of many stalks of
+grass were seen above the surface, each of which had formed a little
+hole around it, by which the mice were enabled to get up and down.
+
+Norman, who had seen these little animals before, cautioned his
+companions to remain quiet awhile, and perhaps some of them might come
+to the surface. They all stopped therefore, and stood some time without
+moving, or speaking to one another. Presently, a little head not much
+bigger than a pea was seen peeping up, and then a body followed, which
+in size did not exceed that of a large gooseberry! To this a tail was
+suspended, just one inch in length, of a square shape, and tapering from
+root to point, like that of any other mouse. The little creature was
+covered with a close smooth fur, of a clove-brown colour above, but more
+yellowish upon the belly and sides; and was certainly, as it sat upon
+the even surface of the snow, the most diminutive and oddest-looking
+quadruped that any of the party had ever beheld.
+
+They were just whispering to one another what means they should use to
+capture it, when Marengo, whom Basil had been holding quiet, all at once
+uttered a loud bay; and, springing out of the hands of his master,
+galloped off towards the camp. All of them looked after, wondering what
+had started the dog; but his strange behaviour was at once explained,
+and to their consternation. Around the tent, and close to its entrance,
+several large wolves were seen. They were leaping about hurriedly, and
+worrying some objects that lay upon the ground. What these objects were
+was too plain. They were _the bags of pemmican_! Part of their contents
+was seen strewed over the snow, and part was already in the stomachs of
+the wolves.
+
+The boys uttered a simultaneous shout, and ran forward. Marengo was by
+this time among the wolves, and had set fiercely upon one of them. Had
+his masters not been at hand, the fierce brutes would soon have settled
+the account with Marengo. But the former were now close by, and the
+wolves, seeing them, ran off; but, to the consternation of the boys,
+each of them carried off a bag of the pemmican in his mouth with as much
+lightness and speed as if nothing encumbered them!
+
+[Illustration: THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.]
+
+"We are lost!" cried Norman, in a voice of terror. "Our provisions are
+gone!--all gone!"
+
+It was true. The next moment the wolves disappeared over the summit of
+the ridge; and although each of the boys had seized his gun, and ran
+after, the pursuit proved an idle one. Not a wolf was overtaken.
+
+Scarce a scrap of the pemmican had been left--only some fragments that
+had been gnawed by the ravenous brutes, and scattered over the snow.
+That night our travellers went to bed supperless; and, what with hunger,
+and the depression of spirits caused by this incident, one and all of
+them kept awake nearly the whole of the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+THE ROCK-TRIPE.
+
+
+They left their skin-couch at an early hour, close after daybreak.
+Hunger and anxiety drove them out of their tent. Not a morsel of
+anything for breakfast! They looked abroad over the country, in order,
+if possible, to descry some living creature. None could be seen--nothing
+but the wilderness waste of snow, with here and there the side of a
+steep hill, or a rock showing cold and bleak. Even the wolves that had
+robbed them were no longer to be seen, as if these creatures knew that
+they had got all that was worth having, and had now taken themselves off
+to hunt for plunder elsewhere.
+
+The situation of our travellers was really one of extreme peril,
+although it may be difficult for you, young reader, to conceive why it
+should be so. They, however, knew it well. They knew that they might
+travel for days through that inhospitable region, without falling in
+with anything that would make a single meal for them. But less time than
+that would suffice to starve them all. Already they felt the pangs of
+hunger--for they had not eaten since their breakfast of the preceding
+day, the wolves having interrupted their preparations for dinner.
+
+It was of no use remaining where they were; so, striking their tent once
+more, they travelled forward. It was but poor consolation to them that
+they travelled much lighter than before. They had nothing to carry but
+their guns, and these they had got ready for work--so that their journey
+partook somewhat of the character of a hunting excursion. They did not
+even follow a direct course, but occasionally turned to one side or the
+other, wherever a clump of willows, or any other roughness on the
+ground, looked like it might be the shelter of game. But during that
+whole day--although they travelled from near sunrise to sunset--not a
+living thing was seen; and for the second night they went supperless to
+bed.
+
+A man will bear hunger for many days--some more, some less--without
+actually dying of it; but at no period will his sufferings be greater
+than during the third or fourth day. He will grow more feeble
+afterwards, but the pain which he endures will not be greater.
+
+On the third day the sufferings of our party were extreme. They began to
+chew pieces of their skin-tent and blankets; but although this took the
+sharp edge off their appetites, it added nothing to their strength; and
+they still craved for food, and grew feebler.
+
+To use a poetical phrase, Marengo now became the "cynosure of every
+eye." Marengo was not very fat. The sledge and short rations had thinned
+him down, and his ribs could be easily traced. Although the boys, and
+Basil in particular, would have suffered much before sacrificing him,
+yet starvation will reconcile a man to part with his best friend. In
+spite of their friendship for Marengo, his masters could not help
+scanning him from time to time with hungry looks. Marengo was an old
+dog, and, no doubt, as tough as a piece of tan-leather; but their
+appetites were made up for anything.
+
+It was near mid-day. They had started early, as on the day before. They
+were trudging wearily along, and making but little progress. Marengo was
+struggling with his sledge, feeble as any of the party. Basil saw that
+the eyes of his companions were from time to time bent upon the dog; and
+though none of them said anything, he understood the thoughts that were
+passing within them. He knew that none of them wished to propose it--as
+Basil was the real master of Marengo--but their glances were
+sufficiently intelligible to him. He looked at the downcast countenance
+of the once merry François--at the serious air of Norman--at the wan
+cheek and sunken eye of Lucien, whom Basil dearly loved. He hesitated no
+longer. His duty to his companions at once overcame his affection for
+his faithful dog.
+
+"We must kill _him_!" said he, suddenly stopping, and pointing to
+Marengo.
+
+The rest halted.
+
+"I fear there's no help for it," said Norman, turning his face in every
+direction, and sweeping the surface of the snow with hopeless glances.
+
+François also assented to the proposal.
+
+"Let us make a condition," suggested Lucien; "I for one could walk five
+miles farther." And as Lucien said this, he made an effort to stand
+erect, and look strong and brave; but Basil knew it was an effort of
+_generosity_.
+
+"No," said he,--"no, dear Luce. You are done up. We must kill the dog!"
+
+"Nonsense, Basil, you mistake," replied the other; "I assure you I am
+far from being done up. I could go much farther yet. Stay!" continued
+he, pointing ahead; "you see yonder rocks? They are about three miles
+off, I should think. They lie directly in our course. Well, now, let us
+agree to this condition. Let us give poor Marengo a chance for his life.
+If we find nothing before reaching those rocks, why then----"
+
+And Lucien, seeing Marengo gazing up in his face, left the sentence
+unfinished. The poor brute looked up at all of them as though he
+understood every word that they were saying; and his mute appeal, had it
+been necessary, would not have been thrown away. But it did not require
+that to get him the proposed respite. All agreed willingly with Lucien's
+proposition; and, shouldering their pieces, the party moved on.
+
+Lucien had purposely understated the distance to the rocks. It was five,
+instead of three miles; and some of them made it full ten, as they were
+determined Marengo should have the benefit of every chance. They
+deployed like skirmishers; and not a brake or brush that lay to the
+right or left of the path but was visited and beaten by one or other of
+them. Their diligence was to no purpose. After two hours' weary work,
+they arrived among the rocks, having seen not a trace of either
+quadruped or bird.
+
+"Come!" cried Lucien in his now feeble voice, still trying to look
+cheerful, "we must pass through them. There is a chance yet. Let him
+have fair play. The rocks were to be the limit, but it was not stated
+what part of them. Let us pass through to the other side--they do not
+extend far."
+
+Encouraged by the words of Lucien, the party entered among the rocks,
+moving on separate paths. They had gone only a few paces, when a shout
+from Norman caused the rest to look to him for an explanation. No animal
+was in sight. Had he seen any? No; but something that gratified him
+certainly, for his voice and manner expressed it.
+
+"What is it?" inquired the others, all speaking at the same time.
+
+"_Tripe de roche_!" answered he.
+
+"_Tripe de roche_?"
+
+"Yes," replied Norman, "look there!" and he pointed to one of the rocks
+directly ahead of them, at the same time moving forward to it. The
+others hastened up after. On reaching the rock, they saw what Norman had
+meant by the words _tripe de roche_ (rock-tripe). It was a black, hard,
+crumply substance, that nearly covered the surface of the rock, and was
+evidently of a vegetable nature. Lucien knew what it was as well as
+Norman, and joy had expressed itself upon his pale cheeks at the sight.
+As for Basil and François they only stood waiting an explanation, and
+wondering what value a quantity of "rock moss," as they deemed it, could
+be to persons in their condition.
+
+Lucien soon informed them that it was not a "moss," but a "lichen," and
+of that celebrated species which will sustain human life. It was the
+_Gyrophora_. Norman confirmed Lucien's statement, and furthermore
+affirmed, that not only the Indians and Esquimaux, but also parties of
+voyageurs, had often subsisted upon it for days, when they would
+otherwise have starved. There are many species,--not less than five or
+six. All of them possess nutritive properties, but only one is a
+palatable food--the _Gyrophora vellea_ of botanists. Unfortunately this
+was not the sort which our voyageurs had happened upon, as it grows only
+upon rocks shaded by woods, and is rarely met with in the open barrens.
+The one, however, which Norman had discovered was the "next best," and
+they were all glad at finding even that.
+
+The first thing to be thought of was to collect it, and all four set to
+peeling and scraping it from the rocks. The next thought was to make it
+ready for eating. Here a new difficulty stared them in the face. The
+_tripe de roche_ had to be boiled,--it could not be eaten else,--and
+where was the fire? where was the wood to make one? Not a stick was to
+be seen. They had not met with a tree during all that day's journey!
+
+They were now as badly off as ever. The _tripe de roche_ would be of no
+more use to them than so much dry grass. What could they do with it?
+
+In the midst of their suspense, one of them thought of the
+sledge.--Marengo's sledge. That would make a fire, but a very small one.
+It might do to cook a single meal. Even that was better than none.
+Marengo was not going to object to the arrangement. He looked quite
+willing to part with the sledge. But a few hours before, it came near
+being used to cook Marengo himself. He was not aware of that, perhaps,
+but no matter. All agreed that the sledge must be broken up, and
+converted into firewood.
+
+They were about taking it to pieces, and had already "unhitched"
+Marengo from it, when Basil, who had walked to the other side of the
+rocky jumble, cried back to them to desist. He had espied some willows
+at no great distance. Out of these a fire could be made. The sledge,
+therefore, was let alone for the present. Basil and François immediately
+started for the willows, while Norman and Lucien remained upon the spot
+to prepare the "tripe" for the pot.
+
+In a short time the former parties returned with two large bundles of
+willows, and the fire was kindled. The _tripe de roche_, with some
+snow--for there was no water near--was put into the pot, and the latter
+hung over the blaze.
+
+After boiling for nearly an hour, the lichen became reduced to a soft
+gummy pulp, and Norman thickened the mess to his taste by putting in
+more snow, or more of the "tripe," as it seemed to require it. The pot
+was then taken from the fire, and all four greedily ate of its contents.
+It was far from being palatable, and had a clammy "feel" in the mouth,
+something like sago; but none of the party was in any way either dainty
+or fastidious just at that time, and they soon consumed all that had
+been cooked. It did not satisfy the appetite, though it filled the
+stomach, and made their situation less painful to bear.
+
+Norman informed them that it was much better when cooked with a little
+meat, so as to make broth. This Norman's companions could easily credit,
+but where was the meat to come from? The Indians prefer the _tripe de
+roche_ when prepared along with the roe of fish, or when boiled in fish
+liquor.
+
+Our weary voyageurs resolved to remain among the rocks for that night at
+least; and with this intent they put up their little tent. They did not
+kindle any fire, as the willows were scarce, and there would be barely
+enough to make one or two more boilings of the rock-tripe. They spread
+their skins within the tent, and creeping in, kept one another as warm
+as they could until morning.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+THE POLAR HARE AND GREAT SNOWY OWL.
+
+
+Of course hunger kept them from sleeping late. They were up and out of
+the tent by an early hour. Their fire was re-kindled, and they were
+making preparations for a fresh pot of rock-tripe, when they were
+startled by the note of a well-known bird. On looking up, they beheld
+seated upon the point of a rock the creature itself, which was the
+"cinereous crow," or, as it is better known, the "whiskey Jack." The
+latter name it receives from the voyageurs, on account of the
+resemblance of its Indian appellation, "whiskae-shaw-neesh" to the words
+"whiskey John." Although sometimes called the "cinereous crow," the bird
+is a true jay.
+
+It is one of the most inelegant of the genus, being of a dull grey
+colour, and not particularly graceful in its form. Its plumage,
+moreover, does not consist of webbed feathers, but rather more resembles
+hair; nor does its voice make up for the plainness of its appearance, as
+is the case with some birds. On the contrary, the voice of "whiskey
+Jack" is plaintive and squeaking, though he is something of a mocker in
+his way, and frequently imitates the notes of other birds. He is one of
+those creatures that frequent the habitations of man, and there is not
+a fur post, or fort, in all the Hudson's Bay territory, where "whiskey
+Jack" is not familiarly known.
+
+He is far from being a favourite, however, as, like his near relative
+the magpie, he is a great thief, and will follow the marten-trapper all
+day while baiting his traps, perching upon a tree until the bait is set,
+and then pouncing down, and carrying it off. He frequently pilfers small
+articles from the forts and encampments, and is so bold as to enter the
+tents, and seize food out of any vessel that may contain it.
+Notwithstanding all this, he is a favourite with the traveller through
+these inhospitable regions. No matter how barren the spot where the
+voyageur may make his camp, his tent will hardly be pitched, before he
+receives a visit from "whiskey Jack," who comes, of course, to pick up
+any crumbs that may fall. His company, therefore, in a region where all
+other wild creatures shun the society of man, endears him to the lonely
+traveller.
+
+At many of their camps our voyageurs had met with this singular bird,
+and were always glad to receive him as a friend. They were now doubly
+delighted to see him, but this delight arose from no friendly feelings.
+Their guest was at once doomed to die. François had taken up his gun,
+and in the next moment would have brought him down, had he not been
+checked by Norman. Not that Norman intended to plead for his life, but
+Norman's eye had caught sight of another "whiskey Jack,"--which was
+hopping among the rocks at some distance--and fearing that François'
+shot might frighten it away, had hindered him from firing. It was
+Norman's design to get both.
+
+The second "whiskey Jack," or, perhaps, it was the "whiskey Jill," soon
+drew near; and both were now seen to hop from rock to rock, and then
+upon the top of the tent, and one of them actually settled upon the edge
+of the pot, as it hung over the fire, and quietly looking into it,
+appeared to scrutinize its contents!
+
+The boys could not think of any way of getting the birds, except by
+François' gun; and it was at length agreed that François should do his
+best. He was sure of one of them, at least; so telling the others to get
+behind him, he fired at the more distant one where it sat upon the tent,
+and took the other on the wing.
+
+Both shots were successful. The two jays fell, and were soon divested of
+their soft, silky, hair-like plumage, and dropped into the boiling pot.
+They did not weigh together more than about six or seven ounces; but
+even that was accounted something under present circumstances; and, with
+the _tripe de roche_, a much better breakfast was made than they had
+anticipated.
+
+No more of the lichen could be found. The rocks were all searched, but
+only a few patches--not enough for another full meal--could be obtained.
+The travellers had no other resource, therefore, but to continue on, and
+passing through the rocky ground, they once more embarked upon the
+wilderness of snow.
+
+During that whole day not a living creature gladdened their eyes. They
+saw nothing that was eatable--fish, flesh, fowl, or vegetable. Not even
+a bit of rock-tripe--in these parts the last resource of starving
+men--could be met with. They encamped in a plain, where not a tree
+stood--not even a rock to shelter them.
+
+Next morning a consultation was held. Marengo was again the subject of
+their thoughts and conversation. Should they kill him on the spot or go
+a little farther? That was the question. Lucien, as before, interposed
+in his favour. There was a high hill many miles off, and in their proper
+course. "Let us first reach yonder hill," proposed Lucien. "If nothing
+is found before that, then we must part with Marengo."
+
+The proposal was agreed to, and, striking their tent, they again set
+out.
+
+It was a toilsome long way to that hill--feeble and weary as they all
+were--but they reached it without having observed the slightest trace of
+animal life.
+
+"Up the hill!" cried Lucien, beckoning to the others, and cheering them
+with his weak voice, "Up the hill!"
+
+On they went, up the steep declivity--Marengo toiling on after them. The
+dog looked downcast and despairing. He really appeared to know the
+conditions that had been made for his life. His masters, as they crept
+upward, looked sharply before them. Every tuft that appeared above the
+snow was scrutinized, and every inch of the ground, as it came into
+view, was examined.
+
+At length they crossed the escarpment of the hill, and stood upon the
+summit. They gazed forward with disappointed feelings. The hill-top was
+a sort of table plain, of about three hundred yards in diameter. It was
+covered with snow, nearly a foot in depth. A few heads of withered grass
+were seen above the surface, but not enough to subdue the uniform white
+that prevailed all over. There was no creature upon it; that was
+evident. A bird as big as a sparrow, or a quadruped as large as a
+shrew-mouse, could have been seen upon any part of it. A single glance
+satisfied all of them that no living thing was there.
+
+They halted without proceeding farther. Some of them could not have gone
+another mile, and all of them were tottering in their tracks. Marengo
+had arrived upon the summit, and stood a little to one side, with the
+sledge behind him.
+
+"_You_ must do it!" said Basil, speaking to Norman in a hoarse voice,
+and turning his head away. Lucien and François stepped aside at the same
+time, and stood as if looking down the hill. The countenances of all
+three betokened extreme sorrow. There was a tear in Basil's eye that he
+was trying to wipe away with his sleeve.
+
+The sharp click of Norman's gun was heard behind them, and they were all
+waiting for the report, when, at that moment, a dark shadow passing over
+the white declivity arrested their attention! It was the shadow of a
+bird upon the wing. The simultaneous exclamation of all three stayed
+Norman's finger--already pressing upon the trigger--and the latter,
+turning round, saw that they were regarding some object in the air. It
+was a bird of great size--almost as large as an eagle, but with the
+plumage of a swan. It was white all over--both body and wings--white as
+the snow over which it was sailing. Norman knew the bird at a glance.
+Its thick short neck and large head--its broad-spreading wings, of milky
+whiteness, were not to be mistaken. It was the "great snowy owl" of the
+Arctic regions.
+
+Its appearance suddenly changed the aspect of affairs. Norman let the
+butt of his rifle fall to the ground, and stood, like the rest, watching
+the bird in its flight.
+
+The snowy owl is, perhaps, the most beautiful, as it is one of the most
+powerful birds of its genus--of which there are more than a dozen in
+North America. It is a bird of the Polar regions--even the most
+remote--and in the dead of winter it is found within the Arctic circle,
+on both Continents--although at the same season it also wanders farther
+south. It dwells upon the Barren Grounds as well as in wooded districts.
+In the former it squats upon the snow, where its peculiar colour often
+prevents it from being noticed by the passing hunter. Nature has
+furnished it with every protection from the cold. Its plumage is thick,
+closely matted, and downy, and it is feathered to the very eyes--so that
+its legs appear as large as those of a good-sized dog. The bill, too, is
+completely hidden under a mass of feathers that cover its face, and not
+even a point of its whole body is exposed.
+
+The owl is usually looked upon as a night-bird, and in Southern
+latitudes it is rarely seen by day; but the owls of the Northern regions
+differ from their congeners in this respect. They hunt by day, even
+during the bright hours of noon. Were it not so, how could they exist in
+the midst of an Arctic summer, when the days are months in duration?
+Here we have another example of the manner in which Nature trains her
+wild creatures to adapt themselves to their situation.
+
+At least a dozen species of owls frequent the territory of the Hudson's
+Bay Company--the largest of which is the cinereous owl, whose wings have
+a spread of nearly five feet. Some species migrate south on the approach
+of winter; while several, as the snowy owl, remain to prey upon the
+ptarmigan, the hares, and other small quadrupeds, who, like themselves,
+choose that dreary region for their winter home.
+
+Our travellers, as I have said, stood watching the owl as it soared
+silently through the heavens. François had thrown his gun across his
+left arm, in hopes he might get a shot at it; but the bird--a shy one at
+all times--kept away out of range; and, after circling once or twice
+over the hill, uttered a loud cry and flew off.
+
+Its cry resembled the moan of a human being in distress; and its effect
+upon the minds of our travellers, in the state they then were, was far
+from being pleasant. They watched the bird with despairing looks, until
+it was lost against the white background of a snow-covered hill.
+
+They had noticed that the owl appeared to be just taking flight when
+they first saw it. It must have risen up from the hill upon which they
+were; and they once more ran their eyes along the level summit, curious
+to know where it had been perched that they had not seen it. No doubt,
+reflected they, it had been near enough, but its colour had rendered it
+undistinguishable from the snow.
+
+"What a pity!" exclaimed François.
+
+While making these reflections, and sweeping their glances around, an
+object caught their eyes that caused some of them to ejaculate and
+suddenly raise their guns. This object was near the centre of the summit
+table, and at first sight appeared to be only a lump of snow; but upon
+closer inspection, two little round spots of a dark colour, and above
+these two elongated black marks, could be seen. Looking steadily, the
+eye at length traced the outlines of an animal, that sat in a crouching
+attitude. The round spots were its eyes, and the black marks above them
+were tips of a pair of very long ears. All the rest of its body was
+covered with a soft white fur, hardly to be distinguished from the snow
+upon which it rested.
+
+The form and colour of the animal, but more especially its long erect
+ears, made it easy for them to tell what it was. All of them saw it was
+a hare.
+
+"Hush!" continued Norman, as soon as he saw it, "keep still all of
+you--leave it to me."
+
+"What shall we do?" demanded Basil. "Can we not assist you?"
+
+"No," was the reply, uttered in a whisper, "stay where you are. Keep the
+dog quiet. I'll manage puss, if the owl hasn't scared her too badly.
+That scream has started her out of her form. I'm certain she wasn't that
+way before. Maybe she'll sit it out. Lucky the sun's high--don't move a
+step. Have the dog ready, but hold him tight, and keep a sharp look out
+if she bolts."
+
+After giving these instructions, that were all uttered quickly and in an
+under tone, Norman moved off, with his gun carried across his arm. He
+did not move in the direction of the hare, but rather as if he was going
+_from_ her. His course, however, bent gradually into a circle of which
+the hare was the centre--the diameter being the full breadth of the
+summit level, which was about three hundred yards. In this circle he
+walked round and round, keeping his eye fixed upon the crouching animal.
+When he had nearly completed one circumference, he began to shorten the
+diameter--so that the curve which he was now following was a spiral one,
+and gradually drawing nearer to the hare. The latter kept watching him
+as he moved--curiosity evidently mingling with her fears. Fortunately,
+as Norman had said, the sun was nearly in the vertex of the heavens, and
+his own body cast very little shadow upon the snow. Had it been
+otherwise, the hare would have been frightened at the moving shadow, and
+would have sprung out of her form, before he could have got within
+range.
+
+When he had made some four or five circuits, Norman moved slower and
+slower, and then stopped nearly opposite to where the others were. These
+stood watching him with beating hearts, for they knew that the life of
+Marengo, and perhaps their own as well, depended on the shot. Norman had
+chosen his place, so that in case the hare bolted, she might run towards
+them, and give them the chance of a flying shot. His gun was already at
+his shoulder--his finger rested on the trigger, and the boys were
+expecting the report, when again the shadow of a bird flitted over the
+snow, a loud human-like scream sounded in their ears, and the hare was
+seen to spring up, and stretch her long legs in flight. At the same
+instant the great snowy owl was observed wheeling above, and threatening
+to pounce upon the fleeing animal!
+
+The hare ran in a side direction, but it brought her as she passed
+within range of the party by the sledge. The owl kept above her as she
+ran. A dozen leaps was all the hare ever made. A loud crack was heard,
+and she was seen to spring up and fall back upon the snow, dead as a
+door-nail. Like an echo another crack followed--a wild scream rang
+through the air, and the great white owl fell fluttering to the earth.
+The reports were not of a rifle. They were the louder detonations of a
+shot gun. All eyes were turned towards François, who, like a little god,
+stood enveloped in a halo of blue smoke. François was the hero of the
+hour.
+
+Marengo rushed forward and seized the struggling owl, that snapped its
+bill at him like a watchman's rattle. But Marengo did not care for that;
+and seizing its head in his teeth, gave it a crunch that at once put an
+end to its flapping.
+
+Marengo was reprieved, and he seemed to know it, as he bounded over the
+snow, waving his tail, and barking like a young fool.
+
+They all ran up to the hare, which proved to be the "Polar hare" and one
+of the largest of its species--not less than fifteen pounds in weight.
+Its fur, soft and white like swan-down, was stained with red blood. It
+was not quite dead. Its little heart yet beat faintly, and the light of
+life was still shining from its beautiful honey-coloured eyes. Both it
+and the owl were taken up and carried to the sledge, which was once more
+attached to Marengo, as the party intended to go forward and halt under
+the shelter of the hill.
+
+"There must be some wood in this quarter," remarked Norman; "I never
+knew this sort of hare far from timber."
+
+"True," said Lucien, "the Polar hare feeds upon willows, arbutus, and
+the Labrador tea-plant. Some of these kinds must be near."
+
+While they were speaking, they had reached the brow of the hill, on the
+opposite side from where they had ascended. On looking into the valley
+below, to their great joy they beheld some clumps of willows, and
+good-sized trees of poplar, birch, and spruce-pine, and passing down the
+hill, the travellers soon stood in their midst. Presently was heard the
+chipping sound of an axe and crash of falling timber, and in a few
+moments after a column of smoke was seen soaring up out of the valley,
+and curling cheerfully towards the bright blue sky.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE.
+
+
+Large as the hare was, she would have made but a meal for our four
+hungry voyageurs, had they eaten at will. By Lucien's advice, however,
+they restrained themselves, and half of her was left for supper, when
+the "cook" promised to make them hare-soup. The head, feet, and other
+spare bits, fell to Marengo's share. The owl, whose flesh was almost as
+white as its plumage, and, as Norman well knew, most delicate eating,
+was reserved for to-morrow's breakfast.
+
+They had pitched their tent with the intention of remaining at that
+place all night, and continuing their journey next day; but, as it still
+wanted several hours of sunset, and the strength of all was considerably
+recruited, they resolved to hunt about the neighbourhood as long as they
+had light. It was of great importance that they should procure more
+game. The owl would make but a spare breakfast, and after that where was
+the next meal to come from? They had had a temporary relief, and while
+their strength lasted, they must use every effort to procure a further
+supply. The valley in which their new camp was placed looked well for
+game.
+
+It was a sort of oäsis in the Barren Grounds. There was a lake and a
+considerable skirting of timber around it--consisting, as we have said,
+of willows, poplars, spruce-pine, and dwarf birch-trees. The Alpine
+arbutus, whose berries are the food of many species of animals, also
+grew upon the side of the hills; and the Labrador tea-plant was found
+upon the low ground around the lake. The leaves of this last is a
+favourite food of the Polar hare, and our voyageurs had no doubt but
+that there were many of these animals in the neighbourhood. Indeed, they
+had better evidence than conjecture, for they saw numerous hare-tracks
+in the snow. There were tracks of other animals too, for it is a
+well-known fact that where one kind exists, at least two or three others
+will be found in the same habitat--all being connected together by a
+"chain of destruction."
+
+A singular illustration of this was afforded to Lucien, who remained at
+the camp while the rest went out hunting. He had gathered some of the
+leaves of the Labrador tea, and was drying them over the coals,
+intending to cheer his comrades with a cup of this beverage after
+supper. The hare-soup was boiling, and the "cook" sat listening to the
+cheerful sounds that issued from the pot--now and then taking off the
+lid to examine its savoury contents, and give them a stir. He would then
+direct his attention to the tea-leaves that were parching in the
+frying-pan; and, having shifted them a little, felt himself at liberty
+to look about for a minute or two.
+
+On one of these occasions, while glancing up, his attention was
+attracted to an object which appeared upon the snow at a short distance
+from where he sat. A wreath of snow, that had formed under the shelter
+of the hill, extended all around its base, presenting a steep front in
+every direction. This front was only two or three feet in height; but
+the top surface of the wreath was many yards wide--in fact, it extended
+back until it became blended with the slope of the hill. It was smooth
+and nearly level, but the hill above was steep, and somewhat rough and
+rocky. The steep front of the wreath came down within half-a-dozen paces
+of the fire where Lucien was seated; and it was upon the top or
+scarpment of it that the object appeared that had drawn his attention.
+It was a small creature, but it was in motion, and thus had caught his
+eye.
+
+A single glance showed him that the little animal was a mouse, but of a
+somewhat singular species. It was about the size of the common mouse,
+but quite different in colour. The upper half of its body was of a light
+mahogany tint, while the lower half, including the legs and feet, were
+of a milky whiteness. It was, in fact, the "white-footed mouse" (_Mus
+leucopus_), one of the most beautiful of its kind.
+
+Here and there above the surface of the snow protruded the tops of
+arbutus-trees; and the little creature was passing from one of these to
+the other, in search, no doubt, of the berries that remain upon these
+trees all the winter. Sometimes it ran from point to point like any
+other mouse, but now and then it would rear itself on its hind-legs, and
+leap several feet at a single bound! In this it evidently assisted
+itself by pressing its tail--in which it possesses muscular
+power--against the snow. This peculiar mode of progression has obtained
+for it the name of the "jumping-mouse," and among the Indians
+"deer"-mouse, because its leap reminds them of the bounding spring of
+the deer. But there are still other species of "jumping-mice" in America
+that possess this power to a greater degree even than the _Mus
+leucopus_.
+
+Lucien watched its motions without attempting to interfere with it,
+until it had got nearly out of sight. He did not desire to do injury to
+the little creature, nor was he curious to obtain it, as he had already
+met with many specimens, and examined them to his satisfaction. He had
+ceased to think of it, and would, perhaps, never have thought of it
+again, but, upon turning his eyes in the opposite direction, he observed
+another animal upon the snow. This creature had a far different aspect
+from the mouse. Its body was nearly a foot in length, although not much
+thicker than that of the other! Its legs were short, but strong, and its
+forehead broad and arched convexly. It had a tail more than half the
+length of the body, hairy, and tapering like that of a cat. Its form was
+the well-known form of the weasel, and it was, in fact, a species of
+weasel.
+
+It was the celebrated _ermine_, celebrated for its soft and beautiful
+fur, so long prized as an ornament for the robes of the rich. It was
+white all over, with the exception of its tail; and that, for about an
+inch or so at the tip, was covered with black silky hair. On some parts
+of the body, too, the white was tinged with a primrose yellow; but this
+tinge is not found in all animals of this species, as some individuals
+are pure white. Of course it was now in its winter "robes"; but in the
+summer it changes to a colour that does not differ much from that of the
+common weasel.
+
+When Lucien first saw it, it was running along the top of the wreath,
+and coming from the same direction from which the mouse had come. Now
+and then it paused awhile, and then ran on again. Lucien observed that
+it kept its nose to the ground, and as it drew nearer he saw that it was
+following on the same path which the other had taken. To his
+astonishment he perceived that it was _trailing the mouse_! Whatever the
+latter had doubled or made a _détour_, the ermine followed the track;
+and where the mouse had given one of its long leaps, there the ermine
+would stop, and, after beating about until it struck the trail again,
+would resume its onward course at a gallop. Its manoeuvres were exactly
+like those of a hound upon the fresh trail of a fox!
+
+Lucien now looked abroad to discover the mouse. It was still in sight
+far off upon the snow, and, as Lucien could see, busily gnawing at the
+arbutus, quite unconscious that its _greatest_ enemy was so near. I say
+greatest enemy, for the _Mus leucopus_ is the _natural_ prey of the
+_Mustela erminea_.
+
+The mouse was soon made aware of the dangerous proximity, but not until
+the ermine had got within a few feet of it. When it perceived the latter
+it shrunk, at first, among the leaves of the arbutus; but seeing there
+would be no protection there--as the other was still springing forward
+to seize it--it leaped up, and endeavoured to escape by flight. Its
+flight appeared to be in alternate jumps and runs, but the chase was not
+a long one. The ermine was as active as a cat, and, after a few skips,
+its claws were struck into the mouse. There was a short, slender squeak,
+and then a "crunch," like the cracking of a hazel-nut. This last sound
+was produced by the teeth of the ermine breaking through the skull of
+its victim.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF.
+
+
+Lucien turned round to get hold of his rifle, intending to punish the
+ermine, although the little creature, in doing what it did, had only
+obeyed a law of nature. But the boy had also another design in killing
+it: he wished to compare it with some ermines he had seen while
+travelling upon Lake Winnipeg, which, as he thought, were much
+larger--one that he had caught having measured more than a foot in
+length, without including the tail. He wished, also, to make some
+comparison between it and the common weasel; for in its _winter dress_,
+in the snowy regions, the latter very much resembles the ermine; and,
+indeed, the trappers make no distinction between them.
+
+With these ideas Lucien had grasped his gun, and was raising himself to
+creep a little nearer, when his eye was arrested by the motions of
+another creature coming along the top of the wreath. This last was a
+snow-white animal, with long, shaggy fur, sharp-pointed snout, erect
+ears, and bushy tail. Its aspect was fox-like, and its movements and
+attitudes had all that semblance of cunning and caution so
+characteristic of these animals. Well might it, for it _was_ a fox--the
+beautiful white fox of the Arctic regions.
+
+It is commonly supposed that there are but two or three kinds of foxes
+in America; and that these are only varieties of the European species.
+
+This is an erroneous idea, as there are nearly a dozen varieties
+existing in North America, although they may be referred to a less
+number of species. There is the Arctic fox, which is confined to the
+cold Northern regions, and which in winter is white.
+
+The "sooty-fox" is a variety of the "Arctic," distinguished from it only
+by its colour, which is of a uniform blackish brown.
+
+The "American fox" or, as it is commonly called, the "red fox," has been
+long supposed to be the same as the European red fox. This is erroneous.
+They differ in many points; and, what is somewhat curious, these points
+of difference are similar to those that exist between the European and
+American wolves, as already given.
+
+The "cross fox" is supposed by the Indians and some naturalists to be
+only a variety of the last. It derives its name from its having two dark
+stripes crossing each other upon the shoulders. Its fur from this
+circumstance, and perhaps because the animal is scarce, is more prized
+than that of the red variety. When a single skin of the latter is worth
+only fifteen shillings, one of the cross fox will bring as much as five
+guineas.
+
+Another variety of the red fox, and a much more rare one, is the
+"black," or "silver" fox. The skins of these command six times the price
+of any other furs found in America, with the exception of the sea-otter.
+The animal itself is so rare that only a few fall into the hands of the
+Hudson's Bay Company in a season; and Mr. Nicholay, the celebrated
+London furrier, asserts that a single skin will fetch from ten to forty
+guineas, according to quality. A remarkable cloak, or pelisse, belonging
+to the Emperor of Russia, and made out of the skins of silver-foxes, was
+exhibited in the Great London Exposition of 1851. It was made entirely
+from the neck-part of the skins--the only part of the silver-fox which
+is pure black. This cloak was valued at 3400_l._; though Mr. Nicholay
+considers this an exaggerated estimate, and states its true value to be
+not over 1000_l._ George the Fourth had a lining of black fox-skins
+worth 1000_l._
+
+The "grey fox" is a more southern species than any already described.
+Its proper home is the temperate zone covered by the United States;
+although it extends its range into the southern parts of Canada. In the
+United States it is the most common kind, although in that district
+there is also a "red fox," different from the _Vulpus fulvus_ already
+noticed; and which, no doubt, is the red fox of Europe, introduced by
+the early colonists of America.
+
+Still another species, the smallest and perhaps the most interesting of
+any, is the "kit fox." This little creature is an inhabitant of the
+prairies, where it makes its burrows far from any wood. It is extremely
+shy, and the swiftest animal in the prairie country--outrunning even the
+antelope!
+
+When Lucien saw the fox he thought no more of the ermine, but drew back
+and crouched down, in hopes he might get a shot at the larger animal. He
+knew well that the flesh of the Arctic fox is highly esteemed as food,
+particularly by persons situated as he and his companions were, and he
+hoped to be able to add it to their larder.
+
+When first seen it was coming towards him, though not in a direct line.
+It was engaged in hunting, and, with its nose to the snow, was running
+in zig-zag lines, "quartering" the ground like a pointer dog. Presently
+it struck the trail of the ermine, and with a yelp of satisfaction
+followed it. This of course brought it close past where Lucien was; but,
+notwithstanding his eagerness to fire, it moved so rapidly along the
+trail that he was unable to take sight upon it. It did not halt for a
+moment; and, as Lucien's gun was a rifle, he knew that a flying shot
+would be an uncertain one. In the belief, therefore, that the fox would
+stop soon--at all events when it came up with the ermine--he restrained
+himself from firing, and waited.
+
+It ran on, still keeping the track of the ermine. The latter, hitherto
+busy with his own prey, did not see the fox until it was itself seen,
+when, dropping the half-eaten mouse, it reared up on its hind-quarters
+like a squirrel or a monkey, at the same time spitting as spitefully as
+any other weasel could have done. In a moment, however, it changed its
+tactics--for the open jaws of the fox were within a few paces of it--and
+after making a short quick run along the surface, it threw up its
+hind-quarters, and plunged head-foremost into the snow! The fox sprang
+forward, and flinging his brush high in the air, shot after like an
+arrow!
+
+Both had now disappeared from Lucien's sight. For a moment the surface
+of the snow was disturbed above the spot where they had gone down, but
+the next moment all was still, and no evidence existed that a living
+creature had been there, except the tracks, and the break the two
+creatures had made in going down. Lucien ran forward until he was within
+a few yards of the place, and stood watching the hole, with his rifle
+ready--thinking that the fox, at least, would soon come up again.
+
+He had waited for nearly five minutes, looking steadily at this point,
+when his eye was attracted by a movement under the snow, at a
+considerable distance, quite fifty paces, from where he stood. The
+frozen crust was seen to upheave: and, the next moment, the head of the
+fox, and afterwards his whole body, appeared above the surface. Lucien
+saw that the ermine lay transversely between his jaws, and was quite
+dead! He was about to fire, but the fox, suddenly perceiving him, shot
+off like an arrow, carrying his prey along with him.
+
+He was soon out of reach, and Lucien, seeing that he had lost his
+chance, was about to return to the fire, when, all at once, the fox was
+observed to stop, turn suddenly in his tracks, and run off in a new
+direction! Lucien looked beyond to ascertain the cause of this strange
+manoeuvre. That was soon ascertained. Coming down from among the rocks
+was a large animal--five times the fox's size--but in other respects not
+unlike him. It was also of a snow-white colour, with long hair, bushy
+tail, and short erect ears, but its aspect was not to be mistaken. It
+was the great _white wolf_.
+
+When Lucien first saw this new-comer, the latter had just espied the
+fox, and was about stretching out into a gallop towards him. The fox,
+_watching backwards_ as he ran, had not seen the wolf, until the latter
+was within a few springs of him; and now when he had turned, and both
+were in full chase, there was not over twenty yards between them. The
+direction in which they ran would bring them near to Lucien; and so they
+came, and passed him--neither of them seeming to heed his presence. They
+had not got many yards farther, before Lucien perceived that the wolf
+was fast closing on the fox, and would soon capture him. Believing he
+would then stop, so as to offer him a fairer chance for a shot, Lucien
+followed. The wolf, however, had noticed him coming after, and although
+the next moment he closed his great jaws upon the fox, he did not pause
+for a single instant, but, lifting the latter clear up from the ground,
+ran on without the slightest apparent diminution of speed!
+
+Reynard was seen to struggle and kick, while he squeaked like a shot
+puppy; but his cries each moment grew feebler, and his struggles soon
+came to an end. The wolf held him transversely in his jaws--just as he
+himself but the moment before had carried the ermine.
+
+Lucien saw there was no use in following them, as the wolf ran on with
+his prey. With some disappointment, therefore, he was about to return to
+the fire, where, to add to his mortification, he knew he would find his
+tea-leaves parched to a cinder. He lingered a moment, however, with his
+eyes still fixed upon the departing wolf that was just about to
+disappear over the crest of a ridge. The fox was still in his jaws, but
+no longer struggling. Reynard looked limber and dead, as his legs swung
+loosely on both sides of the wolf's head Lucien at that moment saw the
+latter suddenly stop in his career, and then drop down upon the surface
+of the snow as if dead! He fell with his victim in his jaws, and lay
+half doubled up, and quite still.
+
+This strange action would have been a difficult thing for Lucien to
+explain, but, almost at the same instant in which he observed it, a puff
+of blue smoke shot up over the ridge, and quickly following was heard
+the sharp crack of a rifle. Then a head with its cap of raccoon skin
+appeared above the snow, and Lucien, recognising the face of Basil, ran
+forward to meet him.
+
+Both soon stood over the body of the dead wolf, wondering at what they
+saw; but Basil, far more than Lucien--for the latter already knew the
+circumstances of that strange scene of death. First there was the great
+gaunt body of the wolf stretched along the snow, and quite dead.
+Cross-ways in his mouth was the fox, just as he had been carried off;
+and across the jaws of the latter, lay the long worm-like body of the
+ermine, still retaining between its teeth the half-devoured remains of
+the white-footed mouse! A very chain of destroyers! These creatures died
+as they had lived, preying one upon the other! Of all four the little
+mouse alone was an innocent victim. The other three, though morally
+guilty by the laws of man, yet were only acting in obedience to the laws
+of Nature and necessity.
+
+Man himself obeys a similar law, as Basil had just shown. Philosophize
+as we will, we cannot comprehend why it is so--why Nature requires the
+sacrifice of one of her creatures for the sustenance of another. But
+although we cannot understand the cause, we must not condemn the fact as
+it exists; nor must we suppose, as some do, that the destruction of
+God's creatures for our necessities constitutes a crime. They who think
+so, and who, in consistency with their doctrines, confine themselves to
+what they term "vegetable" food, are at best but shallow reasoners. They
+have not studied Nature very closely, else would they know that every
+time they pluck up a parsnip, or draw their blade across the leaf of a
+lettuce, they cause pain and death!
+
+How much pain we cannot tell; but that the plant feels, as well as the
+animal, we can clearly _prove_. Probably it feels less, and it may be
+each kind of plant differs from others in the amount, according to its
+higher or lower organism. Probably its amount of pleasure--its
+capability of enjoyment--is in a direct proportion to the pain which it
+endures; and it is highly probable that this double line of ratios runs
+in an ascending scale throughout the vegetable kingdom, gradually
+joining on to what is more strictly termed the "animal." But these
+mysteries of life, my young friend, will be interesting studies for you
+when your mind becomes matured.
+
+Perhaps it may be your fortune to unravel some of them, for the benefit
+of your fellow-men. I feel satisfied that you will not only be a student
+of Nature, but one of her great teachers; you will far surpass the
+author of this little book in your knowledge of Nature's laws; but it
+will always be a happiness to him to reflect, that, when far advanced
+upon the highway of science, you will look back to him as one you had
+passed upon the road, and who _pointed you to the path_.
+
+Though Basil had shot the wolf, it was plain that it was not the first
+nor yet the second time he had discharged his rifle since leaving the
+camp. From his game-bag protruded the curving claws and wing-tips of a
+great bird. In one hand he carried a white hare--not the Polar hare--but
+a much smaller kind, also an inhabitant of these snowy regions; and over
+his shoulders was slung a fierce-looking creature, the great wild-cat or
+lynx of America. The bird in his bag was the golden eagle, one of the
+few feathered creatures that brave the fierce winter of a northern
+climate, and does not migrate, like its congeners, the "white-head" and
+the osprey, to more southern regions.
+
+Basil had returned alone--for the three, Basil, Norman, and François,
+had taken different directions at setting out. This they had done, in
+order to have as great a number of chances as possible of finding the
+game. Norman came in a few minutes after, bearing a whole deer upon his
+shoulders--a glad sight that was--and, a short interval having passed,
+François's "hurrah" sounded upon their ears, and François himself was
+seen coming up the valley loaded like a little donkey with two bunches
+of large snow-white birds.
+
+The camp now exhibited a cheering sight. Such a variety was never seen
+even in the larder of a palace kitchen. The ground was strewed with
+animals like a dead menagerie. There were no less than a dozen kinds
+upon it!
+
+The hare-soup was now quite ready, and was accordingly served up by
+Lucien in the best style. Lucien had dried a fresh "grist" of the tea
+leaves, and a cheering cup followed; and then the party all sat around
+their log-fire, while each of them detailed the history of his
+experience since parting with the others.
+
+François was the first to relate what had befallen him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE.
+
+
+"Mine," began François, "was a bird adventure, as you all see--though
+what kind of birds I've shot, _I_ can't tell. One of them's a hawk, I'm
+sure; but it's a _white_ hawk, and that I never saw before. The rest, I
+suppose, are _white_ partridges. Everything appears to be white here.
+What are they, Luce?"
+
+"You are right about this first," answered Lucien, taking up one of the
+birds which François had brought back with him, and which was white all
+but a few spots of clove-brown upon its back. "This is a hawk, as you
+may tell, by its appearance, or rather I should say a 'falcon,' for you
+must know there is a difference."
+
+"What difference?" demanded François, with some eagerness of manner.
+
+"Why the principal difference is the formation of their beaks or bills.
+The bills of the true falcons are stronger, and have a notch in the
+lower mandible answering to a tooth in the upper one. Their nostrils,
+too, are differently formed. But another point of distinction is found
+in their habits. Both feed on warm-blooded animals, and neither will eat
+carrion. In this respect the hawks and falcons are alike. Both take
+their prey upon the wing; but herein lies the difference. The hawks
+capture it by skimming along horizontally or obliquely, and picking it
+up as they pass; whereas the true falcons 'pounce' down upon it from
+above, and in a line nearly vertical."
+
+"Then this must be a true falcon," interrupted François, "for I saw the
+gentleman do that very thing; and beautifully he did it, too."
+
+"It is a falcon," continued Lucien; "and of the many species of hawks
+which inhabit North America--over twenty in all--it is one of the
+boldest and handsomest. I don't wonder you never saw it before; for it
+is truly a bird of the Northern regions, and does not come so far south
+as the territory of the United States, much less into Louisiana. It is
+found in North Europe, Greenland, and Iceland, and has been seen as far
+north on both continents as human beings have travelled. It is known by
+the name of 'jerfalcon,' or 'gyrfalcon,' but its zoological name is
+_Falco Islandicus_."
+
+"The Indians here," interposed Norman, "call it by a name that means
+'winter bird,' or 'winterer'--I suppose, because it is one of the few
+that stay in these parts all the year round, and is therefore often
+noticed by them in winter time. The traders sometimes call it the
+'speckled partridge-hawk,' for there are some of them more spotted than
+this one is."
+
+"True," said Lucien; "the young ones are nearly of a brown colour, and
+they first become spotted or mottled after a year or two. They are
+several years old before they get the white plumage, and very few
+individuals are seen of a pure white all over, though there are some
+without a spot."
+
+"Yes," continued the naturalist, "it is the jerfalcon; and those other
+birds which you call 'white partridges,' are the very creatures upon
+which it preys. So you have killed both the tyrant and his victims. They
+are not partridges though, but grouse--that species known as 'willow
+grouse.'"
+
+And as Lucien said this, he began to handle the birds, which were of a
+beautiful white all over, with the exception of the tail feathers. These
+last were pitch-black.
+
+"Ho!" exclaimed Lucien, in some surprise, "you have two kinds here! Were
+they all together when you shot them?"
+
+"No," answered François; "one I shot along with the hawk out in the open
+ground. All the others I killed upon a tree in a piece of woods that I
+fell in with. There's no difference between them that I can see."
+
+"But I can," said Lucien, "although I acknowledge they all look very
+much alike. Both are feathered to the toes--both have the black feathers
+in the tail--and the bills of both are black; but if you observe
+closely, this kind--the willow-grouse--has the bill much stronger and
+less flattened. Besides, it is a larger bird than the other, which is
+'the rock-grouse.' Both are sometimes, though erroneously, called
+'ptarmigan;' but they are not the true ptarmigan--such as exist in North
+Europe--though these last are also to be met with in the Northern parts
+of America. The ptarmigan are somewhat larger than either of these
+kinds, but in other respects differ but little from them.
+
+"The habits of the 'rock' and 'willow' grouse are very similar. They are
+both birds of the snowy region, and are found as far north as has been
+explored. The willow-grouse in winter keep more among the trees, and are
+oftener met with in wooded countries; whereas the others like best to
+live in the open ground, and, from your statement, it appears you found
+each kind in its favourite haunt."
+
+"Just so," said François. "After leaving here, I kept down the valley,
+and was just crossing an open piece of high ground, when I espied the
+white hawk, or falcon as you call it, hovering in the air as I'd often
+seen hawks do. Well, I stopped and hid behind a rock, thinking I might
+have a chance to put a few drops into him. All at once he appeared to
+stand still in the air, and, then closing his wings, shot down like an
+arrow. Just then I heard a loud '_whur-r-r_,' and up started a whole
+covey of white partridges--grouse, I should say--the same as this you
+call the 'rock-grouse.' I saw that the hawk had missed the whole of
+them, and I marked them as they flew off.
+
+"They pitched about a hundred yards or so, and then went plunge under
+the snow--every one of them making a hole for itself just like where one
+had poked their foot in! I guess, boys, this looked funny enough. I
+thought I would be sure to get a shot at some of these grouse as they
+came out again; so I walked straight up to the holes they had made, and
+stood waiting. I still saw the hawk hovering in the air, about an
+hundred yards ahead of me.
+
+"I was considering whether I ought to go farther on, and tramp the birds
+out of the snow; for I believed, of course, they were still under the
+place where the holes were. All at once I noticed a movement on the
+crust of the snow right under where the hawk was flying, and then that
+individual shot down to the spot, and disappeared under the snow! At the
+same instant, the crust broke in several places, and up came the grouse
+one after another, and whirred off out of sight, without giving me any
+sort of a chance. The hawk, however, had not come up yet; and I ran
+forward, determined to take him as soon as he should make his
+appearance. When I had got within shooting distance, up he fluttered to
+the surface, and--what do you think?--he had one of the grouse
+struggling in his claws! I let him have the right barrel, and both he
+and grousy were knocked dead as a couple of door-nails!
+
+"I thought I might fall in with the others again; and kept on in the
+direction they had taken, which brought me at last to a piece of
+woodland consisting of birches and willow-trees. As I was walking along
+the edge of this, I noticed one of the willows, at some distance off,
+covered with great white things, that at first I took for flakes of
+snow; but then I thought it curious that none of the other trees had the
+same upon them. As I came a little nearer, I noticed one of the things
+moving, and then I saw they were birds, and very like the same I had
+just seen, and was then in search of. So I crept in among the trees;
+and, after some dodging, got within beautiful shooting distance, and
+gave them both barrels. There, you see the result!"
+
+Here François triumphantly pointed to the pile of birds, which in all,
+with the jerfalcon, counted four brace and a half.
+
+One was the rock-grouse, which the falcon had itself killed, and the
+others were willow-grouse, as Lucien had stated. François now remained
+silent, while Basil related his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.
+
+
+"Frank," began he, "has called his 'a bird adventure.' I might give mine
+somewhat of the same title, for there was a bird mixed up with it--the
+noblest of all birds--the eagle. But you shall hear it.
+
+"On leaving the camp, I went, as you all know, up the valley. After
+travelling for a quarter of a mile or so, I came upon a wide open
+bottom, where there were some scattered willows and clumps of dwarf
+birch-trees. As Luce had told me that such are the favourite food of the
+American hare, or, as we call it in Louisiana, 'rabbit,' I looked out
+for the sign of one, and, sure enough, I soon came upon a track, which I
+knew to be that of 'puss.' It was fresh enough, and I followed it. It
+kept me meandering about for a long while, till at last I saw that it
+took a straight course for some thick brushwood, with two or three low
+birches growing out of it.
+
+"As I made sure of finding the game there, I crept forward very quietly,
+holding Marengo in the leash. But the hare was not in the brush; and,
+after tramping all through it, I again noticed the track where she had
+gone out on the opposite side. I was about starting forth to follow it,
+when all at once an odd-looking creature made its appearance right
+before me. It was that fellow there!" And Basil pointed to the lynx. "I
+thought at first sight," continued he, "it was our Louisiana wild cat or
+bay lynx, as Luce calls it, for it is very like our cat; but I saw it
+was nearly twice as big, and more greyish in the fur. Well, when I first
+sighted the creature, it was about an hundred yards off.
+
+"It hadn't seen me, though, for it was not running away, but skulking
+along slowly--nearly crosswise to the course of the hare's track--and
+looking in a different direction to that in which I was. I was well
+screened behind the bushes, and that, no doubt, prevented it from
+noticing me. At first I thought of running forward, and setting Marengo
+after it. Then I determined on staying where I was, and watching it a
+while. Perhaps it may come to a stop, reflected I, and let me creep
+within shot. I remained, therefore, crouching among the bushes, and kept
+the dog at my feet.
+
+"As I continued to watch the cat, I saw that, instead of following a
+straight line, it was moving in a circle!
+
+"The diameter of this circle was not over an hundred yards; and in a
+very short while the animal had got once round the circumference, and
+came back to where I had first seen it. It did not stop there, but
+continued on, though not in its old tracks. It still walked in a circle,
+but a much smaller one than before. Both, however, had a common centre;
+and, as I noticed that the animal kept its eyes constantly turned
+towards the centre, I felt satisfied that in that place would be found
+the cause of its strange manoeuvring. I looked to the centre. At first I
+could see nothing--at least nothing that might be supposed to attract
+the cat. There was a very small bush of willows, but they were thin. I
+could see distinctly through them, and there was no creature there,
+either in the bush or around it. The snow lay white up to the roots of
+the willows, and I thought that a mouse could hardly have found shelter
+among them, without my seeing it from where I stood.
+
+"Still I could not explain the odd actions of the lynx, upon any other
+principle than that it was in the pursuit of game; and I looked again,
+and carefully examined every inch of the ground as my eyes passed over
+it. This time I discovered what the animal was after. Close into the
+willows appeared two little parallel streaks of a dark colour, just
+rising above the surface of the snow. I should not have noticed them had
+there not been two of them, and these slanting in the same direction.
+They had caught my eyes before, but I had taken them for the points of
+broken willows. I now saw that they were the ears of some animal, and I
+thought that once or twice they moved slightly while I was regarding
+them.
+
+"After looking at them steadily for a time, I made out the shape of a
+little head underneath. It was white, but there was a round dark spot in
+the middle, which I knew to be an eye. There was no body to be seen.
+That was under the snow, but it was plain enough that what I saw was the
+head of a hare. At first I supposed it to be a Polar hare--such as we
+had just killed--but the tracks I had followed were not those of the
+Polar hare. Then I remembered that the 'rabbit' of the United States
+also turns white in the winter of the Northern regions. This, then, must
+be the American rabbit, thought I.
+
+"Of course my reflections did not occupy all the time I have taken in
+describing them. Only a moment or so. All the while the lynx was moving
+round and round the circle, but still getting nearer to the hare that
+appeared eagerly to watch it. I remembered how Norman had manoeuvred to
+get within shot of the Polar hare; and I now saw the very same _ruse_
+being practised by a dumb creature, that is supposed to have no other
+guide than instinct. But I had seen the 'bay lynx' of Louisiana do some
+'dodges' as cunning as that,--such as claying his feet to make the
+hounds lose the scent, and, after running backwards and forwards upon a
+fallen log, leap into the tops of trees, and get off in that way."
+
+"Believing that his Northern cousin was just as artful as himself" (here
+Basil looked significantly at the "Captain,") "I did not so much wonder
+at the performance I now witnessed. Nevertheless, I felt a great
+curiosity to see it out. But for this curiosity I could have shot the
+lynx every time he passed me on the nearer edge of the circle. Round and
+round he went, then, until he was not twenty feet from the hare, that,
+strange to say, seemed to regard this the worst of her enemies more with
+wonder than fear. The lynx at length stopped suddenly, brought his four
+feet close together, arched his back like an angry cat, and then with
+one immense bound, sprang forward upon his victim.
+
+"The hare had only time to leap out of her form, and the second spring
+of the lynx brought him right upon the top of her. I could hear the
+child-like scream which the American rabbit always utters when thus
+seized; but the cloud of snow-spray raised above the spot prevented me
+for a while from seeing either lynx or hare. The scream was stifled in a
+moment, and when the snow-spray cleared off, I saw that the lynx held
+the hare under his paws, and that 'puss' was quite dead.
+
+"I was considering how I might best steal up within shooting distance,
+when, all at once, I heard another scream of a very different sort. At
+the same time a dark shadow passed over the snow. I looked up, and
+there, within fifty yards of the ground, a great big bird was wheeling
+about. I knew it to be an eagle from its shape; and at first I fancied
+it was a young one of the white-headed kind--for, as you are aware,
+these do not have either the white head or tail until they are several
+years old. Its immense size, however, showed that it could not be one of
+these. It must be the great _'golden' eagle_ of the Rocky Mountains,
+thought I.
+
+"When I first noticed it, I fancied that it had been after the rabbit;
+and, seeing the latter pounced upon by another preying creature, had
+uttered its scream at being thus disappointed of its prey. I expected,
+therefore, to see it fly off. To my astonishment it broke suddenly out
+of the circles in which it had been so gracefully wheeling, and, with
+another scream wilder than before, darted down towards the lynx!
+
+"The latter, on hearing the first cry of the eagle, had started, dropped
+his prey, and looked up. In the eagle he evidently recognised an
+antagonist, for his back suddenly became arched, his fur bristled up,
+his short tail moved quickly from side to side, and he stood with
+glaring eyes, and claws ready to receive the attack.
+
+"As the eagle came down, its legs and claws were thrown forward, and I
+could then tell it was not a bald eagle, nor the great "Washington
+eagle," nor yet a fishing eagle of any sort, which both of these are.
+The fishing eagles, as Lucien had told me, _have always naked legs_,
+while those of the true eagles are more feathered. So were his, but
+beyond the feathers I could see his great curved talons, as he struck
+forward at the lynx. He evidently touched and wounded the animal, but
+the wound only served to make it more angry: and I could hear it purring
+and spitting like a tom-cat, only far louder.
+
+"The eagle again mounted back into the air, but soon wheeled round and
+shot down a second time. This time the lynx sprang forward to meet it,
+and I could hear the concussion of their bodies as they came together. I
+think the eagle must have been crippled, so that it could not fly up
+again, for the fight from that time was carried on upon the ground. The
+lynx seemed anxious to grasp some part of his antagonist's body--and at
+times I thought he had succeeded--but then he was beaten off again by
+the bird, that fought furiously with wings, beak, and talons."
+
+[Illustration: THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.]
+
+"The lynx now appeared to be the attacking party, as I saw him
+repeatedly spring forward at the eagle, while the latter always received
+him upon its claws, lying with its back upon the snow. Both fur and
+feathers flew in every direction, and sometimes the combatants were so
+covered with the snow-spray that I could see neither of them.
+
+"I watched the conflict for several minutes, until it occurred to me,
+that my best time to get near enough for a shot was just while they were
+in the thick of it, and not likely to heed me. I therefore moved
+silently out of the bushes; and, keeping Marengo in the string, crept
+forward. I had but the one bullet to give them, and with that I could
+not shoot both; but I knew that the quadruped was eatable, and, as I was
+not sure about the bird, I very easily made choice, and shot the lynx.
+To my surprise the eagle did not fly off, and I now saw that one of its
+wings was disabled! He was still strong enough, however, to scratch
+Marengo severely before the latter could master him. As to the lynx, he
+had been roughly handled. His skin was torn in several places, and one
+of his eyes, as you see, regularly 'gouged out.'"
+
+Here Basil ended his narration; and after an interval, during which some
+fresh wood was chopped and thrown upon the fire, Norman, in turn,
+commenced relating what had befallen him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE "ALARM BIRD" AND THE CARIBOU.
+
+
+"There wasn't much 'adventure' in my day's sport," said he, "though I
+might call it a 'bird-adventure' too, for if it hadn't been for a bird I
+shouldn't have had it. I shot a deer--that's all. But maybe it would be
+curious for you to know how I came to find the animal, so I'll tell you.
+
+"The first thing I did after leaving here was to climb the hill
+yonder"--here Norman pointed to a long hill that sloped up from the
+opposite shore of the lake, and which was the direction he had taken, as
+Basil and François had gone right and left.
+
+I saw neither bird, beast, nor track, until I had reached the top of
+the hill. There I got a good view of the country ahead. I saw it was
+very rocky, without a stick of timber, and did not look very promising
+for game. "It's no use going that way," I says to myself; "I'll keep
+along the ridge, above where Frank's gone. He may drive some varmint out
+of the hollow, and I'll get a crack at it, as it comes over the hill.
+
+"I was about to turn to the left when I heard the skreek of a bird away
+ahead of me. I looked in that direction; and, sure enough, saw one
+wheeling about in the air, right above the rocky jumble with which the
+country was covered.
+
+"Now it's a mighty curious bird that I saw. It's a sort of an owl, but,
+I should say myself, there's a sprinkling of the hawk in it--for it's as
+much like the one as the other."
+
+"No doubt," interrupted Lucien, "it was one of the day owls of these
+Northern regions, some of which approach very near to the hawks, both in
+shape and habits. This peculiarity arises from the fact of the long
+summer day--of weeks in duration--within the Arctic circle, requiring
+them to hunt for their prey, just as hawks do; and therefore Nature has
+gifted them with certain peculiarities that make them resemble these
+birds. They want the very broad faces and large tufted heads of the true
+owls; besides the ears, which in the latter are remarkable for their
+size, and also for being operculated, or with lids, in the former are
+not much larger than in other birds of prey. The small hawk-owl which is
+altogether a Northern bird, is one of this kind."
+
+"Very well," continued Norman, "what you say may be very true, cousin
+Luce; I only know that the bird I am speaking about is a mighty curious
+little creature. It ain't bigger than a pigeon, and is of a mottled
+brown colour; but what I call it curious for is this:--Whenever it sees
+any creature passing from place to place, it mounts up into the air, and
+hovers above them, keeping up a constant screeching, like the squalling
+of a child--and that's anything but agreeable. It does so, not only in
+the neighbourhood of its nest--like the plover and some other birds--but
+it will sometimes follow a travelling party for hours together, and for
+miles across the country."
+
+From this circumstance the Indians of these parts call it the "alarm
+bird," or "bird of warning," because it often makes them aware of the
+approach either of their enemies or of strangers. Sometimes it alarms
+and startles the game, while the hunter is crawling up to it; and I have
+known it to bother myself for a while of a day, when I was after grouse.
+It's a great favourite with the Indians though--as it often guides them
+to deer, or musk-oxen, by its flying and screaming above where these
+animals are feeding.
+
+Just in the same way it guided me. I knew, from the movements of the
+bird, that there must be something among the rocks. I couldn't tell
+what, but I hoped it would turn out to be some creature that was
+eatable; so I changed my intention, and struck out for the place where
+it was.
+
+It was a good half mile from the hill, and it cost me considerable
+clambering over the rocks, before I reached the ground. I thought to get
+near enough to see what it was, without drawing the bird upon myself,
+and I crouched from hummock to hummock; but the sharp-eyed creature
+caught sight of me, and came screeching over my head. I kept on without
+noticing it; but as I was obliged to go round some large rocks, I lost
+the direction, and soon found myself wandering back into my own trail.
+
+I could do nothing, therefore, until the bird should leave me, and fly
+back to whatever had first set it a-going. In order that it might do so,
+I crept in under a big stone that jutted out, and lay quiet a bit,
+watching it. It soon flew off, and commenced wheeling about in the air,
+not more than three hundred yards from where I lay. This time I took
+good bearings, and then went on. I did not care for the bird to guide me
+any longer, for I observed there was an open spot ahead, and I was sure
+that there I could see something. And sure enough I did. On peeping
+round the end of a rock, I spied a herd of about fifty deer.
+
+They were reindeer, of course, as there are no others upon the 'Barren
+Grounds,' and I saw they were all does--for at this season the bucks
+keep altogether in the woods. Some of them were pawing the snow to get
+at the moss, while others were standing by the rocks, and tearing off
+the lichens with their teeth. It so happened that I had the wind of
+them, else they would have scented me and made off, for I was within a
+hundred yards of the nearest. I was not afraid of their taking fright,
+so long as they could only see part of my body--for these deer are so
+stupid, or rather so curious, that almost anything will draw them within
+shot.
+
+Knowing this, I practised a trick that had often helped me before; and
+that was to move the barrel of my gun, up and down, with the same sort
+of motion as the deer make with their horns, when rubbing their necks
+against a rock or tree. If I'd had a set of antlers, it would have been
+all the better; but the other answered well enough. It happened the
+animals were not very wild, as, likely, they hadn't been hunted for a
+good while. I bellowed at the same time,--for I know how to imitate
+their call--and, in less than a minute's time, I got several of them
+within range. Then I took aim, and knocked one over, and the rest ran
+off. "That," said Norman, "ended _my_ adventure--unless you call the
+carrying a good hundred pounds weight of deer-meat all the way back to
+camp part of it. If so, I can assure you that it was by far the most
+unpleasant part."
+
+Here Norman finished his narration, and a conversation was carried on
+upon the subject of reindeer, or, as these animals are termed, in
+America, "caribou."
+
+Lucien said that the reindeer is found in the Northern regions of Europe
+and Asia as well as in America, but that there were several varieties of
+them, and perhaps there were different species. Those of Lapland are
+most celebrated, because they not only draw sledges, but also furnish
+food, clothing, and many other commodities for their owners. In the
+north of Asia, the Tungusians have a much larger sort, which they ride
+upon; and the Koreki, who dwell upon the borders of Kamschatka, possess
+vast herds of reindeer--some rich individuals owing as many as ten or
+twenty thousand!
+
+It is not certain that the reindeer of America is exactly the same as
+either of the kinds mentioned; and indeed in America itself there are
+two very distinct kinds--perhaps a third. Two kinds are well known, that
+differ from each other in size, and also in habits. One is the "Barren
+Ground caribou," and the other, the "Woodland caribou." The former is
+one of the smallest of the deer kind--the bucks weighing little over one
+hundred pounds. As its name implies, it frequents the Barren Grounds,
+although in winter it also seeks the shelter of wooded tracts. Upon the
+Barren Grounds, and the desolate shores and islands of the Arctic Sea,
+it is the only kind of deer found, except at one or two points, as the
+mouth of the Mackenzie River--which happens to be a wooded country, and
+there the moose also is met with.
+
+Nature seems to have gifted the Barren Ground caribou with such tastes
+and habits, that a fertile country and a genial clime would not be a
+pleasant home for it. It seems adapted to the bleak, sterile countries
+in which it dwells, and where its favourite food--the mosses and
+lichens--is found. In the short summer of the Arctic regions, it ranges
+still farther north; and its traces have been found wherever the
+Northern navigators have gone. It must remain among the icy islands of
+the Arctic Sea until winter be considerably advanced, or until the sea
+is so frozen as to allow it to get back to the shores of the continent.
+
+The "Woodland caribou" is a larger variety--a Woodland doe being about
+as big as a Barren Ground buck--although the horns of the latter species
+are larger and more branching than those of the former. The Woodland
+kind are found around the shores of Hudson's Bay, and in other wooded
+tracts that lie in the southern parts of the fur countries--into which
+the Barren Ground caribou never penetrates. They also migrate annually,
+but, strange to say, their spring migrations are southward, while, at
+the same season, their cousins of the Barren Grounds are making their
+way northward to the shores of the Arctic Sea. This is a very singular
+difference in their habits, and along with their difference in bulk,
+form, &c., entitles them to be ranked as separate species of deer.
+
+The flesh of the Woodland caribou is not esteemed so good an article of
+food as that of the other; and, as it inhabits a district where many
+large animals are found, it is not considered of so much importance in
+the economy of human life. The "Barren Ground caribou," on the other
+hand, is an indispensable animal to various tribes of Indians, as well
+as to the Esquimaux. Without it, these people would be unable to dwell
+where they do; and although they have not domesticated it, and trained
+it to draught, like the Laplanders, it forms their main source of
+subsistence, and there is no part of its body which they do not turn to
+some useful purpose.
+
+Of its horns they form their fish-spears and hooks, and, previous to the
+introduction of iron by the Europeans, their ice-chisels and various
+other utensils. Their scraping or currying knives are made from the
+split shin-bones. The skins make their clothing, tent-covers, beds, and
+blankets. The raw hide, cleared of the hair and cut into thongs, serves
+for snares, bow-strings, net-lines, and every other sort of ropes. The
+finer thongs make netting for snow-shoes--an indispensable article to
+these people--and of these thongs fish-nets are also woven; while the
+tendons of the muscles, when split, serve for fine sewing-thread.
+Besides these uses, the flesh of the caribou is the food of many tribes,
+Indians and Esquimaux, for most of the year; and, indeed, it may be
+looked upon as their staple article of subsistence.
+
+There is hardly any part of it (even the horns, when soft) that is not
+eaten and relished by them. Were it not for the immense herds of these
+creatures that roam over the country, they would soon be
+exterminated--for they are easily approached, and the Indians have very
+little difficulty, during the summer season, in killing as many as they
+please.
+
+Norman next gave a description of the various modes of hunting the
+caribou practised by the Indians and Esquimaux; such as driving them
+into a pound, snaring them, decoying and shooting them with arrows, and
+also a singular way which the Esquimaux have of taking them in a
+pit-trap built in the snow.
+
+"The sides of the trap," said he, "are built of slabs of snow, cut as if
+to make a snow-house. An inclined plane of snow leads to the entrance of
+the pit, which is about five feet deep, and large enough within to hold
+several deer. The exterior of the trap is banked up on all sides with
+snow; but so steep are these sides left, that the deer can only get up
+by the inclined plane which leads to the entrance. A great slab of snow
+is then placed over the mouth of the pit, and revolves on two axles of
+wood. This slab will carry the deer until it has passed the line of the
+axles, when its weight overbalances one side, and the animal is
+precipitated into the pit. The slab then comes back into a horizontal
+position as before, and is ready to receive another deer. The animals
+are attracted by moss and lichens placed for them on the opposite side
+of the trap--in such a way that they cannot be reached without crossing
+the slab. In this sort of trap several deer are frequently caught during
+a single day."
+
+Norman knew another mode of hunting practised by the Esquimaux, and
+proposed that the party should proceed in search of the herd upon the
+following day; when, should they succeed in finding the deer, he would
+show them how the thing was done; and he had no doubt of their being
+able to make a good hunt of it. All agreed to this proposal, as it would
+be of great importance to them to kill a large number of these animals.
+It is true they had now provision enough to serve for several days--but
+there were perhaps months, not days, to be provided for. They believed
+that they could not be far from the wooded countries near the banks of
+the Mackenzie, as some kinds of the animal they had met with were only
+to be found near timber during the winter season. But what of that? Even
+on the banks of the great river itself they might not succeed in
+procuring game. They resolved, therefore, to track the herd of deer
+which Norman had seen; and for this purpose they agreed to make a stay
+of some days at their present camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+A BATTLE WITH WOLVES.
+
+
+Next morning they were up by early daybreak. The days were now only a
+few hours in length, for it was mid-winter, and they were but three or
+four degrees south of the Arctic circle. Of course they would require
+all the day for the intended hunt of the caribou, as they might have to
+follow the track of the herd for many miles before coming up with the
+animals. Lucien was to remain by the camp, as it would never do to leave
+the animals they had already killed without some guard. To have hung
+them on the trees, would have put them out of the reach of both wolves
+and foxes; but the lynx and wolverene are both tree-climbers, and could
+easily have got at them there.
+
+They had reason to believe there were wolverenes about; for these fierce
+and destructive beasts are found in every part of the fur
+countries--wherever there exist other animals upon which they can prey.
+Eagles, hawks, and owls, moreover, would have picked the partridges from
+the branches of the trees without difficulty. One proposed burying them
+in the snow; but Norman assured them that the Arctic foxes could scent
+them out, and dig them up in a few minutes. Then it was suggested to
+cover them under a pile of stones, as there were plenty of these lying
+about.
+
+To this Norman also objected, saying that the wolverene could pull off
+any stones they were able to pile upon them--as this creature in its
+fore-legs possesses more than the strength of a man. Besides, it was not
+unlikely that one of the great brown bears,--a species entirely
+different from either the black or grizzly bears, and which is only met
+with on the Barren Grounds--might come ranging that way; and he could
+soon toss over any stone-heap they might build. On the whole it was
+better that one of the four should remain by the camp; and Lucien, who
+cared less about hunting than any of them, willingly agreed to be the
+one.
+
+Their arrangements were soon completed, and the three hunters set out.
+They did not go straight towards the place where Norman had found the
+deer upon the preceding day, but took a cross-cut over the hills. This
+was by Norman's advice, who guided himself by the wind--which had not
+changed since the previous day. He knew that the caribou in feeding
+always travel _against_ the wind; and he expected therefore to find them
+somewhere in the direction from which it was blowing. Following a
+course, which angled with that of the wind, they kept on, expecting soon
+to strike the trail of the herd.
+
+Meanwhile Lucien, left to himself, was not idle. He had to prepare the
+flesh of the different animals, so as to render it fit to be carried
+along. Nothing was required farther than to skin and cut them up.
+Neither salting nor drying was necessary, for the flesh of one and all
+had got frozen as stiff as a stone, and in this way it would keep during
+the whole winter. The wolf was skinned with the others, but this was
+because his fine skin was wanted. His flesh was not intended to be
+eaten--although only a day or two before any one of the party would have
+been glad of such a meal.
+
+Not only the Indians, but the voyageurs and fur-traders, while
+journeying through these inhospitable wilds, are often but too delighted
+to get a dinner of wolf-meat. The ermine and the little mouse were the
+only other creatures of the collection that were deemed uneatable. As to
+the Arctic fox and the lynx, the flesh of both these creatures is highly
+esteemed, and is white and tender, almost as much so as the hares upon
+which they feed. The snowy owl too, the jerfalcon, and the eagle, were
+looked upon as part of the larder--the flesh of all being almost as good
+as that of the grouse.
+
+Had it been a fishing eagle--such as the bald-head--the case would have
+been different, for these last, on account of their peculiar food, taste
+rank and disagreeable. But there was no danger of their falling in with
+a fishing eagle at that place. These can only exist where there is
+_open_ water. Hence the cause of their annual migrations to the
+southward, when the lakes and rivers of the fur countries become covered
+with their winter ice.
+
+Though Lucien remained quietly at the camp he was not without adventures
+to keep him from wearying. While he was singeing his grouse his eye
+happened to fall upon the shadow of a bird passing over the snow. On
+looking up he saw a very large bird, nearly as big as an eagle, flying
+softly about in wide circles. It was of a mottled-brown colour; but its
+short neck and great round head told the naturalist at a glance that it
+was a bird of the owl genus. It was the largest of the kind that Lucien
+had ever seen, and was, in fact, the largest known in America--the
+"great cinereous owl." Now and then it would alight upon a rock or tree,
+at the distance of an hundred yards or so from the camp; where it would
+watch the operations of Lucien, evidently inclined to help him in
+dissecting some of the animals. Whenever he took up his gun and tried to
+approach within shot, it would rise into the air again, always keeping
+out of range. Lucien was provoked at this--for he wished, as a
+naturalist, to examine the bird, and for this purpose to kill it, of
+course; but the owl seemed determined that he should do no such thing.
+
+At length, however, Lucien resolved upon a plan to decoy the creature
+within shot. Taking up one of the grouse, he flung it out upon the snow
+some thirty yards from the fire. No sooner had he done so, than the owl,
+at sight of the tempting morsel, left aside both its shyness and
+prudence, and sailed gently forward; then, hovering for a moment over
+the ground, hooked the grouse upon its claws, and was about to carry it
+off, when a bullet from Lucien's rifle, just in the "nick of time," put
+a stop to its further flight, and dropped the creature dead upon the
+snow.
+
+Lucien picked it up and brought it to the camp, where he passed some
+time in making notes upon its size, colour, and other peculiarities. The
+owl measured exactly two feet in length from the point of the bill to
+the end of the tail; and its "alar spread," as naturalists term it, was
+full five feet in extent. It was of a clove-brown colour, beautifully
+mottled with white, and its bill and eyes were of a bright gamboge
+yellow. Like all of its tribe that winter in the Arctic wilds, it was
+feathered to the toes. Lucien reflected that this species lives more in
+the woods than the "great snowy owl," and, as he had heard, is never
+found far out on the Barren Grounds during winter. This fact, therefore,
+was a pleasant one to reflect upon, for it confirmed the testimony which
+the travellers had already obtained from several of the other creatures
+they had killed--that is to say, that they must be in the neighbourhood
+of some timbered country.
+
+Lucien had hardly finished his examination of the owl when he was called
+upon to witness another incident of a still more exciting nature. A
+hill, as already mentioned, or rather a ridge, rose up from the opposite
+shore of the lake by which the camp was pitched. The declivity of this
+hill fronted the lake, and sloped gradually back from the edge of the
+water. Its whole face was smooth and treeless, covered with a layer of
+pure snow. The camp commanded a full view of it up to its very crest.
+
+As Lucien was sitting quietly by the fire a singular sound, or rather
+continuation of sounds, fell upon his ear. It somewhat resembled the
+baying of hounds at a distance; and at first he was inclined to believe
+that it was Marengo on a view-hunt after the deer. On listening more
+attentively, however, he observed that the sounds came from more than
+one animal; and also, that they bore more resemblance to the howling of
+wolves than the deep-toned bay of a bloodhound. This, in fact, it was;
+for the next moment a caribou shot up over the crest of the hill, and
+was seen stretching at full gallop down the smooth declivity in the
+direction of the lake. Not twenty paces in its rear followed a string of
+howling animals, evidently in pursuit of it. There were a dozen of them
+in all, and they were running exactly like hounds upon the "view
+holloa." Lucien saw at a glance they were wolves. Most of them were
+dappled-grey and white, while some were of a pure white colour. Any one
+of them was nearly as large as the caribou itself; for in these
+parts--around Great Slave Lake--the wolf grows to his largest size.
+
+The caribou gained upon them as it bounded down the slope of the hill.
+It was evidently making for the lake, believing, no doubt, that the
+black ice upon its surface was water, and that in that element it would
+have the advantage of its pursuers, for the caribou is a splendid
+swimmer. Nearly all deer when hunted take to the water--to throw off the
+dogs, or escape from men--and to this habit the reindeer makes no
+exception.
+
+Down the hill swept the chase, Lucien having a full view both of
+pursuers and pursued. The deer ran boldly. It seemed to have gathered
+fresh confidence at sight of the lake, while the same object caused its
+pursuers a feeling of disappointment. They knew they were no match for a
+caribou in the water, as no doubt many a one had escaped them in that
+element. It is not likely, however, that they made reflections of this
+sort. There was but little time. From the moment of their appearance
+upon the crest of the hill till the chase arrived at the edge of the
+lake, was but a few seconds. On reaching the shore the caribou made no
+stop; but bounded forward in the same way as if it had been springing
+upon water. Most likely it expected to hear a plunge; but, instead of
+that, its hoofs came down upon the hard ice; and, by the impulse thus
+given, the animal shot out with the velocity of a skater.
+
+Strange to say, it still kept its feet; but, now seemingly overcome by
+surprise, and knowing the advantage its pursuers would have over it upon
+the slippery ice, it began to plunge and flounder, and once or twice
+came to its knees. The hungry pursuers appeared to recognise their
+advantage at once, for their howling opened with a fresh burst, and they
+quickened their pace. Their sharp claws enabled them to gallop over the
+ice at top speed; and one large brute that led the pack soon came up
+with the deer, sprang upon it, and bit it in the flank. This brought the
+deer upon its haunches, and at once put an end to the chase. The animal
+was hardly down upon the ice, when the foremost wolves coming up
+precipitated themselves upon its body, and began to devour it.
+
+It was about the middle of the lake where the caribou had been
+overtaken. At the time it first reached the ice, Lucien had laid hold of
+his rifle and run forward in order to meet the animal half-way, and, if
+possible, get a shot at it. Now that the creature was killed, he
+continued on with the design of driving off the wolves, and securing the
+carcass of the deer for himself. He kept along the ice until he was
+within less than twenty yards of the pack, when, seeing that the fierce
+brutes had torn the deer to pieces, and perceiving, moreover, that they
+exhibited no fear of himself, he began to think he might be in danger by
+advancing any nearer. Perhaps a shot from his rifle would scatter them,
+and without further reflection he raised the piece, and fired. One of
+the wolves kicked over upon the ice, and lay quite dead; but the others,
+to Lucien's great surprise, instead of being frightened off, immediately
+sprang upon their dead companion, and commenced tearing and devouring
+it, just as they had done the deer!
+
+The sight filled Lucien with alarm; which was increased at seeing
+several of the wolves--that had been beaten by the others from the
+quarry--commence making demonstrations towards himself! Lucien now
+trembled for his safety, and no wonder. He was near the middle of the
+lake upon slippery ice. To attempt running back to the camp would be
+hazardous; the wolves could overtake him before he had got half-way, and
+he felt certain that any signs of fear on his part would be the signal
+for the fierce brutes to assail him.
+
+For some moments he was irresolute how to act. He had commenced loading
+his gun, but his fingers were numbed with the cold, and it was a good
+while before he could get the piece ready for a second fire. He
+succeeded at length. He did not fire then, but resolved to keep the
+charge for a more desperate crisis. Could he but reach the camp there
+were trees near it, and one of these he might climb. This was his only
+hope, in case the wolves attacked him, and he knew it was. Instead of
+turning and running for this point, he began to back for it stealthily
+and with caution, keeping his front all the while towards the wolves,
+and his eyes fixed upon them.
+
+He had not got many yards, when he perceived to his horror, that the
+whole pack were in motion, and _coming after him_! It was a terrible
+sight, and Lucien seeing that by retreating he only drew them on,
+stopped and held his rifle in a threatening attitude. The wolves were
+now within twenty yards of him; but, instead of moving any longer
+directly towards him, they broke into two lines, swept past on opposite
+sides of him, and then circling round, met each other in his rear. _His
+retreat was cut off!_
+
+He now stood upon the ice with the fierce wolves forming a ring around
+him, whose diameter was not the six lengths of his gun, and every moment
+growing shorter and shorter. The prospect was appalling. It would have
+caused the stoutest heart to quail, and Lucien's was terrified. He
+shouted at the top of his voice. He fired his rifle at the nearest. The
+brute fell, but the others showed no symptoms of fear; they only grew
+more furious. Lucien clubbed his gun--the last resort in such cases--and
+laid around him with all his might; but he was in danger of slipping
+upon the ice, and his efforts were feeble.
+
+Once down he never would have risen again, for his fierce assailants
+would have sprung upon him like tigers. As it was, he felt but little
+hope. He believed himself lost. The teeth of the ferocious monsters
+gleamed under his eyes. He was growing weaker and weaker, yet still he
+battled on, and swept his gun around him with the energy of despair.
+
+Such a struggle could not have continued much longer. Lucien's fate
+would have been sealed in a very few minutes more, had not relief
+arrived in some shape or other. But it did come. A loud shout was heard
+upon the hill; and Lucien, glancing suddenly towards it, saw several
+forms rushing downward to the lake! It was the hunting party returned,
+and in a moment more they were crossing the ice to his rescue. Lucien
+gaining confidence fought with fresh vigour. The wolves busy in their
+attack had either not heard or were regardless of the new-comers; but
+the "crack, crack" of the guns--repeated no less than four times--and
+then the nearer reports of pistols, made a speedy impression upon the
+brutes, and in a short while half their number were seen tumbling and
+kicking upon the ice. The rest, uttering their hideous howls, took to
+flight, and soon disappeared from the valley; and Lucien, half dead with
+fatigue, staggered into the arms of his deliverers.
+
+No less than seven of the wolves were killed in the affray--two of which
+Lucien had shot himself. One or two were only wounded, but so badly,
+that they could not get away; and these were handed over to the tender
+mercies of Marengo, who amused himself for some time after by worrying
+them to death.
+
+The hunting party had made a good day of it. They had fallen in with the
+caribou, and had killed three of them. These they were bringing to camp,
+but had dropped them upon the hill, on perceiving the perilous position
+of Lucien. They now went back, and having carried the deer to their
+camping-place, were soon engaged in the pleasant occupation of eating a
+savoury dinner. Lucien soon recovered from his fright and fatigue, and
+amused his companions by giving an account of the adventures that had
+befallen him in their absence.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+END OF THE "VOYAGE."
+
+
+Our party remained several days at this place, until they had made a
+fresh stock of "pemmican" from the flesh of the caribou, several more of
+which they succeeded in killing; and then, arranging everything anew,
+and taking with them such skins as they wanted, they continued their
+journey.
+
+They had two days' hard travelling through a rocky mountainous country,
+where they could not find a stick of wood to cook their meals with, and
+were exposed to cold more than at any other place. Both François and
+Lucien had their faces frost-bitten; but they were cured by Norman, who
+prevented them from going near a fire until he had well rubbed the parts
+with soft snow.
+
+The rocks through which they passed were in many places covered with the
+_tripe de roche_ of several species; but our voyageurs cared nothing
+about it so long as their pemmican lasted, and of that each of them had
+nearly as much as he could carry.
+
+In the most dreary part of the mountains they chanced upon a herd of
+those curious animals, the musk-oxen, and shot one of them; but the meat
+tasted so rank, and smelt so strongly of musk, that the whole of it was
+left to the wolves, foxes, and other preying creatures of these parts.
+
+On the third day, after leaving their camp by the lake, a pleasant
+prospect opened before them. It was the valley of the Mackenzie,
+stretching to the west, and extending north and south as far as the eye
+could reach, covered with forests of pine and poplar, and other large
+trees. Of course the landscape was a winter one, as the river was bound
+up in ice, and the trees themselves were half-white with frozen snow;
+but after the dreary scenery of the barren grounds, even this appeared
+warm and summer-like. There was no longer any danger they should be
+without a good fire to cook their dinners, or warm themselves at, and a
+wooded country offers a better prospect of game.
+
+The sight, therefore, of a great forest was cheering; and our
+travellers, in high spirits, planted their tent upon the banks of the
+great Northern river. They had still many hundred miles to go before
+arriving at their destination; but they determined to continue their
+journey without much delay, following the river as a guide. No more
+"near cuts" were to be taken in future. They had learned, from their
+recent experience, that "the shortest way across is sometimes the
+longest way round," and they resolved to profit by the lesson. I hope,
+boy reader, you too will remember it.
+
+After reaching the Mackenzie the voyageurs halted one day, and upon the
+next commenced their journey down-stream. Sometimes they kept upon the
+bank, but at times, for a change, they travelled upon the ice of the
+river. There was no danger of its giving way under them, for it was
+more than a foot in thickness, and would have supported a loaded wagon
+and horses, without even cracking.
+
+They were now drawing near the Arctic circle, and the days grew shorter
+and shorter as they advanced. But this did not much interfere with their
+travelling. The long nights of the Polar regions are not like those of
+more Southern latitudes. They are sometimes so clear, that one may read
+the smallest print. What with the coruscations of the aurora borealis,
+and the cheerful gleaming of the Northern constellations, one may travel
+without difficulty throughout the livelong night. I am sure, my young
+friend, you have made good use of your globes, and need not be told that
+the length of both nights and days, as you approach the pole, depends
+upon two things--the latitude of the place, and the season of the year;
+and were you to spend a whole year _leaning against the pole itself,
+(!)_ you would _live but one day and one night_--each of them six months
+in length.
+
+But no doubt you know all these things without my telling you of them,
+and you are impatient to hear not about that, but whether the young
+voyageurs safely reached the end of their journey. That question I
+answer briefly at once--they did.
+
+Some distance below the point where they had struck the Mackenzie, they
+fell in with a winter encampment of Dog-rib Indians. Some of these
+people had been to the Fort to trade; and Norman being known to them, he
+and his Southern cousins were received with much hospitality. All their
+wants were provided for, as far as it lay in the power of these poor
+people to do; but the most valuable thing obtained from the Indians was
+a full set of dogs and dog-sledges for the whole party. These were
+furnished by the chief, upon the understanding that he should be paid
+for them on his next visit to the Fort.
+
+Although the reindeer of North America are not trained to the sledge by
+the Esquimaux and Indians, several kinds of dogs are; and a single pair
+of these faithful creatures will draw a full-grown man at a rate that
+exceeds almost every other mode of travelling--steam excepted. When our
+voyageurs, therefore, flung away their snow-shoes, and, wrapped in their
+skin cloaks, seated themselves snugly in their dog sledges, the five
+hundred miles that separated them from the Fort were soon reduced to
+nothing; and one afternoon, four small sledges, each carrying a "young
+voyageur," with a large bloodhound galloping in the rear, were seen
+driving up to the stockade fence surrounding the Fort.
+
+Before they had quite reached the gate, there was a general rush of
+trappers, traders, voyageurs, _coureurs-des-bois_ and other _employés_,
+to reach them; and the next moment they were lost in the midst of the
+people who crowded out of the Fort to welcome them. This was their hour
+of happiness and joy.
+
+To me there is an hour of regret, and I hope, boy reader, to you as
+well--the hour of our parting with the "YOUNG VOYAGEURS."
+
+
+
+
+THE FOREST EXILES,
+
+OR
+
+ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD.
+
+
+Boy Reader, I am told that you are not tired of my company. Is this
+true?
+
+"Quite true, dear Captain,--quite true!"
+
+That is your reply. You speak sincerely? I believe you do.
+
+In return, believe _me_, when I tell you I am not tired of yours; and
+the best proof I can give is, that I have come once more to seek you. I
+have come to solicit the pleasure of your company,--not to an evening
+party, nor to a ball, nor to the Grand Opera, nor to the Crystal Palace,
+nor yet to the Zoological Gardens of Regent's Park,--no, but to the
+great zoological garden of Nature. I have come to ask you to accompany
+me on another "campaign,"--another "grand journey" through the fields of
+Science and Adventure. Will you go?
+
+"Most willingly--with you, dear Captain, anywhere."
+
+Come with me, then.
+
+Again we turn our faces westward; again we cross the blue and billowy
+Atlantic; again we seek the shores of the noble continent of America.
+
+"What! to America again?"
+
+Ha! that is a large continent, and you need not fear that I am going to
+take you over old ground. No, fear not that! New scenes, await us; a new
+_fauna_, a new _flora_,--I might almost say, a new earth and a new sky!
+
+You shall have variety, I promise you,--a perfect contrast to the scenes
+of our last journey.
+
+Then, you remember, we turned our faces to the cold and icy North,--now
+our path lies through the hot and sunny South. Then we lived in a
+log-hut, and closed every cranny to keep out the cold,--now, in our
+cottage of palms and cane, we shall be but too glad to let the breeze
+play through the open walls. Then we wrapped our bodies in thick
+furs,--now we shall be content with the lightest garments. Then we were
+bitten by the frost--now we shall be bitten by the sand-flies, and
+mosquitoes, and bats, and snakes, and scorpions, and spiders, and stung
+by wasps, and centipedes, and great red ants! Trust me, you shall have a
+change!
+
+Perhaps you do not contemplate _such_ a change with any very lively
+feelings of pleasure. Come! do not be alarmed at the snakes, and
+scorpions, and centipedes! We shall find a cure for every bite--an
+antidote for every bane.
+
+Our new journey shall have its pleasures and advantages. Remember how of
+old we shivered as we slept, coiled up in the corner of our dark log-hut
+and smothered in skins,--now we shall swing lightly in our netted
+hammocks under the gossamer leaves of the palm-tree, or the feathery
+frondage of the ferns. Then we gazed upon leaden skies, and at night
+looked upon the cold constellation of the Northern Bear;--now, we shall
+have over us an azure canopy, and shall nightly behold the sparkling
+glories of the Southern Cross, still shining as bright as when Paul and
+his little Virginia with loving eyes gazed upon it from their island
+home. In our last journey we toiled over bleak and barren wastes, across
+frozen lakes, and marshes, and rivers;--now we shall pass under the
+shadows of virgin forests, and float lightly upon the bosom of broad
+majestic streams, whose shores echo with the voices of living nature.
+
+Hitherto our travels have been upon the wide, open prairie, the
+trackless plain of sand, the frozen lake, the thin scattering woods of
+the North, or the treeless snow-clad "Barrens." Now we are about to
+enter a great forest,--a forest where the leaves never fade, where the
+flowers are always in bloom,--a forest where the woodman's axe has not
+yet echoed, where the colonist has hardly hewed out a single
+clearing,--a vast primeval forest,--the largest in the world.
+
+How large, do you ask? I can hardly tell you. Are you thinking of Epping
+or the New Forest? True, these are large woods, and have been larger at
+one time. But if you draw your ideas of a great forest from either of
+these you must prepare yourselves for a startling announcement--and that
+is, that the forest through which I am going to take you is _as big as
+all Europe_! There is one place where a straight line might be drawn
+across this forest that would measure the enormous length of two
+thousand six hundred miles! And there is a point in it from which a
+circle might be described, with a diameter of more than a thousand
+miles, and the whole area included within the vast circumference would
+be found covered with an unbroken forest!
+
+I need scarce tell you what forest I allude to, for there is none other
+in the world of such dimensions--none to compare with that vast,
+trackless forest that covers the valley of the mighty Amazon!
+
+And what shall we see in travelling through this tree-covered expanse?
+Many a strange form of life--both vegetable and animal. We shall see the
+giant "ceiba" tree, and the "zamang," and the "caoba," twined by huge
+parasites almost as thick as their own trunks, and looking as though
+they embraced but to crush them; the "juvia," with its globe-shaped
+fruits as large as the human head; the "cow-tree," with its abundant
+fountains of rich milk; the "seringa," with its valuable gum--the
+caoutchouc of commerce; the "cinchona," with its fever-killing bark; the
+curious "volador," with its winged seeds; the wild indigo, and the
+arnatto. We shall see palms of many species--some with trunks smooth and
+cylindrical, others covered with thorns, sharp and thickly set--some
+with broad entire leaves, others with fronds pinnate and feathery, and
+still others whose leaves are the shape of a fan--some rising like naked
+columns to the height of an hundred and fifty feet, while others
+scarcely attain to the standard of an ordinary man.
+
+On the water we shall see beautiful lilies--the snow-white _nymphs_, and
+the yellow _nuphars_. We shall see the _Victoria regia_ covering the
+pool with its massive wax-like flowers, and huge circular leaves of
+bronze green. We shall see tall flags like Saracen spears, and the dark
+green culms of gigantic rushes, and the golden _arundinaria_--the
+bamboo, and "caña brava,"--that rival the forest trees in height.
+
+Many a form of animal life we may behold. Basking in the sun, we may
+behold the yellow and spotted body of the jaguar--a beautiful but
+dreaded sight. Breaking through the thick underwood, or emerging slowly
+from the water, we may catch a glimpse of the sombre tapir, or the
+red-brown capivara. We may see the ocelot skulking through the deep
+shade, or the margay springing upon its winged prey.
+
+We may see the shaggy ant-bear tearing at the cones of sand-clay,
+and licking up the white termites; or we may behold the scaly
+armadillo crawling over the sun-parched earth, and rolling itself
+up at the approach of danger. We may see human-like forms,--the
+_quadrumana_--clinging among the high branches, and leaping from tree to
+tree, like birds upon the wing; we may see them of many shapes, sizes,
+and colours, from the great howling monkeys, with their long prehensive
+tails, down to the little saimiris and ouistitis not larger than
+squirrels.
+
+What beautiful birds, too!--for this forest is their favourite home.
+Upon the ground, the large curassows, and gurns, and the "gallo," with
+his plumage of bright red. Upon the trees, the macaws, and parrots, and
+toucans, and trogons. In the waters, the scarlet flamingoes, the ibises,
+and the tall herons; and in the air, the hawks, the zamuros, the
+king-vultures, and the eagles.
+
+We shall see much of the reptile world, both by land and water. Basking
+upon the bank, or floating along the stream, we may behold the great
+water lizards--the crocodile and caïman; or the unwieldly forms of the
+_cheloniæ_--the turtles. Nimbly running along the tree-trunk, or up the
+slanting lliana, we may see the crested iguana, hideous to behold. On
+the branches that overhang the silent pool we may see the "water-boa,"
+of huge dimensions, watching for his prey--the peccary, the capivara,
+the paca, or the agouti; and in the dry forest we may meet with his
+congener the "stag-swallower," twined around a tree, and waiting for the
+roebuck or the little red-deer of the woods.
+
+We may see the mygale, or bird-catching spider, at the end of his strong
+net-trap, among the thick foliage; and the tarantula, at the bottom of
+his dark pit-fall, constructed in the ground. We may see the tent-like
+hills of the white ants, raised high above the surface, and the nests of
+many other kinds, hanging from high branches, and looking as though they
+had been constructed out of raw silk and pasteboard. We may see trees
+covered with these nests, and some with the nests of wasps, and still
+others with those of troupials and orioles--birds of the genus _icterus_
+and _cassicus_--hanging down like long cylindrical purses.
+
+All those, and many more strange sights, may be seen in the great forest
+of the Amazon valley; and some of them we _shall_ see--_voilà_!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE REFUGEES.
+
+
+Upon a bright and lovely evening, many years ago, a party of travellers
+might have been seen climbing up that Cordillera of the Andes that lies
+to the eastward of the ancient city of Cuzco. It was a small and
+somewhat singular party of travellers; in fact, a travelling
+family,--father, mother, children, and one attendant. We shall say a
+word of each of them separately.
+
+The chief of the party was a tall and handsome man, of nearly forty
+years of age. His countenance bespoke him of Spanish race, and so he
+was. He was not a Spaniard, however, but a Spanish-American, or
+"Creole," for so Spaniards born in America are called to distinguish
+them from the natives of Old Spain.
+
+Remember--Creoles are _not_ people with negro or African blood in their
+veins. There is a misconception on this head in England, and elsewhere.
+The African races of America are either negroes, mulattoes, quadroons,
+quinteroons, or mestizoes; but the "Creoles" are of European blood,
+though born in America. Remember this. Don Pablo Romero--for that was
+the name of our traveller--was a Creole, a native of Cuzco, which, as
+you know, was the ancient capital of the Incas of Peru.
+
+Don Pablo, as already stated, was nearly forty years of age. Perhaps he
+looked older. His life had not been spent in idleness. Much study,
+combined with a good deal of suffering and care, had made many of those
+lines that rob the face of its youthful appearance. Still, although his
+look was serious, and just then sad, his eye was occasionally seen to
+brighten, and his light elastic step showed that he was full of vigour
+and manhood. He had a moustache, very full and black, but his whiskers
+were clean shaven, and his hair cut short, after the fashion of most
+people in Spanish America.
+
+He wore velvet pantaloons, trimmed at the bottoms with black stamped
+leather, and upon his feet were strong boots of a reddish yellow
+colour--that is, the natural colour of the tanned hide before it has
+been stained. A dark jacket, closely buttoned, covered the upper-part of
+his body, and a scarlet silk sash encircled his waist, the long fringed
+ends hanging down over the left hip. In this sash were stuck a Spanish
+knife and a pair of pistols, richly ornamented with silver mountings.
+
+But all these things were concealed from the view by a capacious poncho,
+which is a garment that in South America serves as a cloak by day and a
+blanket by night. It is nearly of the size and shape of an ordinary
+blanket, with a slit in the centre, through which the head is passed,
+leaving the ends to hang down. Instead of being of uniform colour,
+several bright colours are usually woven into the poncho, forming a
+variety of patterns. In Mexico a very similar garment--the serapé--is
+almost universally worn. The poncho of Don Pablo was a costly one, woven
+by hand, and out of the finest wool of the vicuña, for that is the
+native country of this useful and curious animal.
+
+Such a poncho would cost 20_l._, and would not only keep out cold, but
+would turn rain like a "macintosh." Don Pablo's hat was also curious and
+costly. It was one of those known as "Panama," or "Guayaquil,"--hats so
+called because they are manufactured by Indian tribes who dwell upon the
+Pacific coast, and are made out of a rare sea-grass, which is found near
+the above-mentioned places. A good Guayaquil hat will cost 20_l._; and
+although, with its broad curling brim and low crown, it looks not much
+better than Leghorn or even fine straw, yet it is far superior to
+either, both as a protection against rain, or, what is of more
+importance in southern countries, against a hot tropical sun. The best
+of them will wear half a life-time. Don Pablo's "sombrero" was one of
+the very best and costliest; and this, combined with the style of his
+other habiliments, betokened that the wearer was one of the "ricos," or
+high class of his country.
+
+The costume of his wife, who was a dark and very beautiful Spanish
+woman, would have strengthened this idea. She wore a dress of black silk
+with velvet bodice and sleeves, tastefully embroidered. A mantilla of
+dark cloth covered her shoulders, and on her head was a low
+broad-brimmed hat, similar to those usually worn by men, for a bonnet is
+a thing unknown to the ladies of Spanish America. A single glance at the
+Doña Isidora would have satisfied any one that she was a lady of rank
+and refinement.
+
+There were two children, upon which, from time to time, she gazed
+tenderly. They were her only ones. They were a boy and girl, nearly of
+equal size and age. The boy was the elder, perhaps thirteen or more, a
+handsome lad, with swarth face, coal-black eyes, and curly full-flowing
+dark hair. The girl, too, who would be about twelve, was dark--that is
+to say, brunette in complexion. Her eyes were large, round, and dreamy,
+with long lashes that kept the sun from shining into them, and thus
+deepened their expression.
+
+Perhaps there are no children in the world so beautiful as those of the
+Spanish race. There is a smoothness of skin, a richness in colour, and a
+noble "hidalgo" expression in their round black eyes that is rare in
+other countries. Spanish women retain this expression to a good age. The
+men lose it earlier, because, as I believe, they are oftener of
+corrupted morals and habits; and these, long exercised, certainly stamp
+their lines upon the face. Those which are mean, and low, and vicious,
+produce a similar character of countenance, while those which are high,
+and holy, and virtuous, give it an aspect of beauty and nobility.
+
+Of all beautiful Spanish children none could have been more beautiful
+than our two little Creole Spaniards, Leon and Leona--for such were the
+names of the brother and sister.
+
+There yet remains one to be described, ere we complete the account of
+our travelling party. This one was a grown and tall man, quite as tall
+as Don Pablo himself, but thinner and more angular in his outlines. His
+coppery colour, his long straight black hair, his dark and wild piercing
+eye, with his somewhat odd attire, told you at once he was of a
+different race from any of the others. He was an Indian--a South
+American Indian; and although a descendant from the noble race of the
+Peruvian Incas, he was acting in the capacity of a servant or attendant
+to Don Pablo and his family.
+
+There was a familiarity, however, between the old Indian--for he was an
+old man--and Don Pablo, that bespoke the existence of some tie of a
+stronger nature than that which exists between master and servant. And
+such there was in reality. This Indian had been one of the patriots who
+had rallied around Tupac Amaru in his revolution against the Spaniards.
+He had been proscribed, captured, and sentenced to death. He would have
+been executed, but for the interference of Don Pablo, who had saved his
+life. Since then Guapo--such was the Indian's name--had remained not
+only the retainer, but the firm and faithful friend, of his benefactor.
+
+Guapo's feet were sandalled. His legs were naked up to the knees,
+showing many an old scar received from the cactus plants and the thorny
+bushes of acacia, so common in the mountain-valleys of Peru. A
+tunic-like skirt of woollen cloth,--that home-made sort called
+"bayeta,"--was fastened around his waist, and reached down to the knees;
+but the upper part of his body was quite bare, and you could see the
+naked breast and arms, corded with strong muscles, and covered with a
+skin of a dark copper colour. The upper part of his body was naked only
+when the sun was hot. At other times Guapo wore a species of poncho like
+his master, but that of the Indian was of common stuff--woven out of the
+coarse wool of the llama. His head was bare.
+
+[Illustration: THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.]
+
+Guapo's features were thin, sharp, and intelligent. His eye was keen and
+piercing; and the gait of the old man, as he strode along the rocky
+path, told that it would be many years before he would show any signs of
+feebleness or tottering.
+
+There were four animals that carried our travellers and their effects.
+One was a horse ridden by the boy Leon. The second was a saddle mule, on
+which rode Doña Isidora and Leona. The other two animals were not
+mounted. They were beasts of burden, with "yerguas," or pack-saddles,
+upon which were carried the few articles that belonged to the
+travellers. They were the camels of Peru--the far-famed llamas. Don
+Pablo, with his faithful retainer, travelled afoot.
+
+You will wonder that one apparently so rich, and on so distant a
+journey, was not provided with animals enough to carry his whole party.
+Another horse at least, or a mule, might have been expected in the
+cavalcade. It would not have been strange had Guapo only walked--as he
+was the arriero, or driver, of the llamas--but to see Don Pablo afoot
+and evidently tired, with neither horse nor mule to ride upon, was
+something that required explanation. There was another fact that
+required explanation. The countenance of Don Pablo wore an anxious
+expression, as if some danger impended; so did that of the lady, and the
+children were silent, with their little hearts full of fear. They knew
+not _what_ danger, but they knew that their father and mother were in
+trouble.
+
+The Indian, too, had a serious look; and at each angle of the mountain
+road he and Don Pablo would turn around, and with anxious eyes gaze back
+in the direction that led towards Cuzco. As yet they could distinguish
+the spires of the distant city, and the Catholic crosses, as they
+glistened under the evening sunbeam. Why did they look back with fear
+and distrust? Why? _Because Don Pablo was in flight, and feared
+pursuers!_ What? Had he committed some great crime? No. On the contrary,
+he was the _victim of a noble virtue_--the virtue of patriotism! For
+that had he been condemned, and was now in flight--flying to save not
+only his liberty but his life! yes, _his life;_ for had the sentinels on
+those distant towers but recognised him, he would soon have been
+followed and dragged back to an ignominious death.
+
+Young reader, I am writing of things that occurred before the
+Spanish-American colonies became free from the rule of Old Spain. You
+will remember that these countries were then governed by viceroys, who
+represented the King of Spain, but who in reality were quite as absolute
+as that monarch himself. The great viceroys of Mexico and Peru held
+court in grand state, and lived in the midst of barbaric pomp and
+luxury. The power of life and death was in their hands, and in many
+instances they used it in the most unjust and arbitrary manner. They
+were themselves, of course, natives of Old Spain--often the pampered
+favourites of that corrupt court.
+
+All the officials by which they were surrounded and served were, like
+themselves, natives of Spain, or "Gachupinos," (as the Creoles used to
+call them,) while the Creoles--no matter how rich, or learned, or
+accomplished in any way--were excluded from every office of honour and
+profit. They were treated by the Gachupinos with contempt and insult.
+Hence for long, long years before the great revolutions of Spanish
+America, a strong feeling of dislike existed between Creole Spaniards
+and Spaniards of Old Spain; and this feeling was quite independent of
+that which either had towards the Indians--the aborigines of America.
+This feeling brought about the revolution, which broke out in all the
+countries of Spanish America (including Mexico) and which, after fifteen
+years of cruel and sanguinary fighting, led to the independence of these
+countries.
+
+Some people will tell you that they gained nothing by this independence,
+as since that time so much war and anarchy have marked their history.
+There is scarcely any subject upon which mankind thinks more
+superficially, and judges more wrongly, than upon this very one. It is a
+mistake to suppose that a people enjoys either peace or prosperity,
+simply because it is quiet. There is quiet in Russia, but to its
+millions of serfs war continuous and eternal; and the same may be said
+of many other countries as well as Russia.
+
+To the poor slave, or even to the over-taxed subject, peace is no peace,
+but a constant and systematised struggle, often more pernicious in its
+effects than even the anarchy of open war. A war of this kind numbers
+its slain by millions, for the victims of famine are victims of
+_political crime_ on the part of a nation's rulers. I have no time now
+to talk of these things. Perhaps, boy reader, you and I may meet on this
+ground again, and at no very distant period.
+
+Well, it was not in the general rising that Don Pablo had been
+compromised, but previous to that. The influence of the European
+Revolution of 1798 was felt even in distant Spanish America, and several
+ebullitions occurred in different parts of that country at the same
+time. They were premature; they were crushed. Those who had taken part
+in them were hunted to the death. Death! death! was the war-cry of the
+Spanish hirelings, and bitterly did they execute their vengeance on all
+who were compromised. Don Pablo would have been a victim among others,
+had he not had timely warning and escaped; but as it was, all his
+property was taken by confiscation, and became the plunder of the
+rapacious tyrant.
+
+We are introduced to him just at the period of his escape. By the aid of
+the faithful Guapo he had hastily collected a few things, and with his
+wife and family fled in the night. Hence the incompleteness of his
+travelling equipage. He had taken one of the most unfrequented paths--a
+mere bridle-road--that led from Cuzco eastward over the Cordillera. His
+intent was to gain the eastern slope of the Andes mountains, where he
+might conceal himself for a time in the uninhabited woods of the Great
+_Montaña_, and towards this point was he journeying. By a _ruse_ he had
+succeeded in putting the soldiers of the despot on a false track; but it
+was not certain that they might not yet fall into the true one. No
+wonder then, when he gazed back towards Cuzco, that his look was one of
+apprehension and anxiety.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE POISON-TREES.
+
+
+Following the rugged and winding path, the travellers had climbed to a
+height of many thousand feet above the ocean level. There was very
+little vegetation around them. Nothing that deserved the name of tree,
+if we except a few stunted specimens of queñoa trees, and here and there
+patches of the Ratanhia shrub, which covered the hill-sides. Both these
+are used by the mountain Indians as fuel, but the Ratanhia is also a
+favourite remedy against dysentery and blood-spitting. Its extract is
+even exported to European countries, and is to be found in the shop of
+the apothecary.
+
+Now and then a beautiful species of locust was seen with its bright red
+flowers. It was the "Sangre de Christo" of the Peruvian _flora_.
+
+Don Pablo Romero was a naturalist, and I may here tell you a pleasant
+and interesting fact--which is, that many of the earliest patriots and
+revolutionists of Spanish America were men who had distinguished
+themselves in natural science--in fact, were the "savans" of these
+countries. I call this a pleasant fact, and you may deem it a curious
+one too, because men of science are usually lovers of peace, and not
+accustomed to meddle either in war or politics.
+
+But the truth of the matter is this,--under the government of the
+viceroys all books, except those of a monkish religion, were jealously
+excluded from these countries. No political work whatever was permitted
+to be introduced; and the people were kept in the grossest ignorance of
+their natural rights. It was only into learned institutions that a
+glimmering of the light of freedom found its way, and it was amongst the
+professors of these institutions that the "rights of men" first began to
+be discussed. Many of these noble patriots were the first victims
+offered up on the altar of Spanish-American independence.
+
+Don Pablo, I have said, was a naturalist; and it was perhaps the first
+journey he had ever made without observing attentively the natural
+objects that presented themselves along his route. But his mind was busy
+with other cares; and he heeded neither the _fauna_ nor _flora_. He
+thought only of his loved wife and dear children, of the dangers to
+which he and they were exposed. He thought only of increasing the
+distance between them and his vengeful enemies. During that day they had
+made a toilsome journey of fifteen miles, up the mountain--a long
+journey for the llamas, who rarely travel more than ten or twelve; but
+the dumb brutes seemed to exert themselves as if they knew that danger
+threatened those who guided them.
+
+They belonged to Guapo, who had not been a mere servant, but a
+cultivator, and had held a small "chacra," or farm, under Don Pablo.
+Guapo's voice was well known to the creatures, and his "hist!" of
+encouragement urged them on. But fifteen miles was an unusual journey,
+and the animals began to show symptoms of fatigue. Their humming noise,
+which bears some resemblance to the tones of an Eolian harp, boomed loud
+at intervals as the creatures came to a stop; and then the voice of
+Guapo could be heard urging them forward.
+
+The road led up a defile, which was nothing more than the bed of a
+mountain-torrent, now dry. For a long distance there was no spot of
+level ground where our travellers could have encamped, even had they
+desired to stop. At length, however, the path led out of the
+torrent-bed, and they found themselves on a small ledge, or table,
+covered with low trees. These trees were of a peculiar kind, very common
+in all parts of the Andes, and known as _mollé_ trees. They are more
+properly bushes than trees, being only about ten or twelve feet in
+height. They have long delicate pinnate leaves, very like those of the
+acacia, and, when in fruit, they are thickly covered with clusters of
+small bright red berries.
+
+These berries are used among some tribes of Indians for making a highly
+valuable and medicinal beer; but the wood of the tree is of more
+importance to the people of those parts as an article of fuel, because
+the tree grows where other wood is scarce. It is even considered by the
+sugar-refiners as the best for their purpose, since its ashes,
+possessing highly alkaline properties, are more efficient than any other
+in purifying the boiling juice of the sugar-cane. The leaves of this
+beautiful tree, when pressed, emit a strong aromatic smell; and a very
+curious property ascribed to it by the more ignorant people of the
+mountains will be illustrated by the dialogue which follows:--
+
+"Let us pass the night here," said Don Pablo, halting, and addressing
+himself to Guapo. "This level spot will serve us to encamp. We can sleep
+under the shade of the bushes."
+
+"What! _mi amo_! (my master) Here?" replied the Indian, with a gesture
+of surprise.
+
+"And why not here? Can any place be better? If we again enter the defile
+we may find no other level spot. See! the llamas will go no farther. We
+must remain therefore."
+
+"But, master," continued Guapo--"see!"
+
+"See what?"
+
+"The trees, master!"
+
+"Well, what of the trees? Their shade will serve to screen us from the
+night dew. We can sleep under them."
+
+"Impossible, master--_they are poison trees_!"
+
+"You are talking foolishly, Guapo. These are _mollé_ trees."
+
+"I know it, señor; but they are poison. If we sleep under them we shall
+not awake in the morning--we shall awake no more."
+
+And Guapo, as he uttered these words, looked horrified.
+
+"This is nonsense; you are superstitious, old man. We must abide here.
+See, the llamas have lain down. They will not move hence, I warrant."
+
+Guapo turned to the llamas, and thinking that their movements might
+influence the decision of his master, began to urge them in his
+accustomed way. But it is a peculiarity of these creatures not to stir
+one step beyond what they consider a proper journey. Even when the load
+is above that which they are accustomed to carry--that is to say, 120
+lbs.--neither voice nor whip will move them. They may be goaded to
+death, but will not yield, and coaxing has a like effect. Both knew that
+they had done their day's work; and the voice, the gesticulations and
+blows of Guapo, were all in vain. Neither would obey him any longer. The
+Indian saw this, and reluctantly consented to remain; at the same time
+he continued to repeat his belief that they would all most certainly
+perish in the night. For himself, he expressed his intention to climb a
+ledge, and sleep upon the naked rocks; and he earnestly entreated the
+others to follow his example.
+
+Don Pablo listened to the admonitions of his retainer with incredulity,
+though not with any degree of disdain. He knew the devotedness of the
+old Indian, and therefore treated, what he considered a mere
+superstition, with a show of respect. But he felt an inclination to
+cure Guapo of the folly of such a belief; and was, on this account, the
+more inclined to put his original design into execution. To pass the
+night under the shade of the mollé trees was, therefore, determined
+upon.
+
+All dismounted. The llamas were unloaded; their packs, or _yerguas_,
+taken off; the horse and mule were unsaddled; and all were permitted to
+browse over the little space which the ledge afforded. They were all
+trained animals. There was no fear of any of them straying.
+
+The next thing was to prepare supper. All were hungry, as none of the
+party had eaten since morning. In the hurry of flight, they had made no
+provision for an extended journey. A few pieces of _charqui_ (jerked or
+dried beef) had been brought along; and, in passing near a field of
+"oca," Guapo had gathered a bunch of the roots, and placed them on the
+back of his llama. This oca is a tuberous root, of an oval shape and
+pale red colour, but white inside. It resembles very much the Jerusalem
+artichoke, but it is longer and slimmer. Its taste is very agreeable and
+sweetish--somewhat like that of pumpkins, and it is equally good when
+roasted or boiled.
+
+There is another sort of tuberous root, called "ulluca" by the
+Peruvians, which is more glutinous and less pleasant to the taste. This
+kind is various in form, being either round, oblong, straight, or
+curved, and of a reddish, yellow colour outside, though green within. It
+is insipid when boiled with water, but excellent when dressed with
+Spanish peppers (_Capsicum_). Out of the _oca_, then, and _charqui_, the
+supper must be made; and for the purpose of cooking it, a fire must be
+kindled with the wood of the mollé.
+
+For a long time there was a doubt about whether it would be safe to
+kindle this fire. The sun had not yet gone down, and the smoke might
+attract observation from the valley below. If the pursuers were on their
+track, it might be noticed; as upon this lonely route a fire would
+indicate nothing else than the camp of some one on a journey. But the
+stomachs of our travellers cried for food, and it was at length resolved
+to light the fire, but not until after sunset, when the smoke could be
+no longer seen, and the blaze would be hidden behind the thick bushes of
+mollé.
+
+Don Pablo walked off from the camp, and wandered among the trees to see
+if he could find something that might contribute a little variety to
+their simple supper. A small, broom-like plant, that grew among the
+mollé trees, soon attracted his attention. This was the _quinoa_ plant,
+which produces a seed, not unlike rice, though smaller in the grain,
+whence it has received in commerce the name "petty rice." The quinoa
+seeds, when boiled, are both pleasant and nutritious, but especially so
+when boiled in milk. Previous to the discovery of America, "quinoa" was
+an article of food, supplying the place of wheat. It was much used by
+the natives, and is still collected for food in many parts. Indeed, it
+has been introduced into some European countries, and cultivated with
+success. The leaves, when young, can be used as spinach, but the seeds
+are the most sought after for food.
+
+Don Pablo having called Leon to assist him, a quantity of the seeds were
+soon collected into a vessel, and carried to the place which they had
+chosen for their camp; and, as it was now dark enough, the fire was
+kindled and the cooking-pot got ready. The Doña Isidora, although a
+fine lady, was one of those who had all her life been accustomed to look
+after her household affairs; and this, it may be remarked, is a somewhat
+rare virtue among the Peruvian ladies, who are generally too much given
+to dress and idleness. It was not so, however, with the wife of Don
+Pablo. She knew how to look after the affairs of the _cuisine_, and
+could dress any of the peculiar dishes of the country with the best of
+cooks. In a short while, therefore, an excellent supper was ready, of
+which all ate heartily, and then, wrapping themselves up in their
+ponchos, lay down to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE SUPPER OF GUAPO.
+
+
+I have said all ate of the supper. This is not strictly true. One of the
+party did not touch it, and that was old Guapo. Why? Was he not hungry
+like the rest? Yes; as hungry as any of them. Why then did he not eat of
+the _charqui_ and ocas? Simply because Guapo had a supper of a very
+different kind, which he carried in his pouch, and which he liked much
+better than the charqui stew. What was it? It was "coca."
+
+"Chocolate," you will say, or, as some call it, "cocoa," which should be
+called, to name it properly, "cacao." No, I answer--it was not
+chocolate, nor cocoa, nor cacao neither.
+
+"It must have been cocoa-nuts then?" No; nor yet cocoa-nuts. The "coca,"
+upon which Guapo made his supper, and which contented his stomach
+perfectly for the night, was an article very different from either the
+cacao which makes chocolate, or the nut of the cocoa-palm. You are now
+impatient to hear what sort of thing it was, and I shall tell you at
+once.
+
+The coca is a small tree or shrub about six feet in height, which grows
+in the warmer valleys among the Andes mountains. Its botanical name is
+_Erythroxylon coca_. Its leaves are small and of a bright green colour,
+and its blossoms white. Its fruits are very small scarlet berries. It is
+a native plant, and, therefore, found in a wild state; but it is
+cultivated by the planters of these countries in fields regularly laid
+out, and hence called "cocales." This plant is raised from the seed, and
+when the young shoots have attained the height of about eighteen inches,
+they are transplanted and put down again at the distance of about a foot
+apart from each other.
+
+Now as these little bushes require a humid atmosphere, maize-plants are
+sown between the rows to protect them from the sun. In other places
+arbours of palm-leaves are constructed over the coca-plants. When no
+rain falls, they are watered every five or six days. After about two and
+a half years of this nursing, the coca-bush is ready for use, and it is
+the leaves alone that are valuable. These are gathered with great care,
+just as the Chinese gather the leaves of the tea-plant; and, as in
+China, women are principally employed in this labour. The leaves are
+said to be ripe, not when they have withered and turned brown, but at a
+period when they are full-grown and become brittle. When this period
+arrives, they are picked from the tree, and laid out on coarse woollen
+cloths to dry in the sun.
+
+When dried, they remain of a pale green colour; but should they get damp
+during the process, they become darker, and are then of inferior
+quality, and sell for a less price. When fully dried, they are carefully
+packed in bags and covered up with dry sand, and are thus ready for the
+market. Their price, on the spot where the crop is produced, is about
+one shilling English per pound. They are, therefore, full as costly to
+produce as tea itself, although the coca-bush will yield three crops of
+leaves in one year--that is, a crop every four months; and one hundred
+plants will produce about an arroba (25 lbs.) at a crop. The coca-plant
+will continue to give fresh leaves for a long period of years, unless
+attacked and destroyed by ants, which is not unfrequently the case.
+
+Now, why have I so minutely described the coca-bush? Because, that, in
+the economy of the life of those Indians who inhabit the countries of
+the Andes mountains, this curious plant plays a most important part.
+Scarcely one of these people is to be met with who is not an eater of
+cocoa--a "coquero." With them it is what the tea-tree is to the Chinese.
+Indeed, it is a curious fact, that in all parts of the world some
+stimulating vegetable is used by the human race. Tea in China; the
+betel-leaf, and the nut of the areca palm, among the Southern Asiatics;
+the poppy in the East; with tobacco, and many like things, in other
+countries.
+
+But the coca not only supplies the Indian with a solace to his cares, it
+forms the chief article of his food. With a supply of coca, an Indian
+will support himself five or six days without eating anything else. The
+poor miners, in the Peruvian mines, are all "coqueros;" and it is
+alleged that, without coca, they would be unable to undergo the painful
+toil to which their calling subjects them. When used to excess, the coca
+produces deleterious effects on the human system; but, if moderately
+taken, it is far more innocent in its results than either opium or
+tobacco.
+
+The coca-leaf is not eaten alone. A certain preparation is necessary,
+and another substance is mixed with it before it produces the proper
+effect. But let us watch the movements of Guapo, and we shall see how
+_he_ does it, for Guapo is a confirmed coquero.
+
+Guapo, true to his promise, does not sleep under the mollé trees. He
+leaves the party, and, with a melancholy air, has climbed up and seated
+himself upon a projecting rock, where he intends to pass the night. His
+last glance at Don Pablo and his family was one of foreboding. He had
+again remonstrated with his master, but to no purpose. The latter only
+laughed at the earnestness of the old Indian, and told him to go to his
+perch and leave the party to themselves.
+
+It was still grey light when Guapo climbed up to the rock. Against the
+sky his tall, lank form could be traced in all its outlines. For some
+moments he sat in a serious and reflective mood--evidently busy with
+thoughts about the "poison-trees." His appetite, however, soon got the
+better of him; and he set to work to prepare his coca supper. It was a
+simple operation.
+
+Around Guapo's neck there hung a small pouch made of the skin of the
+chinchilla, which beautiful little animal is a native of these parts.
+This pouch contained a quantity of the dry leaves of the coca. Having
+taken out some half-dozen of these leaves, he put them into his mouth
+and commenced chewing them. In a short while, by the aid of tongue,
+teeth, and lips, they were formed into a little ball of pulp, that
+rolled about in his mouth. Another step in the process now became
+necessary. A small gourd, that hung around Guapo's neck by a thong, was
+laid hold of. This was corked with a wooden stopper, in which stopper a
+wire pin was fixed, long enough to reach down to the bottom of the
+gourd.
+
+After taking out the stopper, Guapo applied the lower part of the pin to
+his lips, and then, plunging it once more into the gourd, drew it out
+again. This time the pin came out, with a fine whitish powder adhering
+to the part that had been wetted. Now what was this powder? It was
+nothing else than lime that had been burned, and pulverised. Perhaps it
+was the ashes of the mollé tree, of which we have already spoken, and
+which, as we have said, possess a highly alkaline property. The ashes of
+the musa, or plaintain, are sometimes used; but, after all, it is most
+likely that it was the mollé ashes which Guapo carried, for these are
+most highly esteemed by the Indians of Southern Peru; and Guapo was a
+connoisseur in coca-eating.
+
+Whichever of the three it was--lime, mollé, or musa--Guapo carried the
+pin to his mouth, and, without touching his lips (it would have burnt
+him if he had), he inserted it, so as to penetrate the ball of chewed
+cocoa-leaves that rested upon the tip of his tongue. This was stabbed
+repeatedly and adroitly by the pin, until all the powder remained in the
+coca-ball; and then the pin was withdrawn, wiped, and restored to its
+place, along with the stopper of the gourd.
+
+Guapo now remained quietly "ruminating" for a period of about forty
+minutes--for this is about the time required for chewing a mess of
+cocoa-leaves. Indeed, so exactly is this time observed, that the
+Indians, when travelling, measure distances by it; and one "coceada" is
+about equal to the time occupied in walking a couple of English miles.
+
+The coceada of our old Indian being finished, he drew his llama-wool
+poncho around him; and, leaning back against the rock, was soon buried
+in a profound slumber.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE PUNA.
+
+
+By early dawn Guapo was awake, but he did not immediately awake the
+others. It was still too dark to follow the mountain road. His first
+care was to have his coca breakfast, and to this he applied himself at
+once.
+
+Day was fairly broke when he had ended the process of mastication, and
+he bethought him of descending from the rock to arouse the sleepers. He
+knew they still slept, as no voice had yet issued from the grove of
+mollés. The mule and horse were heard cropping the grass, and the llamas
+were now feeding upon an open spot,--the first they had eaten since
+their halt, as these creatures do not browse in the night.
+
+Guapo descended with fear in his heart. How it would have joyed him to
+hear the voice of his master, or of any of them! But, no. Not a sound
+proceeded from any one of the party. He stole nimbly along the ledge,
+making his way through the mollé trees. At length he reached the spot.
+All asleep?--yes, all! "Are they dead?" thought Guapo, and his heart
+beat with anxiety. Indeed, they seemed so. The fatigue of travel had
+cast a sickly paleness over the faces of all, and one might easily have
+fancied they no longer lived. But they breathed. "Yes, they breathe!"
+ejaculated the old Indian, half aloud. "They live!"
+
+Guapo bent down, and seizing Don Pablo by the arm, shook him--at first
+gently, uttering, at the same time, some words to awake him. But neither
+the shaking nor the voice had any effect. Guapo shook more violently,
+and shouted louder. Still Don Pablo slept. None of the others
+moved--none of them heard him. It was strange, for the Indian knew that
+Don Pablo himself, as well as the others, were easily awaked on ordinary
+occasions. Guapo, becoming alarmed, now raised his voice to its loudest
+pitch, at the same time dragging Don Pablo's shoulder in a still more
+violent manner. This had the desired effect. The sleeper awoke but so
+slowly, and evidently with such exertion, that there was something
+mysterious in it.
+
+"What is it?" he inquired, with half-opened eyes. "Is it morning
+already?"
+
+"The sun is up. Rouse, my master! It is time we were on the road,"
+replied the Indian.
+
+"I feel very drowsy--I am heavy--I can scarce keep my eyes open. What
+can be the cause of this?"
+
+"The poison-trees, master," answered Guapo.
+
+The answer seemed to impress Don Pablo. He made a violent effort, and
+rose to his feet. When up he could scarcely stand. He felt as though he
+had swallowed a powerful opiate.
+
+"It must be so, good Guapo. Perhaps there is some truth in what you have
+said. O, heavens!" exclaimed he, suddenly recollecting himself,--"the
+others--my wife and children!"
+
+This thought had fully awakened Don Pablo; and Guapo and he proceeded at
+once to arouse the others, which they effected after much shouting and
+shaking. All were still heavy with sleep, and felt as did Don Pablo
+himself.
+
+"Surely there is some narcotic power in the aroma of these trees,"
+muttered Don Pablo. "Come, wife, let us be gone! We must remain under
+its influence no longer, else what Guapo has said may prove too true.
+Saddle up--we must eat our breakfasts farther on. To the road!--to the
+road!"
+
+Guapo soon had the horses ready, and all hurried from the spot, and were
+once more climbing up the mountain-path. Even the animals seemed to move
+slowly and lazily, as though they, too, had been under the influence of
+some soporific. But the pure cold air of the mountain soon produced its
+effect. All gradually recovered, and after cooking some _charqui_ and
+ocas in the ravine, and making their breakfast upon these, they again
+felt light and fresh, and pursued their journey with renewed vigour.
+
+The road kept on up the ravine, and in some places the banks rose almost
+perpendicularly from the bed of the dry torrent, presenting on both
+sides vast walls of black porphyry--for this is the principal rock
+composing the giant chain of the Andes. Above their heads screamed small
+parrots of rich plumage of the species _Conurus rupicola_, which make
+their nestling places, and dwell upon these rocky cliffs. This is a
+singular fact, as all other parrots known are dwellers among trees and
+are found in the forest at all times, except when on their passage from
+place to place.
+
+But even the squirrel, which is an animal peculiarly delighting in
+tree-life, has its representative in several species of
+ground-squirrels, that never ascend a tree; and, among the monkeys,
+there exists the troglodyte or cave-dwelling chimpanzee. No doubt
+squirrels or monkeys of any kind, transported to an open or treeless
+country, would soon habituate themselves to their new situation,--for
+Nature affords many illustrations of this power of adaptation on the
+part of her creatures.
+
+It was near sunset when our travellers reached the highest point of
+their route, nearly 14,000 feet above the level of the sea! Here they
+emerged upon an open plain which stretched far before them. Above this
+plain towered mountains of all shapes to a height of many thousand feet
+from the level of the plain itself. Some of these mountains carried
+their covering of eternal snow, which, as the evening sun glanced upon
+it, exhibited the most beautiful tints of rose, and purple, and gold.
+The plain looked bleak and barren, and the cold which our travellers now
+felt added to the desolateness of the scene. No trees were in sight. Dry
+yellow grass covered the ground, and the rocks stood out naked and
+shaggy. They had reached one of those elevated tables of the Andes known
+as the _Puna_.
+
+These singular tracts elevated above the level of cultivation are almost
+uninhabited. Their only inhabitants are a few poor Indians, who are
+employed by the rich proprietors of the lower valleys as shepherds; for
+upon these cold uplands thrive sheep, and cattle, and llamas, and flocks
+of the wool-bearing alpaco. Through this wild region, however, you may
+travel for days without encountering even a single one of the wretched
+and isolated inhabitants who watch over these flocks and herds.
+
+On reaching the Puna, our party had made their day's journey, and would
+have halted. The llamas already showed signs of giving out by stopping
+and uttering their strange booming note. But Guapo knew these
+parts--for, though a descendant of the Incas, he had originally come
+from the great forest beyond the eastern slope of the Andes, where many
+of the Peruvian Indians had retired after the cruel massacres of
+Pizarro. He now remembered, that not far from where they were, was a
+shepherd's hut, and that the shepherd himself was an old friend of his.
+That would be the place to stop for the night; and, by Guapo's advice,
+Don Pablo resolved to continue on to the hut.
+
+Guapo fell upon his knees before the llamas, and, after caressing and
+kissing them, and using a great variety of endearing expressions, he at
+last coaxed these animals to proceed. No other means would have availed,
+as beating would not make either llama budge an inch. The leader, who
+was a fine large animal and a great favourite with its master, at length
+stepped boldly out; and the other, encouraged by the sound of the small
+bells that tinkled around the head of the leader, followed after, and so
+the travellers moved on.
+
+"Come, papa!" cried Leon; "you are tired yourself--mount this horse--I
+can walk a bit:" at the same instant the boy flung himself from the back
+of the horse, and led him up to where his father stood. Then handing the
+bridle to the latter, he struck off along the plain, following Guapo and
+his llamas.
+
+The road skirted round the rocks, where the mountain came down to meet
+the plain. The walk was not a long one, for the hut of which Guapo spoke
+became visible at less than a quarter of a mile's distance. An
+odd-looking hut it was--more like an ill-built stack of bean-straw than
+a house. It had been built in the following manner:--
+
+First, a round ring of large stones had been laid, then a row of turf,
+then another tier of stones, and so on, until the circular wall had
+reached the height of about four or five feet, the diameter being not
+more than eight or nine. On the top of the wall a number of poles had
+been set, so as to meet above where they were tied together. These poles
+were nothing else than the long flower-stalks of the _maguey_ or
+American aloe, as no other wood of sufficient length grew in the
+vicinity. These poles served for rafters, and across them laths had been
+laid, and made fast. Over all this was placed a thatch of the long
+coarse Puna grass, which was tied in its place by grass ropes that were
+stretched from side to side over the top. This was the hut of Guapo's
+friend, and similar to all others that may be encountered in the wild
+region of the Puna. A door was left in the side, not over two feet high,
+so that it was necessary to crawl upon the hands and knees before any
+one could reach the interior.
+
+As our travellers approached, they saw that the entrance was closed by
+an ox-hide which covered the whole of the opening.
+
+Whether the shepherd was at home, was the next question; but as they got
+near to the house, Guapo suggested that Don Pablo should dismount and
+let Leon get upon horseback. This suggestion was made on account of the
+Puna dogs--of which creatures Guapo had a previous knowledge. These
+dogs, known by the name of Inca dogs, are, perhaps, the fiercest animals
+of their species.
+
+They are small, with pointed muzzles, tails curling upward, and long
+shaggy hair. They are half-wild, snappish, and surly, as it is possible
+for dogs to be. They attack strangers with fury, and it is as much as
+their masters can do to rescue even a friend from their attack. Even
+when wounded, and unable any longer to keep their feet, they will crawl
+along the ground and bite the legs of those who have wounded them. They
+are even more hostile to white people than to Indians, and it is
+sometimes dangerous to approach an Indian hut where three or four of
+these fierce creatures are kept, as they will jump up against the side
+of a horse, and bite the legs of the rider. Their masters often use the
+stick before they can get obedience from them. In every Indian hut
+several of these animals may be found, as they are extremely useful to
+the shepherds in guarding their flocks and for hunting.
+
+They are much employed throughout the Puna to hunt the "yutu," a species
+of partridge which inhabits the rushy grass. This bird is traced by the
+dogs, seized before it can take to flight, and killed by a single bite
+of its fierce pursuer. Considering the savage nature of the Inca dogs,
+Guapo showed great caution in approaching the hut of his friend. He
+first called loudly, but there was no reply. He then stole forward with
+his long knife, or "_macheté_," in his hand; and having lifted the skin
+that covered the low doorway, peeped in. The hut was empty.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA.
+
+
+Guapo was not much troubled at this. He knew he could take the liberty
+of using his friend's roof for the night, even should the latter not
+return to grant it. He crawled in. Of course his friend was only
+temporarily absent--no doubt looking after his flocks of sheep and
+alpacos; and as he was a bachelor, there was no wife at home, but there
+were his furniture and utensils. Furniture! No--there was none. There
+never is in the hut of a Puna shepherd. Utensils! yes--there was an
+earthen "olla," or pot to cook soup in, another to boil or roast maize,
+a jar to hold water, a few split gourd-shells for plates, two or three
+others for cups--that was all.
+
+This was the catalogue of utensils. Two stones set a little apart formed
+the fireplace, in which the shepherd, when he makes a fire to cook with,
+makes it out of dry dung. A couple of dirty sheep-skins lay upon the
+ground. These were the bed. Nothing more was to be seen. Yes, there was
+one thing more, and this gladdened the eyes of Guapo. In a bag that hung
+against the wall, and on which he soon laid his hands, he felt
+something--a collection of hard round objects, about as big as large
+chestnuts. Guapo knew very well what these were. He knew they were
+"macas."
+
+What are _macas_? you will ask. Macas, then, are tuberous roots that
+grow in the elevated regions of the Puna, where neither ocas, ullucas,
+nor potatoes, will thrive. They are cultivated by the inhabitants, and
+in many parts constitute almost the only food of these wretched people.
+They have an agreeable and rather sweetish flavour, and, when boiled in
+milk, taste somewhat like boiled chestnuts. They can be preserved for
+more than a year by simply drying them in the sun, and then exposing
+them to the cold air, when they become hard and shrivelled. They thrive
+best in this high region, for although they will grow in the lower
+valleys, they are there very insipid and worthless. The Indians prepare
+them for food by boiling them into a soup, or syrup, which is taken with
+parched maize-corn.
+
+Guapo knew that he had got his hands upon a bag of dried macas, and
+although their owner was absent, he had already come to the
+determination to appropriate them for himself and party. His joy at the
+discovery had not subsided when another bag drew his attention, and this
+was the signal for another delightful surprise. His hand touched the new
+bag in a trice. There was a rattling sound within. Peas? No--maize.
+
+"Good!" ejaculated Guapo; "maize and macas! That with what is left of
+the charqui--we shall not fast to-night."
+
+Guapo now backed himself out of the hut, and joyfully announced the
+discoveries he had made. The travellers dismounted. The horse and mule
+were picketed on lassoes on the plain. The llamas were left to go at
+will. They would not stray far from their owner.
+
+It was piercing cold in this highland region. Doña Isidora and the
+children entered the hut, while Don Pablo and Guapo remained without for
+the purpose of collecting fuel. There was not a stick of wood, as no
+trees of any sort grew near. Both strayed off upon the plain to gather
+the _taquia_, or ordure of the cattle, though no cattle were in sight.
+Their tracks, however, were visible all around.
+
+While engaged thus, the old Indian suddenly raised himself from his
+stooping position with an exclamation that betokened alarm. What had
+startled him? A loud bellowing was heard--it was the bellowing of a
+bull. But what was there in that sound to alarm two full-grown men? Ah!
+you know not the bulls of the Puna.
+
+Coming around a promontory of rocks a large black bull was in sight. He
+was approaching them in full run, his head thrown down, his eyes glaring
+fiercely. At every spring he uttered a roar, which was terrific to hear.
+A more horrid object it would be difficult to conceive. You may suppose
+that an adventure with an enraged bull is one of an ordinary character,
+and may occur any day, even in the green meadow pastures of Old England.
+So it is, if the animal were only an English bull. But it is a far
+different affair with the bulls of the Puna.
+
+Throughout all Spanish America animals of this kind are of a fiercer
+nature than elsewhere. It is from them the bulls used in the celebrated
+fights are obtained; and, perhaps, the race has been made fiercer by the
+treatment they receive on such occasions--for many of those that exhibit
+in the arena are afterwards used to breed from. But, in general, the
+Spanish-American "vacqueros," or cattle-herds, treat the cattle under
+their charge with much cruelty, and this has the effect of rendering
+them savage. Even in herds of cattle where there are no bulls, there are
+cows so dangerous to approach, that the vacqueros never attempt driving
+them unless when well mounted.
+
+A Mexican or South American cattle-herd is, therefore, always a mounted
+man. There is a difference, too, among the bulls in different parts of
+these countries. On the Llanos of Venezuela they are not so fierce as
+those of the Puna, and they are more and less so in different parts of
+Mexico and the Pampas of Buenos Ayres.
+
+The Puna bulls are, perhaps, the fiercest and most dangerous of all.
+They are more than half wild. They scarcely ever see a human being, and
+they will attack one upon sight. To a mounted man there is little
+danger, unless by the stumbling or falling of his horse; but many a poor
+Indian, crossing these high plains afoot, has fallen a sacrifice to
+these vengeful brutes.
+
+Both Don Pablo and Guapo knew all this, and therefore were aware of
+their own danger. Neither had a weapon--not so much as a stick. They had
+laid aside their knives and other arms, which had been carried inside
+the hut. To reach the hut before the bull reached _them_ would be
+impossible; the brute was coming nearly from it--for he had issued from
+some shelter in the rocks not far off. They were full two hundred yards
+out upon the plain, and to run in the direction of the rocks would have
+been to run counter to the bull, and meet him face to face! Their danger
+was imminent. What was to be done?
+
+There was not much time left them for consideration. The furious animal
+was within thirty paces distance, roaring loudly, shaking his head and
+brandishing his long sharp horns. At this moment a happy thought
+occurred almost simultaneously to Don Pablo and the Indian. The evening,
+as we have already said, was piercing cold, and both, in going out to
+collect the fuel, had worn their ponchos.
+
+The trick of the matador with his red cloak suggested itself in this
+moment of peril. Both had seen it performed--Don Pablo often--and knew
+something of the "way." In a moment both had stripped the ponchos from
+their shoulders, and, placing themselves _à la matador_, awaited the
+onset of the bull. It was agreed that as soon as the bull was "hooded"
+by either, that both should run at all speed to the rocks, where they
+could easily climb out of reach of the animal.
+
+Don Pablo happened to be more in the way, and perhaps his more showy
+poncho attracted the brute; but whether or not, he was the first to
+receive the charge. With the adroitness of a practised matador he flung
+his poncho on the horns of the animal, and then both ran in the
+direction of the rocks. As they faced towards the hut, however, to the
+horror of Don Pablo he saw the Doña Isidora, with Leon and the little
+Leona, all outside, and even at some distance from the entrance!
+Attracted by the bellowing of the bull and the shouts of the men, they
+had rushed out of the hut.
+
+Don Pablo, in wild accents, shouted to them to make for the door; but,
+paralysed by terror, they were for some moments unable to move. At
+length Doña Isidora, recovering herself, ran for the entrance, pushing
+the children before her. But the low doorway was difficult of access;
+they were slow in getting under it; and they would have been too late,
+as the bull, after shaking off the poncho, had turned and made directly
+for the hut.
+
+"O God, preserve her!" cried Don Pablo, as he saw the enraged animal
+within a few paces of where his wife had knelt to enter the doorway.
+"She is lost! she is lost!"
+
+In fact, the bull was making directly towards her, and it seemed as if
+nothing could then have interposed to save her.
+
+At that moment the tramp of a horse in full gallop sounded on their
+ears. Don Pablo looked up. A strange horseman was near the spot--an
+Indian. Over his head a singular instrument was revolving. There were
+three thongs fastened at one end, while at the other end of each was a
+ball. These balls were whirling and gyrating in the air. The next moment
+both thongs and balls were seen to part from the hands of the rider, and
+wrap themselves around the legs of the bull. The latter made an awkward
+spring forward, and then fell upon the plain, where he lay kicking and
+helpless. The horseman uttered a yell of triumph, sprang from his horse,
+and running up to the prostrate animal, thrust the blade of his long
+macheté into its throat. The red stream gushed forth, and in a few
+seconds the black monster lay motionless upon the plain.
+
+The new-comer quietly unwound the thongs--the _bolas_--from the legs of
+the dead bull, and then addressed himself to our travellers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE "VAQUERO."
+
+
+Who was this deliverer? No other than the vaquero--the friend of
+Guapo,--who now welcomed Guapo and his companions, telling them in the
+polite phraseology of all Spanish-Americans that his _house(!)_ was at
+their service. They were welcome to all it contained.
+
+The macas, and maize, and a fresh steak from the wild bull, enabled them
+to make a most excellent supper. In return for this hospitality, Don
+Pablo made the vaquero a handsome present out of his purse; but what
+gratified him still more was a supply of coca which his friend Guapo was
+enabled to bestow upon him, for his own stock had been exhausted for
+some days. Guapo, on leaving Cuzco, had spent his last _peseta_ in
+buying this luxury, and therefore was well provided for weeks to come.
+
+After they had had supper, he and his friend seated themselves on one
+side, and quietly chewed for a good half-hour, when at length Guapo, who
+knew he could trust the vaquero--because the latter, like himself, was
+one of the "patriotas"--communicated to him the object of their journey
+through that desolate region. The vaquero not only promised secrecy, but
+bound himself to put any party of pursuers completely off the trail.
+
+The vaquero, even in his remote mountain-home, had heard of Don Pablo,
+knew that he was a good patriot and friend of the Indians, and he would
+therefore have risked his life to serve such a man--for no people have
+proved more devoted to the friends of their race than these simple and
+faithful Indians of the Andes. How many instances of noble
+self-sacrifice--even of life itself--occurred during the painful history
+of their conquest by the cruel and sanguinary followers of Pizarro!
+
+The vaquero, therefore, did all in his power to make his guests
+comfortable for the night. His dogs--there were four of them--were not
+so hospitably inclined, for they did not seem to know friends from
+enemies. They had come up shortly after their master himself arrived,
+and had made a desperate attack upon everybody. The vaquero, however,
+assisted by Guapo--who, being an Indian, was less troubled with
+them--gave them a very rough handling with a large whip which he
+carried; and then, securing the whole of them, tied them together in a
+bunch, and left them at the back of the hut to snap and growl at each
+other, which they did throughout the livelong night. Supper over, all
+the travellers would have retired to rest; but the vaquero, having
+announced that he was going out to set snares for the chinchillas and
+viscachas, Leon could not rest, but asked permission to accompany him.
+This was granted both by Don Pablo and the vaquero himself.
+
+The chinchilla, and its near relative the viscacha, are two little
+animals of the rodent, or grass-eating kind, that inhabit the very
+highest mountains of Peru and Chili. They are nearly of the same size,
+and each about as big as a rabbit, which in habits they very much
+resemble. They have long tails, however, which the rabbit has not,
+though the latter beats them in the length of his ears. The colour of
+the chinchilla is known to everybody, since its soft, velvety fur is
+highly prized by ladies as an article of dress, and may be seen in every
+London fur-shop.
+
+The animal is of a beautiful marbled grey, white and black, with pure
+white feet. The fur of the viscacha is not so pretty, being of a
+brownish and white mixture. Its cheeks are black, with long, bristly
+moustaches, like those of a cat; while its head resembles that of the
+hare or rabbit. Both these innocent little creatures live upon the high
+declivities of the Andes, in holes and crevices among the rocks, where
+they remain concealed during the day, but steal out to feed twice in the
+twenty-four hours,--that is, during the evening twilight and in the
+early morning. The mode of capturing them is by snares made of
+horse-hair, which are set in front of their caves--just as we snare
+rabbits in a warren, except that for the rabbits we make use of light
+elastic wire, instead of the horse-hair.
+
+Leon was delighted with the excursion, as the vaquero showed him how to
+set the snares, and told him a great many curious stories of Puna life
+and habits. Some of these stories were about the great condor
+vulture--which the narrator, of course, described as a much bigger bird
+than it really is, for the condor, after all, is not so much bigger than
+the griffon vulture, or even the vulture of California. But you, young
+reader, have already had a full account of the vultures of America--the
+condor among the rest--therefore we shall not repeat what was said by
+the vaquero about this interesting bird.
+
+On the way to the place where the snares were to be set, they passed a
+lagoon, or marshy lake, in which were many kinds of birds peculiar to
+these high regions. Out on the open water they saw a wild goose of a
+very beautiful species. It is called the "Huachua" goose. Its plumage is
+of a snowy whiteness, all except the wings, which are bright green and
+violet, while the beak, legs, and feet, are scarlet. They also saw two
+species of ibis wading about in the marsh, and a gigantic water-hen
+almost as big as a turkey. This last is of a dark grey colour, with a
+red beak, at the base of which is a large yellow knob of the shape of a
+bean. On this account it is called by the Indians "bean nose."
+
+Upon the plain, near the border of the marsh, they noticed a beautiful
+plover, having plumage marked very much like that of the "huachua"
+goose, with green wings shining in the sun like polished metal. Another
+curious bird also sat upon the plain, or flew around their heads. This
+was a bird of prey of the species of jerfalcons (_Polyborus_). The
+vaquero called it the "Huarahua." He told Leon it preyed only on
+carrion, and never killed its own food; that it was very harmless and
+tame--which was evidently true, as, shortly after, one of them seated
+upon a stone allowed the Indian to approach and knock it over with a
+stick! Such a silly bird Leon had never seen.
+
+The vaquero was quite a naturalist in his way--that is, he knew all the
+animals of the Puna, and their habits, just as you will sometimes find a
+gamekeeper in our own country, or often a shepherd or farm-servant. He
+pointed out a rock-woodpecker, which he called a "pito" (_Colaptes
+rupicola_), that was fluttering about and flying from rock to rock. Like
+the cliff-parrots we have already mentioned, this rock-woodpecker was a
+curious phenomenon, for, as their very name implies, the woodpeckers are
+all tree-dwelling birds, yet here was one of the genus living among
+rocks where not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a plant, except the
+thorny cactuses and magueys, with which succulent vegetables the
+woodpecker has nothing to do. The "pito" is a small, brown, speckled
+bird, with yellow belly, and there were great numbers of them flying
+about.
+
+But the bird which most fixed the attention of Leon was a little bird
+about the size of a starling. Its plumage was rather pretty. It was
+brown, with black stripes on the back, and white-breasted. But it was
+not the plumage of the bird that interested Leon. It was what his
+companion told him of a singular habit which it had--that of repeating,
+at the end of every hour during the night, its melancholy and monotonous
+note. The Indians call this bird the "cock of the Inca," and they
+moreover regard it with a sort of superstitious reverence.
+
+Having placed his snares, the vaquero set out to return with his
+youthful companion. As they walked back along the mountain-foot, a fox
+stole out from the rocks and skulked towards the marshy lake, no doubt
+in search of prey. This fox was the _Canis Azaræ_, a most troublesome
+species, found all through South America. He is the great pest of the
+Puna shepherds, as he is a fierce hunter, and kills many of the young
+lambs and alpacos.
+
+The vaquero was sorry he had not his dogs with him, as, from the route
+the fox had taken, he would have been certain to have captured him, and
+that would have been worth something, for the great sheep-owners give
+their shepherds a sheep for every old fox that they can kill, and for
+every young one a lamb. But the dogs, on this occasion, had been left
+behind, lest they should have bitten Leon, and the vaquero was compelled
+to let "Reynard" go his way. It was night when they returned to the hut,
+and then, after Leon had related the details of their excursion, all
+retired to rest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICUÑAS, AND GUANACOS.
+
+
+Our travellers were stirring by early break of day. As they issued from
+the hut, a singular and interesting scene presented itself to their
+eyes. At one view--one _coup d'oeil_--they beheld the whole four species
+of the celebrated camel-sheep of the Andes; for there are four of
+them,--llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuña! This was a rare sight,
+indeed. They were all browsing upon the open plain: first, the llamas,
+near the hut; then a flock of tame alpacos, out upon the plain; thirdly,
+a herd of seven guanacos farther off; and still more distant, a larger
+herd of the shy vicuñas. The guanacos and vicuñas were of uniform
+colours,--that is, in each flock the colour of the individuals was the
+same; while among the llamas and alpacos there were many varieties of
+colour. The latter two kinds were tame,--in fact, they were under the
+charge of Guapo's friend the shepherd, whereas the herds of vicuñas and
+guanacos consisted of wild animals.
+
+Perhaps no animal of South America has attracted so much attention as
+the llama, as it was the only beast of burden the Indians had trained to
+their use on the arrival of Europeans in that country. So many strange
+stories were told by the earlier Spanish travellers regarding this
+"camel-sheep," that it was natural that great interest should attach to
+it. These reported that the llama was used for riding. Such, however, is
+not the case. It is only trained to carry burdens; although an Indian
+boy may be sometimes seen on the back of a llama for mischief, or when
+crossing a stream and the lad does not wish to get his feet wet.
+
+The llama is three feet high from hoof to shoulder, though his long neck
+makes him look taller. His colour is generally brown, with black and
+yellow shades, sometimes speckled or spotted; and there are black and
+white llamas, but these are rare. His wool is long and coarse, though
+the females, which are smaller, have a finer and better wool. The latter
+are never used to carry burdens, but only kept for breeding. They are
+fed in flocks upon the Puna heights, and it was a flock of these that
+our travellers saw near the hut.
+
+The males are trained to carry burdens at the age of four years. A
+pack-saddle, called _yergua_, woven out of course wool, is fastened on
+the back, and upon this the goods are placed. The burden never exceeds
+120 or 130 pounds. Should a heavier one be put on, the llama, like the
+camel, quite understands that he is "over-weighted," and neither coaxing
+nor beating will induce him to move a step. He will lie down, or, if
+much vexed, spit angrily at his driver, and this spittle has a highly
+acrid property, and will cause blisters on the skin where it touches.
+Sometimes a llama, over vexed by ill-treatment, has been known, in
+despair, to dash his brains out against a rock.
+
+The llamas are used much in the mines of Peru, for carrying the ore.
+They frequently serve better than either asses or mules, as they can
+pass up and down declivities where neither ass nor mule can travel. They
+are sometimes taken in long trains from the mountains down to the coast
+region for salt and other goods; but on such occasions many of them die,
+as they cannot bear the warm climate of the lowlands. Their proper and
+native place is on the higher plains of the Andes.
+
+A string of llamas, when on a journey, is a very interesting spectacle.
+One of the largest is usually the leader. The rest follow in single
+file, at a slow, measured pace, their heads ornamented tastefully with
+ribands, while small bells, hanging around their necks, tinkle as they
+go. They throw their high heads from side to side, gazing around them,
+and when frightened at anything, will "break ranks," and scamper out of
+their path, to be collected again with some trouble.
+
+When resting, they utter a low, humming noise, which has been compared
+to the sound of an Eolian harp. They crouch down on their breast--where
+there is a callosity--when about to receive their burdens, and also
+sleep resting in the same attitude. A halt during the day is necessary,
+in order that they may be fed, as these animals will not eat by night.
+In consequence of this they make but short journeys--ten to fifteen
+miles--although they will travel for a long time, allowing them a day's
+rest out of every five or six. Like the camels of the East, they can go
+days without water, and Buffon knew one that went _eighteen months_
+without it! but Buffon is very poor authority. When one of them becomes
+wearied, and does not wish to proceed, it is exceedingly difficult to
+coax him onward.
+
+These animals were at one time very valuable. On the discovery of
+America a llama cost as much as eighteen or twenty dollars. But the
+introduction of mules and other beasts of burden has considerably
+cheapened them. At present they are sold for about four dollars in the
+mining districts, but can be bought where they are bred and reared for
+half that amount. In the days of the Incas their flesh was much used as
+food. It is still eaten; but for this purpose the common sheep is
+preferred, as the flesh of the llama is spongy and not very well
+flavoured. The wool is used for many sorts of coarse manufacture. So
+much for llamas. Now the "guanaco."
+
+This animal (whose name is sometimes written "huanaca," though the
+pronunciation is the same with "guanaco" or "guanaca") is larger than
+the llama, and for a long time was considered merely as the wild llama,
+or the llama _run wild_, in which you will perceive an essential
+distinction. It is neither, but an animal of specific difference. It
+exists in a wild state in the high mountains, though, with great care
+and trouble, it can be domesticated and trained to carry burdens as well
+as its congener the llama. In form it resembles the latter, but, as is
+the case with most wild animals, the guanacos are all alike in colour.
+The upper parts of the body are of a reddish brown, while underneath it
+is a dirty white. The lips are white, and the face a dark grey. The wool
+is shorter than that of the llama, and of the same length all over the
+body. The guanaco lives in herds of five or seven individuals, and these
+are very shy, fleeing to the most inaccessible cliffs when any one
+approaches them. Like the chamois of Switzerland and the "bighorn" of
+the Rocky Mountains, they can glide along steep ledges when neither men
+nor dogs can find footing.
+
+The "alpaco," or "paco," as it is sometimes called, is one of the most
+useful of the Peruvian sheep, and is more like the common sheep than the
+others. This arises from its bulkier shape, caused by its thick fleece
+of long wool. The latter is soft, fine, and often five inches in length;
+and, as is well known, has become an important article in the
+manufacture of cloth. Its colour is usually either white or black,
+though there are some of the alpacos speckled or spotted. Ponchos are
+woven out of alpaco-wool by the Indians of the Andes.
+
+The alpaco is a domesticated animal, like the llama, but it is not used
+for carrying burdens. It is kept in large flocks, and regularly shorn as
+sheep are. If one of the alpacos gets separated from the flock, it will
+lie down and suffer itself to be beaten to death, rather than go the way
+its driver wishes. You have, no doubt, sometimes seen a common sheep
+exhibit similar obstinacy.
+
+Of all the Peruvian sheep the vicuña is certainly the prettiest and most
+graceful. It has more the form of the deer or antelope than of the
+sheep, and its colour is so striking that it has obtained among the
+Peruvians the name of the animal itself, _color de vicuña_ (vicuña
+colour). It is of a reddish yellow, not unlike that of our domestic red
+cat, although the breast and under parts of the body are white. The
+flesh of the vicuña is excellent eating, and its wool is of more value
+than even that of the alpaco. Where a pound of the former sells for one
+dollar--which is the usual price--the pound of alpaco will fetch only a
+quarter of that sum. Hats and the finest fabrics can be woven from the
+fleece of the vicuña, and the Incas used to clothe themselves in rich
+stuffs manufactured from it. In the present day the "ricos," or rich
+proprietors of Peru, pride themselves in possessing ponchos of vicuña
+wool.
+
+The vicuña inhabits the high plains of the Andes, though, unlike the
+guanaco, it rarely ventures up the rocky cliffs, as its hoofs are only
+calculated for the soft turf of the plains. It roams about in larger
+herds than the other--eighteen or twenty in the herd--and these are
+usually females under the protection and guidance of one polygamous old
+male. While feeding, the latter keeps watch over the flock, usually
+posting himself at some distance, so that he may have a better
+opportunity of seeing and hearing any danger that may approach. When any
+is perceived, a shrill whistle from the leader and a quick stroke of his
+hoof on the turf warn the flock; and all draw closely together, each
+stretching out its head in the direction of the danger. They then take
+to flight, at first slowly, but afterwards with the swiftness of the
+roe; while the male, true to his trust, hangs in the rear, and halts at
+intervals, as if to cover the retreat of the herd.
+
+The llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuña, although different species, will
+breed with each other; and it is certain that some of their hybrids will
+again produce young. There exist, therefore, many intermediate
+varieties, or "mules," throughout the countries of the Andes, some of
+which have been mistaken for separate species.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+A VICUÑA HUNT.
+
+
+The vicuña being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh and
+wool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. It is an
+animal most difficult to approach, and there is rarely any cover on
+these naked plains by which to approach it.
+
+The chief mode of capturing it is by the "chacu." This cannot be
+effected by a single hunter. A great number is required. Usually the
+whole population of one of the villages of the "Sierras" lower down
+turns out for this sport, or rather business, for it is an annual source
+of profit. Even the women go along, to cook and perform other offices,
+as the hunt of the _chacu_ sometimes lasts a week or more.
+
+A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons. They
+climb up to the _altos_, or high and secluded plains, where the vicuña
+dwells in greatest numbers. They carry with them immense coils of ropes,
+and a large quantity of coloured rags, together with bundles of stakes
+three or four feet in length. When a proper part of the plain has been
+chosen, they drive in the stakes four or five yards apart and running in
+the circumference of a circle, sometimes nearly a mile in diameter.
+
+A rope is then stretched from stake to stake, at the height of between
+two and three feet from the ground, and over this rope are hung the
+coloured rags provided for the occasion, and which keep fluttering in
+the wind. A sort of scare-crow fence is thus constructed in the form of
+a ring, except that on one side a space of about two hundred yards is
+left open to serve as an entrance for the game. The Indians then, most
+of them on horseback, make a grand détour, extending for miles over the
+country; and having got behind the herds of vicuñas, drive them within
+the circle, and close up the entrance by completing the ring.
+
+The hunters then go inside, and using the _bolas_, or even seizing the
+animals by their hind-legs, soon capture the whole. Strange to say,
+these silly creatures make no attempt to break through the sham fence,
+nor even to leap over it. Not so with the guanacos, when so enclosed.
+The latter spring against the fence at once, and if, by chance, a party
+of guanacos be driven in along with the vicuñas, they not only break
+open the rope enclosure and free themselves, but also the whole herd of
+their cousins, the vicuñas. It is, therefore, not considered any gain to
+get a flock of guanacos into the trap.
+
+The hunt usually lasts several days, but during that time the enclosure
+of ropes is flitted from place to place, until no more vicuñas can be
+found. Then the ropes, stakes, &c., are collected, and the produce of
+the hunt distributed among the hunters. But the Church levies its tax
+upon the "chacu," and the skins--worth a dollar each--have to be given
+up to the priest of the village. A good round sum this amounts to, as
+frequently four or five hundred vicuñas are taken at a single _chacu_.
+
+A good hunter is sometimes able to "approach" the vicuña. Guapo's friend
+was esteemed one of the best in all the Puna. The sight of the herd out
+on the plain, with their graceful forms, and beautiful reddish-orange
+bodies, was too much for him, and he resolved to try his skill upon
+them. He said he had a plan of his own, which he intended to practise on
+this occasion.
+
+Don Pablo and his party--even Doña Isidora and the little Leona--were
+all outside the hut, although the morning air was raw and chill. But the
+domicile of the worthy vaquero was not empty, for all that. It was
+peopled by a very large colony of very small animals, and a night in
+their society had proved enough for the travellers. The chill air of the
+Puna was even more endurable than such company.
+
+The vaquero crawled back into the hut, and in a few minutes returned,
+but so metamorphosed, that had the party not seen him come out of the
+doorway they would have mistaken him for a llama! He was completely
+disguised in the skin of one of these animals. His face only was partly
+visible, and his eyes looked out of the breast. The head and neck of the
+skin, stuffed with some light substance, stood up and forward, after the
+manner of the living animal, and although the legs were a little clumsy,
+yet it would have required a more intelligent creature than the vicuña
+to have observed this defect.
+
+All hands, even the saturnine Guapo, laughed loudly at the counterfeit,
+and the vaquero himself was heard to chuckle through the long wool upon
+the breast. He did not lose time, however, but instantly prepared to set
+off. He needed no other preparation than to get hold of his
+_bolas_,--that was his favourite weapon. Before going farther, I shall
+tell you what sort of weapon it is.
+
+The bolas consist of three balls--hence the name--of lead or stone, two
+of them heavier than the third. Each ball is fastened to the end of a
+stout thong made of twisted sinews of the vicuña itself, and the other
+ends of the three thongs are joined together. In using them the hunter
+holds the lightest ball in his hand, and twirls the other two in circles
+around his head, until they have attained the proper velocity, when he
+takes aim and launches them forth.
+
+Through the air fly the thongs and balls, and all whirling round in
+circles, until they strike some object; and if that object be the legs
+of an animal, the thongs become immediately warped around them, until
+the animal is regularly hoppled, and in attempting to escape comes at
+once to the ground. Of course great practice is required before such an
+instrument can be used skilfully; and to the novice there is some danger
+of one of the balls hitting him a crack on the head, and knocking over
+himself instead of the game. But there was no danger of Guapo's friend
+the vaquero committing this blunder. He had been swinging the bolas
+around his head for more than forty years!
+
+Without more ado, then, he seized the weapon, and, having gathered it
+with his _fore-feet_ into a portable shape, he proceeded in the
+direction of the vicuñas.
+
+The travellers remained by the hut, watching him with interest, but his
+movements were particularly interesting to Leon, who, like all boys, was
+naturally fond of such enterprises.
+
+The herd of vicuñas was not more than three quarters of a mile off. For
+the first half of this distance the vaquero shambled along right
+speedily, but as he drew nearer to the animals he proceeded slower and
+with more caution.
+
+The pretty creatures were busily browsing, and had no fear. They knew
+they were well guarded by their faithful sentinel, in whom they had
+every confidence,--the lord and leader of the herd. Even from the hut,
+this one could be seen standing some distance apart from the rest. He
+was easily recognised by his greater bulk and prouder bearing.
+
+The false llama has passed near the guanacos, and they have taken no
+heed of him. This is a good omen, for the guanacos are quite as sharp
+and shy as their smaller cousins, and since he has succeeded in
+deceiving them, he will likely do the same for the vicuñas. Already he
+approaches them. He does not make for the herd, but directly for the
+leader. Surely he is near enough; from the hut he seems close up to the
+creature. See! the vicuña tosses his head and strikes the ground with
+his hoof. Listen! it is his shrill whistle. The scattered herd suddenly
+start and flock together; but, look! the _llama_ stands erect on his
+hind-legs; the bolas whirl around his head--they are launched out. Ha!
+the vicuña is down!
+
+Where is the female drove? Have they scampered off and forsaken their
+lord? No! faithful as a loving wife, they run up to share his danger.
+With shrill cries they gather around him, moving to and fro. The llama
+is in their midst. See! he is dealing blows with some weapon--it is a
+knife! his victims fall around him--one at every blow; one by one they
+are falling. At last, at last, they are all down,--yes, the whole herd
+are stretched, dead or dying, upon the plain!
+
+The struggle is over; no sound is heard, save the hoof-stroke of the
+guanacos, llamas, and alpacos, that cover the plain in their wild
+flight.
+
+Leon could no longer restrain his curiosity; but ran off to the scene of
+the slaughter. There he counted no less than nineteen vicuñas lying
+dead, each one stabbed in the ribs! The Indian assured him that it was
+not the first _battue_ of the kind he had made. A whole herd of vicuñas
+is often taken in this way. When the male is wounded or killed, the
+females will not leave him; but, as if out of gratitude for the
+protection he has during life afforded them, they share his fate without
+making an effort to escape!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+CAPTURING A CONDOR.
+
+
+The vaquero with his horse soon dragged the vicuñas to the hut. Guapo
+gave him a help with the mule, and in a few minutes they were all
+brought up. One of them was immediately skinned, and part of it prepared
+for breakfast, and our travellers ate heartily of it, as the cold Puna
+air had given an edge to their appetites.
+
+The new-killed animals, along with the red skin of the bull, which had
+been spread out on the ground at some distance from the hut, had already
+attracted the condors; and four or five of these great birds were now
+seen hovering in the air, evidently with the intention of alighting at
+the first opportunity.
+
+An idea seemed to enter the head of the vaquero, while his guests were
+still at breakfast, and he asked Leon if he would like to see a condor
+caught. Of course Leon replied in the affirmative. What boy wouldn't
+like to see a condor caught?
+
+The vaquero said he would gratify him with the sight, and without
+staying to finish his breakfast--indeed he had had his "coceada," and
+didn't care for any,--he started to his feet, and began to make
+preparations for the capture.
+
+How he was to catch one of these great birds, Leon had not the slightest
+idea. Perhaps with the "bolas," thought he. That would have done well
+enough if he could only get near them; but the condors were sufficiently
+shy not to let any man within reach either with bolas or guns. It is
+only when they have been feasting on carrion, and have gorged themselves
+to repletion, that they can be thus approached, and then they may be
+even knocked over with sticks.
+
+At other times the condor is a shy and wary bird. No wonder either that
+he is so, for, unlike most other vultures, he is hunted and killed at
+all times. The vultures of most countries are respected by the people,
+because they perform a valuable service in clearing away carrion; and in
+many parts these birds are protected by statute. There are laws in the
+Southern United States, and in several of the Spanish-American
+Republics, which impose fines and penalties for killing the black
+vultures. In some Oriental countries, too, similar laws exist. But no
+statute protects the condor. On the contrary, he is a proscribed bird,
+and there is a bounty on his head, because he does great damage to the
+proprietors of sheep, and llamas, and alpacos, killing and devouring the
+young of these animals. His large quills, moreover, are much prized in
+the South American cities, and the killing of a condor is worth
+something. All this will account for the shyness of this great bird,
+while other vultures are usually so tame that you may approach within a
+few paces of them.
+
+As yet the half-dozen condors hovering about kept well off from the hut;
+and Leon could not understand how any one of them was to be caught.
+
+The vaquero, however, had a good many "dodges," and after the _ruse_ he
+had just practised upon the vicuñas, Leon suspected he would employ some
+similar artifice with the condors. Leon was right. It was by a stratagem
+the bird was to be taken.
+
+The vaquero laid hold of a long rope, and lifting the bull's hide upon
+his shoulders, asked Guapo to follow him with the two horses. When he
+had got out some four or five hundred yards from the hut, he simply
+spread himself flat upon the ground, and drew the skin over him, the
+fleshy side turned upward. There was a hollow in the ground about as big
+as his body--in fact, a trench he had himself made for a former
+occasion--and when lying in this on his back, his breast was about on a
+level with the surrounding turf.
+
+His object in asking Guapo to accompany him with the horses was simply a
+_ruse_ to deceive the condors, who from their high elevation were all
+the while looking down upon the plain. But the vaquero covered himself
+so adroitly with his red blanket, that even their keen eyes could
+scarcely have noticed him; and as Guapo afterwards left the ground with
+the led horses, the vultures supposed that nothing remained but the
+skin, which from its sanguinary colour to them appeared to be flesh.
+
+The birds had now nothing to fear from the propinquity of the hut. There
+the party were all seated quietly eating their breakfast, and apparently
+taking no notice of them. In a few minutes' time, therefore, they
+descended lower, and lower,--and then one of the very largest dropped
+upon the ground within a few feet of the hide. After surveying it for a
+moment, he appeared to see nothing suspicious about it, and hopped a
+little closer. Another at this moment came to the ground--which gave
+courage to the first--and this at length stalked boldly on the hide, and
+began to tear at it with his great beak.
+
+A movement was now perceived on the part of the vaquero--the hide
+"lumped" up, and at the same time the wings of the condor were seen to
+play and flap about as if he wanted to rise into the air, but could not.
+He was evidently held by the legs!
+
+The other bird had flown off at the first alarm, and the whole band were
+soon soaring far upward into the blue heavens.
+
+Leon now expected to see the vaquero uncover himself. Not so, however,
+as yet. That wily hunter had no such intention, and although he was now
+in a sitting posture, grasping the legs of the condor, yet his head and
+shoulders were still enveloped in the bull's hide. He knew better than
+to show his naked face to the giant vulture, that at a single "peck" of
+his powerful beak would have deprived him of an eye, or otherwise
+injured him severely. The vaquero was aware of all this, and therefore
+did not leave his hiding-place until he had firmly knotted one end of
+the long cord around the shank of the bird--then slipping out at one
+side, he ran off to some distance before stopping. The condor,
+apparently relieved of his disagreeable company, made a sudden effort
+and rose into the air, carrying the hide after him. Leon shouted out,
+for he thought the vulture had escaped; but the vaquero knew better, as
+he held the other end of the cord in his hand; and the bird, partly from
+the weight of the skin, and partly from a slight tug given by the
+hunter, soon came heavily to the ground again. The vaquero was now
+joined by Guapo; and, after some sharp manoeuvring, they succeeded
+between them in passing the string through the nostrils of the condor,
+by which means it was quietly conducted to the hut, and staked on the
+ground in the rear--to be disposed of whenever its captor should think
+fit.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD.
+
+
+It was as yet only an hour or so after daybreak--for the vicuña hunt had
+occupied but a very short time and the capture of the condor a still
+shorter. Don Pablo was anxious to be gone, as he knew he was not beyond
+the reach of pursuit. A pair of the vicuñas were hastily prepared, and
+packed upon a llama for use upon their journey. Thus furnished, the
+party resumed their route.
+
+The vaquero did not accompany them. He had an office to perform of far
+more importance to their welfare and safety. As soon as they were gone
+he let loose his four snarling curs, and taking them out to where the
+pile of dead vicuñas lay upon the plain, he left them there with
+instructions to guard the carcasses from foxes, condors, or whatever
+else might wish to make a meal off them. Then mounting, he rode off to
+the place where the road leading from Cuzco ascended upon the
+table-land, and having tied his horse to a bush, he climbed upon a
+projecting rock and sat down. From this point he commanded a view of the
+winding road to the distance of miles below him.
+
+No traveller--much less a party of soldiers--could approach without his
+seeing them, even many hours before they could get up to where he sat;
+and it was for that reason he had stationed himself there. Had Don Pablo
+been pursued, the faithful Indian would have galloped after and given
+him warning, long before his pursuers could have reached the plain.
+
+He sat until sunset--contenting himself with a few leaves of coca. No
+pursuer appeared in sight. He then mounted his horse, and rode back to
+his solitary hut.
+
+Let us follow our travellers.
+
+They crossed the table-plain during the day, and rested that night under
+the shelter of some overhanging rocks on the other side. They supped
+upon part of the vicuñas, and felt more cheerful, as they widened the
+distance between themselves and danger. But in the morning they did not
+remain longer by their camp than was necessary to get breakfast.
+Half-an-hour after sunrise saw them once more on their route.
+
+Their road led through a pass in the mountains. At first it ascended,
+and then began to go downward. They had crossed the last ridge of the
+Andes, and were now descending the eastern slopes. Another day's
+journey, or two at most, would bring them to the borders of that wild
+forest, which stretches from the foot-hills of the Andes to the shores
+of the Atlantic Ocean--that forest with scarcely a civilised settlement
+throughout all its wide extent--where no roads exist--whose only paths
+are rivers--whose dark jungles are in places so impenetrable that the
+Indian cannot enter them, and even the fierce jaguar, embarrassed by the
+thick underwood, has to take to the tree-tops in pursuit of his prey.
+Another day's journey or so would bring them to the borders of the
+"Montaña"--for such is the name which, by a strange misapplication of
+terms, has been given to this primeval wood. Yes, the Montaña was before
+them, and although yet distant, it could now and then be seen as the
+road wound among the rocks, stretching far towards the sky like a green
+and misty ocean.
+
+In that almost boundless region there dwelt none but the aborigines of
+the soil--the wild Indians--and these only in sparse and distant bands.
+Even the Spaniards in their day of glory had failed to conquer it; and
+the Portuguese from the other side were not more successful.
+
+The Spanish colonists, on the Peruvian or western border of this immense
+forest, had never been able to penetrate it as colonists or settlers.
+Expeditions from time to time had passed along its rivers in search of
+the fabled gold country of _Manoa_, whose king each morning gave himself
+a coating of gold dust, and was hence called El Dorado (the gilded); but
+all these expeditions ended in mortification and defeat. The settlements
+never extended beyond the _sierras_, or foot-hill of the Andes, which
+stretch only a few days' journey (in some places but a score of leagues)
+from the populous cities on the mountain-heights.
+
+Even at this present time, if you travel thirty leagues eastward of the
+large town of Cuzco, in the direction taken by Don Pablo, you will pass
+the boundaries of civilisation, and enter a country unexplored and
+altogether unknown to the people of Cuzco themselves! About the
+"Montaña" very little is known in the settlements of the Andes. Fierce
+tribes of Indians, the jaguar, the vampire bat, swarms of mosquitoes,
+and the hot atmosphere, have kept the settler, as well as the curious
+traveller, out of these wooded plains.
+
+Don Pablo had already passed the outskirts of civilisation. Any
+settlement he might find beyond would be the hut of some half-wild
+Indian. There was no fear of his encountering a white face upon the
+unfrequented path he had chosen, though had he gone by some other route
+he might have found white settlements extending farther to the eastward.
+As it was, the wilderness lay before him, and he would soon enter it.
+
+_And what was he to do in the wilderness?_ He knew not. He had never
+reflected on that. He only knew that behind him was a relentless foe
+thirsting for his life. To go back was to march to certain death. He had
+no thoughts of returning. That would have been madness. His property was
+already confiscated--his death decreed by the vengeful Viceroy, whose
+soldiers had orders to capture or slay, whenever they should find him.
+His only hope, then, was to escape beyond the borders of
+civilisation--to hide himself in the great Montaña. Beyond this he had
+formed no plan. He had scarcely thought about the future. Forward, then,
+for the Montaña!
+
+The road which our travellers followed was nothing more than a narrow
+path or "trail" formed by cattle, or by some party of Indians
+occasionally passing up from the lower valleys to the mountain-heights.
+It lay along the edge of a torrent that leaped and foamed over its rocky
+bed. The torrent was no doubt on its way to join the greatest of rivers,
+the mighty Amazon--the head-waters of which spring from all parts of the
+Andes, draining the slopes of these mountains through more than twenty
+degrees of latitude.
+
+Towards evening the little party were beginning to enter among the
+mountain spurs, or foot-hills. Here the travelling grew exceedingly
+difficult, the path sometimes running up a steep acclivity and then
+descending into deep ravines--so deep and dark that the sun's rays
+seemed hardly to enter them. The road was what Spanish-Americans term,
+"_Cuesta arriba, cuesta abajo_" (up hill, down hill).
+
+In no part of the world are such roads to be met with as among the Andes
+Mountains, both in South America and in their Mexican continuation
+through the northern division of the continent. This arises from the
+peculiar geological structure of these mountains. Vast clefts traverse
+them, yawning far into the earth. In South America these are called
+_quebradas_. You may stand on the edge of one of them and look sheer
+down a precipice two thousand feet! You may fancy a whole mountain
+scooped out and carried away, and yet you may have to reach the bottom
+of this yawning gulf by a road which seems cut out of the face of the
+cliff, or rather has been formed by a freak of Nature--for in these
+countries the hand of man has done but little for the roads.
+
+Sometimes the path traverses a ledge so narrow that scarce room is found
+for the feet of your trusty mule. Sometimes a hanging bridge has to be
+crossed, spanning a horrid chasm, at the bottom of which roars a foaming
+torrent--the bridge itself, composed of ropes and brambles, all the
+while swinging like a hammock under the tread of the affrighted
+traveller!
+
+He who journeys through the tame scenery of European countries can form
+but little idea of the wild and dangerous highways of the Andes. Even
+the passes of the Alps or Carpathians are safe in comparison. On the
+Peruvian road the lives of men and animals are often sacrificed. Mules
+slide from the narrow ledges, or break through the frail "soga" bridges,
+carrying their riders along with them, whirling through empty air to be
+plunged into foaming waters or dashed on sharp rocks below.
+
+These are accidents of continual occurrence; and yet, on account of the
+apathy of the Spano-Indian races that inhabit these countries, little is
+done for either roads or bridges. Every one is left to take care of
+himself, and get over them as he best may. It is only now and then that
+positive necessity prompts to a great effort, and then a road is
+repaired or a broken bridge patched with new ropes.
+
+But the road that was travelled by Don Pablo had seen no repairs--there
+were no bridges. It was, in fact, a mere pathway where the traveller
+scrambled over rocks, or plunged into the stream, and forded or swam
+across it as he best could. Sometimes it lay along the water's edge,
+keeping in the bottom of the ravine; at other places no space was left
+by the water, and then the path ascended and ran along some ledge
+perhaps for miles, at the end of which it would again descend to the bed
+of the stream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF.
+
+
+That night they encamped in the bottom of the ravine close to the
+water's edge. They found just enough of level ground to enable them to
+stretch themselves, but they were contented with that. There was nothing
+for the animals to eat except the succulent, but thorny, leaves of the
+_Cactus opuntia_, or the more fibrous blades of the wild agave. This
+evening there were no quinoa seeds to be had, for none of these trees
+grew near. Even the botanist, Don Pablo, could find no vegetable
+substance that was eatable, and they would have to sup upon the vicuña
+meat, without bread, potatoes, or other vegetables. Their stock of ocas,
+ullucas, and macas, was quite out. They had cooked the last of the macas
+for that morning's meal.
+
+Guapo here came to their relief. Guapo's experience went beyond the
+theoretical knowledge of the botanist. Guapo knew a vegetable which was
+good to eat--in fact, a most delicious vegetable when cooked with meat.
+This was no other than the fleshy heart of the wild maguey (_agave_),
+with part of the adhering roots. Among naked rocks, in the most barren
+parts of the desert wilderness, the wild agave may be found growing in
+luxuriance. Its thick, succulent blades, when split open, exude a cool
+liquid, that often gives considerable relief to the thirsty traveller;
+while the heart, or egg-shaped nucleus from which spring the sheathing
+leaves--and even parts of the leaves themselves--when cooked with any
+sort of meat, become an excellent and nourishing food.
+
+The Indians make this use of the aloe on the high plains of Northern
+Mexico, among the roving bands of the Apaché, Navajo, and Comanché.
+These people cook them along with horse's flesh, for there the wild
+horse is the principal food of whole tribes. Their mode of cooking, both
+the flesh and the aloe, is by baking them together in little ovens of
+stones sunk in the ground, and then heated by fire until they are nearly
+red hot. The ashes are then cleared out, the meat and vegetables placed
+in the ovens, and then buried until both are sufficiently done. In fact,
+there is one tribe of the Apachés who have obtained the name of
+"Mezcaleros," from the fact of their eating the wild aloe, which in
+those countries goes under the name of "mezcal" plant.
+
+In many parts of the Andes, where the soil is barren, the wild maguey is
+almost the only vegetation to be seen, and in such places the Indians
+use it as food. It seems to be a gift of Nature to the desert, so that
+even there man may find something on which to subsist.
+
+Guapo with his knife had soon cleared off several large pieces of the
+maguey, and these, fried along with the vicuña meat, enabled the party
+to make a supper sufficiently palatable. A cup of pure water from the
+cold mountain stream, sweeter than all the wine in the world, washed it
+down; and they went to rest with hearts full of contentment and
+gratitude.
+
+They rose at an early hour, and, breakfasting as they had supped, once
+more took the road.
+
+After travelling a mile or two, the path gradually ascended along one of
+those narrow ledges that shelve out from the cliff, of which we have
+already spoken. They soon found themselves hundreds of feet above the
+bed of the torrent, yet still hundreds of feet above them rose the wall
+of dark porphyry, seamed, and scarred, and frowning. The ledge or path
+was of unequal breadth--here and there forming little tables or
+platforms. At other places, however, it was so narrow that those who
+were mounted could look over the brink of the precipice into the
+frothing water below--so narrow that no two animals could have passed
+each other. These terrible passes were sometimes more than an hundred
+yards in length, and not straight, but winding around buttresses of the
+rock, so that one end was not visible from the other.
+
+On frequented roads, where such places occur, it is usual for
+travellers, entering upon them, to shout, so that any one who chances to
+be coming from the opposite side, may have warning and halt. Sometimes
+this warning is neglected, and two trains of mules or llamas meet upon
+the ledge! Then there is a terrible scene--the drivers quarrel--one
+party has to submit--their animals have to be unloaded and dragged back
+by the heels to some wider part of the path, so that each party can get
+past in its turn!
+
+Near the highest part of the road, our travellers had entered upon one
+of these narrow ledges, and were proceeding along it with caution. The
+trusty mule, that carried Doña Isidora and Leona, was in front, the
+horse followed, and then the llamas. It is safer to ride than walk on
+such occasions, especially upon mules, for these animals are more
+sure-footed than the traveller himself. The horse that carried Leon,
+however, was as safe as any mule. He was one of the small
+Spanish-American breed, almost as sure-footed as a chamois.
+
+The torrent rushed and thundered beneath. It was fearful to listen and
+look downward; the heads of all were giddy, and their hearts full of
+fear. Guapo, alone accustomed to such dangers, was of steady nerve. He
+and Don Pablo afoot were in the rear.
+
+[Illustration: GUAPO'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.]
+
+They had neared the highest point of the road, where a jutting rock hid
+all beyond from their view. They were already within a few paces of this
+rock, when the mule--which, as we have stated, was in the
+front--suddenly stopped, showing such symptoms of terror that Doña
+Isidora and the little Leona both shrieked!
+
+Of course all the rest came to a halt behind the terrified and trembling
+mule. Don Pablo, from behind, shouted out, inquiring the cause of the
+alarm; but before any answer could be given the cause became apparent to
+all. Around the rock suddenly appeared the head and horns of a fierce
+bull, and the next moment his whole body had come into view, while
+another pair of horns and another head were seen close behind him!
+
+It would be difficult to describe the feelings of our travellers at that
+moment. The bull came on with a determined and sullen look, until he
+stood nearly head to head with the mule. The smoke of his wide steaming
+nostrils was mingled with the breath of the terrified mule, and he held
+his head downward, and evidently with the intention of rushing forward
+upon the latter. Neither could have gone back, and of course the fierce
+bull would drive the mule into the abyss. The other bull stood close
+behind, ready to continue the work if the first one failed, and,
+perhaps, there were many others behind!
+
+The mule was sensible of her danger, and, planting her hoofs firmly on
+the hard rock, she clung closely to the precipice. But this would not
+have served her, had not a hand interposed in her behalf. Amidst the
+terrified cries of the children, the voice of Guapo was heard calling to
+Don Pablo,--"Your pistols, master! give me your pistols!"
+
+Something glided quickly among the legs of the animals. It was the lithe
+body of the Indian. In a second's time he appeared in front of the mule.
+The bull was just lowering his head to charge forward--his horns were
+set--the foam fell from his lips--and his eyes glanced fire out of their
+dark orbs. Before he could make the rush, there came the loud report of
+a pistol--a cloud of sulphury smoke--a short struggle on the cliff--and
+then a dead plunge in the torrent below!
+
+The smoke partially cleared away; then came another crack--another
+cloud--another short struggle--and another distant plash in the water!
+
+The smoke cleared away a second time. The two bulls were no longer to be
+seen!
+
+Guapo, in front of the mule, now ran forward upon the ledge, and looked
+around the buttress of rock. Then, turning suddenly, he waved his hand,
+and shouted back,--
+
+"No more, master; you may come on--the road is clear!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST.
+
+
+After two more days of fatiguing travel, the road parted from the bank
+of the river, and ran along the ridge of a high mountain spur in a
+direction at right angles to that of the Andes themselves. This spur
+continued for several miles, and then ended abruptly. At the point where
+it ended, the path, which for the whole of the day had been scarcely
+traceable, also came to an end. They were now of course in a
+forest-covered country--in the _Ceja de la Montaña_--that is, the forest
+that covers the foot-hills of the mountains. The forest of the plains,
+which were yet lower down, is known as the "Montaña" proper.
+
+During that day they had found the road in several places choked up with
+underwood, and Guapo had to clear it with his _macheté_--a sort of
+half-sword, half-knife, used throughout all Spanish America, partly to
+cut brushwood and partly as a weapon of defence. Where the ridge ended,
+however, what had once been a road was now entirely overgrown--vines and
+llianas of large size crossed the path. Evidently no one had passed for
+years. A road existed no longer; the luxuriant vegetation had effaced
+it.
+
+This is no unusual thing on the borders of the Montaña. Many a
+settlement had existed there in former times, and had been abandoned. No
+doubt the road they had been following once led to some such settlement
+that had long since fallen into ruin.
+
+It is a melancholy fact that the Spanish-Americans--including the
+Mexican nation--have been retrograding for the last hundred years.
+Settlements which they have made, and even large cities built by them,
+are now deserted and in ruins; and extensive tracts of country, once
+occupied by them, have become uninhabited, and have gone back to a state
+of nature. Whole provinces, conquered and peopled by the followers of
+Cortez and Pizarro, have within the last fifty years been retaken from
+them _by the Indians_: and it would be very easy to prove, that had the
+descendants of the Spanish conquerors, been left to themselves, another
+half century would have seen them driven from that very continent which
+their forefathers so easily conquered and so cruelly kept. This
+re-conquest on the part of the Indian races was going on in a wholesale
+way in the northern provinces of Mexico. But it is now interrupted by
+the approach of another and stronger race from the East--the
+Anglo-American.
+
+To return to our travellers. Don Pablo was not surprised that the road
+had run out. He had been expecting this for miles back. What was to be
+done? Of course they must halt for that night at least. Indeed it was
+already near camping-time. The sun was low in the sky, and the animals
+were all much jaded. The llamas could not have gone much farther. They
+looked as if they should never go farther. The heat of the climate--it
+had been getting warmer every hour--was too much for them. These
+animals, whose native home is among the high cool mountain valleys, as
+already observed, cannot live in the low tropical plains. Even as they
+descended the Sierras they had shown symptoms of suffering from the heat
+during all that day. Their strength was now fairly exhausted.
+
+The party halted. A little open space was chosen for the camp. The
+animals were relieved of their burdens and tied to the trees, lest they
+might stray off and be lost in the thick woods. A fire was kindled, and
+part of the vicuña meat cooked for supper.
+
+It was not yet night when they had finished eating, and all were seated
+on the ground. The countenance of the father was clouded with a
+melancholy expression. Doña Isidora sat by his side and tried to cheer
+him, endeavouring to force a smile into her large black eyes. The little
+Leona, with her head resting on her mother's lap, overcome with the heat
+and fatigue, had fallen asleep. Leon, seeing the dejected look of his
+father, was silent and thoughtful. Guapo was busy with his llamas.
+
+"Come, dear husband!" said the lady, trying to assume a cheerful tone,
+"do not be so sad. We are now safe. Surely they will never pursue us
+here."
+
+"They may not," mechanically replied Don Pablo; "but what then? We have
+escaped death, for what purpose? Either to live like savages in these
+wild woods--perhaps to be killed by savages--perhaps to die of hunger!"
+
+"Do not say so, Don Pablo. I have never heard that the Indians of these
+parts were cruel. They will not injure poor harmless people such as we
+are. And as for starving, are not these luxuriant woods filled with
+roots and fruits that will sustain life a long while? You, too, know so
+well what they are! Dear husband, do not despond; God will not forsake
+us. He has enabled us to escape from our enemies, from fearful dangers
+on our journey. Fear not! He will not leave us to perish now."
+
+The cheering words of his beautiful wife had their effect upon Don
+Pablo. He embraced and kissed her in a transport of love and gratitude.
+He felt inspired with new hope. The vigour of mind and body, that for
+days had deserted him, now suddenly returned; and he sprang to his feet
+evidently with some newly-formed resolution.
+
+The country both before and behind them was shut out from their view by
+the thick foliage and underwood. A tall tree grew by the spot, with
+branches down to the level of a man's head. Don Pablo approached this
+tree, and seizing the branches drew himself up, and then climbed on
+towards its top. When he had reached a sufficient height, to overlook
+the surrounding woods, he stopped; and, resting himself upon one of the
+branches, looked abroad towards the east. All the rest stood watching
+him from below.
+
+He had been gazing but a few seconds when his face brightened up, and a
+smile of satisfaction was seen to play upon his countenance. He
+evidently saw something that pleased him. Isidora, impatient, called out
+to him from below; but Don Pablo waved his hand to her, as if
+admonishing her to be silent.
+
+"Have patience, love," he cried down. "I shall descend presently and
+tell you all. I have good news, but be patient."
+
+It required a good share of patience, for Don Pablo after this remained
+a full half-hour upon the tree. He was not all the time looking abroad,
+however. Part of it he sat upon his perch--his head leaning forward, and
+his eyes not appearing to be particularly engaged with anything. He was
+busy with his thoughts, and evidently meditating on some great project.
+Perhaps the going down of the sun admonished him, as much as the desire
+of satisfying his wife's curiosity, but just as the bright orb was
+sinking among the far tree-tops he descended.
+
+"Now, Don Pablo," said the fair Isidora, pretending to frown and look
+angry, "you have tried our patience, have you not? Come, then, no more
+mystery, but tell us all. What have you seen?"
+
+"Forgive me, wife; you shall know all."
+
+Both sat down upon the trunk of a dead tree that Guapo had felled, and
+was cutting up for firewood: not that it was at all cold, but they had
+now arrived in the country of the terrible _jaguar_, and it would be
+necessary to keep up a blazing fire throughout the night.
+
+"Your words were true, love," began Don Pablo. "God has not forsaken us.
+I have seen three things that have inspired me with fresh life and hope.
+
+"First, I looked out upon the Montaña, which I expected to see
+stretching away to the horizon, like a green ocean. I saw this in fact;
+but, to my surprise, I saw more. I beheld a broad river winding like an
+immense serpent through the distant forest. It ran in a direction
+north-east, as far as the eye could reach. Even upon the horizon I could
+distinguish spots of its bright water glancing like silver under the
+rays of the setting sun. My heart leaped with joy, for I recognised a
+river whose existence has been doubted. It can be no other, thought I,
+than the _Madre de Dios_. I have often heard that there existed such a
+river in these parts, that runs on to the Amazon. A missionary is said
+to have visited it, but with the destruction of the missions the record
+has been lost. I have no doubt the river I have seen is the _Madre de
+Dios_ of that missionary."
+
+The thought of being so near the banks of this river suggested other
+thoughts. At once a design entered into my mind. "We can build a raft,"
+thought I, "launch it upon this noble river, and float down to the
+Amazon, and thence to the mouth of the great stream itself. There is a
+Portuguese settlement there--the town of Grand Para. There we shall be
+safe from our foes."
+
+Such were my first thoughts on beholding the new river. I reflected
+further. "Our fortune is gone," I reflected; "we have nothing in the
+wide world--what should we do at Para, even if we arrived there in
+safety? How could we attempt such a journey without provisions. It would
+be impossible."
+
+My hopes fell as quickly as they had sprung up.
+
+"I noticed your countenance change as you sat upon the tree."
+
+"True, you might easily have done so: the prospect of reaching Para,
+penniless, and becoming a beggar in the streets--the nearer prospect of
+starving in the wilderness of the Amazon--were before my mind."
+
+My eyes for awhile were bent mechanically upon the green ocean of
+tree-tops. All at once an object arrested them. It was a patch of bright
+rose-coloured foliage, easily distinguishable amid the green leaves that
+surrounded it. It was not down in the Montaña--for that is a thousand
+feet below us. It was upon the side of the Sierra. My eyes glanced
+quickly around. I beheld other patches of similar foliage, some of them
+nearly an acre in breadth. My heart again leaped with joy. I knew well
+what these red spots of the forest were. They were clumps of _cinchona_
+trees--those trees that yield the celebrated febrifuge--the Peruvian
+bark!
+
+New ideas passed rapidly through my mind. "Our fortune is gone," thought
+I. "Here is a fortune in these valuable trees. Here is a mine that only
+requires to be worked. I shall turn _cascarillero_--I shall be a
+_bark-hunter_."
+
+"At first I thought that we might gather the bark, and send Guapo to
+sell it in the towns of the Sierra. Then the idea came into my mind that
+it might be possible to collect an immense quantity, store it up, build
+a great raft, float it down the rivers, and dispose of it in Para. I
+knew that in this way it would more than quadruple its price--for the
+traders of the Sierra purchase it from the poor cascarilleros, and have
+enormous profits upon it from the larger merchants.
+
+"But how to live while making this store? Yes, how to live even on the
+morrow? Could we support ourselves by hunting, or find sustenance from
+fruits and roots, as you have suggested? This was the most important
+question of all, for our present necessities far outweighed our future
+prospects.
+
+"The very thought of our necessity caused me once more to glance over
+the forest, and I continued to scan it on all sides. My eye was again
+arrested, and fixed upon a point where I saw there existed a different
+vegetation from any that could be seen elsewhere. There is a small
+valley about five hundred feet below us. It is a sort of table valley,
+and the stream along which we have been travelling runs through it,
+afterwards dashing over a fall to join the river below. In this valley I
+saw huge broad leaves of a brilliant yellowish green. I knew them at
+once to be the leaves of the great _musaceæ_, either plantains or
+bananas. I thought, too, I could distinguish the form of the _yucca_
+plant. These are the certain signs of some settlement, or where one has
+existed. I fancy the latter is the correct idea, as I could distinguish
+neither house nor smoke. It may be some deserted Indian 'chacra,' or it
+may be the grounds of an old mission. In either case, we shall be likely
+to find those useful plants from which we may obtain food."
+
+"Oh, papa! mamma!" cried Leon, running up and interrupting the
+conversation. "See what is here among the trees! I declare it is a great
+cross!"
+
+Don Pablo and Isidora walked towards the spot. There, sure enough, was a
+large wooden cross planted in the ground, and leaning to one side. The
+wood was much decayed, but the inscription that had been deeply cut in
+the transverse beam was still legible. It was simply the Spanish
+phrase:--
+
+"BRAZOS DE DIOS" (The arm of God).
+
+Isidora took Don Pablo by the hand, and looking steadfastly in his face,
+pointed to the inscription.
+
+"It _is_ true," said she, "God protects us!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+THE DESERTED MISSION.
+
+
+That night all went to rest with hope in their hearts, though still not
+without some anxiety.
+
+If you reflect upon the situation in which they were placed, you will
+not wonder that they were anxious about the future. Their first care had
+been to fly into the wilderness, without thinking upon the necessities
+they might encounter there--without reflecting that they had made no
+provision of food to sustain them. It is true that in the great Montaña
+there are many plants and trees whose roots and fruits can be eaten; but
+a traveller may go for days without finding one of these. Indeed, to
+pass through this great forest, in most places, is impossible, so
+completely are the creeping parasites matted and laced together. It is
+necessary to keep along the rivers in a canoe or raft, else you cannot
+get from place to place.
+
+You cannot even walk along the banks of many of these rivers, as the
+underwood hangs into the very water! For the same reason game is hard to
+be procured, and neither Don Pablo nor Guapo were provided with proper
+weapons to hunt with. Don Pablo's pistols were all the fire-arms they
+had, and Guapo had no other weapon than his macheté. With their present
+means, then, there was very little chance of their killing any game,
+even should they have fallen in with it. But they saw none as yet,
+except some birds, such as parrots, macaws, and toucans, that fluttered
+among the leaves. No wonder, then, they were anxious about what they
+should find to eat, or whether they should find anything at all.
+
+Don Pablo considered the cross a good omen, or rather a good _sign_.
+Some missionary must have planted it in years gone by. No doubt a
+missionary station must have been near; and it was highly probable that
+what he had seen in the little valley below would turn out to be the
+very place where it had stood.
+
+As soon as it became day, therefore, Don Pablo again ascended the tree
+to take the bearings of the valley, so that they should proceed towards
+it. Guapo also climbed up, so that both might make sure of the route
+they ought to take--for in the tangled forests of South America it is no
+easy matter to reach any object, which you may have only seen at a
+distance from the top of a tree. Without a compass, the traveller soon
+loses his direction; and, after hours of vain exertion and devious
+wandering, often finds himself at the very place from which he had
+started.
+
+After carefully noting the direction of the valley, Don Pablo and Guapo
+came down from the tree; and while the former, assisted by Leon, packed
+and saddled the animals, Guapo was busy with his macheté in clearing
+away the brushwood that obstructed the path. This did not turn out such
+a task after all. It was only at the brow of the ridge, where the
+undergrowth had choked up the way. A little farther down it was quite
+passable, and the party, animals and all, were soon winding down the
+Sierra towards the valley. Half-an-hour's travelling brought them to
+their destination; and then a shout of joy, coming simultaneously from
+all of them, announced their arrival upon the spot.
+
+What was it that caused them to utter this shout of joy? Before them
+towered the great _musaceæ_--plantains and bananas. There were both:
+their broad yellow-green and wax-like leaves sheathing their succulent
+stems, and bending gracefully over to a length of twenty feet. But
+beautiful as were the leaves of these giant plants, more attractive
+still to the eyes of our travellers were the huge clusters of fruit-pods
+that hung from beneath them. Each of these would have weighed nearly an
+hundred-weight! There was food for hundreds. These plants grew by the
+water's edge, in a damp soil--their natural habitat. Their leaves
+drooped over the stream. Another plant, equally interesting, was seen
+farther back, in a dry place. There were many of these ten or fifteen
+feet high, and as thick as a man's wrist. This was the _yucca_ plant.
+All of them knew it. They knew that its roots produced the far-famed
+cassava. Cassava is bread. Hurrah! the staff of life was secure!
+
+But, more than this, there were fruits in abundance; there were mangoes
+and guavas, oranges and the celebrated cherimoya--the favourite of Peru.
+There were shaddocks and sweet limes; and see! yonder is a clump of
+sugar-canes, with their thin silken leaves and yellow tassels waving in
+the wind. Oh, look here! Here is a coffee-shrub, with its ripe, aromatic
+berries; and here is the cacao-tree. Coffee and chocolate--there was a
+choice of beverages! Ha! what have we here--this plant like an orange
+tree? It is a species of holly. As I live, it is the _yerba maté_, the
+"Paraguay tea." What shall we light upon next?
+
+And so the delighted travellers went on, over the ground, through the
+thick-tangled weeds and convolvuli, making new discoveries at every
+step. Even Guapo's favourite, the coca-shrub, was found growing among
+the rest, and the eyes of the old Indian sparkled at the sight of it.
+
+Don Pablo's first conjecture had been right. They had arrived at the
+ruin of some old missionary station, long since deserted. Some zealous
+monk had planted all these plants and trees; had for years, no doubt,
+tended them with care; had dreamt of establishing around this lonely
+spot a great hierarchy, and making the "wilderness blossom as the rose."
+An evil day had come--perhaps during the revolt of Juan Santos, or maybe
+in the later revolution of Tupac Amaru. The hand of the savage had been
+turned against the priest, who had fallen a victim, and his roof--the
+mission-house--had been given to the flames. Not a vestige of building
+was to be seen--neither stick nor stone--and had it not been for the
+curious variety of vegetation collected on the spot, this once
+cultivated and flourishing garden might have been taken for part of the
+primeval forest.
+
+It must have been a long time since the place was inhabited, for great
+trees and parasites had grown up in the midst of the cultivated plants.
+
+After the first transports of delight had to some extent subsided, a
+consultation was held as to future proceedings. They were not long in
+coming to a conclusion. It was resolved that a house should be built in
+the middle of this wild garden, which should be, for a time at least,
+their home.
+
+The poor llamas had made their last journey. They were to be killed.
+Guapo, although reluctant to part with his old favourites, knew that
+they could not live in the warm climate of the valley, and therefore
+consented. Their flesh, it is true, is none of the best, but it would
+taste the better that no other was to be had; and their wool and skins
+would be found useful. The llamas were killed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE.
+
+
+It was Guapo himself that killed the llamas, and, having skinned them,
+he cut the flesh into thin strips, and hung it upon the branches to dry
+in the sun. This, of course, was necessary, as they had no salt to cure
+it with; but meat well dried under a hot sun will keep good for a long
+time. It is curious, that in all Spanish-American countries they
+preserve most of their meat in this way, whereas in North America, among
+the people of our own race, "jerked beef" (for that is the name we give
+it) is very rare.
+
+Now, in Spanish-America there are vast depositories of salt--both in
+mines and on plains, with salt lakes--called _salinas_; yet, for want of
+a proper commercial activity existing among these people, in many places
+the valuable article, salt, is both scarce and dear. In Mexico dried or
+"jerked" beef is called "tasajo." In Peru, as we have stated, it is
+"charqui;" but mutton cured in this way is distinguished by the name
+"chalona." Now as the llamas are a species of sheep, it was "chalona"
+that Guapo was making out of their mutton.
+
+The others were not idle; Don Pablo, assisted by Leon, was clearing a
+place on which they intended to build the house, while the Doña Isidora,
+with her soft slender fingers (for the first time in her life, perhaps),
+was acting as laundress, and the little Leona assisted her as much as
+she was able. Where did they get their soap, for they had not brought so
+much as a single cake along with them?
+
+But Don Pablo was too good a botanist not to know the nature of the
+trees that grew around, and the uses to which they could be applied.
+Near by grew a curious tree, which is known among the Indians as the
+_parapara_. It was the soap-berry of botanists and Don Pablo knew that
+the bark of the berries, when rubbed, produces a lather that will wash
+linen equal to the best "Castile." Doña Isidora was not long in making a
+trial of it, and found this to be true. The little round stones of the
+berries, when cleared of the pulp, are very pretty, and are much used by
+the missionaries in making rosaries. Leon found, dropping one of them on
+a stone, that it was as elastic as a ball of India rubber, for it
+rebounded several times the height of a man's head!
+
+In the evening they all rested from their various occupations, and
+seated themselves upon the new-cleared ground, upon the trunk of a tree
+that had been felled. They were one and all quite cheerful. They felt no
+more apprehension of pursuit. It would have been a very revengeful
+enemy, indeed, who would have followed them so far into the wilderness.
+They had no fear of that. Doña Isidora had just cooked a kettle of
+coffee--they had both pots and kettles, for these were some of the
+utensils with which Guapo, even in the hurry of flight, had taken the
+precaution to load his llamas.
+
+This coffee turned out to be of the finest quality. It was of a peculiar
+species, which has long been cultivated by the missionaries of Peru, and
+which yields a very high price. It used to be sent by the viceroys as a
+valued present to the kings of Spain. To sweeten the coffee some joints
+of sugar-cane had been crushed, and boiled in a rough manner; and for
+bread they had roasted plantains. During the repast they were all quite
+merry, and pleasant jokes were passed for the first time in many days.
+
+While thus engaged a singular sound fell upon their ears. It was like a
+voice repeating the word "Guaco!" They all listened. "Guaco--Guaco!"
+again came the voice.
+
+"Hola!" cried Leon, "Guapo--Guapo! there's some one calling you, Guapo.
+There again!--no--it's 'Guaco'--listen! Guaco--Guaco' What is it, I
+wonder?"
+
+"That's the snake-bird," quietly answered Guapo, who, it must be
+remembered, was a native of the Montaña, and knew a great deal both
+about the birds and beasts of these regions.
+
+"The snake-bird?" exclaimed Leon, evidently interested in the name.
+
+"Yes, young master!" replied Guapo; "look! yonder it goes!"
+
+The eyes of all were instantly turned in the direction pointed out by
+Guapo. There sure enough was a bird, not much larger than a common
+pigeon, but which had all the appearance of a sparrow-hawk. It was
+"swallow-tailed," however, and this, with its peculiar form and the
+manner of its flight, showed that it was one of the kite-hawks. When
+first noticed, it was perched upon the top of a high tree, but it soon
+flew to another not so high, uttering as it went, the "Guaco--Guaco!" It
+then pitched itself to a still lower branch, and was evidently after
+something which none of the party could see. That something, however,
+soon became apparent. The ground had been cleared in a broad track down
+to the water's edge, and near the middle of the open space an object was
+observed in motion, making towards the weeds. That object was a snake.
+
+It was not a large one--not more than three feet in length--and its
+beautiful body, variegated with bands of black, red, and bright yellow,
+glistened as it moved. Its predominating colour was a fleshy red, or
+coral, from whence it has its name, for both Don Pablo and Guapo, as
+soon as they saw it, pronounced it the "coral snake." Beautiful as it
+appeared, all knew that it was one of the most poisonous of
+serpents--one of the most dreaded of South American reptiles.
+
+The first thought of Guapo and Leon was to spring up, seize upon some
+weapon, and kill the creature. Don Pablo, however, restrained them.
+
+"Stay where you are," said he; "be patient; we shall have a scene. Look
+at the hawk,--see!"
+
+As Don Pablo spoke, the guaco, which had hopped down to the lowest
+branches of a neighbouring tree, swooped suddenly at the snake,
+evidently aiming to clutch it around the neck. The latter, however, had
+been too quick, and coiling itself, like a flash of lightning darted its
+head out towards the bird in a threatening manner. Its eyes sparkled
+with rage, and their fiery glitter could be seen even at many yards
+distance.
+
+The bird diverged from its course, and after passing the snake, turned
+and swooped again from the opposite direction. But the reptile had
+shifted its body so as to meet the attack, and its threatening head once
+more was reared high above its coiled body. The guaco was foiled a
+second time.
+
+This second failure seemed to enrage the bird, as it turned at shorter
+intervals, and apparently losing all fear, fluttered over the reptile,
+striking both with beak and claws. The latter still kept in its coil,
+but its head moved hastily from side to side, so as always to "show
+front" to its active antagonist.
+
+After this play had continued for some time, the snake was seen to draw
+in its head farther than usual, and the hawk, evidently somewhat off his
+guard, deeming this a fair opportunity, pounced forward to seize it. But
+he was met half way. The head of the serpent shot forward like a rapier,
+and reached his breast. The hawk felt that he was wounded; and uttering
+a wild scream, he flew suddenly away.
+
+All eyes watched him as he flew off, expecting that he would fall--for
+the bite of the coral snake will kill even a man in a few minutes, and a
+bird or small animal in much less time. It is not correct to say that
+all of them expected to see him fall. Guapo, from experience, knew
+better, and even Don Pablo, as a naturalist, had heard a strange account
+of this singular bird, and was curious to witness the result. The hawk,
+therefore, was narrowly watched.
+
+It flew directly for a tree, up against the trunk of which, and clinging
+to its branches, grew a parasite or creeping plant. The latter was of
+the thickness of a willow rod, with long slender leaves, of a dark green
+colour. The bird did not alight upon the top of the tree, but on a
+branch where it could reach the leaves of the creeper, which it began
+immediately to pluck and devour. In a short while it had eaten as many
+as a dozen of these long leaves, when it again took to wing, and flew
+back in the direction of the snake.
+
+All had, for the moment, forgotten the snake, in their eagerness to
+watch the movements of the bird. To their astonishment the reptile was
+still in the same place, and coiled up as when last seen. This was
+easily explained, however, as snakes who defend themselves in that
+attitude usually remain coiled, until they are certain that their enemy
+has gone away and will not return to the attack.
+
+The contest was now renewed with redoubled fury. The bird fought with
+fresh courage, knowing that he had taken precautions against a fatal
+result, while the snake defended itself with the energy of despair. This
+time the battle was a short one. The guaco, using its wings, succeeded
+in striking its antagonist upon the upraised head, and quickly following
+up the blow, planted his talons so as to encircle the throat of his
+victim. The effect of his gripe was instantly apparent. The reptile
+unfolded itself, and the slender coral body was seen writhing and
+twisting along the ground. But it did not remain long upon the ground,
+for in a few moments the guaco rose into the air, and carried the
+struggling victim into the woods to devour it at his leisure.
+
+Now Guapo was exceedingly pleased at what had occurred. Why? It was not
+because such a scene was at all new to him. No; he had often witnessed
+such, and was no longer curious upon that head. It was something more
+than mere curiosity that moved Guapo. When the affair was over, he rose
+from his seat, and stalking off to the place where the bird had been
+seen to eat the leaves, he gathered a quantity of them, and then
+returned to the fire. Don Pablo recognised them as the leaves of a plant
+of the genus _Mikania_, and known popularly as the "vejuco de guaco."
+
+Guapo knew nothing of the scientific designation of the plant, but he
+had long ago been taught the valuable properties of its leaves as an
+antidote against the bite of the most poisonous snakes. He had known
+them to cure the bite of the cascabel (_rattle-snake_), and even of the
+small spotted viper, the most poisonous of all the American snakes.
+
+What, then, did Guapo with the leaves of the vejuco? First, he chopped
+them up as fine as he could, and then, tying them tightly in a piece of
+cotton cloth, he expressed from them a quantity of juice--enough for his
+purpose. That done, with the point of a knife he made small incisions
+between his toes, and also upon his breast and fingers. Into each of
+these incisions, even while the blood was flowing from them, he dropped
+the juice of the Mikania, and rubbed it in with fresh leaves of the
+plant itself; and then, with some tufts of the soft floss of the
+silk-cotton tree he covered the incisions, so as to stop the bleeding.
+He wound up this strange performance, by chewing some of the leaves, and
+swallowing about a spoonful of the juice. This made the "inoculation"
+complete, and Guapo, as he himself declared, was now invulnerable to the
+bite of the most venomous serpent!
+
+He offered to "inoculate" the others in the same way. They at first
+refused--Don Pablo among the rest--but after a day or two, when each of
+the party had met with several narrow escapes from vipers, coral snakes,
+and the much-dreaded "jararaca," Don Pablo thought it prudent that all
+should submit to the operation, and accordingly Guapo "doctored" the
+party without more ado.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE PALM-WOODS.
+
+
+It happened, that upon the opposite side of the stream there was a broad
+track covered with palm-trees, while not one was to be seen on that side
+where they intended building their house. As these are the most
+convenient trees for constructing a house to suit the hot climate of the
+Montaña, it appeared necessary that they should use them. But how were
+they to get at them? The stream flowed between them and the camp; and
+although not a large river, yet at that place it was very wide and deep,
+for in the flat table valley it expanded to the dimensions of a little
+lake.
+
+Below, where it issued out of the valley, it ran for some distance in a
+deep cleft between rocky banks almost or quite perpendicular, and above
+the valley it came dashing through an impassable ravine. If they could
+only get over to cut the palms, they knew they could roll them to the
+bank, and float them across the stretch of still water. But how to get
+over required some consideration. Guapo could swim like a water-dog, but
+Don Pablo could not; and Leon, having been brought up as a town boy, had
+had but little practice, and consequently was but a poor swimmer. What,
+then, was to be done, as Guapo could not well manage the palms without
+help?
+
+After examining the stream, both above and below, no crossing place
+could be found, but just at the point where it ran out of the valley,
+the space between the high banks was very narrow. A good long plank
+would have reached across it--had they only had one--but that they had
+not. Now, upon the opposite bank there grew a tall tree. It was one of
+the beautiful silk-cotton trees already mentioned. It stood upon the
+very edge of the chasm. Both Don Pablo and Guapo saw at a glance that
+this tree could be felled, and made to fall across the stream, so as to
+form the very bridge they wanted.
+
+Not much time was lost about it. Guapo, tying his axe upon his
+shoulders, ran up the near side, until he was opposite the still running
+water; and then plunging in, swam across in a few seconds. He soon after
+appeared on the opposite bank, at the root of the bombax, which he
+attacked in such a manner that one who did not know what he was about
+might have fancied he was angry at it. In a few minutes a great notch
+appeared in the side of the tree, and Guapo continuing his sturdy blows,
+made the yellow chips fly out in showers. Of course the notch was cut on
+the side next the stream, so that the tree would fall in that direction.
+The beaver understands that much, and Guapo had considerably more
+intelligence than any beaver.
+
+In about half-an-hour the bombax began to creak and lean a little. Then
+Don Pablo threw over a lasso, which had been brought along. Guapo noosed
+one end over a high limb, and tying a stone to the other, pitched it
+back to Don Pablo, who hauled it taut. Then a few cuts of the axe broke
+the skin of the tree on the other side, Don Pablo pulled by the rope,
+and with a loud tear and a crash, and a vast deal of crackling among
+the branches, the great bombax settled into a horizontal position across
+the chasm. The bridge was built.
+
+After all, it was no slight adventure to cross it. The rounded trunk was
+anything but sure footing, and even had it been a flat plank, the depth
+of the chasm--nearly an hundred feet clear--and the white roaring
+torrent below, were enough to shake the stoutest nerves. All, however,
+got over in safety, and proceeded up to the palm-woods. I say all--but I
+mean only the male population of the new settlement. Doña Isidora and
+the little Leona remained by the camp, both of them busy scraping
+_yucca_ roots, to be manufactured into cassava, and then into bread.
+
+On arriving among the palm-trees, Don Pablo was struck with a singular
+fact. He observed (indeed, he had already noticed as much from the
+opposite side of the river) that instead of one species of palm, there
+were not less than a dozen kinds growing in this wood. This was a very
+unusual circumstance, as although two or three species are often found
+together, such a varied collection as were there could only have been
+made by human hands. Here, again, was recognised the work of the
+missionary monk, who had no doubt planted most of the species, having
+received them very likely from many distant stations of his
+fellow-labourers in other parts of the Amazon valley.
+
+Whether Franciscan, Jesuit, or Dominican (for all three have had their
+missions in this part of the world), the holy father who resided here,
+thought Don Pablo, must have been an ardent horticulturist. Whether or
+not he converted many Indians to his faith, he seemed to have exerted
+himself to provide for their temporal necessities, for there was hardly
+a useful plant or tree suitable to the climate that was not to be found
+growing near the spot. Such were the reflections of Don Pablo.
+
+"What a variety of beautiful palms!" said he, looking around upon these
+by far the fairest forms of the vegetable creation.
+
+Now, my boy reader, I have not the slightest doubt but that you, too,
+think the palms the fairest forms of the vegetable creation. I have not
+the shadow of a doubt that your heart beats joyfully at the very word
+"palm;" that you love to gaze at one of the stately trees, and that you
+would give all your pocket-money for an afternoon's ramble through a
+real palm-wood. Would you not? Yes. I am sure of it. Now I could tell
+you a great deal about palms if I _would_; and I would, too, if my space
+and time allowed me, but neither will, alas! Why, if I were only to give
+you even the shortest and dryest botanic description of all the
+different palms that are known to us, that mere dry catalogue would fill
+a book as big as this one!
+
+How many species do you think there are? Up to this time you have
+thought, perhaps, there was only one, and that was _the palm-tree
+itself_. Maybe you have heard of more, such as the sago-palm, the
+cocoa-nut palm, the date-palm, or the cabbage-palm; and you fancied
+there might be others--perhaps as many as a dozen! Now you will hardly
+credit me when I tell you that we know of no less than _six hundred
+species of palms_, all differing from each other! I may add, further,
+that it is my belief that there exist on the earth as many more--that
+is, the enormous number of twelve hundred.
+
+The reason why I entertain this belief is, that in all cases where
+similar guesses have been hazarded--whether with regard to plants, or
+birds, or _mammalia_--they have eventually proved far below the mark;
+and as the palm countries are the very regions of the earth least known
+and least explored by botanists, it is but reasonable to conclude that
+great numbers of species have never yet been described, nor even seen.
+Another fact which strengthens this probability is, that peculiar
+species of palms are sometimes found only in a limited district, and
+nowhere else in the same country. A small river even sometimes forms the
+boundary-line of a species; and although whole groves may be seen on the
+one side, not a tree of the same sort grows on the other. Some botanists
+even prognosticate that more than two thousand species of palms will yet
+become known.
+
+Of the six hundred species known, about half belong to the Old World,
+and half to America. In America they are chiefly found growing on the
+Continent--although several species are natives of the West India
+Islands--while on the Eastern hemisphere the greatest number of species
+belong to the islands.
+
+I might tell you a great deal of the importance of these noble trees to
+the human race, for they are as useful as they are beautiful. Almost
+every sort has its particular use in the economy of human life. Not only
+do they serve certain purposes in Africa, Asia, America, and Oceanica,
+but in all these divisions of the earth there are whole nations who
+_live almost exclusively_ upon one or another species of palm.
+
+A discovery has lately been made in regard to an African species, which
+it is to be hoped will have an important influence in doing away with
+the infamous slave traffic so long existing in that unhappy country. You
+have heard of _palm-oil_. Well, it is extracted from the nuts of a
+species of palm. The oil is no new discovery, but it is only lately that
+it has been found to be as quite as good for the manufacture of candles
+as either spermaceti or wax.
+
+The consequence has been a great increase in the traffic of this article
+on the western coast of Africa; and the native princes, finding that it
+is more profitable than slave-selling, have in many parts given up the
+last-named atrocious commerce, and have taken to gathering palm-oil. If
+a palm-tree can effect what has baffled the skill of the combined
+philanthropists and powers of Europe, then, indeed, we shall say, "All
+honour to the noble palms."
+
+But I might go on talking of palms until our little volume came to an
+end. I must, therefore, no longer speak generally of these beautiful
+trees, but confine myself to such species as came under the observation,
+and ministered to the wants, of the new settlers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+A HOUSE OF PALMS.
+
+
+The first species of palms that attracted the observation of Don Pablo
+and his party, was that known as the "patawa" palm. It belongs to the
+genus _Oenocarpus_. There are several species of this genus in South
+America, but none more beautiful than the "patawa." It is a palm with a
+straight smooth stem, and pinnate leaves--the stem being sixty feet in
+height, and about a foot in diameter. The stem becomes smooth only in
+old trees. In the young ones, and even in those that stand in a thick
+shady forest, it presents a very shaggy appearance, and is completely
+hidden by the bases of the old leaves that have decayed and fallen off.
+From the margins of these bases grow spinous processes of nearly three
+feet in length, which point upward. These are used by the Indians to
+make the arrows of their "blow-guns," of which more hereafter.
+
+From the fruits of this palm a most delicious drink is manufactured with
+very little trouble. The fruit itself is about the size of a plum, but
+of an oval shape and deep violet colour. It grows in large clusters just
+under the leaves. To make the drink, the fruits are thrown into a vessel
+of hot water, where they remain for a few minutes until the pulp becomes
+soft. The hot water is next poured off, and cold water is substituted.
+In this the fruits are crushed and rubbed with the hands until all the
+pulp is washed from the stones. The liquid is then strained so as to
+separate the stones and other substances, when it is ready for use, and
+a most luxurious beverage it is,--in its taste bearing some resemblance
+to filberts and cream.
+
+A palm called the "assái" has a small sloe-like fruit which produces a
+similar beverage--thick and creamy, and of a fine plum colour. In all
+the Portuguese settlements the "assái" is a favourite drink, and is
+taken along with cassava bread, as we use milk or coffee.
+
+It was not on account of its fruit, however, that Don Pablo rejoiced at
+beholding the "patawa" palms. Perhaps Leon thought more about the rich
+clusters of oval plums, but his father looked only to the straight
+smooth stems which were designed for corner-posts, beams, and the
+heavier woodwork of the house.
+
+In a few minutes Guapo was busy with his axe, and one after another fell
+the princely trunks of the "patawa" until enough were cut down for their
+purpose.
+
+Don Pablo next looked out for some palm of a more slender trunk for the
+rafters and joists.
+
+This was soon found in the "catinga," which is a species of the "assái
+palm, the one of which we have just spoken as producing the assái wine."
+The catinga was the very thing for the rafters. It is tall, nearly forty
+feet high, but quite slender. It is one of the smooth palms, with
+pinnate leaves, not unlike those of the "patawa." There is a peculiarity
+about its top,--that is, there is a column or sheath of several feet in
+length, out of which the leaves spring, and, at the lower end of this
+column, and not immediately at the root of the leaves, the fruit
+clusters grow. This sheathing column is of a red colour, which gives the
+tree a strange look.
+
+Another peculiarity of the catinga is that its roots grow out of the
+ground, and form a little cone from the top of which rises the stem. The
+fruits of this sort are smaller than the true assái, but a drink is also
+made from them which some people consider more delicious than that
+either of the assái or patawa. The rafters then were got from the
+catinga.
+
+Now for the thatch, that was the next consideration.
+
+"Master!" cried Guapo, pointing off into the woods. "Yonder's
+'bussu,'--very thing for thatch!"
+
+Guapo indicated a very singular-looking tree, with a thick, clumsy,
+crooked, and deeply ringed stem. It was not a bit like either of the
+palm-trees they had already cut down. Its trunk was not over ten or a
+dozen feet high, but then, such leaves! They were not pinnated like
+those already described, but what is termed "entire," that is, all in
+one piece, and thirty feet in length by full five in width! Fancy two or
+three dozen of these gigantic leaves standing up almost erect from the
+top of the thick trunk, and you may form some idea of the "bussu" palm.
+There are many palm-trees whose leaves are used for thatching houses,
+but of all others for that purpose the bussu is the best.
+
+These great fronds have a mid-rib, and from this, on both sides, run
+veins in a diagonal direction to the edge. When they are used for thatch
+the leaf is split up the mid-rib, and then each half is laid upon the
+rafters, not straight, but in such a way that the veins of the leaf will
+lie in a vertical direction, and thus serve as gutters to guide the
+rain-water down the roof. A very few leaves will thatch a house, and a
+covering of this kind, when properly laid on, will last for ten or
+twelve years. So much are the bussu-leaves prized for thatch, that the
+Indians, in parts where this palm does not grow, often make a canoe
+voyage of a week to procure them!
+
+The spathe which contains the flowers is also put to many uses. It is of
+a long spindle shape, of fibrous, cloth-like texture, and brown colour.
+The Indians use it as cloth. It makes an excellent bag, in which the
+native carries his paints or other articles; and a large one, stretched
+out, makes a very comfortable cap. Indeed, Guapo used the first spathe
+he laid his hands upon for this very purpose.
+
+There remained now to be found some palm-tree that would split easily,
+and make laths for the roof, as well as planks for the door, shelves,
+and benches. They soon discovered the very palm for these purposes. It
+was one of the genus _Iriartea_, and known as the "pashiuba" palm. It
+was a tree that differed from all the others in its aspect. It was a
+noble-looking tree, rising, with a smooth stem, to the height of seventy
+feet. At its top, there was a sheathing column swollen larger than the
+stem, and not unlike the sheathing column of the catinga already
+mentioned, except that that of the pashiuba was of a deep green colour.
+Its leaves, however, differed materially from those of the catinga. It
+is true, that, like them, they were pinnate, but the leaflets, instead
+of being slender and tapering, were of a triangular shape, notched along
+the edges, and not growing very regularly out from the mid-rib.
+
+Their general arrangement, as well as the form, therefore, gave the tree
+a different, and, perhaps, more beautiful aspect. But the most singular
+characteristic of the pashiuba was its roots. I have said that the roots
+of the catinga rose above the surface of the soil. So did they, but only
+to a limited height, forming a little cone. Now the roots of the
+pashiuba stood up to the height of ten or a dozen feet! Each root was
+nearly straight in itself, but there were a number of them, and they
+sloped upwards so as to make a sort of pyramid, out of the apex of which
+grew the stem. There were wide spaces between the roots--so wide that
+you could easily pass through, and a full-grown man might stand upright
+with his head under the very base of the stem. Fancy a man standing
+under the trunk of a tree that rose seventy feet above his head!
+
+There were young trees of the same species growing around, and these
+were miniature models of the older ones. Sometimes these lesser ones are
+supported on three roots, like the tripod of a surveyor's compass, and
+this gives them a somewhat ludicrous appearance. There are many species
+of this sort of palms, which are classed under the genus _Iriartea_. In
+most of them the fruit, which is small oval and red or yellow, is bitter
+and uneatable; but their wood is prized for many purposes. The wood of
+the species which Don Pablo had found is hard on the outside, but soft
+within, and splits readier into laths and planks than any other kind of
+palm.
+
+Guapo attacked the roots with his axe, and enough trunks were soon
+felled to make laths, doors, and all sorts of benches.
+
+The different kinds were now collected on the edge of the stream, and
+were tied together by a rope-like, creeping plant, called a "Sipo," so
+that they formed a rude raft. The leaves of the "bussu," with great
+clusters of the fruits of the catinga and patawa, were laid upon the
+raft; and then, Guapo, mounting himself on top of all, pushed out with
+his long pole, and ferried the whole across. The others walked round by
+the bridge, and were just in time to assist Guapo in mooring his
+somewhat unwieldy craft.
+
+Next day the framework of the house was put up, and on the day after the
+walls. These were made of bamboo-canes, plenty of which grew near the
+bottom of the valley. They grew wild, for the slopes of the Andes are
+the favourite soil of these gigantic grasses. They were set on end, side
+by side, and then tied to each other and to the beams of palm-trees. On
+the third day the "bussu" leaves were laid on, and the house was
+finished.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+TRACKING THE TAPIR.
+
+
+It has been already mentioned that the stream in front of the house was
+wider than at other parts, forming a sort of lake. There was a slow
+current down the middle, but at the sides the water was nearly stagnant,
+and there grew in some places bunches of flags interspersed with
+beautiful white lilies. Among these could be distinguished that gigantic
+_nympha_ so celebrated under the name of _Victoria regia_--for South
+America is the native country of this rare plant.
+
+Every night, as our party were resting from their labours, they heard
+strange noises proceeding from the water. There was plunging and
+plashing, and now and then a snorting sound like that sometimes uttered
+by frightened swine. Perhaps it would have puzzled any of them to tell
+whence these sounds proceeded, or what animal gave utterance to them,
+for there could be no doubt they were caused by an animal. Some of them
+guessed "alligators;" but that was not a correct guess, for although
+there are plenty of alligators in all the rivers of tropical America,
+there seemed to be none in that particular place.
+
+In truth, they might have remained long in the dark about what creature
+they thus heard sweltering about nightly, for they could neither see nor
+hear anything of it in the day; but Guapo, who knew every sound of the
+Montaña, enlightened them at once. Guapo had been a keen _tapir-hunter_
+in his time, and understood all the habits of that strange animal. It
+was a tapir, then, which they had heard taking his regular nightly bath,
+and regaling himself on the roots of the flags and _nymphæ_.
+
+Have you ever seen a tapir? Not a living one, I fancy; perhaps the skin
+of one in a museum. He is an interesting creature, for this reason--that
+he is the largest land animal indigenous to South America. The llama and
+guanaco stand higher because their legs are longer, and they are far
+inferior to the tapir in bulk and weight: while the bears of South
+America, of which there are two or three species, are small-sized bears,
+and therefore less than the tapir. In fact, no very large land animals
+were found indigenous in the southern division of the American
+continent. There were none of the _bovine_ tribe, as the buffalo and
+musk-ox of North America; and no large deer, as the elk and moose of the
+Northern latitudes. The deer of South America, of which there are
+several undescribed species, are all small animals. The tapir, then, in
+point of size takes precedence in the South-American _fauna_.
+
+His rounded body gives him some resemblance to a great hog, or a donkey
+with its hair shaved off; but, in fact, he is not very like either; he
+is more like a _tapir_ than anything else--that is, he is a creature
+_sui generis_. Perhaps, if you were to shave a large donkey, cut off
+most part of his ears and tail, shorten his limbs--and, if possible,
+make them stouter and clumsier--lengthen his upper jaw so that it should
+protrude over the under one into a prolonged curving snout, and then
+give him a coat of blackish-brown paint, you would get something not
+unlike a tapir.
+
+To complete the resemblance, however, you would have to continue the
+erect mane over the forehead, between the ears, and down to the level of
+the eyes, which would give that crested appearance that characterises
+the tapir. Instead of hoofs, moreover, you would give your donkey large
+toes--four upon the fore feet, and upon the hind ones three. A little
+silky hair upon the stumped tail, and a few thinly scattered hairs of a
+brown colour over the body, would make the likeness still more striking;
+and it would be necessary, too, that the donkey be one of the very
+biggest kind to be as big as a big tapir.
+
+The tapir is a harmless creature, and although it has a good set of
+teeth, it never uses them for the purpose of defending itself. When
+attacked by either men or fierce animals, it tries to escape by flight,
+and if that fails, submits to be killed; but there is no "fight" to be
+got out of a tapir.
+
+The tapir leads a very solitary life, being met with alone, or sometimes
+in the company of the female. The latter has but one young at a birth,
+which follows her until able to provide for itself; when they associate
+no longer together, but part company, each taking its own way.
+
+This animal is called amphibious, because it spends part of its time in
+the water; but, although it has been called the American representative
+of the rhinoceros and hippopotamus, it is not so much a water animal as
+either of these. It seeks its food in the river, or the marshes that
+border it, and can remain for several minutes under water; but for all
+that most of its time is passed on dry land. It sleeps during the day in
+some dry spot upon a bed of withered leaves, from whence it sallies
+every evening, and makes to the marshy banks of some well-known stream.
+It frequently leaves its lair during rain, and goes in search of food.
+Like hogs it is very fond of wallowing in a muddy place; but, unlike
+these slovenly animals, it does not return to its bed until it has
+plunged into the clear water, and thoroughly purified itself of the
+mud.
+
+One habit of the tapir--and an unfortunate one for itself--is that in
+going its rounds it always follows the old track. In this way a path is
+soon formed from its lair to its feeding-place, so conspicuous that a
+hunter might trail it upon the run. It is easy, therefore, to "waylay" a
+tapir. Guapo knew this well, and had already, while over among the
+palms, marked the track of the one that came nightly to the stream, and
+had settled it in his mind that that particular tapir had not many days
+to live. In fact, Leon coaxed him to fix the tapir-hunt for the next
+morning, which Guapo, with Don Pablo's permission, accordingly did.
+
+Guapo was anxious as any of them to kill the tapir, for, like many
+Indians, he was fond of its flesh, though that is by no means a
+palatable article of food. On the contrary, it is dry, and to most
+people tastes disagreeably. Guapo, however, liked it exceedingly; and,
+moreover, he wanted the tough skin for some purpose of his own. The wild
+Indians value the skin highly, as it is the best thing they can procure
+for "viches," or shields, to ward off the poisoned arrows of their
+enemies.
+
+Next morning, an hour or so after daybreak, Guapo started for the hunt,
+accompanied by Leon. Don Pablo remained at home with his wife and the
+little Leona. Now, had the tapir-hunter possessed a gun, or even a bow
+and arrows, his plan of proceedings would have been different, and he
+would no doubt have chosen a different hour for the hunt. He would have
+chosen the twilight of the evening or morning, and would have hid
+himself in the bushes, so as to command a view of the track which the
+tapir would be certain to take on his way to or from the water. He would
+then have simply shot the creature as it was going past; but this is not
+so easy a matter neither, for the tapir, fearful of enemies while on
+land, always travels at a trot. As Guapo had neither bow nor gun,
+nothing in fact but his _macheté_, how was he to get near enough to use
+this weapon? Clumsy-looking as the tapir certainly is, he can shuffle
+over the ground faster than the fastest Indian.
+
+Guapo knew all this, but he also knew a stratagem by which the
+amphibious brute could be outwitted, and this stratagem he designed
+putting in practice. For the purpose he carried another weapon besides
+the _macheté_. That weapon was a very pacific one--it was a _spade_!
+Fortunately he had one which he had brought with him from the mountains.
+
+Now what did Guapo mean to do with the spade? The tapir is not a
+burrowing animal, and therefore would not require to be "dug out." We
+shall presently see what use was made of the spade.
+
+After crossing the bridge, and getting well round among the palms, the
+hunter came upon a path well tracked into the mud. It was the path of
+the tapir,--that could be easily seen. There were the broad
+footmarks--some with three, and others with four toes--and there, too,
+were places where the animal had "wallowed." The tracks were quite
+fresh, and made, as Guapo said, not an hour before they had arrived on
+the spot.
+
+This was just what the tapir-hunter wanted; and, choosing a place where
+the track ran between two palm-trees, and could not well have gone round
+either of them, he halted, rested his _macheté_ against a tree, and took
+a determined hold of the spade. Leon now began to see what use he
+intended to make of the spade. He was _going to dig a pit_!
+
+That was, in fact, the very thing he was going to do, and in less than
+an hour, with the help of Leon, it was done--the latter carrying away
+the earth upon "bussu" leaves as fast as Guapo shovelled it out. When
+the pit was sunk to what Guapo considered a sufficient depth, he came
+out of it; and then choosing some slender poles, with palm-leaves,
+branches, and grass, he covered it in such a manner that a fox himself
+would not have known it to be a pit-trap. But such it was--wide enough
+and deep enough, as Guapo deemed, to entrap the largest tapir.
+
+It now only remained to get the tapir into it, but therein lay the
+difficulty. Leon could not understand how this was to be managed. He
+knew that at night, as the animal was on its way to the water, it might
+step on the covering, and fall in. But Guapo had promised him that he
+should see the tapir trapped in an hour's time. Guapo had a plan of his
+own for bringing it that way, and he at once proceeded to put his plan
+into execution.
+
+They started along the trail going _from_ the water, and towards the
+lair of the beast. The hunter knew it would not be very distant--perhaps
+a quarter or half-a-mile, perhaps less. Before starting he cautioned
+Leon to keep close behind him, and not to make the least noise. So
+little as a whisper or the rustling of the brush, he alleged, might
+spoil all his plans. Guapo marched, or rather crouched, along; at first
+freely, but after some time his step grew more stealthy and cautious. He
+knew that he was getting near to his sleeping victim.
+
+After stopping and repeating his caution to his companion, he proceeded
+as before until they had got better than a quarter of a mile from the
+water. Here they began to ascend a gentle hill, where the ground was
+dry, and strewed with fallen trees. At some places the trail was
+difficult to make out, and Leon would soon have lost it had he been left
+to himself. But there was no fear of Guapo losing it. A hound could not
+have followed it more surely.
+
+Suddenly Guapo stopped--then went on a few steps--then stopped a second
+time, and made a sign for Leon to come up. Without speaking, he pointed
+to a little thicket of scrubby bushes, through the leaves of which they
+could just make out some large brown object perfectly at rest. That was
+the tapir himself--sound asleep.
+
+Guapo had already instructed his companion that when they should arrive
+near the den of the animal, they were to make a wide circuit
+around--Leon going one way, while he himself took the other. Both now
+drew back a little, and then parted--the hunter going to one side, and
+Leon in the opposite direction. After making their circuit, they met at
+some distance beyond the back of the den; and then Guapo, telling the
+other to follow him, and, without observing any further caution, walked
+straight towards where the tapir lay.
+
+The Indian knew by experience that the latter, when roused, would make
+directly along its accustomed trail to the water, for to the water it
+always flies when alarmed by an enemy. When they had got within a few
+paces of the den, a movement was seen among the leaves--then a crackling
+noise was heard, as the huge body of the animal broke through the
+bushes, and took to flight. He did not trot according to his usual gait,
+but went off in a gallop, with his head carried in a singular and
+awkward manner between his fore-legs! You have, no doubt, seen a donkey
+sometimes gallop in a similar style.
+
+Guapo bounded after, followed by Leon, who kept close at his heels. Of
+course the tapir was in sight only a few seconds, but the hunter knew
+that he would take the beaten track, and therefore was at no loss. They
+made no unnecessary noise--lest the tapir might be frightened from its
+path--but ran on in silence.
+
+They soon got back to the pit-fall, Guapo of course leading the way.
+
+"Hola!" cried the latter, when he came in sight of it, "hola, young
+master! he's in the trap!"
+
+Sure enough he was; and the next moment they stood upon the edge of the
+pit, and beheld the great brown body struggling and tumbling about at
+the bottom.
+
+Guapo did not pause a moment, but leaped in, _macheté_ in hand. He had
+no fear of the animal biting him, for he knew it would not do so; but
+Guapo, in his hurry, had leaped carelessly, and his foot slipping, he
+fell over the smooth body of the tapir. The latter in its fright jumped
+upward, and the next moment Guapo was _undermost_ at the bottom of the
+pit!
+
+The animal had no design of trampling the hunter; but seeing that it
+could easily leap out--the pit being shallowed for it by Guapo's body
+and the fallen branches--it made a spring, and came out on the edge.
+Leon had got round upon the side next the river, but he chanced to be on
+the wrong side just then; for the heavy tapir dashing past, knocked
+against him, and sent him sprawling among the trees. Before he could
+recover himself, or Guapo climb out of the pit, a loud plunge in the
+water announced that the animal had escaped to an element where it might
+defy their pursuit.
+
+Both were quite crest-fallen and disappointed, but Guapo especially so.
+He had prided himself very much on his skill as a tapir-hunter, and his
+pride was mortified at the result. He seemed very much chagrined; and as
+he and Leon returned toward the house, he stopped at intervals and
+looked into the water. Then shaking his macheté in a threatening manner,
+cried out,--
+
+"Dive away, old thick-skin! Dive deep as you will, I'll have your hide
+yet!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE POISONED ARROWS.
+
+
+The result of the tapir chase determined Guapo to have himself better
+armed. There was one weapon--and a very efficient one too--which he knew
+how both to make and use. That weapon was a "gravatána," or blow-gun,
+sometimes called "pocuna." He had had an eye to this weapon all along,
+and had already provided the materials necessary for making it. These
+materials were of a varied character, and had cost him some trouble in
+getting them together.
+
+First, then, for the blow-tube itself he had cut stems of a slender
+palm-tree, a species of _Iriartea_, but not that sort already described.
+It was the _Pashiuba miri_ of the Indians. This little palm grows to the
+height of from twelve to twenty feet, and is never thicker than a man's
+wrist. Its roots, like the others of its genus, rise above the ground,
+but only a few inches. The stems which Guapo had chosen were of
+different sizes. One was about the thickness of the handle of a
+garden-rake, while the other was not over the diameter of a
+walking-cane. Both were hollow in the heart, or rather they contained
+pith like the alder-tree, which when forced out left a smooth bore.
+
+Having cut these stems to a length of about ten feet, and pushed out the
+pith, Guapo inserted the smaller one into the bore of the larger, which
+fitted tightly all the way--for he had chosen it of the proper thickness
+to this end. The object of thus using two stems instead of one will not,
+at first, be understood. It was for the purpose of making the tube
+perfectly straight, as this is a most important consideration in the
+gravatána. The outer and stronger stem corrected any bend that there
+might be in the inner one, and they were carefully arranged so that the
+one should straighten the other.
+
+Had it not been perfectly straight, Guapo would have bound it to a post
+and made it so; but it happened to come quite right without further
+trouble. The tube of the lesser one was now cleaned out thoroughly, and
+polished by a little bunch of the roots of a tree-fern, until it was as
+smooth and hard as ebony. A mouthpiece of wood was placed at the smaller
+end of the table, and a sight was glued on the outside. This "sight" was
+the tooth of an animal,--one of the long curving incisors of a rodent
+animal called the "paca," which is found in most parts of tropical
+America. To make the instrument look neater, Guapo had procured the
+tough shining bark of a creeping plant, which he wound spirally around
+the outside from the mouthpiece to the muzzle; and then the gravatána
+was finished.
+
+There was yet much to be done before it could be used. Arrows were to be
+made, and a quiver in which to carry them, and poison to dip their
+points in--for the arrows of the blow-gun do not kill by the wound they
+inflict, but by the poison with which they are charged.
+
+The next thing, then, to which Guapo turned his attention was the
+manufacture of the arrows. These can be made of cane, reeds, and other
+kinds of wood; but the best materials for the purpose are the long
+spines of the patawa palm, of which I have already spoken. These spines
+grow out from the lower part of the leaf-petioles, and, in young trees
+and those much sheltered, remain upon the trunk, giving it a very shaggy
+appearance. They are often three feet in length, about as thick as large
+wire, rather flattish, and of a black colour. To make the arrows, Guapo
+cut them to the length of fifteen or eighteen inches, and then pointed
+them sharply at one end. About three inches from the points he notched
+them all, so that they would break in the wound rather than drop out
+again, in consequence of the struggles of the animal.
+
+About two or three inches from the thick end of the arrow Guapo wrapped
+lightly around the shaft some strands of the soft silky cotton, which he
+had procured from the pods of the great "ceiba," or silk-cotton tree,
+already mentioned. This he fastened on with a fibre of an aloe
+plant--one of the _bromelias_; and the cotton, when thus secured,
+assumed a conical or spindle shape, having its larger end towards the
+butt of the arrow. When inserted into the gravatána, the swell of the
+cotton filled the tube exactly,--not so tightly as to impede the
+passage of the arrow, nor so loosely as to allow of "windage" when blown
+upon through the mouthpiece.
+
+The arrows were now ready, with the exception of the poison for their
+tips; and this was the most important of all, for without it both
+blow-gun and arrows would have been useless weapons, indeed. But Guapo
+was just the man who knew how to make this poison, and that is more than
+could be said of every Indian, for it is only the "piaches" (priests, or
+"medicine-men") who understand the process. Nay, more, there are even
+some tribes where not an individual knows how the arrow-poison is made;
+and these have to procure it by barter from others, paying a high price,
+and sometimes going a great distance for it.
+
+This celebrated poison is known under different names, but those of
+"curare," "ticuna," and "wouraly," are the principal.
+
+It is one of the most deadly poisons yet discovered--as much so as the
+_upastiente_ of Java, or the bean of St. Ignatius--but it is perfectly
+harmless when swallowed, and, indeed, it is often taken by the Indians
+as an excellent stomachic. Should it get into the blood, however, by
+means of an arrow-wound, or a sore, no remedy has yet been discovered
+that will cure it. Death is certain, and a death similar to that caused
+by the bite of a venomous serpent. So say those who have suffered from
+it, but recovered on account of their having been only slightly wounded,
+or lightly inoculated with it. Let us see, then, how Guapo prepared this
+deadly mixture.
+
+He had gone out to the forest, and returned carrying a bundle of slender
+rods. They were pieces of a lliana, or creeping plant. It was the
+_bejuco de curare_, or "mavacure," as it is sometimes called. The leaves
+he had stripped off, and left behind as useless. Had he brought them
+with him, they would have been seen to be small leaves of an oblong-oval
+shape, sharp at the points, and of a whittish-green colour. Don Pablo
+knew the plant to be a species of _Strychnos_.
+
+Guapo with his knife first scraped all the bark, as well as the alburnum
+or white coating, from the rods, which last he flung away. The mixture
+of bark and alburnum was next placed upon a smooth stone, and mashed
+into a fibre of a yellowish colour. This done, it was gathered into a
+heap, and placed within a funnel, which had already been made out of a
+plantain-leaf. The funnel was a long narrow cone, and to strengthen it,
+it was set within another funnel made of the thick leaf of the "bussu"
+palm, and then both were supported by a framework of palm fibres.
+
+Underneath the apex was placed a small pan--which could afterwards be
+put over the fire--and then cold water was thrown into the funnel along
+with the bark. A yellowish liquid soon commenced to filter and drip into
+the pan, and this liquid was the _curare_, the arrow poison. It still
+required, however, to be concentrated by evaporation; and for this
+purpose the pan was transferred to a slow fire, where it was kept until
+the liquid became thickened by the heat.
+
+Another process was yet required before the curare was ready for the
+arrows. It was sufficiently concentrated and deadly, but still too thin
+to adhere properly to their tips, and for this purpose a mixture of some
+gummy juice was necessary. This Guapo soon prepared from the large
+leaves of a tree called the "kiracaguero," and poured it into the
+infusion; and then the curare turned from its yellow colour to black,
+and was ready for use. The change of colour was produced by the
+decomposition of a hydruret of carbon; the hydrogen was burned, and the
+carbon set free.
+
+Guapo now dipped a few of his arrows, and carefully deposited them in a
+large joint of bamboo, which served as a quiver. I say _carefully_, for
+had one of these arrows dropped with its poisoned point upon his naked
+foot, or wounded him elsewhere, he never would have prepared any more
+curare. But he handled them with care, and the remainder of the liquid
+he poured into a small gourd (similar to that in which he carried his
+coca-lime), which he closely corked up with a piece of the pith from a
+palm.
+
+Don Pablo, with Doña Isidora and the children, had watched with interest
+all this process. At first, they were afraid to go near, believing that
+the fumes of the liquid might be injurious. This was long believed to be
+the case, in consequence of the absurd tales spread abroad by the old
+missionaries, and even at a later period by the traveller La Condamine.
+These asserted, that when the Indians wished to make the curare poison,
+they selected for this purpose the old women of the tribe, whose lives
+were not deemed of any value; and that several of these always fell a
+sacrifice while "cooking" the curare!
+
+This silly story is now refuted; and Guapo not only assured his
+companions that there was no danger, but even tasted the curare from
+time to time while in the pan, in order to judge when it was
+sufficiently concentrated. This he could tell by its taste, as it grew
+more and more bitter as the evaporation proceeded. The arrow-poisons of
+South America are not all made from the creeping plant, the mavacure.
+Among some Indian tribes a root is used called "curare de raiz;" and
+with others the poison is produced by a mixture of several species of
+juices from the plant _Ambihuasca_, tobacco, red pepper, a bark called
+"barbasco," from a tree of the genus _Jacquinia_, and a plant of the
+name "sarnango." Of all these the juice of the _Ambihuasca_ is the most
+powerful ingredient, but the making of this species of poison is a most
+complicated process.
+
+Guapo was not long in having an opportunity to test his gravatána, and
+this was just what he desired, for the old Indian was not a little vain
+of his skill, and he wished to make a show of it in the eyes of his
+companions. His vanity, however, was the more pardonable, as he was in
+reality a first-rate shot, which he proved to the satisfaction of
+everybody within half-an-hour. The instrument had scarcely been finished
+and laid aside, when a loud screaming and chattering was heard in the
+air, and on looking up a flock of large birds was seen flying over the
+heavens. They were still high up, but all of a sudden they darted down
+together and alit on a tall tree that stood nearly alone.
+
+Here they continued their chattering, only in a lower and more
+confidential tone; and they could be seen, not hopping, but climbing
+about, sometimes with their backs and heads turned downward, and, in
+short, clinging to the branches in every imaginable way. These birds
+were all of one kind, each of them full eighteen inches in length, and
+of a uniform colour over the body, which was a purple, or deep
+indigo--their beaks only being white. In the sun their plumage glistened
+with a metallic lustre. They were, in fact, a rare species,--the _ana_,
+or _purple macaw_.
+
+Without saying a word, Guapo seized his gravatána and arrows, and stole
+off through the underwood towards the tree upon which the macaws had
+perched. In a few minutes he stood under it, screened from the view of
+the birds by the broad leaves of a plantain that happened to grow
+beneath. This cover was necessary, else the macaws, which are shy birds,
+might have uttered one of their wild, choral screams, and flown off.
+They did not, however, and Guapo had a fair chance at them. All his
+movements could be observed by the party at the house, as he was on that
+side of the plantain.
+
+He was seen to adjust an arrow into the tube, and then raise the
+gravatána to his lips. Strange to say, he did not hold it as we do a
+common gun,--that is, with the left hand advanced along the tube. On the
+contrary, both hands were held nearly together, at the lower end, and
+close to his mouth. Now, you will wonder how he could hold such a long
+tube steady in this way. It is, indeed, a very difficult thing, and much
+practice alone can accomplish it. As they watched him narrowly, his
+chest was seen to expand, his cheeks rose with a strong "puff," and some
+of them thought they could perceive the passage of the little arrow out
+of the tube.
+
+However this might be, they soon after saw something sticking in the
+side of one of the macaws, and could see the bird pecking at it with its
+great beak, and trying to pull it out. In this it appeared to have
+succeeded after a short while, for something fell from the tree. It was
+the shaft with its cotton "boss" that fell down. The point, broken off
+where it had been notched, was still in the body of the bird, and was
+infusing the deadly venom into its veins. In about two minutes' time the
+wounded bird seemed to grow giddy, and began to stagger. It then fell
+over, still clutching the branch with its strong, prehensile claws; but
+after hanging a moment, these too relaxed, and the body fell heavily to
+the ground. It was quite dead.
+
+Long before it came down Guapo had pushed a fresh arrow into the tube,
+and given a fresh puff through it, wounding a second of the macaws. Then
+another arrow was chosen, and another victim, until several had been
+shot, and the creatures upon the tree could be seen in all stages of
+dying. Some, on receiving the wound, uttered a cry and flew off, but the
+poison soon brought them down, and they invariably fell at no great
+distance from the tree.
+
+At length Guapo was seen to desist, and walk boldly out from his ambush.
+To the surprise of all, the remaining macaws, of which there were still
+six or seven upon the tree, showed no fear of him, nor did they attempt
+to fly away! This was explained, however, by their subsequent conduct;
+for in a few seconds more they were seen, one by one, falling to the
+ground, until not a single bird was left upon the tree. All of them had
+been killed by the arrows of the blow-gun!
+
+Leon now ran out to assist Guapo in gathering his game. There were no
+less than eight couple of them in all, and they were all quite
+dead--some of them shot in the thigh, some in the neck or wing, and
+others through the body. None of them had lived over two minutes after
+receiving the wound. Such is the quickness with which the "curare" does
+its work!
+
+As a hunting instrument for most species of game the South American
+Indian prefers the gravatána to any other; and with good reason. Had
+Guapo been armed with a rifle or fowling-piece, he would have shot one
+macaw, or perhaps a pair, and then the rest would have uttered a
+tantalising scream, and winged their way out of his reach. He might have
+missed the whole flock, too, for on a high tree, such as that on which
+they had alit, it is no easy matter to kill a macaw with a shot-gun. Now
+the gravatána throws its arrow to a height of from thirty to forty
+yards, and the least touch is sufficient to do the business. Its
+silence, moreover, enables the hunter to repeat the shot, until several
+head of game reward his skill. The Indians use it with most effect in a
+vertical or upward direction; and they are always surer to kill a bird
+with it when perched on a high tree, than when seated on a low shrub or
+on the ground.
+
+As we have observed that the curare can be taken inwardly without any
+danger, it will be evident to all that game killed by the poisoned
+arrows may be eaten with safety. Indeed, there are many epicures in
+South America who prefer it in this way; and when a chicken is wanted
+for the table, these people require that it should be killed by an arrow
+dipped in curare.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+THE MILK-TREE.
+
+
+Guapo kept his promise with the tapir, and on that very same day.
+Shortly after the macaws had been brought in, little Leona, who had been
+straying down by the water's edge, came running back to the house, and
+in breathless haste cried out, "Mamma, mamma! what a big hog!"
+
+"Where, my pet?" inquired her mother, with a degree of anxiety, for she
+fancied that the child might have seen some fierce beast of prey instead
+of a hog.
+
+"In the water," replied Leona; "among the great lillies."
+
+"It's the tapir," cried Leon. "Carrambo! it's our tapir!"
+
+Guapo was busy plucking his macaws, but at the word tapir he sprang to
+his feet, making the feathers fly in all directions.
+
+"Where, señorita?" he asked, addressing little Leona.
+
+"Down below," replied the child; "near the edge of the river."
+
+Guapo seized his gravatána, and crouched down towards the bank, with
+Leon at his heels. On nearing the water, he stopped; and, with his body
+half-bent, looked down stream. There, sure enough, was the huge brown
+beast standing with his body half out of the water, and pulling up the
+roots of the flags with his great teeth and long moveable snout. It was
+not likely he would return to his former den after the chase he had had;
+and fancying, no doubt, that all the danger lay upon the opposite shore,
+he had come to this side to browse awhile.
+
+Guapo cautioned Leon to remain where he was, while he himself, almost
+crawling upon his belly, proceeded along the bank. In a few minutes he
+was out of sight, and Leon, seeing nothing more of him, kept his eyes
+sharply fixed upon the tapir.
+
+The latter remained quietly feeding for about ten minutes, when the boy
+saw him give a little start. Perhaps, thought he, he has heard Guapo
+among the weeds--for the tapir has good ears--and that was what caused
+him to make the motion. The tapir stopped feeding for a moment, but then
+recommenced, though evidently not with as much eagerness as before.
+Presently he stopped a second time, and seemed undetermined as to
+whether he should not turn and take to the clear water. In this way he
+hesitated for several minutes; then, to the astonishment of Leon, his
+body began to rock from side to side, and the next moment, with a
+plunge, he fell heavily backward, making the waves undulate on all sides
+of him. The arrow had done its work--he was dead!
+
+A loud shout from Guapo echoed along the river, and the Indian was seen
+plunging forward to the dead tapir, which the next moment he had seized
+by the leg, and was dragging towards the bank. He was here met by the
+whole party, all of whom were anxious to see this rare and singular
+creature. Ropes were soon attached to the legs, and Guapo, assisted by
+Don Pablo and Leon, drew the huge carcass out upon the shore; and
+dragged it up to the house.
+
+Guapo at once skinned it, carefully preserving the hide to make soles
+for his sandals and other purposes; and that night all of them tried a
+"tapir-steak" for supper. All, however, Guapo alone excepted, preferred
+the flesh of the purple macaws, which, cooked as they were with onions
+and red pepper, were excellent eating, particularly for Spanish-American
+palates. Guapo had all the tapir to himself.
+
+The bamboo palm-house was now quite finished, and several articles of
+furniture too--for during the nights both Don Pablo and his trusty man
+Guapo had worked at many things. You will, no doubt, be asking where
+they procured lights,--will you not? I shall tell you. One of the
+loftiest and most beautiful of the palm-trees--_the wax-palm_--grew in
+these very parts, for the lower slopes of the Andes are its favourite
+habitat. Out of its trunk exudes wax, which has only to be scraped off
+and made into candles, that burn as well as those made of the wax of
+bees. Indeed, the missionaries, in their various religious ceremonies,
+have always made large use of these palm-candles.
+
+Another "wax-palm," called "Carnáuba," is found in South America. In
+this one, the wax--of a pure white colour, and without any admixture of
+resin--collects upon the under-side of the leaves, and can be had in
+large quantities by merely stripping it off. But even, had neither of
+these palms been found, they needed not to have gone without lights, for
+the fruits of the "patawa," already described, when submitted to
+pressure, yield a pure liquid oil, without any disagreeable smell, and
+most excellent for burning in lamps. So, you see, there was no lack of
+light in the cheerful cottage.
+
+But there were two things, you will say, still wanting--one of them a
+necessary article, and the other almost so--and which could not possibly
+be procured in such a place. These two things were _salt_ and _milk_.
+Now there was neither a salt-mine, nor a lake, nor a drop of salt water,
+nor yet either cow, goat, or ass, within scores of miles of the place,
+and still they had both salt and milk!
+
+The milk they procured from a tree which grew in the woods close by, and
+a tree so singular and celebrated, that you have no doubt heard of it
+before now. It was the _palo de vaca_, or "cow-tree," called sometimes
+by an equally appropriate name _arbol del leche_, or "milk-tree." It is
+one of the noblest trees of the forest, rising, with its tall straight
+stem, to a great height, and adorned with large oblong pointed leaves,
+some of which are nearly a foot in length. It carries fruit which is
+eatable, about the size of a peach, and containing one or two stones;
+and the wood itself is valuable, being hard, fine-grained, and durable.
+
+But it is the sap which gives celebrity to the tree. This is neither
+more nor less than milk of a thick creamy kind, and most agreeable in
+flavour. Indeed, there are many persons who prefer it to the milk of
+cows, and it has been proved to be equally nutritious, the people
+fattening upon it in districts where it grows. It is collected, as the
+sugar-water is from the maple, simply by making a notch or incision in
+the bark, and placing a vessel underneath, into which the sap runs
+abundantly. It runs most freely at the hour of sunrise; and this is also
+true as regards the sap of the sugar-tree, and many other trees of that
+kind.
+
+Sometimes it is drunk pure as it flows from the tree; but there are some
+people who, not relishing it in its thick gummy state, dilute it with
+water, and strain it before using it. It is excellent for tea or coffee,
+quite equal to the best cream, and of a richer colour. When left to
+stand in an open vessel, a thick coagulum forms on the top, which the
+natives term cheese, and which they eat in a similar manner, and with
+equal relish. Another virtue of this extraordinary tree is that the
+cream, without any preparation, makes a glue for all purposes as good as
+that used by cabinet-makers, and, indeed, Don Pablo and Guapo had
+already availed themselves of it in this way.
+
+So much for the _palo de vaca_.
+
+It still remains for me to tell you where the _salt_ came from; and
+although the milk-tree was ever so welcome, yet the salt was a thing of
+still greater necessity. Indeed, the latter might be looked upon as an
+indispensable article in household economy. You, my young reader, know
+not what it is to be without salt. With whole sacks of this beautiful
+mineral within your reach, almost as cheap as sand, you cannot fancy the
+longing--the absolute craving--for it, which they feel who are for a
+period deprived of it.
+
+Even the wild animals will make long journeys in search of those
+salt-springs--or, as they are called, "licks"--which exist in many
+places in the wilderness of America. For salt, Don Pablo and his
+companions would have exchanged anything they had,--their sugar,
+plantains, cocoa, coffee, or even the cassava, which was their bread.
+They longed for salt, and knew not how they could get on without it. The
+only substitute was the "aji," or capsicum, of which several species
+grew around, and almost every dish they ate was strongly spiced with it.
+But still this was not salt, and they were not contented with it.
+
+It was now that they found a friend in Guapo. Guapo knew that among many
+of the Indian tribes the fruit of a certain species of palm was
+manufactured into salt; and he knew the palm, too, if he could only get
+his eyes upon it. Seeing his master and the rest so troubled upon this
+head, Guapo rose one morning early and stole off among the groves of
+palm, on the other side of the river. There, in a marshy place, with its
+roots even growing in the water, stood the very tree,--a small palm of
+about four inches in diameter and twenty to thirty feet high. It was
+thicker at the base than the top, and the top itself rose several feet
+above the tuft of pinnate, feathery fronds, ending in a pointed spike.
+It was the "jara" palm, of the genus _Leopoldinia_.
+
+It was the fruits upon which Guapo bent his eyes with earnestness. Each
+one was as large as a peach, of an oval shape, slightly flattened, and
+of a yellowish green colour. They grew in large clusters among the bases
+of the leaves; and Guapo was not long in ascending several trees--for
+the jara is a smooth-skinned palm, and can be climbed--and breaking off
+the spadices, and flinging them to the ground. He had soon collected a
+bag-full, with which he hurried back to the house.
+
+All wondered what Guapo meant to do with these fruits, for they tasted
+them and found them very bitter. Guapo soon showed them his intention.
+Having prepared a sort of furnace, he set the nuts on fire; and when
+they were thoroughly reduced to ashes, to the great joy and astonishment
+of all, these ashes, which were as white as flour, had the taste of
+salt! It is true it was not equal to "Turk's Island," nor yet to "Bay"
+salt, but it proved to be good enough for cooking purposes, and
+satisfied the craving which all had felt for this indispensable article.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS.
+
+
+About this time an incident occurred that was very near having a fatal
+termination for one of the party--Leon. The day was a very hot one, and
+as the cool water looked inviting, Leon could not resist the temptation
+of taking a bath. Having undressed himself, he plunged into the river
+nearly in front of where the house stood, and began splashing about
+quite delighted. The rest were not heeding him, as each was engaged with
+some occupation within the house.
+
+Leon at first kept wading about in a place that was not beyond his
+depth, but, by little and little, he took short swims, as he wished to
+practise, and become a good swimmer like Guapo. His father had not only
+given him permission, but had even advised him to do so. And it may be
+here remarked that all parents would do well to take the same course
+with their children and allow them to acquire this healthful and useful
+art. No one can deny that thousands of lives are annually sacrificed,
+because so few have taken the trouble to learn swimming.
+
+Well; Leon was determined to be a swimmer, and at each attempt he made a
+wider stretch into the deep water, swam around, and then back again to
+the bank.
+
+In one of these excursions, just as he had got farthest out, all at once
+he felt a sharp pain as if from the bite of some animal, and then
+another, and another, upon different parts of the body, as if several
+sets of teeth were attacking him at once!
+
+Leon screamed--who wouldn't have done so?--and his scream brought the
+whole household to the edge of the water in less than a score of
+seconds. All of them believed that he was either drowning or attacked by
+a crocodile. On arriving at the bank, however, they saw that he was
+still above water, and swimming boldly for the shore--no signs of a
+crocodile were to be seen!
+
+What was the matter?
+
+Of course that question was asked of him by them all in a breath. His
+reply was that "he could not tell--_something was biting him all
+over_!"
+
+The quick eye of the mother now caught sight of blood--around the
+swimmer the water was tinged with it--her piercing shriek rent the air.
+
+"O God! my child--my child! Save him--save him!"
+
+Both Don Pablo and Guapo dashed into the water and plunged forward to
+meet him. In the next moment he was raised in their arms, but the blood
+streamed down his body and limbs, apparently from a dozen wounds. As
+they lifted him out of the water they saw what had caused these wounds.
+A shoal of small fish, with ashy-green backs and bright orange bellies
+and fins, was seen below. With large open mouths they had followed their
+victim to the very surface, and now that he was lifted out of their
+reach, they shot forward and attacked the legs of his rescuers, causing
+Don Pablo and Guapo to dance up in the water, and make with all haste
+for the bank. As soon as they had reached it, they turned round and
+looked into the water. There were these blood-thirsty pursuers that had
+followed them up to the very bank, and now swam about darting from point
+to point, and ready for a fresh attack on any one that might enter the
+water!
+
+"They are the 'cannibal fish!'" said Guapo, in an angry tone, as he
+turned to attend to Leon. "I shall punish them yet for it. Trust me,
+young master, you shall be revenged!"
+
+Leon was now carried up to the house, and it was found that in all he
+had received nearly a dozen wounds! Some of them were on the calves of
+his legs, where the piece of flesh was actually taken out! Had he been
+farther out in the river, when first attacked, he might never have
+reached the shore alive, as the fierce creatures were gathering in far
+greater numbers when he was rescued, and would most undoubtedly have
+torn him to pieces and eaten him up!
+
+Such has been the fate of many persons who have fallen among the
+"cannibal fish" in the midst of wide rivers where they had no chance of
+escape. These ferocious little "caribes," or "caribitos," as they are
+called (for the word _carib_ signifies cannibal), lie at the bottom of
+rivers, and are not easily seen; but the moment an attack is made by one
+of them, and a drop of blood stains the water, the whole shoal rises to
+the surface, and woe to the creature that is assailed by their sharp
+triangular teeth!
+
+Of course the wounds of Leon, although painful, were not dangerous, but
+the chief danger lay in the loss of blood which was pouring from so many
+veins. But Guapo found ready to his hand the best thing in the world for
+stopping it. On some mimosa-trees, not far from the house, he had
+already observed--indeed, so had all of them--a very singular species of
+ants' nests of a yellowish brown colour. The ants themselves were of a
+beautiful emerald green. They were the _Formica spinicollis_. These
+nests were composed of a soft cotton-down, which the ants had collected
+from a species of _Melastoma_, a handsome shrub found growing in these
+regions; and this down Guapo knew to be the best for blood-stopping.
+
+Even Don Pablo had heard of its being used by the Indians for this
+purpose, and knew it by the name of "_yesca de hormigas_," or
+"touch-wood of ants." He had heard, moreover, that it was far superior
+even to the ants' nests of Cayenne, which form an article of commerce
+and are highly prized in the hospitals of Europe. Guapo, therefore, ran
+off and robbed the green ants of their nests, and speedily returned
+with the full of his hands of the soft "yesca." This was applied to the
+wounds, and in a few minutes the bleeding was effectually stopped, and
+Leon, although still suffering pain, had now only to be patient and get
+well.
+
+Strange to say, another incident occurred that very evening, which
+taught our party a further lesson of the danger of taking to the water
+without knowing more of its inhabitants. Just as they had finished
+supper, and were seated in front of their new house, the mule, that had
+been let loose, stepped into the river to drink and cool its flanks. It
+was standing in the water, which came up to its belly, and, having
+finished its drink, was quietly gazing around it. All at once, it was
+observed to give a violent plunge, and make with hot haste for the bank.
+It snorted and looked terrified, while its red nostrils were wide open,
+and its eyes appeared as if they would start from their sockets. At
+length it reached the bank, and, staggering forward, rolled over in the
+sand, as if it was going to die!
+
+What could all this mean? Had it, too, been attacked by the "caribes?"
+No; that was not likely, as the bite of these creatures upon the hard
+shanks of the mule could not have produced such an effect. They might
+have frightened it, but they could not have thrown it into "fits"--for
+it was evidently in some sort of a fit at that moment.
+
+It might have been a puzzle to our party not easily solved, had Guapo
+not been upon the spot. But Guapo had witnessed such an incident before.
+Just before the mule gave the first plunge Guapo's eyes had been
+wandering in that direction. He had noticed an odd-looking form glide
+near the mule and pass under the animal's belly. This creature was of a
+greenish-yellow colour, about five feet in length, and four or five
+inches thick. It resembled some kind of water-snake more than a fish,
+but Guapo knew it was not a snake, but an eel. It was the great
+_electric eel_--the "temblador," or "gymnotus."
+
+This explained the mystery. The gymnotus, having placed itself under the
+belly of the unsuspecting mule, was able to bring its body in contact at
+all points, and hence the powerful shock that had created such an
+effect.
+
+The mule, however, soon recovered, but from that time forward, no
+coaxing, nor leading, nor driving, nor whipping, nor pushing, would
+induce that same mule to go within twenty feet of the bank of that same
+piece of water.
+
+Guapo now bethought himself of the narrow escape he himself had had
+while swimming across to the palm-woods; and the appearance of the
+gymnotus only rendered him more determined to keep the promise he had
+made to Leon,--that is, that he would revenge him of the caribes.
+
+None of them could understand how Guapo was to get his revenge without
+catching the fish, and that would be difficult to do. Guapo, however,
+showed them how on the very next day.
+
+During that evening he had made an excursion into the wood, and returned
+home carrying with him a large bundle of roots.
+
+They were the roots of two species of plants--one of the genus
+_Piscidea_, the other a _Jacquinia_. Out of these, when properly pounded
+together, Guapo intended to make the celebrated "barbasco," or
+fish-poison, which is used by all the Indians of South America in
+capturing fish. Guapo knew that a sufficient quantity of the barbasco
+thrown into the water would kill either "temblador," caribe, or any fish
+that ever swam with fins.
+
+And so it proved. In the morning Guapo having prepared his barbasco,
+proceeded to the upper end of the lake-like opening of the river, and
+there flung his poison into the stream. The slow current through the
+valley greatly favoured him, and from the large quantity of roots he had
+used, the whole pool was soon infected with it. This was seen from the
+whitish tinge which the water assumed. The barbasco had scarcely time to
+sink to the bottom when small fish were seen coming to the surface, and
+turning "wrong side uppermost." Then larger ones appeared, and in a few
+minutes all the fish in that particular stretch of water, with several
+gymnoti, were seen floating on the surface quite dead. To the great joy
+of Guapo and Leon, who sat by the bank watching, hundreds of the little
+caribes, with their bronze gills quite open, and their yellow bellies
+turned up, were seen among the rest.
+
+But Guapo had not made this great slaughter purely out of revenge. He
+had another object. They were not too well off for meat, and a dish of
+fish would be welcome. Guapo and Don Pablo had already provided
+themselves with long-handled nets, and they soon scooped out several
+basketfuls of fish. Among others they netted numerous "caribes," for
+these little monsters, fierce as they are, are not surpassed for
+delicacy of flavour by any fish in the South American rivers. The
+gymnoti approached the bank, where Guapo fished them out, not to
+eat--although they are often eaten. There was not a spark of electricity
+in them now. The barbasco had cured them of that; any one might have
+handled them with safety, as there was not a charge left in their whole
+battery.
+
+The lake was quite cleared of all its dangerous denizens, and Leon might
+bathe with safety, as soon as he got well; and over the fish-dinner they
+could now laugh at the adventures both of Leon and the electrified mule.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+THE CINCHONA-TREES.
+
+
+In about two weeks from their arrival in the valley, the house, with a
+stable for the horse and mule, was completed, and all the necessary
+furniture as well. Had you entered the establishment about this time,
+you would have observed many odd articles and implements, most of them
+quite new. You would have seen boxes woven out of palm leaves, and bags
+made of the fibrous, cloth-like spathe of the "bussu," filled with the
+soft, silky cotton of the bombax, to be afterwards spun and woven for
+shirts and dresses.
+
+You would have seen baskets of various shapes and sizes woven out of the
+rind of the leaf-stalks of a singular palm called "Iú," which has no
+stem, but only leaves of ten feet long, growing directly out of the
+ground. You would have seen chairs made of split palms and bamboo, and a
+good-sized table, upon which, at meal-time, might be noticed a
+table-cloth, not of diaper, but, what served equally well, the broad
+smooth silken leaves of the plantain. There were cups, too, and plates,
+and bowls, and dishes, and bottles, of the light gourd-shell
+(_Crescentia cujete_), some of the bottles holding useful liquids, and
+corked with the elastic pith of a palm. Other vessels of a boat-shape
+might be noticed.
+
+There were large wooden vessels pointed at the ends like little canoes.
+They were nothing more than the spathes or flower-sheaths of one of the
+largest of palms, the "_Inaga_." This noble tree rises to the height of
+one hundred feet, and carries feathery fronds of more than fifty feet in
+length. The spathes are so large that they are used by the Indian women
+for cradles and baskets; and their wood is so hard, that hunters often
+cook meat in them, hanging them over the fire when filled with water!
+
+Many other singular implements might have been noticed in the new home.
+One, a cylinder of what appeared to be wood, covered thickly with
+spinous points, hung against the wall. That was a grater, used for the
+manioc, or yucca roots; and it was a grater of nature's own making, for
+it was nothing more than a piece of one of the air roots of the
+"pashiuba" palm, already described. Another curious object hung near
+this last. It was a sort of conical bag, woven out of palm-fibre, with a
+loop at the bottom, through which loop a strong pole was passed, that
+acted as a lever when the article was in use. This wicker-work bag was
+the "tipiti." Its use was to compress the grated pulp of the manioc
+roots, so as to separate the juice from it, and thus make "cassava." The
+roots of the yucca, or manioc plant, grow in bunches like potatoes.
+
+Some of them are oblong--the length of a man's arm--and more than twenty
+pounds in weight. When required for use, the bark is scraped off, and
+they are grated down. They are then put into the tipiti, already
+mentioned; and the bag is hung up to a strong pin, while the lever is
+passed through the loop at the bottom. Its short end goes under a firm
+notch, and then some one usually sits upon the long end until the pulp
+is squeezed sufficiently dry. The bag is so formed that its extension,
+by the force of the lever, causes its sides to close upon the pulp, and
+thus press out the juice. The pulp is next dried in an oven, and becomes
+the famous "cassava" or "farinha," which, throughout the greater part of
+South America, is the only bread that is used. The juice, of course,
+runs through the wicker-work of the _tipiti_ into a vessel below, and
+there produces a sediment, which is the well-known "tapioca."
+
+There are two kinds of the yucca or manioc-root,--the _yucca dulce_, and
+_yucca amarga_--the sweet and bitter. One may be eaten raw without
+danger. The other, which very closely resembles it, if eaten raw, would
+produce almost instant death, as its juice is one of the deadliest of
+vegetable poisons. Even while it is dripping from the tipiti into the
+vessel placed below, great care is always taken lest children or other
+animals should drink of it.
+
+There were no beds--such things are hardly to be found in any part of
+tropical America--at least not in the low hot countries. To sleep in a
+bed in these climates is far from being pleasant. The sleeper would be
+at the mercy of a thousand crawling things,--insects and reptiles.
+Hammocks, or "redes," as they are called, take the place of bedsteads;
+and five hammocks, of different dimensions, could be seen about the new
+house. Some were strung up within, others in the porch in front, for, in
+building his house, Don Pablo had fashioned it so that the roof
+protruded in front, and formed a shaded verandah--a pleasant place in
+which to enjoy the evenings. Guapo had made the hammocks, having woven
+the cords out of the epidermis of the leaf of a noble palm, called
+"tucum."
+
+Their home being now sufficiently comfortable, Don Pablo began to turn
+his attention to the object for which he had settled on that spot. He
+had already examined the cinchona-trees, and saw that they were of the
+finest species. They were, in fact, the same which have since become
+celebrated as producing the "Cuzconin," and known as _Cascarilla de
+Cuzco_ (Cuzco bark).
+
+Of the Peruvian-bark trees there are many species,--between twenty and
+thirty. Most of these are true cinchona-trees, but there are also many
+kinds of the genus _Exostemma_, whose bark is collected as a febrifuge,
+and passes in commerce under the name of _Peruvian bark_. All these are
+of different qualities and value. Some are utterly worthless, and, like
+many other kinds of "goods," form a sad commentary on the honesty of
+commerce.
+
+The species, which grew on the sides of the adjacent hills, Don Pablo
+recognised as one of the most valuable. It was a nearly-allied species
+to the tree of Loxa, which produces the best bark. It was a tall slender
+tree--when full grown, rising to the height of eighty feet; but there
+were some of every age and size. Its leaves were five inches long and
+about half that breadth, of a reddish colour, and with a glistening
+surface, which rendered them easily distinguished from the foliage of
+the other trees. Now it is a fortunate circumstance that the
+Peruvian-bark trees differ from all others in the colour of their
+leaves.
+
+Were this not the case, "bark-hunting" would be a very troublesome
+operation. The labour of finding the trees would not be repaid with
+double the price obtained for the bark. You may be thinking, my young
+friend, that a "cascarillero," or bark-hunter, has nothing to do but
+find a wood of these trees; and then the trouble of searching is over,
+and nothing remains but to go to work and fell them. So it would be, did
+the cinchona-trees grow together in large numbers, but they do not. Only
+a few--sometimes only a single tree--will be found in one place; and I
+may here remark that the same is true of most of the trees of the Great
+Montaña of South America. This is a curious fact, because it is a
+different arrangement from that made by nature in the forests of North
+America.
+
+There a whole country will be covered with timber of a single, or at
+most two or three species; whereas, in South America, the forests are
+composed of an endless variety. Hence it has been found difficult to
+establish saw-mills in these forests, as no one timber can be
+conveniently furnished in sufficient quantity to make it worth while.
+Some of the palms, as the great _morichi_, form an exception to this
+rule. These are found in vast _palmares_, or palm-woods, extending over
+large tracts of country, and monopolising the soil to themselves.
+
+Don Pablo, having spent the whole of a day in examining the cinchonas,
+returned home quite satisfied with them, both as regarded their quantity
+and value. He saw, from a high tree which he had climbed, "_manchas_,"
+or spots of the glistening reddish leaves, nearly an acre in breadth.
+This was a fortune in itself. Could he only collect 100,000 lbs. of this
+bark, and convey it down stream to the mouth of the Amazon, it would
+there yield him the handsome sum of 40,000 or 50,000 dollars! How long
+before he could accomplish this task he had not yet calculated; but he
+resolved to set about it at once.
+
+[Illustration: GUAPO AND THE 'NIMBLE PETERS.']
+
+A large house had been already constructed for storing the bark, and in
+the dry hot climate of the high Montaña, where they now were, Don Pablo
+knew it could be dried in the woods, where it was stripped from the
+trees.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS.
+
+
+At length, all things being ready, Don Pablo and party set out for a
+day's work among the cinchonas. As it was the first day of
+bark-gathering all went along to enjoy the novelty of the thing. A
+"mancha" of the cinchona trees was not far off, so their journey would
+be a short one. For this reason, the horse and mule remained in the
+stable eating the fruits of the "murumuru" palm, of which all cattle are
+exceedingly fond. Even the hard undigested stones or nuts, after passing
+through the bodies of horses and cattle, are eagerly devoured by wild or
+tame hogs, and the zamuros, or black vultures, when hungered, take to
+the pulpy fruit of this thorny palm-tree.
+
+It was a very early hour when they set out, for Don Pablo and his people
+were no sluggards. Indeed, in that climate, the early morning hours are
+the pleasantest, and they had made it a rule to be always up at
+daybreak. They could thus afford to take a _siesta_ in their hammocks
+during the hot noontide,--a custom very common, and almost necessary, in
+tropical countries. Their road to the cinchonas led up the stream, on
+the same side with the house. After going a few hundred yards, they
+entered a grove of trees that had white trunks and leaves of a light
+silvery colour. The straight, slender stems of these trees, and the
+disposition of their branches,--leaning over at the tops,--gave them
+somewhat the appearance of palms. They were not palms, however, but
+"ambaïba" trees. So said Don Pablo, as they passed under their shade.
+
+"I shouldn't wonder," added he, "if we should see that strange animal
+the aï. The leaves of these trees are its favourite food, and it lives
+altogether among their branches."
+
+"You mean the 'nimble Peter,' do you not, papa?"
+
+This inquiry was put by Leon, who had read about the animal under this
+name, and had read many false stories of it, even in the works of the
+great Buffon.
+
+"Yes," replied Don Pablo; "it goes by that name sometimes, on account of
+its sluggish habits and slow motions. For the same reason the English
+call it 'sloth,' and it is known among naturalists as _bradypus_. There
+are two or three species, but all with very similar habits, though, as
+usual, the French classifiers have separated them into distinct genera."
+
+"Why, Buffon says," rejoined Leon, "that it is the most miserable
+creature in the world; that it can scarcely get from tree to tree; that
+some remain in the same tree all their lives, or, that when one has
+eaten all the leaves off a tree, it drops to the ground, to save itself
+the trouble of getting down by the trunk, and, that when on the ground
+it cannot move a yard in an hour. Is all this true?"
+
+"Totally untrue. It is true the aï does not move rapidly over the
+ground, but the ground is not its proper place no more than it is that
+of the orang-otang, or other tree-monkeys. Its conformation shows that
+nature intended it for an inhabitant of the trees, where it can move
+about with sufficient ease to procure its food. On the branches it is
+quite at home, or, rather, I should say, _under_ the branches, for,
+unlike the squirrels and monkeys, it travels along the under sides of
+the horizontal limbs, with its back downward. This it can do with ease,
+by means of its great curving claws, which are large enough to span the
+thickest boughs. In this position, with a long neck of _nine
+vertebræ_,--the only animal which has that number,--it can reach the
+leaves on all sides of it; and, when not feeding, this is its natural
+position of repose.
+
+"Its remaining during its whole life in one tree, or suffering itself to
+fall from the branches, are romances of the early Spanish voyagers, to
+which M. Buffon gave too much credit. The aï does not descend to the
+ground at all when it can help it, but passes from one tree to another
+by means of the outspreading branches. Sometimes, when these do not
+meet, it has cunning enough to wait for a windy day, and then, taking
+advantage of some branch blown nearer by the wind, it grasps it and
+passes to the next tree. As it requires no drink, and can live without
+any other food than the leaves of the _cecropia_, of course it remains
+on a single tree so long as it has plenty of leaves. See!" exclaimed Don
+Pablo, pointing up; "here are several trees stripped of their leaves!
+I'll warrant that was done by the aï."
+
+"_A-ee_!" echoed a voice in the most lugubrious tones.
+
+"I thought so," cried Don Pablo, laughing at the surprise which the
+voice had created among the rest of the party. "That's the very fellow
+himself,--this way,--here he is!"
+
+All of them ran under the tree to which Don Pablo pointed, and looked
+up. There, sure enough, was an animal about the size of a cat, of a dark
+hay colour, with a patch of dirty orange and black upon the back. This
+could be easily seen, for the creature was hanging along a horizontal
+branch with its back downward, and its huge curving claws, all in a
+bunch, were hooked over the branch. Its hair was thick and rough, and no
+tail was visible, but its small round head and flat face was almost as
+like the human face as is that of any monkey. Indeed, the others would
+have taken it for a monkey,--Guapo excepted,--had they not been already
+talking about it.
+
+"Oh, yonder's another!" cried Leon, pointing higher up in the tree; and,
+sure enough, there was, for the aï is usually found in company with its
+mate. The other was a copy of the one already observed, with some slight
+difference in size--no doubt it was the female one. Both had observed
+the approach of the party, and now uttered their melancholy
+"Ayee--a-ee!" that sounded anything but agreeable. In fact, so very
+disagreeable is the voice of this creature, that it has been considered
+its best weapon of defence. Beside the utterance of their cry, neither
+of them made any effort to escape or defend themselves.
+
+Don Pablo and the rest were about to pass on and leave the aïs to their
+leaf diet, but Guapo had other notions on that subject. Ugly as these
+creatures were, Guapo intended to have one of them for his dinner. He,
+therefore, begged Don Pablo to stop a moment until he should get them
+down. How was this to be done? Would he climb up and drag them from the
+tree? That is not so easily accomplished, for the aïs, with their
+crescent claws, can hold on with terrible force. Besides, they were out
+upon the slender branches, where it would have been difficult to get at
+them.
+
+But Guapo did not intend to climb. The tree was a slender one--he had
+his axe with him--and the next moment its keen blade was crashing
+through the bark of the ambaïba wood. A few minutes served to bring the
+tree down, and down it came, the aïs screaming as it fell. Guapo now
+approached to seize them, but about this he used some caution. Both
+finding themselves without hope of escape, prepared for defence. Buffon
+asserts that they make none. That is not true, as was seen by all the
+party.
+
+Throwing themselves on their backs, they struck out with their fore-arms
+in a sort of mechanical manner. These with the long horny claws they
+kept playing in front of their bodies, striking alternately with them,
+and rapidly, as a dog will do when suddenly plunged into water. Guapo
+did not put his hands near them. He knew they would not bite, but he
+also knew that he might get a scratch with the sharp claws, and that he
+did not wish for. But Guapo had a way to take them, and that he now put
+in practice. Lopping a couple of branches from the tree, he held one out
+to each of the aïs, and touched them with it on the breast.
+
+Each, as soon as it felt the branch, clutched it tightly between its
+powerful fore-arms and held on as if for life and death. It would have
+taken a stronger man than Guapo to have pulled either of the branches
+away again. The thing was now done. Giving his axe to Leon to carry for
+him, Guapo lifted an aï, still clinging to the branch, in each hand, and
+carried them off as if they had been a pair of water-pots. He did not
+wish to kill them until he got them home, alleging that they were better
+for eating when freshly butchered.
+
+The bark-hunters now continued their route, and shortly after entered a
+little glade or opening in the forest, about an acre in size. When they
+had reached the middle of this, Guapo threw his aïs upon the ground and
+marched on.
+
+"Why do you leave them?" inquired the others.
+
+"No fear for them," replied Guapo; "they'll be there when we come back.
+If I carried them into the woods, they might steal off while we were at
+work, but it would take them six hours to get to the nearest tree." All
+laughed at this, and went on, leaving the aïs to themselves. Before
+passing out from the glade, they stopped a moment to look at the great,
+conical nests of the termites, or white ants, several of which, like
+soldiers' tents, stood near the edge of the glade. It was yet early, the
+air was chilly, and the ants were not abroad; so that, after gazing for
+a while on these singular habitations, the bark-gatherers pursued their
+way, and were soon under the shadow of the cinchona trees.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+THE BARK-HUNTERS.
+
+
+In a few minutes the work began--that work which was to occupy them,
+perhaps, for several years. The first blow of Guapo's axe was the signal
+to begin the making of a fortune. It was followed by many others, until
+one of the cinchonas lay along the sward. Then Guapo attacked another,
+as near the root as was convenient for chopping.
+
+Don Pablo's part of the work now began. Armed with a sharp knife, he
+made circular incisions round the trunk, at the distance of several
+feet from each other, and a single longitudinal one intersecting all the
+others. The branches were also served in a similar way, and then the
+tree was left as it lay. In three or four days they would return to
+strip off the bark both from trunk and branches, and this would be
+spread out under the sun to dry. When light and dry it would be carried
+to the storehouse. So the work went merrily on. The trees were taken as
+they stood--the very young ones alone being left, as the bark of these
+is useless for commerce.
+
+The Doña Isidora sat upon a fallen trunk, and, conversing with her
+husband, watched the proceedings with interest. A new and happy future
+seemed at no great distance off. Little Leona stood beside Guapo,
+watching the yellow chips as they flew, and listening to some very fine
+stories with which Guapo was regaling her. Guapo loved little Leona. He
+would have risked his life for her, would Guapo, and Leona knew it.
+
+Leon was not particularly engaged on that day. When the bark was ready
+for peeling he intended to take a hand with the rest. He could then
+employ himself in spreading it, or could lead the mule in carrying it to
+the storehouse. Leon did not intend to be idle, but there happened to be
+no work for him just then; and after watching the bark-cutters for
+awhile, he sauntered back along the path, in order to have a little fun
+with the aïs. Leon had no very great confidence that he would find them
+in the place where they had been left, and yet he believed in Guapo. But
+it was hard to understand that two animals, each endowed with a full set
+of legs and feet, should not be able to make their way for a distance of
+twenty paces, and escape! After the rough handling they had had, too! He
+would have a peep at them, anyhow, to see how they were coming on. So
+back he went.
+
+On getting near the glade their voices reached him. They were there,
+after all! He could hear them utter their pitiful "ay-ee--ay-ee!" and,
+as he thought, in a louder and more distressing tone than ever. What
+could be the matter? They had been silent for some time, he was sure,
+for such cries as they now uttered could have been heard easily where
+the rest were. What could be the meaning of this fresh outburst? Had
+some new enemy attacked them? It seemed like enough.
+
+Leon stole forward, and peeped into the glade. No--there was nothing
+near them! But what was the matter with the creatures? Instead of lying
+quietly, as they had done when left behind, they were now rolling and
+tumbling backward and forward, and pitching about, and dancing first on
+their feet and then on their heads, and cutting all sorts of strange
+capers! Could it be for their own amusement? No; their lamentable cries
+precluded that supposition; besides, their odd attitudes and contortions
+bespoke terror and pain!
+
+"Carrambo!" muttered Leon. "What's the matter with them?"
+
+They seemed inclined to escape towards the trees; but, after making a
+few lengths, they would fall to the ground, tumble about, and then,
+getting up again, head in the opposite direction!
+
+Leon was puzzled,--no wonder. He looked around for a solution of this
+queer conduct on the part of the aïs. No explanation appeared. At length
+he bethought himself of going up to them. Perhaps, when nearer, he might
+learn what set them a-dancing.
+
+"Ha!" he ejaculated, struck with some sudden thought. "I know now;
+there's a snake at them."
+
+This conjecture--for it was only a conjecture--caused him to stop short.
+It might be some venomous snake, thought he. The grass was not long, and
+he could have seen a very large snake; but still a small coral snake, or
+the little poisonous viper, might have been there. He fancied he saw
+something moving; but to get a better view he passed slowly around the
+edge of the glade, until he was nearly on the opposite side to that
+where he had entered. He still kept at a good distance from the aïs, but
+as yet discovered no snake.
+
+To his great surprise, the aïs now lay stretched along the grass, their
+struggles appeared each moment to grow less violent, and their
+melancholy cries became weaker and weaker. Their contortions at length
+came to an end. A feeble effort to raise themselves alone could be
+perceived,--then a spasmodic motion of their long crooked limbs,--their
+cries became indistinct; and, after a while, both lay motionless and
+silent! Were they dead? Surely so, thought Leon.
+
+He stood gazing at them for some minutes. Not a motion of their bodies
+could be perceived. Surely they had no longer lived! But, then, what
+could have killed them? There was no snake to be seen; no animal of any
+kind except themselves! Had they been taken with some sudden
+disease,--some kind of convulsions that had ended fatally? This seemed
+the most probable thing, judging from the odd manner in which they had
+acted. Maybe they had eaten some sort of plant that had poisoned them!
+
+These conjectures passed rapidly through the mind of Leon. Of course, he
+resolved to satisfy himself as to the cause of their death, if dead they
+actually were. He began to draw nearer, making his advances with stealth
+and caution--as he was still apprehensive about the snake.
+
+After he had made a few paces in a forward direction, he began to
+perceive something moving around the bodies of the animals. Snakes? No.
+What then? A few paces nearer. See! the whole ground is in motion. The
+bodies of the aïs, though dead, are covered with living, moving objects!
+Ha! _it is a "chacu" of the white ants_.
+
+Leon now comprehended the whole affair. The ground was literally alive
+with the terrible _termites_. They had made their foray, or "chacu," as
+it is called, from the neighbouring cones; they had attacked the
+helpless aïs, and put them to death, with their poisonous stings!
+Already they were tearing them to pieces, and bearing them off to their
+dark caves! So thick were they on the bodies of the animals, that the
+latter had suddenly changed their colour, and now appeared to be nothing
+more than living heaps of crawling insects!
+
+It was a hideous sight to behold, and Leon felt his flesh creep as he
+looked upon it. Still he felt a curiosity to witness the result, and he
+stood watching the busy crowd that had gathered about the aïs. He had
+heard strange accounts of these white ants; how that, in a few minutes,
+they will tear the carcasses of large animals to pieces, and carry them
+away to their dens; and he was determined to prove the truth of this by
+observation. He did not go any nearer, for he was not without some dread
+of these ugly creatures; but, happening to find himself beside a small
+tree, with low horizontal branches, he climbed up, and sat down upon one
+of the branches, resting his feet upon another. He was inclined to take
+the thing as easily as possible.
+
+His perch commanded a full view of the operations of the termites, and
+for a long time he sat watching them with interest. He could see that it
+was not the same set that were always on the carcasses of the aïs. On
+the contrary, one host were always leaving the spot, while another took
+their places, and from the great conical houses fresh bands appeared to
+issue. In fact, two great parallel belts of them, like army columns,
+stretched from the "hills" to the aïs, going in opposite directions.
+
+Those which travelled towards the cells presented a very different
+appearance to the others. These were loaded with pieces of torn flesh,
+or skin with tufts of hair adhering to it; and each ant carried a piece
+by far larger than its own body. Their bodies, in fact, were quite
+hidden under their disproportionate burdens. The others--those which
+were coming from the conical hills--were empty-handed, and presented the
+appearance of a whittish stream flowing along the surface of the ground!
+
+It was a most singular sight; and Leon sat watching the creatures until
+his head was giddy, and he felt as though the ground itself was in
+motion.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR.
+
+
+All at once the attention of the boy was called away from the crawling
+millions. A rustling among some dead leaves was heard. It appeared to
+proceed from the edge of the glade, not far from the ant-hills. The
+branches of the underwood were seen to move, and the next moment a
+slender cylindrical object, about a foot and a half in length, was
+protruded out from the leaves. Had there not been a pair of small eyes
+and ears near the farther end of this cylindrical object, no one would
+have taken it for the head and snout of an animal. But Leon saw the
+little sparkling black eyes, and he therefore conjectured that it was
+some such creature.
+
+The next moment the body came into view, and a singular creature it was.
+It was about the size of a very large Newfoundland dog, though of a
+different shape. It was covered all over with long brownish hair, part
+of which looked so coarse as to resemble dry grass or bristles. On each
+shoulder was a wide strip of black, bordered with whitish bands; and the
+tail, which was full three feet long, was clothed with a thick growth of
+coarse hair, several inches in length, that looked like strips of
+whalebone. This was carried aloft, and curving over the back. But the
+most curious feature of the animal was its snout.
+
+Talk of the nose of a grey hound. It would be a "pug" in comparison!
+That of this animal was full twice as long, and not half so thick, with
+a little mouth not over an inch in size, and without a single tooth! It
+was certainly the oddest snout Leon had ever seen. The legs, too, were
+remarkable. They were stout and thick, the hinder ones appearing much
+shorter than the fore-legs; but this was because the creature in its
+hind-feet was _plantigrade_, that is, it walked with the whole of its
+soles touching the surface, which only bears and a few other sorts of
+quadrupeds do.
+
+Its fore-feet, too, were oddly placed upon the ground. They had four
+long claws upon each, but these claws, instead of being spread out, as
+in the dog or cat, were all folded backward along the sole, and the
+creature, to avoid treading on them, actually walked on the sides of its
+feet! The claws were only used for scraping up the ground, and then it
+could bring them forward in a perpendicular position, like the blade of
+a hoe, or the teeth of a garden-rake. Of course, with feet furnished in
+such an out-of-the-way fashion, the animal moved but slowly over the
+ground. In fact it went very slowly, and with a stealthy pace.
+
+Although Leon had never seen the creature before, he had read about it,
+and had also seen pictures of it. He knew it, therefore, at a glance.
+That proboscis-looking snout was not to be mistaken. It could belong to
+no other creature than the _tamanoir_, or _great ant-eater_, by the
+people of South America called the _ant-bear_. It was, in fact, that
+very thing; but to Leon's astonishment, as soon as it got fairly out of
+the bushes, he noticed a singular-looking hunch upon its back, just over
+the shoulder. At first he could not make out what this was, as he had
+never heard of such a protuberance, besides, the tail half hid it from
+his view. All of a sudden the animal turned its head backwards, touched
+the hunch with its snout, gave itself a shake, and then the odd
+excrescence fell to the ground, and proved to be a young ant-eater, with
+bushy tail and long snout, the "very image of its mother." The large one
+was thus seen to be a female that had been carrying her infant upon her
+shoulders.
+
+It was close to one of the ant-hills where the old tamanoir placed her
+young upon the ground, and turning away from it, she approached the
+great cone. Erecting herself upon her hind-feet, she stood with the fore
+ones resting against the hill, apparently examining it, and considering
+in what part of it the shell or roof was thinnest and weakest. These
+cones, composed of agglutinated sand and earth, are frequently so
+stoutly put together that it requires a pick-axe or crowbar to break
+them open.
+
+But the ant-eater knew well that her fore-feet were armed with an
+implement equal to either pick or crow, and she would certainly have
+made a hole there and then, had she not noticed, on looking around to
+the other side, that the inhabitants of the hill were all abroad upon
+one of their forays. This seemed to bring about a sudden change in her
+determination, and, dropping her fore-feet to the ground, she once more
+threw up her great tail, and returned to where she had left her young
+one. Partly pushing it before her with her snout, and partly lifting it
+between her strong fore-arms, she succeeded in bringing the latter to
+the border of the path along which travelled the ants.
+
+Here she squatted down, and placed herself so that the point of her nose
+just touched the selvedge of the swarming hosts, having caused the
+youngster by her side to do the same. Then throwing out a long worm-like
+tongue, which glittered with a viscous coating, she drew it back again
+covered with ants. These passed into her mouth, and thence, of course,
+into her capacious stomach. The tongue, which was more than a foot in
+length, and nearly as thick as a quill, was again thrown out, and again
+drawn back, and this operation she continued, the tongue making about
+two "hauls" to every second of time! Now and then she stopped eating, in
+order to give some instructions to the little one that was seen closely
+imitating her, and with its more slender tongue dealing death among the
+_termites_.
+
+So very comic was the sight that Leon could not help laughing at it, as
+he sat upon his perch.
+
+An end, however, was put to his merriment, by the sudden appearance of
+another animal--one of a different character. It was a large cat-like
+creature, of a reddish-yellow, or tawny colour, long body and tail,
+round head, with whiskers, and bright gleaming eyes. Leon had seen that
+sort of animal before. He had seen it led in strings by Indians through
+the streets of Cuzco, and he at once recognised it. It was the
+_Puma_--the maneless lion of America.
+
+The specimens which Leon had seen with the Indians had been rendered
+tame and harmless. He knew that, but he had also been told that the
+animal in its wild state is a savage and dangerous beast. This is true
+of the puma in some districts, while in others the creature is cowardly,
+and will flee at the sight of man. In all cases, however, when the puma
+is brought to bay, it makes a desperate fight, and both dogs and men
+have been killed in the attack.
+
+Leon had not been frightened at the tamanoir. Even had it been a savage
+creature, he knew it could not climb a tree--though there are two
+smaller species of ant-bears in South America that can--and he therefore
+knew he was quite safe on his perch. But his feelings were very
+different when the red body of the puma came in sight. It could run up
+the smoothest trunk in the forest with as much ease and agility as a
+cat, and there would be no chance of escaping from it if it felt
+disposed to attack him. Of this the boy was fully conscious, and no
+wonder he was alarmed.
+
+His first thought was to leap down, and make for the cinchona-trees,
+where the others were; but the puma had entered the glade from that
+side, and it was therefore directly in his way: he would have run right
+in its teeth by going toward the cinchona-trees. He next thought of
+slipping quietly down, and getting into the woods behind him.
+Unfortunately, the tree on which he was stood out in the glade quite
+apart from any others, the puma would see him go off, and, of course,
+could overtake him in a dozen leaps. These thoughts passed through the
+boy's mind in a few seconds of time; and in a few seconds of time he was
+convinced that his best course would be to remain where he was, and keep
+quiet. Perhaps the puma would not notice him--as yet he had not.
+
+No doubt he would have done so, had there been nothing else on the spot
+to take off his attention; but just as he came into the open ground, his
+eyes fell upon the ant-eaters, where they lay squatted and licking up
+the termites. He had entered the glade in a sort of skulking trot, but
+the moment he saw the tamanoirs he halted, drew his body into a
+crouching attitude, and remained thus for some moments, while his long
+tail oscillated from side to side, as that of a cat when about to spring
+upon a mouse or a sparrow.
+
+Just at this moment the tamanoir, having turned round to address some
+conversation to her young companion, espied him, and sprang to her feet.
+She recognised in the puma--as in others of his race--a deadly enemy.
+With one sweep of her fore-arm she flung the young one behind her, until
+it rested against the wall of the ant-hill, and then, following in all
+haste, threw herself into an erect attitude in front of her young,
+covering it with her body.
+
+She was now standing firm upon her hind-feet--her back resting against
+the mud wall--but her long snout had entirely disappeared! That was held
+close along her breast, and entirely concealed by the shaggy tail, which
+for this purpose had been brought up in front. Her defence rested in her
+strong fore-arms, which, with the great claws standing at right angles,
+were now held out in a threatening manner. The young one, no doubt aware
+of some danger, had drawn itself into its smallest bulk, and was clewed
+up behind her.
+
+The puma dashed forward, open-mouthed, and began the attack. He looked
+as though he would carry everything by the first assault; but a sharp
+tear from the tamanoir's claws drew the blood from his cheek, and
+although it rendered him more furious, it seemed to increase his
+caution. In the two or three successive attempts he kept prudently out
+of reach of these terrible weapons. His adversary held her fore-legs
+wide open, as though she was desirous of getting the other to rush
+between them, that she might clutch him, after the manner of the bears.
+This was exactly what she wanted, and in this consists the chief mode of
+defence adopted by these animals. The puma, however, seemed to be up to
+her trick.
+
+This thrust-and-parry game continued for some minutes, and might have
+lasted longer, had it not been for the young tamanoir. This foolish
+little creature, who up to that moment was not very sure what the fuss
+was all about, had the imprudent curiosity to thrust out its slender
+snout. The puma espied it, and making a dart forward, seized the snout
+in his great teeth, and jerked the animal from under. It uttered a low
+squall, but the next moment its head was "crunched" between the muscular
+jaws of the puma.
+
+The old one now appeared to lose all fear and caution. Her tail fell
+down. Her long snout was unsheathed from under its protection, and she
+seemed undecided what to do. But she was not allowed much time to
+reflect. The puma, seeing the snout, the most vulnerable part,
+uncovered, launched himself forward like an arrow, and caught hold of it
+in his bristling fangs. Then having dragged his victim forward, he flung
+her upon her breast, and mounting rapidly on her back, proceeded to
+worry her at his pleasure.
+
+Although Leon pitied the poor tamanoir, yet he dared not interfere, and
+would have permitted the puma to finish his work, but at that moment a
+sharp pain, which he suddenly felt in his ankle, caused him to start
+upon his seat, and utter an involuntary scream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS.
+
+
+Leon looked down to ascertain what had caused him such a sudden pain.
+The sight that met his eyes made his blood run cold. The ground below
+was alive and moving. A white stratum of ants covered it on all sides to
+the distance of several yards. _They were ascending the tree!_ Nay,
+more; a string of them had already crawled up; the trunk was crowded by
+others coming after; and several were upon his feet, and legs, and
+thighs! It was one of these that had stung him!
+
+The fate of the aïs--which he had just witnessed--and the sight of the
+hideous host, caused him again to scream out. At the same time he had
+risen to his feet, and was pulling himself up among the upper branches.
+He soon reached the highest; but he had not been a moment there, when he
+reflected that it would be no security. The creatures were crawling
+upwards as fast as they could come.
+
+His next thought was to descend again, leap from the tree, and crushing
+the vermin under his feet, make for the bark-cutters. He had made up his
+mind to this course, and was already half-down, when _he remembered the
+puma_! In his alarm at the approach of the ants he had quite forgotten
+this enemy, and he now remembered that it was directly in the way of his
+intended escape. He turned his eyes in that direction. It was not there!
+The ant-bears were still upon the ground--the young one dead, and the
+mother struggling in her last agonies; but no puma!
+
+The boy began to hope that his cries had frightened him off. His hope
+was short-lived; for on glancing around the glade, he now beheld the
+fierce brute crouching among the grass, and evidently coming towards
+him! What was to be done? Would the puma attack him in the tree? Surely
+he would; but what better would he be on the ground? No better, but
+worse. At all events he had not time for much reflection, for before two
+seconds the fierce puma was close to the tree. Leon was helpless--he
+gave himself up for lost. He could only cry for help, and he raised his
+voice to its highest pitch.
+
+The puma did not spring up the tree at once, as Leon had expected. On
+the contrary, it crouched round and round with glaring eyes and wagging
+tail, as if calculating the mode of attack. Its lips were red--stained
+with the blood of the ant-eaters--and this added to the hideousness of
+its appearance. But it needed not that, for it was hideous enough at any
+time.
+
+Leon kept his eyes upon it, every moment expecting it to spring up the
+tree. All at once he saw it give a sudden start, and at the same instant
+he heard a hissing noise, as if something passed rapidly through the
+air. Ha! something sticking in the body of the puma! It is an arrow,--a
+poisoned arrow! The puma utters a fierce growl--it turns upon
+itself--the arrow is crushed between its teeth. Another "hist!"--another
+arrow! Hark! a well-known voice--well-known voices--the voices of Don
+Pablo and Guapo! See! they burst into the glade--Don Pablo with his axe,
+and Guapo with his unerring gravatána!
+
+The puma turns to flee. He has already reached the border of the wood;
+he staggers--the poison is doing its work. Hurrah! he is down; but the
+poison does not kill him, for the axe of Don Pablo is crashing through
+his skull. Hurrah! the monster is dead, and Leon is triumphantly borne
+off on the shoulders of the faithful Guapo!
+
+Don Pablo dragged the puma away, in order that they might get his fine
+skin. The ant-eaters, both of which were now dead, he left behind, as he
+saw that the termites were crawling thickly around them, and had already
+begun their work of devastation. Strange to say, as the party returned
+that way, going to dinner, not a vestige remained either of the aïs or
+the ant-eaters, except a few bones and some portions of coarse hair. The
+rest of all these animals had been cleared off by the ants, and carried
+into the cells of their hollow cones!
+
+It was, no doubt, the noise of the bark-hunters that had started the
+ant-eaters abroad, for these creatures usually prowl only in the night.
+The same may have aroused the fierce puma from his lair, although he is
+not strictly a nocturnal hunter.
+
+A curious incident occurred as they approached the glade on their way
+home. The male tamanoir was roused from his nest among the dry leaves,
+and Guapo, instead of running upon him and killing the creature, warned
+them all to keep a little back, and he would show them some fun. Guapo
+now commenced shaking the leaves, so that they rattled as if rain was
+falling upon them. At this the ant-eater jerked up its broad tail, and
+appeared to shelter itself as with an umbrella! Guapo then went towards
+it, and commenced driving it before him just as if it had been a sheep
+or goat, and in this manner he took it all the way to the house. Of
+course Guapo took care not to irritate it; for, when that is done, the
+ant-eater will either turn out of his way or stop to defend itself.
+
+The tamanoir is not so defenceless a creature as might at first sight be
+imagined by considering his small toothless mouth and slow motions. His
+mode of defence is that which has been described, and which is quite
+sufficient against the tiger-cat, the ocelot, and all the smaller
+species of feline animals. No doubt the old female would have proved a
+match for the puma had she not been thrown off her guard by his seizing
+upon her young. It is even asserted that the great ant-bear sometimes
+hugs the jaguar to death; but this I believe to be a mistake, as the
+latter is far too powerful and active to be thus conquered. Doubtless
+the resemblance of the jaguar to some of the smaller spotted cats of
+these countries, leads to a great many misconceptions concerning the
+prowess of the _American tiger_.
+
+Besides the tamanoir there are two, or perhaps three, other species of
+_ant-bears_ in the forests of South America. These, however, are so
+different in habits and appearance, that they might properly be classed
+as a separate genus of animals. They are _tree-climbers_, which the
+tamanoir is not, spite of his great claws. They pursue the ants that
+build their nests upon the high branches, as well as the wasps and bees;
+and to befit them for this life, they are furnished with _naked
+prehensile tails_, like the opossums and monkeys. These are
+characteristics entirely distinct from those of the _Myrmecophaga
+jubata_, or _great_ ant-eater.
+
+One of these species is the _tamandua_, called by the Spano-Americans
+_Osso hormiguero_ (ant-bear). The tamandua is much less than the
+tamanoir, being only three and a half feet in length, while the latter
+is over seven. The former is of a stouter build, with neither so long a
+snout in proportion, nor such claws. The claws, moreover, are made for
+tree-climbing, and are not so much in the way when the animal walks on
+the ground. It is, therefore, a more active creature, and stands better
+upon its limbs. Its fur is short and silky, but the tail is nearly
+naked, and, as already stated, highly prehensile, although it does not
+sleep hanging by the tail as some other animals do.
+
+The tamandua is usually of a dull straw-colour, although it varies in
+this respect, so that several species have been supposed to exist. It
+spends most of its time upon the trees; and in addition to its ant-diet,
+it feeds upon wild honey, and bees too, whenever it can catch them. The
+female, like the tamanoir, produces only one young at a birth, and like
+the other species, carries it upon her back until it is able to provide
+for itself. The tamandua has sometimes been called _tridactyla_, or the
+"three-toed ant-eater," because it has only three claws upon each of
+its fore-feet, whereas the tamanoir is provided with four.
+
+Another species of "ant-bear," differing from both in size and in many
+of its habits, is the "little ant-eater." This one has only two claws on
+each fore-foot, hence its specific name. It is a very small
+creature--not larger than the common grey squirrel--with a prehensile
+tail like the tamandua. The tail, however, is not entirely naked--only
+on the under side near the point. It is not so good a walker as the
+three-toed kind, though more active on its feet than the tamanoir.
+Standing upon its hind-feet, and supporting itself also by the
+tail--which it has already thrown around some branch--the little
+ant-eater uses its fore-feet as hands to carry food to its mouth. It
+lives among the trees, and feeds upon wasps, bees, and especially the
+larvæ of both; but it does not use the tongue to any great extent. It
+is, on this account, an essentially different sort of animal.
+
+The little ant-eater is usually of a bright yellow colour, brownish on
+the back; but there are many varieties in this respect, and some are of
+a snowy whiteness. Its fur is soft and silky, sometimes slightly curled
+or matted at the points, and the tail fur is annulated, or ringed, with
+the prevailing colours of the body.
+
+So much for the ant-bears of America.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+THE ANT-LION.
+
+
+Ants are disagreeable insects in any country, but especially so in warm
+tropical climates. Their ugly appearance, their destructive habits, but,
+above all, the pain of their sting, or rather bite--for ants do not
+sting as wasps, but bite with the jaws, and then infuse poison into the
+wound--all these render them very unpopular creatures. A superficial
+thinker would suppose that such troublesome insects could be of no use,
+and would question the propriety of Nature in having created them.
+
+But when we give the subject a little attention, we find that they were
+not created in vain. Were it not for these busy creatures, what would
+become of the vast quantities of decomposing substances found in some
+countries? What would be done with the decaying vegetation and the dead
+animal matter? Why, in many places, were it not consumed by these
+insects, and reorganised into new forms of life, it would produce
+pestilence and death; and surely these are far more disagreeable things
+than ants.
+
+Of ants there are many different kinds; but the greatest number of
+species belong to warm countries, where, indeed, they are most useful.
+Some of these species are so curious in their habits, that whole volumes
+have been written about them, and naturalists have spent a life-time in
+their study and observation. Their social and domestic economy is of the
+most singular character, more so than that of the bees; and I am afraid
+here to give a single trait of their lives, lest I should be led on to
+talk too much about them. I need only mention the wonderful nests or
+hills which some species build--those great cones of twenty feet in
+height, and so strong that wild bulls run up their sides and stand upon
+their tops without doing them the least injury!
+
+Others make their houses of cylindrical form, rising several feet from
+the surface. Others, again, prefer nesting in the trees, where they
+construct large cellular masses of many shapes, suspending them from the
+highest branches; while many species make their waxen dwellings in
+hollow trunks, or beneath the surface of the earth. There is not a
+species, however, whose habits, fully observed and described, would not
+strike you with astonishment. Indeed, it is difficult to believe all
+that is related about these insects by naturalists who have made them
+their study. One can hardly understand how such little creatures can be
+gifted with so much intelligence, or _instinct_, as some choose to call
+it.
+
+Man is not the only enemy of the ants. If he were so, it is to be feared
+that these small insignificant creatures would soon make the earth too
+hot for him. So prolific are they, that if left to themselves our whole
+planet would, in a short period, become a gigantic ants' nest!
+
+Nature has wisely provided against the over increase of the ant family.
+No living thing has a greater variety of enemies than they. In all the
+divisions of animated nature there are ant-destroyers--_ant-eaters_! To
+begin with the mammalia, man himself feeds upon them--for there are
+tribes of Indians in South America, the principal part of whose food
+consists of dried termites, which they bake into a kind of "paste!"
+There are quadrupeds that live exclusively on them, as the ant-bear,
+already described, and the _pangolins_, or scaly ant-eaters of the
+Eastern continent. There are birds, too, of many sorts that devour the
+ants; and there are even some who make them exclusively their food, as
+the genus _Myothera_, or "ant-catchers." Many kinds of reptiles, both
+snakes and lizards, are ant-eaters; and, what is strangest of all, there
+are _insects_ that prey upon them!
+
+No wonder, then, with such a variety of enemies that the ants are kept
+within proper limits, and are not allowed to overrun the earth.
+
+The observations just made are very similar to those that were addressed
+by Doña Isidora to the little Leona, one day when they were left alone.
+The others had gone about their usual occupation of bark-cutting, and
+these, of course, remained at home to take care of the house and cook
+the dinner. That was already hanging over a fire outside the house: for
+in these hot countries it is often more convenient to do the cooking
+out-of-doors.
+
+Doña Isidora, busy with some sewing, was seated under the shadow of the
+banana-trees, and the pretty little Leona was playing near her. Leona
+had been abusing the ants, partly on account of their having so
+frightened Leon, and partly because one of the red species had bitten
+herself the day before; and it was for this reason that her mother had
+entered into such explanations regarding these creatures, with a view of
+exculpating them from the bitter accusations urged against them by
+Leona. Talking about ants very naturally led them to cast their eyes to
+the ground to see if any of the creatures were near; and sure enough
+there were several of the red ones wandering about. Just then the eyes
+of Doña Isidora rested upon a very different insect, and she drew the
+attention of her daughter to it.
+
+It was an insect of considerable size, being full an inch in length,
+with an elongated oval body, and a small flat head. From the head
+protruded two great horny jaws, that bore some resemblance to a pair of
+calliper compasses. Its legs were short and very unfitted for motion.
+Indeed they were not of much use for that purpose, as it could make very
+little way on them, but crawled only sidewards, or backwards, with great
+apparent difficulty. The creature was of a greyish or sand colour; and
+in the sand, where it was seated, it might not have been observed at all
+had not the lady's eyes been directed upon the very spot. But Doña
+Isidora, who was a very good entomologist, recognised it; and, knowing
+that it was a very curious insect, on this account called the attention
+of her daughter to it.
+
+"What is it, mamma?" inquired the little Leona, bending forward to
+examine it.
+
+"The _ant-lion_."
+
+"The ant-lion! Why, mamma, it is an insect! How then can it be called
+lion?"
+
+"It is a name given it," replied the lady, "on account of its fierce
+habits, which, in that respect, assimilate it to its powerful
+namesake,--the king of the beasts; and, indeed, this little creature has
+more strength and ferocity in proportion to its size than even the lion
+himself."
+
+"But why the _ant_-lion, mamma?"
+
+"Because it preys principally on ants. I have said there are insect
+ant-eaters. This is one of them."
+
+"But how can such a slow creature as that get hold of them? Why, the
+ants could crawl out of its way in a moment!"
+
+"That is true. Nevertheless it manages to capture as many as it
+requires. Remember 'the race is not always to the swift.' It is by
+stratagem it succeeds in taking its prey--a very singular stratagem too.
+If you will sit back and not frighten it, I have no doubt it will soon
+give you an opportunity of seeing how it manages the matter."
+
+Leona took a seat by the side of her mother. They were both at just such
+a distance from the ant-lion that they could observe every movement it
+made; but for a considerable time it remained quiet; no doubt, because
+they had alarmed it. In the interval Doña Isidora imparted to her
+daughter some further information about its natural history.
+
+"The ant-lion," said she, "is not an insect in its perfect state, but
+only the _larva_ of one. The perfect insect is a very different
+creature, having wings and longer legs. It is one of the _neuropterous_
+tribe, or those with nerved wings. The wings of this species rest
+against each other, forming a covering over its body, like the roof upon
+a house. They are most beautifully reticulated like the finest
+lace-work, and variegated with dark spots, that give the insect a very
+elegant appearance. Its habits are quite different to those which it
+follows when a larva, or in that state when it is the ant-lion. It flies
+but little during the day, and is usually found quietly sitting amongst
+the leaves of plants, and seems to be one of the most pacific and
+harmless of insects. How very different with the larva--the very
+reverse--See!"
+
+Doña Isidora pointed to the ant-lion that was just then beginning to
+bestir itself, and both sat silent regarding it attentively.
+
+First, then, the little creature going backwards, and working with its
+callipers, traced a circle on the surface of the sand. This circle was
+between two and three inches in diameter. Having completed it, it now
+commenced to clear out all the sand within the circle. To accomplish
+this, it was seen to scrape up the sand with one of its fore-feet, and
+shovel a quantity of it upon its flat head; then, giving a sudden jerk
+of the neck, it pitched the sand several inches outside the traced
+circumference.
+
+This operation it repeated so often, and so adroitly, that in a very
+short time a round pit began to show itself in the surface of the
+ground. Whenever it encountered a stone, this was raised between its
+callipers and pitched out beyond the ring. Sometimes stones occurred
+that were too large to be thrown out in this way. These it managed to
+get upon its back, and, then crawling cautiously up the sides of the
+pit, it tumbled them upon the edge and rolled them away. Had it met with
+a stone so large as to render this impossible, it would have left the
+place, and chosen another spot of ground. Fortunately this was not the
+case, and they had an opportunity of watching the labour to its
+conclusion.
+
+For nearly an hour they sat watching it--of course not neglecting their
+other affairs--and, at the end of that time, the ant-lion had jerked out
+so much sand, that a little funnel-shaped pit was formed nearly as deep
+as it was wide. This was its trap, and it was now finished and ready for
+action.
+
+Having made all its arrangements, it had nothing more to do than remain
+at the bottom of the pit, and wait patiently until some unfortunate ant
+should chance to come that way and fall in; and where these insects were
+constantly wandering over the ground, such an accident would, sooner or
+later, be certain to take place.
+
+Lest the ant should peep into the pit, discover its hideous form below,
+and then retreat, this ant-lion had actually the cunning to bury its
+body in the sand, leaving only a small portion of its head to be seen.
+
+Both Doña Isidora and the little Leona remained watching with increased
+interest. They were very anxious to witness the result. They were not
+kept long in suspense. I have already stated that many ants were
+crawling about. There were dozens of them "quatering" the ground in
+every direction in search of their own prey; and they left not an inch
+of it unsearched. At last one was seen to approach the trap of the
+ant-lion. Curiosity brings it to the very edge of that terrible
+pit-fall. It protrudes its head and part of its body over the brink--it
+is not such a terrible gulf to look into--if it should slip down, it
+could easily crawl out again.
+
+Ha! it little knows the enemy that is ambushed there. It perceives
+something singular--an odd something--perhaps it might be something good
+to eat. It is half resolved to slide down and make a closer examination
+of this something. It is balancing on the brink, and would, no doubt,
+have gone down voluntarily, but that is no longer left to its own
+choice. The mysterious object at the bottom of the funnel suddenly
+springs up and shows itself--it is the ant-lion in all its hideous
+proportions; and before the little ant can draw itself away, the other
+has flung around it a shower of sand that brings it rolling down the
+side of the pit. Then the sharp callipers are closed upon the
+victim--all the moisture in his body is sucked out--and his remains, now
+a dry and shapeless mass, are rested for a moment upon the head of the
+destroyer, and then jerked far outside the pit!
+
+The ant-lion now dresses his trap, and, again burying himself in the
+sand, awaits another victim.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS.
+
+
+Doña Isidora and Leona had watched all the manoeuvres of the ant-lion
+with great interest, and Leona, after the bite she had had, was not in
+any mood to sympathise with the ants. Indeed, she felt rather grateful
+to the ant-lion, ugly as he was, for killing them.
+
+Presently Leon returned from the woods, and was shown the trap in full
+operation; but Leon, upon this day, was full of adventures that had
+occurred upon the hills to himself, Guapo, and Don Pablo. In fact, he
+had hastened home before the others to tell his mamma of the odd
+incidents to which he had been a witness.
+
+That morning they had discovered a new _mancha_ of cinchona trees. When
+proceeding towards them they came upon the dead carcass of a deer. It
+was a large species, the _Cervus antisensis_, but, as it had evidently
+been dead several days, it was swollen out to twice its original size,
+as is always the case with carcasses of animals left exposed in a warm
+climate. It was odd that some preying animals had not eaten it up. A
+clump of tall trees, that shaded it, had, no doubt, concealed it from
+the sharp sight of the vultures, and these birds, contrary to what has
+so often been alleged, can find no dead body by the smell. Neither ants
+nor animals that prey upon carrion had chanced to come that way, and
+there lay the deer intact.
+
+So thought Don Pablo and Leon. Guapo, however, was of a different
+opinion, and, going up to the body, he struck it a blow with his axe. To
+the surprise of the others, instead of the dead sound which they
+expected to hear, a dry crash followed the blow, and a dark hole
+appeared where a piece of thin shell-like substance had fallen off.
+Another blow from Guapo's axe, and the whole side went in. Not a bit of
+carcass was there; there were bones--clean bones--and dry hard skin, but
+no flesh, not an atom of flesh!
+
+"Tatou-poyou!" quietly remarked Guapo.
+
+"What!" said Don Pablo, "an armadillo, you think?" recognising, in
+Guapo's words, the Indian name for one of the large species of
+armadillos.
+
+"Yes," replied Guapo. "All eaten by the tatou-poyou. See! there's his
+hole."
+
+Don Pablo and Leon bent over the sham carcass, and, sure enough, under
+where its body had been they could see a large hole in the ground.
+Outside the carcass, also, at the distance of several feet was another.
+
+"This is where he entered," said Guapo, pointing to the second. "He's
+not about here now," continued he, "no, no,--ate all the meat, and gone
+long ago."
+
+This was evident, as the hollow skeleton was quite dry, and had
+evidently been empty for a good while.
+
+Don Pablo was pleased at this incident, as it gave him an opportunity of
+verifying a curious habit of the armadillos. These creatures are among
+the finest burrowers in the world, and can bury themselves in the earth
+in a few seconds time; but, being badly toothed,--some of them
+altogether without teeth,--they can only feed upon very soft substances.
+Putrid flesh is with them a favourite "dish," and in order to get at
+the softest side of a carcass, they burrow under, and enter it from
+below, rarely leaving their horrid cave until they have thoroughly
+cleared it out.
+
+The bark-hunters now passed on, Don Pablo making many inquiries about
+the armadillos, and Guapo giving replies, while Leon listened with
+interest. Guapo knew a good deal about these curious creatures, for he
+had eaten many a dozen of them in his time, and as many different kinds
+of them too. Their feeding upon carrion had no effect on Guapo's
+stomach, and, indeed, white people in South America relish them as much
+as Indians. The white people, however, make a distinction in the
+species, as they suppose some kinds to be more disposed to a vegetable
+diet than others.
+
+There are some in the neighbourhood of the settlements, that
+_occasionally pay a visit to the graveyards or cemeteries_, and these
+kinds do not go down well. All of them will devour almost any sort of
+trash that is soft and pulpy, and they are more destructive to the ant
+than even the ant-eaters themselves. How so? Because, instead of making
+a nice little hole in the side of the ant-hill, as the tamanoirs do, and
+through this hole eating the ants themselves, the armadillos break down
+a large part of the structure and devour the _larvæ_. Now the ants love
+these _larvæ_ more than their own lives, and when these are destroyed,
+they yield themselves up to despair, refuse to patch up the building,
+the rain gets in, and the colony is ruined and breaks up.
+
+It does not follow, however, that the flesh of the armadillo should be
+"queer" because the animal itself eats queer substances. Among
+carnivorous creatures the very opposite is sometimes the truth; and some
+animals--as the tapir, for instance--that feed exclusively on sweet and
+succulent vegetables, produce a most bitter flesh for themselves. About
+this there is no standing law either way.
+
+The flesh of the armadillo is excellent eating, not unlike young pork,
+and, when "roasted in the shell" (the Indian mode of cooking it), it is
+quite equal, if not superior, to a baked "pig," a dish very much eaten
+in our own country.
+
+Guapo did not call them armadillos--he had several Indian names for
+different kinds of them. "Armadillo" is the Spanish name, and signifies
+the "little armed one," the diminutive of "armado" or "armed." This name
+is peculiarly appropriate to these animals, as the hard bony casing
+which covers the whole upper parts of their bodies, bears an exceeding
+resemblance to the suits of plate armour worn in the days of Cortez and
+chivalry.
+
+On the head there is the helmet, the back is shielded by a corslet, and
+even the limbs are covered with greaves. Of course, this armour is
+arranged differently in the different species, and there is more or less
+hair upon all, between the joinings of the plates.
+
+These points were not touched upon by Guapo, but others of equal
+interest were. He went on to say that he knew many different kinds of
+them;--some not bigger than a rat, and some as large as a full-grown
+sheep; some that were slow in their paces, and others that could outrun
+a man; some that were flat, and could squat so close as hardly to be
+seen against the ground,--(these were _tatou-poyous_, the sort that had
+hollowed out the deer); and some again that were high-backed and nearly
+globe-shaped. Such was Guapo's account of these curious animals which
+are found only in the warmer regions of North and South America.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+AN ARMADILLO HUNT.
+
+
+Conversing in this way, the bark-hunters, at length, reached the
+cinchona-trees, and then all talk about armadillos was at an end. They
+went lustily to their work--which was of more importance--and, under
+Guapo's axe, several of the cinchonas soon "bit the dust."
+
+There was a spot of open ground just a little to one side of where these
+trees stood. They had noticed, on coming up, a flock of zamuros, or
+black vultures, out upon this ground, clustered around some object. It
+was the carcass of another deer. The first blow of the axe startled the
+birds, and they flapped a short way off. They soon returned, however,
+not being shy birds, but the contrary.
+
+There was nothing in all this to create surprise, except, perhaps, the
+dead deer. What had been killing these animals? Not a beast of prey, for
+that would have devoured them, unless, indeed, it might be the puma,
+that often kills more than he can eat.
+
+The thought had occurred to Don Pablo that they might have died from the
+poisoned arrows of an Indian. This thought somewhat disquieted him, for
+he knew not what kind of Indians they might be,--they might be friendly
+or hostile;--if the latter, not only would all his plans be frustrated,
+but the lives of himself and party would be in danger. Guapo could not
+assure him on this head; he had been so long absent from the Great
+Montaña that he was ignorant of the places where the tribes of these
+parts might now be located. These tribes often change their homes.
+
+He knew that the Chunchos sometimes roamed so far up, and they were the
+most dangerous of all the Indians of the Montaña,--haters of the whites,
+fierce and revengeful. It was they who several times destroyed the
+settlements and mission stations. If Chunchos were in the woods they
+might look out for trouble. Guapo did not think there were any Indians
+near. He would have seen some traces of them before now, and he had
+observed none since their arrival. This assurance of the knowing Indian
+quite restored Don Pablo's confidence, and they talked no longer on the
+subject. After a while, their attention was again called to the
+vultures. These filthy creatures had returned to the deer, and were
+busily gorging themselves, when, all at once, they were seen to rise up
+as if affrighted. They did not fly far,--only a few feet,--and stood
+with outstretched necks looking towards the carrion, as if whatever had
+frightened them was there.
+
+The bark-hunters could perceive nothing. It was the body of a small
+deer, already half eaten, and no object bigger than a man's hand could
+have been concealed behind it. The zamuros, however, _had_ seen
+something strange--else they would hardly have acted as they did--and,
+with this conviction, the bark-hunters stopped their work to observe
+them.
+
+After a while the birds seemed to take fresh courage, hopped back to the
+carrion, and recommenced tearing at it. In another moment they again
+started and flew back, but, this time, not so far as before, and then
+they all returned again, and, after feeding another short while, started
+back a third time.
+
+This was all very mysterious, but Guapo, guessing what was the matter,
+solved the mystery by crying out,--
+
+"_Tatou-poyou_!"
+
+"Where?" inquired Don Pablo.
+
+"Yonder, master, yonder in the body of the beast."
+
+Don Pablo looked, and, sure enough, he could see something moving; it
+was the head and shoulders of an armadillo. It had burrowed and come up
+through the body of the deer, thus meeting the vultures half-way! No
+doubt, it was the mysterious mode by which it had entered on the stage
+that had frightened them.
+
+They soon, however, got over their affright, and returned to their
+repast.
+
+The armadillo--a very large one--had, by this time, crept out into the
+open air, and went on eating.
+
+For a while the zamuros took no heed of him, deeming, perhaps, that,
+although he had come in by the back-door, he might have as good a right
+upon the premises as themselves. Their pacific attitude, however, was
+but of short duration; something occurred to ruffle their temper--some
+silent affront, no doubt, for the bark-hunters heard nothing. Perhaps
+the _tatou_ had run against the legs of one, and scraped it with the
+sharp edge of his corslet. Whether this was the cause or no, a scuffle
+commenced, and the beast in armour was attacked by all the vultures at
+once.
+
+Of course he did not attack in turn, he had no means; he acted
+altogether on the defensive; and this he was enabled to do by simply
+drawing in his legs and flattening himself upon the ground. He was then
+proof, not only against the beaks and weak talons of a vulture, but he
+might have defied the royal eagle himself.
+
+After flapping him with their wings, and pecking him with their filthy
+beaks, and clawing him with their talons, the zamuros saw it was all to
+no purpose, and desisted. If they could not damage him, however, they
+could prevent him from eating any more of the deer; for the moment he
+stretched out his neck, several vultures sprang at him afresh, and would
+have wounded him in the tender parts of his throat had he not quickly
+drawn in his head again. Seeing that his feast was at an end--at least
+above ground--he suddenly raised his hind-quarters, and in a brace of
+seconds buried himself in the earth. The vultures pecked him behind as
+he disappeared, but the odd manner of his exit, like that of his
+_entrée_, seemed to mystify them, and several of them stood for some
+moments in neck-stretched wonder.
+
+This scene had scarcely ended when a pair of fresh armadillos were
+espied, coming from the farther edge of the opening, and, in fact, from
+the edge of a precipice, for the river flowed close by, and its channel
+was at that point shut in by cliffs. These two were large fellows, and
+were making speedily towards the carrion, in order to get up before it
+was all gone. Guapo could stand it no longer. Guapo had tasted roast
+armadillo, and longed for more. In an instant, therefore, axe in hand,
+he was off to intercept the new-comers. Don Pablo and Leon followed to
+see the sport and assist in the capture.
+
+The armadillos, although not afraid of the vultures, seeing the hunters
+approach, turned tail and made for the precipice. Guapo took after one,
+while Don Pablo and Leon pursued the other. Guapo soon overhauled his
+one, but, before he could lay his hands upon it, it had already half
+buried itself in the dry ground. Guapo, however, seized the tail and
+held on; and, although not able to drag it out, he was resolved it
+should get no deeper.
+
+[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.]
+
+The one pursued by Don Pablo had got close to the edge of the precipice,
+before either he or Leon could come up with it. There it stood for a
+moment, as if in doubt what plan to pursue. Don Pablo and Leon were
+congratulating themselves that they had fairly "cornered" it, for the
+cliff was a clear fall of fifty feet, and, of course, it could get no
+farther in that direction, while they approached it from two sides so
+as to cut off its retreat. They approached it with caution, as they were
+now near the edge, and it would not do to move too rashly. Both were
+bent forward with their arms outstretched to clutch their prey; they
+felt confident it was already in their grasp. Judge their astonishment,
+then, at seeing the creature suddenly clew itself into a round ball, and
+roll over the cliff!
+
+They looked below. They saw it upon the ground; they saw it open out
+again, apparently unharmed, for, the next moment, it scuttled off and
+hid itself among the rocks by the edge of the water!
+
+They turned toward Guapo, who was still holding his one by the tail, and
+calling for help. Although it was but half buried, all three of them
+could not have dragged it forth by the tail. That member would have
+pulled out before the animal could have been dislodged; and such is not
+an unfrequent occurrence to the hunters of the armadillo. Don Pablo,
+however, took hold of the tail and held fast until Guapo loosened the
+earth with his axe, and then the creature was more easily "extracted." A
+blow on its head from Guapo made all right, and it was afterwards
+carried safely to the house, and "roasted in the shell."
+
+That was a great day among the "armadillos."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+THE OCELOT.
+
+
+During the whole summer, Don Pablo, Guapo, and Leon, continued
+bark-gathering. Every day they went out into the woods, excepting Sunday
+of course. That was kept as a day of rest; for, although far from
+civilised society, there was not the less necessity for their being
+Christians. God dwells in the wilderness as well as in the walled city,
+and worship to Him is as pleasing under the shadow of the forest leaves,
+as with sounding organ beneath the vaulted dome of the grand cathedral.
+
+During week-days, while the others were abroad, Doña Isidora and the
+little Leona were not idle at home; yet their whole time was not taken
+up by the mere concerns of the _cuisine_. They had an industry of their
+own, and, in fact, one that promised to be almost as profitable in its
+results as the bark-gathering. This was neither more nor less than
+preparing _vanilla_.
+
+Some days after arriving in the valley, while exploring a wood that lay
+at the back of the cultivated ground, Don Pablo discovered that every
+tree carried a creeper or parasite of a peculiar kind. It was a small
+creeper not unlike ivy, and was covered with flowers of a
+greenish-yellow colour, mixed with white. Don Pablo at once recognised
+in this parasitical plant one of the many species of lianas that produce
+the delicious and perfumed vanilla. It was, in fact, the finest of the
+kind--that which, among the French, is called _leq_ vanilla; and, from
+the fact that every tree had a number of these parasites, and no other
+climbing vines, Don Pablo came to the conclusion that they had been
+planted by the missionaries. It is thus that vanilla is usually
+cultivated, by being set in slips at the root of some tree which may
+afterwards sustain it.
+
+In the course of the summer, these vanilla vines exhibited a different
+appearance. Instead of flowers, long bean-like capsules made their
+appearance. These capsules or pods were nearly a foot in length, though
+not much thicker than a swan's quill. They were a little flattish,
+wrinkled, and of a yellow colour, and contained inside, instead of
+beans, a pulpy substance, surrounding a vast quantity of small seeds,
+like grains of sand. These seeds are the perfumed vanilla so much
+prized, and which often yield the enormous price of fifty dollars a
+pound! To preserve these, therefore, was the work of Doña Isidora and
+Leona; and they understood perfectly how to do it.
+
+First, they gathered the pods before they were quite ripe. These they
+strung upon a thread, taking care to pass the thread through that end
+nearest the footstalk. The whole were next plunged for an instant into
+boiling water, which gave them a blanched appearance. The thread was
+then stretched from tree to tree, and the pods, hanging like a string of
+candles, were then exposed to the sun for several hours. Next day, they
+were lightly smeared with an oiled feather, and then wrapped in oiled
+cotton of the _Bombax ceiba_, to prevent the valves from opening.
+
+When they had remained in this state for a few days, the string was
+taken out, and passed through the other ends, so that they should hang
+in an inverted position. This was to permit the discharge of a viscid
+liquid from the footstalk end; and in order to assist this discharge,
+the pods were several times lightly pressed between the fingers. They
+now became dry and wrinkled. They had also shrunk to less than half
+their original size, and changed their colour to a reddish-brown.
+Another delicate touch of the oil-feather, and the vanilla was ready for
+the market. Nothing remained but to pack them in small cases, which had
+already been prepared from the leaf of a species of palm-tree.
+
+In such a way did the lady Isidora and her daughter pass their time; and
+before the summer was out they had added largely to the stock of wealth
+of our exiles.
+
+Although these two always remained by the house, they were not without
+_their_ adventures as well, one of which I shall describe. It occurred
+while they were getting in their crop of vanilla. Leona was in the porch
+in front, busy among the vanilla-beans. She had a large needle and a
+thread of palm-leaf fibre, with which she was stringing the long pods,
+while her mother was inside the house packing some that had been already
+dried.
+
+Leona rested for a moment, and was looking over the water, when, all at
+once, she exclaimed,
+
+"Maman--Maman! come out and see! oh! what a beautiful cat!"
+
+The exclamation caused Doña Isidora to start, and with a feeling of
+uneasiness. The cause of her uneasiness was the word "cat." She feared
+that what the innocent child had taken for a "beautiful cat" might prove
+to be the dreaded jaguar. She ran at once out of the door, and looked in
+the direction pointed out by Leona. There, sure enough, on the other
+side of the water, was a spotted creature, looking in the distance, very
+much like a cat; but Doña Isidora saw at a glance that it was a far
+larger animal.
+
+Was it the jaguar? It was like one, in its colour and markings. It was
+of a yellowish colour, and covered all over with black spots, which gave
+it the semblance of the jaguar. Still Doña Isidora thought that it was
+not so large as these animals usually are; and this, to some extent,
+restored her confidence. When first seen, it was close down to the
+water's edge, as if it had come there to drink; and Doña Isidora was in
+hopes that, after satisfying its thirst, it would go away again. What
+was her consternation to see it make a forward spring, and, plunging
+into the water, swim directly for the house!
+
+Terrified, she seized Leona by the hand, and retreated inside. She shut
+the door, and bolted it. If it were a jaguar, what protection would that
+be? Such a creature could dash itself through the frail bamboo wall, or
+tear the door to pieces with his great claws in a moment. "If it be a
+jaguar," thought she, "we are lost!"
+
+Doña Isidora was a woman of courage. She was determined to defend the
+lives of herself and daughter to the last. She looked around the house
+for a weapon. The pistols of Don Pablo were hanging against the wall.
+She knew they were loaded. She took them down, and looked to the flints
+and priming, and then stationed herself at a place where she could see
+out through the interstices of the bamboos. The little Leona kept by her
+side, though she knew, that in a struggle with a ferocious jaguar, she
+could give no help.
+
+By this time the animal had crossed the river, and she could see it
+spring out on the bank, and come on towards the house. In a few seconds
+it was close to the porch, where it halted to reconnoitre. Doña Isidora
+saw it very plainly, and would now have had a very good chance to fire
+at it; but she did not wish to begin the combat. Perhaps it might go
+away again, without attempting to enter the house. In order not to draw
+its attention, she stood perfectly quiet, having cautioned Leona to do
+the same.
+
+It was not a large animal, though its aspect was fierce enough to
+terrify any one. Its tiger-like eyes, and white teeth, which it showed
+at intervals, were anything but pleasant to look upon. Its size,
+however, was not so formidable; and Doña Isidora had understood the
+jaguar to be a large animal; but there is also a smaller species of
+jaguar. This might be the one.
+
+After halting a moment, the creature turned to one side, and then
+proceeded at a skulking trot around the house. Now and then it stopped
+and looked toward the building, as if searching for some aperture by
+which it might get in. Doña Isidora followed it round on the inside. The
+walls were so open that she could mark all its movements; and, with a
+pistol in each hand, she was ready for the attack, determined to fire
+the moment it might threaten to spring against the bamboos.
+
+On one side of the house, at a few paces distance, stood the mule. The
+horse had been taken to the woods, and the mule was left alone. This
+animal was tied to a tree, which shaded her from the sun. As soon as the
+fierce creature got well round the house, it came in full view of the
+mule, which now claimed its attention. The latter, on seeing it, had
+started, and sprung round upon her halter, as if badly terrified by the
+apparition.
+
+Whether the beast of prey had ever before seen a mule was a question.
+Most likely it had not; for, half-innocently, and half as if with the
+intention of making an attack, it went skulking up until it was close to
+the heels of the latter. It could not have placed itself in a better
+position to be well kicked; and well kicked it was, for, just at that
+moment, the mule let fling with both her heels, and struck it upon the
+ribs. A loud "thump" was heard by those within the house, and Doña
+Isidora, still watching through the canes, had the satisfaction to see
+the spotted creature take to its heels, and gallop off as if a kettle
+had been tied to its tail! It made no stop, not even to look back; but
+having reached the edge of the water, plunged in, and swam over to the
+opposite shore. They could see it climb out on the other side, and then,
+with a cowed and conquered look, it trotted off, and disappeared among
+the palm-trees.
+
+Doña Isidora knew that it was gone for good; and having now no further
+fear went on with her work as before. She first, however, carried out a
+large measure of the _murumuru_ nuts, and gave them to the mule, patting
+the creature upon the nose, and thanking her for the important service
+she had rendered.
+
+When Don Pablo and the rest returned, the adventure was, of course,
+related; but from the description given of the animal, neither Don Pablo
+nor Guapo believed it could have been the jaguar. It was too small for
+that. Besides a jaguar would not have been cowed and driven off by a
+mule. He would more likely have killed the mule, and dragged its body
+off with him across the river, or perhaps have broken into the house,
+and done worse.
+
+The animal was, no doubt, the "ocelot," which is also spotted, or rather
+marked with the eye-like rosettes which distinguish the skin of the
+jaguar. Indeed, there are quite a number of animals of the cat genus in
+the forests of the Montaña; some spotted like the leopard, others
+striped as the tiger, and still others of uniform colour all over the
+body. They are, of course, all preying animals, but none of them will
+attack man, except the jaguar and the puma. Some of the others, when
+brought to bay, will fight desperately, as would the common wild cat
+under like circumstances; but the largest of them will leave man alone,
+if unmolested themselves. Not so with the jaguar, who will attack either
+man or beast, and put them to death, unless he be himself overpowered.
+
+The jaguar, or, as he is sometimes called, "ounce," and by most
+Spanish-Americans "tiger," is the largest and most ferocious of all the
+American _Felidæ_. He stands third in rank as to these qualities--the
+lion and tiger of the Eastern continent taking precedence of him.
+Specimens of the jaguar have been seen equal in size to the Asiatic
+tiger; but the average size of the American animal is much less. He is
+strong enough, however, to drag a dead horse or ox to his den--often to
+a distance of a quarter of a mile--and this feat has been repeatedly
+observed.
+
+The jaguar is found throughout all the tropical countries of Spanish
+America, and is oftener called tiger than jaguar. This is a misapplied
+name; for although he bears a considerable likeness to the tiger, both
+in shape and habits, yet the markings of his skin are quite different.
+The tiger is striated or striped, while the black on the jaguar is in
+beautiful eye-like rosettes. The leopard is more like the jaguar than
+any other creature; and the panther and cheetah of the Eastern continent
+also resemble him. The markings of the jaguar, when closely examined,
+differ from all of these. The spots on the animals of the old world are
+simple spots or black rings, while those of the American species are
+rings with a single spot in the middle, forming _ocellæ_, or eyes. Each,
+in fact, resembles a rosette.
+
+Jaguars are not always of the same colour. Some have skins of an orange
+yellow, and these are the most beautiful. Others are lighter-coloured;
+and individuals have been killed that were nearly white. But there is a
+"black jaguar," which is thought to be of a different species. It is
+larger and fiercer than the other, and is found in the very hottest
+parts of the Great Montaña. Its skin is not quite jet-black, but of a
+deep maroon brown; and upon close inspection, the spots upon it can be
+seen of a pure black. This species is more dreaded by the inhabitants of
+those countries than the other; and it is said always to attack man
+wherever it may encounter him.
+
+In the forests of South America, the jaguar reigns with undisputed sway.
+All the other beasts fear, and fly from him. His roar produces terror
+and confusion among the animated creation, and causes them to fly in
+every direction. It is never heard by the Indian without some feeling of
+fear,--and no wonder; for a year does not pass without a number of these
+people falling victims to the savage ferocity of this animal.
+
+There are those, however, among them who can deal single-handed with the
+jaguar,--regular "jaguar-hunters" by profession,--who do not fear to
+attack the fierce brute in his own haunts. They do not trust to
+fire-arms, but to a sharp spear. Upon this they receive his attack,
+transfixing the animal with unerring aim as he advances. Should they
+fail in their first thrust, their situation is one of peril; yet all
+hope is not lost. On their left arm they carry a sort of sheep-skin
+shield. This is held forward, and usually seized by the jaguar; and
+while he is busy with it, the hunter gains time for a second effort,
+which rarely fails to accomplish his purpose.
+
+The jaguars are killed for many reasons. Their beautiful skins sell for
+several dollars; besides, in many places a price is set upon their
+heads, on account of their destructive habits. Thousands are destroyed
+every year. For all this, they do not seem to diminish in numbers. The
+introduction of the large mammalia into America has provided them with
+increased resources; and in many places, where there are herds of
+half-wild cattle, the number of the jaguars is said to be greater than
+formerly. It is difficult for one, living in a country where such fierce
+animals are unknown, to believe that they may have an influence over man
+to such an extent as to prevent his settling in a particular place; yet
+such is the fact. In many parts of South America, not only plantations,
+but whole villages, have been abandoned solely from fear of the jaguars!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+A FAMILY OF JAGUARS.
+
+
+As yet none of the exiles had seen any tracks or indications of the
+terrible jaguar, and Don Pablo began to believe that there were none in
+that district of country. He was not allowed to remain much longer in
+this belief, for an incident occurred shortly after proving that at
+least one pair of these fierce animals was not far off.
+
+It was near the end of the summer, and the cinchona-trees on the side of
+the river on which stood the house had been all cut down and "barked."
+It became necessary, therefore, to cross the stream in search of others.
+Indeed, numerous "manchas" had been seen on the other side, and to these
+the "cascarilleros" now turned their attention. They, of course,
+reached them by crossing the tree-bridge, and then keeping up the stream
+on the farther side.
+
+For several days they had been at work in this new direction, and were
+getting bark in by the hundred-weight.
+
+One day Guapo and Leon had gone by themselves--Guapo to fell the trees
+as usual, and Leon who was now an expert bark-peeler, to use the
+scalping-knife. Don Pablo had remained at home, busy with work in the
+great magazine, for there was much to do there in the packing and
+storing.
+
+An hour or two after, Guapo was seen to return alone. He had broken the
+handle of his axe, and having, several spare ones at the house, he had
+returned to get one. Leon had remained in the woods.
+
+Now Leon had finished his operations on such trees as Guapo had already
+cut down, and not finding a good seat near, had walked towards the
+precipice which was farther up the hill, and sat down upon one of the
+loose rocks at its base. Here he amused himself by watching the parrots
+and toucans that were fluttering through the trees over his head.
+
+He noticed that just by his side there was a large hole or cave in the
+cliff. He could see to the further end of it from where he sat, but
+curiosity prompted him to step up to its mouth, and gave it a closer
+examination. On doing so, he heard a noise, not unlike the mew of a cat.
+It evidently came from the cave, and only increased his curiosity to
+look inside. He put his head to the entrance, and there, in a sort of
+nest, upon the bottom of the cave, he perceived two creatures, exactly
+like two spotted kittens, only larger. They were about half as big as
+full-grown cats.
+
+"Two beauties!" said Leon to himself; "they are the kittens of some wild
+cat--that's plain. Now we want a cat very much at home. If these were
+brought up in the house, why shouldn't they do? I'll warrant they'd be
+tame enough. I know mamma wants a cat. I've heard her say so. I'll give
+her an agreeable surprise by taking this pair home.--The beauties!"
+
+Without another word Leon climbed up, and taking hold of the two spotted
+animals, returned with them out of the cave. They were evidently very
+young creatures, yet for all that they growled, and spat, and attempted
+to scratch his hands; but Leon was not a boy to be frightened at
+trifles, and after getting one under each arm, he set off in triumph,
+intending to carry them direct to the house.
+
+Guapo was in front of the house busy in new-hafting his axe. Don Pablo
+was at his work in the store-room. Doña Isidora and the little Leona
+were occupied with some affair in the porch. All were engaged one way or
+other. Just then a voice sounded upon their ears, causing them all to
+stop their work, and look abroad. It even brought Don Pablo out of the
+storehouse. It was the voice of Leon, who shouted from the other side of
+the lake, where they all saw him standing, with a strange object under
+each arm.
+
+"Hola!" cried he. "Look, mamma! See what I've got! I've brought you a
+couple of cats--beauties, ain't they?" And as he said this, he held the
+two yellow bodies out before him.
+
+Don Pablo turned pale, and even the coppery cheek of Guapo blanched at
+the sight. Though at some distance, both knew at a glance what they
+were. Cats, indeed! _They were the cubs of the jaguar!_
+
+"My God!" cried Don Pablo, hoarse with affright. "My God! the boy will
+be lost!" and as he spoke he swept the upper edge of the lake with an
+anxious glance.
+
+"Run, little master!" shouted Guapo. "Run for your life; make for the
+bridge--for the bridge!"
+
+Leon seemed astonished. He knew by the words of Guapo, and the earnest
+gestures of the rest, that there was some danger:--but of what? Why was
+he to run? He could not comprehend it. He hesitated, and might have
+stayed longer on the spot, had not his father, seeing his indecision,
+shouted out to him in a loud voice--
+
+"Run, boy! run! The jaguars are after you!"
+
+This speech enabled Leon to comprehend his situation for the first time,
+and he immediately started off towards the bridge, running as fast as he
+was able.
+
+Don Pablo had not seen the jaguars when he spoke, but his words were
+prophetic, and that prophecy was speedily verified. They had hardly been
+uttered when two yellow bodies, dashing out of the brushwood, appeared
+near the upper end of the lake. There was no mistaking what they were.
+Their orange flanks and ocellated sides were sufficiently
+characteristic. _They were jaguars!_
+
+A few springs brought them to the edge of the water, and they were seen
+to take the track over which Leon had just passed. They were following
+by the scent--sometimes pausing--sometimes one passing the other--and
+their waving tails and quick energetic movements showed that they were
+furious and excited to the highest degree. Now they disappeared behind
+the palm-trunks, and the next moment their shining bodies shot out again
+like flashes of light.
+
+Doña Isidora and the little Leona screamed with affright. Don Pablo
+shouted words of encouragement in a hoarse voice. Guapo seized his
+axe--which fortunately he had finished hafting--and ran towards the
+bridge, along the water's edge. Don Pablo followed with his pistols,
+which he had hastily got his hands upon.
+
+For a short moment there was silence on both sides of the river. Guapo
+was opposite Leon, both running. The stream narrowed as it approached
+the ravine, and Leon and Guapo could see each other, and hear every word
+distinctly. Guapo now cried out,--
+
+"Drop one! young master--_only one_!"
+
+Leon heard, and, being a sharp boy, understood what was meant. Up to
+this moment he had not thought of parting with his "cats"--in fact, it
+was because he had _not_ thought of it. Now, however, at the voice of
+Guapo, he flung one of them to the ground, without stopping to see where
+it fell. He ran on, and in a few seconds again heard Guapo cry out--
+
+"_Now the other!_"
+
+Leon let the second slip from his grasp, and kept on for the bridge.
+
+It was well he had dropped the cubs, else he would never have reached
+that bridge. When the first one fell the jaguars were not twenty paces
+behind him. They were almost in sight, but by good fortune the weeds and
+underwood hid the pursued from the pursuers.
+
+On reaching their young, the first that had been dropped, both stopped,
+and appeared to lick and caress it. They remained by it but a moment.
+One parted sooner than the other--the female it was, no doubt, in search
+of her second offspring. Shortly after the other started also, and both
+were again seen springing along the trail in pursuit. A few stretches
+brought them to where the second cub lay, and here they again halted,
+caressing this one as they had done the other.
+
+Don Pablo and Doña Isidora, who saw all this from the other side, were
+in hopes that having recovered their young, the jaguars might give over
+their chase, and carry them off. But they were mistaken in this. The
+American tiger is of a very different nature. Once enraged, he will seek
+revenge with relentless pertinacity. It so proved. After delaying a
+moment with the second cub. Both left it, and sprang forward upon the
+trail, which they knew had been taken by whoever had robbed them.
+
+By this time Leon had gained the bridge--had crossed it--and was lifted
+from its nearer end by Guapo. The latter scarce spoke a word--only
+telling Leon to hurry towards the house. For himself he had other work
+to do than run. The bridge he knew would be no protection. The jaguars
+would cross over it like squirrels, and then----
+
+Guapo reflected no further, but bending over the thick branch, attacked
+it with his axe. His design was apparent at once. He was going to cut it
+from the cliff!
+
+He plied the axe with all his might. Every muscle in his body was at
+play. Blow succeeded blow. The branch was already creaking, when, to his
+horror, the foremost of the jaguars appeared in sight on the opposite
+side! He was not discouraged. Again fell the axe--again and again; the
+jaguar is upon the bank; it has sprung upon the root of the tree! It
+pauses a moment--another blow of the axe--the jaguar bounds upon the
+trunk--its claws rattle along the bark--it is midway over the chasm!
+Another blow--the branch crackles--there is a crash--it parts from the
+cliff--it is gone! Both tree and jaguar gone--down--down to the sharp
+rocks of the foaming torrent!
+
+A loud yell from the Indian announced his triumph. But it was not yet
+complete. It was the female jaguar--the smaller one that had fallen. The
+male still remained--where was he? Already upon the opposite brink of
+the chasm!
+
+He had dashed forward, just in time to see his mate disappearing into
+the gulf below. He saw, and seemed to comprehend all that had passed.
+His eyes glared with redoubled fury. There was vengeance in his look,
+and determination in his attitude.
+
+For a moment he surveyed the wide gulf that separated him from his
+enemies. He seemed to measure the distance at a glance. His heart was
+bold with rage and despair. He had lost his companion--his faithful
+partner--his wife. Life was nothing now--he resolved upon revenge or
+death!
+
+He was seen to run a few paces back from the edge of the chasm, and then
+turning suddenly, set his body for the spring.
+
+It would have been beautiful to have beheld the play of his glistening
+flanks at that moment had one been out of danger; but Guapo was not, and
+he had no pleasure in the sight. Guapo stood upon the opposite brink,
+axe in hand, ready to receive him.
+
+The Indian had not long to wait. With one desperate bound the jaguar
+launched his body into the air, and, like lightning, passed to the
+opposite bank. His fore-feet only reached it, and his claws firmly
+grasped the rock. The rest of his body hung over, clutching the cliff!
+
+In a moment he would have sprung up, and then woe to his antagonist! but
+he was not allowed that moment, for he had scarcely touched the rock
+when the Indian leaped forward and struck at his head with the axe. The
+blow was not well aimed, and although it stunned the jaguar, he still
+clung to the cliff. In setting himself for a second blow, Guapo came too
+near, and the next moment the great claws of the tiger were buried in
+his foot!
+
+It is difficult to tell what might have been the result. It would, no
+doubt, have been different. Guapo would have been dragged over, and that
+was certain death; but at this moment a hand was protruded between
+Guapo's legs--the muzzle of a pistol was seen close to the head of the
+jaguar--a loud crack rang through the ravine, and when the smoke cleared
+away the jaguar was seen no more!
+
+Guapo, with his foot badly lacerated, was drawn back from the cliff into
+the arms of Don Pablo.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+THE RAFT.
+
+
+This was the most exciting day that had been passed since their arrival
+in the Montaña; and considering the result it was well that the
+occurrence had taken place. It had rid them of a pair of bad
+neighbours--there would soon have been four--that some time or other
+would have endangered the lives of some of the party. It was the opinion
+of Guapo that they need not, at least for a while, have any fear of
+jaguars. It was not likely there was another pair in that district;
+although, from the roaming disposition of this animal, fresh ones might
+soon make their appearance; and it was deemed best always to act as
+though some were already in the neighbourhood.
+
+The cubs were disposed of. It was not deemed advisable to bring them up
+as "cats." After what had occurred that was voted, even by Leon, a
+dangerous experiment--too dangerous to be attempted. They were still on
+the other side of the river, and the bridge was now gone. If left to
+themselves, no doubt they would have perished, as they were very young
+things. Perhaps some carnivorous creature--wolf, coati, eagle, or
+vulture--would have devoured them, or they might have been eaten up by
+the ants. But this was not to be their fate. Guapo swam across, and
+strangled them. Then tying them together, he suspended the pair over his
+shoulders, and brought them with him to be exhibited as a curiosity.
+Moreover Guapo had a design upon their skins.
+
+It was not long after that a pleasanter pet than either of them was
+found, and this was a beautiful little saïmiri monkey, about the size of
+a squirrel, which Guapo and Leon captured one day in the woods. They
+heard a noise as they were passing along, and going up to the spot, saw
+on the branch of a low tree nearly a dozen little monkeys all rolled up
+together in a heap with their tails wrapped round each other as if to
+keep themselves warm.
+
+Nearly another dozen were running about, whining and apparently trying
+to get in among the rest. Guapo and Leon made a sudden rush upon them,
+and were able to capture three or four before the creatures could free
+themselves; but only one lived, and that became a great pet and
+favourite. It was a beautiful little creature--a true saïmiri, or
+squirrel-monkey, called the "titi." Its silky fur was of a rich
+olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed fear or joy--now
+filling with tears, and now brightening again--just like those of a
+child.
+
+During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour without
+interruption, and on account of the great plenty of the cinchona-trees,
+and their proximity to the house, they were enabled to accumulate a very
+large store. They worked like bees.
+
+Although this forest life was not without its pleasures and excitements,
+yet it began to grow very irksome both to Don Pablo and Doña Isidora.
+Life in the wilderness, with its rude cares and rude enjoyments, may be
+very pleasant for a while to those who seek it as amateurs, or to that
+class who as colonists intend to make it a permanent thing. But neither
+Don Pablo nor his wife had ever thought of colonisation. With them their
+present industry was the result of accident and necessity. Their tastes
+and longings were very different. They longed to return to civilised
+life; and though the very misfortune which had driven them forth into
+the wilderness had also guided them to an opportunity of making a
+fortune, it is probable they would have passed it by, had they not known
+that, penniless as they were, they would have fared still worse in any
+city to which they might have gone.
+
+But before the first year was out, they yearned very much to return to
+civilisation, and this desire was very natural. But there were other
+reasons that influenced them besides the mere _ennui_ of the wilderness.
+The lives of themselves and their children were constantly in danger
+from jaguars, pumas, and poisonous reptiles. Even man himself might at
+any moment appear as their destroyer. As yet no Indian--not even a trace
+of one--had been seen. But this was not strange.
+
+In the tangled and impenetrable forests of the Great Montaña two tribes
+of Indians may reside for years within less than a league's distance of
+each other, without either being aware of the other's existence!
+Scarcely any intercourse is carried on, or excursions made, except by
+the rivers--for they are the only roads--and where two of these run
+parallel, although they may be only at a short distance from each other,
+people residing on one may never think of crossing to the other.
+
+Notwithstanding that no Indians had yet appeared to disturb them, there
+was no certainty that these might not arrive any day, and treat them as
+enemies. On this account, Don Pablo and Doña Isidora were never without
+a feeling of uneasiness.
+
+After mutual deliberation, therefore, they resolved not to prolong their
+stay beyond the early part of spring, when they would carry out their
+original design of building a _balza_ raft, and commit themselves to the
+great river, which, according to all appearance, and to Guapo's
+confident belief, flowed directly to the Amazon. Guapo had never either
+descended or ascended it himself, and on their first arrival was not so
+sure about its course; but after having gone down to its banks, and
+examined its waters, his recollections revived, and he remembered many
+accounts which he had heard of it from Indians of his own tribe. He had
+no doubt but it was the same which, under the name of the "Purus,"
+falls into the Amazon between the mouths of the Madeira and the Coary.
+
+Upon this stream, therefore, in a few months they would embark. But
+these intervening months were not spent in idleness. Although the season
+for bark-gathering was past, another source of industry presented
+itself. The bottom lands of the great river were found to be covered
+with a network of underwood, and among this underwood the principal
+plant was a well-known briar, _Smilax officinalis_. This is the creeping
+plant that yields the celebrated "sarsaparilla;" and Don Pablo, having
+made an analysis of some roots, discovered it to be the most valuable
+species--for it is to be remembered, that, like the cinchona, a whole
+genus, or rather several genera, furnish the article of commerce.
+
+The briar which produces the sarsaparilla is a tall creeping plant,
+which throws out a large number of long wrinkled roots of a uniform
+thickness, and about the size of a goose-quill. Nothing is required
+further than digging and dragging these roots out of the ground, drying
+them a while, and then binding them in bundles with a small "sipo," or
+tough forest creeper. These bundles are made up, so as to render the
+roots convenient for packing and transport.
+
+During several months this branch of industry occupied Don Pablo, Guapo,
+and Leon; so that when the time drew nigh for their departure, what with
+the cinchona-bark, the sarsaparilla, and the vanilla-beans, there was
+not an empty inch in the large storehouse.
+
+Guapo had not been all the time with them. For several days Gruapo was
+not to be seen at the house, nor anywhere around it. Where had Guapo
+been all this time? I will tell you; Guapo _had been to the mountains_!
+
+Yes, Don Pablo had sent him on an important mission, which he had
+performed with secrecy and despatch. Don Pablo, before braving the
+dangers of the vast journey he had projected, had still a lingering hope
+that something might have happened--some change in the government of
+Peru--perhaps a new Viceroy--that might enable him to return with safety
+to his native land. To ascertain if such had taken place, Guapo had made
+his journey to the mountains.
+
+He went no farther than the Puna--no farther than the hut of his friend
+the vaquero--who, by a previous understanding with Guapo, had kept
+himself informed about political matters.
+
+There was no hope; the same Council, the same Viceroy, the same price
+upon the head of Don Pablo--who, however, was believed to have escaped
+in an American ship, and to have taken refuge in the great Republic of
+the North.
+
+With this news Guapo returned, and now the preparations for the river
+voyage were set about in earnest. A balza raft was built out of large
+trunks of the _Bombax ceiba_, which, being light wood, was the best for
+the purpose. Of course these trunks had been cut long ago with a view to
+using them in this way. A commodious cabin, or "toldo," was constructed
+on the raft, built of palm and bamboos, and thatched with the broad
+leaves of the bussu. A light canoe was also hollowed out, as a sort of
+tender to the raft, and a couple of very large canoes for the purpose of
+giving buoyancy to it, were lashed one upon each side. The "merchandise"
+was carefully "stowed" and covered with "tarpaulins" of palm-leaves, and
+the stores laid in with every providential care and calculation.
+
+You will be wondering what was done with the horse and mule,--those
+creatures who had served the exiles so faithfully and so well? Were they
+left behind to become a prey to the jaguars and the large blood-sucking
+bats, that kill so many animals in these parts? No--they were not to be
+left to such a fate. One of them--the mule--had been already disposed
+of. It was a valuable beast, and partly on that account, and partly from
+gratitude felt towards it for the well-timed kick it had given the
+ocelot, it was to be spared. Guapo had taken both the mule and the horse
+on his mountain journey, and presented the former to his friend the
+vaquero.
+
+But the horse was still on hand. What was to be done with him? Leave him
+behind? That would be certain death, for no horse, that was not cared
+for, could exist in the Montaña ten days without being eaten up by the
+fierce creatures that inhabit it. The bats would surely have destroyed
+him. Well, what was done? He could not be carried on the raft. But he
+was, though,--_in a way._
+
+Guapo was resolved that the bats should not have him, nor the jaguars
+neither. He was in fine condition--fat as a pig. The fruit of the
+murumuru had agreed with him. He was just in the condition in which an
+Indian thinks a horse "good for killing," and _Guapo killed him_! Yes,
+Guapo killed him! It is true it was a sort of a Virginius tragedy, and
+Guapo had great difficulty in nerving himself for the task. But the
+blow-gun was at length levelled, and the _curare_ did its work. Then
+Guapo skinned him, and cut him into strips, and dried him into
+"charqui," and carried him on board the raft. That was the closing
+scene.
+
+All left the house together, carrying with them the remains of their
+hastily-created _penates_. On reaching the end of the valley, they
+turned and threw back a last glance at a home that had to them been a
+happy one; and then, continuing their journey, they were soon upon the
+balza. The only living creature that accompanied them from their valley
+home was the pretty saïmiri, carried on the shoulder of the little
+Leona.
+
+The cable of piassaba-palm was carefully taken in and coiled, the raft
+was pushed out, and the next moment floated lightly upon the broad bosom
+of the river.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE GUARDIAN BROTHER.
+
+
+The current of the river flowed at the rate of about four miles an hour,
+and at this speed they travelled. They had nothing to do but guide the
+raft in the middle part of the stream. This was effected by means of a
+large stern-oar fixed upon a pivot, and which served the purpose of a
+rudder. One was required to look after this oar, and Don Pablo and Guapo
+took turns at it. It was not a very troublesome task, except where some
+bend had to be got round, or some eddy was to be cleared, when both had
+to work at it together. At other times the balza floated straight on,
+without requiring the least effort on the part of the crew; and then
+they would all sit down and chat pleasantly, and view the changing
+scenery of the forest-covered shores.
+
+Sometimes tall palms lined the banks, and sometimes great forest trees
+netted together by thick parasites that crept from one to the other,
+and twined around the trunks like monster serpents. Sometimes the shores
+were one unbroken thicket of underwood, where it would have been almost
+impossible to make a landing had they wished it. At other places there
+were sand-bars, and even little islets with scarce any vegetation upon
+them; and they also passed many other islets and large islands thickly
+wooded. The country generally appeared to be flat, though at one or two
+places they saw hills that ran in to the banks of the river.
+
+Of course the change of scenery, and the many fresh vistas continually
+opening before them, rendered their voyage both cheerful and
+interesting. The many beautiful birds too, and new kinds of trees and
+animals which they saw, were a constant source of varied enjoyment, and
+furnished them with themes of conversation.
+
+During the first day they made a journey of full forty miles. Having
+brought their balza close to the shore, and secured it to a tree, they
+encamped for the night. There was no opening of any extent, but for some
+distance the ground was clear of underwood, and the trunks of great old
+trees rose like columns losing themselves amidst the thick foliage
+overhead. A dark forest only could be seen, and, as night drew on, the
+horrid cries of the alouattes, or howling monkeys, mingling with the
+voices of other nocturnal animals, filled the woods. They had no fear of
+monkeys, but now and then they thought they could distinguish the cry of
+the jaguar, and of him they had fear enough. Indeed the jaguar possesses
+the power of imitating the cry of the other animals of the forest, and
+often uses it to draw them within reach of him.
+
+In addition to the fire upon which they had cooked their supper, as soon
+as night had fairly set in, they kindled others, forming a sort of
+semicircle, the chord of which was the bank of the river itself. Within
+this semicircle the hammocks were stretched from tree to tree; and, as
+all were fatigued with the day's exertions, they climbed into them at an
+early hour, and were soon asleep. One alone sat up to keep watch. As
+they thought they had heard the jaguar, this was deemed best; for they
+knew that fire will not always frighten off that fierce animal. As the
+neighbourhood looked suspicious, and also as it was their first
+encampment, they, like all travellers at setting out, of course were
+more timid and cautious.
+
+To Leon was assigned the first watch; for Leon was a courageous boy, and
+it was not the first time he had taken his turn in this way. He was to
+sit up for about two hours, and then wake Guapo, who would keep the
+midnight watch; after which Don Pablo's turn would come, and that would
+terminate in the morning at daybreak. Leon was instructed to rouse the
+others in case any danger might threaten the camp.
+
+Leon from choice had seated himself by the head of the hammock in which
+slept the little Leona; in order, no doubt, to be nearer her, as she was
+the most helpless of the party, and therefore required more immediate
+protection. He had both the pistols by him--ready to his hand and
+loaded--and in case of danger he knew very well how to use them.
+
+He had been seated for about half-an-hour, now casting his eyes up to
+the red and wrinkled trunks of the trees, and then gazing into the dark
+vistas of the surrounding forest, or at other times looking out upon the
+glistening surface of the river. Many a strange sound fell upon his
+ear. Sometimes the whole forest appeared to be alive with voices--the
+voices of beasts and birds, reptiles, and insects--for the tree-frogs
+and ciendas were as noisy as the larger creatures. At other times a
+perfect stillness reigned, so that he could distinctly hear the tiny hum
+of the mosquito; and then, all at once, would fall upon his ear the
+melancholy wailing of the night-hawk--the "_alma perdida_," or "lost
+soul"--for such is the poetical and fanciful name given by the Spanish
+Americans to this nocturnal bird.
+
+While thus engaged Leon began to feel very drowsy. The heavy day's work,
+in which he had borne part, had fatigued him as well as the others; and,
+in spite of the odd voices that from time to time fell upon his ear, he
+could have lain down upon the bare ground and slept without a feeling of
+fear. Snakes or scorpions, or biting lizards or spiders, would not have
+kept him from going to sleep at that moment. It is astonishing how the
+desire of sleep makes one indifferent to all these things, which at
+other times we so much dread. Leon did not fear them a bit, but kept
+himself awake from a feeling of pride and honour. He reflected that it
+would never do to be unfaithful to the important trust confided to him.
+No; that would never do. He rubbed his eyes, and rose up, and approached
+the bank, and dipped his hands in the water, and came back to his former
+place, and sat down again. Spite of all his efforts, however, he felt
+very heavy. Oh! when would the two hours pass that he might rouse Guapo?
+
+"Car-r-ambo! I nev-er was so s-s-sleepy. _Vamos_! Leon! you mustn't give
+in!"
+
+And striking himself a lively slap on the chest, he straightened his
+back, and sat upright for a while.
+
+He was just beginning to get bowed about the shoulders again, and to nod
+a little, when he was startled by a short sharp exclamation uttered by
+the little Leona. He looked up to her hammock. He could perceive it had
+moved slightly, but it was at rest again, and its occupant was evidently
+asleep.
+
+"Poor little sis! she is dreaming," he muttered half aloud. "Perhaps
+some horrid dream of jaguars or serpents. I have half a mind to awake
+her. But, no, she sleeps too soundly; I might disturb them all;" and
+with these reflections Leon remained upon his seat.
+
+Once more his head was beginning to bob, when the voice of Leona again
+startled him, and he looked up as before. The hammock moved slightly,
+but there was no appearance of anything wrong. From where he sat he
+could not see well into it, but the outlines of the child's body were
+easily discernible through the elastic netting; and at the farther end
+he could just perceive one of her little feet, where it had escaped from
+the covering, and rested partly over the edge.
+
+As he continued to gaze upon the delicate member, thinking whether he
+had not better cover it against the mosquitoes, all at once his eye was
+attracted by something red--a crooked red line that traversed from the
+toe downward along the side of the foot. It was red and glittering--it
+was _a stream of blood_!
+
+His first feeling was one of horror. His next was a resolve to spring to
+his feet and rouse the camp, but this impulse was checked by one of
+greater prudence. Whatever enemy had done it, thought he, must still be
+about the hammock; to make a noise would, perhaps, only irritate it, and
+cause it to inflict some still more terrible wound. He would remain
+quiet, until he had got his eyes upon the creature, when he could spring
+upon it, or fire his pistol before it could do further harm.
+
+With these ideas, quickly conceived, he rose silently to his feet, and
+standing, or rather crouching forward, bent his eyes over the hammock.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+THE VAMPIRE.
+
+
+Leon's head was close to that of the sleeper, whose sweet breath he
+felt, and whose little bosom rose and fell in gentle undulation. He
+scanned the inside of the hammock from head to foot. He gazed anxiously
+into every fold of the cover. Not an object could he see that should not
+have been there--no terrible creature--no serpent--for it was this last
+that was in his mind. But something must have been there. What could
+have caused the stream of blood, that now being closer he could more
+plainly see trickling over the soft blue veins? Some creature must have
+done it!
+
+"Oh! if it be the small viper," thought he, "or the coral snake, or the
+deadly macaurel! If these----".
+
+His thoughts at this moment were interrupted. A light flapping of wings
+sounded in his ear--so light, that it appeared to be made by the soft
+pinions of the owl, or some nocturnal bird. It was not by the wings of a
+bird that that sound was produced, but by the wings of a hideous
+creature. Leon was conscious, from the continued flapping, that
+something was playing through the air, and that it occasionally
+approached close to his head. He gazed upward and around him, and at
+length he could distinguish a dark form passing between him and the
+light; but it glided into the darkness again, and he could see it no
+more.
+
+Was it a bird? It looked like one--it might have been an owl--it was
+full as large as one; but yet, from the glance he had had of it, it
+appeared to be black or very dark, and he had never heard of owls of
+that colour. Moreover, it had not the look nor flight of an owl. Was it
+a bird at all? or whatever it was, was it the cause of the blood? This
+did not appear likely to Leon, who still had his thoughts bent upon the
+snakes.
+
+While he was revolving these questions in his mind, he again turned and
+looked toward the foot of the hammock. The sight caused him a thrill of
+horror. There was the hideous creature, which, he had just seen, right
+over the bleeding foot. It was not perched, but suspended in the air on
+its moving wings, with its long snout protruded forward and pressed
+against the toe of the sleeper! Its sharp white teeth were visible in
+both jaws, and its small vicious eyes glistened under the light of the
+fires. The red hair covering its body and large membranous wings added
+to the hideousness of its aspect, and a more hideous creature could not
+have been conceived. _It was the vampire_,--the blood-sucking
+_phyllostoma_!
+
+A short cry escaped from the lips of Leon. It was not a cry of pain, but
+the contrary. The sight of the great bat, hideous as the creature was,
+relieved him. He had all along been under the painful impression that
+some venomous serpent had caused the blood to flow, and now he had no
+further fear on that score. He knew that there was no poison in the
+wound inflicted by the phyllostoma--only the loss of a little blood; and
+this quieted his anxieties at once. He resolved, however, to punish the
+intruder; and not caring to rouse the camp by firing, he stole a little
+closer, and aimed a blow with the butt of his pistol.
+
+[Illustration: THE VAMPIRE BAT.]
+
+The blow was well aimed, and brought the bat to the ground, but its
+shrill screeching awoke everybody, and in a few moments the camp was in
+complete confusion. The sight of the blood on the foot of the little
+Leona quite terrified Doña Isidora and the rest; but when the cause was
+explained, all felt reassured and thankful that the thing was no worse.
+The little foot was bound up in a rag; and although, for two or three
+days after, it was not without pain, yet no bad effects came of it.
+
+The "blood-sucking" bats do not cause death either to man, or any other
+animal, by a single attack. All the blood they can draw out amounts to
+only a few ounces, although after their departure, the blood continues
+to run from the open wound. It is by repeating their attacks night after
+night that the strength of an animal becomes exhausted, and it dies from
+sheer loss of blood and consequent faintness. With animals this is far
+from being a rare occurrence. Hundreds of horses and cattle are killed
+every year in the South American pastures. These creatures suffer,
+perhaps, without knowing from what cause, for the phyllostoma performs
+its cupping operation without causing the least pain--at all events the
+sleeper is very rarely awakened by it.
+
+It is easy to understand how it sucks the blood of its victim, for its
+snout and the leafy appendage around its mouth--from whence it derives
+the name "phyllostoma"--are admirably adapted to that end. But how does
+it make the puncture to "let" the blood? That is as yet a mystery among
+naturalists, as it also is among the people who are habitually its
+victims. Even Guapo could not explain the process. The large teeth--of
+which it has got quite a mouthful--seem altogether unfitted to make a
+hole such as is found where the "phyllostoma" has been at work. Their
+bite, moreover, would awake the soundest sleeper.
+
+Besides these, it has neither fangs, nor stings, nor proboscis, that
+would serve the purpose. How then does its reach the blood? Many
+theories have been offered; some assert that it rubs the skin with its
+snout until its brings it to bleeding: others say that it sets the sharp
+point of one of its large tusks against the part, and then by plying its
+wings wheels round and round, as upon a pivot, until the point has
+penetrated--that during this operation the motion of the wings fans and
+cools the sleeping victim, so that no pain is felt. It may be a long
+while before this curious question is solved, on account of the
+difficulty of observing a creature whose habits are nocturnal, and most
+of whose deeds are "done in the dark."
+
+People have denied the existence of such a creature as the blood-sucking
+bat--even naturalists have gone so far. They can allege no better
+grounds for their incredulity than that the thing has an air of the
+fabulous and horrible about it. But this is not philosophy. Incredulity
+is the characteristic of the half-educated. It may be carried too far,
+and the fables of the vulgar have often a stratum of truth at the
+bottom. There is one thing that is almost intolerable, and that is the
+conceit of the "closet-naturalist," who sneers at everything as untrue
+that seems to show the least _design_ on the part of the brute
+creation--who denies everything that appears at all singular or
+fanciful, and simply because it appears so. With the truthful
+observations that have been made upon the curious domestic economy of
+such little creatures as bees, and wasps, and ants, we ought to be
+cautious how we reject statements about the habits of other animals,
+however strange they may appear.
+
+Who doubts that a mosquito will perch itself upon the skin of a human
+being, pierce it with its proboscis, and suck away until it is gorged
+with blood! Why does it appear strange that a bat should do the same?
+
+Now your closet-naturalist will believe that the bat _does_ suck the
+blood of cattle and horses, but denies that it will attack man! This is
+sheer nonsense. What difference to the vampire, whether its victim be a
+biped or quadruped? Is it fear of the former that would prevent it from
+attacking him? Perhaps it may never have seen a human being before:
+besides, it attacks its victim while asleep, and is rarely ever caught
+or punished in the act. Where these creatures are much hunted or
+persecuted by man, they may learn to fear him, and their original habits
+may become changed, but that is quite another thing.
+
+As nature has formed them, the blood-sucking bats will make their attack
+indifferently, either upon man or large quadrupeds. There are a thousand
+proofs to be had in all the tropical regions of America. Every year
+animals are killed by the _phyllostoma hastatum_, not in hundreds, but
+in thousands. It is recorded that on one extensive cattle-farm several
+hundred head were killed in the short period of six months by the bats;
+and the vaqueros, who received a bounty upon every bat they should
+capture, in one year succeeded in destroying the enormous number of
+_seven thousand_! Indeed, "bat-hunting" is followed by some as a
+profession, so eager are the owners of the cattle-farms to get rid of
+these pests.
+
+Many tribes of Indians and travellers suffer great annoyance from the
+vampire-bats. Some persons never go to sleep without covering themselves
+with blankets, although the heat be ever so oppressive. Any part left
+naked will be attacked by the "phyllostoma", but they seem to have a
+preference for the tip of the great toe--perhaps because they have found
+that part more habitually exposed. Sometimes one sleeper is "cupped" by
+them, while another will not be molested; and this, I may observe, is
+true also of the mosquitoes. There may be some difference as to the
+state of the blood of two individuals, that leads to this fastidious
+preference. Some are far more subject to their attack than others--so
+much so that they require to adopt every precaution to save themselves
+from being bled to death. Cayenne pepper rubbed over the skin is used to
+keep them off, and also to cure the wound they have made; but even this
+sometimes proves ineffective.
+
+Of course there are many species of bats in South America besides the
+vampire; in fact, there is no class of mammalia more numerous in genera
+and species, and no part of the world where greater numbers are found
+than in the tropical regions of America. Some are insect-eaters, while
+others live entirely on vegetable substances; but all have the same
+unsightly and repulsive appearance. The odour of some kinds is extremely
+fetid and disagreeable.
+
+Notwithstanding this, they are eaten by many tribes of Indians, and even
+the French Creoles of Guiana have their "bat-soup," which they relish
+highly. The proverb "_De gustibus non disputandum est_," seems to be
+true for all time. The Spanish Americans have it in the phrase "_Cada
+uno a su gusto_;" "_Chacun à son goût_," say the French; and on hearing
+these tales about "ant-paste," and "roast monkey," and "armidillo done
+in the shell," and "bat-soup," you, boy reader, will not fail to exclaim
+"Every one to his liking."
+
+The vampire appeared to be to Guapo's liking. It was now his turn to
+keep watch, and as the rest of them got into their hammocks, and lay
+awake for a while, they saw him take up the bat, spit it upon a forked
+stick, and commence broiling it over the fire. Of course _he ate it_!
+
+When morning came, and they had got up, what was their astonishment to
+see no less than fourteen bats lying side by side! They were dead, of
+course: Guapo had killed them all during his watch. They had appeared at
+one period of the night in alarming numbers, and Guapo had done battle
+manfully without awaking anybody.
+
+Another curious tableau came under their notice shortly after. Just as
+they were about to embark, a singular looking tree was observed growing
+near the bank of the river. At first they thought the tree was covered
+with birds'-nests, or pieces of some kind of moss. Indeed, it looked
+more like a tree hung over with rags than anything else. Curiosity led
+them to approach it. What was their astonishment to find that the nests,
+moss, or rags, were neither more or less than a vast assemblage of bats
+suspended, and asleep! They were hanging in all possible positions; some
+with their heads down, some by the claws upon either wing, and some by
+both, while a great many had merely hooked over the branch the little
+horny curvature of their tails. Some hung down along the trunk,
+suspended by a crack in the bark, while others were far out upon the
+branches.
+
+It was certainly the oddest "roost" that any of the party (Guapo,
+perhaps, excepted) had ever witnessed; and, after gazing at it for some
+time, they turned away without disturbing the sleepers, and getting on
+board once more, floated adown the stream swiftly and silently.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE MARIMONDAS.
+
+
+That day they made good progress, having dropped down the river a
+distance of fifty miles at least. They might even have gone farther, but
+a good camping-place offered, and they did not like to pass it, as they
+might not find another so convenient. It was a muddy bank, or rather a
+promontory that ran out into the river, and was entirely without trees,
+or any other vegetation, as it was annually overflowed, and formed, in
+fact, part of the bed of the river. At this time the mud was quite dry
+and smooth, and appeared as if it had been paddled and beaten down by
+the feet of animals and birds. This was, in fact, the case, for the
+point was a favourite resting-place for the "chiguires," or "capivaras,"
+on their passage to and from the water. There were tracks of tapirs,
+too, and peccaries, and many sorts of wading birds, that had been there
+while the mud was still soft.
+
+There were no trees to which to hang their hammocks, but the ground was
+smooth and dry, and they could sleep well enough upon it. They would not
+be troubled with the bats, as these creatures keep mostly in the dark
+shadowy places of the forest; and snakes would not likely be found out
+on the bare ground. They thought they would there be safer from jaguars,
+too. In fact, it was from these considerations that they had chosen the
+place for their camp. They could go to the woods for an armful or two of
+sticks to cook supper with, and that would suffice.
+
+The balza was brought close in on the upper side of the promontory, so
+as to be out of the current; and then all landed and made their
+preparations for passing the night. Guapo marched off with his axe to
+get some firewood, and Leon accompanied him to assist in carrying it.
+They had not far to go--only a hundred yards or so, for up at the end of
+the promontory the forest began, and there were both large trees and
+underwood.
+
+As they walked forward one species of trees caught their attention. They
+were palm-trees, but of a sort they had not yet met with. They were very
+tall, with a thick, globe-shaped head of pinnate, plume-like leaves. But
+what rendered these trees peculiar was the stem. It was slender in
+proportion to the height of the tree, and was thickly covered with long
+needle-shaped spines, not growing irregularly, but set in bands, or
+rings, around the tree. This new palm was the "pupunha," or
+"peach-palm," as it is called, from the resemblance which its fruits
+bear to peaches. It is also named "pirijao" in other parts of South
+America, and it belongs to the genus "_Gullielma_."
+
+At the tops of these trees, under the great globe of leaves, Guapo and
+Leon perceived the nuts. They were hanging in clusters, as grapes grow;
+but the fruits were as large as apricots, of an oval, triangular shape,
+and of a beautiful reddish yellow colour. That they were delicious
+eating, either roasted or boiled, Guapo well knew; and he was determined
+that some of them should be served at supper. But how were they to be
+reached? No man could climb such a tree as they grew upon! The needles
+would have torn the flesh from any one who should have attempted it.
+
+Guapo knew this. He knew, moreover, that the Indians, who are very fond
+of the fruit of this tree,--so much so that they plant large _palmares_
+of it around their villages--have a way of climbing it to get at the
+ripe clusters. They tie cross pieces of wood from one tree to the other,
+and thus make a sort of step-ladder, by which they ascend to the fruit.
+It is true, they might easily cut down the trees, as the trunks are not
+very thick; but that would be killing the goose that gave the golden
+eggs.
+
+Guapo, however, had no farther interest in this wild orchard than to
+make it serve his turn for that one night; so, laying his axe to one of
+the "pupunhas," he soon levelled its majestic stem to the ground.
+Nothing more remained than to lop off the clusters, any one of which was
+as much as Leon could lift from the ground. Guapo found the wood hard
+enough even in its green state, but when old it becomes black, and is
+then so hard that it will turn the edge of an axe. There is, perhaps, no
+wood in all South America harder than that of the pirijao palm.
+
+It is with the needle-like spines of this species that many tribes of
+Indians puncture their skins in tattooing themselves, and other uses are
+made by them of different parts of this noble tree. The macaws, parrots,
+and other fruit-eating birds, are fonder of the nuts of the pupunha than
+perhaps any other species; and so, too, would be the fruit-eating
+quadrupeds if they could get at them. But the thorny trunk renders them
+quite inaccessible to all creatures without wings, excepting man
+himself. No; there is one other exception, and that is a creature
+closely allied to man, I mean the _monkey_.
+
+Notwithstanding the thorny stem, which even man cannot scale without a
+contrivance; notwithstanding the apparently inaccessible
+clusters--inaccessible from their great height--there is a species of
+monkey that manages now and then to get a meal of them. How do these
+monkeys manage it? Not by climbing the stem, for the thorns are too
+sharp even for them. How then? Do the nuts fall to the ground and allow
+the monkeys to gather them? No. This is not the case. How then? We shall
+see!
+
+Guapo and Leon had returned to the camp, taking with them the pupunha
+fruit and the firewood. A fire was kindled, the cooking-pot hung over it
+on a tripod, and they all sat around to wait for its boiling.
+
+While thus seated, an unusual noise reached their ears coming from the
+woods. There were parrots and macaws among the palms making noise
+enough, and fluttering about, but it was not these. The noise that had
+arrested the attention of our travellers was a mixture of screaming, and
+chattering, and howling, and barking, as if there were fifty sorts of
+creatures at the making of it. The bushes, too, were heard "switching
+about," and now and then a dead branch would crack, as if snapped
+suddenly. To a stranger in these woods such a blending of sounds would
+have appeared very mysterious and inexplicable. Not so to our party.
+They knew it was only a troop of monkeys passing along upon one of their
+journeys. From their peculiar cries, Guapo knew what kind of monkeys
+they were.
+
+"_Marimondas_," he said.
+
+The marimondas are not true "howlers," although they are of the same
+tribe as the "howling monkeys." They belong to the genus _Ateles_, so
+called because they want the thumb, and are therefore _imperfect_ or
+_unfinished_ as regards the hands. But what the ateles want in hands is
+supplied by another member--the tail, and this they have to all
+perfection. It is to them a fifth hand, and apparently more useful than
+the other four. It assists them very materially in travelling through
+the tree-tops. They use it to bring objects nearer them. They use it to
+suspend themselves in a state of repose, and thus suspended, they
+sleep--nay more, thus suspended they often die! Of all the monkey tribe
+the ateles are those that have most prehensile power in their tails.
+
+There are several species of them known--the coaita, the white-faced,
+the black cayou, the beelzebub, the chamek, the black-handed, and the
+marimonda. The habits of all are very similar, though the species differ
+in size and colour.
+
+The marimonda is one of the largest of South American monkeys, being
+about three feet standing upon its hind-legs, with a tail of immense
+length, thick and strong near the root, and tapering to a point. On its
+under side, for the last foot or so from the end, there is no hair, but
+a callous skin, and this is the part used for holding on to the
+branches. The marimonda is far from being a handsome monkey. Its long,
+thin arms and thumbless hands give it an attenuated appearance, which is
+not relieved by the immense disproportioned tail. It is reddish, or of a
+parched coffee colour, on the upper part of the body, which becomes
+blanched on the throat, belly, and insides of the thighs. Its colour, in
+fact, is somewhat of the hue of the half-blood Indian and Negro,--hence
+the marimonda is known in some parts of Spanish America by the name of
+"mono zambo," or "zambo" monkey--a "zambo" being the descendant of
+Indian and Negro parents.
+
+The noise made by the marimondas which had been heard by our party
+seemed to proceed from the bank of the river, some distance above the
+promontory; but it was evidently growing louder every minute, and they
+judged that the monkeys were approaching.
+
+In a few minutes they appeared in sight, passing along the upper part of
+a grove of trees that stood close to the water. Our travellers had now
+an excellent view of them, and they sat watching them with interest.
+Their mode of progression was extremely curious. They never came to the
+ground, but where the branches interlocked they ran from one to the
+other with the lightning speed of squirrels, or, indeed, like birds upon
+the wing.
+
+Sometimes, however, the boughs stood far apart. Then the marimonda,
+running out as far as the branch would bear him, would wrap a few inches
+of his tail around it and spring off into the air. In the spring he
+would give himself such an impetus as would cause the branch to revolve,
+and his body following this circular motion, with the long thin arms
+thrown out in front, he would grasp the first branch that he could
+reach. This, of course, would land him on a new tree, and over that he
+would soon spring to the next.
+
+Among the troop several females were perceived with their young. The
+latter were carried on the backs of the mothers, where they held on by
+means of their own little tails, feeling perfectly secure. Sometimes the
+mothers would dismount them, and cause them to swing themselves from
+branch to branch, going before to show them the way. This was witnessed
+repeatedly. In other places, where the intervening space was too wide
+for the females with their young to pass over, the males could be seen
+bending down a branch of the opposite tree, so as to bring it nearer,
+and assist them in crossing. All these movements were performed amidst a
+constant gabble of conversation, and shouting, and chattering, and the
+noise of branches springing back to their places.
+
+The grove through which the troop was passing ended just by the edge of
+the promontory. The palm-trees succeeded, with some trees of large size
+that grew over them.
+
+The marimondas at length reached the margin of the grove, and then they
+were all seen to stop, most of them throwing themselves, heads down, and
+hanging only by their tails. This is the position in which they find
+themselves best prepared for any immediate action; and it is into this
+attitude they throw themselves when suddenly alarmed. They remained so
+for some minutes; and from the chattering carried on among them, it was
+evident that they were engaged in deliberation. A loud and general
+scream proclaimed the result; and all of them, at one and the same
+instant, dropped down to the ground, and were seen crossing over among
+the palm-trees.
+
+They had to pass over a piece of open ground with only some weeds upon
+it; but their helplessness on the ground was at once apparent. They
+could not place their palms on the surface, but doubled them up and
+walked, as it were, on the backs of their hands in the most awkward
+manner. Every now and again, they flung out their great tails, in hopes
+of grasping something that would help them along; and even a large weed
+was a welcome support to them. On the ground they were evidently "out of
+their element." In fact, the _ateles_ rarely descend from the trees,
+which are their natural _habitat_.
+
+At length they reached the palms; and, seated in various attitudes,
+looked up at the tempting fruit, all the while chattering away. How were
+they to reach it? Not a tree that was not covered with long needles--not
+a bunch of the luscious fruit that was not far above the height of the
+tallest marimonda! How were they to get at it?--that was the question.
+It might have been a puzzling question to so many boys--to the monkeys
+it was not; for in less than a score of seconds they had settled it in
+their minds how the pupunhas were to be plucked.
+
+Rising high over the palms grew a large tree, with long out-reaching
+branches. It was the "zamang" tree--a species of _mimosa_, and one of
+the most beautiful trees of South America. Its trunk rose full seventy
+feet without a branch; and then it spread out in every direction in
+numerous horizontal limbs, that forked and forked again until they
+became slender boughs. These branches were clad with the delicate
+pinnate leaves that characterise the family of the mimosas.
+
+Many of the pupunha palms grew under the shadow of this zamang, but not
+the tallest ones. These were farther out. There were some, however,
+whose tufted crowns reached within a few yards of the lower limbs of the
+mimosa.
+
+The monkeys, after a short consultation, were seen scampering up the
+zamang. Only some of the old and strong ones went--the rest remained
+watching below.
+
+From the earnestness of their looks it was evident they felt a lively
+interest in the result. So, too, did the party of travellers; for these
+watched so closely, that the pot was in danger of boiling over.
+
+The marimondas, having climbed the trunk, ran out upon the lowermost
+limbs, until they were directly above the palms. Then one or two were
+seen to drop off, and hang down by their tails. But, although, with
+their fore-arms at full stretch, they hung nearly five feet from the
+branch, they could not even touch the highest fronds of the palms, much
+less the fruit-clusters that were ten or twelve feet farther down. They
+made repeated attempts; suspending themselves over the very tallest
+palms, but all to no purpose.
+
+One would have supposed they would have given it up as a bad job. So
+thought Doña Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona. Don Pablo knew better
+by his reading, and Guapo by his experience. When they saw that no one
+of them could reach the nuts, several were seen to get together on one
+of the branches. After a moment one dropped down head-foremost as
+before, and hung at his full length. Another ran down the body of this
+one, and taking a turn of his tail round his neck and fore-arm, skipped
+off and also hung head downwards. A third joined himself on to the
+second in a similar manner, and then a fourth. The fore-arms of the
+fourth rested upon the fruit-cluster of the pupunha!
+
+The chain was now long enough for the purpose. In a few minutes the last
+monkey on the chain, with his teeth and hands, had separated the
+footstalk of the spathes, and the great clusters--two of them there
+were--fell heavily to the bottom of the tree. The marimondas on the
+ground ran forward; and, in the midst of loud rejoicings began to pull
+off the "peaches" and devour them.
+
+But the monkeys above did not cease their labours. There were many
+mouths to feed, and they wanted more nuts. Without changing their
+position, they, by means of their arms and legs, threw themselves into a
+vibrating motion, and by this means the last on the string soon seized
+upon another pupunha, and also detached its fruit. In this way they
+continued, until they had stripped every tree within their reach; when,
+judging they had got enough, the lowermost monkey _climbed back upon
+himself_, then up his companions to the branch, and in the same style
+was followed by the other three in succession. As soon as they were
+clear of one another, the whole party came down by the trunk to the
+ground, and joined their comrades below in the luxurious repast.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+THE MONKEY MOTHER.
+
+
+Now you will, perhaps, imagine that Guapo, having sat so quiet during
+all this scene, had no desire for a bit of roast-monkey to supper. In
+that fancy, then, you would be quite astray from the truth. Guapo had a
+_strong_ desire to eat roast marimonda that very night; and, had he not
+been held back by Don Pablo, he would never have allowed the monkeys to
+get quietly out of the zamang--for it being an isolated tree, it would
+have afforded him a capital opportunity of "treeing" them. His blow-gun
+had been causing his fingers to itch all the time; and as soon as Don
+Pablo and the rest were satisfied with observing the monkeys, Guapo set
+out, blow-gun, in hand, followed by Leon.
+
+There was no cover by which he might approach the group; and, therefore,
+no course was left for him but to run up as quickly forward as possible,
+and take his chance of getting a shot as they made off.
+
+This course he pursued; but, before he was within anything like fair
+range, the monkeys, uttering their shrill screams, scampered over the
+open ground, much faster than before, and took to the grove, from which
+they had approached the spot.
+
+Guapo followed at a slashing pace, and was soon under the trees, Leon at
+his heels. Here they were met by a shower of sticks, pieces of bark,
+half-eaten "peaches," and something that was far less pleasant to their
+olfactory nerves! All these came from the tops of the trees--the very
+tallest ones--to which the monkeys had retreated, and where they were
+now hidden among the llianas and leaves.
+
+You may fancy that it is easy to pursue a troop of monkeys in a forest.
+But it is not easy--in most cases it is not _possible_. The tangled
+underwood below puts a stop to the chase at once, as the monkeys can
+make their way through the branches above much quicker than the hunter
+can through the creeping plants below.
+
+The pursuit would have been all up with Guapo, for the marimondas had
+soon got some way beyond the edge of the grove; but just as he was
+turning to sulk back, his keen Indian eye caught sight of one that was
+far behind the rest--so far, indeed, that it seemed determined to seek
+its safety rather by hiding than by flight. It had got under cover of a
+bunch of leaves, and there it lay quiet, uttering neither sound nor
+syllable. Guapo could just see a little bit of its side, and at this in
+an instant the gravatána was pointed. Guapo's chest and cheeks were seen
+to swell out to their fullest extent, and off went the arrow. A shriek
+followed--the monkey was hit--beyond a doubt. Guapo coolly waited the
+result.
+
+A movement was visible among the leaves; the marimonda was seen to turn
+and double about, and pluck something from its side; and then the broken
+arrow came glancing among the twigs, and fell to the ground. The monkey
+was now perceived to be twisting and writhing upon the branches, and its
+wild death-screams was answered by the voices of the others farther off.
+
+At length its body was seen more distinctly; it no longer thought of
+concealment; but lay out along the limb; and the next moment it dropped
+off. It did not fall to the ground, though. It had no design of
+gratifying its cruel destroyer to that extent. No; it merely dropped to
+the end of its tail, which, lapped over the branch, held it suspended. A
+few convulsive vibrations followed, and it hung down dead!
+
+Guapo was thinking in what way he might get it down, for he knew that
+unless he could reach it by some means, it would hang there until the
+weather rotted it off, or until some preying bird or the tree-ants had
+eaten it. He thought of his axe--the tree was not a very thick one, and
+it was a soft-wood tree. It would be worth the labour of cutting it
+down.
+
+He was about turning away to get the axe, when his eye was attracted by
+the motion of some object near the monkey.
+
+"Another!" he muttered, and sure enough, another,--a little
+tiny-creature,--ran out from among the leaves, and climbed down the tail
+and body of the one already shot, threw it arms around her neck and
+whined piteously. It was the young one--Guapo had shot the mother!
+
+The sight filled Leon with pity and grief; but Guapo knew nothing of
+these sentiments. He had already inserted another arrow into his
+gravatána, and was raising his tube to bend it, when, all at once, there
+was a loud rustling among the leaves above--a large marimonda that had
+returned from the band was seen springing out upon the branch--he was
+the husband and father!
+
+He did not pause a moment. Instinct or quick perception taught him that
+the female was dead: his object was to save the young one.
+
+He threw his long tail down, and grasped the little creature in its firm
+hold, jerked it upward; and then mounting it on his back, bore it off
+among the branches!
+
+All this passed so quickly, that Guapo had not time to deliver his
+second arrow. Guapo saw them no more.
+
+The Indian, however, was not to be cheated out of his supper of
+roasted-monkey. He walked quietly back for his axe; and bringing it up,
+soon felled the tree, and took the marimond mother with him to the camp.
+
+His next affair was to skin it, which he did by stripping the pelt from
+the head, arms, legs, and all; so that after being skinned, the creature
+bore a most hideous resemblance to a child!
+
+The process of cooking came next, and this Guapo made more tedious than
+it might have been, as he was resolved to dress the marimonda after the
+manner practised by the Indians, and which by them is esteemed the best.
+He first built a little stage out of split laths of the pupunha palm.
+For this a hard wood that will resist fire a long time is necessary, and
+the pupunha was just the thing.
+
+Under this stage Guapo kindled a fire of dry wood, and upon the laths he
+placed his monkey in a sitting posture, with its arms crossed in front,
+and its head resting upon them. The fire was then blown upon, until it
+became a bright blaze, which completely enveloped the half-upright form
+of the monkey. There was plenty of smoke; but this is nothing in the
+eyes of a South American Indian, many of whom prefer the "smoky flavour"
+in a roast monkey.
+
+Guapo had now no more to do, but wait patiently until the body should be
+reduced to a black and charred mass, for this is the condition in which
+it is eaten by these strange people. When thus cooked, the flesh becomes
+so dry that it will keep for months without spoiling.
+
+The white people who live in the _monkey countries_ eat roast monkey as
+well as the Indians. Many of them, in fact, grow very fond of it. They
+usually dress it, however, in a different manner. They take off the head
+and hands before bringing it to the table; so that the "child-like"
+appearance is less perceptible.
+
+Some species of monkeys are more delicate food than others, and there
+are some kinds that _white_ monkey-eaters will not touch.
+
+As for the Indians, it seems with them to be "all fish," &c.; and they
+devour all kinds indifferently, whether they be "howlers," or "ateles,"
+or "capuchins," or "ouistitis," or "sajous," or "sakis," or whatever
+sort. In fact, among many Indian tribes, monkey stands in the same place
+that mutton does in England; and they consider it their staple article
+of flesh meat. Indeed, in these parts, no other animal is so common as
+the monkey; and, with the exception of birds and fish, they have little
+chance of getting any other species of animal food. The best "Southdown"
+would, perhaps, be as distasteful to them as monkey meat would be to
+you; so here again we are met by that same eternal proverb,--_Chacun à
+son goût._
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.
+
+
+Guapo sat by the fire patiently awaiting the "doing" of the marimonda.
+The rest had eaten their supper, and were seated some distance apart.
+They were looking out upon the broad river, and watching the movements
+of the various birds. They could see tall scarlet flamingoes on the
+farther shore, and smaller birds of the ibis kind. They could see the
+"tiger crane," so called from its colour and spots resembling the
+markings of the jaguar. Among some tall canes on the banks the
+"ciganos," or gipsy birds, fluttered about with their great crest,
+looking like so many pheasants, but far inferior to these creatures in
+their flesh. In fact, the flesh of the "cigano" is so bitter and
+disagreeable that even _Indians will not eat it_.
+
+Sitting upon a naked branch that projected over the water they noticed
+the solitary sky-blue king-fisher. Over the water swept the great harpy
+eagle--also a fisher like his white-headed cousin of the North; and now
+and then flocks of muscovy ducks made the air resound with their strong
+broad wings. They saw also the "boat-bill," or "crab-eater," a curious
+wading bird of the heron kind, with a large bill shaped like two boats
+laid with their concave sides against each other. This, like the
+king-fisher, sat solitarily upon a projecting stump, now and then
+dashing into the shallow water, and scooping up the small fishes, frogs,
+and crustacea with its huge mandibles.
+
+Another curious bird was observed, which had something of the appearance
+of the water-hen--to which kind it is also assimilated in its habits. It
+was the "faithful jacana" or "chuza," as it is called in some places.
+There are several species of "jacana" in South America, and also some
+species in the tropical countries of the East. That known as the
+"faithful jacana" has a body about the size of a common fowl; but its
+legs and neck are longer, so that when standing it is a foot and a half
+in height. The body is of a brownish colour; and there is a crest of
+twelve black feathers on the nape of the neck, three inches in length.
+At the bend of the wings there are horny spurs, half an inch long, with
+which the bird can defend itself when attacked. It is, however, a
+pacific bird, and only uses them in defence.
+
+The most singular character of the jacana is its long toes and claws.
+There are four upon each foot: three in front, and one directed
+backwards, and when standing these cover a base nearly as large as the
+body of the bird; and, indeed, upon ordinary ground they interfere with
+the freedom of its walking. But these spreading feet were not designed
+for ordinary ground. They were given it to enable it to pass lightly
+over the leaves of water-lilies, and other yielding surfaces, through
+which a narrow-footed bird would at once sink. Of course, as nature
+designed them for this purpose, they answer admirably, and the jacana
+skims along the surface of lily-covered ponds or streams without
+sinking. From the leaves it picks up such insects and larvæ as lodge
+there, and which form its principal food.
+
+The jacana utters a singular cry when alarmed. It remains silent during
+the whole day, and also at night, unless disturbed by the approach of
+some danger, when it utters its "alarm cry." So quick is its ear, that
+it can detect the least noise or rustling caused by any one approaching.
+For this reason some tribes of Indians have tamed the jacana, and use it
+as a sentinel or "watch-dog," to apprise them of the approach of their
+enemies during the darkness of the night. Another use is also made of it
+by the Spanish-Americans. It is tamed and allowed to go about along with
+the domestic poultry. When these are attacked by hawks or other birds of
+prey, the jacana defends them with its sharp wing-spurs, and generally
+succeeds in beating off the enemy. It never deserts the flock, but
+accompanies it in all its movements, and will defend its charge with
+great fury and courage.
+
+Besides the water-birds which were noticed by our travellers, many kinds
+were seen by them upon the shore and fluttering among the trees. There
+were parrots in flocks, and macaws in pairs--for these birds usually go
+in twos--there were trogons, and great billed toucans, and their kindred
+the aracaris; and there, too, were "umbrella-chatterers," of which there
+is a species quite white; and upon a fruit-covered tree, not far off,
+they saw a flock of the snow-white "bell-birds" (_Casmarhynchos_).
+These are about as large as blackbirds, with broad bills, from the base
+of which grows a fleshy tubercle that hangs down to the length of nearly
+three inches, like that of the turkey-cock. The name of "bell-birds" is
+given to them on account of the clear, bell-like ring of their note,
+which they utter about the middle of the day, when most other creatures
+of the tropical world are in silence or asleep.
+
+Of course Don Pablo as a naturalist was interested in all those birds,
+and observed their habits and movements with attention. There was none
+of them about which he had not some strange story to tell, and in this
+way he was beguiling the after-supper hour. It was too early for them to
+go to rest--indeed it was not quite sunset; and Guapo for one had not
+yet had his supper, although that meal was now very near at hand. The
+marimonda was becoming charred and black, and would soon be ready for
+mastication.
+
+Guapo sat by the fire, now and again raking up the cinders with a long
+pole which he held in his hand, while his eyes from time to time rested
+on the marimonda that was directly in front of him, _vis-à-vis_.
+
+At length the monkey appeared to him to be "done to a turn," and with
+his _macheté_ in one hand, and a forked stick in the other, he was just
+bending forward to lift it off the fire, when, to his horror, the ground
+was felt to move beneath him, causing him to stagger, and almost
+throwing him from his feet! Before he could recover himself, the surface
+again heaved up, and a loud report was heard, like the explosion of some
+terrible engine. Then another upheaval--another report--the ground
+opened into a long fissure--the staging of palms, and the half-burned
+cinders, and the charred monkey, were flung in all directions, and Guapo
+himself went sprawling upon his back!
+
+Was it an earthquake? So thought the others, who were now on their feet
+running about in great consternation--the females screaming loudly. So,
+too, thought Guapo for the moment.
+
+Their belief in its being an earthquake, however, was of short duration.
+The shocks continued; the dried mud flew about in large pieces, and the
+burnt wood and splinters were showered in the air. The smoke of these
+covered the spot, and prevented a clear view; but through the smoke the
+terrified spectators could perceive that some large body was in
+motion--apparently struggling for life! In another moment it broke
+through the bending stratum of mud, causing a long rift, and there was
+displayed before their eyes the hideous form of a gigantic crocodile!
+
+Though not quite so terrible as an earthquake, it was a fearful monster
+to behold. It was one of the largest, being nearly twenty feet in
+length, with a body thicker than that of a man. Its immense jaws were of
+themselves several feet long, and its huge tusks, plainly seen, gave it
+a most frightful appearance. Its mouth was thrown open, as though it
+gasped for air, and a loud bellowing proceeded from its throat that
+sounded like a cross between the grunting of a hog and the lowing of a
+bull.
+
+The air was filled with a strong musky odour, which emanated from the
+body of the animal; and, what with the noise made by the crocodile
+itself, the screams and shouts of the party, the yelling of the various
+birds--for they, too, had taken up the cue--there was for some moments
+an utter impossibility of any voice being heard above the rest. It was,
+indeed, a scene of confusion. Don Pablo and his companions were running
+to and fro--Guapo was tumbling about where he had fallen--and the great
+lizard was writhing and flapping his tail, so that pots, pans,
+half-burnt faggots, and even Guapo's monkey, were being knocked about in
+every direction.
+
+Of course such a violent scene could not be of long duration. It must
+end one way or the other. Guapo, who soon came to himself, now that he
+saw what it was that had pitched him over, had already conceived a plan
+for terminating it. He ran for his axe, which fortunately lay out of the
+range of the crocodile's tail, and having laid his hands upon it, he
+approached in a stealthy manner with the intention of striking a blow.
+
+He directed himself towards the root of the reptile's tail, for he knew
+that that was the only place where a blow of the axe would cripple it;
+but, just as he was getting within reach, the crocodile suddenly shifted
+himself round, making his tail fly like a piece of sprung whalebone.
+Guapo leaped hastily back--as hastily, I will make bold to say, as any
+Indian of his years could have done, but not quick enough to clear
+himself quite. He wanted about eight inches; but in this case inches
+were as good as miles for the crocodile's purpose, for about eight
+inches of the tip of his tail came "smack" across Guapo's naked shins,
+and sent the old Indian head over heels.
+
+It was just an accident that Guapo's shanks were not broken like sticks
+of sealing-wax; and had the blow been directed with the crocodile's full
+force, such would have been the unhappy result. As it was they were only
+"scratched," and Guapo, leaping to his feet, ran to recover his axe, for
+that weapon had flown several yards out of his hands at the blow.
+
+By the time he laid hold of it, however, the _saurian_, was no longer on
+dry ground. His newly-opened eyes--opened, perhaps, for the first time
+for months--caught sight of the water close by, and crawling forward a
+step or two, he launched his ugly, mud-bedaubed carcass into the welcome
+element. The next moment he had dived, and was out of sight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS.
+
+
+Guapo was in no humour for enjoying the conversation of that evening.
+The crocodile had "choused" him out of his favourite supper. The monkey
+was literally knocked to "smithereens," and the pieces that still
+adhered together were daubed all over with mud. It wasn't fit meat--even
+for an Indian--and Guapo had to content himself with a dried plantain
+and a stew of jerked horse-flesh.
+
+Of course Don Pablo and the rest examined with curiosity the great hole
+in the mud that had contained the crocodile. There it had lain during
+months of the dry season in a state of torpidity, and would, no doubt,
+have remained still longer, but that it was aroused by the big fire that
+Guapo had built over it. The irritation produced by this had been the
+cause of its sudden resurrection, for the crocodiles that thus bury
+themselves usually come out after the beginning of the heavy rains.
+
+It was a true long-snouted crocodile, as Don Pablo had observed in the
+short opportunity he had had; and not an alligator--for it must be here
+remarked, that the true crocodile is found in many parts of Spanish
+America, and also in many of the West Indian Islands. For a long time it
+was believed that only alligators existed in America, and that the
+crocodiles were confined to the Eastern Continent. It is now known that
+at least one species of crocodile is an American animal, and several
+distinct species of alligators are inhabitants of the New World.
+
+There is the alligator of the Mississippi--which is the "caïman" or
+"cayman" of the Spanish Americans; there is the spectacled alligator, a
+southern species, so called from a pair of rings around its eyes having
+a resemblance to spectacles; and there is a still smaller species called
+the "bava," which is found in Lake Valencia, and in many South American
+rivers. The last kind is much hunted by the Indians, who, although they
+eat parts of all these creatures, are fonder of the flesh of the bava
+than of any of the others.
+
+They had not intended to keep watch this night, as the naked promontory
+seemed to be a safe place to sleep upon; but now, after their adventure
+with the crocodile, they changed their minds, and they resolved to mount
+guard as before. The monster might easily crawl out of the water again,
+and, judging from the size of his mouth, it is not improbable to suppose
+that he might have swallowed one of the smaller individuals of the party
+at a single effort. Lest he might return to use either his teeth or his
+tail, the watch was set as on other nights--Leon taking the first turn,
+Guapo the second, and Don Pablo sitting it out till daybreak. The night
+passed through, however, without any unusual disturbance; and although
+an occasional plunge was heard in the water close by, no more was seen
+of the crocodile until morning.
+
+I have said _until_ morning--for he was seen then. Yes! indeed. That
+beauty was not going to let them off without giving them another peep at
+him--not he.
+
+They were awake and up before day; and as the fire had been kept burning
+all night, they had now nothing more to do than rake up the embers, and
+hang on the coffee-kettle. It was not yet bright day when breakfast was
+already cooked, and they sat down to eat it.
+
+While engaged in this operation, they noticed a string of flamingoes on
+the muddy promontory, at the end where it joined the land. They were
+ranged in line, like soldiers, some of them balanced on one long thin
+leg, as these birds do. They appeared in the grey light to be unusually
+tall; but when it became a little clearer, our travellers could perceive
+that they were not upon the ground, but standing upon an old log. This,
+of course, made them look taller. They were just in the very track by
+which Guapo and Leon had passed to get the wood the evening before. Now,
+neither Guapo nor Leon remembered any log. They were certain there was
+none there, else they would have cut it up for firewood, that was a sure
+thing; and it was very mysterious who could have rolled a log there
+during the night!
+
+While discussing this point it became clearer; and, to the astonishment
+of all, what they had taken to be an old log turned out to be nothing
+else than their old friend the crocodile! I have said to the
+astonishment of all--that is not strictly correct. Guapo saw nothing to
+astonish him in that sight. He had witnessed a similar one many a time,
+and so does every one who travels either on the Amazon or the Orinoco.
+
+These flamingoes were perfectly safe, so far as the crocodile was
+concerned, and they knew it. As long as they kept out of the reach of
+his jaws and tail, he could not hurt them. Although he could bend
+himself to either side, so as to "kiss" the tip of his own tail, he
+could not reach any part of his back, exert himself as he might. This
+the flamingoes and other birds well know, and these creatures being fond
+of a place to perch upon, often avail themselves of the long serrated
+back of the crocodile, or the caïman.
+
+As the day became brighter the flamingoes sat still--not appearing to be
+alarmed by the movements at the camp, which was about an hundred yards
+distant from their perch. It was likely they had never been frightened
+by the hunter, for these birds in districts where they are hunted are
+exceedingly shy. All at once, however, as if by a given signal, the
+whole flock rose together, and flew off with loud screams. The
+crocodile, too, was seen to move, but it was not this which had scared
+them off. It was after they had gone that he had stirred himself; and
+even, had it not been so, they would not have regarded his movements, as
+these birds are often seen perched upon a _crawling_ crocodile!
+
+No. Something else had affrighted them, and that was a noise in the
+bushes beyond, which was now distinctly heard at the camp. There was a
+rustling of leaves and a crackling of branches, as if more than one
+creature made the noise. So it appeared, for the next moment nearly a
+score of animals dashed out of the bushes, and ran on towards the water.
+
+These creatures were odd enough to fix the attention of the party at the
+camp. They were about the size of small hogs--very much of the same
+build--and covered with a thin sandy bristly hair, just like some hogs
+are. They were not "pig-headed," however. Their heads were exactly like
+those of the grey rabbit, and instead of hoofs they were toed and
+clawed. This gave them altogether a lighter appearance than hogs, and
+yet they did not run as fast, although when first noticed they appeared
+to be doing their best.
+
+Our travellers knew them at once, for they were animals that are common
+upon the rivers in all the warm parts of South America. They were
+"_capivaras_," or "chiguires," as they are also called. These creatures
+are peculiar to the American continent. They are, in fact, "guinea-pigs"
+on a large scale, and bear the greatest resemblance to those well-known
+animals, except in size and colour; for the capivaras are of uniform
+sandy brown.
+
+They are of the same genus as the guinea-pigs, though the systematizers
+have put them into a separate one, and have also made a third genus to
+suit another animal of very similar shape and habits. This is the
+"moco," which is between the guinea-pig and capivara in size, and of a
+greyish olive colour. All three are natives of South America, and in
+their wild state are found only there, though from the absurd name
+"guinea-pig," you may be led to think that this little creature came
+originally from Africa.
+
+The three are all "rodent" animals, and the capivara is the largest
+"rodent" that is known. It, moreover, is amphibious, quite as much so as
+the tapir, and is found only near the banks of rivers. It is more at
+home in the water than on dry land, or perhaps it has more numerous
+enemies on land; though, poor, persecuted creature! it is not without
+some in either element, as will be seen by what follows.
+
+The drove of the capivaras counted nearly a score, and they were making
+for the water as fast as their legs could carry them. The crocodile lay
+directly across their path, but their black eyes, large and prominent,
+seemed to be occupied with something behind; and they had run up almost
+against the body of the reptile before they saw it. Uttering a sort of
+squeak they made a half-pause. Some sprang up and leaped over--others
+attempted to go round. All succeeded except one; but the crocodile, on
+seeing their approach--no doubt it was for this he had been in wait all
+the morning--had thrown himself into the form of a half-moon; and as
+they passed he let fly at them. His powerful tail came "flap" against
+the nearest, and it was pitched several yards, where, after a kick or
+two, it lay upon its side as dead as a herring, a door-nail, or even
+Julius Cæsar--take your choice.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE.
+
+
+The chiguires that escaped past the crocodile, the next instant plunged
+into the river, and disappeared under the water. They would come to the
+surface for breath in ten or twelve minutes, but at such a distance off
+that they needed no longer fear pursuit from the same enemy.
+
+Our travellers took no notice of them from the moment they were fairly
+out of the bushes. They saw that the crocodile had knocked one of them
+over; but the eyes of Guapo and Don Pablo were directed upon a different
+place--the point at which the chiguires had sallied out of the
+underwood. These knew that the animals had not issued forth in their
+natural way, as if they were going to the stream to drink, or in search
+of food. No--quite different. Their bristles were erect--they were
+excited--they were terrified--beyond a doubt they were pursued!
+
+Who or what was their pursuer? It might be an ocelot, or the yaguarundi,
+or some one of the smaller cats; for many of these prey on the
+defenceless capivara. It _might_ be one of these, thought Don Pablo and
+Guapo; but what if it was not? What else could it be? What else? _The
+jaguar!_
+
+It _was_ the jaguar? As they stood gazing with looks full of
+apprehension, the leaves of the underwood were seen to move, and then a
+beautiful but terrible object, the spotted head of a jaguar, was thrust
+forth. It remained a moment as if reconnoitring, and then the whole
+body, bright and glistening, glided clear of the leaves, and stood
+boldly out in front of the underwood. Here it halted another
+moment--only a moment. The crocodile had turned itself, and was about
+closing its jaws upon the body of the chiguire, when the jaguar seeing
+this, uttered a loud scream, and making one bound forward, seized the
+dead animal almost at the same instant.
+
+They were now face to face,--the great lizard and the great cat; and
+their common prey was between them. Each had a firm hold with his
+powerful jaws, and each appeared determined to keep what he had got. The
+yellow eyes of the jaguar seemed to flash fire, and the black sunken
+orbs of the saurian glared with a lurid and deadly light. It was a
+terrible picture to look upon.
+
+For some seconds both remained apparently gazing into each other's eyes,
+and firmly holding the prey between them. The tail of the jaguar
+vibrated in sudden angry jerks, while that of the crocodile lay bent
+into a semicircle, as if ready to be sprung at a moment's notice.
+
+This inaction did not last long. The fury of the jaguar was evidently on
+the increase. He was indignant that he, the king of the American forest,
+should thus meet with opposition to his will; and, indeed, the crocodile
+was about the only creature in all the wide Montaña that dare oppose him
+in open fight. But he was determined to conquer even this enemy, and for
+that purpose he prepared himself.
+
+Still holding on to the capivara, and watching his opportunity, he
+sprang suddenly forward, throwing one of his great paws far in advance.
+His object was to _claw the eye_ of his adversary; for he well knew that
+the latter was vulnerable neither upon its long snout, nor its gaunt
+jaws, nor even upon the tough scaly skin of its throat. Its eyes alone
+could be injured, and these were the objects of the jaguar's attack.
+
+The thrust was a failure. The crocodile had anticipated such a manoeuvre,
+and suddenly raising himself on his fore-legs, threw up one of his great
+scaly hands and warded off the blow. The jaguar fearing to be clutched
+between the strong fore-arms of the saurian, drew back to his former
+position.
+
+This manoeuvre, and its counter-manoeuvre, were repeated several times,
+and although each time the struggle lasted a little longer than before,
+and there was a good deal of lashing of tails and tearing of teeth, and
+scratching of claws, still neither of the combatants seemed to gain any
+great advantage. Both were now at the height of their fury, and a third
+enemy approaching the spot would not have been heeded by either.
+
+From the first the head of the crocodile had been turned to the water,
+from which he was not distant over ten feet. He had, in fact, been
+carrying his prey towards it when he was interrupted by the attack of
+the jaguar; and now at every fresh opportunity he was pushing on, bit by
+bit, in that direction. He knew that in his own proper element he would
+be more than a match for his spotted assailant, and no doubt he might
+have escaped from the contest by surrendering his prey. Had he been a
+smaller crocodile he would have been only too glad to have done so; but
+trusting to his size and strength, and perhaps not a little to the
+justice of his cause, he was determined not to go without taking the
+capivara along with him.
+
+The jaguar, on the other hand, was just as determined he should not. He,
+too, had some rights. The capivara would not have been killed so easily,
+had he not frightened it from behind; besides, the crocodile was out of
+his element. He was poaching on the domain of the forest monarch.
+
+Bit by bit, the crocodile was gaining ground--at each fresh pause in the
+struggle he was forging forward, pushing the chiguire before him, and of
+course causing his antagonist to make ground backwards.
+
+The jaguar at length felt his hind-feet in the water; and this seemed
+to act upon him like a shock of electricity. All at once he let go his
+hold of the capivara, ran a few feet forward, and then flattening his
+body along the ground, prepared himself for a mighty spring. Before a
+second had passed, he launched his body high into the air, and descended
+upon the back of the crocodile just over his fore-shoulders! He did not
+settle there, but ran nimbly down the back of the saurian towards its
+hinder part, and its claws could be heard rattling against its scaly
+skin.
+
+In a moment more he was seen close-squatted along the crocodile's body,
+and with his teeth tearing fiercely at the root of its tail. He knew
+that after the eyes this was the most vulnerable part of his antagonist,
+and if he had been allowed but a few minutes' time, he would soon have
+disabled the crocodile; for to have seriously wounded the root of his
+tail, would have been to have destroyed his essential weapon of offence.
+
+The jaguar would have succeeded had the encounter occurred only a dozen
+yards farther from the water. But the crocodile was close to the river's
+edge, and perceiving the advantage against him, and that there was no
+hope of dismounting his adversary, he dropped the capivara, and crawling
+forward, plunged into the water. When fairly launched, he shot out from
+the shore like an arrow, carrying the jaguar along, and the next moment
+he had dived to the depth of the stream. The water was lashed into foam
+by the blows of his feet and tail; but in the midst of the froth, the
+yellow body of the jaguar was seen rising to the surface, and after
+turning once or twice, as if searching for his hated enemy, the creature
+headed for the bank and climbed out. He stood for a moment looking back
+into the stream. He appeared less cowed than angry and disappointed. He
+seemed to vow a future revenge; and then seizing the half-torn carcass
+of the capivara, he threw it lightly over his shoulder and trotted off
+into the thicket.
+
+Our travellers had not watched this scene either closely or
+continuously. They had been too busy all the time. From its commencement
+they had been doing all in their power to get away from the spot; for
+they dreaded lest the jaguar might either first overpower the crocodile
+and then attack them, or being beaten off by the latter, might take it
+into his head to revenge himself by killing whatever he could. With
+these apprehensions, therefore, they had hastily carried everything
+aboard, and drawing in their cable, pushed the balza from the shore.
+When the fight came to an end, they had got fairly into the current, and
+just as the jaguar disappeared, the raft was gliding swiftly down the
+broad and rippling stream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.
+
+
+For several days they voyaged down-stream, without any occurrence of
+particular interest. Once or twice they saw Indians upon the shore; but
+these, instead of putting off in their canoes, seemed frightened at so
+large a craft, and remained by their "maloccas," or great
+village-houses, in each of which several families live together. Not
+caring to have any dealings with them, our travellers were only too glad
+to get past without molestation; and, therefore, when they passed any
+place where they thought they observed the signs of Indians on the bank,
+they kept on for hours after, without stopping.
+
+A curious incident occurred one evening as they were bringing the balza
+to her moorings, which compelled them to drop a little farther
+down-stream, and, in fact, almost obliged them to float all night, which
+would have been a dangerous matter, as the current at the place happened
+to be sharp and rapid.
+
+They had been on the look-out for some time for a good camping-place, as
+it was their usual hour to stop. No opening, however, appeared for
+several miles. The banks on both sides were thickly-wooded to the
+river's edge, and the branches of the trees even drooped into the water.
+At length they came in sight of a natural raft that had been formed by
+driftwood in a bend of the stream; and as the logs lay thickly together,
+and even piled upon each other, it appeared an excellent place to encamp
+on. It was, at all events, better than to attempt to penetrate the thick
+jungles which met them everywhere else; and so the balza was directed
+towards the raft, and soon floated alongside it.
+
+They had already got ashore on the raft, which was dry and firm, and
+would have served their purpose well enough; when, all at once, Guapo
+was heard uttering one of those exclamations, which showed that all was
+not right. The rest looked towards him for an explanation. He was
+standing by the edge of the floating timber, just where the balza
+touched it, with his arms stretched out in an attitude that betokened
+trouble. They all ran up. They saw what was the matter at a glance.
+Thousands of red ants were climbing from the raft to the balza!
+Thousands,--nay, it would be nearer the truth to say millions!
+
+At one glance Don Pablo saw that it would be a terrible calamity, should
+these creatures gain a lodgment on the balza. Not only were they the
+dreaded stinging ants, but in a short time nothing on board would be
+left. In a few hours they would have eaten all his stores,--his bark,
+his vanilla, and his roots. Already quite a number had got upon the
+canoe, and were crossing it toward the body of the balza.
+
+Without saying another word, he ordered all to get on board as quickly
+as possible, each taking some utensil that had already been carried on
+shore. He and Guapo flew to the poles; and, having hastily unfastened
+and drawn in the cable, they pushed the balza out into the stream. Then
+while Guapo managed the great oar, Don Pablo, assisted by Leon and by
+Doña Isidora, went to work with scoops and pails, dashing water upon the
+ants; until every one of them had disappeared, drowned in the canoe or
+washed off into the river. Fortunate for them, they had observed this
+strange enemy in time. Had they not done so--in other words, had they
+gone to sleep, leaving the balza where it was during the night--they
+would have awakened in the morning to find their stores completely
+destroyed, their labour of a year brought to nothing in the space of a
+single night. This is no uncommon occurrence to the merchant or the
+colonist of tropical America.
+
+They had made a narrow escape, but a fortunate one. They were not
+without their troubles, however. No open ground could be found for miles
+below; and, as it was growing dark, they approached the thickly-wooded
+bank; and, after a good deal of scratching among the branches, at length
+succeeded in making the cable fast to a tree. The balza then swung
+round, and floated at the end of the cable, half of it being buried
+under the long hanging branches.
+
+They spent their night on board, for it was no use attempting to get
+on shore through the underwood; and even if they had, they could not
+have encamped very comfortably in a thicket. On the other hand, the
+balza did not afford the best accommodation for sleeping. The little
+"toldo," or cabin, was not large enough to swing a hammock in. It would
+only contain a few persons seated close together; and it had been built
+more for the purpose of keeping the sun off during the hot hours of the
+day than for sleeping in. The rest of the balza was occupied with the
+freight; and this was so arranged with sloping sides, thatched with the
+bussu-leaves, that there was no level place where one could repose upon
+it. The night, therefore, was passed without very much sleep having been
+obtained by any one of the party. Of course, the moment the first
+streaks of day began to appear along the Eastern sky, they were all
+awake and ready to leave their disagreeable anchorage.
+
+As they were making preparations to untie the cable, they noticed that
+just below where the balza lay, a horizontal limb stretched far out over
+the river. It was the lowermost limb of a large zamang-tree, that stood
+on the bank close to the edge of the water. It was not near the surface,
+but a good many feet above. Still it was not certain that it was high
+enough for the roof of the toldo to clear it. That was an important
+question; for although the current was not very rapid just there, it was
+sufficiently so to carry the balza under this branch before they could
+push it out into the stream. Once the cable was let go, they must
+inevitably pass under the limb of the zamang; and if that caught the
+toldo, it would sweep off the frail roof like so much spider's-web. This
+would be a serious damage; and one to be avoided, if possible.
+
+Don Pablo and Guapo went to the end of the balza nearest the branch, and
+stood for some time surveying it. It was about eight or ten yards
+distant; but in the gray dawn they could not judge correctly of its
+height, and they waited till it grew a little clearer. At length they
+came to the conclusion that the branch was high enough. The long
+pendulous leaves--characteristic of this great _mimosa_ and the drooping
+branchlets hung down much below the main shaft; but these, even if they
+touched the roof, would do no injury. It was, therefore, determined to
+let go the cable.
+
+It was now clear day, for they had been delayed a good while; but at
+length all was ready, and Guapo untied the cable, and drew the end on
+board. The balza began to move; slowly at first, for the current under
+the bushes was very slight.
+
+All at once the attention of the voyagers was called to the strange
+conduct of the pet monkey. That little creature was running to and fro,
+first upon the roof of the toldo, then down again, all the while
+uttering the most piercing shrieks as if something was biting off its
+tail! It was observed to look forward and upward toward the branch of
+the zamang, as if the object it dreaded was in that quarter. The eyes of
+all were suddenly bent in the same direction. What was their horror on
+beholding, stretched along the branch, the hideous body of an enormous
+serpent! Only part of it could be seen; the hinder half and the tail
+were hidden among the bromelias and vines that in huge masses clustered
+around the trunk of the zamang, and the head was among the leaflets of
+the mimosa; but what they saw was enough to convince them that it was a
+snake of the largest size--the great "_water boa_"--the _anaconda_!
+
+[Illustration: ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.]
+
+That part of the body in sight was full as thick as a man's thigh, and
+covered with black spots or blotches upon a ground of dingy yellow. It
+was seen to glisten as the animal moved, for the latter was in motion,
+crawling along the branch _outward_! The next moment its head appeared
+under the pendulous leaves; and its long forking tongue, protruding
+several inches from its mouth, seemed to feel the air in front of it.
+This tongue kept playing backwards and forwards, and its viscid covering
+glittered under the sunbeam, adding to the hideous appearance of the
+monster.
+
+To escape from passing within its reach would be impossible. The balza
+was gliding directly under it! It could launch itself aboard at will. It
+could seize upon any one of the party without coming from the branch. It
+could coil its body around them, and crush them with the constricting
+power of its muscles. It could do all this; for it had crushed before
+now the tapir, the roebuck, perhaps even the jaguar himself.
+
+All on board the boat knew its dangerous power too well; and, of course,
+terror was visible in every countenance.
+
+Don Pablo seized the axe, and Guapo laid hold of his _macheté_. Doña
+Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona, were standing--fortunately they
+were--by the door of the toldo; and, in obedience to the cries and
+hurried gestures of Don Pablo and the Indian, they rushed in and flung
+themselves down. They had scarcely disappeared inside, when the forward
+part of the balza upon which stood Don Pablo and Guapo, came close to
+the branch, and the head of the serpent was on a level with their own.
+Both aimed their blows almost at the same instant; but their footing was
+unsteady, the boa drew back at the moment, and both missed their aim.
+The next moment the current had carried them out of reach, and they had
+no opportunity of striking a second blow.
+
+The moment they had passed the hideous head again dropped down, and hung
+directly over, as if waiting. It was a moment of intense anxiety to Don
+Pablo. His wife and children! Would it select one as its victim, and
+leave the others? or----
+
+He had but little time for reflection. Already the head of the snake was
+within three feet of the toldo door. Its eyes were glaring--it was about
+to dart down.
+
+"Oh, God, have mercy!" exclaimed Don Pablo, falling upon his knees. "Oh,
+God!"
+
+At that moment a loud scream was heard. It came from the toldo; and, at
+the same instant, the saïmiri was seen leaping out from the door. Along
+with the rest, it had taken shelter within; but just as the head of the
+snake came in sight, a fresh panic seemed to seize upon it; and, as if
+under the influence of fascination, it leaped screaming in the direction
+of the terrible object. It was met half way. The wide jaws closed upon
+it, its shrieks were stifled, and the next moment its silken body, along
+with the head of the anaconda, disappeared among the leaves of the
+mimosa. Another moment passed, and the balza swept clear of the branch,
+and floated triumphantly into the open water.
+
+Don Pablo sprang to his feet, ran into the toldo, and, after embracing
+his wife and children, knelt down and offered thanks to God for their
+almost miraculous deliverance.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES.
+
+
+Of course the escape from danger so imminent, after the first moments
+were over, produced a sort of reaction in the feelings of all and they
+were now rather joyous than otherwise. But with all there was a mixture
+of regret when they thought of the fate of little "titi." It had been
+their only pet, and had grown to be such a favourite that its loss was
+now mourned by every one, and its absence caused them to feel as though
+one of the company had been left behind. Several times during that day
+poor "titi" was the subject of conversation; indeed, they could hardly
+talk about anything else. Little Leona was quite inconsolable; for the
+pretty creature had loved Leona, and used to perch on her shoulder by
+the hour, and draw her silken ringlets through its tiny hand, and place
+its dainty little nose against the rich velvet of her cheek, and play
+off all sorts of antics with her ears. Many an hour did "titi" and
+Leona spend together. No wonder that the creature was missed.
+
+During the whole of that day they travelled through a country covered
+with dense forest. The river was a full half-mile wide, but sometimes
+there were islands, and then the current became narrowed on each side,
+so that in passing, the balza almost touched the trees on one side or
+the other. They saw many kinds of trees growing together, and rarely a
+large tract covered with any one species of timber, for this, as already
+remarked, is a peculiarity of the Amazon forest.
+
+Many new and curious trees were noticed, of which Don Pablo gave short
+botanical descriptions to the others, partly to instruct them, and
+partly to while away the hours. Guapo, at the rudder, listened to these
+learned lectures, and sometimes added some information of his own about
+the properties of the trees, and the uses to which they were put by the
+Indians. This is what is termed the popular part of the science of
+botany, and, perhaps, it is more important than the mere classification
+of genera and species, which is usually all the information that you get
+from the learned and systematic botanists.
+
+Among the trees passed to-day was one called the "volador." This is a
+large forest tree, with lobed leaves, of a heart-shape. But it is the
+seeds which are curious, and which give to the tree the odd name of
+"volador," or "flier." These seeds have each a pair of membranaceous and
+striated wings, which, when the seeds fall, are turned to meet the air
+at an angle of 45°; and thus a rotatory motion is produced, and the
+falling seeds turn round and round like little fly-wheels. It is
+altogether a curious sight when a large volador is shaken in calm
+weather, to see the hundreds of seeds whirling and wheeling towards the
+ground, which they take a considerable time in reaching. The volador is
+not confined to South America, I have seen it in Mexico, and other parts
+of North America.
+
+Another singular tree noticed was a tree of the barberry family known
+among the Spanish-Americans as _barba de tigre_, or "tiger's beard."
+This name it derives from the fact of its trunk--which is very large and
+high--being thickly set all over with sharp, branching thorns, that are
+fancied to resemble the whiskers of the jaguar, or South American
+"tiger."
+
+A third remarkable tree (or bush) observed was the _Bixa orellana_,
+which yields the well-known _arnatto_ dye. This bush is ten or twelve
+feet in height, and its seeds grow in a burr-like pericarp. These seeds
+are covered with a reddish pulp, which produces the dye. The mode of
+making it is simple. The Indian women throw the seeds into a vessel of
+hot water, and stir them violently for about an hour, until they have
+taken off the pulp. The water is then poured off, and the deposit,
+separated from the seeds, is mixed with oil of turtle-eggs, or crocodile
+fat, and kneaded into cakes of three or four ounces weight.
+
+It is then "anoto," sometimes written "arnatto," sometimes "arnotto,"
+sometimes "onoto," and sometimes "anato." The first is the proper
+spelling. In Brazil it is called "urucu," whence the French name
+"rocou;" and the Peruvians have still another designation for it,
+"achoté." Of course each tribe of Indians calls it by a separate name.
+The botanic name, _Bixa_, is the ancient name by which it was known to
+the Indians of Hayti, for it is found in most parts of tropical America
+growing wild, although it is also cultivated. It is an article in great
+demand among all the Indians of South America, who use it for painting
+their bodies, and dyeing the cotton cloth of which they make their
+garments.
+
+But these people are very skilful in drawing pigments from plants and
+trees of many kinds; in fact, their practical chemistry, so far as it
+relates to dyes and poisons, is quite surprising, and from time to time
+Guapo pointed out trees that were used by them, for such purposes.
+
+One was a climbing plant, whose tendrils reached to the tops of the
+highest trees. It had beautiful violet-coloured flowers, an inch long,
+and Don Pablo saw that it was a species of _bignonia_. Guapo called it
+"chica." When in fruit it carries a pod two feet in length, full of
+winged seeds. But Guapo said it was not from the seeds that the dye was
+obtained, but from the leaves, which turn red when macerated in water.
+The colouring matter comes out of the leaves in the form of a light
+powder, and is then shaped into cakes, which sell among the Indians for
+the value of a dollar each. This colour has a tinge of lake in it, and
+is prized even more highly than the anoto. Indeed, red dyes among all
+savage nations seem to hold a higher value than those of any other
+colour.
+
+Another dye-tree was the "huitoc." This one is a slender tree, about
+twenty feet high, with broad leaves shooting out from the stem, and nuts
+growing at their bases, after the manner of the bread-fruit. These nuts
+resemble black walnuts, and are of a russet colour outside; but the pulp
+inside, which produces the huitoc, is of a dark blue, or purple tint.
+
+The "wild indigo tree," was also seen growing in the woods, with a leaf
+narrow at the base, and broad at the extremity. With these and many
+other dyes the Indians of the Montaña paint their bodies in fantastic
+modes. So much are they addicted to these customs, that, among the
+Indians who labour at the missions, some have been known to work nearly
+a month to procure paint enough to give their body a single coat, and
+the missionaries have made a merchandise of this gigantic folly. But the
+paint is not always to be looked upon in the light of a mere folly, or
+vanity. Sometimes it is used to keep off the "zancudos," or mosquitoes,
+so numerous and annoying in these regions.
+
+Another singular tree was observed, which Guapo called the "marima," or
+"shirt-tree." The use of this he explained. The tree stands fifty or
+sixty feet high, with a diameter of from two to three. When they find
+them of this size, the Indians cut them down, and then separate the
+trunk into pieces of about three feet long. From these pieces they strip
+the bark, but without making any longitudinal incision, so that the
+piece of bark when taken off is a hollow cylinder. It is thin and
+fibrous, of a red colour, and looks like a piece of coarsely-woven
+sack-cloth. With this the shirt is made, simply by cutting two holes in
+the sides to admit the arms, and the body being passed into it, it is
+worn in time of rain. Hence the saying of the old missionaries, that in
+the "forests of America garments were found ready-made on the trees."
+
+Many other trees were noticed valuable for their fruits, or leaves, or
+bark, or roots, or their wood. There was the well-known "seringa," or
+India-rubber tree; the great courbaril, the "dragon's-blood" tree, not
+that celebrated tree of the East but one of a different genus from whose
+white bark flows a red blood-like juice.
+
+They saw, also, a species of cinnamon-tree though not the cinnamon of
+commerce; the large tree that bears the Brazilian nut-meg (the Puxiri);
+and that one, also, a large forest tree, that bears the nuts known as
+"Tonka beans," and which are used in the flavouring of snuff.
+
+But of all the trees which our travellers saw on that day, none made
+such a impression upon them as the "juvia," or Brazil-nut tree. This
+tree is not one with a thick trunk; in fact, the largest ones are not
+three feet in diameter, but it rises to a height of 120 feet. Its trunk
+is branchless for more than half that height, and the branches then
+spread out and droop, like the fronds of the palm. They are naked near
+their bases, but loaded towards the top with tufts of silvery green
+leaves, each two feet in length. The tree does not blossom until its
+fifteenth year, and then it bears violet-coloured flowers; although
+there is another species, the "sapucaya," which has yellow ones. But it
+is neither the trunk, nor the branches, nor the leaves, nor yet the
+flowers of this tree, that render it such an object of curiosity. It is
+the great woody and spherical pericarps that contain the nuts or fruits
+that are wonderful. These are often as large as the head of a child, and
+as hard as the shell of the cocoa-nut! Inside is found a large
+number--twenty or more--of those triangular-shaped nuts which you may
+buy at any Italian warehouse under the name of "Brazil-nuts."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+THE FOREST FESTIVAL.
+
+
+In consequence of their having rested but poorly on the preceding night,
+it was determined that they should land at an early hour; and this they
+did, choosing an open place on the shore. It was a very pretty spot, and
+they could see that the woods in the background were comparatively open,
+as though there were some meadows or prairies between.
+
+These openings, however, had been caused by fire. There had been a
+growth of cane. It had been burned off and as yet was not grown up
+again, though the young reeds were making their appearance like a field
+of green wheat. Some places, and especially near the river, the ground
+was still bare. This change in the landscape was quite agreeable to our
+travellers; so much so, that they resolved to exercise their limbs by
+taking a short stroll; and, having finished their late dinner they set
+out. They all went together, leaving the balza and camp to take care of
+themselves.
+
+After walking a few hundred yards their ears were assailed by a confused
+noise, as if all the animals in the forest had met and were holding a
+_conversazione_. Some low bushes prevented them from seeing what it
+meant, but on pushing their way through, they saw whence and from what
+sort of creatures the noise proceeded.
+
+Standing out in the open ground was a large and tall juvia-tree. Its
+spreading branches were loaded with great globes as big as human
+heads--each one, of course, full of delicious nuts. These were now ripe,
+and some of them had already fallen to the ground.
+
+Upon the ground an odd scene presented itself to the eyes of our
+travellers. Between birds and animals assembled there, there were not
+less than a dozen kinds, all as busy as they could be.
+
+First, then, there were animals of the rodent kind. These were pacas,
+agoutis and capivaras. The pacas were creatures a little larger than
+hares, and not unlike them, except that their ears were shorter. They
+were whitish on the under parts, but above were of a dark brown colour,
+with rows of white spots along each side. They had whiskers like the
+cat, consisting of long white bristles; and their tails, like those of
+hares, were scarcely visible. The agoutis bore a considerable
+resemblance to the pacas. Like these, they are also rodent animals, but
+less in size; and instead of being spotted, they are of a nearly uniform
+dark colour mixed with reddish brown.
+
+Both pacas and agoutis are found in most parts of tropical America.
+There are several species of each, and with the chinchillas and
+viscachas already described, they occupy the place in those regions that
+the hares and rabbits do in northern climates. Indeed, European settlers
+usually know them by the names of hare or rabbit, and hunt them in the
+same way. The flesh of most species is very good eating, and they are
+therefore much sought after both by the natives and colonists.
+
+Along with these, near the juvia-tree, were several capivaras, already
+noticed. But still more singular creatures on the ground were the
+monkeys. Of these there were different kinds; but that which first drew
+the attention of our party was the great Capuchin monkey. This creature
+is not less than three feet in height and of a reddish maroon colour.
+Its body is entirely different from the "ateles" monkeys, being stouter
+and covered with a fuller coat of hair; and its tail is large and bushy,
+without any prehensile power. It is, in fact, less of a tree monkey than
+the _ateles_, although it also lives among the branches. The most
+striking peculiarities of the Capuchin are its head and face. In these
+it bears a stronger resemblance to the human being than any other monkey
+in America.
+
+The top of its head is covered with a crop of coarse hair, that lies
+somewhat after the fashion of human hair; but, what most contributes to
+the human expression is a large full beard and whiskers reaching down to
+the breast, and arranged exactly after the fashion of the huge beards
+worn by Orientals and some Frenchmen. There were only two of these
+Capuchins on the ground--a male and female, for this species does not
+associate in bands. The female one was easily distinguished by her
+smaller size, and her beard was considerably less than that of the male.
+The beards seemed to be objects of special attention with
+both--especially the male, as every now and then he was observed to
+stroke it down with his hand, just as a dandy may be seen doing with his
+moustache or his well-brushed whiskers.
+
+Another peculiar habit of the Capuchins was noticed. There was a little
+pool of water close by. Every now and then they ran to this pool and
+took a drink from it. But in drinking they did not apply their lips to
+the pool or lap like a dog. No; they lifted the water in the hollow of
+their hands--hence their specific name of _chiropotes_, or
+"hand-drinking monkeys." They raised the water to their lips with great
+care, taking pains not to let a drop of it fall on their precious
+beards. From this habit of going so often to quench their thirst, the
+Capuchin monkeys have in some parts got the name of "hard-drinking
+monkeys."
+
+Apart from these was a troop of monkeys of a very different species.
+They were nearly of the same size, but more of the shape of the
+"ateles;" and their long tails, naked underneath and curling downward
+near the points, showed that, like them too, they possessed prehensile
+power in that member. Such was the fact, for they were "howling
+monkeys;" and some species of these can use the tail almost as adroitly
+as the "ateles" themselves. Those that our travellers saw were the
+"guaribas," nearly black in colour, but with their hands covered with
+yellow hair, whence their name among the naturalists of "yellow-handed
+howler."
+
+They were seated in a ring when first observed, and one--apparently the
+chief of the band--was haranguing the rest; but so rapid were his
+articulations, and so changeable the tones of his voice, that any one
+would have thought the whole party were chattering together. This, in
+effect, did occur at intervals, and then you might have heard them to
+the distance of more than a mile. These creatures are enabled to produce
+this vast volume of voice in consequence of a hollow bony structure at
+the root of the tongue, which acts as a drum, and which gives them the
+appearance of a swelling, or goitre, in the throat. This is common to
+all the howling monkeys as well as the guaribas.
+
+Besides the howlers there were other species--there were tamarins, and
+ouistitis, and the black coaitas of the genus "ateles," all assembled
+around the juvia-tree. There were parrots, and macaws, and other
+nut-eating birds. High above in the air soared the great eagle watching
+his opportunity to swoop down on the pacas or agoutis, his natural prey.
+It was altogether a singular assemblage of wild animals--a zoological
+garden of the wilderness.
+
+Our party, concealed by bushes, looked on for some time. They noticed
+that not one of all the living things was _under_ the tree. On the
+contrary, they formed--monkeys, cavies, parrots, and all--a sort of ring
+around it, but at such a distance that none of the branches were above
+them! Why was this? Guapo knew the reason well, and before leaving their
+place of observation the others had an explanation of it.
+
+While they stood gazing, one of the great globes was seen to fall from
+the tree above. The loud report as it struck the earth could have been
+heard a long way off. It caused the whole assemblage of living creatures
+to start. The macaws flapped their wings, the monkeys ran outward and
+then stopped, and a simultaneous cry from the voices of both birds and
+beasts echoed on all sides; and then there was a general chattering and
+screaming, as though the fall of the great pericarp had given pleasure
+to all parties.
+
+It was very evident from this circumstance why both beasts and birds
+kept so far out from the tree. One of these fruits coming down like a
+nine-pound shot would have crushed any of them to atoms. Indeed, so
+heavy are they, that one of them falling from a height of fifty or sixty
+feet will dash out the brains of a man; and the Indians who gather them
+go under the trees with great wooden helmets that cover both the head
+and shoulders! It would be no boy's play to "go a nutting" in a wood of
+juvia-trees.
+
+But how did the monkeys and birds get at the nuts? Neither of these
+could break open the outer shell. This is full half an inch thick, and
+so hard that it can scarcely be cut with a saw. How could either monkeys
+or birds open it?--that was the question put to Guapo.
+
+"Watch them," said Guapo.
+
+All kept their eyes bent attentively on what was going on; and to their
+astonishment they observed that neither the monkeys nor the birds had
+anything to do with the opening of the shells. That was entirely the
+work of the rodent animals, the pacas, cavies, and agoutis. These with
+their fine cutting teeth laid open the thick pericarps, and whenever one
+was seen to have succeeded, and the triangular nuts were scattered upon
+the ground, then there was a general rush, and macaws, parrots, and
+monkeys scrambled for a share.
+
+The monkeys, however, did their part of the work. Whenever a fruit fell
+from the tree, one or two of them, deputed by the others, were seen to
+run in and roll it out, all the while exhibiting symptoms of great
+terror. They would then lift it in their hands, several of them
+together, and dash it repeatedly upon a stone. Sometimes, when the shell
+was not a strong one, they succeeded in breaking it in this way; but
+oftener they were not able, and then it was left to the rodent animals,
+who were watched at their operations, and usually robbed of the fruits
+of their labour. Such were the singular incidents witnessed at this
+festival of juvia-nuts.
+
+But the scene was brought to a sudden termination. A cry was heard that
+rose far above all the other noises--a cry more terrible than the
+screams of the parrots, or the shrieks of the howling monkeys--it was
+the cry of the jaguar! It came from a piece of wood close to the
+juvia-trees, and the branches were heard to crackle as the dreaded
+utterer advanced.
+
+In a moment the ground was cleared of every creature. Even the winged
+birds had flew up from the spot, and perched upon the branches; the
+cavies took to the water; the pacas and agouties to their burrows; and
+the monkeys to the tops of the adjacent trees; and nothing remained on
+the ground but the empty shells of the juvias.
+
+Our party did not stay to notice the change. They, too, had been warned
+by the roar of the tiger, and hastily leaving the spot, returned to
+their place of encampment. On reaching it, they kindled a large circle
+of fire to keep them in safety during the night. They saw no more of the
+jaguar, although at intervals through the midnight hours, they were
+awakened by his loud and savage cry, resounding through the openings of
+the forest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+ACRES OF EGGS.
+
+
+The next evening our travellers encamped on a sand-bar, or rather a
+great bank of sand, that ran for miles along one side of the river. Of
+course they had nothing to hang their hammocks to, but that was a matter
+of no importance, for the sand was dry and soft, and of itself would
+make a comfortable bed, as pleasant to sleep on as a hair-mattress. They
+only wanted wood enough to cook with, and to keep up their fire during
+the night--so as to frighten off the wild beasts.
+
+This night they kept watch as usual, Leon taking the first turn. In
+fact, they found that they must do so every night--as in each of the
+camps where they had slept some danger had threatened; and they thought
+it would be imprudent for all to go to sleep at the same time. The
+heaviest part of the sentinel's duty fell to Guapo's share; but Guapo
+had long accustomed himself to go without sleep, and did not mind it;
+moreover Don Pablo took longer spells at the stern-oar during the day,
+and allowed Guapo many a "cat-nap."
+
+Leon seated himself upon a pile of sand that he had gathered up, and did
+his best to keep awake, but in about an hour after the rest were asleep
+he felt very drowsy--in fact, quite as much so as on the night of the
+adventure with the vampire. He used pretty much the same means to keep
+himself awake, but not with so good success, for on this occasion he
+fell into a nap that lasted nearly half-an-hour, and might have
+continued still longer, had he not slid down the sand-hill and tumbled
+over on his side. This awoke him; and feeling vexed with himself, he
+rubbed his eyes as if he was going to push them deeper into their
+sockets.
+
+When this operation was finished, he looked about to see if any creature
+had ventured near. He first looked towards the woods--for of course that
+was the direction from which the tigers would come, and these were the
+only creatures he feared; but he had scarcely turned himself when he
+perceived a pair of eyes glancing at him from the other side of the
+fire. Close to them another pair, then another and another, until having
+looked on every side, he saw himself surrounded by a complete circle of
+glancing eyes! It is true they were small ones, and some of the heads
+which he could see by the blaze, were small--they were not jaguars, but
+they had an ugly look--they looked like the heads of serpents! Was it
+possible that an hundred serpents could have surrounded the camp?
+
+Brought suddenly to his feet, Leon stood for some moments uncertain how
+to act. He fully believed they were snakes--anacondas, or water-snakes
+no doubt--that had just crept out of the river; and he felt that a
+movement on his part would bring on their united and simultaneous attack
+upon the sleeping party. Partly influenced by this fear, and again
+exhibiting that coolness and prudence which we have already noticed as a
+trait of his character, he remained for some moments silent and
+motionless.
+
+Having already risen to his feet, his eyes were now above the level of
+the blaze, and, as they got the sleep well scared out of them, he could
+see things more distinctly. He now saw that the snake-like heads were
+attached to large oval-shaped bodies, and that, besides the half
+hundred or so that had gathered around the fires, there were whole
+droves of the same upon the sandy beach beyond. The white surface was
+literally covered as far as he could see on all sides of him with black
+moving masses; and where the rays of the moon fell upon the beach, there
+was a broad belt that glistened and sparkled as though she shone upon
+pieces of glass kept constantly in motion!
+
+A singular sight it was; and to Leon, who had never heard of such
+before, a most fearful one. For the life of him he could not make out
+what it all meant, or by what sort of odd creatures they were
+surrounded. He had but an indistinct view of them, but he could see that
+their bodies were not larger than those of a small sheep, and from the
+way in which they glistened under the moon he was sure they were
+water-animals, and had come out of the river!
+
+He did not stay to speculate any longer upon them. He resolved to wake
+Guapo; but in doing so the whole party were aroused, and started to
+their feet in some alarm and confusion. The noise and movement had its
+effect on the nocturnal visitors; for before Leon could explain himself,
+those immediately around the fires and for some distance beyond rushed
+to the edge, and were heard plunging by hundreds into the water.
+
+Guapo's ear caught the sounds, and his eye now ranging along the sandy
+shore, took in at a glance the whole thing.
+
+"Carapas," he said laconically.
+
+"Carapas?" inquired Leon.
+
+"Oh!" said Don Pablo, who understood him. "Turtles is it?"
+
+"Yes, master," replied Guapo. "This is, I suppose, one of their great
+hatching-places. They are going to lay their eggs somewhere in the sand
+above. They do so every year."
+
+There was no danger from the turtles, as Guapo assured everybody, but
+the fright had chased away sleep, and they all lay awake for some time
+listening to Guapo's account of these singular creatures, which we shall
+translate into our own phraseology.
+
+These large turtles, which in other parts of South America are called
+"arraus," or simply "tortugas," assemble every year in large armies,
+from all parts of the river. Each one of these armies chooses for itself
+a place to breed--some sandy island, or great sand-bank. This they
+approach very cautiously--lying near it for some days, and reconnoitring
+it with only their heads above the water. They then crawl ashore at
+night in vast multitudes--just as the party saw them--and each turtle,
+with the strong crooked claws of her hind feet, digs a hole for herself
+in the sand. These holes are three feet in diameter and two deep. In
+this she deposits her eggs--from seventy to one hundred and twenty of
+them--each egg being white, hard-shelled, and between the size of a
+pigeon's and pullet's. She then covers the whole with sand, levelling it
+over the top so that it may look like the rest of the surface, and so
+that the precious treasure may not be found by vultures, jaguars, and
+other predatory creatures. When this is done the labour of the turtle is
+at an end.
+
+The great army again betakes itself to the water, and scatters in every
+direction. The sun acting upon the hot sand does the rest; and in less
+than six weeks the young turtles, about an inch in diameter, crawl out
+of the sand, and at once make for the water. They are afterwards seen in
+pools and lakes, where the water is shallow, far from the place where
+they have been hatched; and it is well known that the first years of
+their life are not spent in the bed of the great river. How they find
+these pools, or whether the mothers distinguish their own young and
+conduct them thither, as the crocodiles and alligators do, is a mystery.
+With these last the thing is more easy, as the crocodile mothers deposit
+their eggs in separate places, and each returns for her young when they
+are hatched, calls them by her voice, and guides them to the pool where
+they are to remain until partly grown.
+
+But among the thousands of little turtles hatched at one place and time,
+and that seek the water altogether, how would it be possible for the
+turtle mother to distinguish her own young? Yet an old female turtle is
+frequently seen swimming about with as many as a hundred little ones
+after her! Now are these her own, or are they a collection picked up out
+of the general progeny? That is an undetermined question. It would seem
+impossible that each turtle mother should know her own young, yet amidst
+this apparent confusion there may be some maternal instinct that guides
+her to distinguish her own offspring from all the rest. Who can say?
+
+It is not often, however, that the turtle is permitted to have offspring
+at all. These creatures are annually robbed of their eggs in millions.
+They have many enemies, but man is the chief. When a turtle hatching
+place is discovered, the Indians assemble, and as soon as all the eggs
+have been deposited, they uncover and collect them. They eat them--but
+that is not the principal use to which they are put. It is for the
+making of oil, or "tortoise-butter," they are collected.
+
+The eggs are thrown into a large trough or canoe, where they are broken
+up with a wooden spade and stirred about for awhile. They then remain
+exposed to the sun, until the oily part collects on the surface, which
+is then skimmed off and well boiled. The "tortoise-butter" is now made,
+and after being poured into earthen jars or bottles, it is ready for
+market. The oil is clear, of a pale yellow colour, and some regard it as
+equal to the best olive oil, both for lamps and for cooking. Sometimes,
+however, it has a putrid smell, because many of the eggs are already
+half hatched before the gathering takes place.
+
+What would be the result were these eggs not gathered by the Indians?
+Perhaps in the different rivers of South America more than an hundred
+millions of them are deposited every year! In the Orinoco alone, in
+three principal hatching places, it has been calculated that at least
+thirty three millions are annually destroyed for the making of
+tortoise-butter! Fancy, then, one hundred millions of animals, each of
+which grows to the weight of fifty or sixty pounds, being produced every
+year, and then the increase in production which these would make if left
+to themselves! Why the rivers would be crowded; and it would be true
+what old Father Gumilla once asserted, that "It would be as difficult to
+count the grains of sand on the shores of the Orinoco, as to count the
+immense number of tortoises that inhabit its margins and waters. Were it
+not for the vast consumption of tortoises and their eggs, the river,
+despite its great magnitude, would be unnavigable, for vessels would be
+impeded by the enormous multitude of the tortoises."
+
+But nature has provided against this "over-population" of the turtles
+by giving them a great many enemies. The jaguars, the ocelots, the
+crocodiles, the cranes, and the vultures, all prey upon them; and,
+perhaps, if man were to leave them alone, the result would be, not such
+a great increase in the number of the turtles, but that the creatures
+who prey upon them would come in for a larger share.
+
+The "carapa," or arrau turtle, is, when full grown, forty or fifty
+pounds in weight. It is of a dark green colour above and orange beneath,
+with yellow feet. There are many other species of fresh-water turtles in
+the rivers of South America, but these breed separately, each female
+choosing her own place, and making her deposit alone. Indeed, some of
+the smaller species, as the "terekay," are more esteemed both for their
+flesh and eggs; but as a large quantity of these eggs is never found
+together, they are not collected as an article of trade, but only to be
+roasted and eaten. The white does not coagulate in roasting or boiling,
+and only the yolk is eaten, but that is esteemed quite as palatable as
+the eggs of the common fowl.
+
+The flesh of all kinds is eaten by the Indians, who fry it in pots, and
+then pour it with its own oil into other vessels and permit it to cool.
+When thus prepared, it will keep for a long time, and can be taken out
+when required for use.
+
+Most of the above particulars were communicated by Guapo; and when he
+had finished talking, all the others went to sleep, leaving Guapo to his
+midnight vigil.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES.
+
+
+When they awoke in the morning they found Guapo busy over the fire. He
+had already been at the turtles' nests, and had collected a large
+basketful of the eggs, some of which he was cooking for breakfast. In
+addition to the eggs, moreover, half-a-dozen large turtles lay upon
+their backs close by. The flesh of these Guapo intended to scoop out and
+fry down, so as to be carried away as a sort of stock of preserved
+meat;--and a very excellent idea it was. He had caught them during his
+watch as they came out of the water.
+
+All the turtles had gone off, although this is not always the case; for
+frequently numbers that have not finished covering their eggs during the
+night may be seen hard at work in the morning, and so intent on it, that
+they do not heed the presence of their worst enemies. These the Indians
+denominate "mad tortoises."
+
+This morning, however, no "mad tortoises" were to be seen; but when our
+travellers cast their eyes along the beach they saw quite a number that
+appeared to be turned upon their backs just like those that Guapo had
+capsized. They were at some distance from the camp, but curiosity
+prompted our travellers to walk along the beach and examine them. Sure
+enough there were nearly a dozen large tortoises regularly laid on their
+backs, and unable to stir; but, besides these, there were several
+tortoise-shells out of which the flesh had been freshly scooped, and
+these were as neatly cleaned out as if the work had been done by an
+anatomist. All this would have been a mystery but for the experience of
+Guapo; but Guapo knew it was the jaguar that had turned the tortoises
+on their backs, and that had cleaned out and eaten the flesh from the
+empty shells!
+
+Now, it is no easy thing for a man, provided with the necessary
+implements, to separate the flesh of a tortoise from its shell, and yet
+the jaguar, with his paw, can in a few minutes perform this operation
+most adroitly, as our travellers had full proof. All that they saw had
+been done that same night; and it gave them no very pleasant feeling to
+know that the jaguar had been at work so near them.
+
+This animal, as Guapo said, in attacking the turtles, first turns them
+over, so as to prevent their escape--for the "carapas" are of those
+tortoises that once upon their backs on level ground cannot right
+themselves again. He then proceeds to tear out the flesh, and eats it at
+his leisure. Oftentimes he capsizes a far greater number than he can
+eat, and even returns to the spot to have a second meal of them; but
+frequently the Indians wandering along the river, find the tortoises he
+has turned over, and of course make an easy capture of them.
+
+Guapo, upon this occasion, took advantage of the jaguar's skill, and
+carried to the camp all that the latter had left. It was Guapo's design
+to make a large quantity of "turtle sausage-meat," so that they might
+have a supply for many days, as by this time even Guapo himself was
+getting tired of the horse-flesh "charqui."
+
+They were about returning to camp, when their attention was drawn to two
+dark objects upon the sand-beach a little farther on. These objects were
+in motion, and at first they believed they were a pair of "mad
+tortoises" that had not yet returned to the water, although they were
+close to its edge.
+
+Led on by curiosity our party approached them, and saw that one only was
+a tortoise, and one of the largest kind, being nearly three feet in
+diameter. The other animal was a small caïman or alligator.
+
+As our travellers drew near they saw that these two creatures were
+engaged in a fierce and deadly combat. Now, it is a curious fact that
+the larger alligators and crocodiles are among the most destructive
+enemies which the turtles have, eating thousands of the latter while
+they are still tiny little creatures and unable to defend themselves;
+and, on the other hand, that the turtles prey extensively on the young
+of both alligators and crocodiles, eating them whenever they can catch
+them! I say this is a curious fact in natural history, and it seems a
+sort of retaliatory principle established between these two kinds of
+reptiles, as if they ate one another's offspring _en revanche_.
+
+There is no feeling of revenge, however, in the matter. It is merely an
+instinct of appetite by which both kinds will eat almost any small fry
+they come across. In fact, the alligators and crocodiles not only eat
+the young of the turtles, but their own young as well. That is, the _old
+males_ do; and it has been stated, that the males of some species of
+tortoises have a similar unnatural appetite.
+
+The turtle of which we are speaking is one of the most carnivorous of
+the whole race, and one of the fiercest in its nature too; so much so,
+that it has earned the name of the "fierce tortoise." It will eat fish
+and small crustacea, and almost any living thing it finds in the water,
+which is not too large for it. It is extremely expert in catching its
+prey. It lies concealed at the bottom among the roots of flags and
+nymphæ; and when any small fish chances to pass it, by means of its long
+neck darts out its head and seizes upon its unsuspecting victim. Once
+the bill of the "fierce turtle" has closed upon any object its hold is
+secure. You may cut its head off, but otherwise it cannot be forced to
+let go, until it has either captured its prey or taken the piece with
+it. It will "nip" a stout walking-cane between its mandibles, as if it
+was no more than a rush.
+
+A very good story is told of a thief and a tortoise. The thief was
+prowling about the larder of an hotel in search of plunder, when he came
+upon a large market-basket filled with provisions. He immediately
+inserted his hand to secure the contents, when he felt himself suddenly
+seized by the fingers, and bitten so severely, that he was fain to draw
+back his hand in the most hasty manner possible. But along with the hand
+he drew out a "snapping" turtle. To get rid of the "ugly customer" was
+his next care; but, in spite of all his efforts, the turtle held on,
+determined to have the finger. The scuffle, and the shouts which pain
+compelled the thief to give utterance to, awoke the landlord and the
+rest of the household; and before the thief could disengage himself and
+escape, he was secured and given into custody.
+
+Well, it was just a tortoise of this species, a "snapping turtle," and
+one of the largest size, that our travellers now saw doing battle with
+the caïman. The caïman was not one of large size, else the turtle would
+have fled from it, not that even the largest caïmans are feared by the
+full-grown _carapas_. No; the strong plate-armour of the latter protects
+them both from the teeth and tail of this antagonist. The jaguar, with
+his pliable paws and sharp subtle claws, is to them a more dreaded
+assailant than the crocodile or caïman.
+
+The one in question was some six or seven feet long, and altogether not
+much heavier than the turtle itself. It was not for the purpose of
+eating each other they fought. No--their strife was evidently on other
+grounds. No doubt the caïman had been attempting to plunder the new-laid
+eggs of the tortoise, and the latter had detected him in the act. At all
+events, the struggle must have been going on for some time, for the sand
+was torn up, and scored, in many places, by the sharp claws of both.
+
+The battle appeared to be still at its height when our party arrived on
+the spot. Neither tortoise nor caïman paid any attention to their
+presence, but fought on pertinaciously. The aim of the caïman appeared
+to be to get the head of the tortoise in his mouth; but whenever he
+attempted this, the latter suddenly drew his head within the shell, and
+repeatedly disappointed him. The tortoise, on its part, rose at
+intervals upon its hind-feet, and making a dash forward, would dart
+forth its long neck, and clutch at the softer parts of its antagonist's
+body just under the throat. Several times it had succeeded in this
+manoeuvre, and each time it had brought the piece with it, so that the
+caïman was already somewhat mangled. Another manoeuvre of the tortoise
+was to seize the tail of its antagonist. Instinct seemed to teach it
+that this was a vulnerable part, and for the purpose of reaching the
+tail, it constantly kept crawling and edging round towards it.
+
+Now, there is no movement so difficult for a reptile of the crocodile
+kind as to turn its body on dry land. The peculiar formation of the
+vertebræ, both of its neck and spine, renders this movement difficult;
+and in "changing front," the reptile is forced to describe a full circle
+with its unwieldy body--in fact to turn "all of a piece." The tortoise,
+therefore, had the advantage, and, after several efforts, he at length
+succeeded in outflanking his antagonist, and getting right round to his
+rear. He lost no time, but, raising himself to his full height and
+making a dart forward, seized the tail and held on. He had caught by the
+very tip, and it was seen that his horny mandibles had taken a proper
+hold.
+
+Now commenced a somewhat ludicrous scene. The caïman, though but a small
+one, with the immense muscular power which he possessed in his tail, if
+not able to detach his antagonist, was able to give him a sound shaking,
+and the turtle was seen vibrating from side to side, dragged along the
+sand. He held his broad yellow feet spread out on all sides, so as to
+preserve his equilibrium, for he well knew that to lose that would be to
+lose his life. Should he get turned on his back it would be all over
+with him; but he carefully guarded against such a fatal catastrope. Of
+course there were intervals when the caïman became tired, and remained
+still for a moment; and at each of these intervals the tortoise renewed
+his hold, and, in fact, as our party now perceived, was slowly, though
+surely, _eating the tail_!
+
+When this had continued a short while, the great saurian seemed to
+despair. The pain, no doubt, caused him to weep "crocodile's tears,"
+though none were seen, but his eyes glared with a lurid light, and he
+began to look around for some means of escape from his painful position.
+His eye fell upon the water. That promised something, although he knew
+full well the turtle was as much at home there as he. At all events, his
+situation could not be a worse one, and with this, or some such
+reflection, he made a "dash" for the water. He was but a few feet from
+it, but it cost him a good deal of pulling and dragging, and clawing the
+sand, before he could get into it. In fact, the tortoise knew that its
+position could not be benefited by the change, and would have preferred
+fighting it out on dry land, and to do this he set _his_ claws as firmly
+as possible, and pulled the tail in the opposite direction!
+
+The strength of the caïman at length prevailed. He got his body into the
+water, and, with a few strokes of his webbed feet, jerked the turtle
+after, and both were now fairly launched. Once in the river, the caïman
+seemed to gain fresh vigour. His tail vibrated violently and rapidly,
+throwing the tortoise from side to side until the foam floated around
+them, and then both suddenly sank to the bottom.
+
+Whether they continued "attached," or became "separated" there, or
+whether the turtle killed the lizard, or the lizard the turtle, or "each
+did kill the other," no one ever knew, as it is highly probable that no
+human eye ever saw either of them again.
+
+At all events, no one of _our_ party saw any more of them; and, having
+watched the surface for some time, they turned in their steps and walked
+back to the camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES.
+
+
+They had got into a part of the river that seemed to be a favourite
+resort with turtles and crocodiles, and creatures of that description.
+At different times they saw turtles of different kinds; among others,
+the "painted turtle," a beautiful species that derives its name from the
+fine colouring of its shell, which appears as if it had been painted in
+enamel. Of crocodiles, too, they saw three or four distinct species, and
+not unfrequently, the largest of all, the great black crocodile (_Jacare
+nigra_). This was sometimes seen of the enormous length of over twenty
+feet! Terrible-looking as these crocodiles are, they are not masters of
+every creature upon the river. There are even birds that can sorely vex
+them, and compel them to take to the water to save themselves from a
+fearful calamity--blindness.
+
+One day, while descending the river, our travellers were witness to an
+illustration of this.
+
+They were passing a wide sand-bank that shelved back from the river,
+with a scarcely perceptible slope, when they saw, at a distance of about
+two hundred yards from the water's edge, a crocodile making for the
+river. He looked as though he had just awoke from his torpid sleep, for
+his body was caked all over with dry mud, and he seemed both hungry and
+thirsty. It was like enough he was coming from some inland pond, where
+the water had dried up, and he was now on his way to the river.
+
+All at once two dark shadows were seen passing over the white surface of
+the sand-bank. In the heaven two large birds were wheeling about,
+crossing each other in their courses, and holding their long necks
+downwards, as if the crocodile was the object of their regard.
+
+The latter, on seeing them, paused; and lowered his body into a squatted
+or crouching attitude, as if in the birds he recognised an enemy. And
+yet what could such a large creature fear from a pair of
+"king-vultures?" for king vultures they were, as was easily seen by
+their red-orange heads and cream-coloured plumage. What could a
+crocodile, full ten feet long, fear from these, even had they been
+eagles, or the great condor himself? No matter; he was evidently
+frightened at them; and each time that they drew near in their flight,
+he stopped and flattened his body against the sand, as if that might
+conceal him. As soon as they flew off again to a more distant point of
+their aërial circle, he would once more elevate himself on his arms, and
+make all haste toward the water.
+
+He had got within about an hundred yards of the river, when the birds
+made a sudden turn in the sky, and swooping down, alighted upon the sand
+directly before the snout of the crocodile. The latter stopped again,
+and kept his eyes fixed upon them. They did not leave him long to rest;
+for one of them, making a few hops towards him, came so close, that it
+might have been supposed the crocodile could have seized it in his jaws.
+This, in fact, he attempted to do; but the wary bird threw up its broad
+wings, and flapped to one side out of his reach.
+
+Meanwhile, the other had hopped close up to his opposite shoulder; and
+while the crocodile was engaged with the first one, this made a dash
+forward, aiming its great open beak at the eye of the reptile. The
+crocodile parried the thrust by a sudden turn of his head; but he had
+scarcely got round, when the second vulture, watching its opportunity,
+rushed forward at the other eye. It must have succeeded in pecking it,
+for the great lizard roared out with the pain; and rushing forward a
+bit, writhed and lashed the sand with his tail.
+
+The vultures paid no attention to these demonstrations, but only kept
+out of the way of the teeth and claws of their antagonist; and then,
+when he became still again, both returned to the attack as before. One
+after the other was seen dashing repeatedly forward--using both legs and
+wings to effect their object, and each time darting out their great
+beaks towards the eyes of the reptile. The head of the latter kept
+continuously moving from side to side; but move where it would, the
+beaks of the vultures were ready to meet it, and to pierce into the
+sockets of those deep lurid eyes.
+
+This terrible contest lasted all the time the balza was floating by. It
+was a slow current at this place, and our travellers were a long time in
+passing, so that they had a good opportunity of witnessing the strange
+spectacle. Long after they had glided past, they saw that the conflict
+continued. They could still perceive the black body of the reptile upon
+the white sand-bank, writhing and struggling, while the flapping wings
+of the vultures showed that they still kept up their terrible attack.
+But the head of the crocodile was no longer directed towards the water.
+
+At the first onset the reptile had used every effort to retreat in that
+direction. He knew that his only safety lay in getting into the river,
+and sinking beyond the reach of his adversaries. At every interval
+between their assaults, he had been seen to crawl forward, stopping only
+when compelled to defend himself. Now, however, his head was seen turned
+from the water; sometimes he lay parallel with the stream; and sometimes
+he appeared to be heading back for the woods, while his struggles and
+contortions betrayed the agony he was undergoing. But his turning in
+this way was easily accounted for. He knew not in what direction lay the
+river. He could no longer see. His eyes were mutilated by the beaks of
+the birds. _He was blind!_
+
+Guapo said the vultures would not leave him until they had made a meal
+of his eyes, and that was all they wanted. He would then remain on
+shore, perhaps without finding his way back to the water, and most
+likely be attacked by jaguars, or other preying creatures, who could
+conquer him the easier now that he was deprived of his sight!
+
+As the balza glided on, Guapo told our travellers many strange stories
+of crocodiles. He stated, what is well known to be true, that in the
+rivers of South America many people are every year killed by these
+ravenous creatures; in fact, far more than have ever fallen victims to
+the salt-sea sharks. In some places they are much fiercer than in
+others; but this may arise from different species being the inhabitants
+of these different places. There is the true crocodile, with long sharp
+snout, and large external tusks; and the caïman, with a snout broader
+and more pike-shaped; and the former is a much more courageous and
+man-eating creature. Both are often found in the same river; but they do
+not associate together, but keep in distinct bands or societies; and
+they are often mistaken for each other.
+
+This may account for the difference of opinion that exists in regard to
+the fierceness of these reptiles--many asserting that they are utterly
+harmless, and will not attack man under any circumstances; while others,
+who have witnessed their attacks, of course bearing testimony to the
+contrary. There are many places in South America, where the natives
+will fearlessly enter a lake or river known to be full of crocodiles,
+and drive these creatures aside with a piece of a stick; but there are
+other districts where nothing will tempt an Indian to swim across a
+river infested with these reptiles. In the Amazon districts, in every
+Indian village, several people may be seen who have been maimed by
+crocodiles. No wonder that among author-travellers there should be such
+a difference of opinion.
+
+Guapo stated, that when an Indian has been seized by a crocodile in its
+great jaws, he has only one chance of escape, and that is, by thrusting
+his fingers into the eyes of the reptile. This will invariably cause it
+to let go its hold, and generally frighten it, so as to enable the
+person to escape. It, of course, requires great presence of mind to
+effect this, as the person who has been seized will himself be in great
+pain from the tearing teeth of the monster, and, perhaps, will have been
+drawn under the water, before he can gather his senses. But it has often
+occurred that Indians, and even women, have escaped in this way.
+
+The eyes of the crocodile are its most tender parts,--in fact, the only
+parts that can be made to feel pain. A crocodile may be disabled by
+cutting at the root of its tail, but it can only be frightened by an
+attack upon the eyes; and this appears to be a well-known fact, not only
+to the Indians, but to all its other enemies among the birds and
+quadrupeds.
+
+The young crocodiles are often attacked, and have their eyes pecked out,
+by the small gallinazo or "zamuro" vultures just in the same way that we
+have seen one of a larger size become the victim of the more powerful
+king vultures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+THE "GAPO."
+
+
+After many days of rafting our travellers arrived in a most singular
+country. They were now approaching the mighty Amazon, and the river upon
+which they had hitherto been travelling appeared to divide into many
+branches, where it formed _deltas_ with the Amazon. Every day, and
+sometimes two or three times in the day, they passed places where the
+river forked, as though each branch passed round an island, but our
+travellers perceived that these branches did not meet again; and they
+conjectured that they all fell into the Amazon by separate embouchures.
+They were often puzzled to know which one to take, as the main river was
+not always broadest, and they might get into one that was not navigable
+below. A curious region it was through which they passed; for, in fact,
+they were now travelling in the country of the "Gapo."
+
+What is the "Gapo?" you will ask. The "Gapo," then, is the name given to
+vast tracts of country upon the Amazon and some of its tributary
+streams, that are annually inundated, and remain under water for several
+months in the year. It extends for hundreds of miles along the Amazon
+itself, and up many of the rivers, its tributaries also, for hundreds of
+miles.
+
+But the whole country does not become one clear sheet of water, as is
+the case with floods in other parts of the world. On the contrary, high
+as is the flood, the tree-tops and their branches rise still higher,
+and we have in the "Gapo" the extraordinary spectacle of a flooded
+forest, thousands of square miles in extent!
+
+In this forest the trees do not perish, but retain life and verdure. In
+fact, the trees of this part are peculiar, most of them differing in
+kind from the trees of any other region. There are species of palms
+growing in the "Gapo" that are found nowhere else; and there are animals
+and birds, too, that remain in this region during the whole season of
+flood. It has been further asserted that there are tribes of "Gapo"
+Indians, who live in the middle of the inundation, making their
+dwellings upon the trees, and who can pass from branch to branch and
+tree to tree almost as nimbly as monkeys.
+
+This may or may not be true. It would not be a new thing, if true, for
+it is well known that the Guarano Indians, at the mouth of the Orinoco,
+dwell among the tops of the murichi palms during many months of the
+season of flood. These people build platforms on the palms, and upon
+these erect roofs, and sling their hammocks, and, with little fireplaces
+of mud, are enabled to cook their provisions upon them. But they have
+canoes, in which they are able to go from place to place, and capture
+fish, upon which they principally subsist. The murichi palm furnishes
+them with all the other necessaries of life.
+
+This singular tree is one of the noblest of the palms. It rises to a
+height of more than one hundred feet, and grows in immense _palmares_,
+or palm-woods, often covering the bank of the river for miles. It is one
+of those called "fan-palm"--that is, the leaves, instead of being
+pinnate or feathery, have long naked stalks, at the end of which the
+leaflets spread out circularly, forming a shape like a fan. One of the
+murichi leaves is a grand sight. The leaf-stalk, or petiole, is a foot
+thick where it sprouts from the trunk; and before it reaches the
+leaflets it is a solid beam of ten or twelve feet long, while the
+circular fan or leaf itself is nine or ten in diameter! A single leaf of
+the murichi palm is a full load for a man.
+
+With a score of such leaves,--shining and ever verdant as they are,--at
+the top of its column-like trunk, what a majestic tree is the murichi
+palm!
+
+But it is not more beautiful than useful. Its leaves, fruit, and stem,
+are all put to some use in the domestic economy of the Indians. The
+leaf-stalk, when dried, is light and elastic, like the quill of a
+bird--owing to the thin, hard, outer covering and soft internal pith.
+Out of the outer rind, when split off, the Indian makes baskets and
+window-blinds. The pithy part is separated into laths, about half an
+inch thick, with which window-shutters, boxes, bird-cages, partitions,
+and even entire walls, are constructed.
+
+The epidermis of the leaves furnishes the strings for hammocks and all
+kinds of cordage. From the fruits a favourite beverage is produced, and
+these fruits are also pleasant eating, somewhat resembling apples. They
+are in appearance like pine-cones, of a red colour outside and yellow
+pulp. The trunk itself furnishes a pith or marrow that can be used as
+sago; and out of the wood the Indian cuts his buoyant canoe! In short,
+there are tribes of Indians that not only live, in a literal sense, _on_
+the murichi palms, but that almost subsist on them.
+
+Although the flood had, to a considerable extent, subsided, the river in
+most places was still beyond its banks; and this made it difficult for
+our travellers to find a place for their night-camps. Several nights
+they were obliged to sleep, as they best could, on the balza,--the
+latter being secured to a tree. Sometimes, by pushing some distance up
+the mouth of an "igaripé," or creek, they were able to find dry ground,
+on which to encamp. During their passage through this labyrinth of
+rivers, they travelled but very slowly, and their provisions were fast
+running out. There was no chance for increasing their stock, as they
+could not find either wild-hogs (peccaries) or capivaras. These
+creatures, although they can swim well enough, would only be found upon
+the banks of the river, when it returned within its proper channel.
+
+Now and then Guapo brought down a parrot, a macaw, or an aracari, with
+his blow-gun; but these were only temporary supplies. They had often
+heard howling monkeys in the trees, but had not been able to see them;
+and none of the party would have refused to eat roast-monkey now, as
+they had all tried it and found it quite palatable. Guapo, blow-gun in
+hand, was continually peering up among the tree-tops in search of
+monkeys or other game. He was, at length, rewarded for his vigilance.
+
+One night they had pushed the balza up an "igaripé" for a hundred yards
+or so, where a dry bank gave them an opportunity of landing. The creek
+itself was not much wider than the balza, and tall trees stood upon both
+banks. In one or two places the thorny "jacitara" palm--which is a sort
+of climbing plant, often hanging over the branches of other
+trees--nearly reached across the stream. These curious palms had even to
+be cautiously pushed to one side as the balza passed,--for the arrowy
+claws upon them, if once hooked into the clothes of passengers, would
+either have dragged the latter from off the raft, or have torn out the
+piece of cloth.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVII.
+
+THE ARAGUATOES.
+
+
+Our party had passed several of these jacitaras, made the balza fast,
+landed, and were just cooking their scanty supper, when they heard a
+band of howling monkeys afar off in the woods. There was nothing unusual
+in this; for these creatures are heard at all times among the forests of
+the Amazon, especially at sunrise and before sunset, or whenever there
+is any appearance of the approach of a rain-storm.
+
+Our travellers would not have noticed their voices on this occasion, but
+that they seemed to be approaching in that direction; and as they were
+coming along the bank of the main river, Guapo concluded that on
+arriving at the "igaripé" they would turn up it and pass near where the
+balza was, and thus he might have them within reach of his gravatána. It
+was certain they were coming down the river side--of course upon the
+tree-tops, and would, no doubt, turn up as Guapo expected, for the trees
+on the opposite side of the igaripé stood too far apart even for monkeys
+to spring across.
+
+After waiting for half-an-hour or so, the hideous howling of the monkeys
+could be heard at no great distance, and they were taking the desired
+route. In fact, in a few minutes after, the troop appeared upon some
+tall trees that stood on the edge of the creek, not fifty yards from
+where the balza was moored. They were large animals, of that lanky and
+slender shape that characterises the prehensile-tailed monkeys; but
+these were different from the _ateles_ already mentioned. They were
+true howlers, as they had already proved by the cries they had been
+uttering for the half-hour past.
+
+There are several species of howling monkeys, as we have already stated.
+Those that had arrived on the igaripé Guapo pronounced to be
+_araguatoes_. Their bodies are of a reddish-brown colour on the body and
+shoulders, lighter underneath, and their naked wrinkled faces are of a
+bluish black, and with very much of the expression of an old man. Their
+hair is full and bushy, and gives them some resemblance to a bear,
+whence their occasional name of "bear-ape," and also their zoological
+designation, _Simia ursina_. The araguato is full three feet without the
+tail, and that powerful member is much longer.
+
+When the band made its appearance on the igaripé, they were seen to come
+to a halt, all of them gathering into a great tree that stood by the
+water's edge. This tree rose higher than the rest, and the most of the
+monkeys having climbed among the top branches, were visible from the
+balza. There were about fifty in the troop, and one that seemed larger
+than any of the others appeared to act as leader. Many of them were
+females, and there were not a few that had young ones, which they
+carried upon their backs just as the Indian mothers and those of other
+savage nations carry their children.
+
+Most of the little monkeys lay along the backs of their mothers,
+clasping them around the neck with their fore-arms, while their hind
+ones girdled the middle of the body. But it was in their tails the
+little fellows seemed to place most reliance. The top parts of these
+were firmly lapped around the thick base of the tails of the old ones,
+and thus not only secured their seat, but made it quite impossible for
+them to drop off. No force could have shaken them from this hold,
+without dragging out their tails or tearing their bodies to pieces,
+indeed, it was necessary they should be thus firmly seated, as the
+exertions of the mothers,--their quick motions and long springing leaps
+from tree to tree--would otherwise have been impossible.
+
+On reaching the bank of the igaripé, the araguatoes were evidently at
+fault. Their intention had been to proceed down along the main river,
+and the creek now interfered. Its water lay directly across their
+course, and how were they to get over it? Swim it, you may, say. Ha!
+little do you know the dread these creatures have of water. Yes; strange
+to say, although many species of them pass their lives upon trees that
+overhang water, or even grow out of it, they are as much afraid of the
+water beneath them as if it were fire. A cat is not half so dainty about
+wetting her feet as some monkeys are; and besides a cat can swim, which
+the monkeys cannot--at best so badly that in a few minutes they would
+drown.
+
+Strange, is it not, that among animals, those that approach nearest to
+man, like him are not gifted by nature with the power of swimming? It is
+evident, then, that that is an art left to be discovered by the
+intellect of man. To fall into the water would be a sad mishap for a
+monkey, not only on account of the ducking, but of the danger. There is
+not much likelihood of an araguato falling in. Even though one branch
+may have broken and failed it, in the great concave sphere which it can
+so quickly trace around it by means of its five long members, it is sure
+of finding a second. No; the araguatoes might spend a life-time in the
+flooded forest without even wetting a hair farther than what is wetted
+by the rain.
+
+From their movements, it was evident the igaripé had puzzled them; and a
+consultation was called among the branches of the tall tree already
+mentioned. Upon one of the very highest sat the large old fellow who was
+evidently leader of the band. His harangue was loud and long,
+accompanied by many gestures of his hands, head, and tail. It was, no
+doubt, exceedingly eloquent. Similar speeches delivered by other old
+araguato chiefs, have been compared to the creaking of an ungreased
+bullock-cart, mingled with the rumbling of the wheels!
+
+Our party thought the comparison a just one. The old chief finished at
+length. Up to this point not one of the others had said a word. They all
+sat silent, observing perfect decorum; indeed, much greater than is
+observed in the great British Parliament or the Congress of America.
+Occasionally one of the children might utter a slight squeak, or throw
+out its hand to catch a mosquito; but in such cases a slap from the paw
+of the mother, or a rough shaking, soon reduced it to quiet.
+
+When the chief had ended speaking, however, no debate in either Congress
+or Parliament could have equalled the noise that then arose. Every
+araguato seemed to have something to say, and all spoke at the same
+time. If the speech of the old one was like the creaking of a
+bullock-cart, the voices of all combined might appropriately be compared
+to a whole string of these vehicles, with half the quantity of grease
+and a double allowance of wheels!
+
+Once more the chief, by a sign, commanded silence, and the rest became
+mute and motionless as before.
+
+This time the speech of the leader appeared to refer to the business in
+hand--in short, to the crossing of the igaripé. He was seen repeatedly
+pointing in that direction, as he spoke, and the rest followed his
+motions with their eyes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVIII.
+
+BRIDGING AN IGARIPÉ.
+
+
+The tree upon which the araguatoes were assembled stood near the edge of
+the water, but there was another still nearer. This was also a tall tree
+free of branches for a great way up. On the opposite bank of the igaripé
+was a very similar tree, and the long horizontal branches of the two
+were separated from each other by a space of about twenty feet. It was
+with these two trees that the attention of the araguatoes appeared to be
+occupied; and our travellers could tell by their looks and gestures that
+they were conversing about, and calculating, the distance between their
+upper branches. For what purpose?
+
+Surely they do not expect to be able to make a crossing between them? No
+creature without wings could pass from one to the other! Such were the
+questions and doubts expressed by Leon, and indeed by all except Guapo,
+but Guapo had seen araguatoes before, and knew some of their tricks.
+Guapo, therefore, boldly pronounced that it was their intention to cross
+the igaripé by these two trees. He was about to explain the manner in
+which they would accomplish it, when the movement commenced, and
+rendered his explanation quite unnecessary.
+
+At a commanding cry from the chief, several of the largest and strongest
+monkeys swung themselves into the tree that stood on the edge of the
+water. Here, after a moment's reconnoissance, they were seen to get upon
+a horizontal limb--one that projected diagonally over the igaripé. There
+were no limbs immediately underneath it on the same side of the tree;
+and for this very reason had they selected it. Having advanced until
+they were near its top, the foremost of the monkeys let himself down
+upon his tail, and hung head downward. Another slipped down the body of
+the first, and clutched him around the neck and fore-arms with his
+strong tail, with his head down also. A third succeeded the second, and
+a fourth the third, and so on until a string of monkeys dangled from the
+limb.
+
+A motion was now produced by the monkeys striking other branches with
+their feet, until the long string oscillated back and forwards like the
+pendulum of a clock. This oscillation was gradually increased, until the
+monkey at the lower end was swung up among the branches of the tree on
+the opposite side of the igaripé. After touching them once or twice, he
+discovered that he was within reach; and the next time when he had
+reached the highest point of the oscillating curve, he threw out his
+long thin fore-arms, and firmly clutching the branches, held fast.
+
+The oscillation now ceased. The living chain stretched across the
+igaripé from tree to tree, and, curving slightly, hung like a
+suspension-bridge! A loud screaming, and gabbling, and chattering, and
+howling, proceeded from the band of araguatoes, who, up to this time,
+had watched the manoeuvres of their comrades in silence--all except the
+old chief, who occasionally had given directions both with voice and
+gestures. But the general gabble that succeeded was, no doubt, an
+expression of the satisfaction of all that the _bridge was built_.
+
+The troop now proceeded to cross over, one or two old ones going first,
+perhaps to try the strength of the bridge. Then went the mothers
+carrying their young on their backs, and after them the rest of the
+band.
+
+It was quite an amusing scene to witness, and the behaviour of the
+monkeys would have caused any one to laugh. Even Guapo could not
+restrain his mirth at seeing those who formed the bridge biting the
+others that passed over them, both on the legs and tails, until the
+latter screamed again!
+
+The old chief stood at the near end and directed the crossing. Like a
+brave officer, he was the last to pass over. When all the others had
+preceded him, he crossed after, carrying himself in a stately and
+dignified manner. None dared to bite at _his_ legs. They knew better
+than play off their tricks on _him_, and he crossed quietly and without
+any molestation.
+
+Now the string still remained suspended between the trees. How were the
+monkeys that formed it to get themselves free again? Of course the one
+that had clutched the branch with his arms might easily let go, but that
+would bring them back to the same side from which they had started, and
+would separate them from the rest of the band. Those constituting the
+bridge would, therefore, be as far from crossing as ever!
+
+There seemed to be a difficulty here--that is, to some of our
+travellers. To the monkeys themselves there was none. They knew well
+enough what they were about, and they would have got over the apparent
+difficulty in the following manner:--The one at the tail end of the
+bridge would simply have let go his hold, and the whole string would
+then have swung over and hung from the tree on the opposite bank, into
+which they could have climbed at their leisure. I say they _would_ have
+done so had nothing interfered to prevent them from completing the
+manoeuvre. But an obstacle intervened which brought the affair to a very
+different termination.
+
+Guapo had been seated along with the rest, gravatána in hand. He showed
+great forbearance in not having used the gravatána long before, for he
+was all the while quite within reach of the araguatoes; but this
+forbearance on his part was not of his own freewill. Don Pablo had, in
+fact, hindered him, in order that he and the others, should have an
+opportunity of witnessing the singular manoeuvres of the monkeys. Before
+the scene was quite over, however, the Indian begged Don Pablo to let
+him shoot, reminding him how much they stood in need of a little
+"monkey-meat." This had the effect Guapo desired; the consent was given,
+and the gravatána was pointed diagonally upwards. Once more Guapo's
+cheeks were distended--once more came the strong, quick puff--and away
+went the arrow. The next moment it was seen sticking in the neck of one
+of the monkeys.
+
+Now, the one which Guapo had aimed at and hit was that which had grasped
+the tree on the opposite side with its arms. Why did he chose this more
+than any other? Was it because it was nearer, or more exposed to view?
+Neither of these was the reason. It was, that had he shot any of the
+others in the string--they being supported by their tails--it would not
+have fallen; the tail, as we have already seen, still retaining its
+prehensile power even to death. But that one which held on to the tree
+by its fore-arms would in a second or two be compelled from weakness to
+let go, and the whole chain would drop back on the near side of the
+igaripé. This was just what Guapo desired, and he waited for the result.
+It was necessary only to wait half-a-dozen seconds. The monkey was
+evidently growing weak under the influence of the _curare_, and was
+struggling to retain its hold. In a moment it must let go.
+
+The araguato at the "tail-end" of the bridge, not knowing what had
+happened, and thinking all was right for swinging himself across,
+slipped his tail from the branch just at the very same instant that the
+wounded one let go, and the whole chain fell "souse" into the water!
+Then the screaming and howling from those on shore, the plunging and
+splashing of the monkeys in the stream, mingled with the shouts of Leon,
+Guapo, and the others, created a scene of noise and confusion that
+lasted for several minutes. In the midst of it, Guapo threw himself into
+the canoe, and with a single stroke of his paddle shot right down among
+the drowning monkeys. One or two escaped to the bank, and made off;
+several went to the bottom;, but three, including the wounded one, fell
+into the clutches of the hunter.
+
+Of course roast-monkey was added to the supper; but none of the
+travellers slept very well after it, as the araguatoes, lamenting their
+lost companions, kept up a most dismal wailing throughout the whole of
+the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIX.
+
+THE MANATI.
+
+
+The araguatoes, with dried plantains and cassava, were the food of our
+travellers for several days after. On the evening of the third day they
+had a change. Guapo succeeded in capturing a very large turtle, which
+served for relish at several meals. His mode of taking the turtle was
+somewhat curious, and deserves to be described.
+
+The balza had been brought to the bank, and they were just mooring it,
+when something out on the water attracted the attention of Leon and
+Leona. It was a small, darkish object, and would not have been observed
+but for the ripple that it made on the smooth surface of the river, and
+by this they could tell that it was in motion.
+
+"A water-snake!" said Leon.
+
+"Oh!" ejaculated the little Leona, "I hope not, brother Leon."
+
+"On second thoughts," replied Leon, "I don't think it is a snake."
+
+Of course the object was a good distance off, else Leon and Leona would
+not have talked so coolly about it. But their words had reached the ear
+of Doña Isidora, and drawn her attention to what they were talking
+about.
+
+"No; it is not a snake," said she. "I fancy it is a turtle."
+
+Guapo up to this had been busy with Don Pablo in getting the balza made
+fast. The word "turtle," however, caught his ear at once, and he looked
+up, and then out on the river in the direction where Leon and Leona were
+pointing. As soon as his eye rested upon the moving object he replied to
+the remark of Doña Isidora.
+
+"Yes, my mistress," said he, "it is a turtle, and a big one too. Please
+all keep quiet--I think I can get him."
+
+How Guapo was to get the turtle was a mystery to all. The latter was
+about thirty paces distant, but it would be difficult, if not
+impossible, to hit his small snout--the only part above water--with the
+arrow of the blow-gun. Moreover, they thought that the arrow would not
+penetrate the hard, bony substance, so as to stick there and infuse its
+poison into the wound.
+
+These conjectures were true enough, but his gravatána was not the weapon
+which Guapo was about to use. He had other weapons as well--a fish-spear
+or harpoon, and a regular bow and arrows, which he had made during his
+leisure hours in the valley.
+
+The latter was the weapon with which the tortoise was to be killed.
+
+Taking the bow, and adjusting an arrow to the string, Guapo stepped
+forward to the water's edge. All watched him, uttering their hopes of
+his success. It was still not clear with them how the turtle was to be
+killed by an arrow shot from a bow any more than by one sent from a
+blow-gun. Would it not glance from the shell even should he succeed in
+hitting it under water! Surely it would!
+
+As they stood whispering their conjectures to one another, they observed
+Guapo, to their great astonishment, _pointing his arrow upward_, and
+making as if he was going to discharge it in the air! This he, in fact,
+_did_ do a moment after; and they would have been puzzled by his
+apparently strange conduct, had they not observed, in the next instant,
+that the arrow, after flying high up, came down again head-foremost and
+stuck upright in the back of the turtle!
+
+The turtle dived at once, and all of them expected to see the upright
+arrow carried under water. What was their surprise as well as chagrin to
+see that it had fallen out, and was floating on the surface! Of course
+the wound had only been a slight one, and the turtle would escape, and
+be none the worse for it.
+
+But Guapo shared neither their surprise nor chagrin. Guapo felt sure
+that the turtle was his, and said nothing; but, jumping into the canoe,
+began to paddle himself out to where the creature had been last seen.
+What could he be after? thought they.
+
+As they watched him, they saw that he made for the floating arrow. "Oh!"
+said they, "he is gone to recover it."
+
+That seemed probable enough, but, to their astonishment, as he
+approached the weapon it took a start, and ran away from him! Something
+below dragged it along the water. That was clear, and they began to
+comprehend the mystery. The _head_ of the arrow was still sticking in
+the shell of the turtle. It was only the shaft that floated, and that
+was attached to the head by a string! The latter had been but loosely
+put on, so that the pressure of the water, as the turtle dived, should
+separate it from the shaft, leaving the shaft with its cord to act as a
+buoy, and discover the situation of the turtle.
+
+Guapo, in his swift canoe, soon laid hold of the shaft, and after a
+little careful manoeuvring, succeeded in landing his turtle high and dry
+upon the bank. A splendid prize it proved. It was a "jurara"
+tortoise--the "tataruga," or great turtle of the Portuguese, and its
+shell was full three feet in diameter.
+
+Guapo's mode of capturing the "jurara" is the same as that generally
+practised by the Indians of the Amazon, although strong nets and the
+hook are also used. The arrow is always discharged upwards, and the
+range calculated with such skill, that it falls vertically on the shell
+of the turtle, and penetrates deep enough to stick, and detach itself
+from the shaft. This mode of shooting is necessary, else the jurara
+could not be killed by an arrow, because it never shows more than the
+tip of its snout above water, and any arrow hitting it in a direct
+course would glance harmlessly from its shell. A good bowman among the
+Indians will rarely miss shooting in this way,--long practice and native
+skill enabling him to guess within an inch of where his weapon will
+fall.
+
+In the towns of the Lower Amazon, where turtles are brought to market, a
+small square hole may be observed in the shells of these creatures. That
+is the mark of the arrow-head.
+
+Guapo lost no time in turning his turtle inside out, and converting part
+of it into a savoury supper, while the remainder was fried into
+sausage-meat, and put away for the following day.
+
+But on that following day a much larger stock of sausage-meat was
+procured from a very different animal, and that was a "cow."
+
+"How?" you exclaim,--"a cow in the wild forests of the Amazon! Why, you
+have said that no cattle--either cows or horses--can exist there without
+man to protect them, else they would be devoured by pumas, jaguars, and
+bats. Perhaps they had arrived at some settlement where cows were kept?"
+
+Not a bit of it; your conjecture, my young friend, is quite astray.
+There was not a civilised settlement for many hundreds of miles from
+where Guapo got his cow--nor a cow neither, of the sort you are thinking
+of. But there are more kinds of cows than one; and, perhaps, you may
+have heard of a creature called the "fish-cow?" Well, that is the sort
+of cow I am speaking of. Some term it the "sea-cow," but this is an
+improper name for it, since it also inhabits fresh-water rivers
+throughout all tropical America. It is known as the _Manati_, and the
+Portuguese call it "_peixe boi_," which is only "fish-cow" done into
+Portuguese.
+
+It is a curious creature the fish-cow, and I shall offer you a short
+description of it. It is usually about seven feet in length, and five
+round the thickest part of the body, which latter is quite smooth, and
+tapers off into a horizontal flat tail, semicircular in shape. There are
+no hind-limbs upon the animal, but just behind the head are two powerful
+fins of an oval shape. There is no neck to be perceived; and the head,
+which is not very large, terminates in a large mouth and fleshy lips,
+which are not unlike those of a cow: hence its name of "cow-fish." There
+are stiff bristles on the upper lip, and a few thinly scattered hairs
+over the rest of the body. Behind the oval fins are two _mammæ_, or
+breasts, from which, when pressed, flows a stream of beautiful white
+milk. Both eyes and ears are very small in proportion to the size of the
+animal, but, nevertheless, it has full use of these organs, and is not
+easily approached by its enemy.
+
+The colour of the skin is a dusky lead, with some flesh-coloured marks
+on the belly, and the skin itself is an inch thick at its thickest part,
+on the back. Beneath the skin is a layer of fat, of great, thickness,
+which makes excellent oil when boiled. As we have said, the manati has
+no appearance of hind-limbs. Its fore-limbs, however, are highly
+developed for a water animal. The bones in them correspond to those in
+the human arm, having five fingers with the joints distinct, yet so
+enclosed in an inflexible sheath that not a joint can be moved.
+
+The cow-fish feeds on grass, coming in to the borders of the lakes and
+rivers to procure it. It can swim very rapidly by means of its flat tail
+and strong fins, and is not so easily captured as might be supposed. All
+the art of the hunter is required to effect its destruction. The harpoon
+is the weapon usually employed, though sometimes they are caught in
+strong nets stretched across the mouths of rivers or the narrow arms of
+lakes. The flesh of the manati is much esteemed, and tastes somewhat
+between beef and pork, altogether different from "fish." Fried in its
+own oil, and poured into pots or jars, it can be preserved for many
+months.
+
+As already stated, on the day after Guapo shot the turtle--in fact, the
+next morning--just as they were going to shove off, some of the party,
+in gazing from the edge of the balza, noticed a queer-looking animal in
+the clear water below. It was no other than a "fish-cow;" and, as they
+continued to examine it more attentively, they were astonished to
+observe that, with its short paddle-like limbs, it hugged two miniature
+models of itself close to its two breasts. These were the "calves" in
+the act of suckling, for such is the mode in which the manati nourishes
+her young.
+
+All the others would have watched this spectacle for a while, interested
+in the maternal and filial traits thus exhibited by a subaqueous
+creature, but while they stood looking into the water, something
+glanced before their eyes, and glided with a plunge to the bottom. It
+was the harpoon of Guapo.
+
+Blood rose to the surface immediately, and there was a considerable
+splashing as the strong manati made its attempt to escape; but the head
+of the harpoon was deeply buried in its flesh, and, with the attached
+cord, Guapo soon hauled the animal ashore. It was as much as he and Don
+Pablo could do to drag it on dry land; but the knife soon took it to
+pieces; and then several hours were spent in making it fit for
+preservation. Its fat and flesh yielded enough to fill every spare
+vessel our travellers had got; and, when all were filled, the balza was
+pushed off, and they continued their voyage without any fear of short
+rations for some time to come.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER L.
+
+THE CLOSING CHAPTER.
+
+
+After many days of difficult navigation the balza floated upon the broad
+and mighty Amazon, whose yellowish-olive flood flowed yet fifteen
+hundred miles farther to the Atlantic Ocean.
+
+The current was in most places over four miles an hour, and the
+navigation smooth and easy--so that our travellers rarely made less than
+fifty miles a-day. There was considerable monotony in the landscape, on
+account of the absence of mountains, as the Amazon, through most of its
+course, runs through a level plain. The numerous bends and sudden
+windings of the stream, however, continually opening out into new and
+charming vistas, and the ever-changing variety of vegetation, formed
+sources of delight to the travellers.
+
+Almost every day they passed the mouth of some tributary river--many of
+these appearing as large as the Amazon itself. Our travellers were
+struck with a peculiarity in relation to these rivers--that is, their
+variety of colour. Some were whitish, with a tinge of olive, like the
+Amazon itself; others were blue and transparent; while a third kind had
+waters as black as ink. Of the latter class is the great river of the
+Rio Negro--which by means of a tributary (the Cassiquiare) joins the
+Amazon with the Orinoco.
+
+Indeed, the rivers of the Amazon valley have been classed into _white_,
+_blue_, and _black_. _Red_ rivers, such as are common in the northern
+division of the American continent, do not exist in the valley of the
+Amazon.
+
+There appears to be no other explanation for this difference in the
+colour of rivers, except by supposing that they take their hue from the
+nature of the soil through which these channels run.
+
+But the _white_ rivers, as the Amazon itself, do not appear to be of
+this hue merely because they are "muddy." On the contrary, they derive
+their colour, or most of it, from some impalpable substance held in a
+state of irreducible solution. This is proved from the fact, that even
+when these waters enter a reservoir, and the earthy matter is allowed to
+settle, they still retain the same tinge of yellowish olive. There are
+some white rivers, as the Rio Branco, whose waters are almost as white
+as milk itself!
+
+The _blue_ rivers of the Amazon valley are those with clear transparent
+waters, and the courses of these lie through rocky countries where there
+is little or no alluvium to render them turbid.
+
+The _black_ streams are the most remarkable of all. These, when deep,
+look like rivers of ink; and when the bottom can be seen, which is
+usually a sandy one, the sand has the appearance of gold. Even when
+lifted in a vessel, the water retains its inky tinge, and resembles that
+which may be found in the pools of peat-bogs. It is a general
+supposition in South America that the black-water rivers get their
+colour from the extract of sarsaparilla roots growing on their banks. It
+is possible the sarsaparilla roots may have something to do with it, in
+common with both the roots and leaves of many other vegetables. No other
+explanation has yet been found to account for the dark colour of these
+rivers, except the decay of vegetable substances carried in their
+current; and it is a fact that all the black-water streams run through
+the most thickly wooded regions.
+
+A curious fact may be mentioned of the black rivers; that is, that
+mosquitoes--the plague of tropical America--are not found on their
+banks. This is not only a curious, but an important fact, and might be
+sufficient to determine any one on the choice of a settlement. You may
+deem a mosquito a very small thing, and its presence a trifling
+annoyance. Let me tell you that settlements have been broken up and
+deserted on account of the persecution experienced from these little
+insects! They are the real "wild beasts" of South America, far more to
+be dreaded than pumas, or crocodiles, or snakes, or even the fierce
+jaguar himself.
+
+Day after day our travellers kept on their course, meeting with many
+incidents and adventures--too many to be recorded in this little volume.
+After passing the mouth of the Rio Negro, they began to get a peep now
+and then of high land, and even mountains, in the distance; for the
+valley of the Amazon, on approaching its mouth, assumes a different
+character from what it has farther up-stream. These mountains bend
+towards it both from the Brazilian country on the south, and from Guiana
+on the north, and these are often visible from the bosom of the stream
+itself.
+
+It was about a month from their entering the main stream of the Amazon,
+and a little more than two from the first launching of their vessel,
+when the balza was brought alongside the wharf of Grand Para, and Don
+Pablo and his party stepped on shore at this Brazilian town. Here, of
+course, Don Pablo was a free man--free to go where he pleased--free to
+dispose of his cargo as he thought best. But he did _not_ dispose of it
+at Grand Para.
+
+A better plan presented itself. He was enabled to freight part of a
+vessel starting for New York, and thither he went, taking his family and
+cargo along with him. In New York he obtained a large price for his
+bark, roots, and beans; in fact, when all were disposed of, he found
+himself nearly twenty thousand dollars to the good. With this to live
+upon, he determined to remain in the great Republic of the North until
+such time as his own dear Peru might be freed from the Spanish
+oppressor.
+
+Ten years was the period of his exile. At the end of that time the
+Spanish-American provinces struck almost simultaneously for liberty; and
+in the ten years' struggle that followed, not only Don Pablo, but
+Leon--now a young man--bore a conspicuous part. Both fought by the side
+of Bolivar at the great battle of Junin, which crowned the patriot army
+with victory.
+
+At the close of the War of Independence, Don Pablo was a general of
+division, while Leon had reached the grade of a colonel. But as soon as
+the fighting was over, both resigned their military rank, as they were
+men who did not believe in soldiering as a _mere profession_. In fact,
+they regarded it as an unbecoming profession in time of peace, and in
+this view _I_ quite agree with them.
+
+Don Pablo returned to his studies; but Leon organised an expedition of
+_cascarilleros_, and returned to the Montaña, where for many years he
+employed himself in "bark-hunting." Through this he became one of the
+richest of Peruvian "ricos."
+
+Guapo, who at this time did not look a year older than when first
+introduced, was as tough and sinewy as ever, and was at the head of the
+cascarilleros; and many a _coceada_ did Guapo afterwards enjoy with his
+mountain friend the "vaquero" while passing backward and forward between
+Cuzco and the Montaña.
+
+Doña Isidora lived for a long period an ornament to her sex, and the
+little Leona had _her_ day as the "belle of Cuzco."
+
+But Leon and Leona both got married at length; and were you to visit
+Cuzco at the present time, you might see several little Leons and
+Leonas, with round black eyes, and dark waving hair--all of them
+descendants from our family of--
+
+"FOREST EXILES."
+
+
+
+
+THE BUSH-BOYS,
+
+OR
+
+ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE BOERS.
+
+
+Hendrik Von Bloom was a _boer_.
+
+When I called Hendrik Von Bloom a boer, I did not mean him any
+disrespect. Quite the contrary.
+
+All the same it may be well to explain that Mynheer Hendrik had not
+always been a boer. He could boast of a somewhat higher condition--that
+is, he could boast of a better education than the mere Cape farmer
+usually possesses, as well as some experience in wielding the sword. He
+was not a native of the colony, but of Holland; and he had found his way
+to the Cape, not as a poor adventurer seeking his fortune, but as an
+officer in a Dutch regiment then stationed there.
+
+His soldier-service in the colony was not of long duration. A certain
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--the daughter of a rich boer--had
+taken a liking to the young lieutenant; and he in his turn became vastly
+fond of her. The consequence was, that they got married. Gertrude's
+father dying shortly after, the large farm, with its full stock of
+horses, and Hottentots, broad-tailed sheep, and long-horned oxen, became
+hers. This was an inducement for her soldier-husband to lay down the
+sword and turn "vee-boer," or stock farmer, which he consequently did.
+
+These incidents occurred many years previous to the English becoming
+masters of the Cape colony. When that event came to pass, Hendrik Von
+Bloom was already a man of influence in the colony and "field-cornet" of
+his district, which lay in the beautiful county of Graaf Reinet. He was
+then a widower, the father of a small family. The wife whom he had
+fondly loved,--the cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--no longer
+lived.
+
+History will tell you how the Dutch colonists, discontented with English
+rule, rebelled against it. The ex-lieutenant and field-cornet was one of
+the most prominent among these rebels. History will also tell you how
+the rebellion was put down; and how several of those compromised were
+brought to execution. Von Bloom escaped by flight; but his fine property
+in the Graaf Reinet was confiscated and given to another.
+
+Many years after we find him living in a remote district beyond the
+great Orange River, leading the life of a "trek-boer,"--that is, a
+nomade farmer, who has no fixed or permanent abode, but moves with his
+flocks from place to place, wherever good pastures and water may tempt
+him.
+
+From about this time dates my knowledge of the field-cornet and his
+family. Of his history previous to this I have stated all I know, but
+for a period of many years after I am more minutely acquainted with it.
+Most of its details I received from the lips of his own son. I was
+greatly interested, and indeed instructed, by them. They were my first
+lessons in African zoology.
+
+Believing, boy reader, that they might also instruct and interest you, I
+here lay them before you. You are not to regard them as merely fanciful.
+The descriptions of the wild creatures that play their parts in this
+little history, as well as the acts, habits, and instincts assigned to
+them, you may regard as true to Nature. Young Von Bloom was a student of
+Nature, and you may depend upon the fidelity of his descriptions.
+
+Disgusted with politics, the field-cornet now dwelt on the remote
+frontier--in fact, beyond the frontier, for the nearest settlement was
+an hundred miles off. His "kraal" was in a district bordering the great
+Kalihari desert--the Saära of Southern Africa. The region around, for
+hundreds of miles, was uninhabited, for the thinly-scattered, half-human
+Bushmen who dwelt within its limits, hardly deserved the name of
+inhabitants any more than the wild beasts that howled around them.
+
+I have said that Von Bloom now followed the occupation of a "trek-boer."
+Farming in the Cape colony consists principally in the rearing of
+horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and these animals form the wealth of
+the boer. But the stock of our field-cornet was now a very small one.
+The proscription had swept away all his wealth, and he had not been
+fortunate in his first essays as a nomade grazier. The emancipation law,
+passed by the British Government, extended not only to the Negroes of
+the West India Islands, but also to the Hottentots of the Cape; and the
+result of it was that the servants of Mynheer Von Bloom had deserted
+him. His cattle, no longer properly cared for, had strayed off. Some of
+them fell a prey to wild beasts--some died of the _murrain_. His horses,
+too, were decimated by that mysterious disease of Southern Africa, the
+"horse-sickness;" while his sheep and goats were continually being
+attacked and diminished in numbers by the earth-wolf, the wild hound,
+and the hyena. A series of losses had he suffered until his horses,
+oxen, sheep, and goats, scarce counted altogether an hundred head. A
+very small stock for a vee-boer, or South African grazier.
+
+Withal our field-cornet was not unhappy. He looked around upon his three
+brave sons--Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. He looked upon his cherry-cheeked,
+flaxen-haired daughter, Gertrude, the very type and image of what her
+mother had been. From these he drew the hope of a happier future.
+
+His two eldest boys were already helps to him in his daily occupations;
+the youngest would soon be so likewise. In Gertrude,--or "Trüey," as she
+was endearingly styled,--he would soon have a capital housekeeper. He
+was not unhappy therefore; and if an occasional sigh escaped him, it was
+when the face of little Trüey recalled the memory of that Gertrude who
+was now in heaven.
+
+But Hendrik Von Bloom was not the man to despair. Disappointments had
+not succeeded in causing his spirits to droop. He only applied himself
+more ardently to the task of once more building up his fortune.
+
+For himself he had no ambition to be rich. He would have been contented
+with the simple life he was leading, and would have cared but little to
+increase his wealth. But other considerations weighed upon his
+mind--the future of his little family. He could not suffer his children
+to grow up in the midst of the wild plains without education.
+
+No; they must one day return to the abodes of men, to act their part in
+the drama of social and civilised life. This was his design.
+
+But how was this design to be accomplished? Though his so called act of
+treason had been pardoned, and he was now free to return within the
+limits of the colony, he was ill prepared for such a purpose. His poor
+wasted stock would not suffice to set him up within the settlements. It
+would scarce keep him a month. To return would be to return a beggar!
+
+Reflections of this kind sometimes gave him anxiety. But they also added
+energy to his disposition, and rendered him more eager to overcome the
+obstacles before him.
+
+During the present year he had been very industrious. In order that his
+cattle should be provided for in the season of winter he had planted a
+large quantity of maize and buckwheat, and now the crops of both were in
+the most prosperous condition. His garden, too, smiled, and promised a
+profusion of fruits, and melons, and kitchen vegetables. In short, the
+little homestead where he had fixed himself for a time, was a miniature
+oäsis; and he rejoiced day after day, as his eyes rested upon the
+ripening aspect around him. Once more he began to dream of
+prosperity--once more to hope that his evil fortunes had come to an end.
+
+Alas! It was a false hope. A series of trials yet awaited him--a series
+of misfortunes that deprived him of almost everything he possessed, and
+completely changed his mode of existence.
+
+Perhaps these occurrences could hardly be termed misfortunes, since in
+the end they led to a happy result.
+
+But you may judge for yourself, boy reader, after you have heard the
+"history and adventures" of the "trek-boer" and his family.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE KRAAL.
+
+
+The ex-field-cornet was seated in front of his _kraal_--for such is the
+name of a South African homestead. From his lips protruded a large pipe,
+with its huge bowl of _meerschaum_. Every boer is a smoker.
+
+Notwithstanding the many losses and crosses of his past life, there was
+contentment in his eye. He was gratified by the prosperous appearance of
+his crops. The maize was now "in the milk," and the ears, folded within
+the papyrus-like husks, looked full and large. It was delightful to hear
+the rustling of the long green blades, and see the bright golden tassels
+waving in the breeze. The heart of the farmer was glad as his eye
+glanced over his promising crop of "mealies."
+
+But there was another promising crop that still more gladdened his
+heart--his fine children. There they are--all around him.
+
+Hans--the oldest--steady, sober Hans, at work in the well-stocked
+garden; while the diminutive but sprightly imp Jan, the youngest, is
+looking on, and occasionally helping his brother. Hendrik--the dashing
+Hendrik, with bright face and light curling hair--is busy among the
+horses, in the "horse-kraal;" and Trüey--the beautiful, cherry-cheeked,
+flaxen-haired Trüey--is engaged with her pet--a fawn of the springbok
+gazelle--whose bright eyes rival her own in their expression of
+innocence and loveliness.
+
+Yes, the heart of the field-cornet is glad as he glances from one to the
+other of these his children--and with reason. They are all fair to look
+upon,--all give promise of goodness. If their father feels an occasional
+pang, it is, as we have already said, when his eye rests upon the
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude.
+
+But time has long since subdued that grief to a gentle melancholy. Its
+pang is short-lived, and the face of the field-cornet soon lightens up
+again as he looks around upon his dear children, so full of hope and
+promise.
+
+Hans and Hendrik are already strong enough to assist him in his
+occupations,--in fact, with the exception of "Swartboy," they are the
+only help he has.
+
+Who is Swartboy?
+
+Look into the horse-kraal, and you will there see Swartboy engaged,
+along with his young master Hendrik, in saddling a pair of horses. You
+may notice that Swartboy appears to be about thirty years old, and he is
+full that; but if you were to apply a measuring rule to him, you would
+find him not much over four feet in height! He is stoutly built,
+however, and would measure better in a horizontal direction. You may
+notice that he is of a yellow complexion, although his name might lead
+you to fancy he was black--for "Swartboy" means "black-boy."
+
+You may observe that his nose is flat and sunk below the level of his
+cheeks; that his cheeks are prominent, his lips very thick, his nostrils
+wide, his face beardless, and his head almost hairless--for the small
+kinky wool-knots thinly scattered over his skull can scarcely be
+designated hair. You may notice, moreover, that his head is monstrously
+large, with ears in proportion, and that the eyes are set obliquely, and
+have a Chinese expression. You may notice about Swartboy all those
+characteristics that distinguish the "Hottentots" of South Africa.
+
+Yet Swartboy is not a Hottentot--though he is of the same race. He is a
+Bushman.
+
+How came this wild Bushman into the service of the ex-field-cornet Von
+Bloom? About that there is a little romantic history. Thus:--
+
+Among the savage tribes of Southern Africa there exists a very cruel
+custom,--that of abandoning their aged or infirm, and often their sick
+or wounded, to die in the desert. Children leave their parents behind
+them, and the wounded are often forsaken by their comrades with no other
+provision made for them beyond a day's food and a cup of water!
+
+The Bushman Swartboy had been the victim of this custom. He had been
+upon a hunting excursion with some of his own kindred, and had been
+sadly mangled by a lion. His comrades, not expecting him to live, left
+him on the plain to die; and most certainly would he have perished had
+it not been for our field-cornet. The latter, as he was "trekking" over
+the plains, found the wounded Bushman, lifted him into his wagon,
+carried him on to his camp, dressed his wounds, and nursed him till he
+became well. That is how Swartboy came to be in the service of the
+field-cornet.
+
+Though gratitude is not a characteristic of his race, Swartboy was not
+ungrateful. When all the other servants ran away, he remained faithful
+to his master; and since that time had been a most efficient and useful
+hand. In fact, he was now the only one left, with the exception of the
+girl, Totty--who was, of course, a Hottentot; and much about the same
+height, size, and colour, as Swartboy himself.
+
+We have said that Swartboy and the young Hendrik were saddling a pair of
+horses. As soon as they had finished that job, they mounted them, and
+riding out of the kraal, took their way straight across the plain. They
+were followed by a couple of strong, rough-looking dogs.
+
+Their purpose was to drive home the oxen and the other horses that were
+feeding a good distance off. This they were in the habit of doing every
+evening at the same hour,--for in South Africa it is necessary to shut
+up all kinds of live stock at night, to protect them from beasts of
+prey. For this purpose are built several enclosures with high
+walls,--"kraals," as they are called,--a word of the same signification
+as the Spanish "corral," and I fancy introduced into Africa by the
+Portuguese--since it is not a native term.
+
+These kraals are important structures about the homestead of a boer,
+almost as much so as his own dwelling-house, which of itself also bears
+the name of "kraal."
+
+As young Hendrik and Swartboy rode off for the horses and cattle, Hans,
+leaving his work in the garden, proceeded to collect the sheep and drive
+them home. These browsed in a different direction; but, as they were
+near, he went afoot, taking little Jan along with him.
+
+Trüey having tied her pet to a post, had gone inside the house to help
+Totty in preparing the supper. Thus the field-cornet was left to himself
+and his pipe, which he still continued to smoke.
+
+He sat in perfect silence, though he could scarce restrain from giving
+expression to the satisfaction he felt at seeing his family thus
+industriously employed. Though pleased with all his children, it must be
+confessed he had some little partiality for the dashing Hendrik, who
+bore his own name, and who reminded him more of his own youth than any
+of the others. He was proud of Hendrik's gallant horsemanship, and his
+eyes followed him over the plain until the riders were nearly a mile
+off, and already mixing among the cattle.
+
+At this moment an object came under the eyes of Von Bloom, that at once
+arrested his attention. It was a curious appearance along the lower part
+of the sky, in the direction in which Hendrik and Swartboy had gone, but
+apparently beyond them. It resembled a dun-coloured mist or smoke, as if
+the plain at a great distance was on fire!
+
+Could that be so? Had some one fired the _karoo_ bushes? Or was it a
+cloud of dust?
+
+The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet it had
+that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not be the dust
+raised by a great herd of antelopes,--a migration of the springboks, for
+instance? It extended for miles along the horizon, but Von Bloom knew
+that these creatures often travel in flocks of greater extent than
+miles. Still he could not think it was that.
+
+He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to account
+for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against the blue
+sky--now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread
+conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the west, and
+already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had passed over the sun's
+disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell upon the plain. Was it
+the forerunner of some terrible storm?--of an earthquake?
+
+Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not like an
+ordinary cloud,--it was not like a cloud of dust,--it was not like
+smoke. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No wonder that
+he became anxious and apprehensive.
+
+All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon the
+plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted. Then
+the two riders disappeared under its dun shadow!
+
+Von Bloom rose to his feet, now seriously alarmed. What could it mean?
+
+The exclamation to which he gave utterance brought little Trüey and
+Totty from the house; and Hans with Jan had now got back with the sheep
+and goats. All saw the singular phenomenon, but none of them could tell
+what it was. All were in a state of alarm.
+
+As they stood gazing, with hearts full of fear, the two riders appeared
+coming out of the cloud, and then they were seen to gallop forward over
+the plain in the direction of the house. They came on at full speed, but
+long before they had got near, the voice of Swartboy could be heard
+crying out,--
+
+"Baas Von Bloom! _da springaans are comin'!--da springaan!--da
+springaan!_"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE SPRING-HAAN.
+
+
+"Ah _the springaan_!" cried Von Bloom, recognising the Dutch name for
+the far-famed migratory locust.
+
+The mystery was explained. The singular cloud that was spreading itself
+over the plain was neither more nor less than a flight of locusts!
+
+It was a sight that none of them, except Swartboy, had ever witnessed
+before. His master had often seen locusts in small quantities, and of
+several species,--for there are many kinds of these singular insects in
+South Africa. But that which now appeared was a true migratory locust
+(_Gryllus devastatorius_); and upon one of its great migrations--an
+event of rarer occurrence than travellers would have you believe.
+
+Swartboy knew them well; and, although he announced their approach in a
+state of great excitement, it was not the excitement of terror.
+
+Quite the contrary. His great thick lips were compressed athwart his
+face in a grotesque expression of joy. The instincts of his wild race
+were busy within him. To them a flight of locusts is not an object of
+dread, but a source of rejoicing--their coming as welcome as a take of
+shrimps to a Leigh fisherman, or harvest to the husband-man.
+
+The dogs, too, barked and howled with joy, and frisked about as if they
+were going out upon a hunt. On perceiving the cloud, their instinct
+enabled them easily to recognise the locusts. They regarded them with
+feelings similar to those that stirred Swartboy--for both dogs and
+Bushmen eat the insects with avidity!
+
+At the announcement that it was only locusts, all at once recovered from
+their alarm. Little Trüey and Jan laughed, clapped their hands, and
+waited with curiosity until they should come nearer. All had heard
+enough of locusts to know that they were only grasshoppers that neither
+bit nor stung any one, and therefore no one was afraid of them.
+
+Even Von Bloom himself was at first very little concerned about them.
+After his feelings of apprehension, the announcement that it was a
+flight of locusts was a relief, and for a while he did not dwell upon
+the nature of such a phenomenon, but only regarded it with feelings of
+curiosity.
+
+Of a sudden his thoughts took a new direction. His eye rested upon his
+fields of maize and buckwheat, upon his garden of melons, and fruits,
+and vegetables: a new alarm seized upon him; the memory of many stories
+which he had heard in relation to these destructive creatures rushed
+into his mind, and as the whole truth developed itself, he turned pale,
+and uttered new exclamations of alarm.
+
+The children changed countenance as well. They saw that their father
+suffered; though they knew not why. They gathered inquiringly around
+him.
+
+"Alas! alas! Lost! lost!" exclaimed he; "yes, all our crop--our labour
+of the year--gone, gone! O my dear children!"
+
+"How lost, father?--how gone?" exclaimed several of them in a breath.
+
+"See the springaan! they will eat up our crop--all--all!"
+
+"'Tis true, indeed," said Hans, who being a great student had often read
+accounts of the devastations committed by the locusts.
+
+The joyous countenances of all once more wore a sad expression, and it
+was no longer with curiosity that they gazed upon the distant cloud,
+that so suddenly had clouded their joy.
+
+Von Bloom had good cause for dread. Should the swarm come on, and settle
+upon his fields, farewell to his prospects of a harvest. They would
+strip the verdure from his whole farm in a twinkling. They would leave
+neither seed, nor leaf, nor stalk behind them.
+
+All stood watching the flight with painful emotions. The swarm was still
+a full half-mile distant. They appeared to be coming no nearer,--good!
+
+A ray of hope entered the mind of the field-cornet. He took off his
+broad felt hat, and held it up to the full stretch of his arm. The wind
+was blowing from the north, and the swarm was directly to the west of
+the kraal. The cloud of locusts had approached from the north, as they
+almost invariably do in the southern parts of Africa.
+
+"Yes," said Hendrik, who having been in their midst could tell what way
+they were drifting, "they came down upon us from a northerly direction.
+When we headed our horses homewards, we soon galloped out from them, and
+they did not appear to fly after us; I am sure they were passing
+southwards."
+
+Von Bloom entertained hopes that as none appeared due north of the
+kraal, the swarm might pass on without extending to the borders of his
+farm. He knew that they usually followed the direction of the wind.
+Unless the wind changed they would not swerve from their course.
+
+He continued to observe them anxiously. He saw that the selvedge of the
+cloud came no nearer. His hopes rose. His countenance grew brighter. The
+children noticed this and were glad, but said nothing. All stood
+silently watching.
+
+An odd sight it was. There was not only the misty swarm of the insects
+to gaze upon. The air above them was filled with birds--strange birds
+and of many kinds. On slow, silent wing soared the brown "oricou," the
+largest of Africa's vultures; and along with him the yellow "chasse
+fiente," the vulture of Kolbé. There swept the bearded "lamvanger," on
+broad extended wings. There shrieked the great "Caffre eagle," and side
+by side with him the short-tailed and singular "bateleur." There, too
+were hawks of different sizes and colours, and kites cutting through the
+air, and crows and ravens, and many species of _insectivora_.
+
+But far more numerous than all the rest could be seen the little
+_springhaan-vogel_, a speckled bird of nearly the size and form of a
+swallow. Myriads of these darkened the air above--hundreds of them
+continually shooting down among the insects, and soaring up again each
+with a victim in its beak. "Locust-vultures" are these creatures named,
+though not vultures in kind. They feed exclusively on these insects, and
+are never seen where the locusts are not. They follow them through all
+their migrations, building their nests, and rearing their young, in the
+midst of their prey!
+
+It was, indeed, a curious sight to look upon, that swarm of winged
+insects, and their numerous and varied enemies; and all stood gazing
+upon it with feelings of wonder. Still the living cloud approached no
+nearer, and the hopes of Von Bloom continued to rise.
+
+The swarm kept extending to the south--in fact, it now stretched along
+the whole western horizon; and all noticed that it was gradually getting
+lower down--that is, its top edge was sinking in the heavens. Were the
+locusts passing off to the west? No.
+
+"Da am goin roost for da nacht--now we'll get 'em in bag-full," said
+Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular locust-eater,
+as fond of them as either eagle or kite,--aye, as the "springhaan-vogel"
+itself.
+
+It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling down on
+the plain.
+
+"Can't fly without sun," continued the Bushman. "Too cold now. Dey go
+dead till da mornin."
+
+And so it was. The sun had set. The cool breeze weakened the wings of
+the insect travellers; and they were compelled to make halt for the
+night upon the trees, bushes, and grass.
+
+In a few minutes the dark mist that had hid the blue rim of the sky, was
+seen no more; but the distant plain looked as if a fire had swept over
+it. It was thickly covered with the bodies of the insects, that gave it
+a blackened appearance as far as the eye could reach.
+
+The attendant birds, perceiving the approach of night, screamed for
+awhile, and then scattered away through the heavens. Some perched upon
+the rocks, while others went to roost among the low thickets of mimosa;
+and now for a short interval both earth and air were silent.
+
+Von Bloom now bethought him of his cattle. Their forms were seen afar
+off in the midst of the locust-covered plain.
+
+"Let 'em feed um little while, baas," suggested Swartboy.
+
+"On what?" inquired his master. "Don't you see the grass is covered!"
+
+"On de springhaan demself, baas," replied the Bushman; "good for fatten
+big ox--better dan grass--ya, better dan _mealies_."
+
+But it was too late to leave the cattle longer out upon the plain. The
+lions would soon be abroad--the sooner because of the locusts, for the
+king of the beasts does not disdain to fill his royal stomach with these
+insects--when he can find them.
+
+Von Bloom saw the necessity of bringing his cattle at once to their
+kraal.
+
+A third horse was saddled, which the field-cornet himself mounted, and
+rode off, followed by Hendrik and Swartboy.
+
+On approaching the locusts they beheld a singular sight. The ground was
+covered with these reddish-brown creatures, in some spots to the depth
+of several inches. What bushes there were were clustered with them,--all
+over the leaves and branches, as if swarms of bees had settled upon
+them. Not a leaf or blade of grass that was not covered with their
+bodies!
+
+They moved not, but remained silent, as if torpid or asleep. The cold of
+the evening had deprived them of the power of flight.
+
+What was strangest of all to the eyes of Von Bloom and Hendrik, was the
+conduct of their own horses and cattle. These were some distance out in
+the midst of the sleeping host; but instead of being alarmed at their
+odd situation, they were greedily gathering up the insects in mouthfuls,
+and crunching them as though they had been corn!
+
+It was with some difficulty that they could be driven off; but the roar
+of a lion, that was just then heard over the plain, and the repeated
+application of Swartboy's _jambok_, rendered them more tractable, and at
+length they suffered themselves to be driven home, and lodged within
+their kraals.
+
+Swartboy had provided himself with a bag, which he carried back full of
+locusts.
+
+It was observed that in collecting the insects into the bag, he acted
+with some caution, handling them very gingerly, as if he was afraid of
+them. It was not them he feared, but snakes which, upon such occasions
+are very plenteous, and very much to be dreaded--as the Bushman from
+experience well knew.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS.
+
+
+It was a night of anxiety in the kraal of the field-cornet. Should the
+wind veer round to the west, to a certainty the locusts would cover his
+land in the morning, and the result would be the total destruction of
+his crops. Perhaps worse than that. Perhaps the whole vegetation
+around--for fifty miles or more--might be destroyed; and then how would
+his cattle be fed? It would be no easy matter even to save their lives.
+They might perish before he could drive them to any other pasturage!
+
+Such a thing was by no means uncommon or improbable. In the history of
+the Cape colony many a boer had lost his flocks in this very way. No
+wonder there was anxiety that night in the kraal of the field-cornet.
+
+At intervals Von Bloom went out to ascertain whether there was any
+change in the wind. Up to a late hour he could perceive none. A gentle
+breeze still blew from the north--from the great Kalihari
+desert--whence, no doubt, the locusts had come. The moon was bright, and
+her light gleamed over the host of insects that darkly covered the
+plain. The roar of the lion could be heard mingling with the shrill
+scream of the jackal and the maniac laugh of the hyena. All these
+beasts, and many more, were enjoying a plenteous repast.
+
+Perceiving no change in the wind, Von Bloom became less uneasy, and they
+all conversed freely about the locusts. Swartboy took a leading part in
+this conversation, as he was better acquainted with the subject than any
+of them. It was far from being the first flight of locusts Swartboy had
+seen, and many a bushel of them had he eaten. It was natural to suppose,
+therefore, that he knew a good deal about them.
+
+He knew not whence they came. That was a point about which Swartboy had
+never troubled himself. The learned Hans offered an explanation of their
+origin.
+
+"They come from the desert," said he. "The eggs from which they are
+produced, are deposited in the sands or dust; where they lie until rain
+falls, and causes the herbage to spring up. Then the locusts are
+hatched, and in their first stage are supported upon this herbage. When
+it becomes exhausted, they are compelled to go in search of food. Hence
+these 'migrations,' as they are called."
+
+This explanation seemed clear enough.
+
+"Now I have heard," said Hendrik, "of farmers kindling fires around
+their crops to keep off the locusts. I can't see how fires would keep
+them off--not even if a regular fence of fire were made all round a
+field. These creatures have wings, and could easily fly over the fires."
+
+"The fires," replied Hans, "are kindled, in order that the smoke may
+prevent them from alighting; but the locusts to which these accounts
+usually refer are without wings, called _voetgangers_ (foot-goers). They
+are, in fact, the _larvæ_ of these locusts, before they have obtained
+their wings. These have also their migrations, that are often more
+destructive than those of the perfect insects, such as we see here. They
+proceed over the ground by crawling and leaping like grasshoppers; for,
+indeed, they are grasshoppers--a species of them. They keep on in one
+direction, as if they were guided by instinct to follow a particular
+course. Nothing can interrupt them in their onward march unless the sea
+or some broad and rapid river. Small streams they can swim across; and
+large ones, too, where they run sluggishly; walls and houses they can
+climb--even the chimneys--going straight over them; and the moment they
+have reached the other side of any obstacle, they continue straight
+onward in the old direction.
+
+"In attempting to cross broad rapid rivers, they are drowned in
+countless myriads, and swept off to the sea. When it is only a small
+migration, the farmers sometimes keep them off by means of fires, as you
+have heard. On the contrary, when large numbers appear, even the fires
+are of no avail."
+
+"But how is that, brother?" inquired Hendrik. "I can understand how
+fires would stop the kind you speak of, since you say they are without
+wings. But since they are so, how do they get through the fires? Jump
+them?"
+
+"No, not so," replied Hans. "The fires are built too wide and large for
+that."
+
+"How then, brother?" asked Hendrik. "I'm puzzled."
+
+"So am I," said little Jan.
+
+"And I," added Trüey.
+
+"Well, then," continued Hans, "millions of the insects crawl into the
+fires and put them out!"
+
+"Ho!" cried all in astonishment. "How? Are they not burned?"
+
+"Of course," replied Hans. "They are scorched and killed--myriads of
+them quite burned up. But their bodies crowded thickly on the fires
+choke them out. The foremost ranks of the great host thus become
+victims, and the others pass safely across upon the holocaust thus made.
+So you see, even fires cannot stop the course of the locusts when they
+are in great numbers.
+
+"In many parts of Africa, where the natives cultivate the soil, as soon
+as they discover a migration of these insects, and perceive that they
+are heading in the direction of their fields and gardens, quite a panic
+is produced among them. They know that they will lose their crops to a
+certainty, and hence dread a visitation of locusts as they would an
+earthquake, or some other great calamity."
+
+"We can well understand their feelings upon such an occasion," remarked
+Hendrik, with a significant look.
+
+"The flying locusts," continued Hans, "seem less to follow a particular
+direction than their larvæ. The former seem to be guided by the wind.
+Frequently this carries them all into the sea, where they perish in vast
+numbers. On some parts of the coast their dead bodies have been found
+washed back to land in quantities incredible. At one place the sea threw
+them upon the beach, until they lay piled up in a ridge four feet in
+height, and fifty miles in length! It has been asserted by several
+well-known travellers that the effluvium from this mass tainted the air
+to such an extent that it was perceived one hundred and fifty miles
+inland!"
+
+"Heigh!" exclaimed little Jan. "I didn't think anybody had so good a
+nose."
+
+At little Jan's remark there was a general laugh. Von Bloom did not join
+in their merriment. He was in too serious a mood just then.
+
+"Papa," inquired little Trüey, perceiving that her father did not laugh,
+and thinking to draw him into the conversation,--"Papa! were these the
+kind of locusts eaten by John the Baptist when in the desert? His food,
+the Bible says, was 'locusts and wild honey.'"
+
+"I believe these are the same," replied the father.
+
+"I think, papa," modestly rejoined Hans, "they are not exactly the same,
+but a kindred species. The locust of Scripture was the true _Gryllus
+migratorius_, and different from those of South Africa, though very
+similar in its habits. But," continued he, "some writers dispute that
+point altogether. The Abyssinians say that it was beans of the
+locust-tree, and not insects, that were the food of St. John."
+
+"What is your own opinion, Hans?" inquired Hendrik, who had a great
+belief in his brother's book-knowledge.
+
+"Why, I think," replied Hans, "there need be no question about it. It is
+only torturing the meaning of a word to suppose that St. John ate the
+locust fruit, and not the insect. I am decidedly of opinion that the
+latter is meant in Scripture; and what makes me think so is, that these
+two kinds of food, 'locusts and wild honey,' are often coupled together,
+as forming at the present time the subsistence of many tribes who are
+denizens of the desert. Besides, we have good evidence that both were
+used as food by desert-dwelling people in the days of Scripture. It is,
+therefore, but natural to suppose that St. John, when in the desert, was
+forced to partake of this food; just as many a traveller of modern times
+has eaten of it when crossing the deserts that surround us here in South
+Africa.
+
+"I have read a great many books about locusts," continued Hans; "and now
+that the Bible has been mentioned, I must say for my part, I know no
+account given of these insects so truthful and beautiful as that in the
+Bible itself. Shall I read it, papa?"
+
+"By all means, my boy," said the field-cornet, rather pleased at the
+request which his son had made, and at the tenor of the conversation.
+
+Little Trüey ran into the inner room and brought out an immense volume
+bound in gemsbok skin, with a couple of brass clasps upon it to keep it
+closed. This was the family Bible; and here let me observe, that a
+similar book may be found in the house of nearly every boer, for these
+Dutch colonists are a Protestant and Bible-loving people--so much so,
+that they think nothing of going a hundred miles, four times in the
+year, to attend the _nacht-maal_, or sacramental supper! What do you
+think of that?
+
+Hans opened the volume, and turned at once to the book of the prophet
+Joel. From the readiness with which he found the passage, it was
+evident he was well acquainted with the book he held in his hands.
+
+He read as follows:
+
+     "A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of
+     thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great
+     people and a strong: there hath not been ever the like, neither
+     shall be any more after it, even to the years of many
+     generations. A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a
+     flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and
+     behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape
+     them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and
+     as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the
+     tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of
+     fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle
+     array. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall
+     tremble; the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall
+     withdraw their shining. How do the beasts groan! the herds of
+     cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the
+     flocks of sheep are made desolate."
+
+Even the rude Swartboy could perceive the poetic beauty of this
+description.
+
+But Swartboy had much to say about the locusts, as well as the inspired
+Joel.
+
+Thus spoke Swartboy:--
+
+"Bushman no fear da springhaan. Bushman hab no garden--no maize--no
+buckwheat--no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman eat locust
+himself--he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat dem dar springhaan.
+Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho! den for dem springhaan!"
+
+These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are eaten by
+almost every species of animal known in South Africa. Not only do the
+_carnivora_ greedily devour them, but also animals and birds of the game
+kind--such as antelopes, partridges, guinea-fowls, bustards, and,
+strange to say, the giant of all--the huge elephant--will travel for
+miles to overtake a migration of locusts! Domestic fowls, sheep, horses,
+and dogs, devour them with equal greediness. Still another strange
+fact--the locusts eat one another! If any one of them gets hurt, so as
+to impede his progress, the others immediately turn upon him and eat him
+up!
+
+The Bushmen and other native races of Africa submit the locusts to a
+process of cookery before eating them; and during the whole evening
+Swartboy had been engaged in preparing the bagful which he had
+collected. He "cooked" them thus:--
+
+He first boiled, or rather steamed them, for only a small quantity of
+water was put into the pot. This process lasted two hours. They were
+then taken out, and allowed to dry; and after that shaken about in a
+pan, until all the legs and wings were broken off from the bodies. A
+winnowing process--Swartboy's thick lips acting as a fan--was next gone
+through; and the legs and wings were thus got rid of. The locusts were
+then ready for eating.
+
+A little salt only was required to render them more palatable, when all
+present made trial of, and some of the children even liked them. By
+many, locusts prepared in this way are considered quite equal to
+shrimps!
+
+Sometimes they are pounded when quite dry into a sort of meal, and with
+water added to them, are made into a kind of stirabout.
+
+When well dried, they will keep for a long time; and they frequently
+form the only store of food which the poorer natives have to depend upon
+for a whole season.
+
+Among many tribes--particularly among those who are not
+agricultural--the coming of the locusts is a source of rejoicing. These
+people turn out with sacks, and often with pack-oxen to collect and
+bring them to the villages; and on such occasions vast heaps of them are
+accumulated and stored, in the same way as grain!
+
+Conversing of these things the night passed on until it was time for
+going to bed. The field-cornet went out once again to observe the wind;
+and then the door of the little kraal was closed, and the family retired
+to rest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE LOCUST-FLIGHT.
+
+
+The field-cornet slept but little. Anxiety kept him awake. He turned and
+tossed, and thought of the locusts. He napped at intervals, and dreamt
+about locusts, and crickets, and grasshoppers, and all manner of great
+long-legged, goggle-eyed insects. He was glad when the first ray of
+light penetrated through the little window of his chamber.
+
+He sprang to his feet; and, scarce staying to dress himself, rushed out
+into the open air. It was still dark, but he did not require to see the
+wind. He did not need to toss a feather or hold up his hat. The truth
+was too plain. A strong breeze was blowing--it was blowing _from the
+west_!
+
+Half distracted, he ran farther out to assure himself. He ran until
+clear of the walls that enclosed the kraals and garden.
+
+He halted and felt the air. Alas! his first impression was correct. The
+breeze blew directly from the west--directly from the locusts. He could
+perceive the effluvium borne from the hateful insects: there was no
+longer cause to doubt.
+
+Groaning in spirit, Von Bloom returned to his house. He had no longer
+any hope of escaping the terrible visitation.
+
+His first directions were to collect all the loose pieces of linen or
+clothing in the house, and pack them within the family chests. What!
+would the locusts be likely to eat them?
+
+Indeed, yes--for these voracious creatures are not fastidious. No
+particular vegetable seems to be chosen by them. The leaves of the
+bitter tobacco plant appear to be as much to their liking as the sweet
+and succulent blades of maize! Pieces of linen, cotton, and even
+flannel, are devoured by them, as though they were the tender shoots of
+plants. Stones, iron, and hard wood, are about the only objects that
+escape their fierce masticators.
+
+Von Bloom had heard this, Hans had read of it, and Swartboy confirmed it
+from his own experience.
+
+Consequently, everything that was at all destructible was carefully
+stowed away; and then breakfast was cooked and eaten in silence.
+
+There was a gloom over the faces of all, because he who was the head of
+all was silent and dejected. What a change within a few hours! But the
+evening before the field-cornet and his little family were in the full
+enjoyment of happiness.
+
+There was still one hope, though a slight one. Might it yet rain? Or
+might the day turn out cold?
+
+In either case Swartboy said the locusts could not take wing--for they
+cannot fly in cold or rainy weather. In the event of a cold or wet day
+they would have to remain as they were, and perhaps the wind might
+change round again before they resumed their flight. Oh, for a torrent
+of rain, or a cold cloudy day!
+
+Vain wish! vain hope! In half-an-hour after the sun rose up in African
+splendour, and his hot rays, slanting down upon the sleeping host,
+warmed them into life and activity. They commenced to crawl, to hop
+about, and then, as if by one impulse, myriads rose into the air. The
+breeze impelled them in the direction in which it was blowing,--in the
+direction of the devoted maize fields.
+
+In less than five minutes, from the time they had taken wing, they were
+over the kraal, and dropping in tens of thousands upon the surrounding
+fields. Slow was their flight, and gentle their descent, and to the eyes
+of those beneath they presented the appearance of a shower of _black_
+snow, falling in large feathery flakes. In a few moments the ground was
+completely covered, until every stalk of maize, every plant and bush,
+carried its hundreds. On the outer plains too, as far as eye could see,
+the pasture was strewed thickly; and as the great flight had now passed
+to the eastward of the house, the sun's disk was again hidden by them as
+if by an eclipse!
+
+They seemed to move in a kind of _echelon_, the bands in the rear
+constantly flying to the front, and then halting to feed, until in turn
+these were headed by others that had advanced over them in a similar
+manner.
+
+The noise produced by their wings was not the least curious phenomenon;
+and resembled a steady breeze playing among the leaves of the forest, or
+the sound of a water-wheel.
+
+For two hours this passage continued. During most of that time, Von
+Bloom and his people had remained within the house, with closed doors
+and windows. This they did to avoid the unpleasant shower, as the
+creatures impelled by the breeze, often strike the cheek so forcibly as
+to cause a feeling of pain. Moreover, they did not like treading upon
+the unwelcome intruders, and crushing them under their feet, which they
+must have done, had they moved about outside where the ground was
+thickly covered.
+
+Many of the insects even crawled inside, through the chinks of the door
+and windows, and greedily devoured any vegetable substance which
+happened to be lying about the floor.
+
+At the end of two hours Von Bloom looked forth. The thickest of the
+flight had passed. The sun was again shining; but upon what was he
+shining? No longer upon green fields and a flowery garden. No. Around
+the house, on every side, north, south, east, and west, the eye rested
+only on black desolation. Not a blade of grass, not a leaf could be
+seen--even the very bark was stripped from the trees, that now stood as
+if withered by the hand of God! Had fire swept the surface, it could not
+have left it more naked and desolate. There was no garden, there were no
+fields of maize or buckwheat, there was no longer a farm--the kraal
+stood in the midst of a desert!
+
+Words cannot depict the emotions of the field-cornet at that moment. The
+pen cannot describe his painful feelings.
+
+Such a change in two hours! He could scarce credit his senses--he could
+scarce believe in its reality. He knew that the locusts would eat up his
+maize, and his wheat, and the vegetables of his garden; but his fancy
+had fallen far short of the extreme desolation that had actually been
+produced. The whole landscape was metamorphosed--grass was out of the
+question--trees, whose delicate foliage had played in the soft breeze
+but two short hours before, now stood leafless, scathed by worse than
+winter. The very ground seemed altered in shape! He would not have known
+it as his own farm. Most certainly had the owner been absent during the
+period of the locust-flight, and approached without any information of
+what had been passing, he would not have recognised the place of his own
+habitation!
+
+With the phlegm peculiar to his race, the field-cornet sat down, and
+remained for a long time without speech or movement.
+
+His children gathered near, and looked on--their young hearts painfully
+throbbing. They could not fully appreciate the difficult circumstances
+in which this occurrence had placed them; nor did their father himself
+at first. He thought only of the loss he had sustained, in the
+destruction of his fine crops; and this of itself, when we consider his
+isolated situation, and the hopelessness of restoring them, was enough
+to cause him very great chagrin.
+
+"Gone! all gone!" he exclaimed, in a sorrowing voice. "Oh!
+Fortune--Fortune--again art thou cruel!"
+
+"Papa! do not grieve," said a soft voice; "we are all alive yet, we are
+here by your side;" and with the words a little white hand was laid upon
+his shoulder. It was the hand of the beautiful Trüey.
+
+It seemed as if an angel had smiled upon him. He lifted the child in
+his arms, and in a paroxysm of fondness pressed her to his heart. That
+heart felt relieved.
+
+"Bring me the Book," said he, addressing one of the boys.
+
+[Illustration: THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.]
+
+The Bible was brought--its massive covers were opened--a verse was
+chosen--and the song of praise rose up in the midst of the desert.
+
+The Book was closed; and for some minutes all knelt in prayer.
+
+When Von Bloom again stood upon his feet, and looked around him, the
+desert seemed once more to "rejoice and blossom as the rose."
+
+Upon the human heart such is the magic influence of resignation and
+humility.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+"INSPANN AND TREK!"
+
+With all his confidence in the protection of a Supreme Being, Von Bloom
+knew that he was not to leave everything to the Divine hand. That was
+not the religion he had been taught; and he at once set about taking
+measures to extricate himself from the unpleasant position in which he
+was placed.
+
+Unpleasant position! Ha! It was more than unpleasant, as the
+field-cornet began to perceive. It was a position of peril!
+
+The more Von Bloom reflected, the more was he convinced of this. There
+they were, in the middle of a black naked plain, that without a green
+spot extended beyond the limits of vision. How much farther he could not
+guess; but he knew that the devastations of the migratory locust
+sometimes cover an area of thousands of miles! It was certain that the
+one that had just swept past was on a very extensive scale.
+
+It was evident he could no longer remain by his kraal. His horses, and
+cattle, and sheep, could not live without food; and should these perish,
+upon what were he and his family to subsist? He must leave the kraal. He
+must go in search of pasture, without loss of time,--at once. Already
+the animals, shut up beyond their usual hour, were uttering their varied
+cries, impatient to be let out. They would soon hunger; and it was hard
+to say when food could be procured for them.
+
+There was no time to be lost. Every hour was of great importance,--even
+minutes must not be wasted in dubious hesitation.
+
+The field-cornet spent but a few minutes in consideration. Whether
+should he mount one of his best horses, and ride off alone in search of
+pasture? or whether would it not be better to "inspann" his wagon, and
+take everything along with him at once?
+
+He soon decided in favour of the latter course. In any case he would
+have been compelled to move from his present location,--to leave the
+kraal altogether.
+
+He might as well take everything at once. Should he go out alone, it
+might cost him a long time to find grass and water--for both would be
+necessary--and, meantime, his stock would be suffering.
+
+These and other considerations decided him at once to "inspann" and
+"trek" away, with his wagon, his horses, his cattle, his sheep, his
+"household goods," and his whole family circle.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" was the command: and Swartboy, who was proud of the
+reputation he had earned as a wagon-driver, was now seen waving his
+bamboo whip like a great fishing-rod.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" echoed Swartboy, tying upon his twenty-feet lash a
+new cracker, which he had twisted out of the skin of the hartebeest
+antelope.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" he repeated, making his vast whip crack like a
+pistol; "yes, baas, I'll inspann;" and, having satisfied himself that
+his "voor-slag" was properly adjusted, Swartboy rested the bamboo handle
+against the side of the house, and proceeded to the kraal to collect the
+yoke-oxen.
+
+A large wagon, of a sort that is the pride and property of every Cape
+farmer, stood to one side of the house. It was a vehicle of the first
+class,--a regular "cap-tent" wagon,--that had been made for the
+field-cornet in his better days, and in which he had been used to drive
+his wife and children to the "nacht-maal," and upon _vrolykheids_
+(parties of pleasure). In those days a team of eight fine horses used to
+draw it along at a rattling rate. Alas! oxen had now to take their
+place; for Von Bloom had but five horses in his whole stud, and these
+were required for the saddle.
+
+But the wagon was almost as good as ever it had been,--almost as good as
+when it used to be the envy of the field-cornet's neighbours, the boers
+of Graaf Reinet. Nothing was broken. Everything was in its
+place,--"voor-kist," and "achter-kist," and side-chests. There was the
+snow-white cap, with its "fore-clap" and "after-clap," and its inside
+pockets, all complete; and the wheels neatly carved, and the well-planed
+boxing and "disselboom," and the strong "trektow" of buffalo-hide.
+Nothing was wanting that ought to be found about a wagon. It was, in
+fact, the best part of the field-cornet's property that remained to
+him,--for it was equal in value to all the oxen, cattle, and sheep, upon
+his establishment.
+
+While Swartboy, assisted by Hendrik, was catching up the twelve
+yoke-oxen, and attaching them to the disselboom and trektow of the
+wagon, the "baas" himself, aided by Hans, Totty, and also by Trüey and
+little Jan, was loading up the furniture and implements. This was not a
+difficult task. The _Penates_ of the little kraal were not numerous, and
+were all soon packed either inside or around the roomy vehicle.
+
+In about an hour's time the wagon was loaded up, the oxen were
+inspanned, the horses saddled, and everything was ready for "trekking."
+
+And now arose the question, _whither_?
+
+Up to this time Von Bloom had only thought of getting away from the
+spot--of escaping beyond the naked waste that surrounded him.
+
+It now became necessary to determine the direction in which they were to
+travel--a most important consideration.
+
+Important, indeed, as a little reflection showed. They might go in the
+direction in which the locusts had gone, or that in which they had come?
+On either route they might travel for scores of miles without meeting
+with a mouthful of grass for the hungry animals; and in such a case
+these would break down and perish.
+
+Or the travellers might move in some other direction, and find grass,
+but not water. Without water, not only would they have to fear for the
+cattle, but for themselves--for their own lives. How important then it
+was, which way they turned their faces!
+
+At first the field-cornet bethought him of heading towards the
+settlements. The nearest water in that direction was almost fifty miles
+off. It lay to the eastward of the kraal. The locusts had just gone that
+way. They would by this time have laid waste the whole country--perhaps
+to the water or beyond it!
+
+It would be a great risk going in that direction.
+
+Northward lay the Kalihari desert. It would be hopeless to steer north.
+Von Bloom knew of no oäsis in the desert. Besides the locusts had come
+from the north. They were drifting southward when first seen; and from
+the time they had been observed passing in this last direction, they had
+no doubt ere this wasted the plains far to the south.
+
+The thoughts of the field-cornet were now turned to the west. It is true
+the swarm had last approached from the west; but Von Bloom fancied that
+they had first come down from the north, and that the sudden veering
+round of the wind had caused them to change direction. He thought that
+by trekking westward he would soon get beyond the ground they had laid
+bare.
+
+He knew something of the plains to the west--not much indeed, but he
+knew that at about forty miles distance there was a spring with good
+pasturage around it, upon whose water he could depend. He had once
+visited it, while on a search for some of his cattle, that had wandered
+thus far. Indeed, it then appeared to him a better situation for cattle
+than the one he held, and he had often thought of moving to it. Its
+great distance from any civilized settlement was the reason why he had
+not done so. Although he was already far beyond the frontier, he still
+kept up a sort of communication with the settlements, whereas at the
+more distant point such a communication would be extremely difficult.
+
+Now that other considerations weighed with him, his thoughts once more
+returned to this spring; and after spending a few minutes more in
+earnest deliberation, he decided upon "trekking" westward.
+
+Swartboy was ordered to head round, and strike to the west. The Bushman
+promptly leaped to his seat upon the voor-kist, cracked his mighty whip,
+straightened out his long team, and moved off over the plain.
+
+Hans and Hendrik were already in their saddles; and having cleared the
+kraals of all their live stock, with the assistance of the dogs, drove
+the lowing and bleating animals before them.
+
+Trüey and little Jan sat beside Swartboy on the fore-chest of the wagon;
+and the round full eyes of the pretty springbok could be seen peeping
+curiously out from under the cap-tent.
+
+Casting a last look upon his desolate kraal, the field-cornet turned his
+horse's head, and rode after the wagon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+WATER! WATER!
+
+
+On moved the little caravan, but not in silence. Swartboy's voice and
+whip made an almost continual noise. The latter could be plainly heard
+more than a mile over the plain, like repeated discharges of a musket.
+Hendrik, too, did a good deal in the way of shouting; and even the
+usually quiet Hans was under the necessity of using his voice to urge
+the flock forward in the right direction.
+
+Occasionally both the boys were called upon to give Swartboy a help with
+the leading oxen when those became obstinate or restive, and would turn
+out of the track. At such times either Hans or Hendrik would gallop up,
+set the heads of the animals right again, and ply the "jamboks" upon
+their sides.
+
+This "jambok" is a severe chastener to an obstinate ox. It is an elastic
+whip made of rhinoceros or hippopotamus skin,--hippopotamus is the
+best,--near six feet long, and tapering regularly from butt to tip.
+
+Whenever the led oxen misbehaved, and Swartboy could not reach them with
+his long "voor-slag," Hendrik was ever ready to tickle them with his
+tough jambok; and, by this means, frighten them into good behaviour.
+Indeed, one of the boys was obliged to be at their head nearly all the
+time.
+
+A leader is used to accompany most teams of oxen in South Africa. But
+those of the field-cornet had been accustomed to draw the wagon without
+one, ever since the Hottentot servants ran away; and Swartboy had driven
+many miles with no other help than his long whip. But the strange look
+of everything, since the locusts passed, had made the oxen shy and wild;
+besides the insects had obliterated every track or path which oxen would
+have followed. The whole surface was alike,--there was neither trace nor
+mark. Even Von Bloom himself could with difficulty recognise the
+features of the country, and had to guide himself by the sun in the sky.
+
+Hendrik stayed mostly by the head of the leading oxen. Hans had no
+difficulty in driving the flock when once fairly started. A sense of
+fear kept all together, and as there was no herbage upon any side to
+tempt them to stray, they moved regularly on.
+
+Von Bloom rode in front to guide the caravan. Neither he nor any of them
+had made any change in their costume, but travelled in their everyday
+dress. The field-cornet himself was habited after the manner of most
+boers, in wide leathern trousers, termed in that country "crackers;" a
+large roomy jacket of green cloth, with ample outside pockets; a
+fawn-skin waistcoat; a huge white felt hat, with the broadest of brims;
+and upon his feet a pair of brogans of African unstained leather, known
+among the boers as "feldt-schoenen" (country shoes). Over his saddle lay
+a "kaross," or robe of leopard-skins, and upon his shoulder he carried
+his "roer"--a large smooth-bore gun, about six feet in length, with an
+old-fashioned flint-lock,--quite a load of itself.
+
+This is the gun in which the boer puts all his trust; and although an
+American backwoodsman would at first sight be disposed to laugh at such
+a weapon, a little knowledge of the boer's country would change his
+opinion of the "roer." His own weapon--the small-bore rifle, with a
+bullet less than a pea--would be almost useless among the large game
+that inhabits the country of the boer. Upon the "karoos" of Africa there
+are crack shots and sterling hunters, as well as in the backwoods or on
+the prairies of America.
+
+Curving round under the field-cornet's left arm, and resting against his
+side, was an immense powder-horn--of such size as could only be produced
+upon the head of an African ox. It was from the country of the
+Bechuanas, though nearly all Cape oxen grow horns of vast dimensions. Of
+course it was used to carry the field-cornet's powder, and, if full, it
+must have contained half-a-dozen pounds at least! A leopard-skin pouch
+hanging under his right arm, a hunting-knife stuck in his waist-belt,
+and a large meerschaum pipe through the band of his hat, completed the
+equipments of the trek-boer, Von Bloom.
+
+Hans and Hendrik were very similarly attired, armed, and equipped. Of
+course their trousers were of dressed sheep-skin, wide--like the
+trousers of all young boers--and they also wore jackets and
+"feldt-schoenen," and broad-brimmed white hats. Hans carried a light
+fowling-piece, while Hendrik's gun was a stout rifle of the kind known
+as a "yäger" an excellent gun for large game. In this piece Hendrik had
+great pride, and had learnt to drive a nail with it at nearly a hundred
+paces. Hendrik was _par excellence_ the marksman of the party. Each of
+the boys also carried a large crescent-shaped powder-horn, with a pouch
+for bullets; and over the saddle of each was strapped the robe or
+kaross, differing only from their father's in that his was of the rarer
+leopard-skin, while theirs were a commoner sort, one of antelope, and
+the other of jackal-skin.
+
+Little Jan also wore wide trousers, jacket, "feldt-schoenen," and
+broad-brimmed beaver,--in fact, Jan, although scarce a yard high, was,
+in point of costume, a type of his father,--a diminutive type of the
+boer. Trüey was habited in a skirt of blue woollen stuff, with a neat
+bodice elaborately stitched and embroidered after the Dutch fashion, and
+over her fair locks she wore a light sun-hat of straw with a ribbon and
+strings. Totty was very plainly attired in strong homespun, without any
+head-dress. As for Swartboy, a pair of old leathern "crackers" and a
+striped shirt were all the clothing he carried, beside his sheep-skin
+kaross. Such were the costumes of our travellers.
+
+For full twenty miles the plain was wasted bare. Not a bite could the
+beasts obtain, and water there was none. The sun during the day shone
+brightly,--too brightly, for his beams were as hot as within the
+tropics. The travellers could scarce have borne them had it not been
+that a stiff breeze was blowing all day long. But this unfortunately
+blew directly in their faces, and the dry karoos are never without dust.
+The constant hopping of the locusts with their millions of tiny feet had
+loosened the crust of earth: and now the dust rose freely upon the wind.
+Clouds of it enveloped the little caravan, and rendered their forward
+movement both difficult and disagreeable. Long before night their
+clothes were covered, their mouths filled, and their eyes sore.
+
+But all that was nothing. Long before night a far greater grievance was
+felt,--the want of water!
+
+In their hurry to escape from the desolate scene at the kraal, Von Bloom
+had not thought of bringing a supply in the wagon--a sad oversight, in a
+country like South Africa, where springs are so rare, and running
+streams so uncertain. A sad oversight indeed, as they now learnt--for
+long before night they were all crying out for water--all were equally
+suffering from the pangs of thirst.
+
+Von Bloom thirsted, but he did not think of himself, except that he
+suffered from self-accusation. He blamed himself for neglecting to bring
+a needful supply of water. He was the cause of the sufferings of all the
+rest. He felt sad and humbled on account of his thoughtless negligence.
+
+He could promise them no relief--at least none until they should reach
+the spring. He knew of no water nearer.
+
+It would be impossible to reach the spring that night. It was late when
+they started. Oxen travel slowly. Half the distance would be as much as
+they could make by sundown.
+
+To reach the water they would have to travel all night; but they could
+not do that for many reasons. The oxen would require to rest--the more
+so that they were hungered; and now Von Bloom thought, when too late, of
+another neglect he had committed--that was, in not collecting, during
+the flight of the locusts, a sufficient quantity of them to have given
+his cattle a feed.
+
+This plan is often adopted under similar circumstances; but the
+field-cornet had not thought of it: and as but few locusts fell in the
+trails where the animals had been confined, they had therefore been
+without food since the previous day. The oxen in particular showed
+symptoms of weakness, and drew the wagon sluggishly; so that Swartboy's
+voice and long whip were kept in constant action.
+
+But there were other reasons why they would have to halt when night came
+on. The field-cornet was not so sure of the direction. He would not be
+able to follow it by night, as there was not the semblance of a track to
+guide him. Besides it would be dangerous to travel by night, for then
+the nocturnal robber of Africa--the fierce lion--is abroad.
+
+They would be under the necessity, therefore, of halting for the night,
+water or no water.
+
+It wanted yet half-an-hour of sundown when Von Bloom had arrived at this
+decision. He only kept on a little farther in hopes of reaching a spot
+where there was grass. They were now more than twenty miles from their
+starting-point, and still the black "spoor" of the locusts covered the
+plain. Still no grass to be seen, still the bushes bare of their leaves,
+and barked!
+
+The field-cornet began to think that he was trekking right in the way
+the locusts had come. Westward he was heading for certain; he knew that.
+But he was not yet certain that the flight had not advanced from the
+west instead of the north. If so, they might go for days before coming
+upon a patch of grass!
+
+These thoughts troubled him, and with anxious eyes he swept the plain in
+front, as well as to the right and left.
+
+A shout from the keen-eyed Bushman produced a joyful effect. He saw
+grass in front. He saw some bushes with leaves! They were still a mile
+off, but the oxen, as if the announcement had been understood by them,
+moved more briskly forward.
+
+Another mile passed over, and they came upon grass, sure enough. It was
+a very scanty pasture, though--a few scattered blades growing over the
+reddish surface, but in no place a mouthful for an ox. There was just
+enough to tantalize the poor brutes without filling their stomachs. It
+assured Von Bloom, however, that they had now got beyond the track of
+the locusts; and he kept on a little farther in hopes that the pasture
+might get better.
+
+It did not, however. The country through which they advanced was a wild,
+sterile plain--almost as destitute of vegetation as that over which they
+had hitherto been travelling. It no longer owed its nakedness to the
+locusts, but to the absence of water.
+
+They had no more time to search for pasture. The sun was already below
+the horizon when they halted to "outspan."
+
+A "kraal" should have been built for the cattle, and another for the
+sheep and goats. There were bushes enough to have constructed them, but
+who of that tired party had the heart to cut them down and drag them to
+the spot?
+
+It was labour enough--the slaughtering a sheep for supper, and
+collecting sufficient wood to cook it. No kraal was made. The horses
+were tied around the wagon. The oxen, cattle, and sheep and goats, were
+left free to go where they pleased. As there was no pasture near to
+tempt them, it was hoped that, after the fatigue of their long journey,
+they would not stray far from the camp-fire, which was kept burning
+throughout the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+THE FATE OF THE HERD.
+
+
+But they did stray.
+
+When day broke, and the travellers looked around them, not a head of the
+oxen or cattle was to be seen. Yes, there was one, and one only--the
+milch-cow. Totty, after milking her on the previous night, had left her
+tied to a bush where she still remained. All the rest were gone, and the
+sheep and goats as well.
+
+Whither had they strayed?
+
+The horses were mounted, and search was made. The sheep and goats were
+found among some bushes not far off; but it soon appeared that the other
+animals had gone clean away.
+
+Their spoor was traced for a mile or two. It led back on the very track
+they had come; and no doubt any longer existed that they had returned to
+the kraal.
+
+To overtake them before reaching that point, would be difficult, if at
+all possible. Their tracks showed that they had gone off early in the
+night, and had travelled at a rapid rate--so that by this time they had
+most likely arrived at their old home.
+
+This was a sad discovery. To have followed them on the thirsting and
+hungry horses would have been a useless work; yet without the yoke-oxen
+how was the wagon to be taken forward to the spring?
+
+It appeared to be a sad dilemma they were in; but after a short
+consultation the thoughtful Hans suggested a solution of it.
+
+"Can we not attach the horses to the wagon?" inquired he. "The five
+could surely draw it on to the spring?"
+
+"What! and leave the cattle behind?" said Hendrik. "If we do not go
+after them, they will be all lost, and then----"
+
+"We could go for them afterwards," replied Hans; "but it is not better
+first to push forward to the spring; and, after resting the horses a
+while, return then for the oxen? They will have reached the kraal by
+this time. There they will be sure of water anyhow, and that will keep
+them alive till we get there."
+
+The course suggested by Hans seemed feasible enough. At all events, it
+was the best plan they could pursue; so they at once set about putting
+it in execution. The horses were attached to the wagon in the best way
+they could think of. Fortunately some old horse-harness formed part of
+the contents of the vehicle, and these were brought out and fitted on,
+as well as could be done.
+
+Two horses were made fast to the disselboom as "wheelers;" two others to
+the trektow cut to the proper length; and the fifth horse was placed in
+front as a leader.
+
+When all was ready, Swartboy again mounted the voor-kist, gathered up
+his reins, cracked his whip, and set his team in motion. To the delight
+of every one, the huge heavy-laden wagon moved off as freely as if a
+full team had been inspanned.
+
+Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Hans, cheered as it passed them; and setting the
+milch-cow and the flock of sheep and goats in motion, moved briskly
+after. Little Jan and Trüey still rode in the wagon; but the others now
+travelled afoot, partly because they had the flock to drive, and partly
+that they might not increase the load upon the horses.
+
+They all suffered greatly from thirst, but they would have suffered
+still more had it not been for that valuable creature that trotted along
+behind the wagon--the cow--"old Graaf," as she was called. She had
+yielded several pints of milk, both the night before and that morning;
+and this well-timed supply had given considerable relief to the
+travellers.
+
+The horses behaved beautifully. Notwithstanding that their harness was
+both incomplete and ill-fitted, they pulled the wagon along after them
+as if not a strap or buckle had been wanting. They appeared to know that
+their kind master was in a dilemma, and were determined to draw him out
+of it. Perhaps, too, they smelt the spring-water before them. At all
+events, before they had been many hours in harness, they were drawing
+the wagon through a pretty little valley covered with green,
+meadow-looking sward; and in five minutes more were standing halted near
+a cool crystal spring.
+
+In a short time all had drunk heartily, and were refreshed. The horses
+were turned out upon the grass, and the other animals browsed over the
+meadow. A good fire was made near the spring, and a quarter of mutton
+cooked--upon which the travellers dined--and then all sat waiting for
+the horses to fill themselves.
+
+The field-cornet, seated upon one of the wagon-chests, smoked his great
+pipe. He could have been contented, but for one thing--the absence of
+his cattle.
+
+He had arrived at a beautiful pasture-ground--a sort of oäsis in the
+wild plains, where there were wood, water, and grass,--everything that
+the heart of a "vee-boer" could desire. It did not appear to be a large
+tract, but enough to have sustained many hundred head of cattle--enough
+for a very fine "stock farm." It would have answered his purpose
+admirably; and had he succeeded in bringing on his oxen and cattle, he
+would at that moment have felt happy enough. But without them what
+availed the fine pasturage? What could he do there without them to stock
+it? They were his wealth--at least, he had hoped in time that their
+increase would become wealth. They were all of excellent breeds; and,
+with the exception of his twelve yoke-oxen, and one or two long-horned
+Bechuana bulls, all the others were fine young cows calculated soon to
+produce a large herd.
+
+Of course his anxiety about these animals rendered it impossible for him
+to enjoy a moment's peace of mind, until he should start back in search
+of them. He had only taken out his pipe to pass the time, while the
+horses were gathering a bite of grass. As soon as their strength should
+be recruited a little, it was his design to take three of the strongest
+of them, and with Hendrik and Swartboy, ride back to the old kraal.
+
+As soon, therefore, as the horses were ready for the road again, they
+were caught and saddled up; and Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Swartboy,
+mounted and set out, while Hans remained in charge of the camp.
+
+They rode at a brisk rate, determined to travel all night, and, if
+possible, reach the kraal before morning. At the last point on the route
+where there was grass, they off-saddled, and allowed their horses to
+rest and refresh themselves. They had brought with them some slices of
+the roast mutton, and this time they had not forgotten to fill their
+gourd-canteens with water--so that they should not again suffer from
+thirst. After an hour's halt they continued their journey.
+
+It was quite night when they arrived at the spot where the oxen had
+deserted them; but a clear moon was in the sky, and they were able to
+follow back the wheel-tracks of the wagon, that were quite conspicuous
+under the moonlight. Now and then to be satisfied, Von Bloom requested
+Swartboy to examine the spoor, and see whether the cattle had still kept
+the back-track. To answer this gave no great trouble to the Bushman. He
+would drop from his horse, and bending over the ground, would reply in
+an instant. In every case the answer was in the affirmative. The animals
+had certainly gone back to their old home.
+
+Von Bloom believed they would be sure to find them there, but should
+they find them _alive_? That was the question that rendered him anxious.
+
+The creatures could obtain water by the spring, but food--where? Not a
+bite would they find anywhere, and would not hunger have destroyed them
+all before this?
+
+Day was breaking when they came in sight of the old homestead. It
+presented a very odd appearance. Not one of the three would have
+recognised it. After the invasion of the locusts it showed a very
+altered look, but now there was something else that added to the
+singularity of its appearance. A row of strange objects seemed to be
+placed upon the roof ridge, and along the walls of the kraals. What were
+these strange objects, for they certainly did not belong to the
+buildings? This question was put by Von Bloom, partly to himself, but
+loud enough for the others to hear him.
+
+"_Da vogels_!" (the vultures), replied Swartboy.
+
+Sure enough, it was a string of vultures that appeared along the walls.
+
+The sight of these filthy birds was more than ominous. It filled Von
+Bloom with apprehension. What could they be doing there? There must be
+carrion near?
+
+The party rode forward. The day was now up, and the vultures had grown
+busy. They flapped their shadowy wings, rose from the walls, and
+alighted at different points around the house.
+
+"Surely there must be carrion," muttered Von Bloom.
+
+There was carrion, and plenty of it. As the horsemen drew near the
+vultures rose into the air, and a score of half-devoured carcasses could
+be seen upon the ground. The long curving horns that appeared beside
+each carcass, rendered it easy to tell to what sort of animals they
+belonged. In the torn and mutilated fragments, Von Bloom recognised the
+remains of his lost herd!
+
+Not one was left alive. There could be seen the remains of all of them,
+both cows and oxen, lying near the enclosures and on the adjacent
+plain--each where it had fallen.
+
+But how had they fallen? That was the mystery.
+
+Surely they could not have perished of hunger, and so suddenly? They
+could not have died of thirst, for there was the spring bubbling up
+just beside where they lay? The vultures had not killed them! What then?
+
+Von Bloom did not ask many questions. He was not left long in doubt. As
+he and his companions rode over the ground, the mystery was explained.
+The tracks of lions, hyenas, and jackals, made everything clear enough.
+A large troop of these animals had been upon the ground. The scarcity of
+game, caused by the migration of the locusts, had no doubt rendered them
+more than usually ravenous, and in consequence the cattle became their
+prey.
+
+Where were they now? The morning light, and the sight of the house
+perhaps, had driven them off. But their spoor was quite fresh. They were
+near at hand, and would be certain to return again upon the following
+night.
+
+Von Bloom felt a strong desire to be revenged upon the hideous brutes;
+and, under other circumstances, would have remained to get a shot at
+them. But just then that would have been both imprudent and unprofitable
+work. It would be as much as their horses could accomplish, to get back
+to camp that night; so, without even entering the old house, they
+watered their animals, refilled their calabashes at the spring, and with
+heavy hearts once more rode away from the kraal.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+A LION COUCHANT.
+
+
+They had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared before
+them that caused all three to draw bridle suddenly and simultaneously.
+That object was a lion!
+
+He was couched upon the plain directly in the path they intended to
+take--the very same path by which they had come!
+
+How was it they had not seen him before? He was under the lee of a low
+bush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and its thin
+naked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as a lion. His
+tawny hide shone conspicuously through them.
+
+The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed towards the
+kraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on seeing them
+approach; and had skulked around the walls, and then run to their rear.
+He had executed this manoeuvre to avoid an encounter--for a lion reasons
+as a man does, though not to the same extent. Seeing the horsemen come
+that way, his reasoning powers were strong enough to tell him that they
+were not likely to return by the same path. It was more natural they
+should continue on. A man, ignorant of all the preceding events
+connected with their journey, would have reasoned much in the same way.
+If you have been at all observant, you have seen other animals--such as
+dogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on this
+occasion.
+
+Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through the
+mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter with
+the three travellers.
+
+Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out of
+six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the
+courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to be
+a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_,
+denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest
+times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
+knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many
+virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere
+assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!
+
+How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their
+opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in a
+certain sense.
+
+The fact is, some lions are cowardly while others are brave.
+
+The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this
+little volume we have no room. I think, however, boy reader, I can
+satisfy you with an analogy.
+
+Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which
+are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs of your
+acquaintance! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of them
+noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others mean,
+sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. Now, you are satisfied
+that my statement about the lions may be true.
+
+There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
+His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of
+the day--but, above all, the sort of hunters that belong to the district
+he inhabits.
+
+This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the
+intellect of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural
+that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character
+of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
+old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this subject
+when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that the
+alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but it
+has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter has
+tamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eats
+Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded in
+some parts even more than the lion!
+
+It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some
+districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where
+they have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boer with his long
+loud-cracking "roer."
+
+Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of the
+Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender "assegai" of
+the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.
+
+Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave
+one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or
+"schwart-fore life," as the boers term it; and these are esteemed the
+fiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there is
+considerable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded as
+possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of
+this. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellow
+variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for the
+swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years of
+age.
+
+Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloom
+did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been taken
+off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate an attack;
+and that had the horsemen chosen to make a détour, and ride peacefully
+away, they might have continued their journey without ever seeing or
+hearing of him again.
+
+But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious
+oxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least. The
+Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and fiercest
+of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.
+
+Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced on
+horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here he
+drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck his
+loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.
+
+You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as the
+lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safer
+too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse; but when the
+mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that will
+stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddle
+under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet was
+not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roer
+athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel steady against it,
+he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights.
+
+During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between him
+and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed to
+conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visible
+through the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen with his muzzle and
+whiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen.
+
+No--he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or two
+shakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still, however, as lions
+usually do, until more nearly approached. The hunter, as already stated,
+was full fifty yards from him.
+
+Excepting the motion of his tail, he made no other until Von Bloom
+pulled trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several feet into the
+air. The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing his bullet to
+glance off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw the fur fly
+from the side of the lion where it struck him.
+
+It was but a wound; and not deadly, as soon appeared.
+
+With long bounds the angry brute came on--lashing his tail, and showing
+his fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have doubled his
+size. He looked as large as a bull!
+
+In a few seconds' time he had crossed the distance that separated him
+from the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot. The moment
+he had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained horse, and
+rode off towards the others.
+
+All three were for a short while together--Hendrik holding his yäger
+cocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and arrows. But the
+lion dashed forward before either could fire; and they were obliged to
+spur and gallop out of his way.
+
+Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik took the
+other; and the game was now between the two parties--both of which had
+pulled up at some distance off.
+
+The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first at
+one, then at the other--as if uncertain which to pursue.
+
+His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression. His whole
+fierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect--his tail lashed his
+flanks--his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set trenchant
+teeth--their white spikes contrasting with the red blood that clotted
+his cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added horror to his
+appearance.
+
+But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik at
+this moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired; while
+at the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through the air.
+
+Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the shaft of the
+latter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh.
+
+The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most determined
+courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or one
+of the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping his
+mop-like tail to a level with the line of his back, he broke away; and,
+trotting sulkily forward, sprang in at the door of the kraal!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THE LION IN THE TRAP.
+
+
+There was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual a
+place; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover within
+convenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would have
+afforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts, would have
+been difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have overtaken him, had
+he attempted to run off. He was aware that the house was uninhabited. He
+had been prowling around it all the night--perhaps within it--and
+therefore knew what sort of a place it was.
+
+The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would protect
+him from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for these to
+approach near would be his advantage and their danger.
+
+An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There was a
+large window in one end of the house. Of course it was not glazed--it
+never had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts. A strong
+wooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on its hinges,
+but in the hurried "flitting," the window had been left open. The door
+also had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in at the latter, a
+string of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring out through the
+former, and ran with all their might across the plain. They were
+jackals!
+
+As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had either been chased into
+the house by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had been
+overlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had been
+making a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously disturbed.
+
+The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the door,
+caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window; and the
+appearance of the horsemen without had still further frightened these
+cowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the kraal at top speed, and
+never halted until they were out of sight!
+
+The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone was
+suddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the same
+moment.
+
+Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine dogs, to assist in driving
+back the cattle.
+
+During the short halt the party had made by the spring, these had
+fastened upon a half-eaten carcass behind the walls; and, being
+extremely hungry, had stuck to it, even after the horsemen had ridden
+off. Neither of the dogs had seen the lion, until the moment when the
+savage brute charged forward, and was making for the kraal. The shots,
+the growling of the lion, and the loud wings of the vultures as they
+flew off affrighted, told the dogs that something was going on in front,
+at which they ought to be present; and, forsaking their pleasant meal,
+both came bounding over the walls.
+
+They reached the open space in front, just as the lion leaped into the
+door; and without hesitation the brave noble animals rushed on, and
+followed him inside the house.
+
+For some moments there was heard a confused chorus of noises--the
+barking and worrying of the dogs, the growling and roaring of the lion.
+Then a dull sound followed as of some heavy object dashed against the
+wall. Then came a mournful howl--another, another--a noise like the
+crackling of bones--the "purr" of the great brute with its loud rough
+bass--and then a deep silence. The struggle was over. This was evident,
+as the dogs no longer gave tongue. Most likely they were killed.
+
+The hunters remained watching the door with feelings of intense anxiety.
+The laugh had died upon their lips, as they listened to those hideous
+sounds, the signs of the fearful combat. They called their dogs by name.
+They hoped to see them issue forth, even if wounded. But no. The dogs
+came not forth--they never came forth--they were dead!
+
+A long-continued silence followed the noise of the conflict. Von Bloom
+could no longer doubt that his favourite and only dogs had been killed.
+
+Excited by this new misfortune he almost lost prudence. He was about to
+rush forward to the door, where he might deliver his fire close to the
+hated enemy, when a bright idea came into the brain of Swartboy; and the
+Bushman was heard calling out,--
+
+"Baas! baas! we shut him up! we close da skellum up!"
+
+There was good sense in this suggestion--there was plausibility in it.
+Von Bloom saw this; and, desisting from his previous intention, he
+determined to adopt Swartboy's plan.
+
+But how was it to be executed? The door still hung upon its hinges, as
+also the window-shutter. If they could only get hold of these, and shut
+them fast, they would have the lion secure, and might destroy him at
+their leisure.
+
+But how to shut either door or window in safety? That was the difficulty
+that now presented itself.
+
+Should they approach either, the lion would be certain to see them from
+within; and, enraged as he now was, would be sure to spring upon them.
+Even if they approached on horseback to effect their purpose, they would
+not be much safer. The horses would not stand quiet while they stretched
+out to lay hold of latch or handle. All three of the animals were
+already dancing with excitement. They knew the lion was inside, an
+occasional growl announced his presence there--they would not approach
+either door or window with sufficient coolness; and their stamping and
+snorting would have the effect of bringing the angry beast out upon
+them.
+
+It was clear, then, that to shut either door or window would be an
+operation of great danger. So long as the horsemen were in open ground,
+and at some distance from the lion, they had no cause to fear; but
+should they approach near and get entangled among the walls, some one of
+them would be most likely to fall a victim to the ferocious brute.
+
+Low as may be the standard of a Bushman's intellect, there is a species
+peculiar to him in which he appears to excel. In all matters of
+hunter-craft, his intelligence, or instinct you might almost call it, is
+quite a match for the more highly-developed mind of the Caucasian. This
+arises, no doubt, from the keen and frequent exercise of those
+particular faculties,--keen and frequent, because his very existence
+often depends on their successful employment.
+
+Huge ill-shapen head that Swartboy carried on his shoulders, there was
+an ample stock of brains in it; and a life of keen endeavour to keep his
+stomach supplied had taught him their exercise. At that moment
+Swartboy's brains came to the relief of the party.
+
+"Baas!" he said, endeavouring to restrain the impatience of his master,
+"vyacht um bige, mein baas! Leave it to da ole Bushy to close da door.
+He do it."
+
+"How?" inquired Von Bloom.
+
+"Vyacht um bige, mein baas! no long to wait,--you see."
+
+All three had ridden up together within less than an hundred yards of
+the kraal. Von Bloom and Hendrik sat silent, and watched the proceedings
+of the Bushman.
+
+The latter drew from his pocket a clue of small cord, and, having
+carefully uncoiled it, attached one end to an arrow. He then rode up to
+within thirty yards of the house, and dismounted--not directly opposite
+the entrance, but a little to one side--so that the face of the wooden
+door, which was fortunately but three-quarters open, was thus fair
+before him. Keeping the bridle over his arm, he now bent his bow, and
+sent the arrow into the woodwork of the door. There it was, sticking
+near the edge, and just under the latch!
+
+As soon as Swartboy delivered the shaft, he had leaped back into his
+saddle--to be ready for retreat in case the lion should charge out. He
+still, however, kept hold of the string, one end of which was attached
+to the arrow.
+
+The "thud" of the arrow, as it struck the door, had drawn the attention
+of the lion. Of course, none of them saw him, but his angry growl told
+them that it was so. He did not show himself, however, and was again
+silent.
+
+Swartboy now drew the string taut,--first felt it with a steady pull;
+and then, satisfied of its strength, gave it a stronger jerk, and
+brought the door to. The latch acted beautifully, and the door remained
+shut even after the strain was taken off the cord.
+
+To have opened the door now the lion must have had the sagacity to lift
+the latch, or else must have broken through the thick, strong
+planks--neither of which things was to be feared.
+
+But the window still remained open, and through it the lion could easily
+leap out. Swartboy, of course, designed closing it in the same manner as
+he had done the door.
+
+But now arose a particular danger. He had only one piece of cord. That
+was attached to the arrow that still stuck fast. How was he to detach
+and get possession of it?
+
+There appeared to be no other way but by going up to the door and
+cutting it from the shaft. In this lay the danger; for, should the lion
+perceive him and rush out by the window, it would be all over with the
+Bushman.
+
+Like most of his race, Swartboy was more cunning than brave--though he
+was far from being a coward. Still he was by no means inclined at that
+moment to go up to the door of the kraal.
+
+The angry growls from within would have made a stouter heart than
+Swartboy's quail with fear.
+
+In this dilemma Hendrik came to his relief. Hendrik had conceived a way
+of getting possession of the string, without going near the door!
+
+Calling to Swartboy to be on his guard, he rode within thirty yards of
+the entrance--but on the other side from where Swartboy was--and there
+halted. At the place there stood a post with several forks upon it, that
+had been used as a bridle-post.
+
+Hendrik dismounted, hooked his rein over one of these forks; rested his
+yäger across another; and then, sighting the shaft of the arrow, pulled
+trigger. The rifle cracked, the broken stick was seen to fly out from
+the door, and the string was set free!
+
+All were ready to gallop off; but the lion, although he growled fiercely
+on hearing the shot, still lay close.
+
+Swartboy now drew in the string; and, having adjusted it to a fresh
+arrow, moved round so as to command a view of the window. In a few
+minutes the shaft had cut through the air and stuck deep into the
+yielding wood, and then the shutter swung round on its hinges, and was
+drawn close.
+
+All three now dismounted, ran silently and rapidly up, and secured both
+door and shutter with strong rheins of raw hide.
+
+"Hurrah! the lion was caged."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE DEATH OF THE LION.
+
+
+Yes, the fierce brute was fairly in the trap. The three hunters breathed
+freely.
+
+But how was the affair to end? Both door and window-shutter fitted
+strongly and closely; and, although it was possible to glance through
+the chinks, nothing could be seen inside--since, both being shut, it was
+quite dark within.
+
+Even could the lion have been seen, there was no hole through which to
+thrust the muzzle of a gun and fire at him. He was just as safe as his
+captors; and, so long as the door remained closed, they could do him no
+more harm than he could them.
+
+They might leave him shut up, and let him starve. He could live for a
+while upon what the jackals had left, with the carcasses of the two
+dogs, but that would not sustain him long, and in the end he would have
+to give up and miserably perish. After all, this did not seem so certain
+to Von Bloom and his companions. Finding that he was caged in earnest,
+the brute might attack the door, and with his sharp claws and teeth
+manage to cut his way through.
+
+But the angry field-cornet had not the slightest intention of leaving
+the lion such a chance. He was determined to destroy the beast before
+leaving the ground; and he now set to thinking how this could be
+accomplished in the speediest and most effectual manner.
+
+At first he thought of cutting a hole in the door with his knife, large
+enough to see through and admit the barrel of his roer. Should he not
+succeed in getting a view of the beast through that one, he would make
+another in the window-shutter. The two being on adjacent sides of the
+house, would give him the command of the whole interior--for the former
+dwelling of the field-cornet comprised only a single apartment. During
+his residence there, there had been two, thanks to a partition of
+zebra-skins; but these had been removed, and all was now in one room.
+
+At first Von Bloom could think of no other plan to get at the enemy, and
+yet this one did not quite please him. It was safe enough, and, if
+carried out, could only end in the death of the lion.
+
+A hole in both door and window-shutter would enable them to fire at the
+brute as many bullets as they pleased, while they would be quite secure
+from his attack. But the time that would be required to cut these
+holes--that was why the plan did not please the field-cornet. He and his
+party had no time to spare; their horses were weak with hunger, and a
+long journey lay before them ere a morsel could be obtained. No,--the
+time could not be spared for making a breach. Some more expeditious mode
+of attack must be devised.
+
+"Father," said Hendrik, "suppose we set the house on fire?"
+
+Good. The suggestion was a good one. Von Bloom cast his eyes up to the
+roof--a sloping structure with long eaves. It consisted of heavy beams
+of dry wood with rafters and laths, and all covered over with a thatch
+of rushes, a foot in thickness. It would make a tremendous blaze, and
+the smoke would be likely enough to suffocate the lion even before the
+blaze could get at him.
+
+The suggestion of Hendrik was adopted. They prepared to fire the house.
+
+There was still a large quantity of rubbish,--the collected firewood
+which the locusts had not devoured. This would enable them to carry out
+their purpose; and all three immediately set about hauling it up, and
+piling it against the door.
+
+One might almost have fancied that the lion had fathomed their design;
+for, although he had been for a long while quite silent, he now
+commenced a fresh spell of roaring. Perhaps the noise of the logs,
+striking against the door outside, had set him at it; and, finding
+himself thus shut up and baited, he had grown impatient. What he had
+sought as a shelter had been turned into a trap, and he was now anxious
+to get out of it.
+
+This was evident by the demonstrations he began to make. They could hear
+him rushing about--passing from door to window--striking both with his
+huge paws, and causing them to shake upon their hinges--all the while
+uttering the most fiendish roars.
+
+Though not without some apprehensions, the three continued their work.
+They had their horses at hand, ready to be mounted in case the lion
+might make his way through the fire. In fact, they intended to take to
+their saddles--as soon as the fire should be fairly under way--and watch
+the conflagration from a safe distance.
+
+They had dragged up all the bush and dry wood, and had piled them in
+front of the door. Swartboy had taken out his flint and steel, and was
+about to strike, when a loud scratching was heard from the inside,
+unlike anything that had yet reached their ears. It was the rattling of
+the lion's claws against the wall, but it had an odd sound as if the
+animal was struggling violently; at the same time his voice seemed
+hoarse and smothered, and appeared to come from a distance.
+
+[Illustration: THE LION IN A FIX.]
+
+What was the brute doing?
+
+They stood for a moment, looking anxiously in each other's faces.
+
+The scratching continued--the hoarse growling at intervals--but this
+ended at length; and then came a snort, followed by a roar so loud and
+clear, that all three started in affright. They could not believe that
+walls were between them and their dangerous enemy!
+
+Again echoed that horrid cry. Great Heaven! It proceeded no longer from
+the inside--it came from above them!
+
+Was the lion upon the roof?
+
+All three rushed backward a step or two, and looked up. A sight was
+before them that rendered them almost speechless with surprise and
+terror.
+
+Above the funnel of the chimney appeared the head of the lion; his
+glaring yellow eyes and white teeth showing more fearful from contrast
+with the black soot that begrimed him. He was dragging his body up. One
+foot was already above the capstone; and with this and his teeth he was
+widening the aperture around him.
+
+It was a terrible sight to behold--at least to those below.
+
+As already stated they were alarmed; and would have taken to their
+horses, had they not perceived that the animal was stuck fast!
+
+It was evident that this was the case, but it was equally evident that
+in a few moments he would succeed in clearing himself from the chimney.
+His teeth and claws were hard at work, and the stones and mortar were
+flying in all directions. The funnel would soon be down below his broad
+chest, and then----
+
+Von Bloom did not stay to think what then. He and Hendrik, guns in hand,
+ran up near the bottom of the wall. The chimney was but a score of feet
+in height; the long roer was pointed upward, reaching nearly half that
+distance. The yäger was also aimed. Both cracked together. The lion's
+eyes suddenly closed, his head shook convulsively, his paw dropped loose
+over the capstone, his jaws fell open, and blood trickled down his
+tongue. In a few moments he was dead!
+
+This was apparent to every one. But Swartboy was not satisfied, until he
+had discharged about a score of his arrows at the head of the animal,
+causing it to assume the appearance of a porcupine.
+
+So tightly had the huge beast wedged himself, that even after death he
+still remained in his singular situation.
+
+Under other circumstances he would have been dragged down for the sake
+of his skin. But there was no time to spare for skinning him; and
+without further delay, Von Bloom and his companions mounted their horses
+and rode off.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED
+
+
+Our travellers would have talked much about lions, but for the condition
+of their horses. This made them feel uneasy. With the exception of a few
+hours grazing, the poor brutes had been without food since the
+appearance of the locusts. Horses do not travel well upon soft grass,
+and of course they were now suffering severely.
+
+It would be far in the night before the horsemen could reach the
+camp--although they were pushing on as fast as the horses could travel.
+
+It was quite dark, when they arrived at the spot where they had halted
+the previous evening. In fact, it was very dark. Neither moon nor stars
+were to be seen in the sky; and thick black clouds covered the whole
+canopy of the heavens. It looked as though a rain-storm might be
+expected--still no rain had as yet fallen.
+
+It was the intention of the travellers to halt at this place, and let
+their horses graze a while. With this view they all dismounted; but,
+after trying one or two places, they could find no grass!
+
+This appeared strange, as they had certainly observed grass at that very
+spot the day before. Now there was none!
+
+The horses put their noses to the ground, but raised them up again,
+snorting as they did so, and evidently disappointed. They were hungry
+enough to have eaten grass had there been any, for they eagerly snatched
+at the leaves of the bushes as they passed along!
+
+Had the locusts been there also? No. The mimosa-bushes still retained
+their delicate foliage, which would not have been the case had the
+locusts visited the spot.
+
+Our travellers were astonished that there was no grass. Surely there was
+some the day before? Had they got upon a new track?
+
+The darkness prevented them from having a view of the ground; yet Von
+Bloom could not be mistaken about the route--having travelled it four
+times already. Though he could not see the surface, every now and again
+he caught a glimpse of some tree or bush, which he had marked in his
+former journeys, and these assured him they were still upon the right
+track.
+
+Surprised at the absence of grass where they had so lately observed it,
+they would have examined the surface more carefully; but they were
+anxious to push on to the spring, and at length gave up the idea of
+halting. The water in their gourds had been used up long before this;
+and both they and their horses were once more suffering from thirst.
+
+Besides, Von Bloom was not without some anxiety about the children at
+the wagon. He had been separated from them now a full day and a half,
+and many a change might take place--many a danger might arise in that
+time. In fact, he began to blame himself for having left them alone. It
+would have been better to have let his cattle perish. So thought he now.
+A presentiment that all was not right was gradually forming in his mind;
+and he grew more anxious to proceed as he reflected.
+
+They rode on in silence. It was only on Hendrik expressing a doubt about
+the way, that the conversation recommenced. Swartboy also thought they
+were taking a wrong course.
+
+At first Von Bloom assured them they were right; but after going a
+little farther, he admitted that he was in doubt; and then, after
+another half-mile's travelling, he declared that he had lost the track.
+He could no longer recognise any one of the marks or bearings he had
+taken.
+
+The proper thing to be done under these circumstances was to leave the
+horses to themselves; and this all three well knew. But the animals were
+suffering the pangs of hunger, and when left to themselves, would not
+journey forward, but rushed up to the mimosa-bushes, and eagerly
+commenced devouring their leaves.
+
+The consequence was, that their riders were obliged to keep them going
+with whip and spur; and in that way there was no certainty of the horses
+taking the right direction.
+
+After several hours' advancing, all the while in a state of suspense,
+and as yet no appearance of either wagon or camp-fire, the travellers
+resolved upon coming to a halt. It was of no use going forward. They
+believed they could not be far from the camp; but they were now as
+likely to be riding from as towards it; and they concluded at length,
+that it would be wiser to remain where they were until the day broke.
+
+They all dismounted therefore, and fastened their horses to the
+bushes--so that the animals could browse upon the leaves till
+morning--which could not now be very far off. They rolled themselves up
+in their karosses, and lay down upon the earth.
+
+Hendrik and Swartboy were soon asleep. Von Bloom would have slept too,
+for he was tired enough; but the heart of the father was too full of
+anxiety to allow repose to his eyes, and he lay awake watching for the
+dawn.
+
+It came at length, and at the first light his eyes swept the surface of
+the surrounding country. The party had by chance halted on an eminence
+that commanded a good view for miles on each side, but the field-cornet
+had not glanced half around the circle, when an object came before his
+eyes that brought gladness to his heart. It was the white tent of the
+wagon!
+
+The joyful exclamation he uttered awoke the sleepers, who immediately
+sprang to their feet; and all three stood gazing at the welcome sight.
+
+As they continued to gaze, their joy gradually gave place to feelings of
+surprise. Was it their wagon, after all?
+
+It certainly looked like theirs; but it was a full half-mile off, and at
+such a distance one wagon would look just like another. But what led
+them to doubt its being theirs? It was the appearance of the place in
+which they saw it. Surely it was not the same place in which they had
+outspanned!
+
+Theirs had been left in an oblong valley between two gentle ridges--in
+such a valley was this one standing. Near a pool formed by a
+spring--here, too, was the same, for they could perceive the water
+shining. But in all other respects the situation was different. The
+surface of the valley in which their wagon had been left was covered,
+both sides and bottom, with a verdant carpet of grass; whereas the one
+now before their eyes was brown and bare! Not a blade of grass was to be
+seen--the trees seeming to be the only things that had any verdure. Even
+the low bushes appeared to be destitute of leaves! The scene had no
+resemblance whatever to that where they had outspanned. It must be the
+camp of some other travellers, thought they.
+
+They had fully arrived at this conclusion, when Swartboy, whose eyes had
+been rolling about everywhere, now rested upon the ground at his feet.
+After a moment's observation--which the increasing light now enabled him
+to make--he turned suddenly to the others, and directed their attention
+to the surface of the plain. This they saw was covered with tracks, as
+if a thousand hoofs had passed over it. In fact, it presented the
+appearance of a vast sheep-pen; so vast, that as far as their sight
+extended, they beheld the same tracked and trampled appearance!
+
+What could this mean? Hendrik did not know. Von Bloom was in doubt.
+Swartboy could tell at the first glance. It was no new sight to him.
+
+"All right, baas," he said, looking up in his master's face. "Da's da
+ole wagon!--da same spring an vley--da same place--dar hab been um
+trek-boken!"
+
+"A trek-boken!" cried Von Bloom and Hendrik, in a breath.
+
+"Ya, baas--a mighty big one too; das da spoor of dem antelope--See!"
+
+Von Bloom now comprehended all. The bareness of the country, the absence
+of the leaves on the lower bushes, the millions of small hoof-tracks,
+all were now explained. A migration of the springbok antelope, a
+"trek-boken," had swept over the spot. That it was that had caused such
+a mighty change. The wagon they saw was theirs, after all.
+
+They lost no time, but, catching their horses, bridled them, and rode
+rapidly down the hill.
+
+Though somewhat relieved at seeing the wagon, Von Bloom was still
+apprehensive.
+
+As they approached, they perceived the two horses standing beside it,
+and tied to the wheels, the cow also was there--but neither goats nor
+sheep were in the neighbourhood.
+
+There was a fire burning in the rear of the hind-wheels, and a dark mass
+underneath the wagon, but no human form could be observed.
+
+The hearts of the horsemen beat loudly as they advanced. Their eyes were
+bent earnestly upon the wagon. They felt keen anxiety.
+
+They had got within three hundred yards, and still no one stirred--no
+human form made its appearance. Von Bloom and Hendrik now suffered
+intensely.
+
+At this moment the two horses by the wagon neighed loudly; the dark mass
+under the wagon moved, rolled outward, rose up, and stood erect. Totty
+was recognised!
+
+And now the "after-clap" of the wagon was hurriedly drawn aside, and
+three young faces were seen peeping forth.
+
+A shout of joy burst from the horsemen, and the next moment little Jan
+and Trüey leaped out from the cap-tent into the arms of their
+father--while the mutual congratulations of Hans and Hendrik, Swartboy
+and Totty, produced for some moments a scene of joyful confusion quite
+indescribable.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE TREK-BOKEN.
+
+
+Those who remained by the camp had had their adventures too; and their
+tale was by no means a merry one, for it disclosed the unpleasant fact,
+that the sheep and goats were all lost. The flock had been carried off,
+in a most singular manner; and there was but little hope of their ever
+being seen again.
+
+Hans began his tale:--
+
+"Nothing unusual occurred on the day you left us. I was busy all the
+afternoon in cutting 'wait-a-bit' thorns for a kraal. Totty helped me to
+drag them up, while Jan and Trüey looked after the flock. The animals
+did not stray out of the valley here, as the grass was good, and they
+had had enough of trotting lately.
+
+"Well--Totty and I got the kraal, as you see, all ready. So, when night
+came, we drove the flock in; and, after milking the cow and getting our
+supper, we all went to bed. We were precious tired, and all of us slept
+soundly throughout the night without being disturbed. Both jackals and
+hyenas came around, but we knew they would not break into that kraal."
+
+Hans pointed to the circular enclosure of thorn-bushes, that had been
+well constructed.
+
+He then proceeded with his narration:--
+
+"In the morning we found everything right. Totty again milked the cow;
+and we had breakfast. The flock was let out upon the grass, and so were
+the cow and the two horses.
+
+"Just about mid-day I began to think what we were to have for dinner,
+for the breakfast had cleared up everything. I did not like to kill
+another sheep, if it could be helped. So bidding Jan and Trüey stay
+close by the wagon, and leaving Totty to look after the flock, I took my
+gun and started off in search of game. I took no horse, for I thought I
+saw springboks out on the plain; and I would stalk them better afoot.
+
+"Sure enough, there were springboks. When I got out of the valley here,
+and had a better view, I saw what astonished me, I can assure you.
+
+"I could scarce credit my eyes. The whole plain, towards the west,
+appeared to be one vast crowd of animals; and by their bright yellow
+sides, and the snow-white hair on their rumps, I knew they were
+springboks. They were all in motion, some browsing along, while hundreds
+of them were constantly bounding up into the air full ten feet high, and
+leaping on top of each other. I assure you all it was one of the
+strangest sights I ever beheld, and one of the pleasantest too; for I
+knew that the creatures that covered the plain, instead of being fierce
+wild beasts, were nothing but graceful and beautiful little gazelles.
+
+"My first thought was to get near them, and have a shot; and I was about
+to start off over the plain, when I perceived that the antelopes were
+coming towards me. I saw that they were approaching with considerable
+rapidity; and if I only remained where I was, they would save me the
+trouble of stalking in upon them. I lay down behind a bush and waited.
+
+"I had not very long to wait. In less than a quarter of an hour the
+foremost of the herd drew near, and in five minutes more a score of them
+were within shot.
+
+"I did not fire for some time. I knew they would come still nearer; and
+I lay watching the motions of those pretty creatures. I took notice of
+their light handsome forms, their smooth slender limbs, their
+cinnamon-coloured backs, and white bellies, with the band of chestnut
+along each side. I looked at the lyre-shaped horns of the bucks, and
+above all, at the singular flaps on their croup, that unfolded each time
+that they leaped up, displaying a profusion of long silky hair, as white
+as snow itself.
+
+"All these points I noticed, and at length, tired of admiring them, I
+singled out a fine-looking doe--for I was thinking of my dinner, and
+knew that doe-venison was the most palatable.
+
+"After aiming carefully, I fired. The doe fell, but, to my astonishment,
+and others did not fly off. A few of the foremost only galloped back a
+bit, or bounded up into the air; but they again set to browsing quite
+unconcerned, and the main body advanced as before!
+
+"I loaded as quickly as I could, and brought down another,--this time a
+buck--but as before without frightening the rest!
+
+"I proceeded to load for the third time; but, before I had finished, the
+front ranks had passed on both sides of me, and I found myself in the
+midst of the herd!
+
+"I saw no need for covering myself any longer behind the bush, but rose
+to my knees, and, firing at the nearest, brought it down also. Its
+comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands!
+
+"I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet.
+
+"Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange
+conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance,
+they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their course.
+They seemed possessed by some species of infatuation. I remembered
+hearing that such was their way when upon one of their migrations, or
+"trek-bokens." This, then, thought I, must be a "trek-boken."
+
+"I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew thicker
+and thicker around me, until at length they became so crowded, that I
+began to feel very singularly situated. Not that I was afraid of the
+creatures, as they made no demonstration of using their horns upon me.
+On the contrary, they did all they could to get out of my way. But the
+nearest only were alarmed; and, as my presence in no way terrified those
+that were an hundred yards off, the latter made no attempt to give
+ground. Of course the nearest ones could only get a few paces from me,
+by pushing the others closer, or springing up over their backs--so that
+with the ones thus constantly bounding up into the air there was all the
+time a ring around me two deep!
+
+"I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation,
+or how long I might have kept my place. Perhaps I might have loaded and
+fired away for some time, but just at the moment the sheep came into my
+mind.
+
+"They'll be carried away, thought I. I had heard that such a thing was
+common enough.
+
+"I saw that the antelopes were heading towards the valley--the foremost
+were already into it, and would soon be on the spot, where I had just
+seen our little flock feeding!
+
+"In hopes of yet heading the springboks, and driving the sheep into the
+kraal, before the former crowded on them, I started towards the valley.
+But, to my chagrin, I could get no faster than the herd was going!
+
+"As I approached the creatures, to make my way through their mass, they
+leaped about and sprang over one another, but could not for their lives
+open a way for me as fast as I wanted one. I was so near some of them
+that I could have knocked them down with my gun!
+
+"I commenced hallooing, and, brandishing the gun about, I was making a
+lane more rapidly, when I perceived in front what appeared to be a large
+open space. I pushed forward for this, but the nearer I came to its
+border the more densely I found the creatures packed. I could only see
+that it was an open space by leaping up. I did not know what was causing
+it. I did not stay to reflect. I only wished to get forward as rapidly
+as possible, thinking about our flock.
+
+"I continued to clear my way, and at length found myself in the position
+I had coveted; while the lane I had made, in getting there, closed
+instantaneously behind me. I was about to rush on and take advantage of
+the bit of clear ground, when, what should I see in the centre, and
+directly before me, but a great yellow lion!
+
+"That accounted for the break in the herd. Had I known what had been
+causing it, I should have fought my way in any other direction but that;
+but there was I, out in the open ground, the lion not ten paces from me,
+and a fence of springboks two deep around both of us!
+
+"I need not say I was frightened, and badly too. I did not for some
+moments know how to act. My gun was still loaded--for, after thinking of
+saving our little flock, I did not care to empty it at the antelopes. I
+could get one, thought I, at any time when I had secured the sheep in
+the kraal. The piece, therefore, was loaded and with bullets.
+
+"Should I take aim at the lion, and fire? I asked myself this question,
+and was just on the point of deciding in the affirmative, when I
+reflected that it would be imprudent. I observed that the lion, whose
+back was turned to me, had either not seen, or as yet took no notice of
+me. Should I only wound him--and from the position he was in I was not
+likely to do more,--how then? I would most likely be torn to pieces.
+
+"These were my reflections, all of which scarce occupied a second of
+time. I was about to "back out" or back in among the springboks, and
+make my way in some other direction, and had even got near the edge,
+when, in looking over my shoulder, I saw the lion suddenly halt and turn
+round. I halted too, knowing that to be the safest plan; and, as I did
+so, I glanced back at the lion's eyes.
+
+"To my relief, I saw they were not upon me. He seemed to have taken some
+fancy in his head. His appetite, perhaps, had returned; for the next
+moment he ran a few yards, and then, rising with a terrific bound,
+launched himself far into the herd, and came down right upon the back of
+one of the antelopes! The others sprang right and left, and a new space
+was soon opened around him.
+
+"He was now nearer than ever to where I stood, and I could see him
+distinctly crouched over his victim. His claws held its quivering body,
+and his long teeth grasped the poor creature by the neck. But, with the
+exception of his tail, he was making not the slightest motion, and that
+vibrated gently from side to side, just as a kitten that had caught a
+tiny mouse. I could see, too, that his eyes were close shut, as though
+he were asleep!
+
+"Now I had heard that under such circumstances the lion may be
+approached without much danger. Not that I wished to go any nearer--for
+I was near enough for my gun--but it was this recollection, I believe,
+that put me in the notion of firing. At all events, something whispered
+me I would succeed, and I could not resist trying.
+
+"The broad blind jaw of the brute was fair before me. I took aim, and
+pulled trigger; but, instead of waiting to see the effect of my shot, I
+ran right off in an opposite direction.
+
+"I did not halt till I had put several acres of antelopes between myself
+and the place where I had last stood; and then I made the best of my way
+to the wagon.
+
+"Long before I had reached it, I could see that Jan, and Trüey, and
+Totty, were safe under the tent. That gave me pleasure, but I also saw
+that the sheep and goats had got mixed up with the springboks, and were
+moving off with them as if they belonged to the same species! I fear
+they are all lost."
+
+"And the lion?" inquired Hendrik.
+
+"Yonder he lies!" answered Hans, modestly pointing to a yellow mass out
+upon the plain, over which the vultures were already beginning to hover.
+"Yonder he lies, you could hardly have done it better yourself, brother
+Hendrik."
+
+As Hans said this, he smiled in such a manner as to show, that he had no
+idea of making a boast of his achievements.
+
+Hendrik was loud in acknowledging that it was a most splendid feat, and
+also in regretting that he had not been on the ground to witness the
+wonderful migration of the springboks.
+
+But there was no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party were
+in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The cow and
+horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had been left
+by the antelopes. Upon what were they to be fed?
+
+To follow the spoor of the migratory springboks with the hope of
+recovering their flock would be quite useless. Swartboy assured them of
+this. The poor animals might be carried hundreds of miles before they
+could separate themselves from the great herd, or bring their
+involuntary journey to an end!
+
+The horses could travel but little farther. There was nought to feed
+them on but the leaves of the mimosas, and this was but poor food for
+hungry horses. It would be fortunate if they could be kept alive until
+they should reach some pasture; and where now was pasture to be found?
+Locusts and antelopes between them seemed to have turned all Africa into
+a desert!
+
+The field-cornet soon formed his resolution. He would remain there for
+the night, and early on the morrow set out in search of some other
+spring.
+
+Fortunately Hans had not neglected to secure a brace of the springboks;
+and their fat venison now came into general use. A roast of that, and a
+drink of cool water from the spring, soon refreshed the three wearied
+travellers.
+
+The horses were let loose among the mimosa-trees, and allowed to shift
+for themselves; and although under ordinary circumstances they would
+have "turned up their noses" at such food as mimosa-leaves, they now
+turned them up in a different sense, and cleared the thorny branches
+like so many giraffes.
+
+Some naturalist as the "Buffon" school has stated that neither wolf,
+fox, hyena, nor jackal, will eat the carcass of a lion,--that their fear
+of the royal despot continues even after his death.
+
+The field-cornet and his family had proof of the want of truth in this
+assertion. Before many hours both jackals and hyenas attacked the
+carcass of the king of beasts, and in a very short while there was not a
+morsel of him there but his bones. Even his tawny skin was swallowed by
+these ravenous creatures, and many of the bones broken by the strong
+jaws of the hyenas. The respect which these brutes entertain for the
+lion ends with his life. When dead, he is eaten by them with as much
+audacity as if he were the meanest of animals.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+SPOORING FOR A SPRING.
+
+
+Von Bloom was in the saddle at an early hour. Swartboy accompanied him,
+while all the others remained by the wagon to await his return. They
+took with them the two horses that had remained by the wagon, as these
+were fresher than the others.
+
+They rode nearly due westward. They were induced to take this direction
+by observing that the springboks had come from the north. By heading
+westward they believed they would sooner get beyond the wasted
+territory.
+
+To their great satisfaction an hour's travelling carried them clear of
+the track of the antelope migration! and although they found no water,
+there was excellent grass.
+
+The field-cornet now sent Swartboy back for the other horses and the
+cow, pointing out a place where he should bring them to graze, while he
+himself continued on in search of water.
+
+After travelling some miles farther, Von Bloom perceived to the north of
+him a long line of cliff rising directly up from the plain, and running
+westward as far as he could see. Thinking that water would be more
+likely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head towards
+them. As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed with the
+beautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes. He passed through
+grassy plains of different sizes, separated from each other by copses of
+the delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming large thickets, while
+others consisted of only a few low bushes. Towering high over the
+mimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a species Von Bloom
+had never seen before. They stood thinly upon the ground; but each, with
+its vast leafy head, seemed a little forest of itself.
+
+The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, which
+contrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond--the latter
+stepping up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet in
+height, and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house.
+
+The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller--such a
+fine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that most
+of the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo. The whole
+of it to the north for hundreds of miles was a famous desert--the desert
+of Kalihari--and these cliffs were a part of its southern border. The
+"vee-boer" would have been rejoiced at such a sight under other
+circumstances. But what to him now were all these fine pastures--now
+that he was no longer able to stock them?
+
+Notwithstanding the beauty of the scene, his reflections were painful.
+
+But he did not give way to despair. His present troubles were
+sufficiently grievous to prevent him from dwelling much on the future.
+His first care was to find a place where his horses might be recruited;
+for without them he could no longer move anywhere--without them he would
+be helpless indeed.
+
+Water was the desired object. If water could not be found, all this
+beautiful park through which he was passing would be as valueless to him
+as the brown desert.
+
+Surely so lovely a landscape could not exist without that most essential
+element!
+
+So thought the field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove his
+eyes wandered over the ground in search of it.
+
+"Ho!" he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridges
+whirred up from his path. "A good sign that: they are seldom far from
+water."
+
+Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens,
+running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water was
+nigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall _cameel-doorn_ tree, he
+next observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot.
+
+"Now," muttered he to himself, "I must be very near to some spring or
+pool."
+
+He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon the
+crest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight of the
+birds.
+
+Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerly
+direction, and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Both
+appeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain, about
+five hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apart
+from any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yet
+seen.
+
+As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed several
+pairs of parrots alighting upon it. These after chattering a while among
+its branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its base.
+
+"Surely," thought Von Bloom, "there must be water there. I shall ride
+forward and see."
+
+But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. The
+animal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as his
+head was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward with
+outstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along.
+
+The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up the
+bridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinking
+from the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within a
+dozen yards of the tree.
+
+The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but he
+thought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon the
+grass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in quite
+as good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal his
+liberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree.
+
+As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of nature
+that towered majestically above him. It was one of the largest trees he
+had ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the "nwana" tree, a species
+of _ficus_, with large sycamore-shaped leaves that grew thickly over its
+magnificent head. Its trunk was full twenty feet in diameter, rising to
+more than that height without a branch, and then spreading off into
+numerous limbs that stretched far out in a horizontal direction. Through
+the thick foliage Von Bloom could perceive shining egg-shaped fruits as
+large as cocoa-nuts; and upon these the parrots and several other kinds
+of birds appeared to be feeding.
+
+Other trees of the same species stood out upon the plain at long
+distances apart; and though they were all taller than the surrounding
+timber, none were so large or conspicuous as the one that grew by the
+spring.
+
+The field-cornet, as he enjoyed the cool shade which its umbrageous
+frondage afforded, could not help thinking what an admirable spot it
+would be to build a kraal. The inmates of a dwelling placed beneath its
+friendly shelter, need never dread the fierce rays of the African sun;
+even the rain could scarce penetrate its leafy canopy. In fact, its
+dense foliage almost constituted a roof of itself.
+
+Had his cattle still remained to him, no doubt the vee-boer would have
+resolved at once to make this spot his future home. But, tempting as it
+was, what now could he do in such a place? To him it would be only a
+wilderness. There was no species of industry he could follow in such a
+remote quarter. True, he might sustain himself and his family by
+hunting. He saw that game was plenteous all around. But that would be
+but a sorry existence, with no promise for the future. What would his
+children do hereafter? Were they to grow up with no other end than to
+become poor hunters--no better than the wild Bushmen? No! no! no! To
+make a home there would be out of the question. A few days to recruit
+his wearied horses, and then he would make a struggle and trek back to
+the settlements.
+
+But what after he had got back? He knew not what then. His future was
+gloomy and uncertain.
+
+After indulging in such reflections for an hour or more, he bethought
+him that it was time to return to the camp; and having caught and
+bridled his horse, he mounted and set forth.
+
+The animal, refreshed by the sweet grass and cool water, carried him
+briskly along; and in less than two hours he came up with Swartboy and
+Hendrik where they were pasturing the horses.
+
+These were taken back to the wagon and harnessed in; and then the great
+vehicle once more "treked" across the plains.
+
+Before the sun had set, the long white cap-tent was gleaming under the
+leafy screen of the gigantic "nwana."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE TERRIBLE TSETSE.
+
+
+The verdant carpet that stretched away around them--the green leaves
+upon the trees--the flowers by the fountain--the crystal water in its
+bed--the black bold rocks towering up at a distance--all combined to
+make a lovely picture. The eyes of the wayfarers were glad as they
+beheld it; and while the wagon was outspanning, every one gave utterance
+to their delightful emotions.
+
+The place seemed to please every one. Hans loved its quiet and sylvan
+beauty. It was just such a place as he would choose to ramble in, book in
+hand, and dream away many a pleasant hour. Hendrik liked it much,
+because he had already observed what he termed "extensive spoor" about
+the spot: in other words, he had noticed the tracks of many of Africa's
+largest wild animals.
+
+Little Trüey was delighted to see so many beautiful flowers. There were
+bright scarlet geraniums, and starlike sweet-scented jessamines, and the
+gorgeous belladonna lily, with its large blossoms of rose-colour and
+white; and there were not only plants in flower, but bushes, and even
+trees, covered with gaudy and sweetly-perfumed blossoms. There was the
+"sugar-bush," the most beautiful of its family, with its large
+cup-shaped corollas of pink, white, and green; and there, too, was the
+"silver-tree" whose soft silvery leaves playing in the breeze, looked
+like a huge mass of silken flowers; and there were the mimosas covered
+with blossoms of golden yellow that filled the air with their strong and
+agreeable perfume.
+
+Rare forms of vegetation were around or near at hand: the arborescent
+aloes, with their tall flower-spikes of coral red, and euphorbias of
+many shapes; and _zamia_, with its palm-like fronds; and the soft-leaved
+_Strelitzia reginæ_. All these were observed in the neighbourhood of
+this new-discovered fountain.
+
+But what received little Trüey's admiration more than any other was the
+beautiful blue water-lily, which is certainly one of the loveliest of
+Africa's flowers. Close by the spring, but a little farther in the
+direction of the plain, was a vley, or pool--in fact, it might have been
+termed a small lake--and upon the quiet bosom of its water the sky-blue
+corollas lay sleeping in all their gorgeous beauty.
+
+Trüey, leading her little pet on a string, had gone down on the bank to
+look at them. She thought she could never cease gazing at such pretty
+things.
+
+"I hope papa will stay here a long time," she said to her companion,
+little Jan.
+
+"And I hope so too. Oh! Trüey, what a fine tree yon is! Look! nuts as
+big as my head, I declare. Bless me, sis! how are we to knock some of
+them down?"
+
+And so the children conversed, both delighted with the new scenes around
+them.
+
+Although all the young people were inclined to be happy, yet they were
+checked in their expression of it, by observing that there was a cloud
+on the brow of their father. He had seated himself under the great tree,
+but his eyes were upon the ground, as though he were busy with painful
+reflections. All of them noticed this.
+
+His reflections were, indeed, painful--they could not well have been
+otherwise. There was but one course left for him--to return to the
+settlements, and begin life anew. But how to begin it? What could he do?
+His property all gone, he could only serve some of his richer
+neighbours; and for one accustomed all his life to independence, this
+would be hard indeed.
+
+He looked towards his five horses, now eagerly cropping the luxuriant
+grass that grew under the shadow of the cliffs. When would they be ready
+to trek back again? In three or four days he might start. Fine animals,
+most of them were--they would carry the wagon lightly enough.
+
+So ran the reflections of the field-cornet. He little thought at the
+moment that those horses would never draw wagon more, nor any other
+vehicle. He little thought that those five noble brutes were doomed!
+
+Yet so it was. In less than a week from that time, the jackals and
+hyenas were quarrelling over their bones. Even at that very moment while
+he watched them browsing, the poison was entering their veins, and their
+death-wounds were being inflicted. Alas! alas! another blow awaited Von
+Bloom.
+
+The field-cornet had noticed, now and again, that the horses seemed
+uneasy as they fed. At times they started suddenly, whisked their long
+tails, and rubbed their heads against the bushes.
+
+"Some fly is troubling them," thought he, and had no more uneasiness
+about the matter.
+
+It was just that--just a fly that was troubling them. Had Von Bloom
+known what that fly was, he would have felt a very different concern
+about his horses. Had he known the nature of that little fly, he would
+have rushed up with all his boys, caught the horses in the greatest
+hurry, and led them far away from those dark cliffs. But he knew not the
+"tsetse" fly.
+
+It still wanted some minutes of sunset, and the horses were permitted to
+browse freely, but Von Bloom observed that they were every moment
+getting more excited--now striking their hoofs upon the turf,--now
+running a length or two--and at intervals snorting angrily. At the
+distance they were off--a quarter of a mile or so--Von Bloom could see
+nothing of what was disturbing them; but their odd behaviour at length
+induced him to walk up to where they were. Hans and Hendrik went along
+with him.
+
+When they arrived near the spot, they were astonished at what they then
+beheld. Each horse seemed to be encompassed by a swarm of bees!
+
+They saw, however, they were not bees, but insects somewhat smaller, of
+a brown colour, resembling gad-flies, and exceedingly active in their
+flight. Thousands of them hovered above each horse, and hundreds could
+be seen lighting upon the heads, necks, bodies, and legs of the
+animals,--in fact, all over them. They were evidently either biting or
+stinging them. No wonder the poor brutes were annoyed.
+
+Von Bloom suggested that they should drive the horses farther out into
+the plain, where these flies did not seem to haunt. He was only
+concerned about the annoyance which the horses received from them.
+Hendrik also pitied their sufferings; but Hans, alone of all the three,
+guessed at the truth. He had read of a fatal insect that frequented some
+districts in the interior of South Africa, and the first sight of these
+flies aroused his suspicions that it might be they.
+
+He communicated his thoughts to the others, who at once shared his
+alarm.
+
+"Call Swartboy hither!" said Von Bloom.
+
+The Bushman was called, and soon made his appearance, coming up from the
+spring. He had for the last hour been engaged in unpacking the wagon,
+and had taken no notice of the horses or the interest they were
+exciting.
+
+As soon, however, as he got near, and saw the winged swarm whirring
+around the horses, his small eyes opened to their widest extent, his
+thick lips fell, and his whole face yielded itself to an expression of
+amazement and alarm.
+
+"What is it, Swart?" inquired his master.
+
+"Mein baas! mein baas! der duyvel um da--dar skellum is da 'tsetse!'"
+
+"And what if it be the tsetse?"
+
+"Mein Gott!--all dead--dead--ebery horse!"
+
+Swartboy then proceeded to explain, with a loud and continuous
+"clicking," that the fly which they saw was fatal in its bite, that the
+horses would surely die--sooner or later, according to the number of
+stings they had already received; but, from the swarm of insects around
+them, the Bushman had no doubt they had been badly stung, and a single
+week would see all five of the horses dead.
+
+"Wait, mein baas--morrow show."
+
+And to-morrow did show; for before twelve o'clock on the next day, the
+horses were swollen all over their bodies and about their heads. Their
+eyes were quite closed up; they refused any longer to eat, but staggered
+blindly among the luxuriant grass, every now and then expressing the
+pain they felt by a low melancholy whimpering. It was plain to every one
+they were going to die.
+
+Von Bloom tried bleeding, and various other remedies; but to no purpose.
+There is no cure for the bite of the tsetse fly!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS.
+
+
+Great, indeed, was now the affliction of the field-cornet. Fortune
+seemed to be adverse in everything. Step by step he had been sinking for
+years, every year becoming poorer in worldly wealth. He had now reached
+the lowest point--poverty itself. He owned nothing whatever. His horses
+might be regarded as dead. The cow had escaped from the tsetse by
+avoiding the cliffs, and keeping out upon the plain; and this animal now
+constituted his whole live stock,--his whole property! True, he still had
+his fine wagon; but of what use would that be without either oxen or
+horses? a wagon without a team! Better a team without a wagon.
+
+What could he do? How was he to escape from the position he was placed
+in? To say the least, it was an awkward one--nearly two hundred miles
+from any civilised settlement, and no means of getting there,--no means
+except by walking; and how were his children to walk two hundred miles?
+Impossible!
+
+Across desert tracts, exposed not only to terrible fatigue, but to
+hunger, thirst, and fierce carnivorous animals. It appeared impossible
+that they could accomplish such a task.
+
+And what else was there to be done? asked the field-cornet of himself.
+Were they to remain there all their lives, subsisting precariously on
+game and roots? Were his children to become "Bush-boys,"--himself a
+Bushman?
+
+With these reflections passing through his mind, no wonder that Von
+Bloom felt deeply afflicted.
+
+"Merciful Heaven!" he exclaimed, as he sat with his head between his
+hands, "what will become of me and mine?"
+
+Poor Von Bloom! he had reached the lowest point of his fortunes.
+
+He had, in reality, reached the lowest point; for on that very
+day,--even within that very hour--an incident occurred, that not only
+gave relief to his afflicted spirit, but that promised to lay the
+foundation of future wealth and prosperity. In one hour from that time
+the prospects of the field-cornet had undergone a complete change,--in
+one hour from that time he was a happy man, and all around him were as
+happy as he!
+
+You are impatient to hear how this change was effected? What little
+fairy had sprung out of the spring, or come down from the cliffs, to
+befriend the good field-cornet in his hour of misery? You are impatient
+to hear! Then you shall hear.
+
+The sun was just going down. They were all seated under the great tree,
+and near a fire, upon which they had cooked their supper. There was no
+talking, no cheerful conversation,--for the children saw that their
+father was in trouble, and that kept them silent. Not a word passed
+between them, or only an occasional whisper.
+
+It was at this moment that Von Bloom gave utterance to his sad thoughts
+in words as above.
+
+As if seeking for an answer, his eyes were raised to heaven, and then
+wandered around the plain. All at once they became fixed upon a singular
+object, that appeared at some distance off, and was just emerging from
+the bushes.
+
+It was an animal of some kind, and from its vast size Von Bloom and the
+others at first took it to be an elephant. None of them, except
+Swartboy, were accustomed to elephants in their wild state,--for,
+although these animals once inhabited the most southerly portion of
+Africa, they have long since deserted the settled districts, and are now
+only to be found far beyond the frontier of the colony. But they knew
+that there were elephants in these parts--as they had already observed
+their tracks--and all now supposed the huge creature that was
+approaching must be one.
+
+Not all, Swartboy was an exception. As soon as his eyes fell upon the
+animal he cried out,--
+
+"Chukuroo--a chukuroo!"
+
+"A rhinoster, is it?" said Von Bloom, knowing that "chuckuroo" was the
+native name for the rhinoceros, or "rhinoster," as he called it in
+Dutch.
+
+"Ya, baas," replied Swartboy; "and one o' da big karles--da, 'kobaoba,'
+da long-horn white rhinoster."
+
+What Swartboy meant by this was that the animal in question was a large
+species of rhinoceros, known among the natives as the "kobaoba."
+
+Now I dare say, young reader, you have been all your life under the
+impression that there was but one species of rhinoceros in the
+world--that is _the_ rhinoceros. Is it not so? Yes.
+
+Well, permit me to inform you, that you have been under a wrong
+impression. There are quite a number of distinct species of this very
+singular animal. At least eight distinct kinds I know of; and I do not
+hesitate to say that when the central parts of Africa have been fully
+explored, as well as South Asia and the Asiatic islands, nearly half as
+many more will be found to exist.
+
+In South Africa four distinct species are well known; one in North
+Africa differs from all these; while the large Indian rhinoceros bears
+but slight resemblance to any of them. A distinct species from any is
+the rhinoceros of Sumatra, an inhabitant of that island; and still
+another is the Java rhinoceros, found in the island of Java. Thus we
+have no less than eight kinds, all specifically differing from one
+another.
+
+The natives of South Africa are acquainted with four distinct species of
+rhinoceros, to which they give distinct names; and it may be remarked
+that this observation of species by native hunters is far more to be
+depended upon than the speculations of mere closet-naturalists, who draw
+their deductions from a tubercle, or the tooth, or a stuffed skin.
+Gordon Cumming, for example, the most distinguished of all African
+hunters has done more to increase the knowledge of African zoology than
+a whole college full of "speculating" _savans_.
+
+This same Gordon Cumming has written a most interesting account of his
+hunting experiences, tells you that there are four kinds of rhinoceros
+in Southern Africa; and no man is likely to know better than he.
+
+These four kinds are known among the natives as the "borele," the
+"keitloa," the "muchocho," and "kobaoba." The two first are "black
+rhinoceroses,"--that is, the general colour of their skin is dark--while
+the "muchocho" and "kobaoba" are white varieties, having the skin of a
+dingy whitish hue. The black rhinoceroses are much smaller--scarce half
+the size of the others, and they differ from them in the length and set
+of their horns, as well as in other particulars.
+
+In the form and length of their neck, the set of their ears, and other
+respects, the black rhinoceroses differ materially from the white ones.
+In fact, their habits are quite unlike. The former feed chiefly on the
+leaves and twigs of thorns, such as the _Acacia horrida_, or
+"wait-a-bits," while the latter live upon grass. The former are of
+fiercer disposition--will attack man or any other animal on sight; and
+even sometimes seem to grow angry with the bushes, charging upon them
+and breaking them to pieces!
+
+The white rhinoceroses, although fierce enough when wounded or provoked,
+are usually of pacific disposition, and will permit the hunter to pass
+without molestation.
+
+These become very fat, and make excellent eating. The flesh of no
+African animal is esteemed superior to the calf of the white rhinoceros,
+whereas the black varieties never grow fat, and their flesh is tough and
+unpalatable.
+
+The hide is also used for different purposes, among others for making
+the whips known as "jamboks," though hippopotamus-hide is superior.
+
+The skin of the African rhinoceros, as already stated, is without the
+plaits, folds, and scutellæ, that characterise its Asiatic congener, yet
+it is far from being a soft one. It is so thick and difficult to pierce,
+that a bullet of ordinary lead will sometimes flatten upon it. To ensure
+its penetrating, the lead must be hardened with solder.
+
+The rhinoceros, though not a water animal, like the hippopotamus, is
+nevertheless fond of that element, and is rarely found at a great
+distance from it. All four kinds love to lie and wallow in mud, just as
+hogs in a summer's day; and they are usually seen coated all over with
+this substance. During the day they may be observed lying down or
+standing under the shade of some thick mimosa-tree, either asleep or in
+a state of easy indolence; and it is during the night that they wander
+about in search of food and water.
+
+If approached from the lee side they can easily be got at, as their
+small sparkling eyes do not serve them well. On the contrary, if the
+hunter go to windward, they will scent him at a great distance, as their
+sense of smell is most acute. If their eyes were only as keen as their
+nostrils, it would be a dangerous game to attack them, for they can run
+with sufficient rapidity to overtake a horse in the first charge.
+
+In charging and running, the black variety far excels the white. They
+are easily avoided, however, by the hunter springing quickly to one
+side, and letting them rush blindly on.
+
+The black rhinoceros is about six feet high at the shoulder, and full
+thirteen in length; while the white kinds are far larger. The white
+rhinoceros is full seven feet high, and fourteen in length!
+
+No wonder that an animal of these extraordinary dimensions was at first
+sight taken for the elephant. In fact, the kobaoba rhinoceros is the
+quadruped next to the elephant in size; and with his great muzzle--full
+eighteen inches broad--his long clumsy head, his vast ponderous body,
+this animal impresses one with an idea of strength and massive grandeur
+as great, and some say greater than the elephant himself. He looks,
+indeed, like a caricature of the elephant. It was not such a bad
+mistake, then, when our people by the wagon took the "kobaoba" for the
+"mighty elephant."
+
+Swartboy, however, set them all right by declaring that the animal they
+saw was the white rhinoceros.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+A HEAVY COMBAT.
+
+
+When they first saw the kobaoba, he was, as stated, just coming out of
+the thicket. Without halting, he headed in the direction of the vley
+already mentioned; and kept on towards it, his object evidently being to
+reach the water.
+
+This little lake, of course, owed its existence to the spring--though it
+was full two hundred yards from the latter--and about the same from the
+great tree. It was nearly circular in shape, and about one hundred yards
+in diameter, so that its superficial area would thus be a little over
+two English acres. It merited, then, the name of "lake;" and by that
+name the young people already called it.
+
+On its upper side--that in the direction of the spring--its shore was
+high, and in one or two places rocky, and these rocks ran back to the
+spring along the channel of a little rivulet. On the west or outer side
+of the lake the land lay lower, and the water at one or two points
+lipped up nearly to the level of the plain. For this reason it was, that
+upon that side, the bank was paddled all over with tracks of animals
+that had been to drink. Hendrik the hunter had observed among them the
+footprints of many kinds he knew nothing about.
+
+It was for the lower end of the lake the kobaoba was making--no doubt
+with him an old and favourite drinking place.
+
+There was a point where the water was easier of access than elsewhere--a
+little to one side of where the wash or waste-stream of the lake ran
+out. It was a sort of cove with bright sandy beach, and approachable
+from the plain by a miniature gorge, hollowed out, no doubt, by the long
+usage of those animals who came to drink at the vley. By entering this
+cove, the tallest animals might get deep water and good bottom, so that
+they could drink without much straining or stooping. The kobaoba came on
+in a direct line for the lake; and as he drew near, they could see him
+heading for the gorge that led into the little cove. It proved he had
+been there before.
+
+Next moment he passed through the gap, and stood knee-deep in the water.
+
+After swallowing several copious draughts--now sneezing, and then
+wheezing--he plunged his broad snout, horn and all, into the water,
+tossed it till it foamed, and then lying down in it, commenced wallowing
+like a hog.
+
+The place was shallow, and most of his huge body was above the
+surface--though there was deep enough water in the lake to have given
+him a bath had he desired it.
+
+The first thought of Von Bloom, as well as of Hendrik, was how to
+"circumvent" the rhinoceros, and of course destroy him. Not that they
+simply wished his destruction; but Swartboy had already represented what
+fine food the species was, and there was no stock of provision in camp.
+Hendrik had another object in wishing the death of the creature. He
+wanted a new loading-rod for his rifle; and he had gazed covetously at
+the kobaoba's long horn.
+
+But it was easier to desire the death of the rhinoceros than to
+accomplish it. They had no horses--at least, none that could be
+mounted--and to attack the animal on foot, would be a game as dangerous
+as idle. He would be like enough to impale one of them on his great
+spike, or else trample them brutally under his huge feet. If he did not
+do one or the other, he would easily make his escape--as any kind of
+rhinoceros can outrun a man.
+
+How were they to manage him then?
+
+Perhaps they might get near--fire at him from an ambush, and with a
+lucky shot stretch him out. A single bullet sometimes kills the
+rhinoceros--but only when correctly placed, so as to penetrate the
+heart, or some other of the "vitals."
+
+This was, probably, the best plan. They might easily get near enough.
+There was some bush cover close to the spot. It was probable the old
+kobaoba would not perceive them, if they approached from leeward,
+particularly as he seemed in the full tide of enjoyment at that moment.
+
+They were about to attempt the approach, and had got to their feet for
+that purpose, when a sudden fit seemed to have attacked Swartboy. The
+latter commenced jumping over the ground, at the same time muttering in
+a low voice,--
+
+"Da klow! da klow!"
+
+A stranger would have fancied Swartboy in a fit, but Von Bloom knew that
+by "Da klow! da klow!" the Bushman meant "The elephant! the elephant!"
+and therefore looked in the direction in which Swartboy was pointing.
+
+Sure enough, upon the western plain, looming up against the yellow sky,
+was a dark mass, that upon examination presented the outlines of an
+elephant. Its rounded back was easily distinguished over the low bushes;
+and its broad hanging ears were moving as it marched. All saw at a
+glance that it was coming towards the lake, and almost in the same track
+that the rhinoceros had taken.
+
+Of course this new apparition quite disarranged the plans of the
+hunters. At sight of the mighty elephant, they scarce any longer gave a
+thought to the kobaoba. Not that they had formed any very great hopes of
+being able to kill the gigantic animal, yet some such thought was
+running through their minds. They had determined to try, at all events.
+
+Before they could agree upon any plan, however, the elephant had got up
+to the edge of the lake. Though moving only at a slow walk, with his
+immense strides he soon measured off a large quantity of ground, and
+advanced much more rapidly than one would have supposed. The hunters had
+scarce time to exchange thoughts, before the huge creature was up within
+a few yards of the water.
+
+Here he halted, pointed his proboscis in different directions, stood
+quite silent, and seemed to listen.
+
+There was no noise to disturb him--even the kobaoba for the moment was
+quiet.
+
+After standing a minute or so, the huge creature moved forward again,
+and entered the gorge already described.
+
+They at the camp had now a full view of him, at less than three hundred
+yards distant. An immense mass he seemed. His body quite filled the
+gorge from side to side, and his long yellow tusks projecting more than
+two yards from his jaws, curved gracefully upward. He was an "old bull,"
+as Swartboy whispered.
+
+Up to this time the rhinoceros had not had the slightest intimation of
+the elephant's approach; for the tread of the latter--big beast as he
+is--is as silent as a cat's. It is true that a loud rumbling noise like
+distant thunder proceeded from his inside as he moved along; but the
+kobaoba was in too high a caper just then to have heard or noticed any
+sound that was not very near and distinct.
+
+The huge body of the elephant coming suddenly into "his sunshine," and
+flinging its dark shadow over the vley, was distinct enough, and caused
+the kobaoba to get to his feet with an agility quite surprising for a
+creature of his build.
+
+At the same time a noise, something between a grunt and a whistle
+escaped him, as the water was ejected from his nostrils.
+
+The elephant also uttered his peculiar salute, in a trumpet note, that
+echoed from the cliffs; and halted in his tracks as soon as he saw the
+rhinoceros.
+
+No doubt both were surprised at the rencontre; as both stood for some
+seconds eyeing each other with apparent astonishment.
+
+This, however, soon gave place to a different feeling. Symptoms of anger
+began to show themselves. It was evident that bad blood was brewing
+between them.
+
+There was, in fact, a little dilemma. The elephant could not get
+comfortably at the water unless the rhinoceros left the cove; and the
+rhinoceros could not well get out of the cove, so long as the elephant
+blocked up the gorge with his immense thick limbs.
+
+It is true, the kobaoba might have sneaked through among the other's
+legs, or he might have swum off and landed at some other point, and in
+either way have left the coast clear.
+
+But of all animals in the world a rhinoceros is, perhaps, the most
+unaccommodating. He is, also, one of the most fearless, dreading neither
+man nor beast--not even the boasted lion, whom he often chases like a
+cat. Hence the old kobaoba had no intention of yielding ground to the
+elephant; and from his attitude, it was plain that he neither intended
+to sneak off under the other's belly, nor swim a single stroke for him.
+No--not a stroke.
+
+It remained to be seen how the point of honour was to be decided. The
+attitude of affairs had become so interesting, that every one by the
+camp was gazing with fixed eyes upon the two great bulls--for the
+rhinoceros was also a "bull" and of the largest size known of his kind.
+
+For several minutes they stood eyeing each other. The elephant, although
+much the larger, knew his antagonist well. He had met his "sort" before,
+and knew better than to despise his powers. Perhaps, ere now, he had had
+a touch of that long spit-like excrescence that stood out from the
+kobaoba's snout.
+
+At all events, he did not rush upon his adversary at once--as he would
+have done on some poor antelope that might have crossed him in the same
+way.
+
+[Illustration: A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.]
+
+His patience, however, became exhausted. His ancient dignity was
+insulted--his rule disputed--he wished to have his bath and his
+drink--he could bear the insolence of the rhinoceros no longer.
+
+With a bellow that made the rocks ring again, he charged forward; placed
+his tusks firmly under the shoulder of his adversary,--gave a mighty
+"lift," and turned the rhinoceros over in the water!
+
+For a moment the latter plunged, and blowed, and snorted, his head half
+under water; but in a second's time he was on his feet again, and
+charging in turn. The spectators could see that he aimed right at the
+elephant's ribs with his horn, and that the latter did all he could to
+keep head towards him.
+
+Again the elephant flung the kobaoba, and again the latter rose and
+charged madly upon his huge antagonist; and so both fought until the
+water around them was white with foam.
+
+The contest was carried on in the water, until the elephant, seeming to
+think his adversary had an advantage there, backed himself into the
+gorge, and stood waiting with his head towards the lake. In this
+position the sides of the gorge did not protect him, as perhaps he
+fancied. They were too low, and his broad flanks rose far above them.
+They only kept him from turning round, and this interfered with the
+freedom of his movements.
+
+It could scarce have been design in the rhinoceros to act as he now did,
+though it appeared so to those who were watching. As the elephant took
+up his position in the gorge, the kobaoba clambered out upon the bank;
+and then, wheeling suddenly, with head to the ground and long horn
+projected horizontally, the latter rushed upon his antagonist and struck
+him right among the ribs. The spectators saw that the horn penetrated,
+and the loud scream that came from the elephant, with the quick motions
+of his trunk and tail, told plainly that he had received a severe wound.
+Instead of standing any longer in the gorge he rushed forward, and did
+not stop until he was knee-deep in the lake. Drawing the water up into
+his trunk, he raised it on high, and pointing it backwards, he
+discharged large volumes over his body, and upon the spot where he had
+received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn.
+
+He then ran out of the lake, and charged about in search of the
+rhinoceros; but long-horn was no longer to be found!
+
+Having escaped from the cove without compromising his dignity, and
+perhaps believing that he had gained the victory, the rhinoceros, as
+soon as he delivered the thrust, had galloped off and disappeared among
+the bushes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT.
+
+
+The battle between these two large quadrupeds did not continue for more
+than ten minutes. During that time the hunters made no advance towards
+attacking either of them--so much absorbed were they in watching the
+novel contest. It was only after the rhinoceros had retreated, and the
+elephant returned to the water, that they once more began to deliberate
+on some plan of assaulting this mightiest of African animals. Hans now
+laid hold of his gun and joined them.
+
+The elephant, after looking about for his enemy, had got back, and was
+standing knee-deep in the lake. He appeared restless and highly excited.
+His tail was continually in motion, and at intervals he uttered a
+piercing melancholy scream--far different to the usual trumpet-like
+bellow of his voice. He lifted his huge limbs, and then plunged them
+back again to the bottom, until the foam gathered upon the water with
+his continued churning.
+
+But the oddest of his actions was the manner in which he employed his
+long tubular trunk. With this he sucked up vast volumes of water, and
+then pointing it backwards ejected the fluid over his back and
+shoulders, as if from an immense syringe. This shower-bath he kept
+repeating time after time, though it was evident he was not at his ease.
+
+They all knew he was angry. Swartboy said it would be exceedingly
+dangerous to be seen by him at that moment, without having a horse to
+gallop out of his way. On this account every one of them had concealed
+themselves behind the trunk of the nwana-tree, Von Bloom peeping past
+one side, and Hendrik the other, in order to watch his movements.
+
+Notwithstanding the danger, they at length resolved to attack him. They
+believed that if they did not do so soon, he would walk off, and leave
+them supperless--for they had hoped to sup upon a slice of his trunk.
+Time, therefore, had grown precious, and they resolved to attack him
+without further ado.
+
+They intended to creep as near as was safe. All three would fire
+together, and then lie close in the bushes until they saw the effect of
+their shots.
+
+Without farther parley, Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, leaving the tree,
+crept through the bushes towards the western end of the lake. It was not
+a continuous thicket, but only an assemblage of copses and clumps, so
+that they required to steal very cautiously from one to the other. Von
+Bloom led the way, while the boys kept in his tracks, following him
+closely.
+
+After some five minutes spent in this way, they got under cover of a
+little clump near the water's edge, and near enough to the gigantic
+game. Upon their hands and knees they now approached the verge of the
+underwood; and, having parted the leaves, looked through. The mighty
+quadruped was right under their eyes, within twenty yards of them!
+
+He was still busy plunging about, and blowing volumes of water over his
+body. He gave no sign that he had any suspicion of their presence. They
+could take time, therefore, in choosing a part of his huge body at which
+to aim their pieces.
+
+When first seen from their new position, he was standing stern towards
+them. Von Bloom did not think it a good time to fire, as they could not
+give him a deadly wound in that situation. They waited, therefore, until
+he might turn his side, before they should deliver their volley. They
+kept their eyes all the while steadily fixed on him.
+
+He ceased at length to "churn" with his feet, and no longer raised water
+in his trunk; and now the hunters perceived that the lake was red for a
+space around him! It was his blood that had reddened it.
+
+They no longer doubted that he had been wounded by the rhinoceros; but
+whether the wound was a bad one they could not tell. It was in his side,
+and as yet they could only see his broad stern from the position in
+which he still continued to stand. But they waited with confidence--as
+they knew that in turning to get out of the water, he would have to
+present his side towards them.
+
+For several minutes he kept the same position; but they noticed that his
+tail no longer switched about, and that his attitude was loose and
+drooping. Now and then he turned his proboscis to the spot where he had
+received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn. It was evident that the wound
+was distressing him, and this became more apparent by the loud painful
+breathing the creature uttered through his trunk.
+
+The three began to grow impatient. Hendrik asked leave to creep round to
+another point, and give him a shot that would turn him round.
+
+Just at that moment the elephant made a motion, as though he was about
+to come out of the water.
+
+He had got fairly round--his head and fore-part were over dry land--the
+three guns were pointed--the eyes of the three hunters were about to
+glance through the sights of their pieces, when all at once he was seen
+to rock and stagger,--and then roll over! With a loud plash, his vast
+body subsided into the water, sending great waves to every corner of the
+lake.
+
+The hunters uncocked their guns, and, springing from their ambush,
+rushed forward to the bank. They saw at a glance that the elephant was
+dead. They saw the wound upon his side,--the hole made by the horn of
+the rhinoceros. It was not very large, but the terrible weapon had
+penetrated far into his body, into his very vitals. No wonder, then, at
+the result it had produced--the death of the mightiest of quadrupeds.
+
+As soon as it became known that the elephant was dead, everybody was
+seen rushing forward to the spot. Little Trüey and Jan were called from
+their hiding-place--for they had both been hidden in the wagon--and
+Totty, too, went down with the rest. Swartboy was one of the first upon
+the spot, carrying an axe and a large knife--for Swartboy had designs
+upon the carcass--while Hans and Hendrik both threw off their jackets to
+assist in the butchering operations.
+
+And what during this time was Von Bloom about? Ha! That is a more
+important question than you think for. That was an important hour--the
+hour of a great crisis in the life of the field-cornet.
+
+He was standing with folded arms on the bank of the lake, directly over
+the spot where the elephant had fallen. He appeared to be wrapt in
+silent meditation, his eyes bent upon the huge carcass of the animal.
+No, not on the carcass. A close observer would have perceived that his
+eyes did not wander over that mountain of thick skin and flesh, but were
+resting upon a particular spot.
+
+Was it the wound in the animal's side? And was Von Bloom meditating how
+the thrust had caused the death of such a huge creature?
+
+Neither one nor the other. His thoughts were upon a very different theme
+from either.
+
+The elephant had fallen so that his head was clear of the water, and
+rested upon a little bank of sand; along which, his soft and limber
+trunk lay extended to its full length. Curving like a pair of gigantic
+scimeters from its base, were the yellow enamelled tusks; those ivory
+arms that for years,--aye centuries, perhaps,--had served him to root up
+the trees of the forest, and rout his antagonists in many a dread
+encounter. Precious and beautiful trophies were they, but alas! their
+world-wide fame had cost no less than life to many thousands of his
+race.
+
+Shining in all their magnificence lay these mated crescents, gently
+curved and softly rounded. It was upon these that the eyes of the
+field-cornet were bent!
+
+Aye, and bent too with an eagerness unusual in his glance. His lips were
+compressed, his chest was visibly heaving. Oh! there was a world of
+thoughts passing through the mind of Von Bloom at that moment.
+
+Were they painful thoughts? The expression of his face told the
+contrary. The cloud that all that day sat perched upon his brow had
+vanished. Not a trace of it remained, but in its place could be seen the
+lines of hope and joy, and these feelings at length found expression in
+words.
+
+"It is the hand of Heaven!" he exclaimed aloud. "A fortune--a fortune!"
+
+"What is it, papa?" inquired little Trüey, who was near him; "what were
+you speaking about, dear papa?"
+
+And then all the others gathered around him, noticing his excited
+manner, and pleased at seeing him look so happy.
+
+"What is it, papa?" asked all together, while Swartboy and Totty stood
+eager as the rest to hear the answer.
+
+In the pleasant excitement of his thoughts, the fond father could no
+longer conceal from his children the secret of his new-born happiness.
+He would gratify them by disclosing it.
+
+Pointing to the long crescents he said,--
+
+"You see those beautiful tusks?"
+
+Yes, of course, they all did.
+
+"Well, do you know their value?"
+
+No. They knew they were worth something. They knew that it was from
+elephants' tusks that ivory was obtained, or, more properly, that
+elephants' tusks were ivory itself; and that it was used in the
+manufacture of hundreds of articles. In fact, little Trüey had a
+beautiful fan made out of it, which had been her mother's; and Jan had
+a knife with an ivory handle. Ivory was a very beautiful material, and
+cost very dear, they knew. All this they knew, but the value of the two
+tusks they could not guess at. They said so.
+
+"Well, my children," said Von Bloom, "as near as I can estimate them,
+they are worth twenty pounds each of English money."
+
+"Oh! oh! Such a grand sum!" cried all in a breath.
+
+"Yes," continued the field-cornet; "I should think each tusk is one
+hundred pounds in weight, and as ivory at present sells for four
+shillings and sixpence the pound weight, these two would yield between
+forty and fifty pounds of sterling money."
+
+"Why, it would buy a full span of best oxen!" cried Hans.
+
+"Four good horses!" said Hendrik.
+
+"A whole flock of sheep!" added little Jan.
+
+"But whom can we sell them to?" asked Hendrik, after a pause. "We are
+away from the settlements. Who is to give us either oxen, or horses, or
+sheep, for them? It would not be worth while to carry two tusks all the
+way----"
+
+"Not two, Hendrik," said his father interrupting him; "but twenty it
+might,--aye, twice twenty, or three times that number. Now, do you
+understand what makes me so gay?"
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Hendrik, as well as the others, who now began to
+perceive what their father was so joyed about, "you think we can obtain
+more tusks in these parts?"
+
+"Precisely so. I think there are many elephants here. I feel certain of
+it from the quantity of their spoor I have already noticed. We have our
+guns, and fortunately, plenty of ammunition. We are all pretty fair
+shots--why can we not obtain more of these valuable trophies?"
+
+"But we shall," continued Von Bloom. "I know we shall, because I
+recognise the hand of God in sending us this wealth in the midst of our
+misery--after we had lost everything. More will come by the guiding of
+the same hand. So be of good cheer, my children! We shall not want--we
+shall yet have plenty--we may be rich!"
+
+It was not that any of those young creatures cared much about being
+rich, but because they saw their father so happy, that they broke out
+into something more than a murmur of applause. It was, in fact, a cheer,
+in which both Totty and Swartboy joined. It rang over the little lake,
+and caused the birds about settling to roost to wonder what was going
+on. There was no happier group in all Africa than stood at that moment
+upon the shore of that lonely little vley.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+TURNED HUNTERS.
+
+
+The field-cornet, then, had resolved upon turning hunter by
+profession--a hunter of elephants; and it was a pleasant reflection to
+think, that this occupation promised, not only exciting sport, but great
+profit. He knew that it was not so easy a matter to succeed in killing
+such large and valuable game as elephants. He did not suppose that in a
+few weeks or months he would obtain any great quantities of their ivory
+spoils; but he had made up his mind to spend even years in the pursuit.
+For years he should lead the life of a Bushman--for years his sons would
+be "Bush-boys," and he hoped that in time his patience and toil would be
+amply rewarded.
+
+That night around the camp-fire all were very happy and very merry. The
+elephant had been left where he lay, to be cut up on the morrow. Only
+his trunk had been taken off--part of which was cooked for supper.
+
+Although all the flesh of the elephant is eatable, the trunk is esteemed
+one of the delicate bits. It tastes not unlike ox-tongue; and all of
+them liked it exceedingly. To Swartboy, who had made many a meal upon
+"de ole klow," it was a highly-relished feast.
+
+They had plenty of fine milk, too. The cow, now upon the best of
+pasture, doubled her yield; and the quantity of this, the most delicious
+of all drinks, was sufficient to give every one a large allowance.
+
+While enjoying their new-fashioned dish of roast elephant-trunk, the
+conversation naturally turned upon these animals.
+
+Everybody knows the appearance of the elephant, therefore a description
+of him is quite superfluous. But everybody does not know that there are
+two distinct kinds of this gigantic quadruped--the African and Asiatic.
+
+Until a late period they were thought to be of the same species. Now
+they are acknowledged to be, not only distinct, but very different in
+many respects. The Asiatic, or, as it is more frequently called, the
+"Indian" elephant is the larger of the two; but it is possible that
+domestication may have produced a larger kind, as is the rule with many
+animals. The African species exists only in a wild state; and it would
+appear that individuals of this kind have been measured having the
+dimensions of the largest of the wild Asiatic elephants.
+
+The most remarkable points of difference between the two are found in
+the ears and tusks. The ears of the African elephant are of enormous
+proportions, meeting each other above the shoulders, and hanging down
+below the breast. Those of the Indian elephant are scarce one-third the
+size. In his grand tusks the former has far the advantage--these in some
+individuals weighing nearly two hundred pounds each--while the tusks of
+the latter rarely reach the weight of one hundred. To this, however,
+there are some exceptions. Of course a two hundred pound tusk is one of
+the very largest, and far above the average even of African elephants.
+In this species the females are also provided with tusks--though not of
+such size as in the males--whereas the female of the Indian elephant has
+either no tusks at all, or they are so small as to be scarcely
+perceptible outside the skin of the lips.
+
+In Africa the elephant exists only in a state of nature. None of the
+nations upon this little-known continent tame or train him to any
+purpose. He is only prized among them for his precious teeth, and his
+flesh as well. Some have asserted that this species is more fierce than
+its Indian congener, and could not be domesticated. This is altogether a
+mistake. The reason why the African elephant is not trained, is simply
+that none of the modern nations of Africa have yet reached a high enough
+point of civilisation to avail themselves of the services of this
+valuable animal.
+
+The African elephant may be domesticated and trained to the "howdah," or
+castle, as easily as his Indian cousin. The trial has been made; but
+that it can be done no better proof is required than that at one period
+it was done, and upon a large scale. The elephants of the Carthaginian
+army were of this species.
+
+The African elephant at present inhabits the central and southern parts
+of Africa. Abyssinia on the east, and Senegal on the west, are his
+northern limits, and but a few years ago he roamed southward to the very
+Cape of Good Hope. The activity of the Dutch ivory-hunters, with their
+enormous long guns, has driven him from that quarter; and he is no
+longer to be found to the south of the Orange River.
+
+Swartboy spoke of a variety well known among the Hottentot hunters as
+the "koes-cops." This kind, he said, differed from the ordinary ones by
+its altogether wanting the tusks, and being of a far more vicious
+disposition. Its encounter is more dreaded; but as it possesses no
+trophies to make it worth the trouble and danger of killing, the hunters
+usually give it a wide berth.
+
+Such was the conversation that night around the camp-fire. Much of the
+information here given was furnished by Hans, who of course had gathered
+it from books; but the Bushman contributed his quota--perhaps of a far
+more reliable character.
+
+All were destined ere long to make practical acquaintance with the
+haunts and habits of this huge quadruped, that to them had now become
+the most interesting of all the animal creation.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+JERKING AN ELEPHANT.
+
+
+Next day was one of severe, but joyful labour. It was spent in "curing"
+the elephant, not in a medical sense, but in the language of the
+provision-store.
+
+Although not equal to either beef or mutton, or even pork, the flesh of
+the elephant is sufficiently palatable to be eaten. There is no reason
+why it should not be, for the animal is a clean feeder, and lives
+altogether on vegetable substances--the leaves and tender shoots of
+trees, with several species of bulbous roots, which he well knows how to
+extract from the ground with his tusks and trunk. It does not follow
+from this that his beef should be well tasted--since we see that the
+hog, one of the most unclean of feeders, yields most delicious "pork;"
+while another of the same family (_pachydermata_) that subsists only on
+sweet succulent roots, produces a flesh both insipid and bitter. I
+allude to the South American tapir. The quality of the food, therefore,
+is no criterion of the quality of the flesh.
+
+It is true that the beef of the elephant was not what Von Bloom and most
+of his family would have chosen for their regular diet. Had they been
+sure of procuring a supply of antelope-venison, the great carcass might
+have gone, not to the "dogs," but to their kindred the hyenas. But they
+were not sure of getting even a single antelope, and therefore decided
+upon "curing" the elephant. It would be a safe stock to have on hand,
+and need not interfere with their eating venison, or any other dainty
+that might turn up.
+
+The first thing done was to cut out the tusks. This proved a tough job,
+and occupied full two hours. Fortunately there was a good axe on hand.
+But for this and Swartboy's knowledge, double the time might have been
+wasted in the operation.
+
+The ivory having been extracted and put away in a safe place, the
+"cutting up" then commenced in earnest. Von Bloom and Swartboy were the
+"baas-butchers," while Hans and Hendrik played the part of "swabs." As
+the carcass lay half under water, they would have had some difficulty in
+dealing with the under part. But this they did not design to touch. The
+upper half would be amply sufficient to provision them a long while; and
+so they set about removing the skin from that side that was uppermost.
+
+The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into
+sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under skin, of
+tough and pliant nature. Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would
+have saved this for making them--as it is used for such purposes by the
+Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in the wagon, and
+this skin was thrown away.
+
+They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large
+sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with
+the axe. This trouble they would not have taken--as they did not want
+the ribs--but they cut them away for another reason, namely, to enable
+them to get at the valuable fat, which lies in enormous quantities
+around the intestines. Of course for all cooking purposes, the fat would
+be to them invaluable, and indeed almost necessary to render the flesh
+itself eatable.
+
+It is no easy matter to get at the fat in the inside of an elephant, as
+the whole of the intestines have first to be removed. But Swartboy was
+not to be deterred by a little trouble; so climbing into the interior of
+the huge carcass, he commenced cutting and delving, and every now and
+then passing a multitude of "inwards" out to the others, who carried
+them off out of the way.
+
+After a long spell of this work, the fat was secured, and carefully
+packed in a piece of clean under-skin; and then the "butchering" was
+finished.
+
+Of course the four feet, which along with the trunk are considered the
+"tit-bits," had already been separated at the fetlock joint; and stood
+out upon the bank, for the future consideration of Swartboy.
+
+The next thing to be done was to "cure" the meat. They had a stock of
+salt--that precious, though, as lately discovered, not indispensable
+article. But the quantity--stowed away in a dry corner of the wagon--was
+small, and would have gone but a short way in curing an elephant.
+
+They had no idea of using it for such a purpose. Flesh can be preserved
+without salt; and not only Swartboy, but Von Bloom himself, knew how to
+preserve it. In all countries where salt is scarce, the process of
+"jerking" meat is well understood, and consists simply in cutting it
+into thin strips and hanging it out in the sun. A few days of bright
+warm sunshine will "jerk" it sufficiently; and meat thus dried will keep
+good for months. A slow fire will answer the purpose nearly as well; and
+in the absence of sunshine, the fire is often resorted to.
+
+Sun-dried meat in South Africa is called "biltongue." The Spaniards of
+Mexico name it "tasajo," while those of Peru style it "charqui." In
+English it is "jerked" meat.
+
+Several hours were spent in cutting the elephant-beef into strips, and
+then a number of forked poles were set up, others were laid horizontally
+over the forks, and upon these the meat was suspended, and hung down in
+numberless festoons.
+
+Before the sun went down, the neighbourhood of the camp presented a rare
+appearance. It looked somewhat like the enclosure of a yarn-bleacher,
+except that the hanging strips, instead of being white, were of a
+beautiful clear ruby colour.
+
+But the work was not yet completed. The feet remained to be "preserved,"
+and the mode of curing these was entirely different. That was a secret
+known only by Swartboy, and in the execution of it the Bushman played
+first fiddle, with the important air of a _chef de cuisine_.
+
+He proceeded as follows:--
+
+He first dug a hole in the ground, about two feet deep, and a little
+more in diameter--just large enough to admit one of the feet, which was
+nearly two feet diameter at the base. The earth which came out of this
+hole Swartboy placed in the form of a loose embankment around the edge.
+
+By his direction the boys had already collected upon the spot a large
+quantity of dried branches and logs. These Swartboy now built over the
+hole, into a pyramid of ten feet high, and then set the pile on fire. He
+next proceeded to make three other pits precisely similar, and built
+over each a fire like the first, until four large fires were burning
+upon the ground.
+
+The fires being now fairly under way, he could only wait until each had
+burned down. This would carry the process into the night, and so it
+turned out; but Swartboy had a foresight of this. He knew he would get
+through with the more important portion of his work before bedtime.
+
+When the first fire had burned quite to red cinders, Swartboy's hardest
+turn of duty began. With a shovel he lifted the cinders out of the hole,
+until it was empty; but he was more than an hour in performing this
+apparently simple labour. The difficulty arose from the intense heat he
+had to encounter, which drove him back after every few moments' work; so
+that he was compelled to retreat at intervals in order to cool himself.
+
+The "baas," as well as Hendrik and Hans, took turns with him, until all
+four were perspiring as if they had been shut up for half-an-hour in a
+baker's oven.
+
+When the hole was thoroughly scooped clean of coals, Swartboy, assisted
+by Von Bloom, lifted one of the huge feet; and, carrying it as near as
+they dare go on account of the scorching heat, they heaved it in upon
+its base.
+
+The sandy earth which had been originally removed, and which was now as
+hot as molten lead, was pushed over, and around the foot; and then the
+cinders were raked on top, and over that another huge fire was kindled.
+
+The same process was gone through with the other three feet, and all
+four were to be left in the "oven" until the fires should be burned
+down, when they would be found sufficiently "baked."
+
+Swartboy would then rake off the cinders, take out the feet with a sharp
+wooden spit, beat them well to get rid of the dust, scrape the sand
+clear, then pare off the outside skin, when they would be ready either
+to be eaten or would keep for a long time.
+
+Swartboy would do all this as soon as the four huge bonfires should burn
+down.
+
+But that would not be before the morning; so all of them, fatigued by
+the extraordinary exertions of the day, finished their suppers of
+broiled trunk, and went to rest under the protecting shadow of the
+nwana.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE HIDEOUS HYENA.
+
+
+Fatigued as they were, they would soon have fallen asleep. But they were
+not permitted to do so. As they lay with closed eyes in that half-dreamy
+state that precedes sleep, they were suddenly startled by strange voices
+near the camp.
+
+These voices were uttered in peals of loud laughter; and no one,
+unacquainted with them, would have pronounced them to be anything else
+than the voices of human beings. They exactly resembled the strong
+treble produced by the laugh of a maniac negro. It seemed as if some
+Bedlam of negroes had been let loose, and were approaching the spot.
+
+I say approaching, because each moment the sounds grew clearer and
+louder; and it was evident that whatever gave utterance to them was
+coming nearer to the camp.
+
+That there was more than one creature was evident--aye, and it was
+equally evident that there was more than one kind of creature; for so
+varied were the voices, it would have puzzled a ventriloquist to have
+given imitations of them all. There was howling, and whining, and
+grunting, and growling, and low melancholy moaning as of some one in
+pain, and hissing, and chattering, and short, sharp intonations, as if
+it were the barking of dogs, and then a moment or two of deep silence,
+and again that chorus of human-like laughter, that in point of horror
+and hideous suggestions surpassed all the other sounds.
+
+You will suppose that such a wild concert must have put the camp in a
+state of great alarm. Not a bit of it. Nobody was frightened in the
+least--not even innocent little Trüey, nor the diminutive Jan.
+
+Had they been strangers to these sounds, no doubt they would have been
+more than frightened. They would have been terrified by them; for they
+were calculated to produce such an effect upon any one to whose ears
+they were new.
+
+But Von Bloom and his family had lived too long upon the wild karoo to
+be ignorant of those voices. In the howling, and chattering, and
+yelping, they heard but the cries of the jackal; and they well knew the
+maniac laugh of the hideous hyena.
+
+Instead of being alarmed, and springing from their beds, they lay still
+and listened--not dreading any attack from the noisy creatures.
+
+Von Bloom and the children slept in the wagon; Swartboy and Totty upon
+the ground--but these lay close to the fires, and therefore did not fear
+wild beasts of any kind.
+
+But the hyenas and jackals upon this occasion appeared to be both
+numerous and bold. In a few minutes after they were first heard, their
+cries rose around the camp on all sides, so near and so loud as to be
+positively disagreeable--even without considering the nature of the
+brutes that uttered them.
+
+At last they came so close, that it was impossible to look in any
+direction without seeing a pair of green or red eyes gleaming under the
+light of the fires! White teeth, too, could be observed, as the hyenas
+opened their jaws, to give utterance to their harsh laughter.
+
+With such a sight before their eyes, and such sounds ringing in their
+ears, neither Von Bloom nor any of his people--tired as they were--could
+go to sleep. Indeed, not only was sleep out of the question, but, worse
+than that, all--the field-cornet himself not excepted--began to
+experience some feelings of apprehension, if not actual alarm.
+
+They had never beheld a troop of hyenas so numerous and fierce. There
+could not be less than two dozen of them around the camp, with twice
+that number of jackals.
+
+Von Bloom knew that although, under ordinary circumstances, the hyena is
+not a dangerous animal, yet there are places and times when he will
+attack human beings. Swartboy knew this well, and Hans, too, from having
+read of it. No wonder, then, that some apprehension was felt by all of
+them.
+
+The hyenas now behaved with such boldness, and appeared so ravenous,
+that sleep was out of the question. Some demonstration must be made to
+drive the brutes away from the camp.
+
+Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, laid hold of their guns, and got out of
+the wagon, while Swartboy armed himself with his bow and arrows. All
+four stood close by the trunk of the nwana, on the other side from that
+where the fires were. In this place they were in the shadow, where they
+could best observe anything that should come under the light of the
+fires without being themselves seen. Their position was well chosen.
+
+They had scarcely fixed themselves in it, when they perceived a great
+piece of neglect they had been guilty of. Now, for the first time it
+occurred to them what had brought the hyenas around them in such
+numbers. Beyond a doubt it was the flesh of the elephant,--the
+_biltongue_.
+
+That was what the beasts were after; and all now saw that a mistake had
+been committed in hanging the meat too low. The hyenas might easily get
+at it.
+
+This was soon made manifest; for, even at the moment while they stood
+watching the red festoons, plainly visible under the light of Swartboy's
+fires, a shaggy spotted brute rushed forward, reared up on his
+hind-legs, seized one of the pieces, dragged it down from the pole, and
+then ran off with it into the darkness.
+
+A rushing sound could be heard as the others joined him to get a share
+of his plunder; and, no doubt, in less than half a minute the morsel was
+consumed; for, at the end of that time, glancing eyes and gleaming teeth
+showed that the whole troop was back again and ready to make a fresh
+seizure.
+
+None of the hunters had fired, as the nimbleness with which the brutes
+moved about rendered it difficult to take aim at any one of them; and
+all knew that powder and lead were too precious to be wasted on a
+"flying shot."
+
+Emboldened by their success, the hyenas had now drawn nearer, and in a
+moment more would have made a general charge upon the scaffolds of
+flesh, and, no doubt, would have succeeded in carrying off a large
+quantity of it. But just then it occurred to Von Bloom that it would be
+best to lay aside their guns and remedy the mistake they had made, by
+putting the biltongue out of reach. If they did not do so, they would
+either have to remain awake all night and guard it, or else lose every
+string of it.
+
+How was it to be put out of reach?
+
+At first they thought of collecting it into a heap and stowing it away
+in the wagon. That would not only be an unpleasant job, but it would
+interfere with their sleeping quarters.
+
+An alternative, however, presented itself. They saw that if the
+scaffolds were only high enough, the meat might be easily hung so as to
+be out of reach of the hyenas. The only question was, how to place the
+cross-poles a little higher. In the darkness they could not obtain a new
+set of uprights, and therein lay the difficulty. How were they to get
+over it?
+
+Hans had the credit of suggesting a way; and that was to take out some
+of the uprights, splice them to the others, with the forked ends
+uppermost, and then rest the horizontal poles on the upper forks. That
+would give a scaffold tall enough to hang the meat beyond the reach of
+either jackals or hyenas.
+
+Hans' suggestion was at once adopted. Half of the uprights were taken up
+and spliced against the others so as to raise their forks full twelve
+feet in the air; and then the cross-poles were rested over their tops.
+By standing upon one of the wagon-chests, Von Bloom was able to fling
+the strips of meat over the horizontal poles, and in such a manner that
+it hung only a few inches down, and was now quite beyond the reach of
+the ravenous brutes.
+
+When the business was finished, the party resumed their station under
+the shadow of the tree, intending to watch for a while, and see how the
+wolfish intruders would act.
+
+They had not long to watch. In less than five minutes the troop
+approached the biltongue, howling, and gibbering, as before; only this
+time uttering peculiar cries, as if to express disappointment. They saw
+at a glance that the tempting festoons were no longer within their
+reach.
+
+They were not going to leave the ground, however, without assuring
+themselves of this fact; and several of the largest approached boldly
+under the scaffolds, and commenced leaping up to try the height.
+
+After several attempts, springing each time as high as they were able,
+they appeared to grow discouraged; and no doubt would in time have
+imitated the fox with the grapes, and gone quietly away. But Von Bloom,
+indignant at being roused after such a fashion, from his pleasant rest,
+was determined to take some revenge upon his tormentors; so he whispered
+the word to the others, and a volley was delivered from behind the tree.
+
+The unexpected discharge caused a quick scattering of both hyenas and
+jackals, and the pattering of their numerous feet could be heard as they
+ran off. When the ground under the scaffold was examined, two of the
+larger of these ravenous quadrupeds, and one of the smaller, were found
+to have bitten the dust.
+
+Swartboy had discharged his arrow along with the guns, and it was he
+that had slain the jackal, for the poisoned shaft was seen sticking
+between the animal's ribs.
+
+The guns were again loaded, the party took their stations as before;
+but, although they waited another half-hour, neither hyena nor jackal
+made their appearance.
+
+They had not gone far away, however, as their wild music testified; but
+the reason they did not return was, that they had now discovered the
+half carcass of the elephant that lay in the lake, and upon that they
+were making their supper. Their plunging in the water could be
+distinctly heard from the camp, and during the whole night they
+quarrelled and growled, and laughed and yelled, as they gorged
+themselves on their ample prey.
+
+Of course Von Bloom and his people did not sit up all night to listen to
+this medley of noises. As soon as they perceived that the brutes were
+not likely to come any more near the camp, they laid aside their
+weapons, returned to their respective sleeping-places, and were all soon
+buried in the sweet slumber that follows a day of healthy exercise.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+STALKING THE OUREBI.
+
+
+Next morning the hyenas and jackals had disappeared from the scene, and,
+to the surprise of all, not a particle of flesh was left upon the bones
+of the elephant. There lay the huge skeleton picked clean, the bones
+even polished white by the rough tongues of the hyenas. Nay, still
+stranger to relate, two of the horses--these poor brutes had been long
+since left to themselves,--had been pulled down during the night, and
+their skeletons lay at a short distance from the camp as cleanly picked
+as that of the elephant!
+
+All this was evidence of the great number of ravenous creatures that
+must have their home in that quarter,--evidence, too, that game animals
+abounded, for where these are not numerous the beasts of prey cannot
+exist. Indeed, from the quantity of tracks that were seen upon the
+shores of the vley, it was evident that animals of various kinds had
+drunk there during the night. There was the round solid hoof of the
+quagga, and his near congener the dauw; and there was the neat hoofprint
+of the gemsbok, and the larger track of the eland; and among these Von
+Bloom did not fail to notice the spoor of the dreaded lion. Although
+they had not heard his roaring that night, they had no doubt that there
+were plenty of his kind in that part of the country. The presence of his
+favourite prey,--the quaggas, the gemsboks, and the elands,--were sure
+indications that the king of beasts was not far off.
+
+Not much work was done that day. The heavy labour of curing the
+biltongue, that had occupied them the whole of the preceding day, and
+their disturbed rest, had rendered them all listless; and neither Von
+Bloom nor the others had any inclination for work. So they moved around
+the camp and did very little.
+
+Swartboy took his elephant's feet from the oven, and cleaned them; and
+also let down the biltongue and arranged it so as to be better exposed
+to the sun. Von Bloom himself shot the three remaining horses, having
+driven them to a good distance from the camp. He did this to put an end
+to the suffering of the poor brutes,--for it was plain to every one that
+they could survive but a day or two longer; and to send a bullet through
+the heart of each was an act of mercy to them.
+
+Out of all the live stock of the field-cornet, the cow alone remained,
+and she was now tended with the greatest care. Without the precious
+milk, which she yielded in such quantity, their diet would have been
+savage enough; and they fully appreciated the service she rendered them.
+Each day she was driven out to the best pasture, and at night shut up in
+a safe kraal of wait-a-bit thorns, that had been built for her at a
+little distance from the tree. These thorns had been placed in such a
+manner that their shanks all radiated inward, while the bushy tops were
+turned out, forming a _chevaux-de-frise_, that scarce any animal would
+have attempted to get through. Such a fence will turn even the lion,
+unless when he has been rendered fierce and reckless by provocation.
+
+Of course a gap had been left for the cow to pass in and out, and this
+was closed by one immense bush, which served all the purpose of a gate.
+Such was the kraal of "old Graaf." Besides the cow, the only living
+thing that remained in camp was Trüey's little pet, the fawn of the
+gazelle.
+
+But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature, not
+less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive
+proportions. That was the fawn of an "ourebi,"--one of the elegant
+little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in
+the "bush" of Southern Africa.
+
+It was to Hendrik they were indebted not only for this pet, but for a
+dinner of delicate venison, which they had that day eaten, and which all
+of them, except Swartboy, preferred to elephant beef. Hendrik had
+procured the venison by a shot from his rifle, and in the following
+manner.
+
+About mid-day he went out--having fancied that upon a large grassy
+meadow near the camp he saw some animal. After walking about
+half-a-mile, and keeping among bushes, around the edge of the meadow, he
+got near enough to be sure that it was an animal he had observed,--for
+he now saw two in the place he had marked.
+
+They were of a kind he had not met with before. They were very small
+creatures,--smaller even than springboks,--but, from their general form
+and appearance, Hendrik knew they were either antelopes or deer; and, as
+Hans had told him there were no deer in Southern Africa, he concluded
+they must be some species of antelope. They were a buck and doe,--this
+he knew because one of them only carried horns. The buck was under two
+feet in height, of slender make, and pale tawny colour. He was
+white-bellied, with white arches above the eyes, and some long white
+hair under the throat. Below his knees were yellowish tufts of long
+hair; and his horns--instead of being lyrate, like those of the
+springbok--rose nearly vertical to the height of four inches. They were
+black in colour, round-shaped, and slightly ringed. The doe was without
+horns, and was a much smaller animal than her mate.
+
+From all these marks Hendrik thought the little antelopes were
+"ourebis;" and such they were.
+
+He continued to stalk in upon them, until he was as close as he could
+get. But he was still more than two hundred yards from them, and of
+course far from being within shooting distance with his small rifle.
+
+A thick _jong dora_ bush concealed him, but he dared not go farther else
+the game would have taken the alarm. He could perceive that they were
+shy creatures.
+
+Every now and again the buck would raise his graceful neck to its full
+stretch, utter a slight bleating call, and look suspiciously around him.
+From these symptoms Hendrik drew the inference that it was shy game, and
+would not be easily approached.
+
+He lay for a moment, thinking what he should do. He was to leeward of
+the game, as he had purposely gone there; but after a while, to his
+chagrin, he saw that they were feeding up the wind, and of course
+widening the distance between them and himself.
+
+It occurred to Hendrik that it might be their habit to browse up the
+wind, as springboks and some other species do. If so, he might as well
+give it up, or else make a long circuit and head them. To do this would
+be a work of labour and of time, and a very uncertain stalk it would be
+in the end. After all his long tramping, and creeping, and crouching,
+the game would be like enough to scent him before they came within
+shot--for it is for this very reason that their instinct teaches them to
+browse against, and not with the wind.
+
+As the plain was large, and the cover very distant, Hendrik was
+discouraged and gave up the design he had half formed of trying to head
+them.
+
+He was about to rise to his feet, and return home, when it occurred to
+him that perhaps he might find a decoy available. He knew there were
+several species of antelopes, with whom curiosity was stronger than
+fear. He had often lured the springbok within reach. Why would not these
+obey the same impulse?
+
+He determined to make trial. At the worst he could only fail, and he had
+no chance of getting a shot otherwise.
+
+Without losing a moment he thrust his hand into his pocket. He should
+have found there a large red handkerchief, which he had more than once
+used for a similar purpose. To his chagrin it was not there!
+
+He dived into both pockets of his jacket, then into his wide trousers,
+then under the breast of his waistcoat. No. The handkerchief was not to
+be found. Alas! it had been left in the wagon! It was very annoying.
+
+What else could he make use of? Take off his jacket and hold it up? It
+was not gay enough in colour. It would not do.
+
+Should he raise his hat upon the end of his gun? That might be better,
+but still it would look too much like the human form, and Hendrik knew
+that all animals feared that.
+
+A happy thought at length occurred to him. He had heard, that with the
+curious antelopes, strange forms or movements attract almost as much as
+glaring colours. He remembered a trick that was said to be practised
+with success by the hunters. It was easy enough, and consisted merely in
+the hunter standing upon his hands and head, and kicking his heels in
+the air!
+
+Now Hendrik happened to be one of those very boys who had often
+practised this little bit of gymnastics for amusement and he could stand
+upon his head like an acrobat.
+
+Without losing a moment he placed his rifle upon the ground, between his
+hands, and hoisting his feet into the air, commenced kicking them about,
+clinking them together, and crossing them in the most fantastic manner.
+
+He had placed himself so that his face was turned towards the animals,
+while he stood upon his head. Of course he could not see them while in
+this position, as the grass was a foot high; but, at intervals, he
+permitted his feet to descend to the earth; and then, by looking between
+his legs, he could tell how the ruse was succeeding.
+
+It did succeed. The buck, on first perceiving the strange object,
+uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a
+bird--for the "ourebi" is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The
+doe followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear.
+
+The buck, perceiving this, suddenly halted--as if ashamed of his want of
+gallantry--wheeled round, and galloped back, until he was once more
+between the doe and the odd thing that had alarmed him.
+
+What could this odd thing be? he now seemed to inquire of himself. It
+was not a lion, nor a leopard, nor a hyena, nor yet a jackal. It was
+neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his
+well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not
+double-headed as it appeared. What could it be? It had kept its
+place--it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No
+doubt it was harmless enough.
+
+So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a
+little nearer. He would have a better view of the thing before he took
+to flight. No matter what it was, it could do no hurt at that distance;
+and as to overtaking him, pah! there wasn't a creature, biped or
+quadruped in all Africa that he could not fling dust in the face of.
+
+So he went a little nearer, and then a little nearer still, and
+continued to advance by successive runs, now this way and now that way,
+zigzagging over the plain, until he was within less than a hundred paces
+of the odd object that at first sight had so terrified him.
+
+[Illustration: HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.]
+
+His companion, the doe, kept close after him; and seemed quite as
+curious as himself--her large shining eyes opened to their full extent,
+as she stopped to gaze at intervals.
+
+Sometimes the two met each other in their course; and halted a moment,
+as though they held consultation in whispers; and asked each other if
+they had yet made out the character of the stranger.
+
+It was evident, however, that neither had done so--as they still
+continued to approach it with looks and gestures of inquiry and wonder.
+
+At length the odd object disappeared for a moment under the grass; and
+then reappeared--but this time in an altered form. Something about it
+glanced brightly under the sun, and this glancing quite fascinated the
+buck, so that he could not stir from the spot, but stood eyeing it
+steadily.
+
+Fatal fascination! It was his last gaze. A bright flash shot
+up--something struck him through the heart, and he saw the shining
+object no more!
+
+The doe bounded forward to where her mate had fallen, and stood bleating
+over him. She knew not the cause of his sudden death, but she saw that
+he was dead. The wound in his side--the stream of red blood--were under
+her eyes. She had never witnessed death in that form before, but she
+knew her lover was dead. His silence--his form stretched along the grass
+motionless and limber--his glassy eyes--all told her he had ceased to
+live.
+
+She would have fled, but she could not leave him--she could not bear to
+part even from his lifeless form. She would remain a while, and mourn
+over him.
+
+Her widowhood was a short one. Again flashed the priming,--again cracked
+the shining tube--and the sorrowing doe fell over upon the body of her
+mate.
+
+The young hunter rose to his feet, and ran forward. He did not,
+according to usual custom, stop to load before approaching his quarry.
+The plain was perfectly level, and he saw no other animal upon it. What
+was his surprise on reaching the antelopes, to perceive that there was a
+third one of the party still alive!
+
+Yes, a little fawn, not taller than a rabbit, was bounding about through
+the grass, running around the prostrate body of its mother, and uttering
+its tiny bleat.
+
+Hendrik was surprised, because he had not observed this creature before;
+but, indeed, he had not seen much of the antelopes until the moment of
+taking aim, and the grass had concealed the tiny young one.
+
+Hunter as Hendrik was, he could not help feeling strongly as he regarded
+the _tableau_ before him. But he felt that he had not wantonly destroyed
+these creatures for mere amusement, and that satisfied his conscience.
+
+The little fawn would make a famous pet for Jan, who had often wished
+for one, to be equal with his sister. It could be fed upon the cow's
+milk, and, though it had lost both father and mother, Hendrik resolved
+that it should be carefully brought up. He had no difficulty in
+capturing it, as it refused to leave the spot where its mother lay, and
+Hendrik soon held the gentle creature in his arms.
+
+He then tied the buck and doe together; and, having fastened a strong
+cord round the horns of the latter, he set off dragging the two
+antelopes behind him.
+
+As these lay upon the ground, heads foremost, they were drawn with the
+grain of the hair, which made it much easier; and as there was nothing
+but grass sward to be passed over, the young hunter succeeded in taking
+the whole of his game to camp without any great difficulty.
+
+The joy of all was great, at seeing such a fine lot of venison, but
+Jan's rejoicing was greater than all; and he no longer envied Trüey the
+possession of her little gazelle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE.
+
+
+It would have been better that Jan had never seen the little
+"ourebi,"--better both for Jan and the antelope, for that night the
+innocent creature was the cause of a terrible panic in the camp.
+
+They had all gone to sleep as on the previous night,--Von Bloom and the
+four children in the wagon, while the Bushman and Totty slept upon the
+grass. The latter lay under the wagon; but Swartboy had kindled a large
+fire a little distance from it, and beside this had stretched himself,
+rolled up in his sheep-skin kaross.
+
+They had all gone to sleep without being disturbed by the hyenas. This
+was easily accounted for. The three horses that had been shot that day
+occupied the attention of these gentry, for their hideous voices could
+be heard off in the direction where the carcasses lay. Having enough to
+give them a supper, they found no occasion to risk themselves in the
+neighbourhood of the camp, where they had experienced such a hostile
+reception on the previous night. So reasoned Von Bloom, as he turned
+over and fell asleep.
+
+He did not reason correctly, however. It was true that the hyenas were
+just then making a meal upon the horses; but it was a mistake to suppose
+that that would satisfy these ravenous brutes, who never seem to have
+enough. Long before morning, had Von Bloom been awake he would have
+heard the maniac laugh closer to the camp, and might have seen the green
+eyes of the hyena glancing under the expiring blaze of Swartboy's
+camp-fire.
+
+Indeed, he had heard the beasts once that he awoke; but, knowing that
+the biltongue had been this night placed out of their reach, and
+thinking that there was nothing to which they could do any harm, he gave
+no heed to their noisy demonstrations, and went to sleep again.
+
+He was awakened, however, by a shrill squeak, as of some animal in the
+agonies of death; and then there was a second squeak, that seemed to be
+suddenly interrupted by the stifling of the creature's utterance!
+
+In these cries Von Bloom, as well as the others--who were now also
+awake--recognised the bleat of the ourebi, for they had heard it several
+times during the afternoon.
+
+"The hyenas are killing it!" thought they. But they had not time to say
+so, before another and far different cry reached their ears, and caused
+them all to start as if a bomb-shell had burst under the wagon. That cry
+was the voice of Jan, and sounded in the same direction whence came the
+scream of the stifled antelope!
+
+"O heaven! what could it mean?"
+
+The child's voice first reached them in a sudden screech--then there was
+a confused noise resembling a scuffle--and Jan was again heard crying
+aloud for help, while at the same time his voice was interrupted, and
+each call appeared to come from a greater distance! Something or
+somebody was carrying him off!
+
+This idea occurred to Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, at the same instant.
+Of course it filled them with consternation; and, as they were scarce
+yet awake, they knew not what to do.
+
+The cries of Jan, however, soon brought them to their senses; and to run
+towards the direction whence these came was the first thought of all.
+
+To grope for their guns would waste time, and all three leaped out of
+the wagon without them.
+
+Totty was upon her feet and jabbering, but she knew no more than they
+what had happened.
+
+They did not stop long to question her. The voice of Swartboy, uttered
+in loud barks and clicks, summoned them elsewhere; and they now beheld a
+red flaming brand rushing through the darkness, which no doubt was
+carried in the hands of that worthy.
+
+They started off in the direction of the blazing torch, and ran as fast
+as they could. They still heard the Bushman's voice, and to their dismay
+beyond it the screams of little Jan.
+
+Of course they could not tell what was causing all this. They only
+pressed on with fearful apprehensions.
+
+When they had got within some fifty paces of the torch, they perceived
+it suddenly descend, then raised again, and brought down, in a rapid and
+violent manner! They could hear the voice of the Bushman barking and
+clicking louder than ever, as though he was engaged in chastising some
+creature.
+
+But Jan's voice they no longer heard--he was screaming no more--was he
+dead?
+
+With terrible forebodings they rushed on.
+
+When they arrived upon the spot, a singular picture presented itself to
+their eyes. Jan lay upon the ground, close in by the roots of some
+bushes which he was holding tightly in his grasp. From one of his wrists
+extended a stout thong, or _rheim_, which passed through among the
+bushes to the distance of several feet; and, fast to its other end, was
+the ourebi fawn, dead, and terribly mangled! Over the spot stood
+Swartboy with his burning tree, which blazed all the brighter that he
+had just been using it over the back of a ravenous hyena. The latter was
+not in sight. It had long since skulked off, but no one thought of
+pursuit, as all were too anxious about Jan.
+
+No time was lost in lifting the child to his feet. The eyes of all ran
+eagerly over him to see where he was wounded; and an exclamation of joy
+soon broke forth when they saw that, except the scratches of the thorns,
+and the deep track of a cord upon his wrist, nothing in the shape of a
+wound could be discovered upon his diminutive body. He had now come to
+himself, and assured them all that he was not hurt a bit. Hurrah! Jan
+was safe!
+
+It now fell to Jan's lot to explain all this mysterious business.
+
+He had been lying in the wagon along with the rest, but not like them
+asleep. No. He could not sleep a wink for thinking on his new pet,
+which, for want of room in the wagon, had been left below tied to one of
+the wheels.
+
+Jan had taken it into his head that he would like to have another look
+at the ourebi before going to sleep. So, without saying a word to any
+one, he crept out of the cap-tent, and descended to where the antelope
+was tied. He unloosed it gently, and then led it forward to the light of
+the fire, where he sat down to admire the creature.
+
+After gazing upon it for some time with delight, he thought that
+Swartboy could not do otherwise than share his feelings; and without
+more ado, he shook the Bushman awake.
+
+The latter had no great stomach for being roused out of sleep to look at
+an animal, hundreds of which he had eaten in his time. But Jan and
+Swartboy were sworn friends, and the Bushman was not angry. He,
+therefore, indulged his young master in the fancy he had taken; and the
+two sat for a while conversing about the pet.
+
+At length Swartboy proposed sleep. Jan would agree to this only upon the
+terms that Swartboy would allow him to sleep alongside of him. He would
+bring his blanket from the wagon, and would not trouble Swartboy by
+requiring part of the latter's kaross.
+
+Swartboy objected at first; but Jan urged that he had felt cold in the
+wagon, and that was partly why he had come down to the fire. All this
+was sheer cunning in the little imp. But Swartboy could not refuse him
+anything, and at length consented. He could see no harm in it, as there
+were no signs of rain.
+
+Jan then returned to the wagon, climbed noiselessly up, drew out his own
+blankets, and brought them to the fire. He then wrapped himself up, and
+lay down alongside of Swartboy, with the ourebi standing near, and in
+such a situation that he could still have his eyes upon it, even when
+lying. To secure it from wandering, he had fastened a strong rheim
+around its neck, the other end of which he had looped tightly upon his
+own wrist.
+
+He lay for some time contemplating his beautiful pet. But sleep at
+length overcame him, and the image of the ourebi melted before his eyes.
+
+Beyond this Jan could tell little of what happened to him. He was
+awakened by a sudden jerking at his wrist, and hearing the antelope
+scream. But he had not quite opened his eyes, before he felt himself
+dragged violently over the ground.
+
+He thought at first it was Swartboy playing some trick upon him; but as
+he passed the fire, he saw by its light that it was a huge black animal
+that had seized the ourebi, and was dragging both him and it along.
+
+Of course he then began to scream for help, and caught at everything he
+could to keep himself from being carried away. But he could lay hold of
+nothing, until he found himself among thick bushes, and these he seized
+and held with all his might.
+
+He could not have held out long against the strength of the hyena; but
+it was just at that moment that Swartboy came up with his fire-brand,
+and beat off the ravisher with a shower of blows.
+
+When they got back to the light of the fire they found that Jan was all
+right. But the poor ourebi--it had been sadly mauled, and was now of no
+more value than a dead rat.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS.
+
+
+Von Bloom now reflected that the hyenas were likely to prove a great
+pest to him. No meat, nor anything, would be safe from them--even his
+very children would be in danger, if left alone in the camp; and no
+doubt he would often be compelled to leave them, as he would require the
+older ones upon his hunting excursions.
+
+There were other animals to be dreaded still more than the hyenas. Even
+during that night they had heard the roaring of lions down by the vley;
+and when it was morning, the spoor showed that several of these animals
+had drunk at the water.
+
+How could he leave little Trüey--his dear little Trüey--or Jan, who was
+not a bit bigger--how could he leave them in an open camp while such
+monsters were roving about? He could not think of doing so.
+
+He reflected what course he should pursue. At first he thought of
+putting up a house. That would necessarily be a work of time. There was
+no good building material convenient. A stone house would cost a great
+deal of labour--as the stones would have to be carried nearly a mile,
+and in their hands too. That would never do, as Von Bloom might only
+remain a short while at that place. He might not find many elephants
+there, and of course would be under the necessity of going elsewhere.
+
+Why not build a log-house? you will say. That would not be so much of a
+job, as part of the country was well wooded, and they had an axe.
+
+True, part of the country was wooded, but in a particular manner. With
+the exception of the nwana-trees, that stood at long distances
+apart--and regularly, as if they had been planted--there was nothing
+that deserved the name of timber. All the rest was mere "bush,"--a
+thorny jungle of mimosas, euphorbias, arborescent aloes, strelitzias,
+and the horrid zamia plants, beautiful enough to the eye, but of no
+utility whatever in the building of a house. The nwanas, of course, were
+too large for house-logs. To have felled one of them would have been a
+task equal almost to the building of a house; and to have made planks of
+them would have required a steam saw-mill. A log-house was not to be
+thought of either.
+
+Now a frail structure of poles and thatch would not have given
+sufficient security. An angry rhinoceros, or elephant, would level such
+a house to the ground in a few moments.
+
+Suppose, too, that there were man-eaters in the neighbourhood. Swartboy
+believed that there were, and that that region was notorious for them.
+As it was not far from Swartboy's native country, Von Bloom, who had
+reason to believe what the Bushman told him, was inclined to credit
+this. What protection would a frail house afford against the man-eater?
+Not much, indeed.
+
+Von Bloom was puzzled and perplexed. He could not commence his hunting
+excursions until this question was settled. Some place must be prepared,
+where the children would be safe during his absence.
+
+While revolving the subject in his mind, he happened to cast his eyes
+upward among the branches of the nwana-tree. All at once his attention
+became fixed upon those huge limbs, for they had awakened within him a
+strange memory. He remembered having heard that, in some parts of the
+country, and perhaps not very far from where he then was, the natives
+live in trees. That sometimes a whole tribe, of fifty or more, make
+their home in a single tree; and do so to secure themselves against
+savage beasts, and sometimes equally savage men. That they build their
+houses upon platforms, which they erect upon the horizontal branches;
+and that they ascend by means of ladders, which are drawn up after them
+at night when they go to rest.
+
+All this Von Bloom had heard, and all of it is positively true. Of
+course the reflection occurred to him, why could he not do the same? Why
+could he not build a house in the gigantic nwana? That would give him
+all the security he desired. There they could all sleep with perfect
+confidence of safety. There, on going out to hunt, he could leave the
+children, with the certainty of finding them on his return. An admirable
+idea!--how about its practicability?
+
+He began to consider this. If he only had planks to make a staging or
+platform, the rest would be easy. Any slight roof would be sufficient up
+there. The leaves almost formed a roof. But the flooring--this was the
+difficulty. Where were planks to be got? Nowhere, in that neighbourhood.
+
+His eye, at that moment, chanced to fall upon the wagon. Ha! there were
+planks there. But to break up his beautiful wagon? No--no--no! Such a
+thing was not to be thought of. But stay! there was no need to break it
+up--no need to knock out a single nail. It would serve every purpose
+without breaking a splinter off it. The fine vehicle was made to take to
+pieces, and put up again at will.
+
+He could take it to pieces. The broad bottom alone should remain whole.
+That of itself would be the platform. Hurrah!
+
+The field-cornet, excited with the development of this fine plan, now
+communicated it to the others. All agreed that it was just the thing;
+and as the day was before them, they made no more ado, but set about
+carrying out the design.
+
+A ladder thirty feet long had first to be constructed. This occupied a
+good while; but at length a stout rough article was knocked up, which
+served the purpose admirably. It gave them access to the lowermost limb;
+and from this they could construct steps to all the others.
+
+Von Bloom ascended, and after careful examination chose the site of the
+platform. This was to rest upon two strong horizontal limbs of equal
+height, and diverging very gradually from each other. The quantity of
+thick branches in the great tree afforded him a choice.
+
+The wagon was now taken to pieces--a work of only a few minutes--and the
+first thing hauled up was the bottom. This was no slight performance,
+and required all the strength of the camp. Strong "rheims" were attached
+to one end, and these were passed over a limb of the tree, still higher
+up than those on which the staging was to rest. One stood above to guide
+the huge piece of plankwork, while all the rest exerted their strength
+upon the ropes below. Even little Jan pulled with all his might--though
+a single pound avoirdupois weight would have been about the measure of
+his strength.
+
+The piece was hoisted up, until it rested beautifully upon the
+supporting limbs; and then a cheer rose from below, and was answered by
+Swartboy among the branches.
+
+The heaviest part of the work was over. The boxing of the wagon was
+passed up, piece by piece, and set in its place just as before. Some
+branches were lopped off to make room for the cap-tent; and then it was
+also hauled up, and mounted.
+
+By the time the sun set, everything was in its place; and the aërial
+house was ready for sleeping in. In fact, that very night they slept in
+it, or, as Hans jocularly termed it, they all went to "roost."
+
+But they did not consider their new habitation quite complete as yet.
+Next day they continued to labour upon it. By means of long poles they
+extended their platform from the wagon quite up to the trunk of the
+tree, so as to give them a broad terrace to move about upon.
+
+The poles were fast wattled together by rods of the beautiful
+weeping-willow (_Salix Babylonica_), which is a native of these parts,
+and several trees of which grew by the side of the vley. Upon the top of
+all, they laid a thick coating of clay, obtained from the edge of the
+lake; so that, if need be, they could actually kindle a fire, and cook
+their suppers in the tree.
+
+To make a still finer flooring, they procured a quantity of the material
+of which the ant-hills are composed; which, being of a glutinous nature,
+makes a mortar almost as binding as Roman cement.
+
+After the main building had been finished off, Swartboy erected a
+platform for himself, and one for Totty in another part of the ample
+nwana. Above each of these platforms he had constructed a roof or
+screen, to shelter their occupants from rain or dew.
+
+There was something odd in the appearance of these two screens, each of
+which was about the size of an ordinary umbrella. Their oddity consisted
+in the fact that they were ears of the elephant!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS.
+
+
+There was no longer anything to hinder the field-cornet from commencing
+the real business of his new life, viz., the hunting of the elephant. He
+resolved, therefore, to begin at once; for until he should succeed in
+"bagging" a few of these giant animals, he was not easy in his mind. He
+might not be able to kill a single one; and then what would become of
+all his grand hopes and calculations? They would end in disappointment,
+and he should find himself in as bad a condition as ever.
+
+Indeed worse: for to fail in any undertaking is not only to lose time,
+but energy of mind. Success begets genius, courage, and
+self-reliance--all of which contribute to new successes; while failure
+intimidates and leads to despair. In a psychological point of view it is
+a dangerous thing to fail in any undertaking; and, therefore, before
+undertaking anything, one should be well assured of its being possible
+and practicable.
+
+Now Von Bloom was not sure that the great design he had formed was
+practicable. But in this case, he had no choice. No other means of
+livelihood was open to him just then; and he had resolved to make trial
+of this. He had faith in his calculations, and he had also good reason
+to hope he would succeed; but the thing was yet untried. No wonder he
+was in haste to begin the business--in haste to know what were his
+chances of success.
+
+By early day, therefore, he was up and out. Hendrik and Swartboy only
+accompanied him, for he could not yet bring himself to leave the
+children with no other protection than Totty--almost as much a child as
+themselves. Hans, therefore, remained by the camp.
+
+At first the hunters followed the little rivulet that ran from the
+spring and vley. They did so, because in this direction there was more
+"bush;" and they knew that elephants would be more likely to be found in
+woods than in open places. Indeed, it was only near the banks of the
+stream that any great quantity of wood was to be seen. A broad belt of
+jungle extended upon each side of it. After that, there were straggling
+groves and clumps; and then came the open plains, almost treeless,
+though covered with a rich carpet of grass for some distance farther. To
+this succeeded the wild karoo, stretching eastward and westward beyond
+the reach of vision. Along the north, as already mentioned, trended the
+line of "bluffs"; and beyond these there was nothing but the parched and
+waterless desert. To the south there lay the only thing that could be
+called "woods;" and although such a low jungle could lay no claim to the
+title of "forest," it was, nevertheless, a likely enough haunt for
+elephants.
+
+The trees consisted chiefly of mimosas--of several species, upon the
+leaves, roots, and tender shoots of which the great ruminant loves to
+browse. There were some "cameel-doorn" trees, with their shady
+umbrella-like tops. But above all rose the massive heads of the nwanas,
+giving a peculiar character to the landscape.
+
+The hunters noticed, as they went on, that the channel of the rivulet
+became wider and larger, and that at times--no doubt after great
+rains--a large quantity of water must have run in its bed, forming a
+considerable river. But as the channel grew larger, the reverse was the
+case with the quantity of running water. The farther down they proceeded
+this became less and less; until, at the distance of a mile from camp,
+the current ceased altogether.
+
+For half-a-mile farther on they found water in stagnant pools, but none
+running. The wide, dry channel, however, continued on as before; and the
+"bush" extended on both sides without interruption, so thick that they
+could only make way by keeping in the channel itself.
+
+As they walked along, several kinds of small game were started. Hendrik
+would gladly have taken a shot at some of these, but his father would
+not permit him to fire just then. It might frighten away the great
+"game" they were in search of, and which they might fall in with at any
+moment. On their return Hendrik might do his best; and then the
+field-cornet intended to assist him in procuring an antelope, as there
+was no fresh venison in the camp. This, however, was a consideration of
+secondary importance, and the first thing to be done was to try and get
+a pair of tusks.
+
+There was no objection to Swartboy using his bow, as that silent weapon
+would cause no alarm. Swartboy had been taken along to carry the axe and
+other implements as well as to assist in the hunt. Of course he had
+brought his bow and quiver with him; and he was constantly on the watch
+for something at which to let fly one of his little poisoned arrows.
+
+He found a mark at length worthy of his attention. On crossing the plain
+to avoid a large bend in the channel, they came upon a glade or opening
+of considerable size, and in the middle of this glade a huge bird
+appeared standing erect.
+
+"An ostrich!" exclaimed Hendrik.
+
+"No," replied Swartboy; "um ar da pauw."
+
+"Yes," said Von Bloom, confirming Swartboy's statement, "it is the
+pauw."
+
+Now a "pauw" in the Dutch language is a "peacock." But there are no
+peacocks in Africa. The peacock in its wild state inhabits only Southern
+Asia and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The bird they saw, then,
+could not be a peacock.
+
+Neither was it one. And yet it bore some resemblance to a peacock, with
+its long heavy tail and wings speckled and ocellated in a very striking
+manner, and something like the "marbled" feathers that adorn the
+peacock's back. It had none of the brilliant colours, however, of that
+proudest of birds, though it was quite as stately, and much larger and
+taller. In fact, its great height and erect attitude was why Hendrik at
+first glance had taken it for an ostrich. It was neither peacock nor
+ostrich, but belonging to a different genus from either--to the genus
+_Otis_ or bustard. It was the great bustard of South Africa--the _Otis
+kori_--called "pauw" by the Dutch colonists, on account of its ocellated
+plumage and other points of resemblance to the Indian peacock.
+
+Now Swartboy, as well as Von Bloom, knew that the pauw was one of the
+most delicious of fowls for the table. But they knew at the same time
+that it was one of the shyest of birds,--so shy that it is very
+difficult to get even a long shot at one. How, then, was it to be
+approached within range of the Bushman's arrow? That was the point to be
+considered.
+
+Where it stood, it was full two hundred yards from them; and had it
+perceived them, it would soon have widened that distance, by running off
+two hundred more. I say running off, for birds of the bustard family
+rarely take to wing, but use their long legs to escape from an enemy. On
+this account they are often hunted by dogs, and caught after a severe
+chase. Although but poor flyers, they are splendid runners,--swift
+almost as the ostrich itself.
+
+The pauw, however, had not observed the hunters as yet. They had caught
+a glimpse of it, before appearing out of the bushes, and had halted as
+soon as they saw it.
+
+How was Swartboy to approach it? It was two hundred yards from any
+cover, and the ground was as clean as a new-raked meadow. True, the
+plain was not a large one. Indeed, Swartboy was rather surprised to see
+a pauw upon so small a one, for these birds frequent only the wide open
+karoos, where they can sight their enemy at a great distance. The glade
+was not large, but, after watching the bustard for some minutes, the
+hunters saw that it was resolved to keep near the centre, and showed no
+disposition to feed in the direction of the thicket on either side.
+
+Any one but a Bushman would have despaired of getting a shot at this
+kori; but Swartboy did not despair.
+
+Begging the others to remain quiet, he crept forward to the edge of the
+jungle, and placed himself behind a thick leafy bush. He then commenced
+uttering a call, exactly similar to that made by the male of the kori
+when challenging an adversary to combat.
+
+Like the grouse, the bustard is polygamous, and of course terribly
+jealous and pugnacious, at certain seasons of the year. Swartboy knew
+that it was just then the "fighting season" among the pauws, and hoped
+by imitating their challenge to draw the bird--a cock he saw it
+was--within reach of his arrow.
+
+As soon as the kori heard the call, he raised himself to his full
+height, spread his immense tail, dropped his wings until the primary
+feathers trailed along the grass, and replied to the challenge.
+
+But what now astonished Swartboy was, that instead of one answer to his
+call, he fancied he heard two, simultaneously uttered!
+
+It proved to be no fancy, for before he could repeat the decoy the bird
+again gave out its note of defiance, and was answered by a similar call
+from another quarter!
+
+Swartboy looked in the direction whence came the latter; and there sure
+enough, was a second kori, that seemed to have dropped from the region
+of the clouds, or, more likely, had run out from the shelter of the
+bushes. At all events, it was a good way towards the centre of the
+plain, before the hunter had observed it.
+
+The two were now in full view of each other; and by their movements any
+one might see that a combat was certain to come off.
+
+Sure of this, Swartboy did not call again; but remained silent behind
+his bush.
+
+After a good while spent in strutting, and wheeling round and round, and
+putting themselves in the most threatening attitudes, and uttering the
+most insulting expressions, the two koris became sufficiently provoked
+to begin the battle. They "clinched" in gallant style, using all three
+weapons,--wings, beak, and feet. Now they struck each other with their
+wings, now pecked with their bills; and at intervals, when a good
+opportunity offered, gave each other a smart kick--which, with their
+long muscular legs, they were enabled to deliver with considerable
+force.
+
+Swartboy knew that when they were well into the fight, he might stalk in
+upon them unobserved; so he waited patiently, till the proper moment
+should arrive.
+
+In a few seconds it became evident, he would not have to move from his
+ambush; for the birds were fighting towards him. He adjusted his arrow
+to the string, and waited.
+
+In five minutes the birds were fighting within thirty yards of the spot
+where the Bushman lay. The twang of a bowstring might have been heard by
+one of the koris, had he been listening. The other could not possibly
+have heard it; for before the sound could have reached him, a poisoned
+arrow was sticking through his ears. The barb had passed through, and
+the shaft remained in his head, piercing it crosswise!
+
+Of course the bird dropped dead upon the grass, less astonished than his
+antagonist.
+
+The latter at first imagined he had done it, and began to strut very
+triumphantly around his fallen foe.
+
+But his eye now fell upon the arrow sticking through the head of the
+latter. He knew nothing about that. He had not done that! What the
+deuce----
+
+Perhaps if he had been allowed another moment's reflection, he would
+have taken to his heels; but before he could make up his mind about the
+matter, there was another "twang" of the bowstring another arrow
+whistled through the air, and another kori lay stretched upon the grass!
+
+Swartboy now rushed forward, and took possession of the game; which
+proved to be a pair of young cocks, in prime condition for roasting.
+
+Having hung the birds over a high branch, so as to secure them from
+jackals and hyenas, the hunters continued on; and shortly after, having
+re-entered the channel of the stream, continued to follow it downward.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+UPON THE SPOOR.
+
+
+They had not gone above an hundred yards farther, when they came to one
+of the pools, already spoken of. It was a tolerably large one; and the
+mud around its edges bore the hoof-prints of numerous animals. This the
+hunters saw from a distance, but on reaching the spot, Swartboy, a
+little in the advance, turned suddenly round, and, with rolling orbs and
+quivering lips, clicked out the words,--
+
+"Mein baas! mein baas! da klow! spoor ob da groot olifant!"
+
+There was no danger of mistaking the spoor of the elephant for that of
+any other creature. There, sure enough, were the great round
+tracks--full twenty-four inches in length, and nearly as wide--deeply
+imprinted in the mud by the enormous weight of the animal's body. Each
+formed an immense hole, large enough to have set a gate-post in.
+
+The hunters contemplated the spoor with emotions of pleasure--the more
+so that the tracks had been recently made. This was evident. The
+displaced mud had not yet crusted, but looked damp and fresh. It had
+been stirred within the hour.
+
+Only one elephant had visited the pool that night. There were many old
+tracks, but only one fresh spoor,--and that of an old and very large
+bull.
+
+Of course the tracks told this much. To make a spoor twenty-four inches
+long, requires the animal to be a very large one; and to be very large,
+he should be a bull, and an old one too.
+
+Well, the older and larger the better, provided his tusks have not been
+broken by some accident. When that happens they are never recovered
+again. The elephant does cast his tusks, but only in the juvenile state,
+when they are not bigger than lobster's claws; and the pair that
+succeeds these is permanent, and has to last him for life--perhaps for
+centuries--for no one can tell how long the mighty elephant roams over
+this sublunary planet.
+
+When the tusks get broken--a not uncommon thing--he must remain
+toothless or "tuskless" for the rest of his life. Although the elephant
+may consider the loss of his huge tusks a great calamity, were he only a
+little wiser, he would break them off against the first tree. It would,
+in all probability, be the means of prolonging his life; for the hunter
+would not then consider him worth the ammunition it usually takes to
+kill him.
+
+After a short consultation among the hunters, Swartboy started off upon
+the spoor, followed by Von Bloom and Hendrik. It led straight out from
+the channel, and across the jungle.
+
+Usually the bushes mark the course of an elephant, where these are of
+the sort he feeds upon. In this case he had not fed; but the Bushman,
+who could follow spoor with a hound, had no difficulty in keeping on the
+track, as fast as the three were able to travel.
+
+They emerged into open glades; and, after passing through several of
+these, came upon a large ant-hill that stood in the middle of one of the
+openings. The elephant had passed close to the ant-hill--he had stopped
+there awhile--stay, he must have lain down.
+
+Von Bloom did not know that elephants were in the habit of lying down.
+He had always heard it said that they slept standing. Swartboy knew
+better than that. He said that they sometimes slept standing, but
+oftener lay down, especially in districts where they were not much
+hunted. Swartboy considered it a good sign that this one had lain down.
+He reasoned from it that the elephants had not been disturbed in that
+neighbourhood, and would be the more easily approached and killed. They
+would be less likely to make off from that part of the country, until
+they--the hunters--had had a "good pull" out of them.
+
+This last consideration was one of great importance. In a district where
+elephants have been much hunted, and have learnt what the crack of a gun
+signifies, a single day's chase will often set them travelling; and they
+will not bring up again, until they have gone far beyond the reach of
+the hunters. Not only the particular individuals that have been chased
+act in this way; but all the others,--as though warned by their
+companions,--until not an elephant remains in the district. This
+migratory habit is one of the chief difficulties which the
+elephant-hunter must needs encounter; and, when it occurs, he has no
+other resource but to change his "sphere of action."
+
+On the other hand, where elephants have remained for a long time
+undisturbed, the report of a gun does not terrify them; and they will
+bear a good deal of hunting before "showing their heels" and leaving the
+place.
+
+Swartboy, therefore, rejoiced on perceiving that the old bull had lain
+down. The Bushman drew a world of conclusions from that circumstance.
+
+That the elephant had been lying was clear enough. The abrasion upon the
+stiff mud of the ant-heap showed where his back had rested,--the mark of
+his body was visible in the dust, and a groove-like furrow in the turf
+had been made by his huge tusk. A huge one it must have been, as the
+impression of it testified to the keen eyes of the Bushman.
+
+Swartboy stated some curious facts about the great quadruped,--at least,
+what he alleged to be facts. They were,--that the elephant never
+attempts to lie down without having something to lean his shoulders
+against,--a rock, an ant-hill, or a tree; that he does this to prevent
+himself rolling over on his back,--that when he does by accident get
+into that position he has great difficulty in rising again, and is
+almost as helpless as a turtle; and, lastly, that he often sleeps
+standing beside a tree with the whole weight of his body leaning against
+the trunk!
+
+Swartboy did not think that he leans against the trunk when first taking
+up his position; but that he seeks the tree for the shade it affords,
+and as sleep overcomes him he inclines towards it, finding that it
+steadies and rests him!
+
+The Bushman stated, moreover, that some elephants have their favourite
+trees, to which they return again and again to take a nap during the hot
+mid-day hours,--for that is their time of repose. At night they do not
+sleep. On the contrary, the hours of night are spent in ranging about,
+on journeys to the distant watering-places, and in feeding; though in
+remote and quiet districts they also feed by day--so that it is probable
+that most of their nocturnal activity is the result of their dread of
+their watchful enemy, man.
+
+Swartboy communicated these facts, as the hunters all together followed
+upon the spoor.
+
+The traces of the elephant were now of a different character, from what
+they had been before arriving at the ant-hill. He had been browsing as
+he went. His nap had brought a return of appetite; and the wait-a-bit
+thorns showed the marks of his prehensile trunk. Here and there branches
+were broken off, stripped clean of their leaves, and the ligneous parts
+left upon the ground. In several places whole trees were torn up by
+their roots, and those, too, of considerable size. This the elephant
+sometimes does to get at their foliage, which upon such trees grows
+beyond the reach of his proboscis. By prostrating them of course he gets
+their whole frondage within easy distance of his elastic nose, and can
+strip it off at pleasure.
+
+At times, however, he tears up a tree to make a meal of its roots--as
+there are several species with sweet juicy roots, of which the elephant
+is extremely fond. These he drags out of the ground with his trunk,
+having first loosened them with his tusks, used as crowbars. At times he
+fails to effect his purpose; and it is only when the ground is loose or
+wet, as after great rains, that he can uproot the larger kinds of
+mimosas. Sometimes he is capricious; and, after drawing a tree from the
+ground, he carries it many yards along with him, flings it to the
+ground, root upwards, and then leaves it, after taking a single
+mouthful. Destructive to the forest is the passage of a troop of
+elephants!
+
+Small trees he can tear up with his trunk alone, but to the larger ones
+he applies the more powerful leverage of his tusks. These he inserts
+under the roots, imbedded as they usually are in loose sandy earth, and
+then, with a quick jerk, he tosses roots, trunk, and branches, high into
+the air,--a wonderful exhibition of gigantic power.
+
+The hunters saw all these proofs of it, as they followed the spoor. The
+traces of the elephant's strength were visible all along the route.
+
+It was enough to beget fear and awe, and none of them were free from
+such feelings. With so much disposition to commit havoc and ruin in his
+moments of quietude, what would such a creature be in the hour of
+excitement and anger? No wonder there was fear in the hearts of the
+hunters, unpractised as some of them were.
+
+Still another consideration had its effect upon their minds,
+particularly on that of the Bushman. There was every reason to believe
+that the animal was a "rover,"--what among Indian hunters is termed a
+"rogue." Elephants of this kind are far more dangerous to approach than
+their fellows. In fact, under ordinary circumstances, there is no more
+danger in passing through a herd of elephants than there would be in
+going among a drove of tame oxen. It is only when the elephant has been
+attacked or wounded, that he becomes a dangerous enemy.
+
+With regard to the "rover" or "rogue," the case is quite different. He
+is habitually vicious; and will assail either man or any other animal on
+sight, and without the slightest provocation. He seems to take a
+pleasure in destruction, and woe to the creature who crosses his path
+and is not of lighter heels than himself!
+
+The rover leads a solitary life, rambling alone through the forest, and
+never associating with others of his kind. He appears to be a sort of
+outlaw from his tribe, banished for bad temper or some other fault, to
+become more fierce and wicked in his outlawry.
+
+There were good reasons for fearing that the elephant they were spooring
+was a "rover." His being alone was of itself a suspicious circumstance,
+as elephants usually go, from two to twenty, or even fifty, in a herd.
+The traces of ruin he had left behind him, his immense spoor, all seemed
+to mark him out as one of these fierce creatures. That such existed in
+that district they already had evidence. Swartboy alleged that the one
+killed by the rhinoceros was of this class, else he would not have
+attacked the latter as he had done. There was a good deal of probability
+in this belief of the Bushman.
+
+Under these impressions, then, it is less to be wondered, that our
+hunters felt some apprehensions of danger from the game they were
+pursuing.
+
+The spoor grew fresher and fresher. The hunters saw trees turned bottom
+upward, the roots exhibiting the marks of the elephant's teeth, and
+still wet with the saliva from his vast mouth. They saw broken branches
+of the mimosa giving out their odour, that had not had time to waste
+itself. They concluded the game could not be distant.
+
+They rounded a point of timber--the Bushman being a little in the
+advance.
+
+Suddenly Swartboy stopped and fell back a pace. He turned his face upon
+his companions. His eyes rolled faster than ever; but, although his lips
+appeared to move, and his tongue to wag, he was too excited to give
+utterance to a word. A volley of clicks and hisses came forth, but
+nothing articulate.
+
+The others, however, did not require any words to tell them what was
+meant. They knew that Swartboy intended to whisper that he had seen "da
+oliphant;" so both peeped silently around the bush, and with their own
+eyes looked upon the mighty quadruped.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+A ROGUE ELEPHANT.
+
+
+The elephant was standing in a grove of _mokhala_ trees. These, unlike
+the humbler mimosas, have tall naked stems, with heads of thick foliage,
+in form resembling an umbrella or parasol. Their pinnate leaves of
+delicate green are the favourite food of the giraffe, hence their
+botanical appellation of _Acacia giraffæ_; and hence also their common
+name among the Dutch hunters of "cameel-doorns" (camel-thorns).
+
+The tall giraffe, with his prehensile lip, raised nearly twenty feet in
+the air, can browse upon these trees without difficulty. Not so the
+elephant, whose trunk cannot reach so high; and the latter would often
+have to imitate the fox in the fable, were he not possessed of a means
+whereby he can bring the tempting morsel within reach--that is, simply
+by breaking down the tree. This his vast strength enables him to do,
+unless when the trunk happens to be one of the largest of its kind.
+
+When the eyes of our hunters first rested upon the elephant, he was
+standing by the head of a prostrate mokhala, which he had just broken
+off near the root. He was tearing away at the leaves, and filling his
+capacious stomach.
+
+As soon as Swartboy recovered the control over his tongue, he ejaculated
+in a hurried whisper:--
+
+"Pas op! (take care!) baas Bloom,--hab good care--don't go near um--he
+da skellum ole klow. My footy! he wicked!--I know de ole bull duyvel."
+
+By this volley of queer phrases, Swartboy meant to caution his master
+against rashly approaching the elephant, as he knew him to be one of the
+wicked sort--in short, a "rogue."
+
+How Swartboy knew this would appear a mystery, as there were no
+particular marks about the animal to distinguish him from others of his
+kind. But the Bushman, with his practised eye, saw something in the
+general physiognomy of the elephant--just as one may distinguish a
+fierce and dangerous bull from those of milder disposition, or a bad
+from a virtuous man, by some expression that one cannot define.
+
+Von Bloom himself, and even Hendrik, saw that the elephant had a fierce
+and ruffian look.
+
+They did not stand in need of Swartboy's advice to act with caution.
+
+They remained for some minutes, gazing through the bushes at the huge
+quadruped. The more they gazed, the more they became resolved to make an
+attack upon him. The sight of his long tusks was too tempting to Von
+Bloom, to admit for a moment the thought of letting him escape without a
+fight. A couple of bullets he should have into him, at all events; and
+if opportunity offered, a good many more, should these not be
+sufficient. Von Bloom would not relinquish those fine tusks without a
+struggle.
+
+He at once set about considering the safest mode of attack; but was not
+allowed time to mature any plan. The elephant appeared to be restless,
+and was evidently about to move forward. He might be off in a moment,
+and carry them after him for miles, or, perhaps, in the thick cover of
+wait-a-bits get lost to them altogether.
+
+These conjectures caused Von Bloom to decide at once upon beginning the
+attack, and without any other plan than to stalk in as near as would be
+safe, and deliver his fire. He had heard that a single bullet in the
+forehead would kill any elephant; and if he could only get in such a
+position as to have a fair shot at the animal's front, he believed he
+was marksman enough to plant his bullet in the right place.
+
+He was mistaken as to killing an elephant with a shot in the forehead.
+That is a notion of gentlemen who have hunted the elephant in their
+closets--though other closet gentlemen--the anatomists--to whom give all
+due credit--have shown the thing to be impossible, from the peculiar
+structure of the elephant's skull and the position of his brain.
+
+Von Bloom at the time was under this wrong impression, and therefore
+committed a grand mistake. Instead of seeking a side shot, which he
+could have obtained with far less trouble--he decided on creeping round
+in front of the elephant, and firing right in the animal's face.
+
+Leaving Hendrik and Swartboy to attack him from behind, he took a
+circuit under cover of the bushes; and at length arrived in the path the
+elephant was most likely to take.
+
+He had scarcely gained his position, when he saw the huge animal coming
+towards him with silent and majestic tread; and although the elephant
+only walked, half-a-dozen of his gigantic strides brought him close up
+to the ambushed hunter. As yet the creature uttered no cry; but as he
+moved, Von Bloom could hear a rumbling gurgling sound, as of water
+dashing to and fro in his capacious stomach!
+
+Von Bloom had taken up his position behind the trunk of a large tree.
+The elephant had not yet seen him, and, perhaps, would have passed on
+without knowing that he was there, had the hunter permitted him. The
+latter even thought of such a thing, for although a man of courage, the
+sight of the great forest giant caused him for a moment to quail.
+
+But, again, the curving ivory gleamed in his eyes--again he remembered
+the object that had brought him into that situation; he thought of his
+fallen fortunes--of his resolve to retrieve them--of his children's
+welfare.
+
+These thoughts resolved him. His long roer was laid over a knot in the
+trunk--its muzzle pointed at the forehead of the advancing elephant--his
+eye gleamed through the sights--the loud detonation followed--and a
+cloud of smoke for a moment hid everything from his view.
+
+He could hear a hoarse, bellowing, trumpet-like sound--he could hear the
+crashing of branches and the gurgling of water; and, when, the smoke
+cleared away, to his chagrin he saw that the elephant was still upon his
+feet, and evidently not injured in the least!
+
+The shot had struck the animal exactly where the hunter had aimed it;
+but, instead of inflicting a mortal wound, it had only excited the
+creature to extreme rage. He was now charging about striking the trees
+with his tusks, tearing branches off, and tossing them aloft with his
+trunk--though all the while evidently in ignorance of what had tickled
+him so impertinently upon the forehead!
+
+Fortunately for Von Bloom, a good thick tree sheltered him from the view
+of the elephant. Had the enraged animal caught sight of him at that
+moment, it would have been all up with him; but the hunter knew this,
+and had the coolness to remain close and quiet.
+
+Not so with Swartboy. When the elephant moved forward, he and Hendrik
+had crept after through the grove of mokhalas. They had even followed
+him across the open ground into the bush, where Von Bloom awaited him.
+On hearing the shot, and seeing that the elephant was still unhurt,
+Swartboy's courage gave way; and leaving Hendrik, he ran back towards
+the mokhala grove, shouting as he went.
+
+His cries reached the ears of the elephant, that at once rushed off in
+the direction in which he heard them. In a moment he emerged from the
+bush, and, seeing Swartboy upon the open ground, charged furiously after
+the flying Bushman. Hendrik--who had stood his ground, and in the
+shelter of the bushes was not perceived--delivered his shot as the
+animal passed him. His ball told upon the shoulder, but it only served
+to increase the elephant's fury. Without stopping, he rushed on after
+Swartboy, believing, no doubt, that the poor Bushman was the cause of
+the hurts he was receiving, and the nature of which he but ill
+understood.
+
+It was but a few moments, from the firing of the first shot, until
+things took this turn. Swartboy was hardly clear of the bushes before
+the elephant emerged also; and as the former struck out for the mokhala
+trees, he was scarce six steps ahead of his pursuer.
+
+Swartboy's object was to get to the grove, in the midst of which were
+several trees of large size. One of these he proposed climbing--as that
+seemed his only chance for safety.
+
+He had not got half over the open ground, when he perceived he would be
+too late. He heard the heavy rush of the huge monster behind him--he
+heard his loud and vengeful bellowing--he fancied he felt his hot
+breath. There was still a good distance to be run. The climbing of the
+tree, beyond the reach of the elephant's trunk, would occupy time. There
+was no hope of escaping to the tree.
+
+These reflections occurred almost instantaneously. In ten seconds
+Swartboy arrived at the conclusion, that running to the tree would not
+save him; and all at once he stopped in his career, wheeled round, and
+faced the elephant!
+
+Not that he had formed any plan of saving himself in that way. It was
+not bravery, but only despair, that caused him to turn upon his pursuer.
+He knew that, by running on, he would surely be overtaken. It could be
+no worse if he faced round; and, perhaps, he might avoid the fatal
+charge by some dexterous manoeuvre.
+
+The Bushman was now right in the middle of the open ground; the elephant
+rushing straight towards him.
+
+The former had no weapon to oppose to his gigantic pursuer. He had
+thrown away his bow--his axe too--to run the more nimbly. But neither
+would have been of any avail against such an antagonist. He carried
+nothing but his sheep-skin kaross. That had encumbered him in his
+flight; but he had held on to it for a purpose.
+
+His purpose was soon displayed.
+
+He stood until the extended trunk was within three feet of his face; and
+then, flinging his kaross so that it should fall over the long cylinder,
+he sprang nimbly to one side, and started to run back.
+
+He would, no doubt, have succeeded in passing to the elephant's rear,
+and thus have escaped; but as the kaross fell upon the great trunk it
+was seized in the latter, and swept suddenly around. Unfortunately
+Swartboy's legs had not yet cleared the circle--the kaross lapped around
+them--and the Bushman was thrown sprawling upon the plain.
+
+In a moment the active Swartboy recovered his feet, and was about to
+make off in a new direction. But the elephant, having discovered the
+deception of the kaross, had dropped it, and turned suddenly after him.
+Swartboy had hardly made three steps, when the long ivory curve was
+inserted between his legs from behind; and the next moment his body was
+pitched high into the air.
+
+Von Bloom and Hendrik, who had just then reached the edge of the glade,
+saw him go up; but to their astonishment he did not come to the ground
+again! Had he fallen back upon the elephant's tusks? and was he held
+there by the trunk? No. They saw the animal's head. The Bushman was not
+there, nor upon his back, nor anywhere to be seen. In fact, the elephant
+seemed as much astonished as they at the sudden disappearance of his
+victim! The huge beast was turning his eyes in every direction, as if
+searching for the object of his fury!
+
+[Illustration: SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.]
+
+Where could Swartboy have gone? Where? At this moment the elephant gave
+a loud roar, and was seen rushing to a tree, which he now caught in his
+trunk, and shook violently. Von Bloom and Hendrik looked up towards its
+top, expecting to see Swartboy there. Sure enough he was there, perched
+among the leaves and branches where he had been projected! Terror was
+depicted in his countenance, for he felt that he was not safe in his
+position. But he had scarce time to give utterance to his fears; for the
+next moment the tree gave way with a crash, and fell to the ground,
+bringing the Bushman down among its branches.
+
+It happened that the tree, dragged down by the elephant's trunk, fell
+towards the animal. Swartboy even touched the elephant's body in his
+descent, and slipped down over his hind-quarters. The branches had
+broken the fall, and the Bushman was still unhurt, but he felt that he
+was now quite at the mercy of his antagonist. He saw no chance of escape
+by flight. He was lost!
+
+Just at that moment an idea entered his mind--a sort of despairing
+instinct--and springing at one of the hind-legs of the quadruped, he
+slung his arms around it, and held fast! He at the same time planted his
+naked feet upon the sabots of those of the animal; so that, by means of
+this support, he was enabled to keep his hold, let the animal move as it
+would!
+
+The huge mammoth, unable to shake him off, unable to get at him with his
+trunk--and, above all, surprised and terrified by this novel mode of
+attack--uttered a shrill scream, and with tail erect and trunk high in
+air, dashed off into the jungle!
+
+Swartboy held on to the leg until fairly within the bushes; and then,
+watching his opportunity, he slipped gently off. As soon as he touched
+_terra firma_ again, he rose to his feet, and ran with all his might in
+an opposite direction.
+
+He need not have run a single step; for the elephant, as much frightened
+as he, kept on through the jungle, laying waste the trees and branches
+in his onward course. The huge quadruped did not stop, till he had put
+many miles between himself and the scene of his disagreeable adventure!
+
+Von Bloom and Hendrik had by this time reloaded, and were advancing to
+Swartboy's rescue; but they were met right in the teeth by the
+swift-flying Bushman, as he returned from his miraculous escape.
+
+The hunters, who were now warmed to their work, proposed to follow up
+the spoor; but Swartboy, who had enough of that "old rogue," declared
+that there would be not the slightest chance of again coming up with him
+without horses or dogs; and as they had neither, spooring him any
+farther would be quite useless.
+
+Von Bloom saw that there was truth in the remark, and now more than ever
+did he regret the loss of his horses. The elephant, though easily
+overtaken on horseback, or with dogs to bring him to bay, can as easily
+escape from a hunter on foot; and once he has made up his mind to
+flight, it is quite a lost labour to follow him farther.
+
+It was now too late in the day to seek for other elephants; and with a
+feeling of disappointment, the hunters gave up the chase, and turned
+their steps in the direction of the camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS.
+
+
+A well-known proverb says that "misfortunes seldom come single."
+
+On nearing the camp, the hunters could perceive that all was not right
+there. They saw Totty with Trüey and Jan standing by the head of the
+ladder; but there was something in their manner that told that all was
+not right. Where was Hans?
+
+As soon as the hunters came in sight, Jan and Trüey ran down the rounds,
+and out to meet them. There was that in their glances that bespoke ill
+tidings, and their words soon confirmed this conjecture.
+
+Hans was not there--he had gone away hours ago--they knew not where,
+they feared something had happened to him,--they feared he was lost!
+
+"But what took him away from the camp?" asked Von Bloom, surprised and
+troubled at the news.
+
+That, and only that could they answer. A number of odd-looking
+animals--very odd-looking, the children said,--had come to the vley to
+drink. Hans had taken his gun and followed them in a great hurry,
+telling Trüey and Jan to keep in the tree, and not come down until he
+returned. He would be gone only a very little while, and they needn't
+fear.
+
+This was all they knew. They could not even tell what direction he had
+taken. He went by the lower end of the vley; but soon the bushes hid him
+from their view, and they saw no more of him.
+
+"At what time was it?"
+
+It was many hours ago,--in the morning in fact,--not long after the
+hunters themselves had started. When he did not return the children grew
+uneasy; but they thought he had fallen in with papa and Hendrik, and was
+helping them to hunt; and that was the reason why he stayed so long.
+
+"Had they heard any report of a gun?"
+
+No--they had listened for that, but heard none. The animals had gone
+away before Hans could get his gun ready; and they supposed he had to
+follow some distance, before he could overtake them--that might be the
+reason they had heard no shot.
+
+"What sort of animals were they?"
+
+They had all seen them plain enough, as they drank. They had never seen
+any of the kind before. They were large animals of a yellow-brown
+colour, with shaggy manes, and long tufts of hair growing out of their
+breasts, and hanging down between their fore-legs. They were as big as
+ponies, said Jan, and very like ponies. They curvetted and capered about
+just as ponies do sometimes. Trüey thought that they looked more like
+lions!
+
+"Lions!" ejaculated her father and Hendrik, with an accent that
+betokened alarm.
+
+Indeed, they reminded her of lions, Trüey again affirmed, and Totty said
+the same.
+
+"How many were there of them?"
+
+"Oh! a great drove, not less than fifty." They could not have counted
+them, as they were constantly in motion, galloping from place to place,
+and butting each other with their horns.
+
+"Ha! they had horns then?" interrogated Von Bloom, relieved by this
+announcement.
+
+Certainly they had horns, replied all three.
+
+They had seen the horns, sharp-pointed ones, which first came down, and
+then turned upwards in front of the animals' faces. They had manes too,
+Jan affirmed; and thick necks that curved like that of a beautiful
+horse; and tufts of hair like brushes upon their noses; and nice round
+bodies like ponies, and long white tails that reached near the ground,
+just like the tails of ponies, and finely-shaped limbs as ponies have.
+
+"I tell you," continued Jan, with emphasis, "if it hadn't been for their
+horns and the brushes of long hair upon their breasts and noses, I'd
+have taken them for ponies before anything. They galloped about just
+like ponies when playing, and ran with their heads down, curving their
+necks and tossing their manes,--aye, and snorting too, as I've heard
+ponies; but sometimes they bellowed more like bulls; and, I confess,
+they looked a good deal like bulls about the head; besides I noticed
+they had hoofs split like cattle. Oh! I had a good look at them while
+Hans was loading his gun. They stayed by the water till he was nearly
+ready; and when they galloped off, they went in a long string one behind
+the other with the largest one in front, and another large one in the
+rear."
+
+"Wildebeests!" exclaimed Hendrik.
+
+"Gnoos!" cried Swartboy.
+
+"Yes, they must have been wildebeests," said Von Bloom; "Jan's
+description corresponds exactly to them."
+
+This was quite true. Jan had correctly given many of the characteristic
+points of that, perhaps, the most singular of all ruminant animals, the
+wildebeest or gnoo (_Catoblepas gnoo_). The brush-like tuft over the
+muzzle, the long hair between the fore-legs, the horns curving down over
+the face, and then sweeping abruptly upward, the thick curving neck, the
+rounded, compact, horse-shaped body, the long whitish tail, and full
+flowing mane--all were descriptive of the gnoo.
+
+Even Trüey had not made such an unpardonable mistake. The gnoos, and
+particularly the old bulls, bear a very striking resemblance to the
+lion, so much so that the sharpest hunters at a distance can scarce tell
+one from the other.
+
+Jan, however, had observed them better than Trüey; and had they been
+nearer, he might have further noticed that the creatures had red fiery
+eyes and a fierce look; that their heads and horns were not unlike those
+of the African buffalo; that their limbs resembled those of the stag,
+while the rest corresponded well enough to his "pony." He might have
+observed, moreover, that the males were larger than the females, and of
+a deeper brown. Had there been any "calves" with the herd, he would have
+seen that these were still lighter-coloured--in fact, of a white or
+cream colour.
+
+The gnoos that had been seen were the common kind called by the Dutch
+colonists "wildebeests" or wild-oxen, and by the Hottentots "gnoo" or
+"gnu," from a hollow moaning sound to which these creatures sometimes
+give utterance, and which is represented by the word "gnoo-o-oo."
+
+They roam in vast flocks upon the wild karoos of South Africa: are
+inoffensive animals, except when wounded: and then the old bulls are
+exceedingly dangerous, and will attack the hunter both with horns and
+hoof. They can run with great swiftness, though they scarce ever go
+clear off, but, keeping at a wary distance, circle around the hunter,
+curvetting in all directions, menacing with their heads lowered to the
+ground, kicking up the dust with their heels, and bellowing like bulls,
+or indeed like lions--for their "rout" bears a resemblance to the lion's
+roar.
+
+The old bulls stand sentry while the herd is feeding, and protect it
+both in front and rear. When running off they usually go in single file,
+as Jan had represented.
+
+Old bulls hang between the rear of the herd and the hunter: and these
+caper back and forward, butting each other with their horns, and often
+fighting apparently in serious earnest! Before the hunter comes within
+range, however, they drop their conflict and gallop out of his way.
+Nothing can exceed the capricious antics which these animals indulge in,
+while trooping over the plain.
+
+There is a second species of the same genus common in South Africa, and
+a third inhabits still farther to the north; but of the last very little
+is known. Both species are larger than the wildebeest, individuals of
+either being nearly five feet in height, while the common gnoo is scarce
+four.
+
+The three kinds are quite distinct, and never herd together, though each
+of them is often found in company with other animals. All three are
+peculiar to the continent of Africa, and are not found elsewhere.
+
+The "brindled gnoo" is the other species that inhabits the South of
+Africa. It is known among the hunters and colonists as "blauw
+wildebeest" (blue wild-ox). It is of a bluish colour--hence the name,
+and "brindled," or striped along the sides. Its habits are very similar
+to those of the common gnoo, but it is altogether a heavier and duller
+animal, and still more eccentric and ungainly in its form.
+
+The third species is the "ko-koon" of the natives. It approaches nearer
+to the brindled gnoo in form and habits; but as it is not found except
+in the more central and less-travelled portions of Africa, less is known
+about it than either of the others. It is, however, of the same kind;
+and the three species, differing widely from any other animals known,
+are entitled to form a distinct and separate genus.
+
+They have hitherto generally been classed with the antelopes, though for
+what reason it is hard to tell. They have far less affinity with the
+antelope than with the ox; and the everyday observations of the hunter
+and frontier boer have guided them to a similar conclusion--as their
+name for these animals (wild-oxen) would imply. Observation of this
+class is usually worth far more than the "speculations" of the
+closet-naturalist.
+
+The gnoo has long been the favourite food of the frontier farmer and
+hunter. Its beef is well flavoured, and the veal of a gnoo-calf is quite
+a delicacy. The hide is manufactured into harness and straps of
+different sorts; and the long silky tail is an article of commerce.
+Around every frontier farm-house large piles of gnoo and springbok horns
+may be seen--the remains of animals that have been captured in the
+chase.
+
+"Jaging de wildebeest" (hunting the gnoo) is a favourite pastime of the
+young boers. Large herds of these animals are sometimes driven into
+valleys, where they are hemmed in, and shot down at will. They can also
+be lured within range, by exhibiting a red handkerchief or any piece of
+red cloth--to which colour they have a strong aversion. They may be
+tamed and domesticated easily enough; but they are not favourite pets
+with the farmer, who dreads their communicating to his cattle a fatal
+skin-disease to which the gnoos are subject, and which carries off
+thousands of them every year.
+
+Of course Von Bloom and his companions did not stay to talk over these
+points. They were too anxious about the fate of the missing Hans, to
+think of anything else.
+
+They were about to start out in search of him, when just at that moment
+my gentleman was seen coming around the end of the lake, trudging very
+slowly along, under the weight of some large and heavy object, that he
+carried upon his shoulders.
+
+A shout of joy was raised, and in a few moments Hans stood in their
+midst.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA.
+
+
+Hans was saluted by a volley of questions, "Where have you been? What
+detained you? What has happened to you? You're all safe and sound? Not
+hurt, I hope?" These and a few others were asked in a breath.
+
+"I'm sound as a bell," said Hans; "and for the rest of your inquiries
+I'll answer them all as soon as Swartboy has skinned this 'aard-vark,'
+and Totty has cooked a piece of it for supper; but I'm too hungry to
+talk now, so pray excuse me."
+
+As Hans gave this reply, he cast from his shoulders an animal nearly as
+big as a sheep, covered with long bristly hair of a reddish-grey colour,
+and having a huge tail, thick at the root, and tapering like a carrot; a
+snout nearly a foot long, but quite slender and naked; a very small
+mouth; erect pointed ears resembling a pair of horns; a low flattish
+body; short muscular legs; and claws of immense length, especially on
+the fore-feet, where, instead of spreading out, they were doubled back
+like shut fists, or the fore hands of a monkey. Altogether a very odd
+animal was that which Hans had styled an "aard-vark," and which he
+desired should be cooked for supper.
+
+"Well, my boy," replied Von Bloom, "we'll excuse you, the more so that
+we are all of us about as hungry as yourself, I fancy. But I think we
+may as well leave the 'aard-vark' for to-morrow's dinner. We've a couple
+of peacocks here, and Totty will get one of them ready sooner than the
+aard-vark."
+
+"As for that," rejoined Hans, "I don't care which. I'm just in the
+condition to eat anything--even a steak of tough old quagga, if I had
+it; but I think it would be no harm if Swartboy--that is, if you're not
+too tired, old Swart--would just peel the skin off this gentleman."
+
+Hans pointed to the "aard-vark."
+
+"And dress him so that he don't spoil," he continued; "for you know,
+Swartboy, that he's a tit-bit--a regular _bonne bouche_--and it would be
+a pity to let him go to waste in this hot weather. An aard-vark's not to
+be bagged every day."
+
+"You spreichen true, Mynheer Hans,--Swartboy know all dat. Him skin and
+dress da goup."
+
+And, so saying, Swartboy out knife, and set to work upon the carcass.
+
+Now this singular-looking animal which Hans called an "aard-vark," and
+Swartboy a "goup," was neither more or less than the African ant-eater.
+
+Although the colonists term it "aard-vark," which is the Dutch for
+"ground-hog," the animal has but little in common with the hog kind. It
+certainly bears some resemblance to a pig about the snout and cheeks;
+and that, with its bristly hair and burrowing habits, has no doubt
+given rise to the mistaken name. The "ground" part of the title is from
+the fact that it is a burrowing animal,--indeed, one of the best
+"terriers" in the world. It can make its way under ground, faster than
+the spade can follow it, and faster than any badger. In size, habits,
+and the form of many parts of its body, it bears a striking resemblance
+to its South American cousin the "tamanoir," which of late years has
+become so famous as almost to usurp the title of "ant-eater."
+
+But the "aard-vark" is just as good an ant-eater as he,--can "crack" as
+thick-walled a house, can rake up and devour as many termites as any
+"ant-bear" in the length and breadth of the Amazon Valley. He has got,
+moreover, as "tall" a tail as the tamanoir, very nearly as long a snout,
+a mouth equally small, and a tongue as extensive and extensile. In claws
+he can compare with his American cousin any day, and can walk just as
+awkwardly upon the sides of his fore-paws with "toes turned in."
+
+Why, then, may I ask, do we hear so much talk of the "tamanoir," while
+not a word is said of the "aard-vark?" Every museum and menagerie is
+bragging about having a specimen of the former, while not one cares to
+acknowledge their possession of the latter! Why this envious
+distinction? I say it's all Barnum. It's because the "aard-vark's" a
+Dutchman--a Cape boer--and the boers have been much bullied of late.
+That's the reason why zoologists and showmen have treated my
+thick-tailed boy so shabbily. But it shan't be so any longer; I stand up
+for the aard-vark; and, although the tamanoir has been specially called
+_Myrmecophaga_, or ant-eater, I say that the _Orycteropus_ is as good an
+ant-eater as he.
+
+He can break through ant-hills quite as big and bigger--some of them
+twenty feet high--he can project as long and as gluey a tongue--twenty
+inches long--he can play it as nimbly and "lick up" as many white ants,
+as any tamanoir. He can grow as fat too, and weigh as heavy, and, what
+is greatly to his credit, he can provide you with a most delicate roast
+when you choose to kill and eat him. It is true he tastes slightly of
+formid acid, but that is just the flavour that epicures admire. And when
+you come to speak of "hams,"--ah! try his! Cure them well and properly,
+and eat one, and you will never again talk of "Spanish" or
+"Westphalian."
+
+Hans knew the taste of those hams--well he did, and so too Swartboy; and
+it was not against his inclination, but _con amore_, that the latter set
+about butchering the "goup."
+
+Swartboy knew how precious a morsel he held between his
+fingers,--precious, not only on account of its intrinsic goodness, but
+from its rarity; for although the aard-vark is a common animal in South
+Africa, and in some districts even numerous, it is not every day the
+hunter can lay his hands upon one. On the contrary, the creature is most
+difficult to capture; though not to kill, for a blow on the snout will
+do that.
+
+But just as he is easily killed when you catch him, in the same
+proportion is he hard to catch. He is shy and wary, scarce ever comes
+out of his burrow but at night; and even then skulks so silently along,
+and watches around him so sharply, that no enemy can approach without
+his knowing it. His eyes are very small, and, like most nocturnal
+animals, he sees but indifferently; but in the two senses of smell and
+hearing he is one of the sharpest. His long erect ears enable him to
+catch every sound that may be made in his neighbourhood, however slight.
+
+The "aard-vark" is not the only ant-eating quadruped of South Africa.
+There is another four-footed creature as fond of white ants as he; but
+this is an animal of very different appearance. It is a creature without
+hair; but instead, its body is covered all over with a regular coat of
+scales, each as large as a half-crown piece. These scales slightly
+overlie each other, and can be raised on end at the will of the animal.
+In form it resembles a large lizard, or a small crocodile, more than an
+ordinary quadruped, but its habits are almost exactly like those of the
+aard-vark. It burrows, digs open the ant-hills by night, projects a long
+viscous tongue among the insects, and devours them with avidity.
+
+When suddenly overtaken, and out of reach of its underground retreat, it
+"clews" up like the hedgehog, and some species of the South American
+armadillos--to which last animal it bears a considerable resemblance on
+account of its scaly coat of mail.
+
+This ant-eater is known as the "pangolin," or "manis," but there are
+several species of "pangolin" not African. Some are met with in Southern
+Asia and the Indian islands. That which is found in South Africa is
+known among naturalists as the "long-tailed" or "Tem-minck" pangolin
+(_Manis Temminckii_).
+
+Totty soon produced a roasted "peacock," or rather a hastily-broiled
+bustard. But, although, perhaps, not cooked "to a turn," it was
+sufficiently well done to satisfy the stomachs for which it was
+intended. They were all too hungry to be fastidious, and, without a word
+of criticism, they got through their dinner.
+
+Hans then commenced relating the history of his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST.
+
+
+"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when a
+herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on in
+single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in the
+water, before I thought of molesting them in any way.
+
+Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but I
+was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did not
+think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking.
+Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would be
+nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd of
+gnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from their
+being smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knew
+that the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made up
+my mind we should all dine upon it.
+
+I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent I
+had been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had not
+thought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for how
+knew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even?
+
+I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leaving
+the water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I ran down the
+ladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I had forgotten to
+bring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too hot a haste to go back
+for them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests moving off, and I
+fancied I might be too late. But I had no intention of going any great
+distance in pursuit. A single shot at them was all I wanted, and that in
+the gun would do.
+
+I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover. I
+found, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious. The
+wildebeests, instead of being shy--as I had seen them in our old
+neighbourhood--appeared to have very little fear of me. This was
+especially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered about
+within an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me to
+approach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted.
+
+Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who seemed to
+act as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of them. I knew
+their flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get something more tender.
+I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or one of the young bulls whose
+horns had not yet begun to curve. Of these I saw several in the herd.
+
+Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough to any
+of these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond my range; and
+the two that brought up the rear, seemed to drive them forward as I
+advanced upon them.
+
+Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile; and the
+excitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it was of me to
+go so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat, and still hopeful
+of getting a shot, I kept on.
+
+At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer any
+bush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills, that,
+like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other scattered
+over the plain. These were very large--some of them more than twelve
+feet high--and differing from the dome-shaped kind so common everywhere.
+They were of the shape of large cones, or rounded pyramids, with a
+number of smaller cones rising around their bases, and clustering like
+turrets along their sides. I knew they were the hills of a species of
+white ant called by entomologists _Termes bellicosus_.
+
+There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that stood
+only about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen set
+upright--each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were the homes
+of a very different species, the _Termes mordax_ of the entomologists;
+though still another species of _Termes_ build their nests in the same
+form.
+
+I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only speak of
+them now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so that you
+may understand what followed.
+
+What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was pretty
+well covered. One or the other was met with every two hundred yards; and
+I fancied with these for a shelter I should have but little difficulty
+in getting within shot of the gnoos.
+
+I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shaped
+hill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I peeped
+through the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and younger ones
+had been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls were, as before,
+capering between me and the herd.
+
+I repeated the manoeuvre, and stalked in behind another large cone, close
+to which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself for a shot, I was
+again disappointed. The herd had moved off as before, and the brace of
+bulls still kept guard in the rear.
+
+I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed me
+exceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their manoeuvres
+were of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be made for the
+purpose of mocking me. At times they would charge up very close--their
+heads set in a menacing attitude; and I must confess that with their
+black shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and glaring red eyes, they
+looked anything but pleasant neighbours.
+
+I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should bother
+me no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of the others, I
+was determined they themselves should not escape scot-free, but should
+pay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved to put a bullet
+through one of them, at least.
+
+Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they had
+placed themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by dropping
+on their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came in contact.
+They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward, as if to get
+uppermost, and trample one another with their hoofs. Failing in this,
+both would rush past, until they were several yards apart; then wheel
+round, drop once more to their knees, and advance as before.
+
+Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so I
+fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be in
+earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads against
+each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, their
+angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and were
+serious about it.
+
+One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.
+Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quite
+recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back upon
+his side.
+
+Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sure
+shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind the
+ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice of
+my approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself from
+the terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied in
+delivering them.
+
+When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull who
+appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling in
+striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside
+was towards me, and presented a fairer mark.
+
+I fired.
+
+The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bull
+that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to my
+great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,
+apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him
+somewhere--as I heard the 'thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but it
+was plain I had not crippled him.
+
+I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him. Not
+an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of the
+bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his tail,
+lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me!
+
+His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enough
+to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was less
+frightened the other day when I encountered the lion.
+
+I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting myself
+in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun which was
+now empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once, that the
+slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a strong
+fierce animal, and that he would butt me over, and gore me, to a
+certainty.
+
+I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately they
+fell upon an ant-hill--the one I had just emerged from. I saw at a
+glance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fierce
+wildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake me?
+
+I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running upon
+ordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to that
+ant-hill than I did.
+
+I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets, and
+drew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs behind
+me, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels.
+
+But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked down at
+my pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther. Sharp as his
+horns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+BESIEGED BY THE BULL.
+
+
+"Well," continued Hans, after a pause, "I began to congratulate myself
+on my fortunate escape; for I was convinced that but for the ant-hill I
+would have been trampled and gored to death. The bull was one of the
+largest and fiercest of his kind, and a very old one too, as I could
+tell by the bases of his thick black horns nearly meeting over his
+forehead, as well as by his dark colour. I had plenty of time to note
+these things. I felt that I was now safe--that the wildebeest could not
+get near me; and I sat perched upon the top of the central cone,
+watching his movements with perfect coolness.
+
+It is true he did everything to reach my position. A dozen times he
+charged up the hill, and more than once effected a lodgment among the
+tops of the lower turrets, but the main one was too steep for him. No
+wonder! It had tried my own powers to scale it.
+
+At times he came so close to me in his desperate efforts, that I could
+have touched his horns with the muzzle of my gun; and I had prepared to
+give him a blow whenever I could get a good chance. I never saw a
+creature behave so fiercely. The fact was, that I had hit him with my
+bullet,--the wound was there along his jaw, and bleeding freely. The
+pain of it maddened him; but that was not the only cause of his fury, as
+I afterwards discovered.
+
+Well. After several unsuccessful attempts to scale the cone, he varied
+his tactics, and commenced butting the ant-heap as though he would bring
+it down. He repeatedly backed, and then charged forward upon it with
+all his might; and, to say the truth, it looked for some time as though
+he would succeed.
+
+Several of the lesser cones were knocked over by his powerful blows; and
+the hard tough clay yielded before his sharp horns, used by him as
+inverted pick-axes. In several places I could see that he had laid open
+the chambers of the insects, or rather the ways and galleries that are
+placed in the outer crust of the hill.
+
+With all this I felt no fear. I was under the belief that he would soon
+exhaust his rage and go away; and then I could descend without danger.
+But after watching him a good long spell, I was not a little astonished
+to observe that, instead of cooling down, he seemed to grow more furious
+than ever. I had taken out my handkerchief to wipe the perspiration off
+my face. It was as hot as an oven where I sat. Not a breath of air was
+stirring, and the rays of the sun, glaring right down and then
+reflecting up again from the white clay, brought the perspiration out of
+me in streams. Every minute I was obliged to rub my eyes clear of it
+with the handkerchief.
+
+Now, before passing the kerchief over my face, I always shook it open;
+and each time I did so, I noticed that the rage of the wildebeest seemed
+to be redoubled! In fact, at such times he would leave off goring the
+heap, and make a fresh attempt to rush up at me, roaring his loudest as
+he charged against the steep wall!
+
+I was puzzled at this, as well as astonished. What could there be in my
+wiping my face to provoke the wildebeest anew? And yet such was clearly
+the case. Every time I did so, he appeared to swell with a fresh burst
+of passion!
+
+The explanation came at length. I saw that it was not the wiping off the
+perspiration that provoked him. It was the shaking out of my
+handkerchief. This was, as you know, of a bright scarlet colour. I
+thought of this, and then, for the first time, remembered having heard
+that anything scarlet has a most powerful effect upon the wildebeest,
+and excites him to a rage resembling madness.
+
+I did not wish to keep up his fury. I crumpled up the handkerchief and
+buried it in my pocket--preferring to endure the perspiration rather
+than remain there any longer. By hiding the scarlet, I conceived a hope
+he would the sooner cool down, and go away.
+
+But I had raised a devil in him too fierce to be so easily laid. He
+showed no signs of cooling down. On the contrary, he continued to
+charge, butt, and bellow, as vengefully as ever--though the scarlet was
+no longer before his eyes.
+
+I began to feel really annoyed. I had no idea the gnoo was so implacable
+in his rage. The bull evidently felt pain from his wound. I could
+perceive that he moaned it. He knew well enough it was I who had given
+him this pain.
+
+He appeared determined not to let me escape retribution. He showed no
+signs of an intention to leave the place; but laboured away with hoof
+and horns, as if he would demolish the mound.
+
+I was growing very tired of my situation. Though not afraid that the
+bull could reach me, I was troubled by the thought of being so long
+absent from our camp. I knew I should have been there. I thought of my
+little sister and brother. Some misfortune might befall them. I was very
+sad about that, though up to that time I had little or no fears for
+myself. I was still in hopes the wildebeest would tire out and leave me,
+and then I could soon run home.
+
+I say, up to that time I had no very serious fears for myself--excepting
+the moment or two when the bull was chasing me to the hill; but that
+little fright was soon over.
+
+But now appeared a new object of dread--another enemy, as terrible as
+the enraged bull--that almost caused me to spring down upon the horns of
+the latter in my first moments of alarm!
+
+I have said that the wildebeest had broken down several of the lesser
+turrets--the outworks of the ant-hill--and had laid open the hollow
+spaces within. He had not penetrated to the main dome, but only the
+winding galleries and passages that perforate the outer walls.
+
+I noticed, that, as soon as these were broken open, a number of ants had
+rushed out from each. Indeed, I had observed many of the creatures
+crawling outside the hill, when I first approached it, and had wondered
+at this--as I knew that they usually keep under ground when going and
+coming from their nests. I had observed all this, without taking note of
+it at the time--being too intent in my stalk to think of anything else.
+For the last half-hour I was too busy watching the manoeuvres of the
+wildebeest bull, to take my gaze off him for a moment.
+
+Something in motion directly under me at length caught my eye, and I
+looked down to see what it was. The first glance caused me to jump to my
+feet; and, as I have already said, very nearly impelled me to leap down
+upon the horns of the bull!
+
+Swarming all over the hill, already clustering upon my shoes, and
+crawling still higher, were the crowds of angry ants. Every hole that
+the bull had made was yielding out its throng of spiteful insects; and
+all appeared moving towards me!
+
+Small as the creatures were, I fancied I saw design in their movements.
+They seemed all actuated with the same feeling--the same impulse--that
+of attacking me. I could not be mistaken in their intent. They moved all
+together, as if guided and led by intelligent beings; and they advanced
+towards the spot on which I stood.
+
+I saw, too, that they were the soldiers. I knew these from the workers,
+by their larger heads and long horny mandibles. I knew they could bite
+fiercely and painfully.
+
+The thought filled me with horror. I confess it, I never was so
+horrified before. My late encounter with the lion was nothing to compare
+with it.
+
+My first impression was that I would be destroyed by the termites. I had
+heard of such things--I remembered that I had. It was that, no doubt,
+that frightened me so badly, I had heard of men in their sleep being
+attacked by the white ants, and bitten to death. Such memories came
+crowding upon me at the moment, until I felt certain, that if I did not
+soon escape from that spot, the ants would sting me to death and eat me
+up!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+A HELPLESS BEAST.
+
+
+"What was to be done?" continued Hans. "How was I to avoid both enemies?
+If I leaped down, the wildebeest would kill me to a certainty. He was
+still there, with his fierce eye bent upon me continually. If I remained
+where I was, I would soon be covered with the swarming hideous insects,
+and eaten up like an old rag.
+
+[Illustration: HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.]
+
+Already I felt their terrible teeth. Those that had first crawled to my
+feet I had endeavoured to brush off; but some had got upon my ankles,
+and were biting me through my thick woollen socks! My clothes would be
+no protection.
+
+I had mounted to the highest part of the cone, and was standing upon
+its apex. It was so sharp I could scarcely balance myself, but the
+painful stings of the insects caused me to dance upon it like a
+mountebank.
+
+But what signified those that had already stung my ankle, to the numbers
+that were likely soon to pierce me with their venomous darts? Already
+these were swarming up the last terrace. They would soon cover the apex
+of the cone upon which I was standing. They would crawl up my limbs in
+myriads--they would----
+
+I could reflect no longer on what they would do. I preferred taking my
+chance with the wildebeest. I would leap down. Perhaps some lucky
+accident might aid me. I would battle with the gnoo, using my gun.
+Perhaps I might succeed in escaping to some other hill. Perhaps----
+
+I was actually on the spring to leap down, when a new thought came into
+my mind; and I wondered I had been so silly as not to think of it
+before. What was to hinder me from keeping off the termites? They had no
+wings--the soldiers have none--nor the workers neither, for that matter.
+They could not fly upon me. They could only crawl up the cone. With my
+jacket I could brush them back. Certainly I could--why did I not think
+of it before?
+
+I was not long in taking off my jacket. I laid aside my useless gun,
+dropping it upon one of the lower terraces. I caught the jacket by the
+collar; and, using it as a duster, I cleared the sides of the cone in a
+few moments, having sent thousands of the termites tumbling headlong
+below.
+
+Pshaw! how simply the thing was done! why had I not done it before? It
+cost scarcely an effort to brush the myriads away, and a slight effort
+would keep them off as long as I pleased.
+
+The only annoyance I felt now was from the few that had got under my
+trousers, and that still continued to bite me; but these I would get rid
+of in time.
+
+Well--I remained on the apex, now bending down to beat back the soldiers
+that still swarmed upward, and then occupying myself in trying to get
+rid of the few that crawled upon me. I felt no longer any uneasiness on
+the score of the insects--though I was not a bit better off as regarded
+the bull, who still kept guard below. I fancied, however, that he now
+showed symptoms of weariness, and would soon raise the siege; and this
+prospect made me feel more cheerful.
+
+A sudden change came over me. A new thrill of terror awaited me.
+
+While jumping about upon the top of the cone, my footing suddenly gave
+way--the baked clay broke with a dead crash, and I sank through the
+roof. My feet shot down into the hollow dome--till I thought I must have
+crushed the great queen in her chamber--and I stood buried to the neck.
+
+I was surprised, and a little terrified, not by the shock I had
+experienced in the sudden descent. That was natural enough, and a few
+moments would have restored my equanimity; but it was something else
+that frightened me. It was something that moved under my feet as they
+'touched bottom,'--something that moved and heaved under them, and then
+passed quickly away, letting me still farther down!
+
+What could it be? Was it the great swarm of living ants that I pressed
+upon? I did not think it was. It did not feel like them. It seemed to
+be something bulky and strong, for it held up my whole weight for a
+moment or two, before it slipped from under me.
+
+Whatever it was, it frightened me very considerably; and I did not leave
+my feet in its company for five seconds time. No: the hottest furnace
+would scarce have scorched them during the time they remained inside the
+dark dome. In five seconds they were on the walls again--on the broken
+edges, where I had mounted up, and where I now stood quite speechless
+with surprise!
+
+What next? I could keep the ants off no longer. I gazed down the dark
+cavity; they were swarming up that way in thick crowds. I could brush
+them down no more.
+
+My eyes at this moment chanced to wander to the bull. He was standing at
+three or four paces distance from the base of the hill. He was standing
+sideways with his head turned to it, and regarding it with a wild look.
+His attitude was entirely changed, and so, I thought, was the expression
+of his eye. He looked as if he had just run off to his new position, and
+was ready to make a second start. He looked as if something had also
+terrified him!
+
+Something evidently had; for, in another moment, he uttered a sharp
+rout, galloped several paces farther out, wheeled again, halted, and
+stood gazing as before!
+
+What could it mean? Was it the breaking through of the roof and my
+sudden descent that had frightened him?
+
+At first I thought so, but I observed that he did not look upward to the
+top. His gaze seemed bent on some object near the base of the
+hill--though from where I stood I could see nothing there to frighten
+him.
+
+I had not time to reflect what it could be, before the bull uttered a
+fresh snort; and, raising its tail high into the air, struck off at full
+gallop over the plain!
+
+Rejoiced at seeing this, I thought no more of what had relieved me of
+his company. It must have been my curious fall, I concluded; but no
+matter now that the brute was gone. So seizing hold of my gun, I
+prepared to descend from the elevated position of which I was thoroughly
+tired.
+
+Just as I had got half down the side, I chanced to look below; and there
+was the object that terrified the old bull. No wonder. It might have
+terrified anything,--the odd-looking creature that it was. From out a
+hole in the clay wall protruded a long naked cylindrical snout, mounted
+by a pair of ears nearly as long as itself, that stood erect like the
+horns of a steinbuck, and gave to the animal that bore them a wild and
+vicious look. It would have badly frightened me, had I not known what it
+was; but I recognised it at once as one of the most inoffensive
+creatures in the world--the 'aard-vark.'
+
+His appearance accounted for the retreat of the bull, and also explained
+why the ants had been crawling about on my first reaching their hill.
+
+Without saying a word, or making the slightest noise, I clubbed my gun;
+and, bending downward, struck the protruded snout a blow with the butt.
+It was a most wicked blow; and, considering the service the creature had
+just done me in frightening off the wildebeest, a most ungrateful
+return. But I was not master of my feelings at the moment. I did not
+reflect--only that I liked aard-vark flesh--and the blow was given.
+
+Poor fellow! It did the job for him. With scarce a kick he dropped dead
+in the opening he had scraped with his own claws.
+
+Well--my day's adventures were not yet ended. They seemed as though they
+were never to end. I had got the aard-vark over my shoulders, and was
+about heading homeward, when, to my astonishment, I observed that the
+bull-gnoo--not the one that had besieged me, but his late
+antagonist--was still out upon the plain where I had last seen him! I
+observed, moreover, that he was still in a sort of half-lying,
+half-kneeling attitude, with his head close to the ground!
+
+His odd movements seemed stranger than anything else. I fancied he had
+been badly hurt by the other, and was not able to get away.
+
+At first I was cautious about going near him--remembering my late narrow
+escape--and I thought of giving him a wide berth, and leaving him alone.
+Even though wounded, he might be strong enough to charge upon me; and my
+empty gun, as I had already proved, would be but a poor weapon with
+which to defend myself.
+
+I hesitated about going near him; but curiosity grew strong within me,
+as I watched his queer manoeuvres; until at length I walked up within a
+dozen yards of where he was kneeling.
+
+Fancy my surprise on discovering the cause of his oblique movements. No
+hurt had he received of any kind--not even a scratch; but for all that,
+he was as completely crippled as if he had lost his best pair of legs.
+
+In a very singular manner was he rendered thus helpless. In his struggle
+with the other bull, one of his fore-legs had, somehow or other, got
+passed over his horn; and there it stuck--not only depriving him of the
+use of the limb itself, but holding his head so close to the ground that
+he was quite unable to stir from the spot!
+
+At first I designed helping him out of his difficulty, and letting him
+go. On second thoughts, I remembered the story of the husband-man and
+the frozen snake, which quite changed my intention.
+
+I next thought of killing him for venison; but having no bullet, I did
+not like to beat him to death with my gun. Besides the aard-vark was my
+load to camp, and I knew that the jackals would eat the bull up before
+we could go back for him. I thought it probable he would be safer left
+as he was--as these ravenous brutes, seeing him alive, might not so
+readily approach him.
+
+So I left him with his "head under his arm," in hopes that we may find
+him there to-morrow."
+
+So ended Hans's narrative of his day's adventures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING-ROOM.
+
+
+The field-cornet was far from satisfied with his day's work. His first
+attempt at elephant-hunting had proved a failure. Might it not be always
+so?
+
+Notwithstanding the interest with which he listened to Hans's narrative
+of the day's adventures, he felt uneasy in his mind when he reflected
+upon his own.
+
+The elephant had escaped so easily. Their bullets seemed to have injured
+him not the least. They had only served to render him furious, and
+dangerous. Though both had hit him in places where their wounds should
+have been mortal, no such effect was produced. The elephant seemed to go
+off as unscathed, as if they had fired only boiled peas at him!
+
+Would it be always so?
+
+True, they had given him but two shots. Two, if well directed, may bring
+down a cow-elephant and sometimes a bull, but oftener it requires ten
+times two before a strong old bull can be made to "bite the dust."
+
+But would any elephant wait until they could load and fire a sufficient
+number of shots?
+
+That was an undecided point with our tyro elephant-hunters. If not, then
+they would be helpless indeed. It would be a tedious business spooring
+the game afoot, after it had once been fired upon. In such cases the
+elephant usually travels many miles before halting again; and only
+mounted men can with any facility overtake him.
+
+How Von Bloom sighed when he thought of his poor horses! Now more than
+ever did he feel the want of them--now more than ever did he regret
+their loss.
+
+But he had heard that the elephant does not always make off when
+attacked. The old bull had shown no intention of retreating, after
+receiving their shots. It was the odd conduct of Swartboy that had put
+him to flight. But for that, he would no doubt have kept the ground,
+until they had given him another volley, and perhaps his death-wound.
+
+The field-cornet drew consolation from this last reflection. Perhaps
+their next encounter would have a different ending. Perhaps a pair of
+tusks would reward them.
+
+The hope of such a result, as well as the anxiety about it, determined
+Von Bloom to lose no time in making a fresh trial. Next morning,
+therefore, before the sun was up, the hunters were once more upon the
+trail of their giant game.
+
+One precaution they had taken, which they had not thought of before. All
+of them had heard that an ordinary leaden bullet will not penetrate the
+tough thick skin of the great "pachyderm." Perhaps this had been the
+cause of their failure on the preceding day. If so they had provided
+against the recurrence of failure from such a cause. They had moulded a
+new set of balls of harder material,--solder it should have been, but
+they had none. They chanced, however, to be in possession of what served
+the purpose equally well--the old "plate" that had often graced the
+field-cornet's table in his better byegone days of the Graaf Reinet.
+This consisted of candlesticks, and snuffer-trays, and dish-covers, and
+cruet-stands, and a variety of articles of the real "Dutch metal."
+
+Some of these were condemned to the alembic of the melting-pan; and,
+mixed with the common lead, produced a set of balls hard enough for the
+hide of the rhinoceros itself--so that this day the hunters had no fears
+of failure upon the score of soft bullets.
+
+They went in the same direction as upon the preceding day, towards the
+forest or "bush," as they termed it.
+
+They had not proceeded a mile when they came upon the spoor of elephants
+nearly fresh. It passed through the very thickest of the thorny
+jungle--where no creature but an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a man with
+an axe, could have made way. A family must have passed, consisting of a
+male, a female or two, and several young ones of different ages. They
+had marched in single file, as elephants usually do; and had made a
+regular lane several feet wide, which was quite clear of bushes, and
+trampled by their immense footsteps. The old bull, Swartboy said, had
+gone in advance, and had cleared the way of all obstructions, by means
+of his trunk and tusks. This had evidently been the case, for the
+hunters observed huge branches broken off, or still hanging and turned
+to one side, out of the way--just as if the hand of man had done it.
+
+Swartboy further affirmed, that such elephant-roads usually led to
+water; and by the very easiest and shortest routes--as if they had been
+planned and laid open by the skill of an engineer--showing the rare
+instinct or sagacity of these animals.
+
+The hunters, therefore, expected soon to arrive at some watering-place;
+but it was equally probable the spoor might be leading them from the
+water.
+
+They had not followed it more than a quarter of a mile, when they came
+upon another road of a similar kind, that crossed the one they were
+spooring upon. This had also been made by a number of elephants--a
+family most likely--and the tracks upon it were as recent as those they
+had been following.
+
+They hesitated for a moment which to take; but at length concluded upon
+keeping straight on; and so they moved forward as before.
+
+To their great disappointment the trail at last led out into more open
+ground, where the elephants had scattered about; and after following the
+tracks of one, and then another without success, they got bewildered,
+and lost the spoor altogether.
+
+While casting about to find it in a place where the bush was thin and
+straggling, Swartboy suddenly ran off to one side, calling to the others
+to follow him. Von Bloom and Hendrik went after to see what the Bushman
+was about. They thought he had seen an elephant, and both, considerably
+excited, had already pulled the covers off their guns.
+
+There was no elephant, however. When they came up with Swartboy, he was
+standing under a tree, and pointing to the ground at its bottom.
+
+The hunters looked down. They saw that the ground upon one side of the
+tree was trampled, as though horses or some other animals had been tied
+there for a long time, and had worn off the turf, and worked it into
+dust with their hoofs. The bark of the tree--a full-topped shady
+acacia--for some distance up was worn smooth upon one side, just as
+though cattle had used it for a rubbing-post.
+
+"What has done it?" asked the field-cornet and Hendrik in a breath.
+
+"Da olifant's slapen-boom" (the elephant's sleeping-tree), replied
+Swartboy.
+
+No further explanation was necessary. The hunters remembered what they
+had been told about a curious habit which the elephant has--of leaning
+against a tree while asleep. This, then, was one of the sleeping-trees
+of these animals.
+
+But of what use to them, farther than to gratify a little curiosity? The
+elephant was not there.
+
+"Da ole karl come again," said Swartboy.
+
+"Ha! you think so, Swart?" inquired Von Bloom.
+
+"Ya, baas, lookee da! spoor fresh--da groot olifant hab slap here
+yesterday."
+
+"What then? you think we should lie in wait, and shoot him when he
+returns."
+
+"No, baas, better dan shoot, we make him bed--den wait see um lie down."
+
+Swartboy grinned a laugh as he gave this piece of advice.
+
+"Make his bed! what do you mean?" inquired his master.
+
+"I tell you, baas, we get da oliphant sure, if you leave da job to ole
+Swart. I gib you de plan for take him, no waste powder, no waste
+bullet."
+
+The Bushman proceeded to communicate his plan, to which his
+master--remembering their failure of yesterday--readily gave his
+consent.
+
+Fortunately they had all the implements that would be necessary for
+carrying it out,--a sharp axe, a strong rope or "rheim" of raw-hide, and
+their knives--and they set about the business without loss of time.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED.
+
+
+To the hunters time was a consideration. If the elephant should return
+that day it would be just before the hottest hours of noon. They had,
+therefore, scarce an hour left to prepare for him--to "make his bed," as
+Swartboy had jocosely termed it. So they went to work with alacrity, the
+Bushman acting as director-general, while the other two received their
+orders from him with the utmost obedience.
+
+The first work which Swartboy assigned to them was to cut and prepare
+three stakes of hard wood. They were to be each about three feet long,
+as thick as a man's arm, and pointed at one end.
+
+These were soon procured. The iron-wood which grew in abundance in the
+neighbourhood, furnished the very material; and after three pieces of
+sufficient length had been cut down with the axe, they were reduced to
+the proper size, and pointed by the knives of the hunters.
+
+Meanwhile Swartboy had not been idle. First, with his knife he had cut a
+large section of bark from the elephant's tree, upon the side against
+which the animal had been in the habit of leaning, and about three feet
+from the ground. Then with the axe he made a deep notch, where the bark
+had been removed--in fact, such a notch as would have caused the tree to
+fall had it been left to itself. But it was not, for before advancing so
+far in his work, Swartboy had taken measures to prevent that. He had
+stayed the tree by fastening the rheim to its upper branches on the
+opposite side, and then carrying the rope to the limbs of another tree
+that stood out in that direction.
+
+Thus adjusted, the elephant's tree was only kept from falling by the
+rheim-stay; and a slight push, in the direction of the latter, would
+have thrown it over.
+
+Swartboy now replaced the section of bark, which he had preserved; and
+after carefully collecting the chips, no one, without close examination,
+could have told that the tree had ever felt the edge of an axe.
+
+Another operation yet remained to be performed--that was the planting
+of the stakes, already prepared by Von Bloom and Hendrik. To set these
+firmly, deep holes had to be made. But Swartboy was just the man to make
+a hole; and in less than ten minutes he had sunk three, each over a foot
+deep, and not a half-inch wider than the thickness of the stakes!
+
+You may be curious to know how he accomplished this. You would have dug
+a hole with a spade, and necessarily as wide as the spade itself. But
+Swartboy had no spade, and would not have used it if there had been
+one--since it would have made the holes too large for his purpose.
+
+Swartboy sunk his holes by "crowing"--which process he performed by
+means of a small pointed stick. With this he first loosened the earth in
+a circle of the proper size. He then took out the detached mould, flung
+it away, and used the point of the "crowing stick" as before. Another
+clearing out of mould, another application of the stick; and so on, till
+the narrow hole was deemed of sufficient depth. That was how Swartboy
+"crowed" the holes.
+
+They were sunk in a kind of triangle near the bottom of the tree, but on
+the side opposite to that where the elephant would stand, should he
+occupy his old ground.
+
+In each hole Swartboy now set a stake, thick end down and point upwards;
+some small pebbles, and a little mould worked in at the sides, wedged
+them as firmly as if they had grown there.
+
+The stakes were now daubed over with soft earth, to conceal the white
+colour of the wood; the remaining chips were picked up, and all traces
+of the work completely obliterated. This done the hunters withdrew from
+the spot.
+
+They did not go far; but choosing a large bushy tree to leeward, all
+three climbed up into it, and sat concealed among its branches.
+
+The field-cornet held his long "roer" in readiness, and so did Hendrik
+his rifle. In case the ingenious trap of Swartboy should fail, they
+intended to use their guns, but not otherwise.
+
+It was now quite noon, and the day had turned out one of the hottest.
+But for the shade afforded by the leaves, they would have felt it very
+distressing. Swartboy prognosticated favourably from this. The great
+heat would be more likely than anything else to send the elephant to his
+favourite sleeping-place under the cool shady cover of the cameel-doorn.
+
+It was now quite noon. He could not be long in coming, thought they.
+
+Sure enough he came, and soon, too.
+
+They had not been twenty minutes on their perch, when they heard a
+strange, rumbling noise, which they knew proceeded from the stomach of
+an elephant. The next moment they saw one emerge from the jungle, and
+walk, with sweeping step, straight up to the tree. He seemed to have no
+suspicion of any danger; but placed himself at once alongside the trunk
+of the acacia--in the very position and on the side Swartboy had said he
+would take. From his spoor the Bushman knew he had been in the habit of
+so standing.
+
+His head was turned from the hunters, but not so much as to prevent them
+from seeing a pair of splendid tusks,--six feet long at the least.
+
+While gazing in admiration at these rich trophies, they saw the animal
+point his proboscis upward, and discharge a vast shower of water into
+the leaves, which afterwards fell dripping in bright globules over his
+body!
+
+Swartboy said that he drew the water from his stomach. Although
+closet-naturalists deny this, it must have been so; for shortly after,
+he repeated the act again and again--the quantity of water at each
+discharge being as great as before. It was plain that his trunk, large
+as it was, could not have contained it all.
+
+He seemed to enjoy this "shower-bath;" and the hunters did not wonder at
+it, for they themselves, suffering at the time from heat and thirst,
+would have relished something of a similar kind. As the crystal drops
+fell back from the acacia leaves, the huge animal was heard to utter a
+low grunt expressive of gratification. The hunters hoped that this was
+the prelude to his sleep, and watched him with intense earnestness.
+
+It proved to be so.
+
+As they sat gazing, they noticed that his head sunk a little, his ears
+ceased their flapping, his tail hung motionless, and his trunk, now
+twined around his tusks, remained at rest.
+
+They gaze intently. Now they see his body droop a little to one
+side--now it touches the tree--there is heard a loud crack, followed by
+a confused crashing of branches--and the huge dark body of the elephant
+sinks upon its side.
+
+At the same instant a terrible scream drowns all other sounds, causing
+the forest to echo, and the very leaves to quake. Then follows a
+confused roaring, mingled with the noise of cracking branches, and the
+struggles of the mighty brute where he lies kicking his giant limbs
+along the earth, in the agonies of death!
+
+The hunters remain in the tree. They see that the elephant is down--that
+he is impaled. There will be no need for their puny weapons. Their game
+has already received the death-wound.
+
+The struggle is of short duration. The painful breathing that precedes
+death is heard issuing from the long proboscis; and then follows a deep
+ominous silence.
+
+The hunters leap down, and approach the prostrate body. They see that it
+still lies upon the terrible _chevaux de frisé_, where it had fallen.
+The stakes have done their work most effectively. The elephant breathes
+no more. He is dead!
+
+It was the work of an hour to cut out those splendid tusks. But our
+hunters thought nothing of that; and they were only the more pleased to
+find each of them a heavy load--as much as a man could carry!
+
+Von Bloom shouldered one, Swartboy the other, while Hendrik loaded
+himself with the guns and implements; and all three, leaving the carcass
+of the dead elephant behind them, returned triumphantly to camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA.
+
+
+Notwithstanding the success of the day's hunt, the mind of Von Bloom was
+not at rest. They had "bagged" their game, it was true, but in what
+manner? Their success was a mere accident, and gave them no earnest of
+what might be expected in the future. They might go long before finding
+another "sleeping-tree" of the elephants, and repeating their easy
+capture.
+
+Such were the not very pleasant reflections of the field-cornet, on the
+evening after returning from their successful hunt.
+
+But still less pleasant were they, two weeks later, at the retrospect of
+many an unsuccessful chase from which they had returned--when, after
+twelve days spent in "jaging" the elephant, they had added only a single
+pair of tusks to the collection, and these the tusks of a cow elephant,
+scarce two feet in length, and of little value!
+
+The reflection was not the less painful, that nearly every day they had
+fallen in with elephants, and had obtained a shot or two at these
+animals. That did not mend the matter a bit. On the contrary, it taught
+the hunter how easily they could run away from him, as they invariably
+did. It taught him how small his chances were of capturing such game, so
+long as he could only follow it afoot.
+
+The hunter on foot stands but a poor chance with the elephant. Stalking
+in upon one is easy enough, and perhaps obtaining a single shot; but
+when the animal trots off through the thick jungle, it is tedious work
+following him. He may go miles before halting, and even if the hunter
+should overtake him, it may be only to deliver a second shot, and see
+the game once more disappear into the bushes--perhaps to be spoored no
+farther.
+
+Now the mounted hunter has this advantage. His horse can overtake the
+elephant; and it is a peculiarity of this animal, that the moment he
+finds that his enemy, whatever it be, can do that thing, he disdains to
+run any farther, but at once stands to bay; and the hunter may then
+deliver as many shots as he pleases.
+
+Herein lies the great advantage of the hunter on horseback. Another
+advantage is the security the horse affords, enabling his rider to avoid
+the charges of the angry elephant.
+
+No wonder Von Bloom sighed for a horse. No wonder he felt grieved at the
+want of this noble companion, that would have aided him so much in the
+chase.
+
+He grieved all the more, now that he had become acquainted with the
+district, and had found it so full of elephants. Troops of an hundred
+had been seen; and these far from being shy, or disposed to make off
+after a shot or two. Perhaps they had never heard the report of a gun
+before that of his own long roer pealed in their huge ears.
+
+With a horse the field-cornet believed he could have killed many, and
+obtained much valuable ivory. Without one, his chances of carrying out
+his design were poor indeed. His hopes were likely to end in
+disappointment.
+
+He felt this keenly. The bright prospects he had so ardently indulged
+in, became clouded over; and fears for the future once more harassed
+him. He would only waste his time in this wilderness. His children would
+live without books, without education, without society. Were he to be
+suddenly called away, what would become of them? His pretty Gertrude
+would be no better off than a little savage--his sons would become not
+in sport, as he was wont to call them, but in reality a trio of
+"Bush-boys."
+
+Once more these thoughts filled the heart of the father with pain. Oh!
+what would he not have given at that moment for a pair of horses, of any
+sort whatever?
+
+The field-cornet, while making these reflections, was seated in the
+great nwana-tree, upon the platform, that had been built on the side
+towards the lake, and from which a full view could be obtained of the
+water. From this point a fine view could also be obtained of the country
+which lay to the eastward of the lake. At some distance off it was
+wooded, but near the vley a grassy plain lay spread before the eye like
+a green meadow.
+
+The eyes of the hunter were turned outward on this plain, and just then
+his glance fell upon a troop of animals crossing the open ground, and
+advancing towards the vley.
+
+They were large animals--nearly of the shape and size of small
+horses--and travelling in single file; as they were, the troop at a
+distance presented something of the appearance of a "cafila," or
+caravan. There were in all about fifty individuals in the line; and they
+marched along with a steady sober pace, as if under the guidance and
+direction of some wise leader. How very different from the capricious
+and eccentric movements of the gnoos!
+
+Individually they bore some resemblance to these last-named animals. In
+the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general ground colour, and
+in the "brindled" or tiger-like stripes that could be perceived upon
+their cheeks, neck, and shoulders. These stripes were exactly of the
+same form as those upon a zebra; but far less distinct, and not
+extending to the body or limbs, as is the case with the true zebra. In
+general colour, and in some other respects, the animals reminded one of
+the ass; but their heads, necks, and the upper part of their bodies,
+were of darker hue, slightly tinged with reddish brown. In fact, the
+new-comers had points of resemblance to all four--horse, ass, gnoo, and
+zebra--and yet they were distinct from any. To the zebra they bore the
+greatest resemblance--for they were in reality a species of zebra--they
+were quaggas.
+
+Modern naturalists have divided the _Equidæ_, or horse family, into two
+genera--the horse and the ass--the principal points of distinction
+being, that animals of the horse kind have long flowing manes, full
+tails, and warty callosities on both hind and fore limbs; while asses,
+on the contrary, have short, meagre, and upright manes, tails slender
+and furnished only with long hairs at the extremity, and their hind
+limbs wanting the callosities. These, however, are found on the
+fore-legs as upon horses.
+
+Although there are many varieties of the horse genus--scores of them,
+widely differing from each other--they can all be easily recognised by
+these characteristic marks, from the "Suffolk Punch," the great London
+drayhorse, down to his diminutive little cousin the "Shetland Pony."
+
+The varieties of the ass are nearly as numerous, though this fact is not
+generally known.
+
+First, we have the common ass, the type of the genus; and of this there
+are many breeds in different countries, some nearly as elegant and as
+highly prized as horses. Next there is the "onagra," "koulan," or "wild
+ass," supposed to be the origin of the common kind. This is a native of
+Asia, though it is also found in the north-eastern parts of Africa.
+There is also the "dziggetai," or "great wild ass," of Central and
+Southern Asia, and another smaller species the "ghur" found in Persia.
+Again, there is the "kiang" met with in Ladakh, and the "yo-totze," an
+inhabitant of Chinese Tartary.
+
+All these are Asiatic species, found in a wild state, and differing from
+one another in colour, size, form, and even in habits. Many of them are
+of elegant form, and swift as the swiftest horses.
+
+In this little book we cannot afford room for a description of each, but
+must confine our remarks to what is more properly our subject--the wild
+asses of Africa. Of these there are six or seven kinds--perhaps more.
+
+First, there is the "wild ass," which, as already stated, extends from
+Asia into the north-eastern parts of Africa, contiguous to the former
+continent.
+
+Next there is the "koomrah," of which very little is known, except that
+it inhabits the forests of Northern Africa, and is solitary in its
+habits, unlike most of the other species. The koomrah has been described
+as a "wild horse," but, most probably, it belongs to the genus _asinus_.
+
+Now there are four other species of "wild asses" in Africa--wild horses
+some call them--and a fifth reported by travellers, but as yet
+undetermined. These species bear such a resemblance to one another in
+their form, the peculiar markings of their bodies, size, and general
+habits, that they may be classed together under the title of the zebra
+family. First, there is the true zebra, perhaps the most beautiful of
+all quadrupeds, and of which no description need be given. Second, the
+"dauw," or "Burchell's zebra," as it is more frequently called. Third,
+the "congo dauw," closely resembling the dauw. Fourth, the "quagga"; and
+fifth, the undetermined species known as the "white zebra," so called
+from its pale yellow, or Isabella colour.
+
+These five species evidently have a close affinity with each other--all
+of them being more or less marked with the peculiar transversal bands or
+"stripes," which are the well-known characteristics of the zebra. Even
+the quagga is so banded upon the head and upper parts of its body.
+
+The zebra proper is "striped" from the tip of the nose to its very
+hoofs, and the bands are of a uniform black, while the ground colour is
+nearly white, or white tinged with a pale yellow. The "dauws," on the
+other hand, are not banded upon the legs; the rays are not so dark or
+well defined, and the ground colour is not so pure or clean-looking. For
+the rest, all these three species are much alike; and it is more than
+probable that either "Burchell's" or the "congo dauw" was the species to
+which the name of "zebra" was first applied; for that which is now
+called the "true zebra" inhabits those parts of Africa where it was less
+likely to have been the first observed of the genus. At all events, the
+"congo dauw" is the "hippotigris," or tiger-horse, of the Romans; and
+this we infer from its inhabiting a more northerly part of Africa than
+the others, all of which belong to the southern half of that continent.
+The habitat of the zebra is said to extend as far north as Abyssinia;
+but, perhaps, the "congo dauw," which certainly inhabits Abyssinia, has
+been mistaken for the true zebra.
+
+Of the four species in South Africa, the zebra is a mountain animal, and
+dwells among the cliffs, while the dauw and quagga rove over the plains
+and wild karoo deserts. In similar situations to these has the "white
+zebra" been observed--though only by the traveller Le Vaillant--and
+hence the doubt about its existence as a distinct species.
+
+None of the kinds associate together, though each herds with other
+animals! The quagga keeps company with the gnoo, the "dauw" with the
+"brindled gnoo," while the tall ostrich stalks in the midst of the herds
+of both!
+
+There is much difference in the nature and disposition of the different
+species. The mountain zebra is very shy and wild; the dauw is almost
+untameable; while the quagga is of a timid docile nature, and may be
+trained to harness with as much facility as a horse.
+
+The reason why this has not been done, is simply because the farmers of
+South Africa have horses in plenty, and do not stand in need of the
+quagga, either for saddle or harness.
+
+But though Von Bloom the farmer had never thought of "breaking in" a
+quagga, Von Bloom the hunter now did.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS.
+
+
+Up to this time the field-cornet had scarce deigned to notice the
+quaggas. He knew what they were, and had often seen a drove of
+them--perhaps the same one--approach the vley and drink. Neither he nor
+any of his people had molested them, though they might have killed many.
+They knew that the yellow oily flesh of these animals was not fit for
+food, and is only eaten by the hungry natives--that their hides,
+although sometimes used for grain-sacks and other common purposes, are
+of very little value. For these reasons, they had suffered them to come
+and go quietly. They did not wish to waste powder and lead upon them;
+neither did they desire wantonly to destroy such harmless creatures.
+
+Every evening, therefore, the quaggas had drunk at the vley and gone off
+again, without exciting the slightest interest.
+
+Not so upon this occasion. A grand design now occupied the mind of Von
+Bloom. The troop of quaggas became suddenly invested with as much
+interest as if it had been a herd of elephants; and the field-cornet had
+started to his feet, and stood gazing upon them--his eyes sparkling with
+pleasure and admiration.
+
+He admired their prettily-striped heads, their plump well-turned bodies,
+their light elegant limbs; in short, he admired everything about them,
+size, colour, and proportions. Never before had quaggas appeared so
+beautiful in the eyes of the vee-boer.
+
+But why this new-born admiration for the despised quaggas?--for despised
+they are by the Cape farmer, who shoots them only to feed his Hottentot
+servants. Why had they so suddenly become such favourites with the
+field-cornet? That you will understand by knowing the reflections that
+were just then passing through his mind.
+
+They were as follows:--
+
+Might not a number of these animals be caught and broken in?--Why not?
+Might they not be trained to the saddle?--Why not? Might they not serve
+him for hunting the elephant just as well as horses?--Why not?
+
+Von Bloom asked these three questions of himself. Half a minute served
+to answer them all in the affirmative. There was neither impossibility
+nor improbability in any of the three propositions. It was clear that
+the thing could be done, and without difficulty.
+
+A new hope sprang up in the heart of the field-cornet. Once more his
+countenance became radiant with joy.
+
+He communicated his thoughts both to the Bushman and "Bush-boys"--all of
+whom highly approved of the idea, and only wondered that none of them
+had thought of it before.
+
+And now the question arose as to how the quaggas were to be captured.
+This was the first point to be settled; and the four--Von Bloom himself,
+Hans, Hendrik, and Swartboy,--sat deliberately down to concoct some plan
+of effecting this object.
+
+Of course they could do nothing just then, and the drove that had come
+to drink was allowed to depart peacefully. The hunters knew they would
+return on the morrow about the same hour; and it was towards their
+return that the thoughts of all were bent.
+
+Hendrik advised "creasing," which means sending a bullet through the
+upper part of the neck near the withers, and by this means a quagga can
+be knocked over and captured. The shot, if properly directed, does not
+kill the animal. It soon recovers, and may be easily "broken," though
+its spirit is generally broken at the same time. It is never "itself
+again." Hendrik understood the mode of "creasing." He had seen it
+practised by the boer-hunters. He knew the spot where the bullet should
+hit. He believed he could do it easily enough.
+
+Hans considered the "creasing" too cruel a mode. They might kill many
+quaggas before obtaining one that was hit in the proper place. Besides
+there would be a waste of powder and bullets--a thing to be considered.
+Why could they not snare the animals? He had heard of nooses being set
+for animals as large as the quaggas, and of many being caught in that
+manner.
+
+Hendrik did not think the idea of snaring a good one. They might get one
+in that way--the foremost of the drove; but all the others, seeing the
+leader caught, would gallop off and return no more to the vley; and
+where would they set their snare for a second? It might be a long time
+before they should find another watering-place of these animals; whereas
+they might stalk and crease them upon the plains at any time.
+
+Swartboy now put in his plan. It was the pit-fall. That was the way by
+which Bushmen most generally caught large animals, and Swartboy
+perfectly understood how to construct a pit for quaggas.
+
+Hendrik saw objections to this, very similar to those he had urged
+against the snare. The foremost of the quaggas might be caught, but the
+others would not be fools enough to walk into the pit--after their
+leader had fallen in and laid the trap open. They, of course, would
+gallop off, and never come back that way again.
+
+If it could be done at night, Hendrik admitted, the thing might be
+different. In the darkness several might rush in before catching the
+alarm. But no--the quaggas had always come to drink in day-time--one
+only could be trapped, and then the others alarmed would keep away.
+
+There would have been reason in what Hendrik said, but for a remarkable
+fact which the field-cornet himself had observed when the quaggas came
+to the lake to drink. It was that the animals had invariably entered the
+water at one point, and gone out at another. It was of course a mere
+accident that they did so, and owing to the nature of the ground; but
+such was the case, and Von Bloom had observed it on several occasions.
+They were accustomed to enter by the gorge, already described; and,
+after drinking, wade along the shallow edge for some yards, and then
+pass out by another break in the bank.
+
+The knowledge of this fact was of the utmost importance, and all saw
+that at once. A pit-fall dug upon the path by which the animals entered
+the lake, would no doubt operate as Hendrik said--one might be caught,
+and all the rest frightened off. But a similar trap placed upon the
+trail that led outward, would bring about a very different result. Once
+the quaggas had finished drinking, and just at the moment they were
+heading out of the water, the hunters could show themselves upon the
+opposite side, set the troop in quick motion, and gallop them into the
+trap. By this means not only one, but a whole pit-full might be captured
+at once!
+
+All this appeared so feasible that not another suggestion was
+offered--the plan of the pit-fall was at once, and unanimously adopted.
+
+It remained only to dig the pit, cover it properly, and then wait the
+result.
+
+During all the time their capture was being planned, the herd of quaggas
+had remained in sight, disporting themselves upon the open plain. It was
+a tantalizing sight to Hendrik, who would have liked much to have shown
+his marksman skill by "creasing" one. But the young hunter saw that it
+would be imprudent to fire at them there, as it would prevent them from
+returning to the vley; so he restrained himself, and along with the
+others remained watching the quaggas--all regarding them with a degree
+of interest which they had never before felt in looking at a drove of
+these animals.
+
+The quaggas saw nothing of them, although quite near to the great
+nwana-tree. They--the hunters--were up among the branches, where the
+animals did not think of looking, and there was nothing around the
+bottom of the tree to cause them alarm. The wagon-wheels had long ago
+been disposed of in the bush, partly to shelter them from the sun, and
+partly because game animals frequently came within shot of the tree, and
+were thus obtained without any trouble. There were scarce any traces
+upon the ground that would have betrayed the existence of a "camp" in
+the tree; and a person might have passed very near without noticing the
+odd aërial dwelling of the hunter family.
+
+All this was design upon the part of the field-cornet. As yet he knew
+little of the country around. He did not know but that it might contain
+worse enemies than either hyenas or lions.
+
+While they sat watching the manoeuvres of the quaggas, a movement was
+made by one of these creatures more singular than any that had yet been
+witnessed.
+
+The animal in question was browsing quietly along, and at length
+approached a small clump of bushes that stood out in the open ground.
+When close to the copse it was observed to make a sudden spring forward;
+and almost at the same instant, a shaggy creature leaped out of the
+bushes, and ran off. This last was no other than the ugly "striped"
+hyena. Instead of turning upon the quagga and showing fight, as one
+might have supposed so strong and fierce a brute would have done, the
+hyena uttered a howl of alarm, and ran off as fast as its legs would
+carry it.
+
+They did not carry it far. It was evidently making for a larger tract
+of bush that grew near; but before it had got half-way across the open
+ground, the quagga came up behind, and uttering his shrill "couaag,"
+reared forward, and dropped with his fore-hoofs upon the hyena's back.
+At the same instant the neck of the carnivorous animal was clutched by
+the teeth of the ruminant and held as fast, as if grasped by a vice.
+
+[Illustration: THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.]
+
+All looked to see the hyena free itself and run off again. They looked
+in vain. It never ran another yard. It never came alive out of the
+clutch of those terrible teeth.
+
+The quagga still held his struggling victim with firm hold--trampling it
+with his hoofs, and shaking it in his strong jaws, until in a few
+minutes the screams of the hyena ceased, and his mangled carcass lay
+motionless upon the plain!
+
+One would think that this incident might have been enough to warn our
+hunters to be cautious in their dealings with the quagga. Such a sharp
+biter would be no pleasant horse to "bit and bridle."
+
+But all knew the antipathy that exists between the wild horse and the
+hyena; and that the quagga, though roused to fury at the sight of one of
+these animals, is very different in its behaviour towards man. So
+strong, in fact, is this antipathy, and so complete is the mastery of
+the ruminant over the carnivorous animal, that the frontier farmers
+often take advantage of these peculiar facts, and keep the hyenas from
+their cattle by bringing up with the herd a number of quaggas, who act
+as its guards and protectors!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+THE PIT-TRAP.
+
+
+While they were watching the movements of the quaggas, Von Bloom rose
+suddenly to his feet. All turned their eyes upon him as he did so. They
+saw by his manner that he was about to propose something. What could it
+be?
+
+The thought had just occurred to him that they should at once set about
+digging the pit.
+
+It was near sunset--wanting only half-an-hour of it; and one would
+suppose he would have done better to leave the work till next morning.
+But no. There was a good reason why they should set about it at once;
+and that was, that they might not be able to complete it in time if they
+did not do part of it that night.
+
+It would be no slight undertaking to dig a pit of proper size, for they
+would require one that would at least hold half-a-dozen quaggas at a
+time. Then there was the carrying away the earth that should come out of
+it, the cutting the poles and branches to cover it, and the placing of
+these in a proper manner.
+
+To do all these things would take up a great deal of time; and they must
+be all done against the return of the quaggas, else the whole scheme
+would be a failure. Should the animals arrive upon the ground before the
+pit was covered in and all traces of the work removed, they would make
+off without entering the water, and perhaps never visit that vley again.
+
+Such were the conjectures of the field-cornet. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, acknowledged their justice. All saw the necessity of going to
+work at once, and to work they all went.
+
+Fortunately among the "implements," were two good spades, a shovel, and
+a pick-axe, and all of them could be busy at the same time. There were
+baskets in which the dirt could be carried off, and thrown into the deep
+channel close by, where it would not be seen. This was also a fortunate
+circumstance; for to have carried the stuff any great distance, would
+have made the job still heavier, and more difficult to execute in proper
+time.
+
+Having marked the outlines of the pit, they went to work with spade,
+shovel, and pick. The ground proved tolerably loose, and the pick was
+but little needed. The field-cornet himself handled one of the spades
+Hendrik the other, while Swartboy acted as shoveller, and filled the
+baskets as fast as Hans and Totty, assisted by Trüey and little Jan,
+could empty them. These last carried a small basket of their own, and
+contributed very materially to the progress of the work, by lightening
+the labours of Hans and Totty.
+
+And so the work went merrily on until midnight, and even after that
+hour, under the light of a full moon; by which time the diggers were
+buried to their necks.
+
+But they were now fatigued. They knew they could easily complete the pit
+next day; and so they laid down their implements, and after performing
+their ablutions in the crystal water of the stream, retired to their
+sleeping-quarters in the tree.
+
+By early dawn they were at it again, busy as bees; and the pit
+progressed so rapidly that before they stopped to take breakfast, Von
+Bloom could scarce see out of it standing on his toes, and the crown of
+Swartboy's woolly head was nearly two feet below the surface. A little
+more digging would do.
+
+After breakfast they went to work as briskly as ever; and laboured away
+until they considered that the hole was sunk to a sufficient depth. It
+would have taken a springbok to have leaped out of it; and no quagga
+could possibly have cleared itself from such a pit.
+
+Poles and bushes were now cut; and the pit was neatly covered with
+these, and strewed over, as well as a large tract of the adjoining
+ground, with rushes and grass. The most sagacious animal would have been
+deceived by the appearance; even a fox could not have discovered the
+trap before tumbling into it.
+
+They had completed the work before going to dinner,--which,
+consequently, fell late on that day--so nothing more remained to be done
+but to dine, and await the coming of the quaggas.
+
+At dinner they were all very merry, notwithstanding the immense fatigue
+they had gone through. The prospect of capturing the quaggas was very
+exciting, and kept the party in high spirits.
+
+Each offered a prognostication as to the result. Some said they
+would trap three quaggas at the least; while others were more sanguine,
+and believed they might take twice that number. Jan did not see why
+the pit should not be full; and Hendrik thought this probable
+enough--considering the way they intended to drive the quaggas into it.
+
+It certainly seemed so. The pit had been made of sufficient width to
+preclude the possibility of the animals leaping over it, while it was
+dug lengthwise across the path, so that they could not miss it. The lay
+of the ground would guide them directly into it.
+
+It is true that, were they to be left to themselves, and permitted to
+follow their usual method of marching--that is, in single file--only
+one, the leader, might be caught. The rest, seeing him fall in, would be
+sure to wheel round, and gallop off in a different direction.
+
+But it was not the intention of the hunters to leave things thus. They
+had planned a way by which the quaggas, at a certain moment, would be
+thrown into a complete panic, and thus forced pell-mell upon the pit. In
+this lay their hopes of securing a large number of the animals.
+
+Four was as many as were wanted. One for each of the hunters. Four would
+do; but of course it mattered not how many more got into the pit. The
+more the better, as a large number would give them the advantage of
+"pick and choose."
+
+Dinner over, the hunters set about preparing for the reception of their
+expected visitors. As already stated, the dinner had been later than
+usual; and it was now near the hour when the quaggas might be looked
+for.
+
+In order to be in time, each took his station. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, placed themselves in ambush around the lake--at intervals from
+one another; but the lower end, where the animals usually approached and
+went out, was left quite open. Von Bloom remained on the platform in the
+tree, so as to mark the approach of the quaggas, and give warning by a
+signal to the other three. The positions taken by these were such, that
+they could guide the herd in the direction of the pit, by merely coming
+out of the bushes where they lay concealed. In order that they should
+show themselves simultaneously, and at the proper moment, they were to
+wait for a signal from the tree. This was to be the firing of the great
+"roer," loaded blank. Hans and Hendrik were also to fire blank shots on
+discovering themselves, and by this means the desired panic would be
+produced.
+
+The whole scheme was well contrived, and succeeded admirably. The herd
+appeared filing over the plain, just as on the preceding days. Von Bloom
+announced their approach to the three in ambush, by repeating in a
+subdued tone the words,--
+
+"Quaggas are coming!"
+
+The unsuspecting animals filed through the gorge, scattered about in the
+water, drank their fill, and then commenced retiring by the path on
+which lay the trap.
+
+The leader having climbed the bank, and seeing the fresh grass and
+rushes strewed upon the path, uttered a snorting bark, and seemed half
+inclined to wheel round. But just at that moment boomed the loud
+detonation of the roer; and, then, like lesser echoes, the reports of
+the smaller guns on the right and left, while Swartboy shouted at the
+top pitch of his voice, from another quarter.
+
+A look back showed the quaggas that they were well-nigh surrounded by
+strange enemies. But one course appeared open to them--the way they were
+wont to go; and barking with affright, the whole drove dashed up the
+bank, and crowded on towards the pit.
+
+Then was heard a confused noise--the cracking of the poles--the
+trampling of many hoofs--the dull sounds of heavy bodies falling
+together, and mingling in a continuous struggle--and the wild snorting,
+as the creatures hurried forward in affright. Some were seen springing
+high in the air, as if to overleap the pit. Others poised themselves on
+their hind hoofs, and wheeling round, ran back into the lake. Some
+dashed off through the bushes, and escaped in that way; but the great
+body of the drove came running back, and plunging through the water,
+made off by the gorge through which they had come. In a few minutes not
+one was in sight.
+
+The boys thought they had all escaped; but Von Bloom, from his more
+elevated position in the tree, could perceive the snouts of several
+protruding above the edge of the pit.
+
+On arriving at the spot, to their great satisfaction the hunters
+discovered no less than eight full-grown quaggas in the trap--just twice
+the number required to mount the party.
+
+In less than two weeks from that time, four of the quaggas were broken
+to the saddle, and perfectly obedient to the bit. Of course there was a
+good deal of kicking, and plunging, and flinging, and many hard gallops,
+and some ugly falls, before it came to this; but both the Bushman
+Swartboy and the Bush-boy Hendrik were expert in the _manège_ of horses,
+and soon tamed the quaggas to a proper degree of docility.
+
+Upon the very first occasion when these animals were used in the hunt of
+the elephant, they rendered the very service expected of them. The
+elephant, as usual, bolted after receiving the first shot; but the
+hunters on "quagga-back" were enabled to keep him in sight, and follow
+rapidly upon his heels. As soon as the elephant discovered that, run as
+he would, his pursuers had the power of overtaking him, he disdained to
+fly farther, and stood to bay; thus giving them the opportunity of
+delivering shot after shot, until a mortal wound brought his huge body
+to the earth.
+
+Von Bloom was delighted. His hopes were high, his benignant star was
+once more in the ascendant.
+
+He would yet accomplish his design. He would yet be rich. A few years,
+would enable him to build up his fortune--to construct a pyramid of
+ivory!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+DRIVING IN THE ELAND.
+
+
+Of all the family Hendrik was the hunter _par excellence_. It was he who
+habitually stored the larder; and upon days when they were not engaged
+in the chase of the elephant, Hendrik would be abroad alone in pursuit
+of antelopes, and other creatures, that furnished their usual
+subsistence. Hendrik kept the table well supplied.
+
+Antelopes are the principal game of South Africa--for Africa is the
+country of the antelope above all others. You may be surprised to hear
+that there are seventy different species of antelopes over all the
+earth--that more than fifty of these are African, and that thirty at
+least belong to South Africa--that is, the portion of the continent
+lying between the Cape of Good Hope and the Tropic of Capricorn.
+
+It would require the space of a whole book, therefore, to give a fair
+account--a monograph--of the antelopes alone; and I cannot afford that
+space here. At present I can only say that Africa is the great antelope
+country, although many fine species exist also in Asia--that in America
+there is but one kind, the prong-horn, with which you are already well
+acquainted--and that in Europe there are two, though one of these, the
+well-known "chamois," is as much goat as antelope.
+
+I shall farther remark, that the seventy species of animals, by
+naturalists classed as antelopes, differ widely from one another in
+form, size, colour, pelage, habits; in short, in so many respects, that
+their classification under the name of Antelope is very arbitrary
+indeed. Some approximate closely to the goat tribe; others are more like
+deer; some resemble oxen; others are closely allied to the buffalo;
+while a few species possess many of the characteristics of wild sheep!
+
+As a general thing, however, they are more like to deer than any other
+animals; and many species of them are, in common parlance, called deer.
+Indeed, many antelopes are more like to certain species of deer than to
+others of their own kind. The chief distinction noted between them and
+the deer is, that the antelopes have horny horns, that are persistent or
+permanent, while those of the deer are osseous or bony, and are annually
+cast.
+
+Like the deer the different species of antelopes possess very different
+habits. Some frequent the wide open plains; some the deep forest; some
+wander by the shady banks of streams; while others love to dwell upon
+the rocky steep, or the dry ravines of the mountains. Some browse upon
+the grass; while others, goat-like, prefer the leaves and tender twigs
+of trees. In fact, so different are these creatures in habits, that
+whatever be the natural character of a district of country, it will be
+found the favourite home of one or more species. Even the very desert
+has its antelopes, that prefer the parched and waterless plain to the
+most fertile and verdant valley.
+
+Of all antelopes the "eland," or "caana" is the largest. It measures
+full seventeen hands at the shoulder--being thus equal in height to a
+very large horse. A large eland weighs one thousand pounds. It is a
+heavily formed animal, and an indifferent runner, as a mounted hunter
+can gallop up to one without effort. Its general proportions are not
+unlike those of a common ox, but its horns are straight and rise
+vertically from the crown, diverging only slightly from one another.
+These are two feet in length, and marked by a ridge that passes spirally
+around them nearly to the tips. The horns of the female are longer than
+those of the male.
+
+The eyes of the eland, like those of most antelopes, are large, bright,
+and melting, without any expression of fierceness; and the animal,
+though so very large and strong, is of the most innocuous
+disposition--showing fight only when driven to desperation.
+
+The general colour of this antelope is dun, with a rufous tinge.
+Sometimes ashy grey touched with ochre is the prevailing hue.
+
+The eland is one of those antelopes that appear to be independent of
+water. It is met with upon the desert plains, far from either spring or
+stream; and it even seems to prefer such situations--perhaps from the
+greater security it finds there--though it is also a denizen of the
+fertile and wooded districts. It is gregarious, the sexes herding
+separately, and in groups of from ten to a hundred individuals.
+
+The flesh of the eland is highly esteemed, and does not yield in
+delicacy to that of any of the antelope, deer, or bovine tribes. It has
+been compared to tender beef with a game flavour; and the muscles of the
+thighs when cured and dried produce a _bonne bouche_, known under the
+odd appellation of "thigh-tongues."
+
+Of course the eland affording such excellent meat, and in so large a
+quantity, is zealously hunted for his spoils. Being only a poor runner
+and always very fat, the hunt is usually a short one; and ends in the
+eland being shot down, skinned, and cut up. There is no great excitement
+about this chase, except that it is not every day an eland can be
+started. The ease with which they can be captured, as well as the value
+of their venison, has led to the thinning off of these antelopes; and it
+is only in remote districts where a herd of them can be found.
+
+Now since their arrival, no elands had been seen, though now and then
+their spoor was observed; and Hendrik, for several reasons, was very
+desirous of getting one. He had never shot an eland in his life--that
+was one reason--and another was, that he wished to procure a supply of
+the fine venison which lies in such quantities over the ribs of these
+animals.
+
+It was, therefore, with great delight, that Hendrik one morning received
+the report that a herd of elands had been seen upon the upper plain, and
+not far off. Swartboy, who had been upon the cliffs, brought this report
+to camp.
+
+Without losing any more time than sufficed to get the direction from
+Swartboy, Hendrik mounted his quagga, shouldered his rifle, and rode off
+in search of the herd.
+
+Not far from the camp there was an easy pass, leading up the cliff to
+the plain above. It was a sort of gorge or ravine; and from the numerous
+tracks of animals in its bottom, it was evidently much used as a road
+from the upper plain to that in which were the spring and stream.
+Certain animals, such as the zebras and quaggas, and others that
+frequent the dry desert plains from preference, were in the habit of
+coming by this path when they required water.
+
+Up the gorge rode Hendrik; and no sooner had he arrived at its top, than
+he discovered the herd of elands--seven old bulls--about a mile off upon
+the upper plain.
+
+There was not cover enough to have sheltered a fox. The only growth near
+the spot where the elands were, consisted of straggling aloe plants,
+euphorbias, with some stunted bushes, and tufts of dry grass,
+characteristic of the desert. There was no clump large enough to have
+sheltered a hunter from the eye of his game; and Hendrik at once came to
+the conclusion, that the elands could not be "stalked" in the situation
+they then occupied.
+
+Now, though Hendrik had never hunted this antelope, he was well
+acquainted with its habits, and knew how it ought to be chased. He knew
+that it was a bad runner; that any old horse could bring up with it; and
+that his quagga--the fastest of the four that had been tamed--could do
+the same.
+
+It was only a question of "start," therefore. Could he get near enough
+the bulls to have a fair start, he would run one of them down to a
+certainty. The result might be different should the elands take the
+alarm at a long distance off, and scour away over the plain.
+
+To get within fair starting distance, that was the point to be
+attempted.
+
+But Hendrik was a wary hunter, and soon accomplished this. Instead of
+riding direct for the elands, he made a grand circuit--until he had got
+the herd between him and the cliff--and then, heading his quagga for
+them, he rode quietly forward.
+
+He did not sit erect in the saddle, but held himself bent down, until
+his breast almost touched the withers of the quagga. This he did to
+deceive the elands, who would otherwise have recognised him as an enemy.
+In such a fashion they could not make out what kind of creature was
+coming towards them; but stood for a long while gazing at Hendrik and
+his quagga with feelings of curiosity, and of course some little alarm.
+
+They, however, permitted the hunter to get within five hundred yards
+distance--near enough for him--before they broke off in their heavy
+lumbering gallop.
+
+Hendrik now rose in his saddle, put spurs to his quagga, and followed
+the herd at full speed.
+
+As he had designed, so it came to pass. The elands ran straight in the
+direction of the cliff--not where the pass was, but where there was
+none--and, on reaching the precipice, were of course forced to turn into
+a new direction, transverse to their former one. This gave Hendrik the
+advantage, who, heading his quagga diagonally, was soon upon the heels
+of the herd.
+
+It was Hendrik's intention to single out one of the bulls, and run him
+down--leaving the others to gallop off wherever they wished.
+
+His intention was carried out; for shortly after, the fattest of the
+bulls shot to one side, as if to escape in that way, while the rest ran
+on.
+
+The bull was not so cunning as he thought himself. Hendrik's eye was
+upon him; and in a moment the quagga was turned upon his track.
+
+Another burst carried both game and pursuer nearly a mile across the
+plain. The eland had turned from a rufous dun colour to that of a leaden
+blue; the saliva fell from his lips in long streamers, foam dappled his
+broad chest, the tears rolled out of his big eyes, and his gallop became
+changed to a weary trot. He was evidently "blown."
+
+In a few minutes more the quagga was close upon his heels; and then the
+huge antelope, seeing that farther running could not serve him, halted
+in despair, and faced round towards his pursuer.
+
+Now Hendrik had his loaded rifle in his hand, and you expect to hear
+that he instantly raised it to his shoulder, took aim, fired, and
+brought down the eland.
+
+I must disappoint you, then, by telling you that he did no such thing.
+
+Hendrik was a real hunter--neither rash nor wasteful of his resources.
+He knew a better plan than to kill the eland upon the spot. He knew that
+the animal was now quite in his power; and that he could drive him
+wherever he pleased, just like a tame ox. To have killed the creature on
+the spot would have been a waste of powder and shot. More than that, it
+would have rendered necessary all the trouble of transporting its flesh
+to camp--a double journey at least--and with the risk of the hyenas
+eating up most of it in his absence. Whereas he could save all this
+trouble by driving the eland to camp; and this was his design.
+
+Without firing a shot, therefore, he galloped on past the blown bull,
+headed him, turned him round, and then drove him before him in the
+direction of the cliff.
+
+The bull could make neither resistance nor opposition. Now and again he
+would turn and trot off in a contrary direction; but he was easily
+headed again, and at length forced forward to the top of the pass.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK.
+
+
+Hendrik was congratulating himself on his success. He anticipated some
+pleasure in the surprise he was about to create at camp, when he should
+march in with the eland--for he had no doubt that he would succeed in
+doing so.
+
+Indeed, there appeared no reason to doubt it. The bull had already
+entered the gorge, and was moving down it, while Hendrik and his quagga
+were hurrying forward to follow.
+
+The hunter had arrived within a few yards of the top, when a loud
+trampling noise sounded in his ears, as if a band of heavy-footed
+animals were coming up the gorge.
+
+He spurred his quagga forward, in order to reach the edge, and get a
+view down the ravine. Before he was able to do so, he was surprised to
+see the eland gallop up again, and try to pass him upon the plain. It
+had evidently received fresh alarm, from something in the gorge; and
+preferred facing its old enemy to encountering the new.
+
+Hendrik did not give his attention to the eland. He could ride it down
+at any time. He was more anxious first to know what had given it the
+start backward; so he continued to press forward to the head of the
+ravine.
+
+He might have thought of lions, and acted with greater prudence; but the
+trampling of hoofs which still echoed up the pass told him that lions
+were not the cause of the eland's alarm.
+
+He at length reached a point where he could see down the declivity. He
+had not far to look--for already the animals that were making the noise
+were close up to him; and he perceived they were nothing more than a
+troop of quaggas.
+
+He was not over-pleased at this interruption to his drive; and the less
+did he like it, that the intruders were quaggas--ill-conditioned brutes
+that they were! Had they been game animals, he would have shot one; but
+the only motive that would have induced him to shoot one of the quaggas
+would have been a feeling of anger--for, at that moment, he was really
+angry at them.
+
+Without knowing it, poor brutes! they had likely given him cause for a
+good deal of trouble: for it would cost him a good deal, before he could
+head the eland again, and get it back into the pass. No wonder, then, he
+was vexed a little.
+
+But his vexation was not so grievous as to cause him to fire upon the
+approaching herd; and, turning aside, he rode after the eland.
+
+He had hardly left the spot, when the quaggas came out of the pass,
+following each other to the number of forty or fifty. Each, as he saw
+the mounted hunter, started with affright, and bolted off, until the
+whole drove stretched out in a long line over the plain, snorting and
+uttering their loud "coua-a-g" as they ran.
+
+Hendrik would hardly have regarded this movement under ordinary
+circumstances. He had often seen herds of quaggas, and was in no way
+curious about them. But his attention was drawn to this herd, from his
+noticing, as they passed him, that four of them had their tails docked
+short; and from this circumstance, he recognised them as the four that
+had been caught in the pit-trap and afterwards set free. Swartboy, for
+some purpose of his own, had cut off the hair before letting them go.
+
+Hendrik had no doubt it was they, and that the herd was the same that
+used to frequent the vley, but that on account of the ill-treatment they
+had met with, had never since shown themselves in the neighbourhood.
+
+Now these circumstances coming into Hendrik's mind at the moment, led
+him to regard the quaggas with a certain feeling of curiosity. The
+sudden fright which the animals took on seeing him, and the comic
+appearance of the four with the stumped tails, rather inclined Hendrik
+towards merriment, and he laughed as he galloped along.
+
+As the quaggas went off in the same direction which the eland had taken,
+of course Hendrik's road and theirs lay so far together; and on galloped
+he at their heels. He was curious to try the point--much disputed in
+regard to horses--how far a mounted quagga would be able to cope with an
+unmounted one. He was curious moreover, to find out whether his own
+quagga was quite equal to any of its old companions. So on swept the
+chase, the eland leading, the quaggas after, and Hendrik bringing up the
+rear.
+
+Hendrik had no need to ply the spur. His gallant steed flew like the
+wind. He seemed to feel that his character was staked upon the race. He
+gained upon the drove at every spring.
+
+The heavy-going eland was soon overtaken, and as it trotted to one side,
+was passed. It halted, but the quaggas kept on.
+
+Not only the drove kept on, but Hendrik's quagga following close at
+their heels; and in less than five minutes they had left the eland a
+full mile in their rear, and were still scouring onward over the wide
+plain.
+
+What was Hendrik about? Was he going to forsake the eland, and let it
+escape? Had he grown so interested in the race? Was he jealous about his
+quagga's speed, and determined it should beat all the others?
+
+So it would have appeared to any one witnessing the race from a
+distance. But one who could have had a nearer view of it, would have
+given a different explanation of Hendrik's conduct.
+
+The fact was, that as soon as the eland halted, Hendrik intended to halt
+also; and for that purpose pulled strongly upon his bridle. But, to his
+astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his intention.
+Instead of obeying the bit, the animal caught the steel in his teeth,
+and laying his ears back, galloped straight on!
+
+Hendrik then endeavoured to turn the quagga to one side, and for this
+purpose wrenched his right rein; but with such fierceness, that the old
+bit-ring gave way--the bit slipped through the animal's jaws--the
+head-stall came off with the jerk--and the quagga was completely
+unbridled!
+
+Of course the animal was now free to go just as he liked; and it was
+plain that he liked to go with his old comrades. His old comrades he
+well knew them to be, as his snorting and occasional neigh of
+recognition testified.
+
+At first Hendrik was disposed to look upon the breaking of his bit as
+only a slight misfortune. For a boy he was one of the best riders in
+South Africa, and needed no rein to steady him. He could keep his seat
+without one. The quagga would soon stop, and he could then repair the
+bit, and re-adjust the bridle which he still held in his hands. Such
+were his reflections at first.
+
+But their spirit began to alter, when he found that the quagga, instead
+of lessening his pace, kept on as hard as ever, and the herd still ran
+wildly before him without showing the slightest signs of coming to a
+halt.
+
+In fact, the quaggas were running through fear. They saw the mounted
+hunter behind them in hot pursuit; and although their old comrade knew
+who they were, how were they to tell what he was, with such a tall hunch
+upon his back? No quagga he, but some terrible monster, they imagined,
+thirsting for their lives, and eager to devour one and all of them!
+
+No wonder they showed their heels in the best style they knew how; and
+so well did they show them, that Hendrik's quagga--notwithstanding his
+keen desire to get forward among them, and explain away the awkward
+business upon his back--was not able to come an inch closer.
+
+He did not lose ground, however. His eagerness to regain his
+old associates--to partake once more of their wild freedom--for
+he was desperately tired of civilised society, and sick of
+elephant-hunting--all these ideas crowded into his mind at the moment,
+and nerved him to the utmost exertion. Could he only get up into the
+body of the crowd--for the herd now ran in a crowd--a few whimpers would
+suffice to explain--they would come to a halt at once,--they would
+gather around him, and assist both with hoofs and teeth to get "shed" of
+the ugly two-legged thing that clung so tightly to his dorsal vertebræ.
+
+It was "no go," however. Although he was so close to their heels, that
+they flung dust in his face, and small pebbles in the face of his rider,
+to the no slight inconvenience of the latter; although he "whighered"
+whenever he could spare breath, and uttered his "couag,--couag!" in
+reality calling them by name, it was "no go." They would not stay. They
+would not hear.
+
+And what did Hendrik during all this time? Nothing--he could do nothing.
+He could not stay the impetuous flight of his steed. He dared not
+dismount. He would have been hurled among sharp rocks, had he attempted
+such a thing. His neck would have been broken. He could do
+nothing--nothing but keep his seat.
+
+What thought he? At first, not much. At first he regarded the adventure
+lightly. When he was about completing his third mile, he began to deem
+it more serious; and as he entered upon the fifth, he became convinced
+that he was neither more nor less than in a very awkward scrape.
+
+But the fifth mile was left behind, and then a sixth, and a seventh; and
+still the quaggas galloped wildly on--the drove actuated by the fear of
+losing their liberty, and their old comrade by the desire of regaining
+his.
+
+Hendrik now felt real uneasiness. Where were they going? Where was the
+brute carrying him? Perhaps off to the desert, where he might be lost
+and perish of hunger or thirst! Already he was many miles from the
+cliffs, and he could no longer tell their direction. Even had he halted
+then and there, he could not tell which way to turn himself. He would be
+lost!
+
+He grew more than anxious. He became frightened in earnest.
+
+What was he to do? Leap down, and risk his neck in the fall? He would
+lose his quagga and his saddle as well--he regarded the eland as already
+lost--he would have to walk back to camp, and get laughed at on his
+return.
+
+No matter for all that; his life was in danger if he kept on. The
+quaggas might gallop twenty,--aye, fifty miles before halting. They
+showed no symptoms of being blown--no signs of giving out. He must fling
+himself to the ground, and let quagga and saddle go.
+
+He had formed this resolution, and was actually about to put it in
+practice. He was just considering how he might best escape an ugly
+fall--looking for a soft spot--when, all at once, a grand idea rushed
+into his mind.
+
+[Illustration: HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.]
+
+He remembered that in taming this same quagga and breaking him to the
+saddle, he had been vastly aided by a very simple contrivance--that was
+a "blind." The blind was nothing more than a piece of soft leather tied
+over the animal's eyes; but so complete had been its effect, that it had
+transformed the quagga at once from a kicking screaming creature into a
+docile animal.
+
+Hendrik now thought of the blind.
+
+True, he had none. Was there nothing about him that would serve as one?
+His handkerchief? No, it would be too thin. Hurrah! His jacket would do!
+
+His rifle was in the way. It must be got rid of. It must be dropped to
+the ground. He could return for it.
+
+It was let down as gently as possible, and soon left far behind.
+
+In a twinkling Hendrik stripped off his jacket. How was it to be
+arranged so as to blind the quagga? It would not do to drop it.
+
+A moment's consideration served the ready boy to mature his plan. After
+a moment he bent down, passed a sleeve upon each side under the quagga's
+throat, and then knotted them together. The jacket thus rested over the
+animal's mane, with the collar near its withers, and the peak or skirt
+upon the small of its neck.
+
+Hendrik next leaned as far forward as he could, and with his extended
+arms pushed the jacket up the animal's neck, until the skirt passed over
+its ears, and fell down it front of its face.
+
+It was with some difficulty that the rider, bent down as he was, could
+retain his seat; for as soon as the thick flap of cloth came down over
+the eyes of the quagga, the latter halted as if he had been shot dead in
+his tracks. He did not fall, however, but only stood still, quivering
+with terror. His gallop was at an end!
+
+Hendrik leaped to the ground. He was no longer afraid that the quagga,
+blinded as he now was, would make any attempt to get off; nor did he.
+
+In a few minutes the broken bit-ring was replaced by a strong rheim of
+raw leather; the bit inserted between the quagga's teeth, the head-stall
+safely buckled, and Hendrik once more in the saddle, with his jacket
+upon his back.
+
+The quagga felt that he was conquered. His old associates were no longer
+in sight to tempt him from his allegiance; and with these
+considerations, aided by a slight dose of bit and spur, he turned his
+head, and moved sullenly upon the back track.
+
+Hendrik knew nothing about the route he should take. He followed back
+the spoor of the quaggas to the place where he had dropped his gun,
+which after riding a mile or two he recovered.
+
+As there was no sun in the sky, nor other object to guide him, he
+thought he could not do better than trace back the spoor; and although
+it led him by many a devious route, and he saw nothing more of his
+eland, before night he reached the pass in the cliff, and was soon after
+sitting under the shadow of the nwana-tree, regaling a most interested
+audience with the narrative of his day's adventures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+THE GUN-TRAP.
+
+
+It was about this time that the field-cornet and his people were very
+much annoyed by beasts of prey. The savoury smell which their camp daily
+sent forth, as well as the remains of antelopes, killed for their
+venison, attracted these visitors. Hyenas and jackals were constantly
+skulking in the neighbourhood, and at night came around the great
+nwana-tree in scores, keeping up their horrid chorus for hours together.
+It is true that nobody feared these animals, as the children at night
+were safe in their aërial home, where the hyenas could not get at them.
+But for all that, the presence of the brutes was very offensive, as not
+a bit of meat--not a hide, nor rheim, nor any article of leather--could
+be left below without their getting their teeth upon it, and chewing it
+up. Quarters of venison they had frequently stolen, and they had eaten
+up the leathern part of Swartboy's saddle, and rendered it quite useless
+for a while. In short, so great a pest had the hyenas grown to be, that
+it became necessary to adopt some mode of destroying them.
+
+It was not easy to get a shot at them. During the day they were wary,
+and either hid themselves in caves of the cliff or in the burrows of the
+ant-eater. At night they were bold enough, and came into the very camp;
+but then the darkness hindered a good aim, and the hunters knew too well
+the value of powder and lead to waste it on a chance shot, though now
+and then, when provoked by the brutes, they ventured one.
+
+But some way must be thought of to thin the numbers of these animals, or
+get rid of them altogether. This was the opinion of everybody.
+
+Two or three kinds of traps were tried, but without much success. A pit
+they could leap out of, and from a noose they could free themselves by
+cutting the rope by their sharp teeth!
+
+At length the field-cornet resorted to a plan--much practised by the
+boers of Southern Africa for ridding their farms of these and similar
+"vermin." It was the "gun-trap."
+
+Now there are several ways of constructing a gun-trap. Of course a gun
+is the principal part of the mechanism, and the trigger pulled by a
+string is the main point of the contrivance. In some countries the bait
+is tied to the string, and the animal on seizing the bait tightens the
+string, draws the trigger, and shoots itself. In this way, however,
+there is always some uncertainty as to the result. The animal may not
+place its body in the proper position with regard to the muzzle, and may
+either escape the shot altogether, or may be only "creased," and of
+course get off.
+
+The mode of setting the "gun-trap" in South Africa is a superior plan;
+and the creature that is so unfortunate as to draw the trigger rarely
+escapes, but is either killed upon the spot, or so badly wounded as to
+prevent its getting away.
+
+Von Bloom constructed his trap after the approved fashion, as
+follows:--Near the camp he selected a spot where three saplings or young
+trees grew, standing in a line, and about a yard between each two of
+them. Had he not found these trees so disposed, stakes firmly driven
+into the ground would have answered his purpose equally well.
+
+Thorn-bushes were now cut, and a kraal built in the usual manner--that
+is with the tops of the bushes turned outwards. The size of the kraal
+was a matter of no consequence; and, of course, to save labour, a small
+one was constructed.
+
+One point, however, was observed in making the kraal. Its door of
+opening was placed so that two of the three saplings stood like posts,
+one on each side of it; and an animal going into the enclosure must
+needs pass these two trees.
+
+Now for the part the gun had to play.
+
+The weapon was placed in a horizontal position against two of the
+saplings,--that is, the stock against the one outside the kraal, and the
+barrel against one of the door-posts, and there firmly lashed. In this
+position the muzzle was close to the edge of the entrance, and pointing
+directly to the sapling on the opposite side. It was at such a height as
+to have ranged with the heart of a hyena standing in the opening.
+
+The next move was to adjust the string. Already a piece of stick,
+several inches in length, had been fixed to the small of the stock, and,
+of course, behind the trigger. This was fastened transversely, but not
+so as to preclude all motion. A certain looseness in its adjustment gave
+it the freedom required to be worked as a lever--for that was its
+design.
+
+To each end of this little stick was fastened a string. One of these
+strings was attached to the trigger; the other, after being carried
+through the thimbles of the ramrod, traversed across the entrance of the
+kraal, and was knotted upon the opposite side to the sapling that stood
+there. This string followed the horizontal direction of the barrel, and
+was just "taut;" so that any farther strain upon it would act upon the
+little lever, and by that means pull the trigger; and then of course
+"bang" would go the roer.
+
+When this string was adjusted, and the gun loaded and cocked, the trap
+was set.
+
+Nothing remained to be done but bait it. This was not a difficult task.
+It consisted simply in placing a piece of meat or carcass within the
+enclosure, and there leaving it to attract the prowling beasts to the
+spot.
+
+When the gun had been set, Swartboy carried up the bait--the offal of an
+antelope killed that day--and flung it into the kraal; and then the
+party went quietly to their beds, without thinking more of the matter.
+
+They had not slept a wink, however, before they were startled by the
+loud "crack" of the roer, followed by a short stifled cry that told them
+the gun-trap had done its work.
+
+A torch was procured, and the four hunters proceeded to the spot. There
+they found the dead body of a huge "tiger-wolf" lying doubled up in the
+entrance, and right under the muzzle of the gun. He had not gone a step
+after receiving the shot--in fact, had hardly kicked before dying--as
+the bullet, wad, and all, had gone quite through his ribs and entered
+his heart, after making a large ugly hole in his side. Of course he must
+have been within a few inches of the muzzle, when his breast, pressing
+against the string, caused the gun to go off.
+
+Having again loaded the roer, the hunters returned to their beds. One
+might suppose they would have dragged the suicidal hyena away from the
+spot, lest his carcass should serve as a warning to his comrades, and
+keep them away from the trap. But Swartboy knew better than that.
+Instead of being scared by the dead body of one of their kind, the
+hyenas only regard it as proper prey, and will devour it as they would
+the remains of a tender antelope!
+
+Knowing this, Swartboy did not take the dead hyena away, but only drew
+it within the kraal to serve as a farther inducement for the others to
+attempt an entrance there.
+
+Before morning they were once more awakened by the "bang" of the great
+gun. This time they lay still; but when day broke they visited their
+trap, and found that a second hyena had too rashly pressed his bosom
+against the fatal string.
+
+Night after night they continued their warfare against the hyenas,
+changing the trap-kraal to different localities in the surrounding
+neighbourhood.
+
+At length these creatures were nearly exterminated, or, at all events,
+became so rare and shy, that their presence by the camp was no longer an
+annoyance one way or the other.
+
+About this time, however, there appeared another set of visitors, whose
+presence was far more to be dreaded, and whose destruction the hunters
+were more anxious to accomplish. That was a family of lions.
+
+The spoor of these had been often seen in the neighbourhood; but it was
+some time before they began to frequent the camp. However, about the
+time the hyenas had been fairly got rid of, the lions took their place,
+and came every night, roaring about the camp in a most terrific manner.
+Dreadful as these sounds were, the people were not so much afraid of
+them as one might imagine. They well knew that the lions could not get
+at them in the tree. Had it been leopards they might have felt less
+secure, as the latter are true tree-climbers; but they had seen no
+leopards in that country, and did not think of them.
+
+They were not altogether without fear of the lions, however. They were
+annoyed, moreover, that they could not with safety descend from the tree
+after nightfall, but were every night besieged from sunset till morning.
+Besides, although the cow and the quaggas were shut in strong kraals,
+they dreaded each night that the lions would make a seizure of one or
+other of these animals; and the loss of any one of them, but especially
+their valuable friend "old Graaf," would have been a very serious
+misfortune.
+
+It was resolved, therefore, to try the gun-trap upon the lions, as it
+had succeeded so well with the hyenas.
+
+There was no difference in the construction or contrivance of the trap.
+The gun only had to be placed upon a higher level, so that its muzzle
+might be opposite the lion's heart, and the proper range was easily
+obtained. The bait, however, was not carcass, but an animal freshly
+killed; and for this purpose an antelope was procured.
+
+The result was as desired. On the first night the old male lion
+"breasted" the fatal string and bit the dust. Next night the lioness was
+destroyed in a similar way: and shortly after a full-grown young male.
+
+The trap then lay idle for a while; but about a week after a half-grown
+"cub" was shot near the camp by Hendrik, no doubt the last of that
+family, as no lions were seen for a long time after.
+
+A great enemy to night plunderers was that same gun-trap.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+THE WEAVER-BIRDS.
+
+
+Now that the beasts of prey had been destroyed, or driven from about the
+camp, there was no longer any danger in that quarter, and the children
+could be left by themselves. Totty of course always stayed with them;
+while the four hunters went forth upon the chase of the elephant--each
+mounted upon his quagga.
+
+They had done so many a time, and as no harm had happened to the
+children in their absence, such a course became habitual with them. Jan
+and Trüey were cautioned not to stray far from the nwana, and always to
+climb to the tree, should they perceive any animal that might be
+dangerous. Before the destruction of the hyenas and lions, they had been
+used to remain altogether in the tree, while the hunters were absent.
+But this had been quite an imprisonment to them; and now that the danger
+was not considered much, they were allowed to come down and play upon
+the grassy plain, or wander along the shore of the little lake.
+
+On one occasion when the hunters were abroad, Trüey had strayed down to
+the edge of the water. She was alone, if we except the company of the
+gazelle, which followed at her heels wherever she went. This pretty
+creature had grown to full size, and had turned out a great beauty, with
+large round eyes that had a lovely melting expression, like the eyes of
+Trüey herself.
+
+Well, as I have said, Trüey was alone. Jan was busy near the bottom of
+the tree, working a new rod into his bird-cage, and Totty was out upon
+the plain herding "old Graaf"--so Trüey and the pet springbok went
+strolling along by themselves.
+
+Now Trüey had not gone down to the water without an object. She had one.
+She had gone to give her pet a drink, and collect some blue lilies for a
+bouquet. All this she had done, and still continued to walk along the
+shore.
+
+On one side of the lake, and that the farthest from the nwana-tree, a
+low spit of land projected into the water. It had once been but a
+sand-bar, but grass had grown upon it, until a green turf was formed.
+There was not over a square perch of it altogether, but it was not
+square in shape. On the contrary, it was of oval form, and much narrower
+nearest the land, where it formed a neck, or isthmus, not more than
+three feet in width. It was, in short, a miniature peninsula, which by a
+very little work with the spade could have been converted into a
+miniature island--had that been desired.
+
+Now there is nothing very remarkable about a little peninsula projecting
+into a lake. In nearly every lake such a thing may be seen. But about
+this one there was something remarkable.
+
+Upon its extreme end grew a tree of singular form and foliage. It was
+not a large tree, and its branches drooped downwards until their tips
+almost touched the water. The pendulous boughs, and long lanceolate
+silvery leaves, rendered it easy to tell what sort of tree it was. It
+was the weeping or Babylonian willow--so called, because it was upon
+trees of this species that the captive Jews hung their harps when they
+"sat and wept by the streams of Babel." This beautiful tree casts its
+waving shadow over the streams of South Africa, as well as those of
+Assyria; and often is the eye of the traveller gladdened by the sight of
+its silvery leaves, as he beholds them--sure indications of
+water--shining afar over the parched and thirsty desert. If a Christian,
+he fails not to remember that highly poetical passage of sacred writing,
+that speaks of the willow of Babylon.
+
+Now the one which grew upon the little peninsula had all these points of
+interest for little Trüey--but it had others as well. Upon its branches
+that overhung the water a very singular appearance presented itself.
+Upon these was suspended--one upon the end of each branch--a number of
+odd shaped objects, that hung drooping down until their lower ends
+nearly rested upon the surface of the water. These objects, as stated,
+were of a peculiar shape. At the upper ends--where they were attached to
+the branches--they were globe-shaped, but the lower part consisted of a
+long cylinder of much smaller diameter, and at the bottom of this
+cylinder was the entrance. They bore some resemblance to salad-oil
+bottles inverted, with their necks considerably lengthened; or they
+might be compared to the glass retorts seen in the laboratory of the
+chemist.
+
+They were each twelve or fifteen inches in length, and of a greenish
+colour--nearly as green as the leaves of the tree itself. Were they its
+fruit?
+
+No. The weeping willow bears no fruit of that size. They were not fruit.
+They were nests of birds!
+
+Yes; they were the nests of a colony of harmless finches of the genus
+_Ploceus_,--better known to you under the appellation of "weaver-birds."
+
+I am sure you have heard of weaver-birds before this; and you know that
+these creatures are so called on account of the skill which they exhibit
+in the construction of their nests. They do not build nests, as other
+birds, but actually weave them, in a most ingenious manner.
+
+You are not to suppose that there is but one species of weaver-bird--one
+kind alone that forms these curious nests. In Africa--which is the
+principal home of these birds--there are many different kinds, forming
+different genera, whose hard names I shall not trouble you with. Each of
+these different kinds builds a nest of peculiar shape, and each chooses
+a material different from the others. Some, as the _Ploceus
+icterocephalus_, make their nests of a kidney shape, with the entrance
+upon the sides, and the latter not circular, but like an arched doorway.
+Others of the genus _Plocepasser_ weave their nests in such a manner,
+that the thick ends of the stalks stick out all around the outside,
+giving them the appearance of suspended hedgehogs; while the birds of
+another genus closely allied to the latter, construct their nests of
+slender twigs, leaving the ends of these to project in a similar manner.
+The "social grosbeak" fabricates a republic of nests in one clump, and
+all under one roof. The entrances are in the under-surface of this mass,
+which, occupying the whole top of a tree, has the appearance of a
+haystack, or a dense piece of thatch.
+
+All these weaver-birds, though of different genera, bear a considerable
+resemblance to each other in their habits. They are usually granivorous,
+though some are insectivorous; and one species, the "red-billed weaver
+bird" is a parasite of the wild buffaloes.
+
+It is a mistake to suppose that weaver-birds are only found in Africa
+and the Old World, as stated in the works of many naturalists. In
+tropical America, birds of this character are found in many species of
+the genera _Cassicus_ and _Icterus_, who weave pensile nests of a
+similar kind upon the trees of the Amazon and Orinoco. But the true
+weaver-birds--that is to say, those which are considered the type of the
+class,--are those of the genus _Ploceus_; and it was a species of this
+genus that had hung their pendulous habitations upon the weeping willow.
+They were of the species known as the "pensile weaver-bird."
+
+There were full twenty of their nests in all, shaped as already
+described, and of green colour--for the tough "Bushman's grass," out of
+which they had been woven, had not yet lost its verdant hue, nor would
+it for a long time. Being of this colour, they actually looked like
+something that grew upon the tree,--like great pear-shaped fruits. No
+doubt from this source have been derived the tales of ancient
+travellers, who represented that in Africa were trees with fruits upon
+them, which, upon being broken open, disclosed to view either living
+birds or their eggs! Now the sight of the weaver-birds, and their nests,
+was nothing new to Trüey. It was some time since the colony had
+established itself upon the willow-tree, and she and they had grown well
+acquainted. She had often visited the birds, had collected seeds, and
+carried them down to the tree; and there was not one of the whole colony
+that would not have perched upon her wrist or her pretty white
+shoulders, or hopped about over her fair locks, without fear. It was
+nothing unusual to her to see the pretty creatures playing about the
+branches, or entering the long vertical tunnels that led upward to their
+nests--nothing unusual for Trüey to listen for hours to their sweet
+twittering, or watch their love-gambols around the borders of the vley.
+
+She was not thinking of them at the moment, but of something else,
+perhaps of the blue water-lilies--perhaps of the springbok--but
+certainly not of them, as she tripped gaily along the edge of the lake.
+
+Her attention, however, was suddenly attracted to the birds.
+
+All at once, and without any apparent cause, they commenced screaming
+and fluttering around the tree, their cries and gestures betokening a
+high state of excitement or alarm.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+THE SPITTING-SNAKE.
+
+
+"What can be the matter with my pretty birds?" asked Trüey of herself.
+"Something wrong surely! I see no hawk. Perhaps they are fighting among
+themselves. I shall go round and see. I shall soon pacify them."
+
+And so saying she mended her pace; and passing round the end of the
+lake, walked out upon the peninsula until she stood under the willow.
+
+There was no underwood. The tree stood alone upon the very end of the
+spit of land, and Trüey went close in to its trunk. Here she stopped and
+looked up among the branches, to ascertain what was causing so much
+excitement among the birds.
+
+As she approached, several of the little creatures had flown towards
+her, and alighted upon her arms and shoulders; but not as was their wont
+when desiring to be fed. They appeared to be in a state of alarm, and
+had come to her for protection.
+
+Some enemy certainly must be near, thought Trüey, though she could see
+none.
+
+She looked around and above. There were no hawks in the air, nor on the
+neighbouring trees,--no birds of prey of any kind. Had there been one in
+the willow, she could easily have seen it, as the foliage was light and
+thin; besides a hawk would not have remained in the tree with her
+standing so near. What, then, caused the trouble among the birds? what
+was still causing it--for they were as noisy and terrified as ever? Ha!
+At last the enemy appears--at last Trüey's eyes have fallen upon the
+monster who has disturbed the peaceful colony of weavers, and roused
+them to such a pitch of excitement.
+
+Slowly gliding along a horizontal branch, grasping the limb in its many
+spiral folds, appeared the body of a large serpent. Its scales glittered
+as it moved, and it was the shining of these that had caught Trüey's
+eyes, and directed them upon the hideous reptile.
+
+When she first saw it, it was gliding spirally along one of the
+horizontal branches of the willow, and coming, as it were, from the
+nests of the birds. Her eyes, however, had scarce rested upon it, before
+its long slippery body passed from the branch, and the next moment it
+was crawling head-foremost down the main trunk of the tree.
+
+Trüey had scarce time to start back, before its head was opposite the
+spot where she had stood. No doubt, had she kept her place she would
+have been bitten by the serpent at once; for the reptile, on reaching
+that point, detached its head from the tree, spread its jaws wide open,
+projected its forked tongue, and hissed horribly. It was evidently
+enraged--partly because it had failed in its plundering intentions, not
+having been able to reach the nests of the birds,--and partly that the
+latter had repeatedly struck it with their beaks--no doubt causing it
+considerable pain. It was further provoked by the arrival of Trüey, in
+whom it recognised the rescuer of its intended victims.
+
+Whatever were its thoughts at that moment, it was evidently in a
+rage--as the motion of its head and the flashing of its eyes testified;
+and it would have sprung upon any creature that had unfortunately come
+its way.
+
+Trüey, however, had no intention of getting in its way if she could
+avoid it. It might be a harmless serpent for all she knew; but a snake,
+nearly six feet in length, whether it be harmless or venomous, is a
+terrible object to be near; and Trüey had instinctively glided to one
+side, and stood off from it as far as the water would allow her.
+
+She would have run back over the narrow isthmus; but something told her
+that the snake was about to take that direction, and might overtake her;
+and this thought induced her to pass to one side of the peninsula, in
+hopes the reptile would follow the path that led out to the mainland.
+
+Having got close to the water's edge, she stood gazing upon the hideous
+form, and trembled as she gazed.
+
+Had Trüey known the character of that reptile, she would have trembled
+all the more. She saw before her one of the most venomous of serpents,
+the black naja, or "spitting-snake"--the cobra of Africa--far more
+dangerous than its congener the _cobra de capello_ of India, because far
+more active in its movements, and equally fatal in its bite.
+
+Trüey knew not this. She only knew that there was a great ugly snake,
+nearly twice her own length, with a large open mouth, and glistening
+tongue, apparently ready to eat her up. That was fearful enough for her,
+poor thing! and she gazed and trembled, and trembled and gazed again.
+
+Angry as the cobra appeared, it did not turn aside to attack her.
+Neither did it remain by the tree. After uttering its long loud hiss, it
+descended to the ground, and glided rapidly off.
+
+It made directly for the isthmus, as if intending to pass it, and
+retreat to some bushes that grew at a distance off on the mainland.
+
+Trüey was in hopes that such was its design, and was just beginning to
+feel safe again, when, all at once, the snake coiled itself upon the
+narrow neck of land, as if it intended to stay there.
+
+It had executed this manoeuvre so suddenly, and so apparently without
+premeditation, that Trüey looked to discover the cause. The moment
+before, it was gliding along in rapid retreat, its glistening form
+stretched to its full length along the earth. The next instant it had
+assumed the appearance of a coiled cable, over the edge of which
+projected its fierce head, with the scaly skin of its neck broadly
+extended, into that hood-like form which characterises the cobra.
+
+Trüey, we have said, looked for the cause of this sudden change in the
+tactics of the reptile. She learnt it at the first glance.
+
+There stretched a piece of smooth sloping ground from the edge of the
+lake back into the plain. By this the little peninsula was approached.
+As she glanced outward, she saw the springbok advancing down this slope.
+It was the approach of the antelope that had interrupted the retreat of
+the serpent!
+
+Trüey, on first discovering the snake, had uttered a cry of alarm. This
+cry had summoned her pet--that had lingered behind browsing upon the
+grass--and it was now bounding forward, with its white tail erect, and
+its large brown eyes glistening with an expression of inquiry.
+
+It saw its mistress out upon the peninsula. Had she called it? Why had
+she uttered that strange cry? They were not sounds of joyful import it
+had heard. Was anything amiss? Yonder she stood. It would gallop to her
+and see what was wanted; and with such thoughts passing through its
+brain, the bright little creature bounded down the bank towards the edge
+of the lake.
+
+Trüey trembled for her pet. Another spring, and it would be upon the
+lurking serpent--another----"Ha! it is safe!"
+
+These words escaped from the lips of the young girl, as she saw the
+springbok rise high in the air, and leap far and clear over the coiled
+reptile. The antelope had observed the snake in time, and saved itself
+by one of those tremendous bounds, such as only a springbok can make.
+The fond creature, having passed the danger, now ran on to its mistress,
+and stood with its big shining eyes bent upon her inquiringly.
+
+But the cry that Trüey had uttered had summoned another individual. To
+her horror, she now saw little Jan running down the slope, and coming
+directly upon the path where the cobra lay coiled!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+THE SERPENT-EATER.
+
+
+Jan's danger was imminent. He was rushing impetuously forward upon the
+coiled serpent. He knew not that it was before him. No warning would
+reach him in time to stay his haste. In another moment he would be on
+the narrow path, and then no power could save him from the deadly bite.
+It would be impossible for him to leap aside or over the reptile, as the
+antelope had done; for even then Trüey had noticed that the cobra had
+darted its long neck several feet upwards. It would be certain to reach
+little Jan, perhaps coil itself around him. Jan would be lost.
+
+For some moments Trüey was speechless. Terror had robbed her of the
+power of speech. She could only scream, and fling her arms wildly about.
+
+But these demonstrations, instead of warning Jan of the danger, only
+rendered it the more certain. He connected the cries which Trüey now
+uttered with that which had first summoned him. She was in some
+trouble--he knew not what; but as she continued to scream, he believed
+that something had attacked her. A snake he thought it might be; but
+whatever it was, his first impulse was to hurry up to her rescue. He
+could do no good until close to her; and, therefore, he did not think of
+halting until he should reach the spot where she stood.
+
+Her screams, therefore, and the wild gestures that accompanied them,
+only caused him to run the faster; and as his eyes were bent anxiously
+on Trüey, there was not the slightest hope that he would perceive the
+serpent until he had either trodden upon it, or felt its fatal bite.
+
+Trüey uttered one last cry of warning, pronouncing at the same time the
+words:--
+
+"O, brother! back! The snake! the snake!"
+
+The words were uttered in vain. Jan heard them, but did not comprehend
+their meaning. He heard the word "snake." He was expecting as much. It
+had attacked Trüey; and although he did not see it, it was no doubt
+wound about her body. He hurried on.
+
+Already he was within six paces of the dread reptile, that had erected
+its long spread neck to receive him. Another moment, and its envenomed
+fangs would pierce deep into his flesh.
+
+With a despairing scream Trüey rushed forward. She hoped to attract the
+monster upon herself. She would risk her own life to save that of her
+brother!
+
+She had got within six feet of the threatening reptile. Jan was about
+the same distance from it on the opposite side. They were equally in
+peril; and one or the other--perhaps both--would have fallen a sacrifice
+to the deadly cobra; but at that moment their saviour was nigh. A dark
+shadow passed under their eyes--in their ears was a rushing sound like
+the "whish" of a falling body--and at the same instant a large bird
+darted down between them!
+
+It did not stay to alight. For a moment its strong broad wings agitated
+the air in their faces; but the next moment the bird made a sudden
+effort, and rose vertically upwards.
+
+Trüey's eyes fell upon the ground. The cobra was no longer there.
+
+With an exclamation of joy she sprang forward, and, throwing her arms
+around Jan, cried out,--
+
+"We are saved, brother!--we are saved!"
+
+Jan was somewhat bewildered. As yet he had seen no snake. He had seen
+the bird dart down between them; but so adroitly had it seized the cobra
+and carried it off, that Jan, looking only at Trüey, had not perceived
+the serpent in its beak. He was bewildered and terrified, for he still
+fancied that Trüey was in danger.
+
+When he heard her exclaim, "We are saved!" he was bewildered all the
+more.
+
+"But the snake!" he cried out. "Where is the snake?"
+
+As he put these questions, he kept examining Trüey from head to foot, as
+if expecting to see a reptile twined around some part of her body.
+
+"The snake, Jan! Did you not see it? It was just there, at our feet; but
+now--see! yonder it is. The secretary has got it. See! They are
+fighting! Good bird! I hope it will punish the villain for trying to rob
+my pretty weavers. That's it, good bird! Give it to him! See, Jan! What
+a fight!"
+
+"Oh, ah!" said Jan, now comprehending the situation. "Oh, ah! Sure
+enough, yonder is a snake, and a wopper, too. Ne'er fear, Trüey! Trust
+my secretary. He'll give the rascal a taste of his claws. There's a lick
+well put in! Another touch like that, and there won't be much life left
+in the scaly villain. There again,--wop!"
+
+With these and similar exclamations the two children stood watching the
+fierce conflict that raged between the bird and the reptile.
+
+Now this bird was a very peculiar one--so much so, that in all the world
+there is no other of the same kind. In form it resembled a crane, having
+very long legs, and being about the height and size of a crane. Its head
+and beak, however, were more like those of an eagle or vulture. It had
+well-developed wings, armed with spurs, and a very long tail, with the
+two middle feathers longer than the rest. Its general colour was bluish
+grey, with a white throat and breast, and a reddish tinge upon the
+wing-feathers. But, perhaps, the most remarkable thing about the bird
+was its "crest." This consisted of a number of long, blackish plumes
+growing out of its occiput, and extending down the back of its neck
+nearly to the shoulders. These gave the bird a very peculiar appearance;
+and the fancied resemblance to a secretary of the olden time with his
+long quill behind his ear--before steel pens came into fashion--is the
+reason why the bird has received the very inappropriate name of the
+"Secretary-bird."
+
+It is more properly named the "serpent-eater," and naturalists have
+given it the title _Gypogeranus_, or "crane-vulture." It is sometimes
+also called "the messenger," from the staid solemn manner of its walk,
+as it stalks over the plain.
+
+Of all its names that of "serpent-eater" is the best adapted to the
+character of the bird. It is true there are other birds that kill and
+eat serpents,--as the "guaco" bird of South America, and many hawks and
+kites,--but the secretary is the only winged creature that makes
+reptiles of this class exclusively its prey, and carries on a constant
+war against them. It is not strictly correct to say that it feeds
+exclusively upon snakes. It will also eat lizards, tortoises, and even
+locusts; but snakes are certainly its favourite food, and to obtain
+these it risks its life in many a deadly encounter with those of a very
+large kind.
+
+The serpent-eater is an African bird, and is not peculiar to South
+Africa alone, as it is found in the Gambia country. It is also a native
+of the Philippine Isles. There is some doubt whether the species of the
+Philippine Isles is identical with that of Africa. A difference is noted
+in the plumage, though very slight. The disposition of the crest-plumes
+differs in the two, and the tail-feathers are differently arranged. In
+the African species the two middle ones are the longest, while in the
+serpent-eater of the Philippines it is the two outside feathers that
+project--giving the bird the appearance of having a "fork" or "swallow"
+tail. Some points of distinction have also been observed between the
+South African bird and that of the Gambia.
+
+The serpent-eater is, however, a very unique bird; and naturalists,
+failing to class it with either hawks, eagles, vultures, gallinæ, or
+cranes, have elevated it, so as to form a distinct tribe, family, genus,
+and species, of itself.
+
+In South Africa it frequents the great plains and dry karoos, stalking
+about in search of its prey. It is not gregarious, but lives solitary or
+in pairs, making its nest in trees,--usually those of a thick thorny
+species, which renders the nest most difficult of approach. The whole
+edifice is about three feet in diameter, and resembles the nests of the
+tree-building eagles. It is usually lined with feathers and down, and
+two or three eggs are the number deposited for a single hatching.
+
+The serpent-eater is an excellent runner, and spends more time on foot
+than on the wing. It is a shy wary bird, yet, notwithstanding, it is
+most easily domesticated; and it is not uncommon to see them about the
+houses of the Cape farmers, where they are kept as pets, on account of
+their usefulness in destroying snakes, lizards, and other vermin. They
+have been long ago introduced into the French West India Islands, and
+naturalised there--in order that they should make war upon the dangerous
+"yellow serpent," the plague of the plantations in those parts.
+
+Now the bird which had so opportunely appeared between Jan and Trüey,
+and had no doubt saved one or the other, or both, from the deadly bite
+of the _spuugh-slang_, was a serpent-eater,--one that had been tamed,
+and that made its home among the branches of the great nwana-tree. The
+hunters had found it upon the plain, wounded by some animal,--perhaps a
+very large snake,--and had brought it home as a curiosity. In time it
+quite recovered from its wounds; but the kindness it had received,
+during the period when it was an invalid, was not thrown away upon it.
+When it recovered the use of its wings, it refused to leave the society
+of its protectors, but remained habitually in the camp--although it made
+frequent excursions into the surrounding plains in search of its
+favourite food. It always, however, returned at night, and roosted among
+the branches of the great nwana-tree. Of course it was Jan's pet, and
+Jan was very good to it; but it now repaid all his kindness in saving
+him from the fangs of the deadly cobra.
+
+The children, having recovered from their alarm, stood watching the
+singular conflict between serpent and serpent-eater.
+
+On first seizing the reptile, the bird had caught it by the neck in its
+beak. It might not have accomplished this so readily, had not the
+attention of the snake been occupied by the children, thus throwing it
+off its guard.
+
+Having succeeded in seizing the reptile, the bird rose nearly in a
+vertical direction to a height of many yards, and then opening his beak
+permitted the serpent to fall to the ground. His object was to stun the
+latter by the fall; and the more effectually to do this, he would have
+carried the cobra still higher, had not the latter prevented it by
+attempting to coil itself around his wings.
+
+Upon letting fall his prey the serpent-eater did not remain in the air.
+On the contrary, he darted after the falling reptile, and the moment the
+latter touched the ground, and before it could put itself in an attitude
+of defence, the bird "pounced" upon it with spread foot, striking it a
+violent blow near the neck. The snake was still but slightly damaged,
+and throwing itself into a coil stood upon its defence. Its mouth was
+open to its widest extent, its tongue protruded, its fangs were erect,
+and its eyes flashing with rage and poison. A terrible antagonist it
+appeared, and for a moment the secretary seemed to think so, as he stood
+on the ground confronting it.
+
+But the bird soon began to advance upon it for a renewal of the attack,
+though this advance was made in a cautious manner. With the pinions of
+one of his strong wings spread broadly out for a shield, he approached
+the reptile sideways, and, when near enough, suddenly wheeled, turning
+upon his leg as on a pivot, and struck sharply out with his other wing.
+The blow was delivered with good effect. It reached the head of the
+snake, and seemed to stun it. Its neck dropped, the coils became
+loosened. Before it could recover itself it was once more in the beak of
+the serpent-eater, and trailing through the air.
+
+This time the bird rose to a much greater height than before--as he was
+not hampered by the writhing of the serpent--and as before suffered the
+reptile to fall, and then darted suddenly after.
+
+When the snake came to the ground a second time it lay for a moment
+stretched at full length, as if stunned or dead. It was not dead,
+however, and would once more have coiled itself; but, before it could do
+so, the bird had repeatedly pounced upon its neck with his spread and
+horny feet; and at length, watching his opportunity when the head of the
+serpent lay flat, he struck a blow with his sharp beak so violent, that
+it split the skull of the reptile in twain! Life was now extinct, and
+the hideous form, extended to its full length, lay lithe and motionless
+upon the grass.
+
+Jan and Trüey clapped their hands, and uttered exclamations of joy.
+
+The serpent-eater took no heed of their demonstrations, but, approaching
+the dead cobra, bent over it, and coolly set about making his dinner.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS.
+
+
+Von Bloom and his family had now been months without bread. They were
+not without a substitute, however, as various roots and nuts supplied
+them with a change of food. Of the latter, they had the ground or
+pig-nut, which grows in all parts of Southern Africa, and which forms a
+staple food of the native inhabitants. For vegetables they had the bulbs
+of many species of _Ixias_ and _Mesembryanthemums_, among others the
+"Hottentot fig." They had the "Caffir bread"--the inside pith of the
+stems of a species of _Zamia_; and the "Caffir chestnut," the fruit of
+the _Brabeium stellatum_; and last, not least, the enormous roots of the
+"elephant's foot." They had wild onions and garlic too; and in the white
+flower-tops of a beautiful floating plant, they found a substitute for
+asparagus.
+
+All these roots and fruits were to be obtained in the neighbourhood, and
+no man knew better how to find them, and "crow" them up when found, than
+did Swartboy the Bushman. Well might he, for in Swartboy's early days he
+had often been compelled to subsist for weeks, and even months, on roots
+alone!
+
+But although they could procure a constant supply of these natural
+productions, they considered them but a poor substitute for bread; and
+all of them longed to eat once more what is usually termed the "staff of
+life"--though in South Africa, where so many people live exclusively
+upon the flesh of animals, bread is hardly entitled to that appellation.
+
+Bread they were likely to have, and soon. When treking from the old
+kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize. It was the last
+of their previous year's stock; and there was not in all over a bushel
+of it. But that was enough for seed, and would produce many bushels if
+properly planted, and carefully tended.
+
+This had been done shortly after their arrival at their present home. A
+fertile spot of ground had been selected, only a few hundred yards from
+the nwana-tree. It had been turned up with the spade, for want of a
+plough, and the seeds planted at proper distances.
+
+Many an hour had been given to the weeding and hoeing of it, and around
+every plant a little hill of soft mould had been raised, to nourish the
+roots, and protect them from the heat of the sun. The plants were even
+watered now and then.
+
+Partly on account of this attention, and partly from the richness of the
+virgin soil, a splendid growth was the result; and the stalks stood full
+twelve feet high, with ears nearly a foot long. They had almost ripened;
+and the field-cornet intended in about a week or ten days to gather in
+the crop.
+
+Both he and all his people were anticipating pleasant feasts of
+maize-bread, and "hominy," with "mash and milk," and various other
+dishes, that with Totty's skill could be manufactured out of the Indian
+corn.
+
+About this time an incident occurred that nearly deprived them, not only
+of their whole plot of maize-plants, but also of their valuable
+housekeeper, Totty. It was as follows:--
+
+Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded a
+view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far as the
+bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about "house" affairs, when her
+attention was called off, by some singular noises that came from that
+direction. She parted the branches and looked through. A singular scene
+was before her eyes--a spectacle of no common kind.
+
+A body of odd-looking animals, to the number of two hundred or more, was
+coming from the direction of the cliffs. They were creatures of ungainly
+forms--in make and size not unlike large ill-shaped dogs--and of a
+greenish-brown colour. Their faces and ears only were black, and these
+were naked, while their bodies were covered with harsh coarse hair. They
+had long tails, which some of them carried high in the air, and
+flourished about in a very eccentric manner.
+
+Totty was by no means alarmed. She knew what sort of animals they were.
+She knew they were baboons. They were of the species known as the
+"pig-faced" baboon or "chacma" (_Cynocephalus porcarius_), which is
+found in nearly every part of South Africa where there are high cliffs
+with caves and crevices--the favourite dwelling-places of the baboon.
+
+Of all the monkey tribe the baboons, or dog-headed monkeys
+(_cynocephali_), are the most disgusting in form and features. Who does
+not feel disgust when regarding the hideous mandrill--the drill--the
+hamadryas--or even the chacma? And all these are baboons. The baboons
+are peculiar to Africa, and there are six well-known species of
+them:--the common baboon of North Africa, the "papion" of the south and
+western coast, the "hamadryas or tartarin" of Abyssinia, the "mandrill"
+and "drill" of Guinea, and the "chacma" of the Cape Colony.
+
+The habits of these animals are as disgusting as their appearance. They
+may be tamed, and made "pets" of; but dangerous pets they are, as they
+will, upon, the slightest provocation, bite the hand that feeds them.
+
+Their great strength of body and jaw, and their long canine teeth, give
+them a dangerous power, which they often make use of. No dog is a match
+for one, and the hyena and leopard often come off second best in an
+encounter with a baboon.
+
+They are not carnivorous, however, and only tear their enemy to pieces
+without eating it. Their food consists of fruits and bulbous roots,
+which they well understand to dig out of the ground with the sharp nails
+of their hands.
+
+Although they will not attack man if left alone, they become dangerous
+assailants when hunted and brought to bay.
+
+Many odd stories are told of the chacma baboon among the settlers of
+Southern Africa, such as their robbing the traveller of his food, and
+then going off to some distance, and mocking him, while they devour it.
+The natives also say that they sometimes use a stick in walking,
+"crowing" for roots, and in self-defence. Also, when a young one has
+succeeded in finding a choice root, and is observed by an older and
+stronger one, that the latter takes it away; but, should the young one
+have already swallowed it, then the bully picks him up, turns him head
+downward, and shakes him until he is forced to "disgorge!" Many such
+tales are current in the country of the boers, and they are not all
+without foundation, for these animals most certainly possess the power
+of reflection in a high degree.
+
+Totty from her perch saw enough to convince her of this, had she been
+herself inclined to philosophise. But she was not. She was only a little
+curious about the manoeuvres of the animals, and she called Trüey and
+little Jan up into the tree, in order that they might share the
+spectacle with her. All the others were off hunting.
+
+Jan was delighted, and ran up the ladder at once. So did Trüey and all
+three stood watching the odd movements of the four-handed creatures.
+
+They perceived that the troop was actually marching in order; not in
+line, but with some understood arrangement. There were scouts upon the
+wings, and leaders in front. These were baboons of greater age and size
+than the others. There were calls and signals, and the change of accent
+and tone would have convinced any one that a regular conversation was
+going on. The females and younger ones marched in the middle for better
+security. The mothers carried their infants upon their backs, or over
+their shoulders. Now a mother would stop to suckle her little
+offspring--dressing its hair at the same time--and then gallop forward
+to make up for the loss. Now one would be seen beating her child, that
+had in some way given offence. Now two young females would quarrel, from
+jealousy or some other cause, and then a terrible chattering would
+ensue, to be silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs!
+
+Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screaming, and
+barking, as only monkeys can.
+
+What were they after?
+
+That question was answered very soon. Trüey and Jan, and Totty saw, to
+their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an idle errand. They
+were after the maize-plants!
+
+[Illustration: TOTTY IN TROUBLE.]
+
+In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and were
+hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the plants. A few
+only could be seen,--large old fellows, that stationed themselves
+outside as sentinels, and were keeping up a constant interchange of
+signals. The main body was already stripping the plants of their
+precious fruit.
+
+But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field, where
+a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another,
+extended away to the very bottom of the cliff. These had been left by a
+regular manoeuvre,--a deployment--as the troop traversed the plain in
+coming to the field. For what purpose?
+
+That was soon apparent. In less than two minutes after the crowd
+disappeared under the shelter of the maize-plants, the long heads in
+their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by the
+hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately took
+them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next, and so on,
+until, in a very short while from the time a head was plucked from the
+stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the baboons far off among
+the cliffs!
+
+Had this work gone on much longer the field-cornet would have had but a
+poor gathering in harvest time. The baboons thought the corn ripe
+enough, and would soon have made a crop of it, but at this moment their
+operations were interrupted.
+
+Totty knew but little of the danger she underwent, when she ran forth
+with nothing but that long broom-handle to drive off a troop of chacmas.
+She only thought of the loss her kind master was sustaining; and down
+the ladder she hurried, and ran straight out to the corn-field.
+
+Several sentinels met her by its edge, grinned, chattered, screamed,
+barked, and showed their long canine teeth; but they only received a
+blow over their ugly snouts from the broom-handle. Their cries summoned
+the others; and in a few moments the poor Hottentot was standing in the
+midst of an angry circle of chacmas, that were only prevented from
+springing in upon her by the expert manner in which she continued to ply
+the broom-stick.
+
+But this slight weapon would not have served much longer, and Totty's
+fate--that of being torn to pieces--would soon have been sealed, had not
+four horsemen, or rather "quagga-men," at that moment galloped up to her
+rescue.
+
+These were the hunters returning from the chase; and a volley from their
+guns at once scattered the ugly chacmas, and sent them howling back to
+their caves.
+
+After that the field-cornet looked well to his maize, until it was ready
+for gathering; when it was all brought home, and deposited in safety out
+of the reach of either birds, reptiles, quadrupeds, or _quadrumana_.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST.
+
+
+Since the taming of the quaggas the hunting had been attended with
+tolerable success. Not a week passed without adding a pair of
+tusks--sometimes two or three pairs--to the collection, which now began
+to assume the form of a little pyramid of ivory standing near the bottom
+of the nwana.
+
+Von Bloom, however, was not quite satisfied with his progress. He
+thought they might do far better if they had only a few dogs.
+
+Though the quaggas were of great service to them, and with these they
+were often able to overtake the elephant, yet they as often lost their
+great game, and it is more easy to do so than most persons imagine.
+
+But with dogs to join in the hunt, the result would be quite different.
+It is true these animals cannot pull down an elephant, nor do him the
+slightest injury; but they can follow him whithersoever he may go, and
+by their barking bring him to a stand.
+
+Another valuable service which the dogs perform, is in drawing the
+attention of the elephant away from the hunters. The huge quadruped when
+enraged is, as we have already seen, exceedingly dangerous. On such
+occasions he will charge upon the noisy dogs, mistaking them for his
+real assailants. This, of course, gives the hunter a good opportunity of
+delivering his fire, and avoiding the deadly encounter of the elephant.
+
+Now in several elephant-hunts which they had lately made, our hunters
+had run some very narrow risks. Their quaggas were neither so manageable
+nor so quick in their movements as horses would have been, and this
+rendered the hazard still greater. Some of them might one day fall a
+victim. So feared Von Bloom; and he would gladly have given for a number
+of dogs an elephant's tusk a-piece--even though they were the most
+worthless of curs. Indeed, their quality is but of slight importance.
+Any dogs that can trace the elephant and pester him with their barking
+would do.
+
+Von Bloom even thought of taming some hyenas, and training them to the
+hunt. This idea was by no means quixotic. The hyena is often used for
+such a purpose, and performs even better than many kinds of dogs.
+
+One day Von Bloom was pondering over this subject. He was seated on a
+little platform that had been constructed very high up--near the top of
+the nwana-tree--from which a view could be had of the whole country
+around. It was a favourite resort of the field-cornet--his smoking-room,
+in fact--where he went every evening to enjoy a quiet pull out of his
+great meerschaum. His face was turned upon the plain that stretched from
+the border of the _bosch_ as far as the eye could reach.
+
+While quietly puffing away, his attention was attracted by some animals
+standing at a distance off upon the plain. The brilliant colour of their
+bodies had caught his eye.
+
+They were of a lively sienna colour over the back and sides, and white
+underneath, with a list of black upon the outside of the legs, and some
+black stripes upon the face, as regularly defined as if laid on by the
+brush of a painter. They had horns of very irregular shape, roughly
+knotted--each curved into something of the shape of a reaping-hook, and
+rising directly from the top of one of the straightest and longest heads
+ever carried by an animal. These animals were far from being gracefully
+formed. They had drooping hind-quarters like the giraffe, though in a
+much less degree, shoulders greatly elevated, and long narrow heads. For
+the rest their forms were bony and angular. Each stood five feet high,
+from the fore-hoof to the shoulder, and full nine feet in length.
+
+They were antelopes of course--that species known among Cape colonists
+as the "hartebeest." There were in all about fifty of them in the herd.
+
+When first observed by Von Bloom, they were quietly browsing upon the
+plain. The next moment, however, they were seen to run to and fro, as if
+suddenly alarmed by the approach of an enemy.
+
+And an enemy there certainly was; for in a moment more the herd had
+taken to flight; and Von Bloom now saw that they were followed by a pack
+of hounds! I say a "pack of hounds," for the creatures in the distance
+exactly resembled hounds more than anything in the world. Nay, more than
+resembled, for it actually was a pack of hounds--of wild hounds!
+
+Of course Von Bloom knew what they were. He knew they were the
+"wilde-honden," very absurdly named by sapient naturalists _Hyena
+venatica_ or "hunting hyena," and by others, with equal absurdity the
+"hunting dog." I pronounce these names "absurd," first because the
+animal in question bears no more resemblance to a hyena than it does to
+a hedgehog; and, secondly, because "hunting dog" is a very ridiculous
+appellation, since any dog may merit a similar title.
+
+Now I would ask, why could these naturalists not let the nomenclature of
+the boers alone? If a better name than "wilde-honden" (wild hounds) can
+be given to these animals, I should like to hear it. Why, it is the very
+perfection of a name, and exactly expresses the character of the animal
+to which they apply it--that character, which coming under their
+everyday observation, suggested the name.
+
+It is quite a libel to call this beautiful creature a hyena. He has
+neither the ugly form, the harsh pelage, the dull colour, nor the filthy
+habits of one. Call him a "wolf," or "wild dog," if you please, but he
+is at the same time the handsomest wolf or wild dog in creation. But we
+shall name him, as the boers have done, a "wild hound." That is his true
+title, let naturalists class him as they may.
+
+His size, shape, his smooth clean coat, as well as his colour,
+approximate him more to the hound than to any other animal. In the
+last--which is a ground of "tan" blotched and mottled with large spots
+of black and grey--he bears a striking resemblance to the common hound;
+and the superior size of his ears would seem to assimilate him still
+more to this animal. The ears, however, as in all the wild species of
+_Canis_, are of course not hanging, but erect.
+
+His habits, however, crown the resemblance. In his natural state the
+wild hound never prowls alone; but boldly runs down his game, following
+it in large organised packs, just as hounds do; and in his hunting he
+exhibits as much skill as if he had Tom Moody riding at his heels, to
+guide with whip and horn.
+
+It was the field-cornet's good fortune to witness an exhibition of this
+skill.
+
+The hounds had come unexpectedly upon the hartebeest herd; and almost at
+the first dash, one of the antelopes became separated from the rest, and
+ran in an opposite direction. This was just what the cunning dogs
+wanted; and the whole pack, instead of following the herd, turned after
+the single one, and ran "tail on end."
+
+Now this hartebeest, although an ill-shaped antelope, is one of the very
+swiftest of the tribe; and the wild hound does not capture it without a
+severe chase. In fact, he could not capture it at all, if speed were the
+only point between the two animals. But it is not. The hartebeest has a
+weakness in its character, opposite to which the wild hound possesses a
+cunning.
+
+The former when chased, although it runs in a straight line, does not
+keep long in a direct course. Now and then it diverges to one side or
+the other, led perhaps by the form of the ground, or some other
+circumstance. In this habit lies its weakness. The wild hound is well
+aware of it, and takes advantage of it by a manoeuvre, which certainly
+savours strongly of reflection on his part.
+
+Our field-cornet had a proof of this as he watched the chase. His
+elevated position gave him a view of the whole ground, and he could note
+every movement both of pursuer and pursued.
+
+On breaking off, the hartebeest ran in a right line, and the hounds
+followed straight after. They had not gone far, however, when Von Bloom
+perceived that one hound was forging ahead of the rest, and running much
+faster than any of them. He might have been a swifter dog than the
+others, but the hunter did not think it was that. He appeared rather to
+be running harder that they, as if sent forward to push the hartebeest,
+while the rest saved their wind.
+
+This proved to be really the case; for the dog, by a desperate effort,
+having gained upon the antelope, caused the latter to turn slightly from
+it original course; and the pack, perceiving this, changed their
+direction at the same time, and held along a diagonal line, as if to
+head the game. By this means they avoided the détour which both the
+antelope and their companion had made.
+
+The hartebeest was now running upon a new line; and as before, one of
+the hounds was soon seen to head the pack, and press forward at the top
+of his speed. The one that first led, as soon as the antelope turned
+from its original course, fell back, rejoined the pack, and was now
+lagging among the hindmost! His "turn" of duty was over.
+
+Again the hartebeest verged from its course. Again the pack ran
+obliquely, and made a second "cut" upon him--again a fresh dog took the
+lead, and on swept the chase as before--the wild hounds uttering their
+yelping notes as they ran.
+
+Several times was this manoeuvre executed by the cunning dogs--until the
+desired result was accomplished, and the antelope was completely
+"blown."
+
+Then, as if they felt that it was in their power, and that further
+strategy was not needed, the whole pack rushed forward simultaneously,
+and closed rapidly upon the game.
+
+The hartebeest made one last despairing effort to escape, but, finding
+that speed would no longer avail, the creature wheeled suddenly round,
+and placed itself in an attitude of defiance--the foam falling from its
+lips, while its red eyes sparkled like coals of fire.
+
+In another moment the dogs were around it.
+
+"What a splendid pack!" exclaimed Von Bloom. "Oh! that I had such an
+one!
+
+"Ha!" he continued, as a new thought struck him, "and why not, just such
+an one?--why not?"
+
+Now the train of reflections that passed through the mind of the
+field-cornet was as follows:--
+
+That the wild hounds might be tamed, and trained to hunting,--easiest of
+all, to the chase of the elephant. He knew that this could be done, for
+boer-hunters had often done it. True, the dogs must be taken young, but
+where were young ones to be obtained? It is not so easy to capture the
+pups of the wild hound. Until they are able to run well, their mothers
+do not permit them to stray far from the caves in which they are
+littered; and these are usually crevices among rocks quite inaccessible
+to man. How could he obtain a set of them? He had already formed such an
+intention. Where could be their breeding place?
+
+His reflections were interrupted at this point, by very singular
+behaviour on the part of the wild hounds, and which gave him a new idea
+of their intelligence that quite electrified him.
+
+When the hartebeest stood to bay, and the hounds came up, Von Bloom very
+naturally expected to see the latter run in upon their game, and at once
+pull it to the ground. This he knew was their usual habit. What was his
+astonishment at seeing the whole pack standing off to one side, as if
+they intended to leave the antelope alone! Some of them even lay down to
+rest themselves, while the others stood with open jaws and lolling
+tongues, but without showing any signs that they intended further to
+molest the panting quarry!
+
+The field-cornet could observe the situation well, for the antelope was
+on his side--that is, towards the cliffs--while the dogs were farther
+out upon the plain. Another circumstance that astonished him was, that
+the dogs, after running up and around the hartebeest, had actually drawn
+off to their present position!
+
+What could it mean? Were they afraid of its ugly horns? Were they
+resting themselves before they should make their bloody onslaught!
+
+The hunter kept his gaze intently fixed upon the interesting group.
+
+After a while the antelope, having recovered its wind a little, and
+seeing the pack so distant, made a fresh start.
+
+This time it ran in a side direction, apparently with the intention of
+gaining a hill that lay in that way, and up the sides of which it no
+doubt calculated upon gaining some advantage. But the creature had
+hardly stretched itself, when the hounds struck out after it; and in
+five hundred yards running, once more brought it to a stand. Again the
+pack took station at a distance, and the hartebeest stood upon the plain
+alone!
+
+Once more it essayed to escape, and started off with all the speed that
+was left in its legs--the hounds as before trooping after.
+
+This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a point in
+the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the nwana-tree,
+everybody had a fine view of it.
+
+The hartebeest seemed to be going faster than ever, or, at all events,
+the dogs did not now appear to gain upon it; and the field-cornet, as
+well as all the young people, were in hopes the poor creature would
+escape from its tireless pursuers.
+
+They watched the chase, until they could just see the bright body of the
+hartebeest afar off, appearing like a yellow spot upon the face of the
+rocks, but the dogs were no longer visible. Then the yellow spot
+suddenly disappeared like the going out of a candle, and they could see
+it no more.
+
+No doubt the antelope was pulled down!
+
+A strange suspicion entered the mind of Von Bloom, and, calling upon
+them to saddle the quaggas, he, with Hans and Hendrik, rode off towards
+the place where the hartebeests had been last seen.
+
+They approached the ground with caution; and under the shelter of some
+bushes were enabled to get within two hundred yards of the spot without
+being observed. A singular spectacle rewarded their pains.
+
+Within a dozen yards of the cliff lay the body of the hartebeest, where
+it had been "pulled down" by the dogs. It was already half eaten, not by
+the hounds that had hunted it, but by their puppies of all ages, that to
+the number of more than threescore were now standing around the carcass,
+tugging away at its flesh and snarling at one another! Some of the grown
+dogs that had taken part in the chase could be seen lying upon the
+ground, still panting after their hard run; but most of them had
+disappeared, no doubt into the numerous small caves and crevices that
+opened along the bottom of the cliffs.
+
+There was no room left to doubt the singular fact--that the wild hounds
+had regularly driven the hartebeest up to their breeding-place to feed
+their young, and that they had abstained from killing it out upon the
+plain to save themselves the labour of dragging it from a distance!
+
+Indeed these animals--unlike the _Felidæ_--have not the power of
+transporting a large mass to any considerable distance; hence the
+wonderful instinct which led them to guide the antelope to the very spot
+where its flesh was wanted!
+
+That they were in the constant practice of this singular habit was
+attested, by the numerous bones and horns of large antelopes of
+different kinds, that lay strewed around the place.
+
+Von Bloom had his eye upon the young puppies, and all three made a rush
+towards them. But it was to no purpose. Cunning as their fathers and
+mothers, the little fellows forsook their meal at first sight of the
+intruders, and darted off into their caves!
+
+But they were not cunning enough to escape the snares, which were laid
+for them every day for a week after; and, before the end of that time,
+more than a dozen of them were safely domiciled in a little kennel built
+especially for their use, under the shadow of the great nwana-tree.
+
+In less that six months from that time, several of them were in the
+field, and trained to the chase of the elephant, which duty they
+performed with all the courage and skill that could have been shown by
+hounds of the purest breed!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+For several years Von Bloom led the life of an elephant-hunter. For
+several years the great nwana-tree was his home, and his only companions
+his children and domestics. But, perhaps, these were not the least happy
+years of his existence, since, during all the time both he and his
+family had enjoyed the most estimable of earthly blessings,--health.
+
+He had not allowed his children to grow up without instruction. He had
+not permitted them to lapse into the character of mere "Bush-boys." He
+had taught them many things from the book of nature,--many arts that can
+be acquired as well on the karoo as in the college. He had taught them
+to love God, and to love one another. He had planted in their minds the
+seeds of the virtuous principles,--honour and morality,--without which
+all education is worthless. He had imbued them with habits of industry
+and self-reliance, and had initiated them into many of the
+accomplishments of civilised life--so that upon their return to society
+they might be quite equal to its claims. Upon the whole, those years of
+the exile's life, spent in his wilderness home, formed no blank in his
+existence. He might look back upon them with feelings of satisfaction
+and pleasure.
+
+Man, however, is formed for society. The human heart, properly
+organised, seeks communion with the human heart; and the mind,
+especially when refined and polished by education, loves the intercourse
+of social life, and, when deprived of it, will always yearn to obtain
+it.
+
+So was it with the field-cornet. He desired to return once more within
+the pale of civilised society. He desired once more to revisit the
+scenes where he had so long dwelt in peaceful happiness; he desired once
+more to establish himself among his friends and acquaintances of former
+days, in the picturesque district in the Graaf Reinet. Indeed, to have
+remained any longer in his wilderness home could have served no purpose.
+It is true he had grown very much attached to his wild hunter-life, but
+it was no longer likely to be profitable. The elephants had completely
+forsaken the neighbourhood of the camp, and not one was to be found
+within twenty miles of the spot. They had become well-acquainted with
+the report of the long roer, and knew the dangerous character of that
+weapon; they had learnt that of all their enemies man was the one to be
+especially dreaded and shunned; and they had grown so shy of his
+presence, that the hunters frequently passed whole weeks without setting
+their eyes upon a single elephant.
+
+But this was no longer an object of solicitude with Von Bloom. Other
+considerations now occupied his mind, and he did not care much if he
+should never spoor another of these huge quadrupeds. To return to the
+Graaf Reinet, and settle there, was now the ultimatum of his wishes.
+
+The time had at length arrived when he would be able to carry out that
+design; and nothing seemed any longer to stand in the way of its full
+and complete accomplishment.
+
+The proscription against him had been long since taken off. A general
+amnesty had been passed by the government, and he had been pardoned
+among the rest.
+
+It is true his property was not restored to him; but that mattered
+little now. He had created a new property, as was testified by the vast
+pyramid of ivory that stood under the shadow of the great nwana-tree!
+
+Nothing remained but to transport this shining pile to a market, and a
+splendid fortune would be the result.
+
+And Von Bloom's ingenuity found the means for bringing it to market.
+
+About this time there was dug another huge pit-trap near the pass in the
+cliffs, in which many quaggas were trapped; and then, there were
+stirring scenes, while these wild creatures were being broken to
+harness, and trained to "trek" in a wagon.
+
+They were trained, however, after a good deal of trouble--the old
+wheels, still in prime condition, serving as the "break;" and then the
+body of the wagon was let down from the tree, and once more renewed its
+acquaintance with its old companions the wheels; and the cap-tent
+spread its protecting shadow over all; and the white and yellow
+crescents were stowed; and the quaggas were "inspanned;" and Swartboy,
+mounting the "voor-kist," once more cracked his long bamboo whip; and
+the wheels, well oiled with elephants' grease, again whirled gaily
+along!
+
+How surprised were the good people of Graaf Beinet, when one morning a
+cap-tent wagon, drawn by twelve quaggas, and followed by four riders
+mounted upon animals of the same kind, pulled up in the public square of
+their little town! How astonished they were on seeing that this wagon
+was "chuck" full of elephants' teeth, all except a little corner
+occupied by a beautiful girl with cherry cheeks and fair flaxen hair;
+and how joyed were they, in fine, on learning that the owner of both the
+ivory and the beautiful girl was no other than their old friend, and
+much-esteemed fellow-citizen, the field-cornet, Von Bloom!
+
+A warm welcome met the elephant-hunter in the square of Graaf Reinet,
+and, what was also of some importance, a ready market for his ivory.
+
+It chanced just at that time that ivory was selling at a very high rate.
+Some article--I do not remember what--the principal part of which
+required to be constructed of pure ivory, had come into fashion and
+general use in European countries, and the consequence was an increased
+demand for this valuable commodity. It was a fortunate circumstance for
+the returned hunter, who was at once enabled to dispose of his stock,
+not only for ready money, but at such a fine price as to yield him
+nearly twice the amount he had calculated on receiving!
+
+He had not brought it all with him, as there was more than would have
+loaded any one wagon. A second load had remained, hidden near the
+nwana-tree, and this required a journey to be made for it.
+
+It was made in due time, and the remainder arrived safely at Graaf
+Reinet, and was there delivered to the ivory-dealers, who had already
+purchased it.
+
+The result was a splendid fortune in ready money. The field-cornet was
+once more a rich man!
+
+For the present we can follow his history no farther than to say, that
+the proceeds of his great hunt enabled him to buy back his old estate,
+and to stock it in splendid style, with the best breeds of horses,
+horned cattle, and sheep; that he rose rapidly in wealth and worldly
+esteem; that the government gave him its confidence; and, having first
+restored him to his old office of field-cornet, soon afterwards promoted
+him to that of "landdrost," or chief magistrate of the district.
+
+Hans returned to his college studies; while the dashing Hendrik was
+enabled to enter the profession for which he was most fit, and the very
+one that fitted him, by obtaining a cornetcy in the "Cape Mounted
+Rifles."
+
+Little Jan was packed off to school to study grammar and geography;
+while the beautiful Trüey remained at home to grace the mansion of her
+honoured father, and look after his household affairs.
+
+Totty still ruled the kitchen; and, of course, Swartboy was the
+important man about the house, and for many a long year after cracked
+his great whip, and flourished his jambok among the long-horned oxen of
+the wealthy landdrost.
+
+But enough for the present,--enough of adventure for one year. Let us
+hope, boy readers, that before you and I have circled once more around
+the sun, we shall make a fresh trip to the land of the boers, and again
+encounter the worthy Von Bloom, his Bushman, and--
+
+"BUSH-BOYS."
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
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+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" />
+    <title>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Captain Mayne Reid.
+    </title>
+    <style type="text/css">
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+
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Popular Adventure Tales
+
+Author: Mayne Reid
+
+Release Date: June 1, 2008 [EBook #25665]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Marcia Brooks and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"></a></span></p>
+<h1>POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES</h1>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a></span></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 349px;">
+<img src="images/illus-002.jpg" width="349" height="500" alt="THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER." title="THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER." />
+<span class="caption">THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a></span></p>
+
+
+
+
+<h2>Popular Adventure Tales</h2>
+
+<h4>COMPRISING</h4>
+
+<big>
+<span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS</i></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 4em;"><span class="smcap">or, The Boy Hunters in the North</span></span><br />
+<br /><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 8em;"><i>THE FOREST EXILES</i></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><span class="smcap">or, Adventures Amid the Wilds of the Amazon</span></span><br />
+<br /><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 14em;"><i>THE BUSH-BOYS</i></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 16em;" class="smcap">or, Adventures in the Wilds of Southern Africa</span><br />
+</big>
+<br /><br />
+<h3>By</h3>
+
+<h2>CAPTAIN MAYNE REID</h2>
+
+<h4><span class="smcap">Author of</span><br />
+&ldquo;<i>The Rifle Rangers</i>&rdquo; &ldquo;<i>The Wood Rangers</i>&rdquo;<br />
+<i>&amp;c., &amp;c.</i></h4>
+
+<h3><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></h3>
+
+
+<br /><br />
+<div class="center">
+LONDON<br />
+SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT &amp; CO.<br />
+GLASGOW: THOMAS D. MORISON<br />
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH</h2>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">5</a></span></p>
+
+
+<p>Captain Mayne Reid was born at Ballyroney, County Down,
+on the 4th April, 1818, and was the son of the Rev. Thomas
+Mayne Reid. Mayne Reid was educated with a view to the
+Church, but finding his inclinations opposed to this calling, he
+emigrated to America and arrived in New Orleans on January,
+1840. After a varied career as plantation over-seer, school-master,
+and actor, with a number of expeditions in connection
+with hunting and Indian warfare, he settled down in 1843 as a
+journalist in Philadelphia, where he made the acquaintance of
+Edgar Allan Poe.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Philadelphia in 1846, he spent the summer at Newport,
+Rhode Island, as the correspondent of the <i>New York Herald</i>,
+and in December of the same year, having obtained a commission
+as second lieutenant in the 1st New York Volunteers, he sailed
+for Vera Cruz to take part in the Mexican war. He behaved
+with conspicuous gallantry in many engagements, and was
+severely wounded and disabled at the storming of Chapultepec
+on the 13th September, 1847.</p>
+
+<p>Returning to the United States in the spring of 1848, he
+resumed literary work. But in June, 1849, he sailed for
+Europe in order to take part in the revolutionary movements
+going on in Hungary and Bavaria, arriving however too late, he
+turned his attention again to literature, and in London in 1850,
+published his first novel &ldquo;The Rifle Rangers,&rdquo; in two volumes.
+Between this date and his death, he produced a large number
+of volumes, which indeed no one else was capable of writing,
+for in them are avowedly embodied the observations and
+experiences of his own extraordinary career.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a></span></p>
+
+<p>Unfortunate building and journalistic speculation and enterprises
+involved him in financial failure, so he returned to New
+York in October, 1867. There he founded and conducted <i>The
+Onward Magazine</i>, but owing to recurring bad effects of his old
+Mexican wound, he had to abandon work for sometime and go
+into the hospital, on leaving which he returned to England in
+1870. During the later years of his life he resided at Ross in
+Herefordshire where he died on the 22nd October, 1883, and was
+buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.</p>
+
+<p>Mayne Reid wrote in all thirty-five works, chiefly books of
+adventure and travel. As in the case of all authors, the books
+vary much in merit, but most of them are of a high order in
+their own department of literature. Many of them have been
+extraordinary popular and have become standard works. Reid
+has not been surpassed by any other writer in combining at one
+and the same time, the features of thrilling adventure and great
+instruction in the fields of natural history. Many of the works
+have been translated into Continental languages and are as
+highly esteemed among the French and Germans as at home.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><a name="toc" id="toc"></a>
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">7</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="cap2"><span class="smcap">The Young Voyageurs</span></div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC1" width="70%">
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER I</i></td><td align='right'>PAGE</td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE FUR COUNTRIES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER II</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER III</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER V</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>&ldquo;CAST AWAY&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>DECOYING THE ANTELOPES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>&ldquo;A PARTRIDGE DANCE&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER X</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THREE CURIOUS TREES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE CHAIN OF LAKES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BLAIREAU, THE &ldquo;TAWNIES,&rdquo; AND THE &ldquo;LEOPARDS&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE FISH-HAWK</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>FISHING UNDER THE ICE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>AN ODD ALARM</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>LIFE IN A LOG-HUT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BARREN GROUNDS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ROCK-TRIPE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE POLAR HARE AND THE GREAT SNOWY OWL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE &ldquo;ALARM BIRD&rdquo; AND THE CARIBOU</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A BATTLE WITH WOLVES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_155">155</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>END OF THE &ldquo;VOYAGE&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr>
+</table>
+<br />
+<hr style="width: 35%;" />
+<br />
+
+
+<div class="cap2"><span class="smcap">The Forest Exiles</span>,</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC2" width="70%">
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER I</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER II</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE REFUGEES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER III</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE POISON-TREES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE SUPPER OF GUAPO</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER V</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE PUNA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE &ldquo;VAQUERO&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_181">181</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICU&Ntilde;AS, AND GUANACOS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_184">184</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A VICU&Ntilde;A HUNT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_187">187</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER X</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>CAPTURING A CONDOR</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_191">191</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE DESERTED MISSION</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE PALM-WOODS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A HOUSE OF PALMS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>TRACKING THE TAPIR</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE POISONED ARROWS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_216">216</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MILK-TREE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_221">221</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_224">224</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE CINCHONA-TREES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BARK-HUNTERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ANT-LION</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_242">242</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_246">246</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>AN ARMADILLO HUNT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_248">248</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE OCELOT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_251">251</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A FAMILY OF JAGUARS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE RAFT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_259">259</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE GUARDIAN BROTHER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_262">262</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE VAMPIRE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_265">265</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MARIMONDAS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_269">269</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MONKEY MOTHER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_274">274</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>AN UNEXPECTED GUEST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_279">279</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_282">282</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XL</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_284">284</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE FOREST FESTIVAL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_291">291</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>ACRES OF EGGS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_295">295</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_298">298</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_301">301</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE &ldquo;GAPO&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_304">304</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ARAGUATOES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_306">306</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>BRIDGING AN IGARIP&Eacute;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_308">308</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MANATI</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_311">311</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER L</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE CLOSING CHAPTER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_314">314</a></td></tr>
+</table>
+<br />
+<hr style="width: 35%;" />
+<br />
+
+
+<div class="cap2"><span class="smcap">The Bush-Boys,</span></div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC3" width="70%">
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER I</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BOERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_317">317</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER II</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE KRAAL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_319">319</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER III</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE SPRING-HAAN</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_322">322</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_325">325</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER V</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE LOCUST-FLIGHT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_329">329</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>&ldquo;INSPANN AND TREK!&rdquo;</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_333">333</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>WATER! WATER!</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_335">335</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER VIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE FATE OF THE HERD</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_339">339</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER IX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A LION COUCHANT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_341">341</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER X</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE LION IN THE TRAP</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_345">345</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE DEATH OF THE LION</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_348">348</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_351">351</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE TREK-BOKEN</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_354">354</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>SPOORING FOR A SPRING</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_359">359</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE TERRIBLE TSETSE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_361">361</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_364">364</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A HEAVY COMBAT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_367">367</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_371"><ins class="my corr" title="changed from 471">371</ins></a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>TURNED HUNTERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_375">375</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>JERKING AN ELEPHANT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_377">377</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE HIDEOUS HYENA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_379">379</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>STALKING THE OUREBI</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_388">388</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_390">390</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_393">393</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>UPON THE SPOOR</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_397">397</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A ROGUE ELEPHANT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_400">400</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_405">405</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_409">409</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_411">411</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>BESIEGED BY THE BULL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_414">414</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A HELPLESS BEAST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_416">416</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING ROOM</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_420">420</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_423">423</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_425">425</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_429">429</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE PIT-TRAP</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_433">433</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXVIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>DRIVING IN THE ELAND</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_436">436</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XXXIX</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_439">439</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XL</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE GUN-TRAP</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_444">444</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE WEAVER-BIRDS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_447">447</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE SPITTING-SNAKE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_450">450</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLIII</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE SERPENT-EATER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_452">452</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLIV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_456">456</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLV</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_460">460</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><i>CHAPTER XLVI</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td class='tdl'>CONCLUSION</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_465">465</a></td></tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<div class="trans-note"><p>Transcriber's Note: Obvious printer errors, (missing accents, missing
+letters, etc) including punctuation, have been silently corrected.</p>
+
+<p>All other inconsistencies including archaic spellings have been left as
+they were in the original.</p>
+
+<p>Added a List of Illustrations.</p></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS:</h2>
+
+<ul>
+<li>THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_2">Frontispiece</a></span></li>
+<li>THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></span></li>
+<li>BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></span></li>
+<li>THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></span></li>
+<li>THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></span></li>
+<li>THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></span></li>
+<li>BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></span></li>
+<li>THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></span></li>
+<li>THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></span></li>
+<li>THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_167">167</a></span></li>
+<li>GUAPO'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></span></li>
+<li>GUAPO AND THE 'NIMBLE PETERS.'<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_230">230</a></span></li>
+<li>THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_250">250</a></span></li>
+<li>THE VAMPIRE BAT.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_266">266</a></span></li>
+<li>ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_287">287</a></span></li>
+<li>THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_332">332</a></span></li>
+<li>THE LION IN A FIX.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_350">350</a></span></li>
+<li>A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_370">370</a></span></li>
+<li>HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_386">386</a></span></li>
+<li>SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_404">404</a></span></li>
+<li>HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_417">417</a></span></li>
+<li>THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_432">432</a></span></li>
+<li>HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_443">443</a></span></li>
+<li>TOTTY IN TROUBLE.<span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_459">459</a></span></li>
+</ul>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h1>Popular Adventure Tales.</h1>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="cap2">THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER I</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE FUR COUNTRIES</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">B</span>oy reader, you have heard of the Hudson's Bay Company?
+Ten to one you have worn a piece of fur which it has provided
+for you; if not, your pretty little sister has&mdash;in her muff, or her boa, or
+as a trimming for her winter dress. Would you like to know something
+of the country whence come these furs?&mdash;of the animals whose backs
+have been stripped to obtain them? As I feel certain that you and
+I are old friends, I make bold to answer for you&mdash;yes. Come, then!
+let us journey together to the &ldquo;Fur Countries;&rdquo; let us cross them
+from south to north.</p>
+
+<p>A vast journey it will be. It will cost us many thousand miles of
+travel. We shall find neither railway-train, nor steamboat, nor stagecoach,
+to carry us on our way. We shall not even have the help of a
+horse. For us no hotel shall spread its luxurious board; no road-side
+inn shall hang out its inviting sign and &ldquo;clean beds;&rdquo; no roof of any
+kind shall offer us its hospitable shelter. Our table shall be a rock, a
+log, or the earth itself; our lodging a tent; and our bed the skin of a
+wild beast. Such are the best accommodations we can expect upon our
+journey. Are you still ready to undertake it? Does the prospect
+not deter you?</p>
+
+<p>No&mdash;I hear you exclaim&mdash;I shall be satisfied with the table&mdash;what
+care I for mahogany? With the lodging&mdash;I can tent like an Arab.
+With the bed&mdash;fling feathers to the wind!</p>
+
+<p>Enough, brave boy! you shall go with me to the wild regions of
+the &ldquo;North-west,&rdquo; to the far &ldquo;fur countries&rdquo; of America. But, first&mdash;a
+word about the land through which we are going to travel.</p>
+
+<p>Take down your atlas. Bend your eye upon the map of North
+America. Note two large islands&mdash;one upon the right side, Newfoundland;
+another upon the left, Vancouver. Draw a line from one
+to the other; it will nearly bisect the continent. North of that line
+you behold a vast territory. How vast? You may take your scissors,
+and clip fifty Englands out of it! There are lakes there in which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span>
+you might <i>drown</i> England, or make an island of it! Now, you may
+form some idea of the vastness of that region known as the &ldquo;fur
+countries.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Will you believe me, when I tell you that all this immense tract is
+a wilderness&mdash;a howling wilderness, if you like a poetical name? It
+is even so. From north to south, from ocean to ocean&mdash;throughout
+all that vast domain, there is neither town nor village&mdash;hardly anything
+that can be dignified with the name of &ldquo;settlement.&rdquo; The only
+signs of civilisation to be seen are the &ldquo;forts,&rdquo; or trading posts of the
+Hudson's Bay Company; and these &ldquo;signs&rdquo; are few and far&mdash;hundreds
+of miles&mdash;between.</p>
+
+<p>For inhabitants, the country has less than ten thousand white men,
+the <i>employ&eacute;s</i> of the Company; and its native people are Indians of
+many tribes, living far apart, few in numbers, subsisting by the chase,
+and half starving for at least a third part of every year! In truth,
+the territory can hardly be called &ldquo;inhabited.&rdquo; There is not a man
+to every ten miles; and in many parts of it you may travel hundreds
+of miles without seeing a face, red, white, or black!</p>
+
+<p>The physical aspect is, therefore, entirely wild. It is very different
+in different parts of the territory. One tract is peculiar. It has been
+long known as the &ldquo;Barren Grounds.&rdquo; It is a tract of vast extent.
+It lies north-west from the shores of Hudson's Bay, extending nearly
+to the Mackenzie River. Its rocks are <i>primitive</i>. It is a land of hills
+and valleys&mdash;of deep dark lakes and sharp-running streams. It is a
+woodless region. No timber is found there that deserves the name.
+No trees but glandular dwarf birches, willows, and black spruce, small
+and stunted. Even these only grow in isolated valleys. More generally
+the surface is covered with coarse sand&mdash;the <i>debris</i> of granite or
+quartz-rock&mdash;upon which no vegetable, save the lichen or the moss,
+can find life and nourishment.</p>
+
+<p>In one respect these &ldquo;Barren Grounds&rdquo; are unlike the deserts of
+Africa: they are well watered. In almost every valley there is a
+lake; and though many of these are land-locked, yet do they contain
+fish of several species. Sometimes these lakes communicate with each
+other by means of rapid and turbulent streams passing through
+narrow gorges; and lines of those connected lakes form the great
+rivers of the district.</p>
+
+<p>Such is a large portion of the Hudson's Bay territory. Most of the
+extensive peninsula of Labrador partakes of a similar character; and
+there are other like tracts west of the Rocky Mountain range in the
+&ldquo;Russian possessions.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Yet these &ldquo;Barren Grounds&rdquo; have their denizens. Nature has
+formed animals that delight to dwell there, and that are never found
+in more fertile regions. Two ruminating creatures find sustenance
+upon the mosses and lichens that cover their cold rocks: they are the
+caribou (reindeer) and the musk-ox. These, in their turn, become the
+food and subsistence of preying creatures. The wolf, in all its
+varieties of grey, black, white, pied, and dusky, follows upon their
+trail. The &ldquo;brown bear&rdquo;&mdash;a large species, nearly resembling the
+&ldquo;grizzly&rdquo;&mdash;is found only in the Barren Grounds; and the great
+&ldquo;Polar bear&rdquo; comes within their borders, but the latter is a dweller
+upon their shores alone, and finds his food among the finny tribes of
+the seas that surround them. In marshy ponds, existing here and
+there, the musk-rat builds his house, like that of his larger cousin, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span>
+beaver. Upon the water sedge he finds subsistence; but his natural
+enemy, the wolverene, skulks in the same neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;Polar hare&rdquo; lives upon the leaves and twigs of the dwarf
+birch-tree; and this, transformed into its own white flesh, becomes
+the food of the Arctic fox. The herbage, sparse though it be, does
+not grow in vain. The seeds fall to the earth, but they are not
+suffered to decay. They are gathered by the little lemmings and
+meadow-mice, who, in their turn, become the prey of two species of
+<i>mustelid&aelig;</i>, the ermine and vison weasels. Have the fish of the lakes
+no enemy? Yes&mdash;a terrible one in the Canada otter. The mink-weasel,
+too, pursues them; and in summer, the osprey, the great
+pelican, the cormorant, and the white-headed eagle.</p>
+
+<p>These are the <i>fauna</i> of the Barren Grounds. Man rarely ventures
+within their boundaries. The wretched creatures who find a living
+there are the Esquimaux on their coasts, and a few Chippewa Indians
+in the interior, who hunt the caribou, and are known as &ldquo;caribou-eaters.&rdquo;
+Other Indians enter them only in summer, in search of
+game, or journeying from point to point; and so perilous are these
+journeyings, that numbers frequently perish by the way. There are
+no white men in the Barren Grounds. The &ldquo;Company&rdquo; has no
+commerce there. No fort is established in them: so scarce are the
+fur-bearing animals of these parts, their skins would not repay the
+expense of a &ldquo;trading post.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Far different are the &ldquo;wooded tracts&rdquo; of the fur countries. These
+lie mostly in the southern and central regions of the Hudson's Bay
+territory. There are found the valuable beaver and the wolverene
+that preys upon it. There dwells the American hare with its enemy
+the Canada lynx. There are the squirrels, and the beautiful martens
+(sables) that hunt them from tree to tree. There are found the foxes
+of every variety, the red, the cross, and the rare and highly-prized
+silver-fox, whose shining skin sells for its weight in gold! There, too,
+the black bear yields its fine coat to adorn the winter carriage, the
+holsters of the dragoon, and the shako of the grenadier. There the
+fur-bearing animals exist in greatest plenty, and many others whose
+skins are valuable in commerce, as the moose, the wapiti, and the
+wood-bison.</p>
+
+<p>But there is also a &ldquo;prairie&rdquo; district in the fur countries. The great
+table prairies of North America, that slope eastward from the Rocky
+Mountains, also extend northward into the Hudson's Bay territory.
+They gradually grow narrower, however, as you proceed farther north,
+until, on reaching the latitude of the Great Slave Lake, they end altogether.
+This &ldquo;prairie-land&rdquo; has its peculiar animals. Upon it roams
+the buffalo, the prong-horned antelope, and the mule-deer. There,
+too, may be seen the &ldquo;barking wolf&rdquo; and the &ldquo;swift fox.&rdquo; It is the
+favourite home of the marmots, and the gauffres or sand-rats; and
+there, too, the noblest of animals, the horse, runs wild.</p>
+
+<p>West of this prairie tract is a region of far different aspect&mdash;the
+region of the Rocky Mountains. This stupendous chain, sometimes
+called the Andes of North America, continues throughout the fur
+countries from their southern limits to the shores of the Arctic Sea.
+Some of its peaks overlook the waters of that sea itself, towering up
+near the coast. Many of these, even in southern latitudes, carry the
+&ldquo;eternal snow.&rdquo; This &ldquo;mountain-chain&rdquo; is, in places, of great
+breadth. Deep valleys lie in its embrace, many of which have never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span>
+been visited by man. Some are desolate and dreary; others are
+o&auml;ses of vegetation, which fascinate the traveller whose fortune it has
+been, after toiling among naked rocks, to gaze upon their smiling
+fertility.</p>
+
+<p>These lovely wilds are the favourite home of many strange animals.
+The argali, or mountain-sheep, with his huge curving horns, is seen
+there; and the shaggy wild goat bounds along the steepest cliffs.
+The black bear wanders through the wooded ravines; and his fiercer
+congener, the &ldquo;grizzly&rdquo;&mdash;the most dreaded of all American animals&mdash;drags
+his huge body along the rocky declivities.</p>
+
+<p>Having crossed the mountains, the fur countries extend westward
+to the Pacific. There you encounter barren plains, treeless and
+waterless; rapid rivers, that foam through deep, rock-bound
+channels; and a country altogether rougher in aspect, and more
+mountainous, than that lying to the east of the great chain. A
+warmer atmosphere prevails as you approach the Pacific, and in some
+places forests of tall trees cover the earth. In these are found most
+of the fur-bearing animals; and, on account of the greater warmth
+of the climate, the true <i>felid&aelig;</i>&mdash;the long-tailed cats&mdash;here wander
+much farther north than upon the eastern side of the continent.
+Even so far north as the forests of Oregon these appear in the forms
+of the cougar and the ounce.</p>
+
+<p>But it is not our intention at present to cross the Rocky Mountains.
+Our journey will lie altogether on the eastern side of that
+great chain. It will extend from the frontiers of civilization to the
+shores of the Arctic Sea. It is a long and perilous journey, boy
+reader; but as we have made up our minds to it, let us waste no
+more time in talking, but set forth at once. You are ready? Hurrah!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER II</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>here is a canoe upon the waters of Red River&mdash;Red River of the
+north. It is near the source of the stream, but passing downward.
+It is a small canoe, a frail structure of birch-bark, and contains only
+four persons. They are all young&mdash;the eldest of them evidently not
+over nineteen years of age, and the youngest about fifteen.</p>
+
+<p>The eldest is nearly full-grown, though his body and limbs have
+not yet assumed the muscular development of manhood. His complexion
+is dark, nearly olive. His hair is jet black, straight as an
+Indian's, and long. His eyes are large and brilliant, and his features
+prominent. His countenance expresses courage, and his well-set jaws
+betoken firmness and resolution. He does not belie his looks, for he
+possesses these qualifications in a high degree. There is a gravity in
+his manner, somewhat rare in one so young; yet it is not the result
+of a morose disposition, but a subdued temperament produced by
+modesty, good sense, and much experience. Neither has it the air of
+stupidity. No: you could easily tell that the mind of this youth, if
+once roused, would exhibit both energy and alertness. His quiet
+manner has a far different expression. It is an air of coolness and
+confidence, which tells you he has met with dangers in the past, and
+would not fear to encounter them again.</p>
+
+<p>It is an expression peculiar, I think, to the hunters of the &ldquo;Far<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span>
+West,&rdquo;&mdash;those men who dwell amidst dangers in the wild regions of
+the great prairies. Their solitary mode of life begets this expression.
+They are often for months without the company of a creature with
+whom they may converse&mdash;months without beholding a human face.
+They live alone with Nature, surrounded by her majestic forms.
+These awe them into habits of silence. Such was in point of fact the
+case with the youth whom we have been describing. He had hunted
+much, though not as a professional hunter. With him the chase had
+been followed merely as a pastime; but its pursuit had brought him
+into situations of peril, and in contact with Nature in her wild
+solitudes. Young as he was, he had journeyed over the grand
+prairies, and through the pathless forests of the West. He had slain
+the bear and the buffalo, the wild cat and the cougar. These experiences
+had made their impression upon his mind, and stamped his
+countenance with that air of gravity we have noticed.</p>
+
+<p>The second of the youths whom we shall describe is very different
+in appearance. He is of blonde complexion, rather pale, with fair
+silken hair that waves gently down his cheeks, and falls upon his
+shoulders. He is far from robust. On the contrary, his form is thin
+and delicate. It is not the delicacy of feebleness or ill-health, but
+only a body of slighter build. The manner in which he handles his
+oar shows that he possesses both health and strength, though neither
+in such a high degree as the dark youth. His face expresses, perhaps,
+a larger amount of intellect, and it is a countenance that would
+strike you as more open and communicative. The eye is blue and
+mild, and the brow is marked by the paleness of study and habits of
+continued thought. These indications are no more than just, for the
+fair-haired youth <i>is</i> a student, and one of no ordinary attainments.
+Although only seventeen years of age, he is already well versed in the
+natural sciences; and many a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge
+would but ill compare with him. The former might excel in the
+knowledge&mdash;if we can dignify it by that name&mdash;of the laws of
+scansion, or in the composition of Greek idylls; but in all that constitutes
+<i>real</i> knowledge he would prove but an idle theorist, a dreamy
+imbecile, alongside our practical young scholar of the West.</p>
+
+<p>The third and youngest of the party&mdash;taking them as they sit from
+stem to bow&mdash;differs in many respects from both those described.
+He has neither the gravity of the first, nor yet the intellectuality of
+the second. His face is round, and full, and ruddy. It is bright and
+smiling in its expression. His eye dances merrily in his head, and
+its glance falls upon everything. His lips are hardly ever at rest.
+They are either engaged in making words&mdash;for he talks almost incessantly&mdash;or
+else contracting and expanding with smiles and joyous
+laughter. His cap is jauntily set, and his fine brown curls, hanging
+against the rich roseate skin of his cheeks, give to his countenance
+an expression of extreme health and boyish beauty. His merry laugh
+and free air tell you he is not the boy for books. He is not much of
+a hunter either. In fact, he is not particularly given to anything&mdash;one
+of those easy natures who take the world as it comes, look upon
+the bright side of everything, without getting sufficiently interested
+to excel in anything.</p>
+
+<p>These three youths were dressed nearly alike. The eldest wore
+the costume, as near as may be, of a backwoods hunter&mdash;a tunic-like
+hunting-shirt, of dressed buckskin, leggings and mocassins of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span>
+same material, and all&mdash;shirt, leggings, and mocassins&mdash;handsomely
+braided and embroidered with stained quills of the porcupine. The
+cape of the shirt was tastefully fringed, and so was the skirt as well
+as the seams of the mocassins. On his head was a hairy cap of
+raccoon skin, and the tail of the animal, with its dark transverse bars,
+hung down behind like the drooping plume of a helmet. Around his
+shoulders were two leathern belts that crossed each other upon his
+breast. One of these slung a bullet-pouch covered with a violet-green
+skin that glittered splendidly in the sun. It was from the
+head of the &ldquo;wood-duck&rdquo; the most beautiful bird of its tribe. By
+the other strap was suspended a large crescent-shaped horn taken
+from the head of an Opelousas bull, and carved with various ornamental
+devices. Other smaller implements hung from the belts,
+attached by leathern thongs: there was a picker, a wiper, and a steel
+for striking fire with. A third belt&mdash;a broad stout one of alligator
+leather&mdash;encircled the youth's waist. To this was fastened a holster,
+and the shining butt of a pistol could be seen protruding out; a
+hunting-knife of the kind denominated &ldquo;bowie&rdquo; hanging over the
+left hip, completed his &ldquo;arms and accoutrements.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The second of the youths was dressed, as already stated, in a somewhat
+similar manner, though his accoutrements were not of so warlike
+a character. Like the other, he had a powder-horn and pouch,
+but instead of knife and pistol, a canvass bag or haversack hung from
+his shoulder; and had you looked into it, you would have seen that
+it was half filled with shells, pieces of rock, and rare plants, gathered
+during the day&mdash;the diurnal storehouse of the geologist, the pal&aelig;ontologist,
+and botanist&mdash;to be emptied for study and examination by
+the night camp-fire. Instead of the 'coon-skin cap he wore a white
+felt hat with broad leaf; and for leggings and mocassins he had
+trousers of blue cottonade and laced buskins of tanned leather.</p>
+
+<p>The youngest of the three was dressed and accoutred much like the
+eldest, except that his cap was of blue cloth&mdash;somewhat after the
+fashion of the military forage cap. All three wore shirts of coloured
+cotton, the best for journeying in these uninhabited regions, where
+soap is scarce, and a laundress not to be had at any price.</p>
+
+<p>Though very unlike one another, these three youths were brothers.
+I knew them well. I had seen them before&mdash;about two years before&mdash;and
+though each had grown several inches taller since that time,
+I had no difficulty in recognising them. Even though they were
+now two thousand miles from where I had formerly encountered
+them, I could not be mistaken as to their identity. Beyond a doubt
+they were the same brave young adventurers whom I had met in the
+swamps of Louisiana, and whose exploits I had witnessed upon the
+prairies of Texas. They were the &ldquo;Boy Hunters,&rdquo;&mdash;Basil, Lucien,
+Fran&ccedil;ois! I was right glad to renew acquaintance with them. Boy
+reader, do you share my joy?</p>
+
+<p>But whither go they now? They are full two thousand miles from
+their home in Louisiana. The Red River upon which their canoe
+floats is not that Red River, whose blood-like waters sweep through
+the swamps of the hot South&mdash;the home of the alligator and the gar.
+No, it is a stream of a far different character, though also one of
+great magnitude. Upon the banks of the former ripens the rice-plant,
+and the sugar-cane waves its golden tassels high in the air.
+There, too, flourishes the giant reed, the fan-palm, and the broad-leafed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span>
+magnolia, with its huge snow-white flowers. There the aspect
+is Southern, and the heat tropical for most part of the year.</p>
+
+<p>All this is reversed on the Red River of the North. It is true that
+on its banks sugar is also produced; but it is no longer from a plant
+but a lordly tree&mdash;the great sugar-maple. There is rice too,&mdash;vast
+fields of rice upon its marshy borders; but it is not the pearly grain of
+the South. It is the wild rice, &ldquo;the water oats,&rdquo; the food of millions of
+winged creatures, and thousands of human beings as well. Here, for
+three-fourths of the year, the sun is feeble, and the aspect that of
+winter. For months the cold waters are bound up in an icy embrace.
+The earth is covered with thick snow, over which rise the needle-leafed
+<i>conifer&aelig;</i>&mdash;the pines, the cedars, the spruce, and the hemlock.
+Very unlike each other are the countries watered by the two streams,
+the Red River of the South and its namesake of the North.</p>
+
+<p>But whither go our Boy Hunters in their birch-bark canoe? The
+river upon which they are <i>voyaging</i> runs due northward into the
+great lake Winnipeg. They are floating with its current, and consequently
+increasing the distance from their home. Whither go they?</p>
+
+<p>The answer leads us to some sad reflections. Our joy on again
+beholding them is to be mingled with grief. When we last saw them
+they had a father, but no mother. Now they have neither one nor
+the other. The old Colonel, their father&mdash;the French <i>&eacute;migr&eacute;</i>, the
+<i>hunter naturalist</i>&mdash;is dead. He who had taught them all he knew;
+who had taught them to ride, to swim, to dive deep rivers, to fling
+the lasso, to climb tall trees, and scale steep cliffs, to bring down
+birds upon the wing or beasts upon the run, with the arrow and
+the unerring rifle; who had trained them to sleep in the open air, in
+the dark forest, on the unsheltered prairie, along the white snow-wreath&mdash;anywhere&mdash;with
+but a blanket or a buffalo robe for their
+bed; who had taught them to live on the simplest food, and had
+imparted to one of them a knowledge of science, of botany in particular,
+that enabled them, in case of need, to draw sustenance, from
+plants and trees, from roots and fruits, to find resources where
+ignorant men would starve.</p>
+
+<p>He also had taught them to kindle a fire without flint, steel, or
+detonating powder; to discover their direction without a compass,
+from the rocks and the trees and the signs of the heavens; and in
+addition to all, had taught them, as far as was then known, the
+geography of that vast wilderness that stretches from the Mississippi
+to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and northward to the icy borders
+of the Arctic Sea&mdash;he who had taught them all this, their father, was
+no more; and his three sons, the &ldquo;boy men,&rdquo; of whom he was so
+proud, and of whose accomplishments he was wont to boast, were
+now orphans upon the wide world.</p>
+
+<p>But little more than a year after their return from their grand
+expedition to the Texan prairies, the &ldquo;old Colonel&rdquo; had died. It
+was one of the worst years of that scourge of the South&mdash;the yellow
+fever&mdash;and to this dread pestilence he had fallen a victim.</p>
+
+<p>Hugot, the <i>ex-chasseur</i> and attached domestic, who was accustomed
+to follow his master like a shadow, had also followed him into the
+next world. It was not grief that killed Hugot, though he bore the
+loss of his kind master sadly enough. But it was not grief that
+killed Hugot. He was laid low by the same disease of which his
+master had died&mdash;the yellow fever. A week had scarcely passed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span>
+after the death of the latter, before Hugot caught the disease, and
+in a few days he was carried to the tomb and laid by the side of his
+&ldquo;old Colonel.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The Boy Hunters&mdash;Basil, Lucien, Fran&ccedil;ois&mdash;became orphans. They
+knew of but one relation in the whole world, with whom their father
+had kept up any correspondence. This relation was an uncle, and,
+strange as it may seem, a Scotchman&mdash;a Highlander, who had
+strayed to Corsica in early life, and had there married the Colonel's
+sister. That uncle had afterwards emigrated to Canada, and had
+become extensively engaged in the fur trade. He was now a superintendent
+or &ldquo;factor&rdquo; of the Hudson's Bay Company, stationed at
+one of their most remote posts near the shores of the Arctic Sea!
+There is a romance in the history of some men wilder than any fiction
+that could be imagined.</p>
+
+<p>I have not yet answered the question as to where our Boy Hunters
+were journeying in their birch-bark canoe. By this time you will
+have divined the answer. Certainly, you will say, they were on
+their way to join their uncle in his remote home. For no other
+object could they be travelling through the wild regions of the Red
+River. That supposition is correct. To visit this Scotch uncle (they
+had not seen him for years) was the object of their long, toilsome,
+and perilous journey. After their father's death he had sent for
+them. He had heard of their exploits upon the prairies; and, being
+himself of an adventurous disposition, he was filled with admiration
+for his young kinsmen, and desired very much to have them come
+and live with him.</p>
+
+<p>Being now their guardian, he might command as much, but it
+needed not any exercise of authority on his part to induce all three
+of them to obey his summons. They had travelled through the
+mighty forests of the Mississippi, and upon the summer prairies of
+the South. These great features of the earth's surface were to them
+familiar things, and they were no longer curious about them. But
+there remained a vast country which they longed eagerly to explore.
+They longed to look upon its shining lakes and crystal rivers; upon
+its snow-clad hills and ice-bound streams; upon its huge mammalia&mdash;its
+moose and its musk-oxen, its wapiti and its monster bears. This
+was the very country to which they were now invited by their kinsman,
+and cheerfully did they accept his invitation.</p>
+
+<p>Already had they made one-half the journey, though by far the
+easier half. They had travelled up the Mississippi by steamboat as
+far as the mouth of the St. Peter's. There they had commenced their
+canoe voyage&mdash;in other words became &ldquo;voyageurs&rdquo;&mdash;for such is the
+name given to those who travel by canoes through these wild territories.
+Their favourite horses and the mule &ldquo;Jeannette&rdquo; had been
+left behind. This was a necessity, as these creatures, however useful
+upon the dry prairies of the South, where there are few or no lakes,
+and where rivers only occur at long intervals, would be of little
+service to the traveller in the Northern regions. Here the route is
+crossed and intercepted by numerous rivers; and lakes of all sizes,
+with tracts of inundated marsh, succeed one another continually.
+Such, in fact, are the highways of the country, and the canoe the
+travelling carriage; so that a journey from one point of the Hudson's
+Bay territory to another is often a canoe voyage of thousands of
+miles&mdash;equal to a &ldquo;trip&rdquo; across the Atlantic.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Following the usual custom, therefore, our Boy Hunters had become
+voyageurs&mdash;&ldquo;<i>Young Voyageurs</i>.&rdquo; They had navigated the St. Peter's
+in safety, almost to its head-waters. These interlock with the
+sources of the Red River. By a &ldquo;portage&rdquo; of a few miles they had
+crossed to the latter stream; and, having launched their canoe upon
+its waters, were now floating downward and northward with its
+current. But they had yet a long journey before them&mdash;nearly two
+thousand miles! Many a river to be &ldquo;run,&rdquo; many a rapid to be
+&ldquo;shot,&rdquo; many a lake to be crossed, and many a &ldquo;portage&rdquo; to be
+passed, ere they could reach the end of that great <i>voyage</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Come, boy reader, shall we accompany them? Yes. The strange
+scenes and wild adventures through which we must pass, may
+lighten the toils, and perhaps repay us for the perils of the journey.
+Think not of the toils. Roses grow only upon thorns. From toil we
+learn to enjoy leisure. Regard not the perils. &ldquo;From the nettle
+danger we pluck the flower safety.&rdquo; Security often springs from
+peril. From such hard experiences great men have arisen. Come,
+then, my young friend! mind neither toil nor peril, but with me to
+the great wilderness of the North!</p>
+
+<p>Stay! We are to have another &ldquo;<i>compagnon du voyage</i>.&rdquo; There is a
+fourth in the boat, a fourth &ldquo;young voyageur.&rdquo; Who is he? In
+appearance he is as old as Basil, full as tall, and not unlike him in
+&ldquo;build.&rdquo; But he is altogether of a different <i>colour</i>. He is fair-haired;
+but his hair (unlike that of Lucien, which is also light-coloured) is
+strong, crisp, and curly. It does not droop, but stands out over his
+cheeks in a profusion of handsome ringlets. His complexion is of
+that kind known as &ldquo;fresh,&rdquo; and the weather, to which it has
+evidently been much exposed, has bronzed and rather enriched the
+colour. The eyes are dark blue, and, strange to say, with <i>black</i>
+brows and lashes! This is not common, though sometimes observed;
+and, in the case of the youth we are describing, arose from a difference
+of complexion on the part of his parents. He looked through
+the eyes of his mother, while in other respects he was more like his
+father, who was fair-haired and of a &ldquo;fresh&rdquo; colour.</p>
+
+<p>The youth, himself, might be termed handsome. Perhaps he did
+not possess the youthful beauty of Fran&ccedil;ois, nor the bolder kind that
+characterized the face of Basil. Perhaps he was of a coarser &ldquo;make&rdquo;
+than any of his three companions. His intellect had been less cultivated
+by education, and <i>education adds to the beauty of the face</i>. His life
+had been a harder one&mdash;he had toiled more with his hands, and had
+seen less of civilized society. Still many would have pronounced him
+a handsome youth. His features were regular, and of clean outline.
+His lips expressed good-nature as well as firmness. His eye beamed
+with native intelligence, and his whole face bespoke a heart of true
+and determined honesty&mdash;<i>that made it beautiful</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps a close scrutinizer of countenances might have detected
+some resemblance&mdash;a family one&mdash;between him and his three companions.
+If such there was, it was very slight; but there might have
+been, from the relationship that existed between them and him. He
+was their cousin&mdash;their full cousin&mdash;the only son of that uncle they
+were now on their way to visit, and the messenger who had been sent
+to bring them. Such was the fourth of &ldquo;the young voyageurs.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>His dress was not unlike that worn by Basil; but as he was seated
+on the bow, and acting as pilot, and therefore more likely to feel the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span>
+cold, he wore over his hunting-shirt, a Canadian <i>capote</i> of white
+woollen cloth, with its hood hanging down upon his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>But there was still another &ldquo;voyageur,&rdquo; an old acquaintance, whom
+you, boy reader, will no doubt remember. This was an animal, a
+quadruped, who lay along the bottom of the canoe upon a buffalo's
+hide. &ldquo;From his size and colour&mdash;which was a tawny red&mdash;you might
+have mistaken him for a panther&mdash;a cougar. His long black muzzle
+and broad hanging ears gave him quite a different aspect, however,
+and declared him to be a hound. He <i>was</i> one&mdash;a bloodhound, with
+the cross of a mastiff&mdash;a powerful animal. It was the dog 'Marengo.'&rdquo;
+You remember Marengo?</p>
+
+<p>In the canoe there were other objects of interest. There were
+blankets and buffalo robes; there was a small canvas tent folded up;
+there were bags of provisions, and some cooking utensils; there was
+a spade and an axe; there were rifles&mdash;three of them&mdash;and a double-barrelled
+shot-gun; besides a fish-net, and many other articles, the
+necessary equipments for such a journey.</p>
+
+<p>Loaded almost to the gunwale was that little canoe, yet lightly did
+it float down the waters of the Red River of the North.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER III</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t was the spring season, though late. The snow had entirely disappeared
+from the hills, and the ice from the water, and the melting
+of both had swollen the river, and rendered its current more rapid
+than usual. Our young voyageurs needed not therefore to ply their
+oars, except now and then to guide the canoe; for these little vessels
+have no rudder, but are steered by the paddles. The skilful voyageurs
+can shoot them to any point they please, simply by their dexterous
+handling of the oars; and Basil, Lucien, and Fran&ccedil;ois, had had
+sufficient practice both with &ldquo;skiffs&rdquo; and &ldquo;dug-outs&rdquo; to make good
+oarsmen of all three. They had made many a canoe trip upon the
+lower Mississippi and the bayous of Louisiana; besides their journey
+up the St. Peter's had rendered them familiar with the management
+of their birchen craft. An occasional stroke of the paddle kept them
+in their course, and they floated on without effort.</p>
+
+<p>Norman&mdash;such was the name of their Canadian or Highland cousin&mdash;sat
+in the bow and directed their course. This is the post of honour
+in a canoe; and as he had more experience than any of them in this
+sort of navigation, he was allowed habitually to occupy this post.
+Lucien sat in the stern. He held in his hands a book and pencil;
+and as the canoe glided onward, he was noting down his memoranda.
+The trees upon the banks were in leaf&mdash;many of them in blossom&mdash;and
+as the little craft verged near the shore, his keen eye followed
+the configuration of the leaves, to discover any new species that might
+appear.</p>
+
+<p>There is a rich vegetation upon the banks of the Red River; but
+the <i>flora</i> is far different from that which appears upon the low <i>alluvion</i>
+of Louisiana. It is Northern, but not Arctic. Oaks, elms, and
+poplars, are seen mingling with birches, willows, and aspens. Several
+species of indigenous fruit trees were observed by Lucien, among
+which were crab-apple, raspberry, strawberry, and currant. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span>
+was also seen the fruit called by the voyageurs &ldquo;le poire,&rdquo; but which
+in English phraseology is known as the &ldquo;service-berry.&rdquo; It grows
+upon a small bush or shrub of six or eight feet high, with smooth
+pinnate leaves. These pretty red berries are much esteemed and
+eaten both by Indians and whites, who preserve them by drying,
+and cook them in various ways.</p>
+
+<p>There was still another bush that fixed the attention of our young
+botanist, as it appeared all along the banks, and was a <i>characteristic</i>
+of the vegetation of the country. It was not over eight feet in
+height, with spreading branches of a grey-colour. Its leaves were
+three inches wide, and somewhat lobed like those of the oak. Of
+course, at this early season, the fruit was not ripe upon it; but Lucien
+knew the fruit well. When ripe it resembles very much a red cherry,
+or, still more, a cranberry, having both the appearance and acrid
+taste of the latter. Indeed, it is sometimes used as a substitute for
+cranberries in the making of pies and tarts; and in many parts it is
+called the &ldquo;bush cranberry.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The name, however, by which it is known among the Indians of
+Red River is &ldquo;<i>anepeminan</i>&rdquo; from &ldquo;<i>nepen</i>,&rdquo; summer, and &ldquo;<i>minan</i>,&rdquo;
+berry. This has been corrupted by the fur-traders and voyageurs
+into &ldquo;Pembina;&rdquo; hence, the name of a river which runs into the Red,
+and also the name of the celebrated but unsuccessful settlement of
+&ldquo;Pembina,&rdquo; formed by Lord Selkirk many years ago. Both took
+their names from this berry that grows in abundance in the neighbourhood.
+The botanical appellation of this curious shrub is
+<i>Viburnum oxycoccos</i>; but there is another species of the viburnum,
+which is also styled &ldquo;oxycoccos.&rdquo; The common &ldquo;snowball bush&rdquo; of
+our garden is a plant of the same genus, and very like the &ldquo;Pembina,&rdquo;
+both in leaf and flower. In fact, in a wild state they might be
+regarded as the same; but it is well known that the flowers of the
+snowball are sterile, and do not produce the beautiful bright crimson
+berries of the &ldquo;Pembina.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien lectured upon these points to his companions as they floated
+along. Norman listened with astonishment to his philosophic cousin,
+who, although he had never been in this region before, knew more of
+its plants and trees than he did himself. Basil also was interested in
+the explanations given by his brother. On the contrary, Fran&ccedil;ois,
+who cared but little for botanical studies, or studies of any sort, was
+occupied differently. He sat near the middle of the canoe, double-barrel
+in hand, eagerly watching for a shot. Many species of water-fowl
+were upon the river, for it was now late in the spring, and the
+wild geese and ducks had all arrived, and were passing northward
+upon their annual migration. During the day Fran&ccedil;ois had got
+several shots, and had &ldquo;bagged&rdquo; three wild geese, all of different
+kinds, for there are many species of wild geese in America.</p>
+
+<p>He had also shot some ducks. But this did not satisfy him. There
+was a bird upon the river that could not be approached. No matter
+how the canoe was man&#339;uvred, this shy creature always took flight
+before Fran&ccedil;ois could get within range. For days he had been
+endeavouring to kill one. Even upon the St. Peter's many of them
+had been seen, sometimes in pairs, at other times in small flocks of
+six or seven, but always shy and wary. The very difficulty of getting
+a shot at them, along with the splendid character of the birds themselves,
+had rendered Fran&ccedil;ois eager to obtain one. The bird itself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span>
+was no other than the great wild swan&mdash;the king of aquatic
+birds.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, brother!&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois, addressing Lucien, &ldquo;bother your
+viburnums and your oxycocks! Tell us something about these swans.
+See! there goes another of them! What a splendid fellow he is!
+I'd give something to have him within range of buckshot.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Fran&ccedil;ois spoke he pointed down-stream to a great white bird
+that was seen moving out from the bank. It was a swan, and one of
+the very largest kind&mdash;&ldquo;a trumpeter.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It had been feeding in a sedge of the wild rice, and no doubt the
+sight of the canoe or the plash of the guiding oar had disturbed, and
+given it the alarm. It shot out from the reeds with head erect and
+wings slightly raised, offering to the eyes of the voyageurs a spectacle
+of graceful and majestic bearing, that, among the feathered race at
+least, is quite inimitable.</p>
+
+<p>A few strokes of its broad feet propelled it into the open water
+near the middle of the stream, when, making a half wheel, it turned
+head down the river, and swam with the current.</p>
+
+<p>At the point where it turned it was not two hundred yards ahead
+of the canoe. Its apparent boldness in permitting them to come so
+near without taking wing, led Fran&ccedil;ois to hope that they might get
+still nearer; and, begging his companions to ply the paddles, he
+seized hold of his double-barrel, and leaned forward in the canoe.
+Basil also conceived a hope that a shot was to be had, for he took up
+his rifle, and looked to the cock and cap. The others went steadily
+and quietly to work at the oars. In a few moments the canoe cleft
+the current at the rate of a galloping horse, and one would have
+supposed that the swan must either at once take wing or be overtaken.</p>
+
+<p>Not so, however. The &ldquo;trumpeter&rdquo; knew his game better than
+that. He had full confidence both in his strength and speed upon
+the water. He was not going to undergo the trouble of a fly, until
+the necessity arose for so doing; and, as it was, he seemed to be
+satisfied that that necessity had not yet arrived. The swim cost
+him much less muscular exertion than flying would have done, and
+he judged that the current, here very swift, would carry him out of
+reach of his pursuers.</p>
+
+<p>It soon began to appear that he judged rightly; and the voyageurs,
+to their chagrin, saw that, instead of gaining upon him, as they had
+expected, every moment widened the distance between him and the
+canoe. The bird had an advantage over his pursuers. Three distinct
+powers propelled him, while they had only two to rely upon. He
+had the current in his favour&mdash;so had they. He had oars or paddles&mdash;his
+feet; they had oars as well. He &ldquo;carried sail,&rdquo; while they
+spread not a &ldquo;rag.&rdquo; The wind chanced to blow directly down-stream,
+and the broad wings of the bird, held out from his body, and
+half extended, caught the very pith of the breeze on their double
+concave surfaces, and carried him through the water with the velocity
+of an arrow. Do you think that he was not aware of this advantage
+when he started in the race?</p>
+
+<p>Do you suppose that these birds do not <i>think</i>? I for one am
+satisfied they do, and look upon every one who prates about the
+<i>instinct</i> of these creatures as a philosopher of a very old school indeed.
+Not only does the great swan think, but so does your parrot, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span>
+your piping bullfinch, and the little canary that hops on your thumb.
+All think, and <i>reason</i>, and <i>judge</i>. Should it ever be your fortune to
+witness the performance of those marvellous birds, exhibited by the
+graceful Mdlle. Vandermeersch in the fashionable <i>salons</i> of Paris and
+London, you will agree with me in the belief that the smallest of
+them has a mind like yourself.</p>
+
+<p>Most certainly the swan, which our voyageurs were pursuing,
+thought, and reasoned, and judged, and calculated his distance, and
+resolved to keep on &ldquo;the even tenor of his way,&rdquo; without putting
+himself to extra trouble by beating the air with his wings, and
+lifting his heavy body&mdash;thirty pounds at least&mdash;up into the heavens.
+His judgment proved sound; for, in less than ten minutes from the
+commencement of the chase, he had gained a clear hundred yards
+upon his pursuers, and continued to widen the distance. At intervals
+he raised his beak higher than usual, and uttered his loud booming
+note, which fell upon the ears of the voyageurs as though it had been
+sent back in mockery and defiance.</p>
+
+<p>They would have given up the pursuit, had they not noticed that
+a few hundred yards farther down the river made a sharp turn to
+the right. The swan, on reaching this, would no longer have the
+wind in his favour. This inspired them with fresh hopes. They
+thought they would be able to overtake him after passing the bend,
+and then, either get a shot at him, or force him into the air. The
+latter was the more likely; and, although it would be no great
+gratification to see him fly off, yet they had become so interested
+in this singular chase that they desired to terminate it by putting
+the trumpeter to some trouble. They bent, therefore, with fresh
+energy to their oars, and pulled onward in the pursuit.</p>
+
+<p>First the swan, and after him the canoe, swung round the bend,
+and entered the new &ldquo;reach&rdquo; of the river. The voyageurs at once
+perceived that the bird now swam more slowly. He no longer
+&ldquo;carried sail,&rdquo; as the wind was no longer in his favour. His wings
+lay closely folded to his body, and he moved only by the aid of his
+webbed feet and the current, which last happened to be sluggish,
+as the river at this part spread over a wide expanse of level land.
+The canoe was evidently catching up, and each stroke was bringing
+the pursuers nearer to the pursued.</p>
+
+<p>After a few minutes' brisk pulling, the trumpeter had lost so
+much ground that he was not two hundred yards in the advance,
+and &ldquo;dead ahead.&rdquo; His body was no longer carried with the same
+gracefulness, and the majestic curving of his neck had disappeared.
+His bill protruded forward, and his thighs began to drag the water
+in his wake. He was evidently on the threshold of flight. Both
+Fran&ccedil;ois and Basil saw this, as they stood with their guns crossed
+and ready.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment a shrill cry sounded over the water. It was the
+scream of some wild creature, ending in a strange laugh, like the
+laugh of a maniac!</p>
+
+<p>On both sides of the river there was a thick forest of tall trees
+of the cotton-wood species. From this forest the strange cry had
+proceeded, and from the right bank. Its echoes had hardly ceased,
+when it was answered by a similar cry from the trees upon the left.
+So like were the two, that it seemed as if some one of God's wild
+creatures was mocking another. These cries were hideous enough<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span>
+to frighten any one not used to them. They had not that effect
+upon our voyageurs, who knew their import. One and all of them
+were familiar with the voice of the <i>white-headed eagle</i>!</p>
+
+<p>The trumpeter knew it as well as any of them, but on him it
+produced a far different effect. His terror was apparent, and his
+intention was all at once changed. Instead of rising into the air, as
+he had premeditated, he suddenly lowered his head, and disappeared
+under the water!</p>
+
+<p>Again was heard the wild scream and the maniac laugh; and the
+next moment an eagle swept out from the timber, and, after a few
+strokes of its broad wing, poised itself over the spot where the
+trumpeter had gone down. The other, its mate, was seen crossing at
+the same time from the opposite side.</p>
+
+<p>Presently the swan rose to the surface, but his head was hardly
+out of the water when the eagle once more uttered its wild note,
+and, half folding its wings, darted down from above. The swan
+seemed to have expected this, for before the eagle could reach the
+surface, he had gone under a second time, and the latter, though
+passing with the velocity of an arrow, plunged his talons in the
+water to no purpose. With a cry of disappointment the eagle
+mounted back into the air, and commenced wheeling in circles over
+the spot. It was now joined by its mate, and both kept round and
+round watching for the reappearance of their intended victim.</p>
+
+<p>Again the swan came to the surface, but before either of the eagles
+could swoop upon him he had for the third time disappeared. The
+swan is but an indifferent diver; but under such circumstances he
+was likely to do his best at it. But what could it avail him? He
+must soon rise to the surface to take breath&mdash;each time at shorter
+intervals. He would soon become fatigued and unable to dive with
+sufficient celerity, and then his cruel enemies would be down upon
+him with their terrible talons. Such is the usual result, unless the
+swan takes to the air, which he sometimes does. In the present case
+he had built his hopes upon a different means of escape. He contemplated
+being able to conceal himself in a heavy sedge of bulrushes
+that grew along the edge of the river, and towards these he was
+evidently directing his course under the water.</p>
+
+<p>At each emersion he appeared some yards nearer them, until at
+length he rose within a few feet of their margin, and diving again
+was seen no more! He had crept in among the sedge, and no doubt
+was lying with only his head, or part of it, above the water, his body
+concealed by the broad leaves of the <i>nymph&aelig;</i>, while the head itself
+could not be distinguished among the white flowers that lay thickly
+along the surface.</p>
+
+<p>The eagles now wheeled over the sedge, flapping the tops of the
+bulrushes with their broad wings, and screaming with disappointed
+rage. Keen as were their eyes they could not discover the hiding-place
+of their victim. No doubt they would have searched for it a
+long time, but the canoe&mdash;which they now appeared to notice for the
+first time&mdash;had floated near; and, becoming aware of their own
+danger, both mounted into the air again, and with a farewell scream
+flew off, and alighted at some distance down the river.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A swan for supper!&rdquo; shouted Fran&ccedil;ois, as he poised his gun for
+the expected shot.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe was headed for the bulrushes near the point where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span>
+trumpeter had been last seen; and a few strokes of the paddles
+brought the little craft with a whizzing sound among the sedge. But
+the culms of the rushes were so tall, and grew so closely together,
+that the canoe-men, after entering, found to their chagrin they could
+not see six feet around them. They dared not stand up, for this is
+exceedingly dangerous in a birch canoe, where the greatest caution is
+necessary to keep the vessel from careening over. Moreover, the sedge
+was so thick, that it was with difficulty they could use their oars.</p>
+
+<p>They remained stationary for a time, surrounded by a wall of green
+bulrush. They soon perceived that that would never do, and resolved
+to push back into the open water. Meanwhile Marengo had been
+sent into the sedge, and was now heard plunging and sweltering
+about in search of the game. Marengo was not much of a water-dog
+by nature, but he had been trained to almost every kind of hunting,
+and his experience among the swamps of Louisiana had long since
+relieved him of all dread for the water. His masters therefore had
+no fear but that Marengo would &ldquo;put up&rdquo; the trumpeter.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo had been let loose a little too soon. Before the canoe
+could be cleared of the entangling sedge, the dog was heard to utter
+one of his loud growls, then followed a heavy plunge, there was a
+confused fluttering of wings, and the great white bird rose majestically
+into the air! Before either of the gunners could direct their
+aim, he was beyond the range of shot, and both prudently reserved
+their fire. Marengo having performed his part, swam back to the
+canoe, and was lifted over the gunwale.</p>
+
+<p>The swan, after clearing the sedge, rose almost vertically into the
+air. These birds usually fly at a great elevation&mdash;sometimes entirely
+beyond the reach of sight. Unlike the wild geese and ducks, they
+never alight upon land, but always upon the bosom of the water. It
+was evidently the intention of this one to go far from the scene of his
+late dangers, perhaps to the great lake Winnipeg itself.</p>
+
+<p>After attaining a height of several hundred yards, he flew forward
+in a horizontal course, and followed the direction of the stream. His
+flight was now regular, and his trumpet note could be heard at intervals,
+as, with outstretched neck, he glided along the heavens. He
+seemed to feel the pleasant sensations that every creature has after
+an escape from danger, and no doubt he fancied himself secure. But
+in this fancy he deceived himself. Better for him had he risen a few
+hundred yards higher, or else had uttered his self-gradulation in a
+more subdued tone; for it was heard and answered, and that response
+was the maniac laugh of the white-headed eagle.</p>
+
+<p>At the same instant two of these birds&mdash;those already introduced&mdash;were
+seen mounting into the air. They did not fly up vertically, as
+the swan had done, but in spiral curves, wheeling and crossing each
+other as they ascended. They were making for a point that would
+intersect the flight of the swan should he keep on in his horizontal
+course. This, however, he did not do. With an eye as quick as theirs,
+he saw that he was &ldquo;headed;&rdquo; and, stretching his long neck upward,
+he again pursued an almost vertical line.</p>
+
+<p>But he had to carry thirty pounds of flesh and bones, while the
+largest of the eagles&mdash;the female bird&mdash;with a still broader spread of
+wing, was a &ldquo;light weight&rdquo; of only seven. The result of this difference
+was soon apparent. Before the trumpeter had got two hundred yards
+higher, the female of the eagles was seen wheeling around him on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span>
+same level. The swan was now observed to double, fly downward,
+and then upward again, while his mournful note echoed back to the
+earth. But his efforts were in vain. After a series of contortions
+and man&#339;uvres, the eagle darted forward, with a quick toss threw
+herself back-downward, and, striking upward, planted her talons in
+the under part of the wing of her victim. The lacerated shaft fell
+uselessly down; and the great white bird, no longer capable of flight,
+came whistling through the air.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;">
+<img src="images/illus-028.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE." title="THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE." />
+<span class="caption">THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span>But it was not allowed to drop directly to the earth; it would have
+fallen on the bosom of the broad river, and that the eagles did not
+wish, as it would have given them some trouble to get the heavy
+carcass ashore. As soon as the male&mdash;who was lower in the air&mdash;saw
+that his partner had struck the bird, he discontinued his upward
+flight, and, poising himself on his spread tail, waited its descent. A
+single instant was sufficient. The white object passed him still
+fluttering; but the moment it was below his level he shot after it like
+an arrow, and, clutching it in his talons, with an outward stroke sent
+it whizzing in a diagonal direction. The next moment a crashing
+was heard among the twigs, and a dull sound announced that the
+swan had fallen upon the earth.</p>
+
+<p>The eagles were now seen sailing downward, and soon disappeared
+among the tops of the trees.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe soon reached the bank; and Fran&ccedil;ois, accompanied by
+Basil and Marengo, leaped ashore, and went in search of the birds.
+They found the swan quite dead and lying upon its back as the eagles
+had turned it. Its breast was torn open, and the crimson blood, with
+which they had been gorging themselves, was spread in broad flakes
+over its snowy plumage. The eagles themselves, scared by the dog
+Marengo, had taken flight before the boys could get within shot of
+them.</p>
+
+<p>As it was just the hour for a &ldquo;noon halt&rdquo; and a luncheon, the swan
+was carried to the bank of the river, where a crackling fire was soon
+kindled to roast him.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span> few days brought our travellers to the settlement of Red River,
+where they made but a very short stay; and, having procured a few
+articles which they stood in need of, they resumed their journey, and
+floated on towards Lake Winnipeg. The swans were seen in greater
+numbers than ever. They were not less shy however, and Fran&ccedil;ois,
+as before, in vain tried to get a shot at one.</p>
+
+<p>He was very desirous of bringing down one of these noble birds,
+partly because the taste he had had of their flesh had given him a
+liking for it; and partly because their shyness had greatly tantalized
+him. One is always more eager to kill shy game, both on account of
+the rarity of the thing, and the credit one gets for his expertness.
+But the voyageurs had now got within less than twenty miles of
+Lake Winnipeg, and Fran&ccedil;ois had not as yet shot a single swan. It
+was not at all likely the eagles would help him to another. So there
+would be no more roast swan for supper.</p>
+
+<p>Norman, seeing how eager Fran&ccedil;ois was to shoot one of these birds,
+resolved to aid him by his advice.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Cousin Frank,&rdquo; said he, one evening as they floated along, &ldquo;you
+wish very much to get a shot at the swans?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I do,&rdquo; replied Fran&ccedil;ois,&mdash;&ldquo;I do; and if you can tell me how to
+accomplish that business, I'll make you a present of this knife.&rdquo;
+Here Fran&ccedil;ois held up a very handsome clasp-knife that he carried
+in his pouch.</p>
+
+<p>A knife in the fur countries is no insignificant affair. With a knife<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span>
+you may sometimes buy a horse, or a tent, or a whole carcass of beef,
+or, what is stranger still, a wife! To the hunter in these wild
+regions&mdash;perhaps a thousand miles from where knives are sold&mdash;such
+a thing is of very great value indeed; but the knife which Fran&ccedil;ois
+offered to his cousin was a particularly fine one, and the latter had
+once expressed a wish to become the owner of it. He was not slow,
+therefore, in accepting the conditions.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; rejoined he, &ldquo;you must consent to travel a few miles by
+night, and I think I can promise you a shot at the trumpeters&mdash;perhaps
+several.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What say you, brothers?&rdquo; asked Fran&ccedil;ois, appealing to Basil and
+Lucien; &ldquo;shall we have the sport? Say yes.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! I have no objection,&rdquo; said Lucien.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Nor I,&rdquo; added Basil. &ldquo;On the contrary, I should like it above
+all things. I wish very much to know what plan our cousin shall
+adopt. I never heard of any mode of approaching these birds.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Very well, then,&rdquo; answered Norman, &ldquo;I shall have the pleasure of
+instructing you in a way that is in use in these parts among the
+Indians, who hunt the swan for its skin and quills, which they trade
+to us at the post. We can manage it to-night, I think,&rdquo; continued
+he, looking up at the sky: &ldquo;there is no moon, and the sky is thick.
+Yes, it will be dark enough.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Is it necessary the night should be a dark one?&rdquo; asked Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The darker the better,&rdquo; replied Norman. &ldquo;To-night, if I am not
+mistaken, will be as black as pitch. But we need to make some preparations.
+It is near sundown, and we shall have just time to get
+ready for the business. Let us get ashore, then, as quickly as
+possible.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! certainly&mdash;let us land,&rdquo; replied all three at once.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe was now turned to the shore; and when it had arrived
+within a few feet of the land it was brought to a stop. Its keel was
+not allowed to touch the bottom of the river, as that would have
+injured the little craft. The greatest precaution is always observed
+both in landing and embarking these vessels. The voyageurs first
+get out and wade to the shore, one or two remaining to hold the
+canoe in its place. The cargo, whatever it be, is then taken out and
+landed; and after that the canoe itself is lifted out of the water, and
+carried ashore, where it is set, bottom upward, to dry.</p>
+
+<p>The birch-bark canoe is so frail a structure, that, were it brought
+rudely in contact either with the bottom or the bank, it would be
+very much damaged, or might go to pieces altogether. Hence the
+care with which it is handled. It is dangerous, also, to stand upright
+in it, as it is so &ldquo;crank&rdquo; that it would easily turn over, and
+spill both canoe-men and cargo into the water. The voyageurs, therefore,
+when once they have got in, remain seated during the whole
+passage, shifting about as little as they can help. When landed for
+the night, the canoe is always taken out of the water as described.
+The bark is of a somewhat spongy nature; and if left in the water
+for a length of time, would become soaked and heavy, and would not
+run so well. When kept all night, bottom upward, it drips and
+becomes dryer and lighter. In the morning, at the commencement
+of the day's journey, it sits higher upon the water than in the afternoon
+and evening, and is at that time more easily paddled along.</p>
+
+<p>Our voyageurs, having got on shore, first kindled a fire to cook<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span>
+their supper. This they intended to despatch earlier than usual, so
+as to give them the early part of the night for their swan hunt, which
+they expected to finish before midnight. Lucien did the cooking,
+while Norman, assisted by Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois, made his preparations
+for the hunt. Fran&ccedil;ois, who was more interested in the result than
+any of them, watched every movement of his cousin. Nothing
+escaped him.</p>
+
+<p>Norman proceeded as follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>He walked off into the woods, accompanied by Fran&ccedil;ois. After
+going about an hundred yards or so, he stopped at the foot of a certain
+tree. The tree was a birch&mdash;easily distinguished by its smooth,
+silvery bark. By means of his sharp hunting-knife he &ldquo;girdled&rdquo; this
+tree near the ground, and then higher up, so that the length between
+the two &ldquo;girdlings,&rdquo; or circular cuttings, was about four feet. He
+then made a longitudinal incision by drawing the point of his knife
+from one circle to the other. This done he inserted the blade under
+the bark, and peeled it off, as he would have taken the skin from a
+buffalo. The tree was a foot in diameter, consequently the bark,
+when stripped off and spread flat, was about three feet in width; for
+you must remember that the circumference of a circle or a cylinder
+is always about three times the length of its diameter, and therefore
+a tree is three times as much &ldquo;<i>round</i>&rdquo; as it is &ldquo;<i>through</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They now returned to the camp-fire, taking along with them the
+piece of bark that had been cut off. This was spread out, though not
+quite flat, still leaving it somewhat curved. The convex side, that
+which had lain towards the tree, was now blackened with pulverized
+charcoal, which Norman had directed Basil to prepare for the purpose;
+and to the bark at one end was fastened a stake or shaft.
+Nothing more remained but to fix this stake in the canoe, in an upright
+position near the bow, and in such a way that the bottom of
+the piece of bark would be upon a level with the seats, with its
+hollow side looking forward. It would thus form a screen, and prevent
+those in the canoe from being seen by any creature that might
+be ahead.</p>
+
+<p>When all this had been arranged, Norman shouldered the axe,
+and again walked off into the woods. This time his object was to
+obtain a quantity of &ldquo;knots&rdquo; of the pitch-pine (<i>Pinus rigida</i>), which
+he knew would most likely be found in such a situation. The tree
+was soon discovered, and pointed out to Fran&ccedil;ois, who accompanied
+him as before. Fran&ccedil;ois saw that it was a tree of about fifty feet in
+height, and a foot in diameter at its base. Its bark was thick, very
+dark in the colour, and full of cracks or fissures. Its leaves, or
+&ldquo;needles,&rdquo; were about three inches long, and grew in threes, each
+three forming a little bunch, bound together at its base by a
+brownish sheath.</p>
+
+<p>These bunches, in botanical language, are termed &ldquo;fasciles.&rdquo;
+The cones were somewhat shorter than the leaves, nearly the shape
+of eggs, and clustered together in threes and fours. Fran&ccedil;ois noticed
+that the tree was thickly branched, and therefore there are many
+knots in the wood. For this reason it is not much use as timber; but
+on account of the resin which it contains, it is the best species for
+firewood; and for that purpose it is used in all parts of the United
+States, where it grows. Most of the <i>pine-wood</i> sold for fuel in the
+large cities of America is the wood of this species.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois supposed that his companion was about to fell one of the
+trees. He was mistaken, however; Norman had no such intention;
+he had only stopped before one to examine it, and make sure that it
+was the species he was in search of. He was soon satisfied of this, and
+moved on, directing his eyes along the ground. Again he stopped;
+but this time it was by a tree that had already fallen&mdash;blown down,
+perhaps, by the wind. It was half decayed; but Fran&ccedil;ois could see
+that it was one of the same species&mdash;the pitch-pine.</p>
+
+<p>This was the very thing Norman wanted, and plying his axe, he
+soon knocked out a large quantity of the resinous knots. These he at
+length collected, and putting them into a bag, returned with Fran&ccedil;ois
+to the fire. He then announced that he had no further preparations
+to make.</p>
+
+<p>All four now sat down to supper, which consisted of dry meat, with
+biscuits and coffee; and, as their appetites were sharpened by their
+water journey, they made a hearty meal of it.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as they had finished eating, the canoe was launched and
+got ready. The screen of birch-bark was set up, by lashing its shaft
+to the bottom timbers, and also to one of the seats. Immediately in
+front of this, and out upon the bow, was placed the frying-pan; and
+this having been secured by being tied at the handle, was filled with
+dry pine-knots, ready to be kindled at a moment's notice. These
+arrangements being made, the hunters only awaited the darkness to
+set forth.</p>
+
+<p>In the progress of their hunt they would be carried still farther
+down-stream; but as that was the direction in which they were
+travelling, they would only be progressing on their journey, and thus
+&ldquo;killing two birds with one stone.&rdquo; This was altogether a very
+pleasant consideration; and having stowed everything snugly in the
+canoe, they sat chatting agreeably and waiting for the arrival of
+night.</p>
+
+<p>Night came at length, and, as Norman had predicted, it was as
+&ldquo;dark as pitch.&rdquo; Stepping gently into the canoe, and seating themselves
+in their respective places, they pushed out and commenced
+floating down-stream. Norman sat near the bow, in order to attend
+to his torch of pine-knots. Fran&ccedil;ois was next to him, holding his
+double-barrel, loaded with buckshot, which is the same size as that
+used for swans, and in England is even known as &ldquo;swan-shot.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Next came Basil with his rifle. He sat near Fran&ccedil;ois, just by the
+middle of the little vessel. Lucien, who was altogether a man of
+peace principles, and but little of a shot compared with either of his
+brothers, handled the oar&mdash;not to propel the canoe, but merely to
+guide it. In this way the party floated on in silence.</p>
+
+<p>Norman soon kindled his torch, which now cast its red glare over
+the surface of the river, extending its fiery radii even to the banks
+on both sides of the stream. The trees that overhung the water
+seemed tinged with vermilion, and the rippling wave sparkled like
+liquid gold. The light only extended over a semicircle. From the
+manner in which the torch was placed, its light did not fall upon the
+other half of the circle, and this, by contrast, appeared even darker
+than it would otherwise have done.</p>
+
+<p>The advantage of the plan which Norman had adopted was at once
+apparent to all. Ahead of the canoe the whole river was plainly seen,
+for a distance of several hundred yards. No object larger than a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span>
+cork could have floated on its surface, without being visible to those
+in the vessel&mdash;much less the great white body of a trumpeter swan.
+Astern of the canoe, on the other hand, all was pitchy darkness, and
+any one looking at the vessel from a position ahead could have seen
+nothing but the bright torch and the black uniform surface behind it.</p>
+
+<p>As I have already stated, the convex side of the bark was <i>towards</i>
+the blaze, and the pan containing the torch being placed close into
+the screen, none of the light could possibly fall upon the forms of
+those within the canoe. They were therefore invisible to any creature
+from the front, while they themselves could see everything before
+them.</p>
+
+<p>Two questions yet remained unanswered. First&mdash;would our hunters
+find any swans on the river? Second&mdash;if they should, would these
+birds allow themselves to be approached near enough to be shot at?
+The first question Norman, of course, could not answer. That was a
+matter beyond his knowledge or control. The swans might or might
+not appear, but it was to be hoped they would. It was likely enough.
+Many had been seen on the preceding day, and why not then? To
+the second question, the young Canadian gave a definite reply.</p>
+
+<p>He assured his cousins that, if met with, the birds would be easily
+approached in this manner; he had often hunted them so. They
+would either keep their place, and remain until the light came very
+near them, or they would move towards it (as he had many times
+known them to do), attracted by curiosity and the novelty of the
+spectacle. He had hunted deer in the same manner; he had shot, he
+said, hundreds of these animals upon the banks of rivers, where they
+had come down to the water to drink, and stood gazing at the light.</p>
+
+<p>His cousins could well credit his statements. They themselves had
+hunted deer by torchlight in the woods of Louisiana, where it is
+termed &ldquo;fire-hunting.&rdquo; They had killed several in this way. The
+creatures as if held by some fascination, would stand with head erect
+looking at the torch carried by one of the party, while the other took
+sight between their glancing eyes and fired the deadly bullet. Remembering
+this, they could easily believe that the swans might act
+in a similar manner.</p>
+
+<p>It was not long until they were convinced of it by actual experience.
+As the canoe rounded a bend in the river, three large white
+objects appeared in the &ldquo;reach&rdquo; before them. A single glance satisfied
+all that they were swans, though in the deceptive glare of the
+torch, they appeared even larger than swans. Their long upright
+necks, however, convinced the party they could be nothing else, and
+the canoe was headed directly for them.</p>
+
+<p>As our hunters approached, one of the birds was heard to utter
+his strange trumpet note, and this he repeated at intervals as they
+drew nearer.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I have heard that they sing before death,&rdquo; muttered Fran&ccedil;ois to
+Basil, who sat nearest him. &ldquo;If so, I hope that's the song itself;&rdquo;
+and Fran&ccedil;ois laughed quietly at the joke he had perpetrated.</p>
+
+<p>Basil also laughed; and Lucien, who had overheard the remark,
+could not refrain himself from joining in the laughter.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I fear not,&rdquo; rejoined Basil; &ldquo;there is hardly enough music in the
+note to call it a song. They may live to 'blow their own trumpet' a
+long while yet.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This remark called forth a fresh chorus of laughter, in which all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span>
+took part; but it was a very silent kind of laughter, that could not
+have been heard ten yards off: it might have been termed &ldquo;laughing
+in a whisper.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It soon ended, however, as matters now became serious: they were
+already within less than two hundred yards of the game, and the
+greatest caution had to be observed. The gunners had arranged the
+order of fire: Basil was to shoot first, taking steady aim with his rifle
+at any one of the birds; while Fran&ccedil;ois should fire as soon as he heard
+the report of his brother's gun, taking the remaining swans upon the
+wing, with one or both barrels, as he best might.</p>
+
+<p>At length Basil deemed himself near enough, and, levelling his piece,
+fired. The bird threw out its wings, and flattened down upon the
+water, almost without a struggle. The other two were rising into the
+air, when &ldquo;crack! crack!&rdquo; went the two barrels of Fran&ccedil;ois' piece,
+and one of the swans fell back with a broken wing, and fluttered over
+the surface of the stream. Basil's had been shot dead, and was taken
+up easily; but the wounded bird was only captured after a long chase
+with the canoe; and when overtaken, it struck so fiercely with its
+remaining wing, that one of the blows inflicted a painful wound on
+the wrist of Fran&ccedil;ois. Both, however, were at length got safely
+aboard, and proved to be a male and female of the largest dimensions.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER V</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">&ldquo;CAST AWAY&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>f course, the reports of the guns must have frightened any other
+swans that were near. It was not likely they would find any more
+before going some distance farther down the river; so, having stowed
+away in a safe place the two already killed, the hunters paddled
+rapidly onward.</p>
+
+<p>They had hardly gone half-a-mile farther, when another flock of
+swans was discovered. These were approached in a similar way, and
+no less than three were obtained&mdash;Fran&ccedil;ois making a remarkable
+shot, and killing with both barrels. A little farther down, one of the
+&ldquo;hoopers&rdquo; was killed; and still farther on, another trumpeter; making
+in all no less than seven swans that lay dead in the bottom of the
+canoe!</p>
+
+<p>These seven great birds almost filled the little craft to the gunwales,
+and you would think that our &ldquo;torch-hunters&rdquo; ought to have
+been content with such a spoil; but the hunter is hard to satisfy
+with game, and but too often inclined to &ldquo;spill much more blood&rdquo;
+than is necessary to his wants. Our voyageurs, instead of desisting,
+again set the canoe in motion, and continued the hunt.</p>
+
+<p>A short distance below the place where they had shot the last
+swan, as they were rounding a bend in the river, a loud rushing
+sounded in their ears, similar to that produced by a cascade or waterfall.
+On first hearing it, they were startled and somewhat alarmed.
+It might be a &ldquo;fall,&rdquo; thought they. Norman could not tell: he had
+never travelled this route; he did not know whether there were falls
+in the Red River or not, but he believed not. In his voyage to the
+South, he had travelled by another route; that was, up the Winnipeg
+River, and through Rainy Lake and the Lake of the Woods to
+Lake Superior. This is the usual and well-known track followed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span>
+by the <i>employ&eacute;s</i> of the Hudson's Bay Company; and Norman had
+travelled it.</p>
+
+<p>In this uncertainty the canoe was brought to a stop, and our
+voyageurs remained listening. The noise made by the water was
+not very distant, and sounded like the roaring of &ldquo;rapids,&rdquo; or the
+rush of a &ldquo;fall.&rdquo; It was evidently one or the other; but, after listening
+to it for a considerable time, all came to the conclusion that the
+sound did not proceed from the Red River itself, but from some
+stream that emptied into it upon the right. With this belief they
+again put the canoe in motion, and glided slowly and cautiously
+onward.</p>
+
+<p>Their conjecture proved to be correct. As they approached nearer,
+they perceived that the noise appeared every moment more and more
+to their right; and presently they saw, below them, a rapid current
+sweeping into the Red River from the right bank. This was easily
+distinguished by the white froth and bubbles that were carried along
+upon its surface, and which had evidently been produced by some
+fall over which the water had lately passed. The hunters now rowed
+fearlessly forward, and in a few moments came opposite the <i>d&eacute;bouchure</i>
+of the tributary stream, when a considerable cascade appeared to
+their view, not thirty yards from the Red River itself. The water
+foamed and dashed over a series of steps, and then swept rapidly on,
+in a frothy current. They had entered this current, and were now
+carried along with increased velocity, so that the oarsmen suspended
+operations, and drew their paddles within the canoe.</p>
+
+<p>A flock of swans now drew their attention. It was the largest
+flock they had yet seen, numbering nearly a score of these noble
+birds,&mdash;a sight, as Norman informed them, that was exceedingly rare
+even in the most favoured haunts of the swan. Rarely are more than
+six or seven seen together, and oftener only two or three. A grand
+<i>coup</i> was determined upon. Norman took up his own gun, and even
+Lucien, who managed the stern oar, and guided the craft, also brought
+his piece&mdash;a very small rifle&mdash;close to his hand, so that he might have
+a shot as well as the others.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe was directed in such a manner that, by merely keeping
+its head down the stream, it would float to the spot where the swans
+were.</p>
+
+<p>In a short while they approached very near the great birds, and
+our hunters could see them sitting on the water, with upraised necks,
+gazing in wonder at the torch. Whether they sounded their strange
+note was not known, for the &ldquo;sough&rdquo; of the waterfall still echoed in
+the ears of the canoe-men, and they could not hear aught else.</p>
+
+<p>Basil and Norman fired first, and simultaneously; but the louder
+detonations of Fran&ccedil;ois' double-barrel, and even the tiny crack of
+Lucien's rifle, were heard almost the instant after. Three of the birds
+were killed by the volley, while a fourth, evidently &ldquo;winged,&rdquo; was
+seen to dive, and flutter down-stream. The others mounted into the
+air, and disappeared in the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>During the time occupied in this man&#339;uvre, the canoe, no longer
+guided by Lucien's oar, had been caught by some eddy in the current,
+and swept round stern-foremost. In this position the light no longer
+shone upon the river ahead, but was thrown up-stream. All in a
+downward direction was buried in deep darkness. Before the
+voyageurs could bring the canoe back to its proper direction, a new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span>
+sound fell upon their ears that caused some of them to utter a cry of
+terror. It was the noise of rushing water, but not that which they
+had already heard and passed. It was before them in the river itself.
+Perhaps it was a cataract, and <i>they were sweeping rapidly to its
+brink</i>!</p>
+
+<p>The voice of Norman was heard exclaiming, &ldquo;Hold with your
+oars!&mdash;the rapids!&mdash;the rapids!&rdquo; At the same time he himself
+was seen rising up and stretching forward for an oar. All was now
+consternation; and the movements of the party naturally consequent
+upon such a sudden panic shook the little craft until her
+gunwales lipped the water. At the same time she had swung round,
+until the light again showed the stream ahead, and a horrid
+sight it was.</p>
+
+<p>Far as the eye could see, was a reach of foaming rapids. Dark
+points of rocks, and huge black boulders, thickly scattered in the
+channel, jutted above the surface; and around and against these,
+the water frothed and hissed furiously. There was no cataract, it is
+true&mdash;there is none such in Red River&mdash;but for all purposes of destruction
+the rapids before them were equally dangerous and terrible
+to the eyes of our voyageurs. They no longer thought of the swans.
+The dead were permitted to float down unheeded, the wounded to
+make its escape. Their only thought was to stop the canoe before it
+should be carried upon the rapids.</p>
+
+<p>With this intent all had taken to the oars, but in spite of every
+exertion they soon found that the light craft had got within the
+influence of the strong current, and was sucked downward more
+rapidly than ever. Their backward strokes were to no purpose.</p>
+
+<p>In a few seconds the canoe had passed over the first stage of the
+rapids, and shot down with the velocity of an arrow. A huge boulder
+lay directly in the middle of the channel, and against this the current
+broke with fury, laving its sides in foaming masses. The canoe was
+hurried to this point; and as the light was again turned up-stream,
+none of the voyageurs could see this dangerous rock. But they could
+not have shunned it then. The boat had escaped from their control,
+and spun round at will. The rock once more came under the light,
+but just as the canoe, with a heavy crash, was driven against it.</p>
+
+<p>For some moments the vessel, pressed by the current against the
+rock, remained motionless, but her sides were stove in, and the water
+was rushing through. The quick eye of Basil&mdash;cool in all crises of
+extreme danger&mdash;perceived this at a glance. He saw that the canoe
+was a wreck, and nothing remained but to save themselves as they
+best might. Dropping the oar, and seizing his rifle, he called to his
+companions to leap to the rock; and all together immediately sprang
+over the gunwale. The dog Marengo followed after.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe, thus lightened, heeled round into the current, and swept
+on. The next moment she struck another rock, and was carried over
+on her beams. The water then rushed in&mdash;the white bodies of the
+swans, with the robes, blankets, and implements, rose on the wave;
+the blazing knots were spilled from the pan, and fell with a hissing
+sound; and a few seconds after they were extinguished, and all was
+darkness!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="cap">A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he canoe was lost, and all it had contained, or nearly all. The
+voyageurs had saved only their guns, knives, and the powder-horns
+and pouches, that had been attached to their persons. One other
+thing had been saved&mdash;an axe which Basil had flung upon the rock
+as he stepped out of the sinking vessel. All the rest&mdash;robes, blankets,
+swans, cooking utensils, bags of provisions, such as coffee, flour, and
+dried meat&mdash;were lost&mdash;irrecoverably lost. These had either drifted
+off upon the surface, or been carried under water and hidden among
+the loose stones at the bottom. No matter where, they were lost;
+and our voyageurs now stood on a small naked rock in the middle of
+the stream, with nothing left but the clothes upon their backs, and
+the arms in their hands. Such was their condition.</p>
+
+<p>There was something so sudden and awful in the mishap that had
+befallen them, that for some minutes they stood upon the spot where
+they had settled without moving or addressing a word to one another.
+They gazed after the canoe. They knew that it was wrecked, although
+they could see nothing either of it or its contents. Thick darkness
+enveloped them, rendered more intense from the sudden extinction
+of the torchlight. They saw nothing but the foam flickering along
+the river; like the ghosts of the swans they had killed, and they
+heard only the roaring of the water, that sounded in their ears with
+a hoarse and melancholy wail.</p>
+
+<p>For a long time they stood impressed with the lamentable condition
+into which the accident had plunged them; and a lamentable condition
+it was, sure enough. They were on a small rock in the midst
+of a rapid river. They were in the midst of a great wilderness too,
+many long miles from a settlement. The nearest could only be
+reached by travelling through pathless forests, and over numerous
+and deep rivers. Impassable swamps, and lakes with marshy shores,
+lay on the route, and barred the direct course, and all this journey
+would have to be made on foot.</p>
+
+<p>But none of our young voyageurs were of that stamp to yield themselves
+to despair. One and all of them had experienced perils before&mdash;greater
+even than that in which they now stood. As soon, therefore,
+as they became fully satisfied that their little vessel was wrecked,
+and all its contents scattered, instead of despairing, their first thoughts
+were how to make the best of their situation.</p>
+
+<p>For that night, at least, they were helpless. They could not leave
+the rock. It was surrounded by rapids. Sharp, jagged points
+peeped out of the water, and between these the current rushed with
+impetuosity. In the darkness no human being could have crossed
+to either shore in safety. To attempt it would have been madness,
+and our voyageurs soon came to this conclusion. They had no
+other choice than to remain where they were until the morning; so,
+seating themselves upon the rock, they prepared to pass the night.</p>
+
+<p>They sat huddled close together. They could not lie down&mdash;there
+was not room enough for that. They kept awake most of the night,
+one or other of them, overcome by fatigue, occasionally nodding over
+in a sort of half-sleep, but awaking again after a few minutes' uncomfortable
+dreaming. They talked but little, as the noise of the
+rushing rapids rendered conversation painful. To be heard, they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span>
+were under the necessity of shouting to one another, like passengers
+in an omnibus. It was cold, too. None of them had been much
+wetted in escaping from the canoe; but they had saved neither
+overcoat, blanket, nor buffalo-robe; and, although it was now late
+in the spring, the nights near Lake Winnipeg, even at that season,
+are chilly. They were above the latitude of 50&deg;; and although in
+England, which is on that parallel, it is not very cold of a spring
+night, it must be remembered that the line of equal temperature&mdash;in
+the language of meteorologists the &ldquo;<i>isothermal line</i>,&rdquo;&mdash;is of a much
+lower latitude in America than in Europe.</p>
+
+<p>Our voyageurs were chilled to the very bones, and of course glad
+to see the daylight glimmering through the tops of the trees that
+grew upon the banks of the river. As soon as day broke, they began
+to consider how they would reach those trees. Although swimming
+a river of that width would have been to any of the four a mere
+bagatelle, they saw that it was not to be so easy an affair. Had
+they been upon either bank, they could have crossed to the other
+without difficulty&mdash;as they would have chosen a place where the
+water was comparatively still. On the rock they had no choice, as
+the rapids extended on both sides above and below it. Between
+the boulders the current rushed so impetuously, that had they
+attempted to swim to either bank, they would have been carried
+downward, and perhaps dashed with violence against one or other of
+the sharp stones.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as it was light, they saw all this; not without feelings of
+apprehension and uneasiness. Their whole attention was now occupied
+with the one object&mdash;how they should get to the bank of the
+river.</p>
+
+<p>The right bank was the more distant; but the passage in that
+direction appeared the easier one. The current was not so swift, nor
+yet did it seem so deep. They thought they might ford it, and Basil
+made the attempt; but he soon got beyond his depth; and was
+obliged, after being carried off his feet, to swim up under the lee of
+the rock again.</p>
+
+<p>From the rock to the right bank was about an hundred yards'
+distance. Here and there, at irregular intervals, sharp, jagged
+stones rose above the surface, some of them projecting three feet or
+more out of the water, and looking very much like upright tombstones.
+Lucien had noticed these, and expressed the opinion that if
+they only had a rope, they might fling it over one of these stones,
+and then, holding it fast at the other end, might pass by that means
+from one to the other.</p>
+
+<p>The suggestion was a good one, but where was the rope to come
+from? All their ropes and cords&mdash;lassoes and all&mdash;had been swept
+away in the wreck. Not a string remained, except those that
+fastened their horns, flasks, and other accoutrements; and these
+were only small thongs, and would be of no use for such a purpose.
+It would require a rope strong enough to carry the weight of a man
+impelled by a rapid current&mdash;in fact, a weight equal to that of
+several men. They all set to thinking how this was to be obtained.
+Each looked at the other, and scanned the straps and thongs that
+were around their bodies.</p>
+
+<p>They were satisfied at a glance that these would not be sufficient
+to make such a rope as was wanted. They did not give up the hope<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span>
+of being able to obtain one. They were all of them accustomed to
+resort to strange expedients, and a sufficiently strange one now suggested
+itself. Basil and Norman seemed to have thought of it at the
+same time, for both at once unbuckled their straps, and commenced
+pulling off their buckskin hunting-shirts. The others said nothing,
+as they knew well what they were going to do with them&mdash;they
+knew they intended cutting them into strips, and then twisting a
+rope out of them.</p>
+
+<p>All four set to work together. Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois held the shirts
+taut, while Basil and Norman handled the knives, and in a few
+minutes the rock was covered with strips of buckskin about two
+inches wide, by a yard or so in length. These were next joined and
+plaited together in such a manner that a rope was formed nearly
+forty feet long. An eye was made at one end, and through this the
+other end was reeved&mdash;so that a running noose was obtained, in the
+same manner as the Mexicans and Indians make their lassoes. The
+rope was now ready for use, and Basil was the very hand to use it;
+for Basil knew how to fling a lasso as well as either Mexican or
+Indian. He had practised it often, and had lassoed many a long-horned
+bull upon the prairies of Opelousas and the Attakapas. To
+Basil, therefore, the rope was given.</p>
+
+<p>He placed himself on the highest part of the rock, having first
+coiled the new-made lasso, and hung the coil lightly over his left
+arm. He then took the noose-end in his right hand, and commenced
+winding it around his head. His companions had laid themselves
+flat, so as not to be in the way of the noose as it circled about. After
+a few turns the rope was launched forth, and a loud &ldquo;hurrah!&rdquo; from
+Fran&ccedil;ois announced that the throw was successful.</p>
+
+<p>It was so in fact, as the noose was seen settling smoothly over the
+jutting-stone, taking full hold upon it. A pull from Basil fixed it;
+and in a few minutes it was made quite fast, without the slightest
+danger of its slipping off. The other end was then carried round a
+projecting point of the rock on which they stood, and knotted
+firmly, so that the rope was quite taut, and stretched in a nearly
+horizontal direction, about a foot above the surface of the water.</p>
+
+<p>The voyageurs now prepared to cross over. Their guns, pouches,
+and flasks were carefully secured, so that the water could not
+damage them. Then each took a piece of the buckskin thong, and
+fastened it round his waist, leaving enough to form a running loop.
+This loop was intended to embrace the rope, and run along it, as they
+drew themselves forward by their hands.</p>
+
+<p>Basil passed over first. He was the oldest, and, as he asserted, it
+was but right he should run the risk in testing the new-fashioned
+bridge, of which he was the architect. It worked admirably, and
+sustained the weight of his body, with the whole force of the current
+acting upon it. Of course he was swept far down, and the rope was
+stretched to its full tension, but he succeeded in handing himself
+along, until he was able to touch the second rock, and clamber upon
+it in safety. During the passage across he was watched by his companions
+with emotions of no ordinary character, but as soon as he
+had reached the opposite end of the rope all three uttered a loud and
+simultaneous cheer. Lucien passed over next, and after him Fran&ccedil;ois.
+Notwithstanding his danger, Fran&ccedil;ois laughed loudly all the time he
+was in the water, while his brothers were not without some fears for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span>
+his safety. Marengo was next attached to the rope, and pulled
+safely over.</p>
+
+<p>Norman was the last to cross upon the buckskin bridge, but, like
+the others, he landed in safety; and the four, with the dog, now
+stood upon the little isolated boulder where there was just room
+enough to give them all a footing.</p>
+
+<p>A difficulty now presented itself, which they had not hitherto
+thought of. Another reach of rapid current was to be crossed, before
+they could safely trust themselves to enter the water. This they
+knew before, but they had also noticed that there was another
+jutting rock, upon which they might fling their rope. But the rope
+itself was now the difficulty. It was fast at both ends, and how were
+they to release it from the rock they had left? One of them could
+easily cross over again and untie it, but how was he to get back to
+the others? Here was a dilemma which had not presented itself
+before, and they now saw themselves no better off than ever. The
+rapid that remained to be crossed, was as dangerous as the one they
+had succeeded in passing. There was no hope that they could swim
+it in safety. They would certainly be swept with violence against
+the rocks below. There was no chance, then, of their going an inch
+farther&mdash;unless by some means similar to that they had just used,
+and the rope was no longer at their service.</p>
+
+<p>For some time they all stood silent, each considering the matter in
+his own way. How could they free the rope?</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It cannot be done,&rdquo; said one.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Impossible,&rdquo; rejoined another. &ldquo;We must make a second rope.
+Fran&ccedil;ois's shirt still remains, and our leggings&mdash;we can use them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This was the mode suggested by Fran&ccedil;ois and Norman, and Lucien
+seemed to assent to it. They had already commenced untying their
+leggings, when Basil uttered the ejaculation&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Stop!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, what is it, brother?&rdquo; asked Lucien.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think I can free the rope at the other end. At all events, let
+me try. It will not cost much, either in time or trouble.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How do you mean to do it, brother?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Sit close, all of you. Give me room&mdash;you shall see presently.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As directed by Basil, they all cowered closely down, so as to occupy
+as little space as possible. Basil, having uncovered the lock of his
+rifle&mdash;which had been carefully bound up in a piece of deer's bladder&mdash;placed
+himself in a firm position, and appeared as if about to fire.
+Such was his intention&mdash;for in a few moments he was seen to raise
+the gun to his shoulder, and take aim. None of his companions
+uttered a word. They had already guessed the object of this movement,
+and sat silently awaiting the result.</p>
+
+<p>On the rock which they had left, the rope still bound fast passed
+around one of the angles, in such a way that, from the point where
+Basil stood, it offered a fair mark. It was at this Basil was aiming.
+His object was to cut the thong with his bullet. He could not do it
+with a single shot, as the thong was broader than the bullet, but he
+had calculated that he might effect his purpose with several. If he
+did not succeed in cutting it clean through, the ball flattening upon
+the rock would, perhaps, tear the rope in such a manner that, by pulling
+by the other end, they might detach it. Such were the calculations
+and hopes of Basil.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span></p>
+
+<p>A moment more and the crack of his rifle was heard. At the same
+instant the dust rose up from the point at which he had aimed, and
+several small fragments flew off into the water. Again was heard
+Fran&ccedil;ois's &ldquo;hurrah,&rdquo; for Fran&ccedil;ois, as well as the others, had seen that
+the rope had been hit at the right place, and now exhibited a mangled
+appearance.</p>
+
+<p>While Basil was reloading, Norman took aim and fired. Norman
+was a good shot, though perhaps not so good a one as Basil, for that
+was no easy matter, as there were few such marksmen to be found
+anywhere, not even among the professional trappers and hunters
+themselves. But Norman was a fair shot, and this time hit his mark.
+The thong was evidently better than half divided by the two bullets.
+Seeing this, Fran&ccedil;ois took hold of the other end, and gave it a strong
+jerk or two, but it was still too much for him, and he ceased pulling
+and waited the effect of Basil's second shot.</p>
+
+<p>The later had now reloaded, and, taking deliberate aim again, fired.
+The rope was still held taut upon the rock, for part of it dragged in
+the current, the force of which kept pressing it hard downward.
+Scarcely was the report heard, when the farther end of the thong flew
+from its fastening, and, swept by the running water, was seen falling
+into the lee of the boulder on which the party now stood. A third
+time was heard the voice of Fran&ccedil;ois uttering one of his customary
+&ldquo;hurrahs.&rdquo; The rope was now dragged up, and made ready for further
+use. Basil again took hold of it; and, after coiling it as before, succeeded
+in throwing the noose over the third rock, where it settled and
+held fast. The other end was tied as before, and all passed safely to
+the new station. Here, however, their labour ended. They found
+that from this point to the shore the river was shallow, and fordable;
+and, leaving the rope where it was, all four took the water, and waded
+safely to the bank.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">DECOYING THE ANTELOPES</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>or the present, then, our voyageurs had escaped. They were safe
+upon the river's bank; but when we consider the circumstances in
+which they were placed, we shall perceive that they were far from
+being pleasant ones. They were in the midst of a wilderness, without
+either horse or boat to carry them out of it. They had lost everything
+but their arms and their axe. The hunting-shirts of some of them,
+as we have seen, were destroyed, and they would now suffer from the
+severe cold that even in summer, as we have said, often reigns in
+these latitudes. Not a vessel was left them for cooking with, and not
+a morsel of meat or anything was left to be cooked. For their future
+subsistence they would have to depend upon their guns, which, with
+their ammunition, they had fortunately preserved.</p>
+
+<p>After reaching the shore, their first thoughts were about procuring
+something to eat. They had now been a long time without food, and
+all four were hungry enough. As if by one impulse, all cast their
+eyes around, and looked upward among the branches of the trees, to
+see if any animal could be discovered that might serve them for a
+meal. Bird or quadruped, it mattered not, so that it was large enough
+to give the four a breakfast. But neither one nor the other was to be
+seen, although the woods around had a promising appearance. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span>
+trees were large, and as there was much underwood, consisting of
+berry-bushes and plants with edible roots, our voyageurs did not
+doubt that there would be found game in abundance. It was agreed,
+then, that Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois should remain on the spot and kindle
+a fire, while Basil and Norman went off in search of something to be
+cooked upon it.</p>
+
+<p>In less than an hour the latter returned, carrying an animal upon his
+shoulders, which both the boys recognised as an old acquaintance&mdash;the
+prong-horned antelope, so called from the single fork or prong
+upon its horns. Norman called it &ldquo;a goat,&rdquo; and stated that this was
+its name among the fur-traders, while the Canadian voyageurs give
+it the title of &ldquo;cabree.&rdquo; Lucien, However, knew the animal well. He
+knew it was not of the goat kind, but a true antelope, and the only
+animal of that genus found in North America. Its habitat is the
+prairie country, and at the present time it is not found farther east
+than the prairies extend, not farther north either, as it is not a
+creature that can bear extreme cold.</p>
+
+<p>In early times, however&mdash;that is nearly two centuries ago&mdash;it must
+have ranged nearly to the Atlantic shores, as Father Hennipen in his
+<i>Travels</i> speaks of &ldquo;goats&rdquo; being killed in the neighbourhood of
+Niagara, meaning no other than the prong-horned antelopes. The
+true wild goat of America is a very different animal, and is only
+found in the remote regions of the Rocky Mountains.</p>
+
+<p>What Norman had shot, then, was an antelope; and the reason
+why it is called &ldquo;cabree&rdquo; by the voyageurs, and &ldquo;goat&rdquo; by the fur-traders,
+is partly from its colour resembling that of the common goat,
+but more from the fact, that along the upper part of its neck there is
+a standing mane, which does in truth give it somewhat the appearance
+of the European goat. Another point of resemblance lies in the
+fact, that the &ldquo;prong-horns&rdquo; emit the same disagreeable odour, which
+is a well-known characteristic of the goat species. This proceeds
+from two small glandular openings that lie at the angles of the jaws,
+and appear spots of a blackish-brown colour.</p>
+
+<p>Both Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois had shot antelopes. They had decoyed
+them within range in their former expedition on the prairies, and had
+seen wolves do the same. The Indians usually hunt them in this
+manner, by holding up some bright-coloured flag, or other curious
+object, which rarely fails to bring them within shot; but Norman
+informed his cousins that the Indians of the Hudson's Bay Company
+care little about the antelope, and rarely think it worth hunting.
+Its skin is of little value to them, and they consider its flesh but indifferent
+eating. But the chief reason why they take so little notice
+of it is, because it is found in the same range, with the buffalo, the
+moose, and the elk; and, as all these animals are more valuable to the
+Indian hunter, he allows the antelope to go unmolested, unless when
+he is hard pressed with hunger, and none of the others are to be had.</p>
+
+<p>While skinning the antelope for breakfast, Norman amused his
+companions by relating how he had killed it. He said he had got
+near enough to shoot it by practising a &ldquo;dodge.&rdquo; After travelling
+through the woods for some half-mile or so, he had come out into a
+country of &ldquo;openings,&rdquo; and saw that there was a large prairie beyond.
+He saw that the woods extended no farther than about a mile from
+the banks of the river, and that the whole country beyond was without
+timber, except in scattered clumps. This is, in fact, true of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span>
+Red River country, particularly of its western part, from which the
+great prairies stretch westward even to the &ldquo;foot-hills&rdquo; of the Rocky
+Mountains.</p>
+
+<p>Well, then, after arriving at the openings, Norman espied a small
+herd of antelopes, about ten or a dozen in all. He would rather they
+had been something else, as elk or deer; for, like the Indians, he did
+not much relish the &ldquo;goat's&rdquo; meat. He was too hungry, however,
+to be nice, and so he set about trying to get within shot of the herd.
+There was no cover, and he knew he could not approach near enough
+without using some stratagem. He therefore laid himself flat upon
+his back, and raised his heels as high as he could into the air. These
+he kicked about in such a manner as soon to attract the attention of
+the antelopes, that, curious to make out what it was, commenced running
+round and round in circles, of which Norman himself was the
+centre.</p>
+
+<p>The circles gradually became smaller and smaller, until the hunter
+saw that his game was within range; when slyly rolling himself
+round on one shoulder, he took aim at a buck, and fired. The buck
+fell, and the rest of the herd bounded off like the wind. Norman
+feeling hungry himself, and knowing that his companions were suffering
+from the same cause, lost no time in looking for other game, but
+shouldering the &ldquo;goat,&rdquo; carried it into camp.</p>
+
+<p>By this time Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois had a fire kindled&mdash;a roaring fire
+of &ldquo;pine-knots&rdquo;&mdash;and both were standing by it, smoking all over in
+their wet leggings. They had got nearly dry when Norman returned,
+and they proceeded to assist in butchering the antelope. The skin
+was whipped off in a trice; and the venison, cut into steaks and ribs,
+was soon spitted and sputtering cheerily in the blaze of the pine-knots.
+Everything looked pleasant and promising, and it only wanted
+the presence of Basil to make them all feel quite happy again. Basil,
+however, did not make his appearance; and as they were all as
+hungry as wolves, they could not wait for him, but set upon the
+antelope-venison, and made each of them a hearty meal from it.</p>
+
+<p>As yet they had no apprehensions about Basil. They supposed he
+had not met with any game, and was still travelling about in search
+of it. Should he succeed in killing any, he would bring it in; and
+should he not, he would return in proper time without it. It was still
+early in the day.</p>
+
+<p>But several hours passed over and he did not come. It was an
+unusual length of time for him to be absent, especially in strange
+woods of which he knew nothing; moreover, he was in his shirt
+sleeves, and the rest of his clothing had been dripping wet when he
+set out. Under these circumstances would he remain so long, unless
+something unpleasant had happened to him?</p>
+
+<p>This question the three began to ask one another. They began to
+grow uneasy about their absent companion; and as the hours passed
+on without his appearing, their uneasiness increased to serious alarm.
+They at length resolved to go in search of him. They took different
+directions, so that there would be a better chance of finding him.
+Norman struck out into the woods, while Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois,
+followed by the dog Marengo, kept down the bank&mdash;thinking that
+if Basil had got lost, he would make for the river to guide him, as
+night approached. All were to return to the camp at nightfall
+whether successful or not.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After several hours spent in traversing the woods and openings,
+Norman came back. He had been unable to find any traces of their
+missing companion. The others had got back before him. They
+heard his story with sorrowing hearts, for neither had they fallen in
+with the track of living creature. Basil was lost, beyond a doubt.
+He would never have stayed so long, had not some accident happened
+to him. Perhaps he was dead&mdash;killed by some wild animal&mdash;a
+panther or a bear. Perhaps he had met with Indians, who had
+carried him off, or put him to death on the spot. Such were the
+painful conjectures of his companions.</p>
+
+<p>It was now night. All three sat mournfully over the fire, their
+looks and gestures betokening the deep dejection they felt. Although
+in need of repose, none of them attempted to go to sleep. At intervals
+they discussed the probability of his return, and then they would
+remain silent. Nothing could be done that night. They could only
+await the morning light, when they would renew their search, and
+scour the country in every direction.</p>
+
+<p>It was near midnight, and they were sitting silently around the
+fire, when Marengo started to his feet, and uttered three or four loud
+barks. The echoes of these had hardly died among the trees when a
+shrill whistle was heard at some distance off in the woods.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hurrah!&rdquo; shouted Fran&ccedil;ois, leaping to his feet at the instant;
+&ldquo;that's Basil's whistle, I'll be bound. I'd know it a mile off.
+Hurrah!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois' &ldquo;hurrah!&rdquo; rang through the woods, and the next
+moment came back a loud &ldquo;Hilloa!&rdquo; which all recognised as the
+voice of Basil.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hilloa!&rdquo; shouted the three by the fire.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hilloa, my boys! all right!&rdquo; replied the voice; and a few seconds
+after, the tall upright form of Basil himself was seen advancing,
+under the glare of the pine-knots. A shout of congratulation was again
+raised; and all the party, preceded by Marengo, rushed out to
+meet the new-comer. They soon returned, bringing Basil up to the
+fire, when it was seen that he had not returned empty-handed. In
+one hand he carried a bag of grouse, or &ldquo;prairie hens,&rdquo; while from
+the muzzle of his shouldered rifle there hung something that was at
+once recognised as a brace of buffalo tongues.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Voil&agrave;</i>!&rdquo; cried Basil, flinging down the bag, &ldquo;how are you off for
+supper? And here,&rdquo; continued he, pointing to the tongues, &ldquo;here's
+a pair of tit-bits that'll make you lick your lips. Come! let us lose
+no time in the cooking, for I'm hungry enough to eat either of them
+raw.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Basil's request was instantly complied with. The fire was raked
+up, spits were speedily procured, a tongue and one of the grouse
+were roasted; and although Lucien, Fran&ccedil;ois, and Norman, had
+already supped on the &ldquo;goat's meat,&rdquo; they set to upon the new viands
+with fresh appetites. Basil was hungrier than any, for he had been
+all the while fasting. It was not because he was without meat, but
+because he knew that his comrades would be uneasy about him, and
+he would not stop to cook it. Of meat he had enough, since he had
+slain the two buffaloes to which the tongues had belonged; and these
+same buffaloes, he now informed them, had been the cause of his long
+absence.</p>
+
+<p>Of course, all were eager to know how the buffaloes could have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span>
+delayed him; and therefore, while they were discussing their savoury
+supper, Basil narrated the details of his day's adventure.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A &ldquo;PARTRIDGE DANCE.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;A</span>fter leaving here,&rdquo; said Basil, &ldquo;I struck off through the woods in
+a line that led from the river, in a diagonal direction. I hadn't
+walked more than three hundred yards, when I heard a drumming
+sound, which I at first took to be thunder; but, after listening a
+while, I knew it was not that, but the drumming of the ruffed grouse.
+As soon as I could ascertain the direction of the sound, I hurried on
+in that way; but for a long time I appeared to get no nearer it, so
+greatly does this sound deceive one. I should think I walked a full
+mile before I arrived at the place where the birds were, for there
+were many of them. I then had a full view of them, as they went
+through their singular performances.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There were, in all, about a score. They had selected a piece of
+open and level ground, and over this they were running in a circle,
+about twenty feet in diameter. They did not all run in the same
+direction, but met and crossed each other, although they never
+deviated much from the circumference of the circle, around which
+the grass was worn quite bare, and a ring upon the turf looked baked
+and black. When I first got near, they heard my foot among the
+leaves, and I saw that one and all of them stopped running, and
+squatted close down.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I halted, and hid myself behind a tree. After remaining quiet a
+minute or so, the birds began to stretch up their necks, and then all
+rose together to their feet, and commenced running round the ring
+as before. I knew they were performing what is called the
+'Partridge Dance;' and as I had never witnessed it I held back
+awhile, and looked on. Even hungry as I was, and as I knew all of
+you to be, so odd were the movements of these creatures, that I could
+not resist watching them a while, before I sent my unwelcome
+messenger into their 'ball-room.'</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now and then an old cock would separate from the pack, and
+running out to some distance, would leap upon a rock that was
+there; then, after dropping his wings, flirting with his spread tail,
+erecting the ruff upon his neck, and throwing back his head, he
+would swell and strut upon the rock, exhibiting himself like a
+diminutive turkey-cock. After man&#339;uvring in this way for a few
+moments, he would commence flapping his wings in short quick
+strokes, which grew more rapid as he proceeded, until a 'booming'
+sound was produced, more like the rumble of distant thunder than
+anything I can think of.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;This appeared to be a challenge to the others; and then a second
+would come out, and, after replying to it by putting himself through
+a similar series of attitudes, the two would attack each other, and
+fight with all the fury of a pair of game-cocks.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I could have watched their man&#339;uvres much longer,&rdquo; continued
+Basil, &ldquo;but hunger got the better of me, and I made ready to fire.
+Those that were 'dancing' moved so quickly round the ring that I
+could not sight one of them. If I had had a shot gun, I might have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span>
+covered several, but with the rifle I could not hope for more than a
+single bird; so, wanting to make sure of that, I waited until an old
+cock mounted the rock, and got to 'drumming.' Then I sighted
+him, and sent my bullet through his crop. I heard the loud whirr
+of the pack as they rose up from the ring; and, marking them, I
+saw that they all alighted only a couple of hundred yards off, upon
+a large spruce-tree.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hoping they would sit there until I could get another shot, I
+loaded, as quickly as possible, and stepped forward. The course I
+took brought me past the one I had killed, which I picked up, and
+thrust hastily into my bag. Beyond this I had to pass over some
+logs that lay along the ground, with level spaces between them.
+What was my surprise in getting among these, to see two of the
+cocks down upon the grass, and fighting so desperately that they
+took no notice of my approach! At first I threw up my rifle,
+intending to fire, but seeing that the birds were within a few feet of
+me, I thought they might let me lay hold of them, which they, in
+fact, did; for the next moment I had 'grabbed' both of them, and
+cooled their bellicose spirits by wringing their heads off.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I now proceeded to the pack, that still kept the tree. When near
+enough, I sheltered myself behind another tree; and taking aim at one,
+I brought him tumbling to the ground. The others sat still.
+Of course, I shot the one upon the lowest branch: I knew that, so
+long as I did this, the others would sit until I might get the whole
+of them; but that if I shot one of the upper ones, its fluttering down
+through the branches would alarm the rest, and cause them to fly off.
+I loaded and fired, and loaded and fired, until half-a-dozen of the
+birds lay around the root of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I believe I could have killed the whole pack, but it just then
+occurred to me that I was wasting our precious ammunition, and
+that, considering the value of powder and shot to us just now, the
+birds were hardly worth a load a-piece; so I left off cracking at
+them. As I stepped forward to gather what I had killed, the rest
+whirred away into the woods.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;On reaching the tree where they had perched, I was very much
+surprised to find a raw-hide rope neatly coiled up, and hanging from
+one of the lower branches. I knew that somebody must have placed
+it there, and I looked round to see what &ldquo;sign&rdquo; there was besides.
+My eye fell upon the cinders of an old fire near the foot of the tree;
+and I could tell that some Indians had made their camp by it. It
+must have been a good while ago, as the ashes were beaten into the
+ground by the rain, and, moreover, some young plants were springing
+up through them. I concluded, therefore, that whoever had camped
+there had hung the rope upon the tree, and on leaving the place had
+forgotten it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I took the rope down to examine it: it was no other than a lasso,
+full fifty feet long, with an iron ring neatly whipped into the loop-end;
+and, on trying it with a pull, I saw it was in the best condition.
+Of course, I was not likely to leave such a prize behind me. I had
+grown, as you may all conceive, to have a very great regard for a
+rope, considering that one had just saved all our lives; so I resolved
+on bringing the lasso with me. In order to carry it the more conveniently,
+I coiled it, and then hung the coil across my shoulders like
+a belt. I next packed my game into the bag, which they filled chock<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span>
+up to the mouth, and was turning to come back to camp, when my
+eye fell upon an object that caused me suddenly to change my
+intention.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I was near the edge of the woods, and through the trunks I could
+see a large open space beyond, where there were no trees, or only one
+here and there. In the middle of this opening there was a cloud of
+dust, and in the thick of it I could see two great dark animals in
+motion. They were running about, and now and then coming
+together with a sudden rush; and every time they did so, I could
+hear a loud thump, like the stroke of a sledge-hammer. The sun was
+shining upon the yellow dust-cloud, and the animals appeared from
+this circumstance to be of immense size&mdash;much larger than they really
+were. Had I not known what kind of creatures were before me, I
+should have believed that the mammoths were still in existence. But
+I knew well what they were: I had seen many before, carrying on
+just such a game. I knew they were buffalo bulls, engaged in one of
+their terrible battles.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Here Basil's narrative was interrupted by a singular incident.
+Indeed, it had been interrupted more than once by strange noises
+that were heard at some distance off in the woods. These noises were
+not all alike: at one time they resembled the barking of a cur dog;
+at another, they might have been mistaken for the gurglings of a
+person who was being hanged; and then would follow a shriek so
+dreadful that for some time the woods would echo with its dismal
+sound! After the shriek a laugh would be heard, but a miserable
+&ldquo;haw-haw-haw!&rdquo; unlike the laugh of a sane person.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;All these strange voices were calculated to inspire terror, and so
+have they many a time, with travellers not accustomed to the solitary
+woods of America. But our young voyageurs were not at all alarmed
+by them. They knew from what sort of a creature they proceeded;
+they knew they were the varying notes of the great horned-owl; and
+as they had seen and heard many a one before, they paid no heed to
+this individual.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;While Basil was going on with his relation, the bird had been
+several times seen to glide past, and circle around upon his noiseless
+pinions. So easy was his flight, that the slightest inclining of his
+spread tail, or the bending of his broad wing, seemed sufficient to
+turn and carry him in any direction. Nothing could be more graceful
+than his flight, which was not unlike that of the eagle, while he
+was but little inferior in size to one of these noble birds.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What interrupted Basil was, that the owl had alighted upon a
+branch not twenty feet from where they were all sitting round the
+fire, by the blaze of which they now had a full view of this singular
+creature. The moment it alighted, it commenced uttering its hideous
+and unmusical cries, at the same time going through such a variety
+of contortions, both with its head and body, as to cause the whole
+party a fit of laughter. It was, in fact, an odd and interesting sight
+to witness its grotesque movements, as it turned first its body, and
+then its head around, without moving the shoulders, while its great
+honey-coloured eyes glared in the light of the fire. At the end of
+every attitude and utterance, it would snap its bill with such violence,
+that the cracking of the mandibles upon each other might have been
+heard to the distance of several hundred yards.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;This was too much for Fran&ccedil;ois' patience to bear, and he immediately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span>
+crept to his gun. He had got hold of the piece, and
+cocked it; but, just as he was about to take aim, the owl dropped
+silently down from the branch, and, gliding gently forward, thrust
+out its feathered leg, and lifted one of the grouse in its talons. The
+latter had been lying upon the top of a fallen tree not six feet from
+the fire! The owl, after clutching it, rose into the air; and the next
+moment would have been lost in darkness, but the crack of Fran&ccedil;ois'
+rifle put a sudden stop to its flight, and with the grouse still clinging
+to its claws it fell fluttering to the earth. Marengo jumped forward
+to seize it; but Marengo little knew the sort of creature he had to
+deal with.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It happened to be only &ldquo;winged,&rdquo; and as soon as the dog came near,
+it threw itself upon its back, and struck at him with its talons so
+wickedly, that he was fain to approach it with more caution. It cost
+Marengo a considerable fight before he succeeded in getting his jaws
+over it. During the contest it continually snapped its bill, while its
+great goggle eyes kept alternately and quickly opening and closing,
+and the feathers being erected all over its body, gave it the appearance
+of being twice its real size. Marengo at length succeeded in
+&ldquo;crunching&rdquo; it&mdash;although not until he was well scratched about the
+snout&mdash;and its useless carcass having been thrown upon the ground,
+the dog continued to worry and chew at it, while Basil went on with
+his narration.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;A</span>s soon as I saw the buffaloes,&rdquo; continued Basil, &ldquo;my first thought
+was to get near, and have a shot at them. <i>They</i> were worth a charge
+of powder and lead, and I reflected that if I could kill but one of
+them, it would ensure us against hunger for a couple of weeks to
+come. So I hung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about
+approaching them. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there
+was no danger of their scenting me. But there was no cover near
+them&mdash;the ground was as level as a table, and there was not a score
+of trees upon as many acres. It was no use crawling up, and I did
+not attempt it, but walked straight forward, treading lightly as I
+went. In five minutes, I found myself within good shooting range.
+Neither of the bulls had noticed me. They were too busy with one
+another, and in all my life I never saw two creatures fighting in such
+earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, and the steam poured out
+of their nostrils incessantly.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>At times, they would back from each other like a pair of rams, and
+then rush together head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with the
+terrible collision. One would have fancied that they would break
+them at every fresh encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's
+skull before that time. I remember having fired a musket at one
+that stood fronting me not more than six feet distant, when, to my
+surprise, the bullet flattened and fell to the ground before the nose of
+the buffalo! The creature was not less astonished than myself, as
+up to that time it had not seen me.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; continued Basil after a pause, &ldquo;I did not stop long to watch
+the battle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span>
+seen such many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I
+paused just long enough to select the one that appeared to have the
+most fat upon his flanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed
+for the heart, and my aim was a true one, for the animal came to its
+knees along with the crack. Just at that moment the other was
+charging upon it, and, to my surprise, it continued to run on, until
+striking the wounded one full butt upon the forehead, it knocked the
+latter right over upon its side; where, after giving half-a-dozen kicks,
+it lay quite dead.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The remaining bull had dashed some paces beyond the spot, and
+now turned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagonist
+stretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much
+astonished as I was. At first, no doubt, he fancied himself the author
+of a grand <i>coup</i>, for it was plain that up to this time he had neither
+noticed my presence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing
+noise that both were making had drowned the latter; and the dust,
+together with the long shaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had
+prevented him from seeing anything more than his rival, with whom
+he was engaged.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now that the other was no longer able to stand before him, and
+thinking it was himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his
+head and snorted in triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was
+thrown back from his eyes, and the dust having somewhat settled
+away, he sighted me, where I stood reloading my gun. I fancied he
+would take off before I could finish, and I made all the haste in my
+power&mdash;so much so that I dropped the box of caps at my feet. I
+had taken one out, however, and hurriedly adjusted it, thinking to
+myself, as I did so, that the box might lie where it was until I had
+finished the job.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I brought the piece to my shoulder, when, to my surprise, the bull,
+instead of running away, as I had expected, set his head, and
+uttering one of his terrible bellows, came rushing towards me. I
+fired, but the shot was a random one, and though it hit him in the
+snout, it did not in the least disable him. Instead of keeping him
+off, it only seemed to irritate him the more, and his fury was now at
+its height.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I had no time to load again. He was within a few feet of me when
+I fired, and it was with difficulty that, by leaping to one side, I
+avoided his horns; but I did so, and he passed me with such violence
+that I felt the ground shake under his heavy tread.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;He wheeled immediately, and made at me a second time. I knew
+that if he once touched me I was gone. His horns were set, and his
+eyes glared with a terrible earnestness. I rushed towards the body
+of the buffalo that lay near, hoping that this might assist me in avoiding
+the onset. It did so, for, as he dashed forward over it, he became
+entangled among the limbs, and again charged without striking me.
+He turned, however, as quick as thought, and again rushed bellowing
+upon me. There was a tree near at hand. I had noticed it before,
+but I could not tell whether I should have time to reach it. I
+was now somewhat nearer it, and, fearing that I might not be able
+to dodge the furious brute any longer upon the ground, I struck out
+for the tree.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You may be sure I did my best at running. I heard the bull
+coming after, but before he could overtake me, I had got to the root<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span>
+of the tree. It was my intention, at first, only to take shelter behind
+the trunk; but when I had got there, I noticed that there were some
+low branches, and catching one of these I swung myself up among
+them.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;">
+<img src="images/illus-050.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL." title="BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL." />
+<span class="caption">BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The bull passed under me with a rush&mdash;almost touching my feet
+as I hung by the branch&mdash;but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and
+out of his reach.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;My next thought was to load my gun, and fire at him from my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span>
+perch, and, with this intention, I commenced loading. I had no fear
+but that he would give me an opportunity, for he kept round the
+tree, and at times attacked the trunk, butting and goring it with
+his horns, and all the while bellowing furiously. The tree was a
+small one, and it shook so, that I began to fear it might break down.
+I therefore made all the haste I could to get in the load, expecting
+soon to put an end to his attacks.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I succeeded at length in ramming down the bullet, and was just
+turning the gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box
+was still lying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden
+attack of the animal had prevented me from taking it up. My caps
+were all within that box, and my gun, loaded though it was, was as
+useless in my hands as a bar of iron. To get at the caps would be
+quite impossible. I dared not descend from the tree. The infuriated
+bull still kept pacing under it, now going round and round, and
+occasionally stopping for a moment and looking angrily up.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear
+that I might not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to
+be most pertinacious in vengeance. I could have shot him in the
+back, or the neck, or where I liked, if I had only one cap. He was
+within three feet of the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I
+could not get the gun to go off? After a while I thought of making
+some tinder paper, and then trying to 'touch off' the piece with
+it, but a far better plan at that moment came into my head. While
+I was fumbling about my bullet-pouch to get at my flint and steel,
+of course my fingers came into contact with the lasso, which was still
+hanging around my shoulders. It was this that suggested my plan,
+which was no other than to <i>lasso the bull, and tie him to the tree</i>!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope,
+and first made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end,
+and reeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while
+I leaned over and watched my opportunity. It was not long before
+a good one offered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations
+below, and passed round and round. It was no new thing for me to
+fling a lasso, and at the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the
+noose pass over the bison's head, and settle in a proper position
+behind his horns. I then gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and
+after that I ran the rope over a branch, and thus getting 'a purchase'
+upon it, I pulled it with all my might.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he
+began to plunge and 'rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously
+out from the tree. But he soon came to the end of his tether; and
+the quick jerk, which caused the tree itself to crack, brought him to
+his haunches, while the noose tightening on his throat was fast
+strangling him. But for the thick matted hair it would have done
+so, but this saved him, and he continued to sprawl and struggle at
+the end of the rope. The tree kept on cracking, and as I began to
+fear that it might give way and precipitate me to the ground, I
+thought it better to slip down. I ran direct to where I had dropped
+the caps; and, having got hold of the box, I soon had one upon my
+gun. I then stole cautiously back, and while the bison was hanging
+himself as fast as he could, I brought his struggles to a period by
+sending a bullet through his ribs.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As it was quite night when I had finished the business, of course I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span>
+could not stay to butcher the bulls. I knew that you would be
+wondering what kept me, so I cut out the tongues, and coming by
+the place where I had left the grouse, brought them along. I left a
+'scare-wolf' over both the bulls, however, and I guess we'll find them
+all right in the morning.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Basil having finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh
+fuel was heaped on the embers, and a huge fire was built&mdash;one that
+would last until morning. This was necessary, as none of them had
+now either blankets or bedding. Basil himself and Norman were
+even in their shirt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for
+keeping warmth in their bodies would be to keep up a roaring fire
+all the night. This they did, and all four laying themselves close
+together, slept soundly enough.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THREE CURIOUS TREES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ext morning they were awake at an early hour. There was still
+enough of the tongues and grouse left, along with some ribs of the
+antelope, to breakfast the party; and then all four set out to bring
+the flesh of Basil's buffaloes into camp. This they accomplished,
+after making several journeys. It was their intention to dry the
+meat over the fire, so that it might keep for future use. For this
+purpose the flesh was removed from the bones, and after being cut
+into thin slices and strips, was hung up on poles at some distance
+from the blaze. Nothing more could be done, but wait until it
+became sufficiently parched by the heat.</p>
+
+<p>While this process was going on our voyageurs collected around
+the fire, and entered into a consultation about what was best to be
+done. At first they thought of going back to the Red River settlement,
+and obtaining another canoe, as well as a fresh stock of provisions
+and implements. But they all believed that getting back
+would be a toilsome and difficult matter. There was a large lake and
+several extensive marshes on the route, and these would have to be
+got round, making the journey a very long one indeed. It would
+take them days to perform it on foot, and nothing is more discouraging
+on a journey than to be forced by some accident to what is
+called &ldquo;taking the back-track.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>All of them acknowledged this, but what else could they do? It is
+true there was a post of the Hudson's Bay Company at the northern
+end of Lake Winnipeg. This post was called Norway House. How
+were they to reach that afoot? To walk around the borders of the
+lake would be a distance of more than four hundred miles. There
+would be numerous rivers to cross, as well as swamps and pathless
+forests to be threaded. Such a journey would occupy a month or
+more, and at Norway House they would still be as it were only at the
+beginning of the great journey on which they had set out. Moreover,
+Norway House lay entirely out of their way. Cumberland House&mdash;another
+trading-post upon the River Saskatchewan&mdash;was the next
+point where they had intended to rest themselves, after leaving the Red
+River settlements. To reach Cumberland House <i>afoot</i> would be equally
+difficult, as it, too, lay at the distance of hundreds of miles, with lakes,
+and rivers, and marshes, intervening. What, then, could they do?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Let us <i>not</i> go back,&rdquo; cried Fran&ccedil;ois, ever ready with a bold advice:
+&ldquo;let us make a boat, and keep on, say I.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha! Fran&ccedil;ois,&rdquo; rejoined Basil, &ldquo;it's easy to say 'make a boat;'
+how is that to be done, I pray?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, what's to hinder us to hew a log, and make a dug-out? We
+have still got the axe, and two hatchets left.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Norman asked what Fran&ccedil;ois meant by a dug-out. The phrase
+was new to him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A canoe,&rdquo; replied Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;hollowed out of a tree. They are
+sometimes called 'dug-outs' on the Mississippi, especially when they
+are roughly made. One of them, I think, would carry all four of us
+well enough. Don't you think so, Luce?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, yes,&rdquo; answered the student; &ldquo;a large one might: but I fear
+there are no trees about here of sufficient size. We are not among
+the great timber of the Mississippi bottom, you must remember.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How large a tree would it require?&rdquo; asked Norman, who knew
+but little of this kind of craft.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Three feet in diameter, at least,&rdquo; replied Lucien; &ldquo;and it should
+be of that thickness for a length of nearly twenty feet. A less one
+would not carry four of us.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Then I am sure enough,&rdquo; responded Norman, &ldquo;that we won't find
+such timber here. I have seen no tree of that size either yesterday,
+or while we were out this morning.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Nor I,&rdquo; added Basil.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I don't believe there's one,&rdquo; said Lucien.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;If we were in Louisiana,&rdquo; rejoined Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;I could find fifty
+canoe-trees by walking as many yards. Why I never saw such insignificant
+timber as this here.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You'll see smaller timber than this Cousin Frank, before we reach
+the end of our voyage.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This remark was made by Norman, who knew that, as they proceeded
+northward, the trees would be found decreasing in size until
+they would appear like garden shrubbery.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But come,&rdquo; continued he, &ldquo;if we can't build a craft to carry us
+from <i>one</i> tree, perhaps we can do it out of <i>three</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;With three!&rdquo; echoed Fran&ccedil;ois. &ldquo;I should like to see a canoe
+made from three trees! Is it a raft you mean, Cousin Norman?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; responded the other; &ldquo;a canoe, and one that will serve us for
+the rest of our voyage.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>All three&mdash;Basil, Lucien, and Fran&ccedil;ois&mdash;looked to their cousin for
+an explanation.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You would rather not go back up the river?&rdquo; he inquired, glancing
+from one to the other.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We wish to go on&mdash;all of us,&rdquo; answered Basil, speaking for his
+brothers as well.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Very well,&rdquo; assented the young fur-trader; &ldquo;I think it is better
+as you wish it. Out of these trees I can build a boat that will carry
+us. It will take us some days to do it, and some time to find the
+timber, but I am tolerably certain it is to be found in these woods.
+To do the job properly I want three kinds; two of them I can see
+from where I sit; the third I expect will be got in the hills we saw
+this morning.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Norman spoke he pointed to two trees that grew among many
+others not far from the spot. These trees were of very different<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span>
+kinds, as was easily told by their leaves and bark. The nearer and
+more conspicuous of them at once excited the curiosity of the three
+Southerners. Lucien recognised it from its botanical description.
+Even Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois, though they had never seen it, as it is not
+to be found in the hot clime of Louisiana, knew it from the accounts
+given of it by travellers. The tree was the celebrated &ldquo;canoe-birch,&rdquo;
+or as Lucien named it, &ldquo;paper-birch,&rdquo; celebrated as the tree out of
+whose bark those beautiful canoes are made that carry thousands of
+Indians over the interior lakes and rivers of North America; out of
+whose bark whole tribes of these people fashion their bowls, their
+pails, and their baskets; with which they cover their tents, and from
+which they even make their soup-kettles and boiling-pots! This,
+then, was the canoe birch-tree, so much talked of, and so valuable to
+the poor Indians who inhabit the cold regions where it grows.</p>
+
+<p>Our young Southerners contemplated the tree with feelings of
+interest and curiosity. They saw that it was about sixty feet high,
+and somewhat more than a foot in diameter. Its leaves were nearly
+cordate, or heart-shaped, and of a very dark-green colour; but that
+which rendered it most conspicuous among the other trees of the
+forest was the shining white or silver-coloured bark that covered its
+trunk, and its numerous slender branches. This bark is only white
+externally. When you have cut through the epidermis you find it of
+a reddish tinge, very thick, and capable of being divided into several
+layers. The wood of the tree makes excellent fuel, and is also often used
+for articles of furniture. It has a close, shining grain, and is strong
+enough for ordinary implements; but if exposed to the weather will
+decay rapidly.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;canoe-birch&rdquo; is not the only species of these trees found in
+North America. The genus <i>Betula</i> (so called from the Celtic word
+<i>batu</i>, which means birch) has at least half-a-dozen other known representatives
+in these parts. There is the &ldquo;white birch,&rdquo; a worthless
+tree of some twenty feet in height, and less than six inches diameter.
+The bark of this species is useless, and its wood, which is soft and
+white, is unfit even for fuel. It grows, however, in the poorest soil.
+Next there is a species called the &ldquo;cherry-birch,&rdquo; so named from the
+resemblance of its bark to the common cherry-tree. It is also called
+&ldquo;sweet birch,&rdquo; because its young twigs, when crushed, give out a
+pleasant aromatic odour. Sometimes the name of &ldquo;black birch,&rdquo; is
+given to this species. It is a tree of fifty or sixty feet in height, and
+its wood is much used in cabinet-work, as it is close-grained, of a
+beautiful reddish colour, and susceptible of a high polish.</p>
+
+<p>The information regarding the birches of America was given by
+Lucien to his brothers, not at that time, but shortly afterward, when
+the three were engaged in felling one of these trees. Just then
+other matters occupied them, and they had only glanced, first at the
+canoe-birch and then at the other tree which Norman had pointed
+out. The latter was of a different genus. It belonged to the order
+<i>Conifer&aelig;</i>, or cone-bearing trees, as was evident from the cone-shaped
+fruits that hung upon its branches, as well as from its needle-like
+evergreen leaves.</p>
+
+<p>The cone-bearing trees of America are divided by botanists into
+three great sub-orders&mdash;the <i>Pines</i>, the <i>Cypresses</i> and the <i>Yews</i>. Each
+of these includes several genera. By the &ldquo;pine tribe&rdquo; is meant all
+those trees known commonly by the names pine, spruce, fir, and larch:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span>
+while the <i>Cupressin&aelig;</i>, or cypress tribe, are the cypress proper, the
+cedars, the arbor-vit&aelig;, and the junipers. The yew tribe has fewer
+genera or species; but the trees in America known as yews and hemlocks&mdash;of
+which there are several varieties&mdash;belong to it.</p>
+
+<p>The pines cannot be termed trees of the tropics, yet do they grow
+in southern and warm countries. In the Carolinas, tar and turpentine,
+products of the pine, are two staple articles of exportation; and
+even under the equator itself, the high mountains are covered with
+pine-forests. But the pine is more especially the tree of a northern
+<i>sylva</i>. As you approach the Arctic circle, it becomes the characteristic
+tree. Then it appears in extensive forests, lending their picturesque
+shelter to the snowy desolation of the earth. One species of
+pine is the very last tree that disappears as the traveller, in approaching
+the pole, takes his leave of the limits of vegetation. This species
+is the &ldquo;white spruce&rdquo; the very one which, along with the birch-tree,
+had been pointed out by Norman to his companions.</p>
+
+<p>It was a tree not over thirty or forty feet high, with a trunk of less
+than a foot in thickness, and of a brownish colour. Its leaves or
+&ldquo;needles&rdquo; were about an inch in length, very slender and acute, and
+of a bluish green tint. The cones upon it, which at that season were
+young were of a pale green. When ripe, however, they become rusty-brown,
+and are nearly two inches in length.</p>
+
+<p>What use Norman would make of this tree in building his canoe,
+neither Basil nor Fran&ccedil;ois knew. Lucien only guessed at it. Fran&ccedil;ois
+asked the question, by saying that he supposed the &ldquo;timbers&rdquo; were
+to come out of it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; said Norman, &ldquo;for that I want still another sort. If I can't
+find that sort, however, I can manage to do without it, but not so
+well.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What other sort?&rdquo; demanded Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I want some cedar-wood,&rdquo; replied the other.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ah! that's for the timbers,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois; &ldquo;I am sure of it.
+The cedar-wood is lighter than any other, and, I dare say, would
+answer admirably for ribs and other timbers.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You are right this time, Frank&mdash;it is considered the best for that
+purpose.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You think there are cedar-trees on the hills we saw this morning?&rdquo;
+said Fran&ccedil;ois, addressing his Canadian cousin.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think so. I noticed something like them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And I, too, observed a dark foliage,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;which looked
+like the cedar. If anywhere in this neighbourhood, we shall find
+them there. They usually grow upon rocky, sterile hills, such as
+those appear to be&mdash;that is their proper situation.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The question,&rdquo; remarked Basil, &ldquo;ought to be settled at once.
+We have made up our mind to the building of a canoe, and I think
+we should lose no time in getting ready the materials. Suppose we
+all set out for the hills.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Agreed&mdash;agreed!&rdquo; shouted the others with one voice; and then
+shouldering their guns, and taking the axe along, all four set out for
+the hills. On reaching these, the object of their search was at once
+discovered. The tops of all the hills&mdash;dry, barren ridges they were&mdash;were
+covered with a thick grove of the red cedar. The trees were
+easily distinguished by the numerous branches spreading horizontally,
+and thickly covered with short dark green needles, giving them that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span>
+sombre, shady appearance, that makes them the favourite haunt of
+many species of owls. Their beautiful reddish wood was well known
+to all the party, as it is to almost every one in the civilized world.
+Everybody who has seen or used a black-lead pencil must know what
+the wood of the red cedar is like&mdash;for it is in this the black-lead is
+usually incased. In all parts of America, where this tree grows in
+plenty, it is employed for posts and fence-rails, as it is one of the
+most durable woods in existence. It is a great favourite also for
+kindling fires, as it catches quickly, and blazes up in a few seconds,
+so as to ignite the heavier logs of other timbers, such as the oak and
+the pine.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now,&rdquo; said Norman, after examining a few of the cedar-trees,
+&ldquo;we have here all that's wanted to make our canoe. We need lose
+no more time, but go to work at once.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Very well,&rdquo; replied the three brothers, &ldquo;we are ready to assist
+you,&mdash;tell us what to do.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In the first place,&rdquo; said the other, &ldquo;I think we had better change
+our camp to this spot, as I see all the different kinds of trees here,
+and much better ones than those near the river. There,&rdquo; continued
+he, pointing to a piece of moist ground in the valley,&mdash;&ldquo;there are
+some splendid birches, and there beside them is plenty of the <i>&eacute;pinette</i>&rdquo;
+(so the voyageurs term the white spruce). &ldquo;It will save us many
+journeys if we go back and bring our meat to this place at once.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>To this they all of course agreed, and started back to their first
+camp. They soon returned with the meat and other things, and
+having chosen a clean spot under a large-spreading cedar-tree, they
+kindled a new fire and made their camp by it&mdash;that is, they strung
+up the provisions, hung their horns and pouches upon the branches
+around, and rested their guns against the trees. They had no tent
+to pitch, but that is not necessary to constitute a camp. In the
+phraseology of the American hunter, wherever you kindle your fire
+or spend the night is a &ldquo;camp.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>orman expected that they would be able to finish the canoe in
+about a week. Of course, the sooner the better, and no time was
+lost in setting about it. The ribs or &ldquo;timbers&rdquo; were the first thing
+to be fashioned, and a number of straight branches of cedar were
+cut, out of which they were to be made. These branches were cleared
+of twigs, and rendered of an equal thickness at both ends. They
+were then flattened with the knife; and, by means of a little sweating
+in the ashes, were bent so as to bear some resemblance in shape to
+the wooden ox-yokes commonly used in America, or indeed to the
+letter U.</p>
+
+<p>The ribs when thus bent were not all of the same width. On the
+contrary, those which were intended to be placed near the middle or
+gangway of the vessel, were about two feet across from side to side,
+while the space between the sides of the others was gradually less
+in each fresh pair, according as their position was to be near to the
+stem and stern. When the whole of them had been forced into the
+proper shape, they were placed, one inside the other after the manner<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span>
+of dishes, and then all were firmly lashed together, and left to dry.
+When the lashing should be removed, they would hold to the
+form thus given them, and would be ready for fastening to the
+kelson.</p>
+
+<p>While Norman was occupied with the timbers the others were not
+idle. Basil had cut down several of the largest and straightest
+birches, and Lucien employed himself in carefully removing the bark
+and cleansing it of nodules and other inequalities. The broad sheets
+were suspended by a smoke fire, so as completely to dry up the sap,
+and render it tough and elastic. Fran&ccedil;ois had his part to play, and
+that was to collect the resinous gum which was distilled in plenty
+from the trunks of the &eacute;pinette or spruce-trees.</p>
+
+<p>This gum is a species of pitch, and is one of the most necessary
+materials in the making of a bark canoe. It is used for &ldquo;paying&rdquo;
+the seams, as well as any cracks that may show themselves in the
+bark itself; and without it, or some similar substance, it would be
+difficult to make one of these little vessels water-tight. But that is
+not the only thing for which the &eacute;pinette is valued in canoe-building;
+far from it. This tree produces another indispensable material; its
+long fibrous roots when split, form the twine-like threads by which
+the pieces of bark are sewed to each other and fastened to the timbers.
+These threads are as strong as the best cords of hemp, and are
+known among the Indians by the name of &ldquo;watap.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>In a country, therefore, where hemp and flax cannot be readily
+procured, the &ldquo;watap&rdquo; is of great value. You may say that deer are
+plenty, and that thongs of buckskin would serve the same purpose.
+This, however, is not the case. The buckskin would never do for
+such a use. The moment it becomes wet it is liable to stretch, so
+that the seams would open and the canoe get filled with water. The watap,
+wet or dry, does not yield, and has therefore been found to be
+the best thing of all others for this purpose.</p>
+
+<p>The only parts now wanted were the gunwale and the bottom.
+The former was easily obtained. Two long poles, each twenty feet
+in length, were bent somewhat like a pair of bows, and then placed
+with their convex sides towards each other, and firmly lashed together
+at the ends. This was the gunwale. The bottom was the most
+difficult part of all. For that a solid plank was required, and they
+had no saw. The axe and the hatchet, however, were called into
+requisition, and a log was soon hewn and thinned down to the
+proper dimensions. It was sharpened off at the ends, so as to run to
+a very acute angle, both at the stem and stern.</p>
+
+<p>When the bottom was considered sufficiently polished, and modelled
+to the right shape, the most difficult part of the undertaking was
+supposed to be accomplished. A few long poles were cut and
+trimmed flat. These were to be laid longitudinally between the
+ribs and the bark, somewhat after the fashion of laths in the roofing
+of a house. Their use was to prevent the bark from splitting. The
+materials were now all obtained complete, and, with a few days'
+smoking and drying, would be ready for putting together.</p>
+
+<p>While waiting for the timbers to dry, paddles were made, and
+Norman, with the help of the others, prepared what he jokingly
+called his &ldquo;dock,&rdquo; and also his &ldquo;ship-yard.&rdquo; This was neither more
+nor less than a long mound of earth&mdash;not unlike a new-made grave,
+only three times the length of one, or even longer. It was flat upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span>
+the top, and graded with earth so as to be quite level and free from
+inequalities.</p>
+
+<p>At length all the materials were considered quite ready for use,
+and Norman went to work to put them together.</p>
+
+<p>His first operation was to untie the bundle of timbers, and separate
+them. They were found to have taken the exact form into which
+they had been bent, and the thongs being no longer necessary to
+keep them in place, were removed. The timbers themselves were
+next placed upon the bottom or kelson, those with the widest bottoms
+being nearer to &ldquo;midships,&rdquo; while those with the narrower bend were
+set towards the narrower ends of the plank. Thus placed, they were
+all firmly lashed with strong cords of watap, by means of holes pierced
+in the bottom plank.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately Lucien happened to have a pocket-knife, in which
+there was a good awl or piercer, that enabled them to make these
+holes&mdash;else the matter would have been a much more difficult one,
+as an awl is one of the most essential tools in the construction of a
+bark canoe. Of course it took Norman a considerable time to set all
+the ribs in their proper places, and fasten them securely; but he was
+ably assisted by Fran&ccedil;ois, who waited upon him with much diligence,
+handing him now the awl, and then the watap, whenever he required
+them.</p>
+
+<p>Norman's next operation was the laying of his kelson &ldquo;in dock.&rdquo;
+The timbers being attached to it, it was lifted up on the earthen
+mound, where it reached quite from end to end. Half-a-dozen large
+heavy stones were then placed upon it, so that, pressed down by these
+upon the even surface of the mould, it was rendered quite firm; and,
+moreover, was of such a height from the ground that the young shipwright
+could work upon it without too much bending and kneeling.</p>
+
+<p>The gunwale, already prepared, was next placed so as to touch the
+ends of the ribs all round, and these ends were adjusted to it with
+great nicety, and firmly joined. Strong cross-pieces were fixed, which
+were designed, not only to keep the gunwale from spreading or contracting,
+but afterwards to serve as seats.</p>
+
+<p>Of course the gunwale formed the complete mouth, or upper edge
+of the canoe. It was several feet longer than the bottom plank, and,
+when in place, projected beyond the ribs at both ends. From each
+end of the bottom plank, therefore, to the corresponding end of the
+gunwale, a straight piece of wood was stretched, and fastened. One
+of these pieces would form the stem or cutwater, while the other
+would become the stern of the craft. The long poles were next laid
+longitudinally upon the ribs outside, and lashed in their places; and
+this done, the skeleton was completed, ready for the bark.</p>
+
+<p>The latter had been already cut to the proper dimensions and
+shape. It consisted of oblong pieces&mdash;each piece being a regular
+parallelogram, as it had been stripped from the tree. These were
+laid upon the ribs longitudinally, and then sewed to the edge of the
+bottom plank, and also to the gunwale. The bark itself was in such
+broad pieces that two of them were sufficient to cover half a side, so
+that but one seam was required lengthwise, in addition to the
+fastenings at the top and bottom. Two lengths of the bark also
+reached cleverly from stem to stern, and thus required only one
+transverse seam on each side. There was an advantage in this
+arrangement, for where the birch-bark can only be obtained in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span>
+small flakes, a great number of seams is a necessary consequence, and
+then it is extremely difficult to keep the canoe from leaking. Thanks
+to the fine birch-trees, that grew in abundance around, our boat-builders
+had procured the very best bark.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe was now completed all but the &ldquo;paying,&rdquo; and that
+would not take long to do. The gum of the &eacute;pinette had to be boiled,
+and mixed with a little grease, so as to form a species of wax. For
+this the fat already obtained from the buffaloes was the very thing;
+and a small tin cup which Basil had saved from the wreck (it had
+been strung to his bullet-pouch), enabled them to melt the gum, and
+apply it hot. In less than an hour the thing was done. Every
+crack and awl-hole was payed, and the canoe was pronounced
+&ldquo;water-tight,&rdquo; and, as Fran&ccedil;ois added, with a laugh, &ldquo;seaworthy.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>A small pond was near, at the bottom of the hill: Fran&ccedil;ois espied
+it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, boys,&rdquo; cried he, &ldquo;a launch! a launch!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This was agreed to by all. The great stones were taken out.
+Basil and Norman, going one to the stem the other to the stern,
+lifted the canoe from the &ldquo;dock,&rdquo; and, raising it upon their shoulders,
+carried it down to the pond. The next moment it was pushed into
+the water, where it floated like a cork. A loud cheer was given, in
+which even Marengo joined; and a salute was then fired&mdash;a full
+broadside&mdash;from the four guns. Fran&ccedil;ois, to complete the thing,
+seized one of the paddles, and leaping into the canoe, shot the little
+craft out upon the bosom of the pond, cheering all the while like one
+frantic.</p>
+
+<p>After amusing himself for some minutes, he paddled back to the
+shore, when they all looked eagerly into the canoe, and perceived to
+their gratification that not as much as a drop of water had leaked
+during the &ldquo;trip.&rdquo; Thanks and congratulations now greeted Norman
+from every side; and, taking their vessel from the water, the young
+voyageurs returned to their camp, to regale themselves with a grand
+dinner, which Lucien had cooked for the occasion.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE CHAIN OF LAKES</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>ur young voyageurs now prepared to resume their journey. While
+Norman was engaged in building his canoe, with his assistant,
+Fran&ccedil;ois, the others had not been idle. Basil was, of course, the
+hunter of the party; and, in addition to the small game, such as
+hares, geese, and grouse, he had killed three caribou, of the large
+variety known as &ldquo;woodland caribou.&rdquo; These are a species of the
+reindeer of which I have more to say hereafter. Lucien had attended
+to the drying of their flesh; and there was enough of it still left, as
+our voyageurs believed, to supply their wants until they should reach
+Cumberland House, where they would, of course, procure a fresh
+stock of provisions. The skins of the caribou had also been scraped
+and dressed by Lucien&mdash;who understood the process well&mdash;and these,
+with the skin of the antelope, were sufficient to make a pair of
+hunting-shirts for Basil and Norman, who, it will be remembered,
+had lost theirs by cutting them up.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the canoe was launched upon the river&mdash;below the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span>
+rapids&mdash;and the dried meat, with their other matters, snugly stowed
+in the stern. Then the young voyageurs got in, and, seating themselves
+in their places, seized hold of the paddles. The next moment
+the canoe shot out into the stream; and a triumphant cheer from the
+crew announced that they had recommenced their journey. They found
+to their delight that the little vessel behaved admirably&mdash;shooting
+through the water like an arrow, and leaking not water enough, as
+Fran&ccedil;ois expressed it, &ldquo;to drown a mosquito.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They had all taken their seats in the order which had been agreed
+upon for the day. Norman was &ldquo;bowsman,&rdquo; and, of course, sat in
+the bow. This, among the regular Canadian voyageurs, is esteemed
+the post of honour, and the bowsman is usually styled &ldquo;Captain&rdquo;
+by the rest of the crew. It is also the post that requires the greatest
+amount of skill on the part of its occupant, particularly where there
+are rapids or shoals to be avoided. The post of &ldquo;steersman&rdquo; is also
+one of honour and importance; and both steersman and bowsman
+receive higher wages than the other voyageurs who pass under the
+name of &ldquo;middlemen.&rdquo; The steersman sits in the stern, and that
+place was now occupied by Lucien, who had proved himself an excellent
+steersman. Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois were, of course, the &ldquo;middlemen,&rdquo;
+and plied the paddles.</p>
+
+<p>This was the arrangement made for the day; but although on other
+days the programme was to be changed, so as to relieve Basil and
+Fran&ccedil;ois, on all occasions when there were rapids or other difficulties
+to be encountered they were to return to this order. Norman, of
+course, understood canoe navigation better than his Southern cousins;
+and therefore, by universal assent, he was acknowledged &ldquo;the
+Captain,&rdquo; and Fran&ccedil;ois always addressed him as such. Lucien's
+claim to the post of second honour was admitted to be just, as he had
+proved himself capable of filling it to the satisfaction of all. Marengo
+had no post, but lay quietly upon the buffalo skin between Lucien's
+legs, and listened to the conversation without joining in it, or in any
+way interfering in the working of the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>In a few hours our voyageurs had passed through the low marshy
+country that lies around the mouth of the Red River, and the white
+expanse of the great Lake Winnipeg opened before them, stretching
+northward far beyond the range of their vision. Norman knew the
+lake, having crossed it before, but its aspect somewhat disappointed
+the Southern travellers. Instead of a vast dark lake which they had
+expected to see, they looked upon a whitish muddy sheet, that presented
+but few attractive points to the eye, either in the hue of its
+water or the scenery of its shores.</p>
+
+<p>These, so far as they could see them, were low, and apparently
+marshy; and this is, in fact, the character of the southern shores of
+Winnipeg. On its east and north, however, the country is of a different
+character. There the geological formation is what is termed
+<i>primitive</i>. The rocks consist of granite, sienite, gneiss, &amp;c.; and, as is
+always the case where such rocks are found, the country is hilly and
+rugged. On the western shores a <i>secondary</i> formation exists. This is
+<i>stratified limestone</i>&mdash;the same as that which forms the bed of many of
+the great prairies of America; and, indeed, the Lake Winnipeg lies
+between this secondary formation and the primitive, which bounds it
+on the east. Along its western shores extends the flat limestone
+country, partly wooded and partly prairie land, running from that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span>
+point for hundreds of miles up to the very foot of the Rocky Mountains,
+where the primitive rocks again make their appearance in the
+rugged peaks of that stupendous chain.</p>
+
+<p>Lake Winnipeg is nearly three hundred miles in length, but it is
+very narrow&mdash;being in its widest reach not over fifty miles, and in
+many places only fifteen miles from shore to shore. It trends nearly
+due north and south, leaning a little north-west and south-east, and
+receives many large rivers, as the Red, the Saskatchewan, and the
+Winnipeg. The waters of these are again carried out of it by other
+rivers that run from the lake, and empty into the Hudson's Bay.
+There is a belief among the hunters and voyageurs that this lake has
+its tides like the ocean. Such, however, is not the case. There is at
+times a rise and overflow of its waters, but it is not periodical, and is
+supposed to be occasioned by strong winds forcing the waters towards
+a particular shore.</p>
+
+<p>Lake Winnipeg is remarkable, as being in the very centre of the
+North American continent, and may be called the centre of the <i>canoe
+navigation</i>. From this point it is possible to travel <i>by water</i> to Hudson's
+Bay on the north-east, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to the
+Gulf of Mexico on the south, to the Pacific on the west, and to the
+Polar Sea on the north and north-west. Considering that some of
+these distances are upwards of three thousand miles, it will be perceived
+that Lake Winnipeg holds a singular position upon the continent.
+All the routes mentioned can be made without any great
+&ldquo;portage,&rdquo; and even a choice of route is often to be had upon those
+different lines of communication.</p>
+
+<p>These were points of information communicated by Norman as the
+canoe was paddled along the shore; for Norman, although troubling
+himself but little about the causes of things, possessed a good practical
+knowledge of things as they actually were. He was tolerably
+well acquainted with the routes, their portages, and distances.
+Some of them he had travelled over in company with his father,
+and of others he had heard the accounts given by the voyageurs,
+traders, and trappers. Norman knew that Lake Winnipeg was
+muddy&mdash;he did not care to inquire the cause. He knew that there
+was a hilly country on its eastern and a low level land on its
+western shores, but it never occurred to him to speculate on this geological
+difference.</p>
+
+<p>It was the naturalist, Lucien, who threw out some hints on this
+part of the subject, and further added his opinion, that the lake came
+to be there in consequence of the wearing away of the rocks at the
+junction of the stratified with the primitive formation, thus creating
+an excavation in the surface, which in time became filled with
+water and formed the lake. This cause he also assigned for the existence
+of a remarkable &ldquo;chain of lakes&rdquo; that extends almost from the
+Arctic Sea to the frontiers of Canada. The most noted of these are
+Martin, Great Slave, Athabasca, Wollaston, Deer, Lake Winnipeg and
+the Lake of the Woods.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien further informed his companions, that where primitive
+rocks form the surface of a country, that surface will be found to
+exhibit great diversity of aspect. There will be numerous lakes and
+swamps, rugged steep hills with deep valleys between, short streams
+with many falls and rapids. These are the characteristics of a primitive
+surface. On the other hand, where secondary rocks prevail the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span>
+surface is usually a series of plains, often high, dry, and treeless, as is
+the case upon the great American prairies.</p>
+
+<p>Upon such topics did Lucien instruct his companions, as they
+paddled their canoe around the edge of the lake. They had turned
+the head of their little vessel westward&mdash;as it was their design to
+keep along the western border of the lake until they should reach the
+mouth of the Saskatchewan. They kept at a short distance from the
+shore, usually steering from point to point, and in this way making
+their route as direct as possible. It would have been still more direct
+had they struck out into the open lake, and kept up its middle; but
+this would have been a dangerous course to pursue.</p>
+
+<p>There are often high winds upon Lake Winnipeg, that spring up
+suddenly; and at such times the waves, if not mountains high, at
+least arrive at the height of houses. Among such billows the little craft
+would have been in danger of being swamped, and our voyageurs of
+going to the bottom. They, therefore, wisely resolved not to risk such
+an accident, but to &ldquo;hug the shore,&rdquo; though it made their voyage longer.
+Each night they would land at some convenient place, kindle their
+fire, cook their supper, and dry their canoe for the next day's journey.</p>
+
+<p>According to this arrangement, a little before sunset of the first
+day they came to land and made their camp. The canoe was unloaded,
+carefully lifted out of the water, and then set bottom upward to drip
+and dry. A fire was kindled, some of the dry meat cooked, and all
+four sat down and began to eat, as only hungry travellers can.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he spot where our voyageurs had landed was at the bottom of a
+small bay. The country back from the lake was level and clear of
+timber. Here and there, nearer the shore, however, its surface was
+prettily interspersed with small clumps of willows, that formed little
+copse-like thickets of deep green. Beside one of these thickets,
+within a hundred yards of the beach, the fire had been kindled, on a
+spot of ground that commanded a view of the plain for miles back.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Look yonder!&rdquo; cried Fran&ccedil;ois, who had finished eating, and risen
+to his feet. &ldquo;What are these, captain?&rdquo; Fran&ccedil;ois pointed to some
+objects that appeared at a great distance off upon the plain.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;captain&rdquo; rose up, placed his hand so as to shade his eyes from
+the sun, and, after looking for a second or two in the direction indicated,
+replied to the other's question by simply saying&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Wapiti.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I'm no wiser than before I asked the question,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois.
+&ldquo;Pray, enlighten me as to what a wapiti may be!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, red deer; or elk, if you like.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! elk&mdash;now I understand you. I thought they were elk, but
+they're so far off I wasn't sure.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien at this moment rose up, and looking through a small telescope,
+which he carried, confirmed the statement of the &ldquo;captain,&rdquo;
+and pronounced it to be a herd of elk.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, Luce,&rdquo; demanded Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;tell us what you know of the
+elk. It will pass the time. Norman says it's no use going after them
+out there in the open ground, as they'd shy off before one could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span>
+get within shot. You see there is not a bush within half-a-mile of
+them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;If we wait,&rdquo; interrupted Norman, &ldquo;I should not wonder but we
+may have them among the bushes before long. They appear to be
+grazing this way. I warrant you, they'll come to the lake to drink
+before nightfall.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Very well then: the philosopher can tell us all about them before
+that.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien, thus appealed to, began:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There are few animals that have so many names as this. It is
+called in different districts, or by different authors, <i>elk</i>, <i>round-horned
+elk</i>, <i>American elk</i>, <i>stag</i>, <i>red deer</i>, <i>grey moose</i>, <i>le biche</i>, <i>wapiti</i> and
+<i>wewaskish</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You may ask, Why so many names? I shall tell you. It is called
+'elk' because it was supposed by the early colonists to be the same as
+the elk of Europe. Its name of 'grey moose' is a hunter appellation,
+to distinguish it from the real moose, which the same hunters know
+as the 'black moose.' 'Round-horned elk' is also a hunter name.
+'Wewaskish,' or 'waskesse,' is an Indian name for the animal. 'Stag'
+comes from the European deer so called, because this species somewhat
+resembles the stag; and 'red deer' is a name used by the Hudson
+Bay traders. 'Le biche' is another synonyme of French authors.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Of all these names I think that of 'wapiti,' which our cousin has
+given, the best. The names of 'elk,' 'stag,' and 'red deer,' lead to
+confusion, as there are other species to which they properly belong,
+all of which are entirely different from the wapiti. I believe that
+this last name is now used by the best-informed naturalists.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In my opinion,&rdquo; continued Lucien, &ldquo;the wapiti is the noblest of
+all the deer kind. It possesses the fine form of the European stag,
+while it is nearly a third larger and stronger. It has all the grace of
+limb and motion that belongs to the common deer, while its towering
+horns give it a most majestic and imposing appearance. Its colour
+during the summer is of a reddish brown, hence the name red deer;
+but, indeed, the reddish tint upon the wapiti is deeper and richer
+than that of its European cousin.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The wapiti, like other deer, brings forth its fawns in the spring.
+They are usually a male and female, for two is the number it produces.
+The males only have horns; and they must be several years old before
+the antlers become full and branching. They fall every year, but not
+until February or March, and then the new ones grow out in a
+month or six weeks. During the summer the horns remain soft and
+tender to the touch. They are covered at this time with a soft membrane,
+that looks like greyish velvet, and they are then said to be 'in
+the velvet.' There are nerves and blood-vessels running through this
+membrane, and a blow upon the horns at this season gives great pain
+to the animal. When the autumn arrives the velvet peels off, and
+they become as hard as bone.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They would need to be, for this is the 'rutting' season, and the
+bucks fight furious battles with each other, clashing their horns
+together, as if they would break them to pieces. Very often a pair
+of bucks, while thus contending, 'lock' their antlers, and being unable
+to draw them apart, remain head to head, until both die with hunger,
+or fall a prey to the prowling wolves. This is true not only of the
+elk, but also of the reindeer, the moose, and many other species of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span>
+deer. Hundreds of pairs of horns have been found thus 'locked,'
+and the solitary hunter has often surprised the deer in this unpleasant
+predicament.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The wapiti utters a whistling sound, that can be heard far off, and
+often guides the hunter to the right spot. In the rutting season the
+bucks make other noises, which somewhat resemble the braying of an
+ass, and are equally disagreeable to listen to.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The wapiti travel about in small herds, rarely exceeding fifty, but
+often of only six or seven. Where they are not much hunted they are
+easily approached, but otherwise they are shy enough. The bucks,
+when wounded and brought to bay, become dangerous assailants;
+much more so than those of the common deer. Hunters have sometimes
+escaped with difficulty from their horns and hoofs, with the
+latter of which they can inflict very severe blows. They are hunted
+in the same way as other deer; but the Indians capture many of them
+in the water, when they discover them crossing lakes or rivers. They
+are excellent swimmers, and can make their way over the arm of a
+lake or across the widest river.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They feed upon grass, and sometimes on the young shoots of willows
+and poplar trees. They are especially fond of a species of wild rose
+which grows in the countries they frequent.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The wapiti at one time ranged over a large part of the continent of
+North America. Its range is now restricted by the spread of the
+settlements. It is still found in most of the Northern parts of the
+United States, but only in remote mountainous districts and even
+there it is a rare animal. In Canada it is more common; and it roams
+across the continent to the shores of the Pacific. It it not an animal
+of the tropical countries, as it is not found in Mexico proper. On the
+other hand, wapiti do not go farther north than about the fifty-seventh
+parallel of latitude, and then they are not in their favourite
+habitat, which is properly the temperate zone.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien was interrupted by an exclamation from Basil, who stood up
+looking out upon the prairie. They all saw that he had been observing
+the wapiti.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it?&rdquo; cried they.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Look yonder!&rdquo; replied Basil, pointing in the direction of the herd.
+&ldquo;Something disturbs them. Give me your glass, Luce.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien handed the telescope to his brother, who, drawing it to the
+proper focus, pointed it towards the deer. The rest watched them,
+with the naked eye. They could see that there was some trouble
+among the animals. There were only six in the herd, and even at the
+distance our voyageurs could tell that they were all bucks, for it was
+the season when the does secrete themselves in the woods and thickets
+to bring forth their young. They were running to and fro upon the
+prairie, and doubling about as if playing, or rather as if some creature
+was chasing them. With the naked eye, however, nothing could be
+seen upon the ground but the bucks themselves, and all the others
+looked to Basil, who held the glass, for an explanation of their odd
+man&#339;uvres.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There are wolves at them,&rdquo; said Basil, after regarding them for a
+second or two.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;That's odd,&rdquo; rejoined Norman. &ldquo;Wolves don't often attack full-grown
+wapiti, except when wounded or crippled somehow. They
+must be precious hungry. What sort of wolves are they?&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span></p>
+
+<p>To you, boy reader, this question may seem strange. You, perhaps,
+think that a wolf is a wolf, and there is but one kind. Such, however,
+is not the exact truth. In America there are two distinct species or
+wolves, and of these two species there are many varieties, which differ
+so much in colour and other respects, that some authors have classed
+them as so many distinct species instead of considering them mere
+varieties. Whether they may be species or not is still a question
+among naturalists; but certain it is that <i>two</i> well-defined species do
+exist, which differ in size, form, colour, and habits.</p>
+
+<p>These are the <i>large</i> or <i>common wolf</i>, and the barking or prairie wolf.
+The first species is the American representative of the common wolf
+of Europe; and although an animal of similar nature and habits, it
+differs very much from the latter in form and appearance. It is, therefore,
+not the <i>same</i>, as hitherto supposed. This American wolf is found
+in greater or less numbers throughout the whole continent; but in
+the Northern regions it is very common, and is seen in at least five
+different varieties, known by the characteristic names of <i>black</i>, <i>pied</i>,
+<i>white</i>, <i>dusky</i>, and <i>grey</i> wolves. Of these the grey is the most numerous
+kind; but as I shall have occasion to speak of the large wolves hearafter,
+I shall say no more of them at present, but direct your attention
+to the second and very different species, the <i>prairie wolves</i>.</p>
+
+<p>These are a full third smaller than the common kind. They are
+swifter, and go in larger packs. They bring forth their young in
+burrows on the open plain, and not among the woods, like the other
+species. They are the most cunning of American animals, not excepting
+their kindred the foxes. They cannot be trapped by any contrivance,
+but by singular man&#339;uvres often themselves decoy the over-curious
+antelope to approach too near them. When a gun is fired
+upon the prairies they may be seen starting up on all sides, and
+running for the spot in hopes of coming in for a share of the game.
+Should an animal&mdash;deer, antelope, or buffalo&mdash;be wounded, and escape
+the hunter, it is not likely to escape them also. They will set after it,
+and run it down if <i>the wound has been a mortal one</i>.</p>
+
+<p>On the other hand, if the wound has been only slight, and is not
+likely in the end to cripple the animal, the wolves will not stir from&mdash;the
+spot. This extraordinary sagacity often tells the hunter whether
+it is worth his while to follow the game he has shot at; but in any
+case he is likely to arrive late, if the wolves set out before him, as a
+dozen of them will devour the largest deer in a few minutes' time.
+The prairie wolves as well as the others follow the herds of buffaloes,
+and attack the gravid cows and calves when separated from the rest.
+Frequently they sustain a contest with the bulls, when the latter are
+old or wounded, but on such occasions many of them get killed before
+the old bull becomes their prey.</p>
+
+<p>They resemble the common grey wolf in colour, but there are
+varieties in this respect, though not so great as among the larger
+species. Their voice is entirely different, and consists of three
+distinct barks, ending in a prolonged howl. Hence the specific and
+usual name &ldquo;barking wolf.&rdquo; They are found only in the Western or
+prairie half of the continent, and thence west to the Pacific. Their
+Northern range is limited to the fifty-fifth parallel of latitude&mdash;but
+they are met with southward throughout Mexico, where they are
+common enough, and known by the name of &ldquo;coyot&eacute;.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Their skins are an article of trade with the Hudson's Bay Company.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span>
+The fur is of about the same quality with that of other wolves, and
+consists of long hairs, with a thick wool at the base. In commerce
+they are termed &ldquo;cased wolves,&rdquo; because their skins, on being removed,
+are not split open as with the large wolf-skins, but are stript
+off after the manner of rabbits, and then turned inside out, or &ldquo;cased,&rdquo;
+as it is termed.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Prairie wolves!&rdquo; said Basil, in answer to the question put by his
+cousin.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There must be something the matter with one of the bucks, then,&rdquo;
+remarked Norman, &ldquo;or else there's a good big pack of the wolves, and
+they expect to tire one down. I believe they sometimes do try it that
+way.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There appears to be a large pack,&rdquo; answered Basil, still looking
+through the glass; &ldquo;fifty at least&mdash;See! they have separated one of
+the bucks from the herd&mdash;it's running this way!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Basil's companions had noticed this as soon as himself, and all four
+now leaped to their guns. The wapiti was plainly coming towards
+them, and they could now distinguish the wolves following upon his
+heels, strung out over the prairie like a pack of hounds. When first
+started, the buck was a full half-mile distant, but in less than a
+minute's time he came breasting forward until the boys could see his
+sparkling eyes and the play of his proud flanks. He was a noble
+animal to look at. His horns were full grown, but still &ldquo;in the velvet,&rdquo;
+and as he ran with his snout thrown forward, his antlers lay along
+both sides of his neck until their tips touched his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>He continued on in a direct line until he was within less than an
+hundred paces of the camp; but, perceiving the smoke of the fire, and
+the figures crouching around it, he swerved suddenly from his course,
+and darted into the thicket of willows, where he was for the moment
+hidden from view. The wolves&mdash;fifty of them at least&mdash;had followed
+him up to this point; and as he entered the thicket several had been
+close upon his heels. The boys expected to see the wolves rush in
+after him&mdash;as there appeared to be no impediment to their doing so&mdash;but,
+to the astonishment of all, the latter came to a sudden halt, and
+then went sneaking back&mdash;some of them even running off as if terrified!</p>
+
+<p>At first the hunters attributed this strange conduct to their own
+presence, and the smoke of the camp; but a moment's reflection convinced
+them that this could not be the reason of it, as they were all
+well acquainted with the nature of the prairie wolf, and had never
+witnessed a similar exhibition before.</p>
+
+<p>They had no time to think of the wolves just then. The buck was
+the main attraction, and, calling to each other to surround the
+thicket, all four started in different directions. In a couple of
+minutes they had placed themselves at nearly equal distances around
+the copse, and stood watching eagerly for the reappearance of the
+wapiti.</p>
+
+<p>The willows covered about an acre of ground, but they were
+tolerably think and full-leaved, and the buck could not be seen from
+any side. Wherever he was, he was evidently at a stand-still, for not
+a rustle could be heard among the leaves, nor were any of the tall
+stalks seen to move.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo was now sent in. This would soon start him, and all four
+stood with guns cocked and ready. But before the dog had made
+three lengths of himself into the thicket, a loud snort was heard,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span>
+followed by a struggle and the stamping of hoofs, and the next
+moment the wapiti came crashing through the bushes. A shot was
+fired&mdash;it was the crack of Lucien's small rifle&mdash;but it had missed, for
+the buck was seen passing onward and outward. All ran round to
+the side he had taken, and had a full view of the animal as he
+bounded off. Instead of running free as before, he now leaped
+heavily forward, and what was their astonishment on seeing that he
+<i>carried another animal upon his back</i>!</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 347px;">
+<img src="images/illus-067.jpg" width="347" height="500" alt="THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE." title="THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE." />
+<span class="caption">THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span>The hunters could hardly believe their eyes, but there it was, sure
+enough, a brown shaggy mass, lying flat along the shoulders of the
+wapiti, and clutching it with large spreading claws. Fran&ccedil;ois cried
+out, &ldquo;A panther!&rdquo; and Basil at first believed it to be a bear, but it
+was hardly large enough for that. Norman, however, who had lived
+more in those parts where the animal is found, knew it at once to be
+the dreaded &ldquo;wolverene.&rdquo; Its head could not be seen, as that was
+hid behind the shoulder of the wapiti, whose throat it was engaged
+in tearing. But its short legs and broad paws, its bushy tail and
+long shaggy hair, together with its round-arching back and dark-brown
+colour, were all familiar marks to the young fur-trader; and
+he at once pronounced it a &ldquo;wolverene.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>When first seen, both it and the wapiti were beyond the reach of
+their rifles; and the hunters, surprised by such an unexpected
+apparition, had suddenly halted. Fran&ccedil;ois and Basil were about to
+renew the pursuit, but were prevented by Norman, who counselled
+them to remain where they were.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They won't go far,&rdquo; said he; &ldquo;let us watch them a bit. See! the
+buck takes the water!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The wapiti, on leaving the willows, had run straight out in the
+first direction that offered, which happened to be in a line parallel
+with the edge of the lake. His eye, however, soon caught sight of
+the water, and, doubling suddenly round, he made directly towards
+it, evidently with the intention of plunging in. He had hopes, no
+doubt, that by this means he might rid himself of the terrible
+creature that was clinging to his shoulders, and tearing his throat to
+pieces.</p>
+
+<p>A few bounds brought him to the shore. There was no beach at
+the spot. The bank&mdash;a limestone bluff&mdash;rose steeply from the water's
+edge to a height of eight feet, and the lake under it was several
+fathoms in depth. The buck did not hesitate, but sprang outward
+and downwards. A heavy plash followed, and for some seconds
+both wapiti and wolverene were lost under the water. They rose to
+the surface, just as the boys reached the bank, but they came up
+<i>separately</i>. The dip had proved a cooler to the fierce wolverene; and
+while the wapiti was seen to strike boldly out into the lake and
+swim off, the latter&mdash;evidently out of his element&mdash;kept plunging
+about clumsily, and struggling to get back to the shore.</p>
+
+<p>Their position upon the cliff above gave the hunters an excellent
+opportunity with their rifles, and both Basil and Norman sent their
+bullets into the wolverene's back. Fran&ccedil;ois also emptied his double-barrelled
+gun at the same object, and the shaggy brute sank dead to
+the bottom of the lake. Strange to say, not one of the party had
+thought of firing at the buck. This persecution by so many enemies
+had won for him their sympathy, and they would now have suffered
+him to go free, but the prospect of fresh venison for supper overcame
+their commiseration, and the moment the wolverene was despatched
+all set about securing the deer.</p>
+
+<p>Their guns were reloaded, and, scattering along the shore, they
+prepared to await his return. But the buck, seeing there was nothing
+but death in his rear, swam on, keeping almost in a direct line out
+into the lake. It was evident to all that he could not swim across
+the lake, as its farther shore was not even visible. He must either
+return to where they were, or drown; and knowing this to be his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span>
+only alternative, they stood still and watched his motions. When he
+had got about half-a-mile from the shore, to the surprise of all, he
+was seen to rise higher and higher above the surface, and then all at
+once stop, with half of his body clear out of the water! He had come
+upon a shoal, and, knowing the advantage of it, seemed determined
+to remain there.</p>
+
+<p>Basil and Norman ran to the canoe, and in a few minutes the little
+craft was launched, and shooting through the water. The buck now
+saw that it was likely to be all up with him, and, instead of attempting
+to swim farther, he faced round, and set his antlers forward in a
+threatening attitude. But his pursuers did not give him the chance
+to make a rush. When within fifty yards or so, Norman, who used
+the paddles, stopped and steadied the canoe, and the next moment
+the crack of Basil's rifle echoed over the lake, and the wapiti fell upon
+the water, where, after struggling a moment, he lay dead.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe was paddled up, and his antlers being made fast to the
+stern, he was towed back to the shore, and carried into camp. What
+now surprised our voyageurs was, their finding that the wapiti had
+been wounded before encountering either the wolves, wolverene, or
+themselves. An arrow-head, with a short piece of the shaft, was
+sticking in one of his thighs. The Indians, then, had been after him,
+and very lately too, as the wound showed. It was not a mortal
+wound, had the arrow-head been removed; but of course, as it was,
+it would have proved his death in the long run. This explained why
+the wolves had assailed an animal, that otherwise, from his great
+size and strength, would have defied them.</p>
+
+<p>The wolverene, moreover, rarely attacks game so large as the
+wapiti; but the latter had, no doubt, chanced upon the lair of his
+fierce enemy, who could not resist such a tempting opportunity of
+getting a meal. The wolves had seen the wolverene as they approached
+the thicket, and that accounted for their strange behaviour
+in the pursuit. These creatures are as great cowards as they are
+tyrants, and their dread of a wolverene is equal to that with which
+they themselves often inspire the wounded deer.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he wapiti was carefully skinned, and the skin spread out to dry.
+Since their mishap our voyageurs had been very short of clothing.
+The three skins of the woodland caribou had made only a pair of
+jackets, instead of full hunting-shirts, and even these were pinched
+fits. For beds and bed-clothes they had nothing but the hides of
+buffaloes, and these, although good as far as they went, were only
+enough for two. Lucien, the most delicate of the party, appropriated
+one, as the others insisted upon his so doing. Fran&ccedil;ois had the other.</p>
+
+<p>As for Basil and Norman, they were forced each night to lie upon
+the naked earth, and but for the large fires which they kept blazing
+all the night, they would have suffered severely from cold. Indeed,
+they did suffer quite enough; for some of the nights were so cold,
+that it was impossible to sleep by the largest fire without one-half of
+their bodies feeling chilled. The usual practice with travellers in the
+West is to lie with their feet to the fire, while the head is at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span>
+greatest distance from it. This is considered the best mode, for so
+long as the feet are warm, the rest of the body will not suffer badly;
+but, on the contrary, if the feet are allowed to get cold, no matter
+what state the other parts be in, it is impossible to sleep with comfort.</p>
+
+<p>Of course our young voyageurs followed the well-known practice
+of the country, and lay with their feet to the fire in such a manner
+that, when all were placed, their bodies formed four radii of a circle,
+of which the fire was the centre. Marengo usually lay beside Basil,
+whom he looked upon as his proper master.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding a bed of grass and leaves which they each night
+spread for themselves, they were sadly in want of blankets, and
+therefore the skin of the wapiti, which was a very fine one, would be
+a welcome addition to their stock of bedding. They resolved, therefore,
+to remain one day where they had killed it, so that the skin
+might be dried and receive a partial dressing. Moreover, they
+intended to &ldquo;jerk&rdquo; some of the meat&mdash;although elk-venison is not
+considered very palatable where other meat can be had. It is without
+juice, and resembles dry short-grained beef more than venison. For
+this reason it is looked upon by both Indians and white hunters as
+inferior to buffalo, moose, caribou, or even the common deer. One
+peculiarity of the flesh of this animal is, that the fat becomes hard
+the moment it is taken off the fire. It freezes upon the lips like suet,
+and clings around the teeth of a person eating it, which is not the
+case with that of other species of deer.</p>
+
+<p>The skin of the wapiti, however, is held in high esteem among the
+Indians. It is thinner than that of the moose, but makes a much
+better article of leather. When dressed in the Indian fashion&mdash;that
+is to say, soaked in a lather composed of the brains and fat of the
+animal itself, and then washed, dried, scraped, and smoked&mdash;it
+becomes as soft and pliable as a kid-glove, and will wash and dry
+without stiffening like chamois leather. That is a great advantage
+which it has, in the eyes of the Indians, over the skins of other species
+of deer, as the moose and caribou&mdash;for the leather made from these,
+after a wetting, becomes harsh and rigid and requires a great deal of
+rubbing to render it soft again.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien knew how to dress the elk-hide, and could make leather out
+of it as well as any Indian squaw in the country. But travelling as
+they were, there was not a good opportunity for that; so they were
+content to give it such a dressing as the circumstances might allow.
+It was spread out on a frame of willow-poles, and set up in front of
+the fire, to be scraped at intervals and cleared of the fatty matter, as
+well as the numerous parasites that at this season adhere to the
+skins of the wapiti.</p>
+
+<p>While Lucien was framing the skin, Basil and Norman occupied
+themselves in cutting the choice pieces of the meat into thin slices
+and hanging them up before the fire. This job being finished, all sat
+down to watch Lucien currying his hide.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ho, boys!&rdquo; cried Fran&ccedil;ois, starting up as if something had
+occurred to him; &ldquo;what about the wolverene? It's a splendid skin&mdash;why
+not get it too?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;True enough,&rdquo; replied Norman, &ldquo;we had forgotten that. But
+the beast's gone to the bottom&mdash;how can we get at him?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, fish him up, to be sure,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois. &ldquo;Let's splice one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span>
+of these willow-poles to my ram rod, and I'll screw it into him, and
+draw him to the surface in a jiffy. Come!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We must get the canoe round, then,&rdquo; said Norman. &ldquo;The bank's
+too steep for us to reach him without it.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Of course,&rdquo; assented Fran&ccedil;ois, at the same time going towards
+the willows; &ldquo;get you the canoe into the water, while I cut the
+sapling.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Stay!&rdquo; cried Basil, &ldquo;I'll show you a shorter method. Marengo!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Basil said this, he rose to his feet, and walked down to the bluff
+where they had shot the wolverene. All of them followed him as
+well as Marengo, who bounded triumphantly from side to side,
+knowing he was wanted for some important enterprise.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Do you expect the dog to fetch him out?&rdquo; inquired Norman.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; replied Basil; &ldquo;only to help.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Wait a moment&mdash;you shall see.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Basil flung down his 'coon-skin cap, and stripped off his caribou
+jacket, then his striped cotton shirt, then his under-shirt of fawn
+skin, and, lastly, his trousers, leggings, and mocassins. He was now
+as naked as Adam.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I'll show you, cousin,&rdquo; said he, addressing himself to Norman,
+&ldquo;how we take the water down there on the Mississippi.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he stepped forward to the edge of the bluff; and having
+carefully noted the spot where the wolverene had gone down, turned
+to the dog, and simply said,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ho! Marengo! <i>Chez moi</i>!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The dog answered with a whimper, and a look of intelligence
+which showed that he understood his master's wish.</p>
+
+<p>Basil again pointed to the lake, raised his arms over his head,
+placing his palms close together, launched himself out into the air,
+and shot down head-foremost into the water.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo, uttering a loud bay, sprang after so quickly that the
+plunges were almost simultaneous, and both master and dog were
+for some time hidden from view. The latter rose first, but it was
+a long time before Basil came to the surface&mdash;so long that Norman
+and the others were beginning to feel uneasy, and to regard the
+water with some anxiety. At length, however, a spot was seen to
+bubble, several yards from where he had gone down, and the black
+head of Basil appeared above the surface. It was seen that he held
+something in his teeth, and was pushing a heavy body before him,
+which they saw was the wolverene.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo, who swam near, now seized hold of the object, and
+pulled it away from his master, who, calling to the dog to follow,
+struck out towards a point where the bank was low and shelving.
+In a few minutes Basil reached a landing-place, and shortly after
+Marengo arrived towing the wolverene, which was speedily pulled
+out upon the bank, and carried, or rather dragged, by Norman and
+Fran&ccedil;ois to the camp. Lucien brought Basil's clothes, and all four
+once more assembled around the blazing fire.</p>
+
+<p>There is not a more hideous-looking animal in America than the
+wolverene. His thick body and short stout legs, his shaggy coat and
+bushy tail, but, above all, his long curving claws and dog-like jaws,
+gave him a formidable appearance. His gait is low and skulking,
+and his look bold and vicious. He walks somewhat like a bear, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span>
+his tracks are often mistaken for those of that animal. Indians and
+hunters, however, know the difference well. His hind feet are
+plantigrade, that is, they rest upon the ground from heel to toe; and
+his back curves like the segment of a circle. He is fierce and extremely
+voracious&mdash;quite as much so as the &ldquo;glutton,&rdquo; of which he is
+the American representative.</p>
+
+<p>No animal is more destructive to the small game, and he will also
+attack and devour the larger kinds when he can get hold of them;
+but as he is somewhat slow, he can only seize most of them by
+stratagem. It is a common belief that he lies in wait upon trees and
+rocks to seize the deer passing beneath. It has been also asserted
+that he places moss, such as these animals feed upon under his perch,
+in order to entice them within reach; and it has been still further
+asserted, that the arctic foxes assist him in his plans, by hunting the
+deer towards the spot where he lies in wait, thus acting as his jackals.</p>
+
+<p>These assertions have been made more particularly about his
+European cousin, the &ldquo;glutton,&rdquo; about whom other stories are told
+equally strange&mdash;one of them, that he eats until scarce able to walk,
+and then draws his body through a narrow space between two trees,
+in order to relieve himself and get ready for a fresh meal. Buffon
+and others have given credence to these tales upon the authority of
+one &ldquo;Olaus Magnus,&rdquo; whose name, from the circumstance, might
+be translated &ldquo;great fibber.&rdquo; There is no doubt, however, that the
+glutton is one of the most sagacious of animals, and so, too, is the
+wolverene. The latter gives proof of this by many of his habits;
+one in particular fully illustrates his cunning. It is this.</p>
+
+<p>The marten trappers of the Hudson Bay territory set their traps
+in the snow, often extending over a line of fifty miles. These traps
+are constructed out of pieces of wood found near the spot, and are
+baited with the heads of partridges, or pieces of venison, of which
+the marten is very fond. As soon as the marten seizes the bait, a
+trigger is touched, and a heavy piece of wood falling upon the
+animal, crushes or holds it fast. Now the wolverene <i>enters the trap
+from behind</i>, tears the back out of it before touching the bait, and
+thus avoids the falling log! Moreover, he will follow the tracks of
+the trapper from one to another, until he has destroyed the whole
+line.</p>
+
+<p>Should a marten happen to have been before him, and got caught
+in the trap, he rarely ever eats it, as he is not fond of its flesh. But
+he is not satisfied to leave it as he finds it. He usually digs it from
+under the log, tears it to pieces, and then buries it under the snow.
+The foxes, who are well aware of this habit, and who themselves
+greedily eat the marten, are frequently seen following him upon such
+excursions. They are not strong enough to take the log from off the
+trapped animal, but from their keen scent can soon find it where the
+other has buried it in the snow. In this way, instead of their being
+providers for the wolverene, the reverse is the true story. Notwithstanding,
+the wolverene will eat <i>them</i> too, whenever he can get his
+claws upon them; but as they are much swifter than he, this seldom
+happens.</p>
+
+<p>The foxes, however, are themselves taken in traps, or more commonly
+shot by guns set for the purpose, with the bait attached by a
+string to the trigger. Often the wolverene, finding the foxes dead or
+wounded, makes a meal of them before the hunter comes along to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span>
+examine his traps and guns. The wolverene kills many of the foxes
+while young, and sometimes on finding their burrow, widens it with
+his strong claws, and eats the whole family in their nests. Even
+young wolves sometimes become his prey. He lives, in fact, on very
+bad terms with both foxes and wolves, and often robs the latter of
+a fat deer which they may have just killed, and are preparing to
+dine upon. The beaver, however, is his favourite food, and but that
+these creatures can escape him by taking to the water&mdash;in which
+element he is not at all at home&mdash;he would soon exterminate their
+whole race. His great strength and acute scent enable him to overcome
+almost every wild creature of the forest or prairie. He is even
+said to be a full match for either the panther or the black bear.</p>
+
+<p>The wolverene lives in clefts of rock, or in hollow trees, where such
+are to be found; but he is equally an inhabitant of the forest and the
+prairie. He is found in fertile districts, as well as in the most remote
+deserts. His range is extensive, but he is properly a denizen of the
+cold and snowy regions. In the southern parts of the United States
+he is no longer known, though it is certain that he once lived there
+when those countries were inhabited by the beaver. North of latitude
+40&deg; he ranges perhaps to the pole itself, as traces of him have been
+found as far as man has yet penetrated.</p>
+
+<p>He is a solitary creature, and, like most predatory animals, a
+nocturnal prowler. The female brings forth two, sometimes three
+and four, at a birth. The cubs are of a cream colour, and only when
+full grown acquire that dark brown hue, which in the extreme of
+winter often passes into black. The fur is not unlike that of the bear
+but is shorter-haired, and of less value than a bear-skin. Notwithstanding,
+it is an article of trade with the Hudson's Bay Company,
+who procure many thousands of the skins annually.</p>
+
+<p>The Canadian voyageurs call the wolverene &ldquo;carcajou;&rdquo; while
+among the Orkney and Scotch servants of the Hudson's Bay Company
+he is oftener known as the &ldquo;quickhatch.&rdquo; It is supposed that both,
+these names are corruptions of the Cree word <i>okee-coo-haw-gew</i> (the
+name of the wolverene among the Indians of that tribe). Many
+words from the same language have been adopted by both voyageurs
+and traders.</p>
+
+<p>Those points in the natural history of the wolverene, that might be
+called <i>scientific</i>, were imparted by Lucien, while Norman furnished
+the information about its habits. Norman knew the animal as one
+of the most common in the &ldquo;trade&rdquo;; and in addition to what we have
+recorded, also related many adventures and stories current among the
+voyageurs, in which this creature figures in quite as fanciful a manner
+as he does in the works either of Olaus Magnus, or Count de Buffon.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>fter remaining a day at their first camp on the lake, our voyageurs
+continued their journey. Their course lay a little to the west of
+north, as the edge of the lake trended in that direction. Their usual
+plan, as already stated, was to keep out in the lake far enough to
+shun the numerous indentations of the shore, yet not so far as to
+endanger their little craft when the wind was high. At night they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span>
+always landed, either upon some point or on an island. Sometimes
+the wind blew &ldquo;dead ahead,&rdquo; and then their day's journey would be
+only a few miles. When the wind was favourable they made good
+progress, using the skin of the wapiti for a sail. On one of these
+days they reckoned a distance of over forty miles from camp to
+camp.</p>
+
+<p>It was their custom always to lie by on Sunday, for our young
+voyageurs were Christians. They had done so on their former
+expedition across the Southern prairies, and they had found the
+practice to their advantage in a physical as well as a moral sense.
+They required the rest thus obtained; besides, a general cleaning up
+is necessary, at least, once every week. Sunday was also a day of
+feasting with them. They had more time to devote to culinary
+operations, and the <i>cuisine</i> of that day was always the most varied of
+the week. Any extra delicacy obtained by the rifle on previous days,
+was usually reserved for the Sunday's dinner.</p>
+
+<p>On the first Sunday after entering Lake Winnipeg the &ldquo;camp&rdquo;
+chanced to be upon an island. It was a small island, of only a few
+acres in extent. It lay near the shore, and was well wooded over its
+whole surface with trees of many different kinds. Indeed, islands in
+a large lake usually have a great variety of trees, as the seeds of all
+those sorts that grow around the shores are carried thither by the
+waves, or in the crops of the numerous birds that flit over its waters.
+But as the island in question lay in a lake, whose shores exhibited
+such a varied geology, it was natural the vegetation of the island
+itself should be varied. And, in truth, it was so.</p>
+
+<p>Among the low bushes and shrubs there were rose and wild raspberry;
+there were apple and plum trees, and whole thickets of the
+&ldquo;Pembina.&rdquo; There is, in fact, no part of the world where a greater
+variety of wild fruit has been found indigenous than upon the banks
+of the Red River of the North, and this variety extended to the little
+island where our voyageurs had encamped.</p>
+
+<p>The camp had been placed under a beautiful tree&mdash;the tacamahac,
+or balsam poplar. This is one of the finest trees of America, and one
+of those that extend farthest north into the cold countries. In
+favourable situations it attains a height of one hundred and fifty feet,
+with a proportionate thickness of trunk; but it is oftener only fifty
+or eighty feet high. Its leaves are oval, and, when young, of a rich
+yellowish colour, which changes to a bright green. The buds are
+very large, yellow, and covered with a varnish, which exhales a
+delightful fragrance, and gives to the tree its specific name.</p>
+
+<p>It was near sunset on the afternoon of Saturday, the travellers had
+just finished their repast, and were reclining around a fire of red
+cedar, whose delicate smoke curled up among the pale green leaves of
+the poplars. The fragrant smell of the burning wood, mixed with the
+aromatic odour of the balsam-tree, filled the air with a sweet perfume,
+and, almost without knowing why, our voyageurs felt a sense
+of pleasure stealing over them. The woods of the little island were
+not without their voices.</p>
+
+<p>The scream of the jay was heard, and his bright azure wing
+appeared now and then among the foliage. The scarlet plumage of
+the cardinal grosbeak flashed under the beams of the setting sun;
+and the trumpet-note of the ivory-billed woodpecker was heard near
+the centre of the island. An osprey was circling in the air, with his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span>
+eye bent on the water below, watching for his finny prey; and a pair
+of bald eagles were winging their way towards the adjacent mainland.
+Half-a-dozen turkey vultures were wheeling above the beach, where
+some object, fish or carrion, had been thrown up by the waves.</p>
+
+<p>For some time the party remained silent, each contemplating the
+scene with feelings of pleasure. Fran&ccedil;ois, as usual, first broke the
+silence.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I say, cook, what's for dinner to-morrow?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was to Lucien this speech was addressed. He was regarded as
+the <i>maitre de cuisine</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Roast or boiled&mdash;which would you prefer?&rdquo; asked the cook, with
+a significant smile.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha! ha! ha!&rdquo; laughed Fran&ccedil;ois; &ldquo;boiled, indeed! a pretty boil
+we could have in a tin cup, holding less than a pint. I wish we <i>could</i>
+have a boiled joint and a bowl of soup. I'd give something for it.
+I'm precious tired of this everlasting dry roast.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You shall have both,&rdquo; rejoined Lucien, &ldquo;for to-morrow's dinner.
+I promise you both the soup and the joint.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Again Fran&ccedil;ois laughed increduously.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Do you mean to make soup in your shoe, Luce?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No; but I shall make it in this.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And Lucien held up a vessel somewhat like a water-pail, which the
+day before he had himself made out of birch-bark.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; replied Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;I know you have got a vessel that holds
+water, but cold water ain't soup; and if you can boil water in that
+vessel, I'll believe you to be a conjuror. I know you can do some
+curious things with your chemical mixtures; but that you can't do,
+I'm sure. Why, man, the bottom would be burned out of your
+bucket before the water got blood-warm. Soup, indeed!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Never mind, Frank, you shall see. You're only like the rest of
+mankind&mdash;incredulous about everything they can't comprehend. If
+you'll take your hook and line, and catch some fish, I promise to give
+you a dinner to-morrow, with all the regular courses&mdash;soup, fish,
+boiled, roast, and dessert, too! I'm satisfied I can do all that.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Parbleu</i>! brother, you should have been cook to Lucullus. Well,
+I'll catch the fish for you.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>So saying, Fran&ccedil;ois took a fish-hook and line out of his pouch, and
+fixing a large grasshopper upon the hook, stepped forward to the edge
+of the water, and cast it in. The float was soon seen to bob and then
+sink, and Fran&ccedil;ois jerked his hook ashore with a small and very
+pretty fish upon it of a silver hue, with which the lake and the waters
+running into it abound. Lucien told him it was a fish of the genus
+<i>Hyodon</i>. He also advised him to bait with a worm, and let his bait
+sink to the bottom, and he might catch a sturgeon, which would be a
+larger fish.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How do you know there are sturgeon in the lake?&rdquo; inquired
+Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I am pretty sure of that,&rdquo; answered the naturalist; &ldquo;the sturgeon
+is found all round the world in the northern temperate zone&mdash;both in
+its seas and fresh waters; although, when you go farther south into
+the warmer climate, no sturgeons exist. I am sure there are some
+here, perhaps more than one species. Sink your bait for the sturgeon
+is a toothless fish, and feeds upon soft substances at the bottom.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois followed the advice of his brother, and in a few minutes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span>
+he had a &ldquo;nibble,&rdquo; and drew up and landed a very large fish, full
+three feet in length. Lucien at once pronounced it a sturgeon, but of
+a species he had not before seen. It was the <i>Acipenser carbonarius</i>, a
+curious sort of fish found in these waters. It did not look like a fish
+that would be pleasant eating; therefore Fran&ccedil;ois again took to bobbing
+for the silver fish which, though small, he knew to be excellent
+when broiled.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come,&rdquo; said Basil, &ldquo;I must furnish my quota to this famous dinner
+that is to be. Let me see what there is on the island in the way of
+game;&rdquo; and shouldering his rifle, he walked off among the trees.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And I,&rdquo; said Norman, &ldquo;am not going to eat the produce of other
+people's labour without contributing my share.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>So the young trader took up his gun and went off in a different
+direction.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Good!&rdquo; exclaimed Lucien, &ldquo;we are likely to have plenty of meat
+for the dinner. I must see about the vegetables;&rdquo; and taking with
+him his new-made vessel, Lucien sauntered off along the shore of the
+islet. Fran&ccedil;ois alone remained by the camp and continued his fishing.
+Let us follow the plant-hunter, and learn a lesson of practical botany.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien had not gone far, when he came to what appeared to be a
+mere sedge growing in the water. The stalks or culms of this sedge were
+full eight feet high, with smooth leaves, an inch broad, nearly a yard
+in length, and of a light green colour. At the top of each stalk was
+a large panicle of seeds, somewhat resembling a head of oats. The
+plant itself was the famous wild rice so much prized by the Indians
+as an article of food, and also the favourite of many wild birds
+especially the reed-bird or rice-bunting. The grain of the zizania was
+not yet ripe, but the ears were tolerably well filled, and Lucien saw
+that it would do for his purpose. He therefore waded in, and stripped
+off into his vessel as much as he wanted.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I am safe for rice-soup, at all events,&rdquo; soliloquised he, &ldquo;but I think
+I can do still better;&rdquo; and he continued on around the shore, and
+shortly after struck into some heavy timber that grew in a damp,
+rich soil. He had walked about an hundred yards farther, when he
+was seen to stoop and examine some object on the ground.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It ought to be found here,&rdquo; he muttered to himself; &ldquo;this is the
+very soil for it&mdash;yes, here we have it!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The object over which he was stooping was a plant, but its leaves
+appeared shrivelled, or rather quite withered away. The upper part
+of a bulbous root, however, was just visible above the surface. It
+was a bulb of the wild leek. The leaves, when young, are about six
+inches in length, of a flat shape and often three inches broad; but,
+strange to say, they shrivel or die off very early in the season&mdash;even
+before the plant flowers, and then it is difficult to find the bulb.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien, however, had sharp eyes for such things; and in a short
+while he had rooted out several bulbs as large as pigeons' eggs, and
+deposited them in his birchen vessel. He now turned to go back to
+camp, satisfied with what he had obtained. He had the rice to give
+consistency to his soup, and the leek roots to flavour it with. That
+would be enough.</p>
+
+<p>As he was walking over a piece of boggy ground his eye was
+attracted to a singular plant, whose tall stem rose high above the
+grass. It was full eight feet in height, and at its top there was an
+umbel of conspicuous white flowers. Its leaves were large, lobed, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span>
+toothed, and the stem itself was over an inch in diameter, with
+furrows running longitudinally. Lucien had never seen the plant
+before, although he had often heard accounts of it, and he at once
+recognised it from its botanical description. It was the celebrated
+&ldquo;cow parsnip.&rdquo; Its stem was jointed and hollow, and Lucien had
+heard that the Indians called it in their language &ldquo;flute stem,&rdquo; as
+they often used it to make their rude musical instruments from, and
+also a sort of whistle or &ldquo;call,&rdquo; by which they were enabled to imitate
+and decoy several kinds of deer. But there was another use to which
+the plant was put, of which the naturalist was not aware. Norman
+who had been wandering about, came up at this moment, and seeing
+Lucien standing by the plant, uttered a joyful &ldquo;Hulloh!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; inquired Lucien, &ldquo;what pleases you, coz?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, the flute-stem, of course. You talked of making a soup.
+It will help you, I fancy.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How?&rdquo; demanded Lucien.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, the young stems are good eating, and the roots, if you will;
+but the young shoots are better. Both Indians and voyageurs eat
+them in soup, and are fond of them. It's a famous thing, I assure
+you.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Let us gather some, then,&rdquo; said Lucien; and the cousins commenced
+cutting off such stems as were still young and tender. As
+soon as they had obtained enough, they took their way back to the
+camp. Basil had already arrived with a fine <i>prairie hen</i> which he had
+shot, and Sandy had brought back a squirrel; so that, with Fran&ccedil;ois's
+fish, of which a sufficient number had been caught, Lucien was likely
+to be able to keep his promise about the dinner.</p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois, however, could not yet comprehend how the soup was to
+be boiled in a wooden pot; and, indeed, Basil was unable to guess.
+Norman, however, knew well enough, for he had travelled through
+the country of the Assinoboil Indians, who take their name from this
+very thing. He had also witnessed the operation performed by Crees,
+Chippewas, and even voyageurs, where metal or earthen pots could
+not be obtained.</p>
+
+<p>On the next day the mystery was cleared up to Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois.
+Lucien first collected a number of stones&mdash;about as large as paving-stones.
+He chose such as were hard and smooth. These he flung
+into the cinders, where they soon became red-hot. The water and
+meat were now put into the bark pot, and then one stone after
+another,&mdash;each being taken out as it got cooled,&mdash;until the water
+came to a fierce boil. The rice and other ingredients were added at
+the proper time, and in a short while an excellent soup was made.
+So much, then, for the soup, and the boiled dishes with vegetables.
+The roast, of course, was easily made ready upon green-wood spits,
+and the &ldquo;game&rdquo; was cooked in a similar way. The fish were broiled
+upon the red cinders, and eaten, as is usual, after the soup. There
+were no puddings or pies, though, no doubt, Lucien could have made
+such had they been wanted.</p>
+
+<p>In their place there was an excellent service of fruit. There were
+strawberries and raspberries, one sort of which found wild in this
+region is of a most delicious flavour. There were gooseberries and
+currants; but the most delicious fruit, and that which Fran&ccedil;ois liked
+best, was a small berry of a dark blue colour, not unlike the huckleberry,
+but much sweeter and of higher flavour. It grows on a low<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span>
+bush or shrub with ovate leaves; and this bush when it blossoms is
+so covered with beautiful white flowers, that neither leaves nor
+branches can be seen. There are no less than four varieties of it
+known, two of which attain to the height of twenty feet or more.
+The French Canadians call it &ldquo;le poire,&rdquo; but in most parts of America
+it is known as the &ldquo;service-berry,&rdquo; although several other names are
+given to it in different districts. Lucien informed his companions,
+while they were crushing its sweet purplish fruit between their teeth,
+that its botanical name is <i>Amelanchier</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now,&rdquo; remarked Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;if we only had a cup of coffee and a
+glass of wine, we might say that we had dined in fashionable style.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think,&rdquo; replied Lucien, &ldquo;we are better without the wine, and
+as for the other I cannot give you that, but I fancy I can provide you
+with a cup of tea if you only allow me a little time.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Tea!&rdquo; screamed Fran&ccedil;ois; &ldquo;why, there's not a leaf of tea nearer
+than China; and for the sugar, not a grain within hundreds of miles!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, Frank,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;nature has not been so ungenerous
+here, even in such luxuries as tea and sugar. Look yonder! You
+see those large trees with the dark-coloured trunks. What are they?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Sugar-maples,&rdquo; replied Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;I think even at this late season we might
+contrive to extract sap enough from them to sweeten a cup of tea.
+You may try, while I go in search of the tea-plant.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Upon my word, Luce, you are equal to a wholesale grocery.
+Very well. Come, Basil, we'll tap the maples; let the captain go
+with Luce.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The boys, separating into pairs, walked off, in different directions.
+Lucien and his companion soon lighted upon the object of their search
+in the same wet bottom where they had procured the <i>Heracleum</i>. It
+was a branching shrub, not over two feet in height, with small leaves
+of a deep green colour above, but whitish and woolly underneath. It
+is a plant well known throughout most of the Hudson's Bay territory
+by the name of &ldquo;Labrador tea-plant;&rdquo; and is so called because the
+Canadian voyageurs, and other travellers through these northern
+districts, often drink it as tea. It is one of the <i>Ericace&aelig;</i>, or heath
+tribe, of the genus <i>Ledum</i>&mdash;though it is not a true heath, as, strange
+to say, no true heath is found upon the continent of America.</p>
+
+<p>There are two kinds of it known,&mdash;the &ldquo;narrow-leafed&rdquo; and &ldquo;broad-leafed&rdquo;
+and the former makes the best tea. But the pretty white
+flowers of the plant are better for the purpose than the leaves of either
+variety; and these it was that were now gathered by Lucien and
+Norman. They require to be dried before the decoction is made; but
+this can be done in a short time over a fire; and so in a short time it
+was done, Norman having parched them upon heated stones.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois had obtained the sugar-water, and
+Lucien having washed his soup-kettle clean, and once more made his
+boiling stones red-hot, prepared the beverage; and then it was served
+out in the tin cup, and all partook of it. Norman had drunk the
+Labrador tea before, and was rather fond of it, but his Southern
+cousins did not much relish it. Its peculiar flavour, which somewhat
+resembles rhubarb, was not at all to the liking of Fran&ccedil;ois. All, however,
+admitted that it produced a cheering effect upon their spirits;
+and, after drinking it, they felt in that peculiarly happy state of mind
+which one experiences after a cup of the real &ldquo;Bohea.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>rom such a luxurious dinner you may suppose that our young
+voyageurs lived in prime style. But it was not always so. They had
+their fasts as well as feasts. Sometimes for days they had nothing to
+eat but the jerked deer-meat. No bread&mdash;no beer&mdash;no coffee, nothing
+but water&mdash;dry venison and water. Of course, this is food enough
+for a hungry man; but it can hardly be called luxurious living.
+Now and then a wild duck, or a goose, or perhaps a young swan, was
+shot; and this change in their diet was very agreeable. Fish were
+caught only upon occasions, for often these capricious creatures refused
+Fran&ccedil;ois' bait, however temptingly offered.</p>
+
+<p>After three weeks' coasting the Lake, they reached the Saskatchewan,
+and turning up that stream, now travelled in a due westerly
+direction. At the Grand Rapids, near the mouth of this river, they
+were obliged to make a portage of no less than three miles, but the
+magnificent view of these &ldquo;Rapids&rdquo; fully repaid them for the toil
+they underwent in passing them.</p>
+
+<p>The Saskatchewan is one of the largest rivers in America, being full
+1600 miles in length, from its source in the Rocky Mountains to its
+<i>d&eacute;bouchure</i>, under the name of the &ldquo;Nelson River,&rdquo; in Hudson's Bay.
+For some distance above Lake Winnipeg, the country upon its banks
+is well wooded. Farther up, the river runs through dry sandy prairies
+that extend westward to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. Many
+of these prairies may be properly called &ldquo;deserts.&rdquo; They contain lakes
+as salt as the ocean itself, and vast tracts&mdash;hundreds of square miles
+in extent&mdash;where not a drop of water is to be met with. But the
+route of our voyageurs did not lie over these prairies. It was their
+intention, after reaching Cumberland House, to turn again in a
+northerly direction.</p>
+
+<p>One evening, when within two days' journey of the Fort, they had
+encamped upon the bank of the Saskatchewan. They had chosen a
+beautiful spot for their camp, where the country, swelling into rounded
+hills, was prettily interspersed with bushy copses of <i>Amelanchiers</i>, and
+<i>Rosa blanda</i> whose pale red flowers were conspicuous among the green
+leaves, and filled the air with a sweet fragrance, that was wafted to
+our voyageurs upon the sunny breeze. The ground was covered with
+a grassy sward enamelled by the pink flowers of the <i>Cleome</i>, and the
+deeper red blossoms of the beautiful wind-flower.</p>
+
+<p>Upon that day our travellers had not succeeded in killing any game,
+and their dinner was likely to consist of nothing better than dry
+venison scorched over the coals. As they had been travelling all the
+morning against a sharp current, and, of course, had taken turn about
+at the paddles, they all felt fatigued, and none of them was inclined
+to go in search of game. They had flung themselves down around
+the fire, and were waiting until the venison should be broiled for
+dinner.</p>
+
+<p>The camp had been placed at the foot of a tolerably steep hill, that
+rose near the banks of the river. There was another and higher hill
+facing it, the whole front of which could be seen by our travellers as
+they sat around their fire. While glancing their eyes along its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span>
+declivity, they noticed a number of small protuberances or mounds
+standing within a few feet of each other. Each of them was about a
+foot in height, and of the form of a truncated cone&mdash;that is, a cone
+with its top cut off, or beaten down.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What are they?&rdquo; inquired Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I fancy,&rdquo; answered Lucien, &ldquo;they are marmot-houses.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They are,&rdquo; affirmed Norman; &ldquo;there are plenty of them in this
+country.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! marmots!&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois. &ldquo;Prairie-dogs, you mean?&mdash;the
+same we met with on the Southern prairies?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think not,&rdquo; replied Norman: &ldquo;I think the prairie-dogs are a
+different sort. Are they not, cousin Luce?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes, yes,&rdquo; answered the naturalist; &ldquo;these must be a different
+species. There are too few of them to be the houses of prairie-dogs.
+The 'dogs' live in large settlements, many hundreds of them in one
+place; besides, their domes are somewhat different in appearance
+from these. The mounds of the prairie-dogs have a hole in the top or
+on one side. These, you see, have not. The hole is in the ground
+beside them, and the hill is in front, made by the earth taken out of
+the burrow, just as you have seen it at the entrance of a rat's hole.
+They are marmots, I have no doubt, but of a different species from
+the prairie-dog marmots.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Are there not many kinds of marmots in America? I have heard
+so,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>This question was of course addressed to Lucien.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; answered he. &ldquo;The <i>fauna</i> of North America is peculiarly
+rich in species of these singular animals. There are thirteen kinds of
+them, well known to naturalists; and there are even some varieties
+in these thirteen kinds that might almost be considered distinct species.
+I have no doubt, moreover, there are yet other species which have not
+been described. Perhaps, altogether, there are not less than twenty
+different kinds of marmots in North America. As only one or two
+species are found in the settled territories of the United States, it was
+supposed, until lately, that there were no others. Latterly the naturalists
+of North America have been very active in their researches, and
+no genus of animals has rewarded them so well as the marmots&mdash;unless,
+perhaps, it may be the squirrels. Almost every year a new
+species of one or the other of these has been found&mdash;mostly inhabiting
+the vast wilderness territories that lie between the Mississippi
+and the Pacific Ocean.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;These little animals seem to form a link between the squirrels and
+rabbits. On the side of the squirrels they very naturally join on,
+if I may use the expression, to the ground-squirrel, and some of them,
+differ but little in their habits from many of the latter. Other
+species, again, are more allied to the rabbits, and less like the
+squirrels; and there are two or three kinds that I should say&mdash;using
+a Yankee expression&mdash;have a 'sprinkling' of the rat in them. Some,
+as the ground-hog, or wood-chuck of the United States, are as large
+as rabbits, while others, as the leopard-marmot, are not bigger than
+Norway rats.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Some species have cheek-pouches, in which they can carry a large
+quantity of seeds, nuts, and roots, when they wish to hoard them up
+for future use. These are the spermophiles, and some species of
+these have more capacious pouches than others. Their food differs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span>
+somewhat, perhaps according to the circumstances in which they
+may be placed. In all cases it is vegetable. Some, as the prairie-dogs,
+live upon grasses, while others subsist chiefly upon seeds,
+berries, and leaves.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It was long supposed that the marmots, like the squirrels, laid up
+stores against the winter. I believe this is not the case with any of
+the different species. I know for certain that most of them pass the
+winter in a state of torpidity, and of course require no provisions, as
+they eat nothing during that season. In this we observe one of those
+cases in which Nature so beautifully adapts a creature to its circumstances.
+In the countries where many of the marmots are found, so
+severe are the winters, and so barren the soil, that it would be
+impossible for these creatures to get a morsel of food for many long
+months.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;During this period, therefore, Nature suspends her functions, by
+putting them into a deep, and, for aught we know to the contrary, a
+pleasant sleep. It is only when the snow melts, under the vernal
+sun, and the green blades of grass and the spring flowers array
+themselves on the surface of the earth, that the little marmots make
+their appearance again. Then the warm air, penetrating into their
+subterranean abodes, admonishes them to awake from their protracted
+slumber, and come forth to the enjoyment of their summer
+life. These animals may be said, therefore, to have no winter.
+Their life is altogether a season of summer and sunshine.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Some of the marmots,&rdquo; continued Lucien, &ldquo;live in large communities,
+as the prairie dogs; others, in smaller tribes, while still
+other species lead a solitary life, going only in pairs, or at most in
+families. Nearly all of them are burrowing animals, though there
+are one or two species that are satisfied with a cleft in the rock,
+or a hole among loose stones for their nests. Some of them are tree-climbers,
+but it is supposed they only ascend trees in search of food,
+as they do not make their dwellings there. Many of the species are
+very prolific, the females bringing forth eight, and even ten young
+at a birth.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The marmots are extremely shy and watchful creatures. Before
+going to feed, they usually reconnoitre the ground from the tops
+of their little mounds. Some species do not have such mounds,
+and for this purpose ascend any little hillock that may be near.
+Nearly all have the curious habit of placing sentries to watch while
+the rest are feeding. These sentries station themselves on some
+commanding point, and when they see an enemy approaching give
+warning to the others by a peculiar cry. In several of the species
+this cry resembles the syllables 'seek-seek' repeated with a hiss.
+Others bark like 'toy-dogs,' while still other kinds utter a whistling
+noise, from which one species derives its trivial name of 'whistler'
+among the traders, and is the 'siffleur' of the Canadian voyageurs.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The 'whistler's' call of alarm can be heard at a great distance;
+and when uttered by the sentinel is repeated by all the others as far
+as the troop extends.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The marmots are eaten both by Indians and white hunters. Sometimes
+they are captured by pouring water into their burrows; but
+this method only succeeds in early spring, when the animals awake
+out of their torpid state, and the ground is still frozen hard enough
+to prevent the water from filtering away. They are sometimes shot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span>
+with guns; but, unless killed upon the spot, they will escape to
+their burrows, and tumble in before the hunter can lay his hands
+upon them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BLAIREAU, THE &ldquo;TAWNIES,&rdquo; AND THE &ldquo;LEOPARDS.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">P</span>erhaps Lucien would have carried his account of the marmots still
+farther&mdash;for he had not told half what he knew of their habits&mdash;but
+he was at that moment interrupted by the marmots themselves.
+Several of them appeared at the mouths of their holes; and, after
+looking out and reconnoitring for some moments, became bolder, and
+ran up to the tops of their mounds, and began to scatter along the
+little beaten paths that led from one to the other. In a short while
+as many as a dozen could be seen moving about, jerking their tails,
+and at intervals uttering their seek-seek.</p>
+
+<p>Our voyageurs saw that there were two kinds of them, entirely
+different in colour, size, and other respects. The larger ones were of
+a greyish yellow above, with an orange tint upon the throat and
+belly. These were the &ldquo;tawny marmots,&rdquo; called sometimes &ldquo;ground-squirrels,&rdquo;
+and by the voyageurs, &ldquo;siffleurs,&rdquo; or &ldquo;whistlers.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The other species seen were the most beautiful of all the marmots.
+They were very little smaller than the tawny marmots; but their
+tails were larger and more slender, which rendered their appearance
+more graceful. Their chief beauty, however, lay in their colours and
+markings. They were striped from the nose to the rump with bands
+of yellow and chocolate colour, which alternated with each other,
+while the chocolate bands were themselves variegated by rows of
+yellow spots regularly placed. These markings gave the animals
+that peculiar appearance so well known as characterising the skin of
+the leopard, hence the name of these little creatures was &ldquo;leopard
+marmots.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was plain from their actions that both kinds were &ldquo;at home&rdquo;
+among the mounds, and that both had their burrows there. This
+was the fact, and Norman told his companion that the two kinds are
+always found together, not living in the same houses, but only as
+neighbours in the same &ldquo;settlement.&rdquo; The burrows of the &ldquo;leopard&rdquo;
+have much smaller entrances than those of their &ldquo;tawny kin,&rdquo; and
+run down perpendicularly to a greater depth before branching off in
+a horizontal direction. A straight stick may be thrust down one of
+these full five feet before reaching an &ldquo;elbow.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The holes of the tawny marmots, on the contrary, branch off near
+the surface, and are not so deep under ground. This guides us to the
+explanation of a singular fact&mdash;which is, that the &ldquo;tawnies&rdquo; make
+their appearance three weeks earlier in spring than the &ldquo;leopards,&rdquo;
+in consequence of the heat of the sun reaching them sooner, and
+waking them out of their torpid sleep.</p>
+
+<p>While these explanations were passing among the boys, the
+marmots had come out, to the number of a score, and were carrying
+on their gambols along the declivity of the hill. They were at too
+great a distance to heed the movements of the travellers by the camp
+fire. Besides, a considerable valley lay between them and the camp,
+which, as they believed, rendered their position secure. They were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span>
+not at such a distance but that many of their movements could be
+clearly made out by the boys, who after a while noticed that several
+furious battles were being fought among them. It was not the
+&ldquo;tawnies&rdquo; against the others, but the males of each kind in single
+combats with one another.</p>
+
+<p>They fought like little cats, exhibiting the highest degree of
+boldness and fury; but it was noticed that in these conflicts the
+leopards were far more active and spiteful than their kinsmen. In
+observing them through his glass Lucien noticed that they frequently
+seized each other by the tails, and he further noticed that several of
+them had their tails much shorter than the rest. Norman said that
+these had been bitten off in their battles; and, moreover, that it
+was a rare thing to find among the males, or &ldquo;bucks,&rdquo; as he called
+them, one that had a perfect tail!</p>
+
+<p>While these observations were being made, the attention of our
+party was attracted to a strange animal that was seen slowly crawling
+around the hill. It was a creature about as big as an ordinary
+setter dog, but much thicker in the body, shorter in the legs, and
+shaggier in the coat. Its head was flat, and its ears short and
+rounded. Its hair was long, rough, and of a mottled hoary grey
+colour, but dark-brown upon the legs and tail. The latter, though
+covered with long hair, was short, and carried upright; and upon
+the broad feet of the animal could be seen long and strong curving
+claws. Its snout was sharp as that of a greyhound&mdash;though not so
+prettily formed&mdash;and a white stripe, passing from its very tip over
+the crown, and bordered by two darker bands, gave a singular
+expression to the animal's countenance.</p>
+
+<p>It was altogether, both in form and feature, a strange and vicious-looking
+creature. Norman recognised it at once as the &ldquo;blaireau,&rdquo;
+or American badger. The others had never seen such a creature
+before&mdash;as it is not an inhabitant of the South, nor of any part of the
+settled portion of the United States.</p>
+
+<p>The badger when first seen was creeping along with its belly
+almost dragging the ground, and its long snout projected horizontally
+in the direction of the marmot &ldquo;village.&rdquo; It was evidently meditating
+a surprise of the inhabitants. Now and then it would stop,
+like a pointer dog when close to a partridge, reconnoitre a moment,
+and then go on again. Its design appeared to be to get between the
+marmots and their burrows, intercept some of them, and get a hold of
+them without the trouble of digging them up&mdash;although that would be
+no great affair to it, for so strong are its fore-arms and claws that in
+loose soil it can make its way under the ground as fast as a mole.</p>
+
+<p>Slowly and cautiously it stole along, its hind-feet resting all their
+length upon the ground, its hideous snout thrown forward, and its
+eyes glaring with a voracious and hungry expression. It had got
+within fifty paces of the marmots, and would, no doubt, have succeeded
+in cutting off the retreat of some of them, but at that moment
+a burrowing owl that had been perched upon one of the mounds,
+rose up, and commenced hovering in circles above the intruder.
+This drew the attention of the marmot sentries to their well-known
+enemy, and their warning cry was followed by a general scamper of
+both tawnies and leopards towards their respective burrows.</p>
+
+<p>The blaireau, seeing that further concealment was no longer of any
+use, raised himself higher upon his limbs, and sprang forward in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span>
+pursuit. He was too late, however, as the marmots had all got into
+their holes, and their angry &ldquo;seek-seek&rdquo; was heard proceeding from
+various quarters out of the bowels of the earth. The blaireau only
+hesitated long enough to select one of the burrows into which he was
+sure a marmot had entered; and then, setting himself to his work,
+he commenced throwing out the mould like a terrier. In a few
+seconds he was half buried, and his hind-quarters and tail alone
+remained above ground.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 344px;">
+<img src="images/illus-084.jpg" width="344" height="500" alt="THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS" title="THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS" />
+<span class="caption">THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS</span></div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span>He would soon have disappeared entirely, but at that moment the
+boys, directed and headed by Norman, ran up the hill, and, seizing
+him by the tail, endeavoured to jerk him back. That, however, was
+a task which they could not accomplish, for first one and then
+another, and then Basil and Norman&mdash;who were both strong boys&mdash;pulled
+with all their might, and could not move him. Norman
+cautioned them against letting him go, as in a moment's time he
+would burrow beyond their reach. So they held on until Fran&ccedil;ois
+had got his gun ready. This the latter soon did, and a load of small
+shot was fired into the blaireau's hips, which, although it did not
+quite kill him, caused him to back out of the hole, and brought him
+into the clutches of Marengo.</p>
+
+<p>A desperate struggle ensued, which ended by the bloodhound
+doubling his vast black muzzle upon the throat of the blaireau, and
+choking him to death in less than a dozen seconds; and then his
+hide&mdash;the only part which was deemed of any value&mdash;was taken off
+and carried to the camp. The carcass was left upon the face
+of the hill, and the red shining object was soon espied by the buzzards
+and turkey vultures, so that in a few minutes' time several
+of these filthy birds were seen hovering around, and alighting upon
+the hill.</p>
+
+<p>But this was no new sight to our young voyageurs, and soon
+ceased to be noticed by them. Another bird, of a different kind, for
+a short time engaged their attention. It was a large hawk, which
+Lucien, as soon as he saw it, pronounced to be one of the kind known
+as buzzards. Of these there are several species in North America,
+but it is not to be supposed that there is any resemblance between
+them and the buzzards just mentioned as having alighted by the
+carcass of the blaireau. The latter, commonly called &ldquo;turkey
+buzzards,&rdquo; are true vultures, and feed mostly, though not exclusively,
+on carrion; while the &ldquo;hawk buzzards&rdquo; have all the appearance and
+general habits of the rest of the falcon tribe.</p>
+
+<p>The one in question, Lucien said, was the &ldquo;marsh-hawk,&rdquo; sometimes
+also called the &ldquo;hen-harrier.&rdquo; Norman stated that it was
+known among the Indians of these parts as the &ldquo;snake-bird,&rdquo; because
+it preys upon a species of small green snake that is common on the
+plains of the Saskatchewan, and of which it is fonder than of any
+other food.</p>
+
+<p>The voyageurs were not long in having evidence of the appropriateness
+of the Indian appellation; for these people, like other savages,
+have the good habit of giving names that express some quality or
+characteristic of the thing itself. The bird in question was on the
+wing, and from its movements evidently searching for game. It
+sailed in easy circlings near the surface, <i>quartering</i> the ground like
+a pointer dog. It flew so lightly that its wings were not seen to
+move, and throughout all its wheelings and turnings it appeared to
+be carried onwards or upwards by the power of mere volition.</p>
+
+<p>Once or twice its course brought it directly over the camp, and
+Fran&ccedil;ois had got hold of his gun, with the intention of bringing it
+down, but on each occasion it perceived his motions; and, soaring
+up like a paper-kite until out of reach, it passed over the camp, and
+then sank down again upon the other side, and continued its
+&ldquo;quarterings&rdquo; as before. For nearly half-an-hour it went on
+man&#339;vring in this way, when all at once it was seen to make a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span>
+sudden turning in the air as it fixed its eyes upon some object in the
+grass.</p>
+
+<p>The next moment it glided diagonally towards the earth, and
+poising itself for a moment above the surface, rose again with a small
+green-coloured snake struggling in its talons. After ascending to
+some height, it directed its flight towards a clump of trees, and was
+soon lost to the view of our travellers.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien now pointed out to his companions a characteristic of the
+hawk and buzzard tribe, by which these birds can always be distinguished
+from the true falcon. That peculiarity lay in the manner
+of seizing their prey. The former skim forward upon it sideways&mdash;that
+is, in a horizontal or diagonal direction, and pick it up in
+passing; while the true falcons&mdash;as the merlin, the peregrine, the
+gerfalcon, and the great eagle-falcons&mdash;shoot down upon their prey
+<i>perpendicularly</i> like an arrow, or a piece of falling lead.</p>
+
+<p>He pointed out, moreover, how the structure of the different kinds
+of preying birds, such as the size and form of the wings and tail, as
+well as other parts, were in each kind adapted to its peculiar mode
+of pursuing its prey; and then there arose a discussion as to whether
+this adaption should be considered a <i>cause</i>, or an <i>effect</i>. Lucien succeeded
+in convincing his companions that the structure was the
+effect and not the cause of the habit, for the young naturalist was a
+firm believer in the changing and progressive system of nature.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>wo days after the adventure with the blaireau, the young voyageurs
+arrived at Cumberland House&mdash;one of the most celebrated posts of
+the Hudson's Bay Company. The chief factor, who resided there,
+was a friend of Norman's father, and of course the youths were
+received with the warmest hospitality, and entertained during their
+stay in the best manner the place afforded. They did not make a
+long stay, however, as they wished to complete their journey before
+the winter should set in, when canoe-travelling would become impossible.</p>
+
+<p>During winter, not only the lakes, but the most rapid rivers of
+these Northern regions, become frozen up, and remain so for many
+months. Nearly the whole surface of the earth is buried under deep
+snow, and travelling can only be done with snow-shoes, or with
+sledges drawn by dogs. These are the modes practised by the
+Indians, the Esquimaux, and the few white traders and trappers who
+have occasion in winter to pass from one point to another of that icy
+and desolate region.</p>
+
+<p>Travelling under such circumstances is not only difficult and
+laborious, but is extremely perilous. Food cannot always be obtained&mdash;supplies
+fall short, or become exhausted&mdash;game is scarce, or cannot
+be found at all, as at that season many of the quadrupeds and most
+of the birds have forsaken the country, and migrated to the South&mdash;and
+whole parties of travellers&mdash;even Indians, who can eat anything
+living or dead, roast or raw&mdash;often perish from hunger.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers were well acquainted with these facts; and being
+anxious, therefore, to get to the end of their journey before the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span>
+winter should come down upon them, made all haste to proceed. Of
+course they obtained a new &ldquo;outfit&rdquo; at the Fort; but they took with
+them only such articles as were absolutely necessary, as they had many
+portages to make before they could reach the waters of the Mackenzie
+River. As it required two of the party to carry the canoe, with a few
+little things besides, all the baggage was comprised in such loads as
+the others could manage; and of course that was not a great deal,
+for Fran&ccedil;ois was but a lad, and Lucien was far from being in robust
+health. A light axe, a few cooking utensils, with a small stock of
+provisions, and of course their guns, formed the bulk of their loads.</p>
+
+<p>After leaving the Fort they kept for several days' journey up the
+Saskatchewan. They then took leave of that river, and ascended a
+small stream that emptied into it from the north. Making their first
+portage over a &ldquo;divide,&rdquo; they reached another small stream that ran
+in quite a different direction, emptying itself into one of the branches
+of the Mississippi, or Churchill River. Following this in a north-westerly
+course, and making numerous other portages, they reached
+Lake La Crosse, and afterwards in succession, Lakes Clear, Buffalo,
+and Methy.</p>
+
+<p>A long &ldquo;portage&rdquo; from the last-mentioned lake brought them to
+the head of a stream known as the &ldquo;Clear Water;&rdquo; and launching
+their canoe upon this, they floated down to its mouth, and entered the
+main stream of the Elk, or Athabasca, one of the most beautiful
+rivers of America. They were now in reality upon the waters of the
+Mackenzie itself, for the Elk, after passing through the Athabasca
+takes from thence the name of Slave River, and having traversed Great
+Slave Lake, becomes the Mackenzie&mdash;under which name it continues
+on to the Arctic Ocean.</p>
+
+<p>Having got, therefore, upon the main head-water of the stream
+which they intended to traverse, they floated along in their canoe
+with light hearts and high hopes. It is true they had yet fifteen
+hundred miles to travel, but they believed that it was all down-hill
+work now; and as they had still nearly two months of summer before
+them, they doubted not being able to accomplish the voyage in good
+time.</p>
+
+<p>On they floated down stream, feasting their eyes as they went&mdash;for
+the scenery of the Elk valley is of a most picturesque and pleasing
+character; and the broad bosom of the stream itself, studded with
+wooded islands, looked to our travellers more like a continuation of
+lakes than a running river. Now they glided along without using an
+oar, borne onward by the current; then they would take a spell at
+the paddles, while the beautiful Canadian boat-song could be heard
+as it came from the tiny craft, and the appropriate chorus &ldquo;Row,
+brothers, row!&rdquo; echoed from the adjacent shores. No part of their
+journey was more pleasant than while descending the romantic Elk.</p>
+
+<p>They found plenty of fresh provisions, both in the stream itself and
+on its banks. They caught salmon in the water, and the silver-coloured
+hyodon, known among the voyageurs by the name of
+&ldquo;Dor&eacute;.&rdquo; They shot both ducks and geese, and roast-duck or goose
+had become an everyday dinner with them. Of the geese there
+were several species. There were &ldquo;snow-geese,&rdquo; so called from their
+beautiful white plumage; and &ldquo;laughing geese,&rdquo; that derive their
+name from the circumstance that their call resembles the laugh of a
+man.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Indians decoy these by striking their open hand repeatedly
+over the mouth while uttering the syllable &ldquo;wah.&rdquo; They also saw
+the &ldquo;Brent goose,&rdquo; a well-known species, and the &ldquo;Canada goose,&rdquo;
+which is the <i>wild goose par excellence</i>. Another species resembling
+the latter, called the &ldquo;barnacle goose,&rdquo; was seen by our travellers.
+Besides these, Lucien informed them that there were several other
+smaller kinds that inhabit the northern countries of America. These
+valuable birds are objects of great interest to the people of the fur
+countries for months in the year. Whole tribes of Indians look to
+them as a means of support.</p>
+
+<p>With regard to ducks, there was one species which our travellers
+had not yet met with, and for which they were every day upon the
+look-out. This was the far-famed &ldquo;canvass-back,&rdquo; so justly celebrated
+among the epicures of America. None of them had ever eaten of it,
+as it is not known in Louisiana, but only upon the Atlantic coast of
+the United States. Norman, however, had heard of its existence in
+the Rocky Mountains&mdash;where it is said to breed&mdash;as well as in other
+parts of the fur countries, and they were in hopes that they might
+fall in with it upon the waters of the Athabasca.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien was, of course, well acquainted with its &ldquo;biography,&rdquo; and
+could have recognised one at sight; and as they glided along he volunteered
+to give his companions some information, not only about this
+particular species, but about the whole genus of these interesting
+birds.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The canvass-back,&rdquo; began he, &ldquo;is perhaps the most celebrated and
+highly-prized of all the ducks, on account of the exquisite flavour of
+its flesh&mdash;which is thought by some epicures to be superior to that of
+all other birds. It is not a large duck&mdash;rarely weighing over three
+pounds&mdash;and its plumage is far from equalling in beauty that of
+many other species. It has a red or chestnut-coloured head, a shining
+black breast, while the greater part of its body is of a greyish colour;
+but upon close examination this grey is found to be produced by a
+whitish ground minutely mottled with zig-zag black lines. I believe
+it is this mottling, combined with the colour, which somewhat
+resembles the appearance and texture of ship's canvass, that has
+given the bird its trivial name; but there is some obscurity about the
+origin of this.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Shooting the canvass-backs is a source of profit to hundreds of
+gunners who live around the Chesapeake Bay, as these birds command
+a high price in the markets of the American cities. Disputes
+have arisen between the fowlers of different States around the Bay
+about the right of shooting upon it; and vessels full of armed men&mdash;ready
+to make war upon one another&mdash;have gone out on this account.
+But the government of these States succeeded in settling the matter
+peacefully, and to the satisfaction of all parties.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The canoe at this moment shot round a bend, and a long smooth
+expanse of the river appeared before the eyes of our voyageurs.
+They could see that upon one side another stream ran in, with a
+very sluggish current; and around the mouth of this, and for a good
+stretch below it, there appeared a green sedge-like water-grass, or
+rushes. Near the border of this sedge, and in a part of it that was
+thin, a flock of wild fowl was diving and feeding. They were small,
+and evidently ducks; but the distance was yet too great for the
+boys to make out to what species they belonged.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span></p>
+
+<p>A single large swan&mdash;a trumpeter&mdash;was upon the water, between
+the shore and the ducks, and was gradually making towards the
+latter. Fran&ccedil;ois immediately loaded one of his barrels with swan,
+or rather &ldquo;buck&rdquo; shot, and Basil looked to his rifle. The ducks were
+not thought of&mdash;the trumpeter was to be the game. Lucien took out
+his telescope, and commenced observing the flock. They had not
+intended to use any precaution in approaching the birds, as they
+were not extremely anxious about getting a shot, and were permitting
+the canoe to glide gently towards them.</p>
+
+<p>An exclamation from Lucien, however, caused them to change
+their tactics. He directed them suddenly to &ldquo;hold water,&rdquo; and stop the
+canoe, at the same time telling them that the birds ahead were
+the very sort about which they had been conversing&mdash;the &ldquo;canvass-backs.&rdquo;
+He had no doubt of it, judging from their colour, size, and
+peculiar movements.</p>
+
+<p>The announcement produced a new excitement. All four were
+desirous not only of shooting, but of <i>eating</i>, a canvass-back; and
+arrangements were set about to effect the former. It was known to
+all that the canvass-backs are among the shyest of water-fowl, so
+much so that it is difficult to approach them unless under cover.
+While feeding, it is said, they keep sentinels on the look-out. Whether
+this be true or not, it is certain that they never all dive together,
+some always remaining above water, and apparently watching while
+the others are under.</p>
+
+<p>A plan to get near them was necessary, and one was suggested by
+Norman, which was to tie bushes around the sides of the canoe, so
+as to hide both the vessel and those in it. This plan was at once
+adopted&mdash;the canoe was paddled up to the bank&mdash;thick bushes were
+cut, and tied along the gunwale; and then our voyageurs climbed
+in, and laying themselves as low as possible, commenced paddling
+gently downward in the direction of the ducks. The rifles were laid
+aside, as they could be of little service with such game. Fran&ccedil;ois'
+double-barrel was the arm upon which dependence was now placed;
+and Fran&ccedil;ois himself leaned forward in the bow in order to be ready,
+while the others attended to the guidance of the vessel. The buckshot
+had been drawn out, and a smaller kind substituted. The
+swan was no longer cared for or even thought of.</p>
+
+<p>In about a quarter of an hour's time, the canoe, gliding silently
+along the edge of the sedge&mdash;which was the wild celery&mdash;came near
+the place where the ducks were; and the boys, peeping through the
+leafy screen, could now see the birds plainly. They saw that they
+were not all canvass-backs, but that three distinct kinds of ducks
+were feeding together. One sort was the canvass-backs themselves,
+and a second kind very much resembled them, except that they were
+a size smaller. These were the &ldquo;red-heads&rdquo; or &ldquo;pochards.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The third species was different from either. They had also heads
+of a reddish colour, but of a brighter red, and marked by a white
+band that ran from the root of the bill over the crown. This mark
+enabled Lucien at once to tell the species. They were widgeons;
+but the most singular thing that was now observed by our voyageurs
+was the terms upon which these three kinds of birds lived with each
+other. It appeared that the widgeon obtained its food by a regular
+system of robbery and plunder perpetrated upon the community of
+the canvass-backs. The latter, as Lucien explained, feeds upon the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span>
+roots of the valisneria; but for these it is obliged to dive to the depth
+of four or five feet, and also to spend some time at the bottom while
+plucking them up. Now the widgeon is as fond of the &ldquo;celery&rdquo; as
+the canvass-back, but the former is not a diver&mdash;in fact, never goes
+under water except when washing itself or in play, and it has therefore
+no means of procuring the desired roots. Mark, then, the plan
+that it takes to effect this end.</p>
+
+<p>Seated as near as is safe to the canvass-back, it waits until the
+latter makes his <i>somersault</i> and goes down. It (the widgeon) then
+darts forward so as to be sufficiently close, and, pausing again, scans
+the surface with eager eye. It can tell where the other is at work, as
+the blades of the plant at which it is tugging are seen to move above
+the water. These at length disappear, pulled down as the plant is
+dragged from its root, and almost at the same instant the canvass-back
+comes up holding the root between his mandibles.</p>
+
+<p>But the widgeon is ready for him. He has calculated the exact
+spot where the other will rise; and, before the latter can open his
+eyes or get them clear of the water, the widgeon darts forward,
+snatches the luscious morsel from his bill, and makes off with it.
+Conflicts sometimes ensue; but the widgeon, knowing himself to be
+the lesser and weaker bird, never stands to give battle, but secures
+his prize through his superior agility. On the other hand, the
+canvass-back rarely attempts to follow him, as he knows that the
+other is swifter upon the water than he. He only looks after his lost
+root with an air of chagrin, and then, reflecting that there is &ldquo;plenty
+more where it came from,&rdquo; kicks up its heels, and once more plunges
+to the bottom.</p>
+
+<p>The red-head rarely interferes with either, as he is contented to
+feed upon the leaves and stalks, at all times floating in plenty upon
+the surface.</p>
+
+<p>As the canoe glided near, those on board watched these curious
+man&#339;uvres of the birds with feelings of interest. They saw, moreover,
+that the &ldquo;trumpeter&rdquo; had arrived among them, and the ducks
+seemed to take no notice of him. Lucien was struck with something
+unusual in the appearance of the swan. Its plumage seemed ruffled
+and on end, and it glided along in a stiff and unnatural manner. It
+moved its neck neither to one side nor the other, but held its head
+bent forward, until its bill almost touched the water, in the attitude
+that these birds adopt when feeding upon something near the surface.
+Lucien said nothing to his companions, as they were all silent, lest
+they might frighten the ducks; but Basil and Norman had also
+remarked the strange look and conduct of the trumpeter. Fran&ccedil;ois'
+eyes were bent only upon the ducks, and he did not heed the other.</p>
+
+<p>As they came closer, first Lucien, and then Basil and Norman, saw
+something else that puzzled them. Whenever the swan approached
+any of the ducks, these were observed to disappear under the water.
+At first, the boys thought that they merely dived to get out of his
+way, but it was not exactly in the same manner as the others were
+diving for the roots. Moreover, none of those that went down in the
+neighbourhood of the swan were seen to come up again!</p>
+
+<p>There was something very odd in all this, and the three boys,
+thinking so at the same time, were about to communicate their
+thoughts to one another, when the double crack of Fran&ccedil;ois' gun
+drove the thing, for a moment, out of their heads; and they all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span>
+looked over the bushes to see how many canvass-backs had been
+killed. Several were seen dead or fluttering along the surface; but
+no one counted them, for a strange, and even terrible, object now
+presented itself to the astonished senses of all. If the conduct of the
+swan had been odd before, it was now doubly so.</p>
+
+<p>Instead of flying off after the shot, as all expected it would do, it
+was now seen to dance and plunge about on the water, uttering loud
+screams, that resembled the human voice far more than any other
+sounds! Then it rose as if pitched into the air, and fell on its back
+some distance off; while in its place was seen a dark, round object
+moving through the water, as if making for the bank, and uttering,
+as it went, the same hideous human-like screams!</p>
+
+<p>This dark object was no other than the poll of a human being;
+and the river shallowing towards the bank, it rose higher and higher
+above the water, until the boys could distinguish the glistening
+neck and naked shoulders of a red and brawny Indian! All was now
+explained. The Indian had been duck-hunting, and had used the
+stuffed skin of the swan as his disguise; and hence the puzzling
+motions of the bird. He had not noticed the canoe&mdash;concealed as it
+was&mdash;until the loud crack of Fran&ccedil;ois' gun had startled him from his
+work.</p>
+
+<p>This, and the heads and white faces of the boys peeping over the
+bushes, had frightened him, even more than he had them. Perhaps
+they were the first white faces he had ever seen. But, whether or
+not, sadly frightened he was; for, on reaching the bank, he did not
+stop, but ran off into the woods, howling and yelling as if Old Nick
+had been after him: and no doubt he believed that such was the case.</p>
+
+<p>The travellers picked up the swan-skin put of curiosity; and, in
+addition to the ducks which Fran&ccedil;ois had killed, they found nearly a
+score of these birds, which the Indian had dropped in his fright, and
+that had afterwards risen to the surface. These were strung together,
+and all had their necks broken.</p>
+
+<p>After getting them aboard, the canoe was cleared of the bushes;
+and the paddles being once more called into service, the little craft
+shot down stream like an arrow.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he picturesque scenery of the Elk appeared to be a favourite resort
+with the feathered creation. Here our voyageurs saw many kinds of
+birds; both those that migrate into the fur countries during summer,
+and those that make their home there in the cold, dark days of
+winter. Among the former were observed&mdash;the beautiful blue bird
+of Wilson which, on account of its gentle and innocent habits, is quite
+as much esteemed in America as the &ldquo;robin&rdquo; in England.</p>
+
+<p>Another favourite of the farmer and the homestead, the purple
+martin, was seen gracefully wheeling through the air; while, among
+the green leaves, fluttered many brilliant birds. The &ldquo;cardinal grosbeak&rdquo;
+with his bright scarlet wings; the blue jay, noisy and chattering;
+the rarer &ldquo;crossbill&rdquo; with its deep crimson colour; and many
+others, equally bright and beautiful, enlivened the woods, either with
+their voice or their gaudy plumage.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span></p>
+
+<p>There was one bird, however, that had neither &ldquo;fine feathers&rdquo; nor
+an agreeable voice, but that interested our travellers more than any
+of the others. Its voice was unpleasant to the ear, and sounded more
+like the grating of a rusty hinge than anything else they could think
+of. The bird itself was not larger than a thrush, of a light grey colour
+above, white underneath, and with blackish wings. Its bill resembled
+that of the hawks, but its legs were more like those of the woodpecker
+tribe; and it seemed, in fact, to be a cross between the two.
+It was neither the colour of the bird, nor its form, nor yet its song,
+that interested our travellers, but its singular habits; and these they
+had a fine opportunity of observing at one of their &ldquo;noon camps,&rdquo;
+where they had halted to rest and refresh themselves during the hot
+mid-day hours. The place was on one of the little islets, which was
+covered with underwood, with here and there some larger trees. The
+underwood bushes were of various sorts; but close to the spot where
+they had landed was a large thicket of honeysuckle, whose flowers
+were in full bloom, and filled the air with their sweet perfume.</p>
+
+<p>While seated near these, Fran&ccedil;ois' quick eye detected the presence
+of some very small birds moving among the blossoms. They were at
+once pronounced to be humming-birds, and of that species known as
+the &ldquo;ruby-throats&rdquo; so called, because a flake of a beautiful vinous
+colour under the throat of the males exhibits, in the sun, all the
+glancing glories of the ruby. The back, or upper parts, are of a
+gilded green colour; and the little creature is the smallest bird that
+migrates into the fur countries, with one exception, and that is a
+bird of the same genus&mdash;the &ldquo;cinnamon humming-bird.&rdquo; The latter,
+however, has been seen in the Northern regions, only on the western
+side of the Rocky Mountains; but then it has been observed even as
+far north as the bleak and inhospitable shores of Nootka Sound.
+Mexico, and the tropical countries of America, are the favourite home
+of the humming-birds; and it was, for a long time, supposed that the
+&ldquo;ruby-throats&rdquo; were the only ones that migrated farther north than
+the territory of Mexico itself. It is now known, that besides the
+&ldquo;cinnamon humming-bird,&rdquo; two or three other species annually make
+an excursion into higher latitudes.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;ruby-throats&rdquo; not only travel into the fur countries, but
+breed in numbers upon the Elk River, the very place where our
+travellers now observed them.</p>
+
+<p>As they sat watching these little creatures, for there were several
+of them skipping about and poising themselves opposite the flowers,
+the attention of all was attracted to the movements of a far different
+sort of bird. It was that one we have been speaking of. It was
+seated upon a tree, not far from the honeysuckles; but every now and
+then it would spring from its perch, dash forward, and after whirring
+about for some moments among the humming-birds fly back to the
+same tree.</p>
+
+<p>At first the boys watched these man&#339;uvres without having their
+curiosity excited. It was no new thing to see birds acting in this
+manner. The jays, and many other birds of the fly-catching kind
+have this habit, and nothing was thought of it at the moment.
+Lucien, however, who had watched the bird more narrowly, presently
+declared to the rest that it was catching the humming-birds, and
+preying upon them&mdash;that each time it made a dash among the honeysuckles,
+it carried off one in its claws, the smallness of the victim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span>
+having prevented them at first from noticing this fact. They all now
+watched it more closely than before, and were soon satisfied of the
+truth of Lucien's assertion, as they saw it seize one of the ruby-throats
+in the very act of entering the corolla of a flower.</p>
+
+<p>This excited the indignation of Fran&ccedil;ois, who immediately took up
+his &ldquo;double-barrel,&rdquo; and proceeded towards the tree where the bird,
+as before, had carried this last victim. The tree was a low one, of the
+locust or <i>pseud-acacia</i> family, and covered all over with great thorny
+spikes, like all trees of that tribe. Fran&ccedil;ois paid no attention to
+this; but, keeping under shelter of the underwood, he crept forward
+until within shot. Then raising his gun, he took aim, and pulling
+trigger, brought the bird fluttering down through the branches. He
+stepped forward and picked it up&mdash;not that he cared for such unworthy
+game, but Lucien had called to him to do so, as the naturalist
+wished to make an examination of the creature.</p>
+
+<p>He was about turning to go back to camp, when he chanced to
+glance his eye up into the locust-tree. There it was riveted by a
+sight which caused him to cry out with astonishment. His cry
+brought the rest running up to the spot, and they were not less astonished
+than he, when they saw the cause of it. I have said that
+the branches of the tree were covered with long thorny spikes that
+pointed in every direction; but one branch in particular occupied
+their attention. Upon this there was about a dozen of these spikes
+pointing upward, and upon each spike <i>was impaled a ruby-throat</i>!</p>
+
+<p>The little creatures were dead, of course, but they were neither torn
+nor even much ruffled in their plumage. They were all placed back
+upwards, and as neatly spitted upon the thorns as if they had been
+put there by human hands. On looking more closely it was discovered
+that other creatures as well as the humming-birds, had been
+served in a similar manner. Several grasshoppers, spiders, and some
+coleopterous insects were found, and upon another branch two small
+meadow-mice had been treated to the same terrible death.</p>
+
+<p>To Basil, Norman, and Fran&ccedil;ois, the thing was quite inexplicable,
+but Lucien understood well enough what it meant. All these
+creatures, he informed them, were placed there by the bird which
+Fran&ccedil;ois had shot, and which was no other than the &ldquo;shrike&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;butcher-bird&rdquo;&mdash;a name by which it is more familiarly known, and
+which it receives from the very habit they had just observed. Why
+it follows such a practice Lucien could not tell, as naturalists are not
+agreed upon this point. Some have asserted that it spits the spiders
+and other insects for the purpose of attracting nearer the small birds
+upon which it preys; but this cannot be true, for it preys mostly
+upon birds that are not insect-eaters, as the finches: besides, it is itself
+as fond of eating grasshoppers as anything else, and consumes large
+quantities of these insects.</p>
+
+<p>The most probable explanation of the singular and apparently cruel
+habit of the butcher-bird is, that it merely places its victims upon the
+thorns, in order to keep them safe from ground-ants, rats, mice,
+raccoons, foxes, and other preying creatures&mdash;just as a good cook
+would hang up her meat or game in the larder to prevent the cats
+from carrying it off. The thorny tree thus becomes the storehouse of
+the shrike, where he hangs up his superfluous spoil for future use,
+just as the crows, magpies and jays, make their secret deposits in
+chinks of walls and the hollows of trees. It is no argument against<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span>
+this theory, that the shrike sometimes leaves these stores without
+returning to them. The fox, and dog, as well as many other preying
+creatures have the same habit.</p>
+
+<p>Wondering at what they had seen, the voyageurs returned to their
+camp, and once more embarked on their journey.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE FISH-HAWK.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span> few days after, another incident occurred to our voyageurs, which
+illustrated the habits of a very interesting bird, the &ldquo;osprey,&rdquo; or fish-hawk,
+as it is more familiarly known in America.</p>
+
+<p>The osprey is a bird of the falcon tribe, and one of the largest of the
+genus&mdash;measuring two feet from bill to tail, with an immense spread
+of wing in proportion, being nearly six feet from tip to tip. It is of
+a dark brown colour above, that colour peculiar to most of the hawk
+tribe, while its lower parts are ashy white. Its legs and bill are blue,
+and its eyes of a yellow orange. It is found in nearly all parts of
+America, where there are waters containing fish, for on these it exclusively
+feeds. It is more common on the sea-coast than in the
+interior, although it also frequents the large lakes, and lives in the
+central parts of the continent during summer, when these are no
+longer frozen over. It is not often seen upon muddy rivers, as there
+it would stand no chance of espying its victims in the water. It is a
+migratory bird, seeking the South in winter, and especially the shores
+of the Great Mexican Gulf, where large numbers are often seen fishing
+together.</p>
+
+<p>In the spring season these birds move to the northward, and make
+their appearance along the Atlantic coast of the continent, where they
+diffuse joy into the hearts of the fishermen&mdash;because the latter know,
+on seeing them, that they may soon expect the large shoals of herring,
+shad, and other fish, for which they have been anxiously looking out.
+So great favourites are they with the fisherman, that they would not
+knowingly kill an osprey for a boat-load of fish, but regard these bold
+fishing birds in the light of &ldquo;professional brethren.&rdquo; In this case the
+old adage that &ldquo;two of a trade never agree&rdquo; is clearly contradicted.</p>
+
+<p>The farmer often takes up his gun to fire at the osprey&mdash;mistaking
+it for the red-tailed buzzard or some other hawk, several species of
+which at a distance it resembles&mdash;but, on discovering his mistake,
+brings down his piece without pulling trigger, and lets the osprey fly
+off unharmed. This singular conduct on the part of the farmer arises
+from his knowledge of the fact, that the osprey will not only <i>not</i> kill
+any of his ducks or hens, but that where he makes a settlement he
+will drive off from the premises all the hawks, buzzards, and kites,
+that would otherwise prey upon the poultry. With such protection,
+therefore, the osprey is one of the securest birds in America. He
+may breed in a tree over the farmer's or fisherman's door without the
+slightest danger of being disturbed in his incubation.</p>
+
+<p>I say <i>his</i> incubation; but the male takes no part in this domestic
+duty, further than to supply his loved mate with plenty of fish while
+she does the hatching business. Of course, thus protected, the osprey
+is not a rare bird. On the contrary, fish-hawks are more numerous
+than perhaps any other species of the hawk tribe. Twenty or thirty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span>
+nests may be seen near each other in the same piece of woods, and as
+many as three hundred have been counted on one little island. The
+nests are built upon large trees&mdash;not always at the tops, as those of
+rooks, but often in forks within twenty feet of the ground. They are
+composed of large sticks, with stalks of corn, weeds, pieces of wet turf,
+and then lined plentifully with dry sea-grass, or any other grass that
+may be most convenient.</p>
+
+<p>The whole nest is big enough to make a load for a cart, and would
+be heavy enough to give any horse a good pull. It can be seen, when
+the woods are open, to an immense distance, and the more easily, as
+the tree upon which it is built is always a &ldquo;dead wood,&rdquo; and therefore
+without leaves to conceal it. Some say that the birds select a dead or
+decaying tree for their nest. It is more probable such is the effect
+and not the cause, of their building upon a particular tree. It is more
+likely that the tree is killed partly by the mass of rubbish thus piled
+upon it, and partly by the nature of the substances, such as sea-weed
+in the nest, the oil of the fish, the excrement of the birds themselves,
+and the dead fish that have been dropped about the root, and suffered
+to remain there; for when the osprey lets fall his finny prey, which
+he often does, he never condescends to pick it up again, but goes in
+search of another.</p>
+
+<p>Boys &ldquo;a-nesting&rdquo; might easily discover the nest of the osprey; but
+were they inclined to despoil it of its three or four eggs (which are
+about the size of a duck's, and blotched with Spanish brown), they
+would find that a less easy task, for the owners would be very likely
+to claw their eyes out, or else scratch the tender skin from their
+beardless cheeks: so that boys do not often trouble the nest of the
+osprey.</p>
+
+<p>A very curious anecdote is related of a negro having climbed up to
+plunder a nest of these birds. The negro's head was covered with a
+close nap of his own black wool, which is supposed by a certain stretch
+of fancy to have the peculiarity of &ldquo;growing in at both ends.&rdquo; The
+negro, having no other protection than that which his thick fur
+afforded him, was assailed by both the owners of the nest, one of
+which, making a dash at the &ldquo;darkie's&rdquo; head, struck his talons so
+firmly into the wool, that he was unable to extricate them, and there
+stuck fast, until the astonished plunderer had reached the foot of the
+tree. We shall not answer for the truthfulness of this anecdote,
+although there is nothing improbable about it; for certain it is that
+these birds defend their nests with courage and fury, and we know of
+more than one instance of persons being severely wounded who made
+the attempt to rob them.</p>
+
+<p>The ospreys, as already stated, feed exclusively on fish. They are
+not known to prey upon birds or quadrupeds of any kind, even when
+deprived of their customary food, as they sometimes are for days on
+account of the lakes and rivers, in which they expected to find it
+being frozen over to a later season than usual. Other birds, as the
+purple grakles, often build among the sticks of the osprey's nest, and
+rear their young without being meddled with by this generous bird.
+This is an important point of difference between the osprey and other
+kinds of hawks; and there is a peculiarity of structure about the feet
+and legs of the osprey, that points to the nature of his food and his
+mode of procuring it. His legs are disproportionately long and strong.
+They are without feathers nearly to the knees. The feet and toes are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span>
+also very long, and the soles are covered with thick, hard scales, like the
+teeth of a rasp, which enable the bird to hold securely his slippery
+prey. The claws, too, are long, and curved into semicircles, with
+points upon them almost as sharp as needles.</p>
+
+<p>I have stated that an incident occurred to our party that illustrated
+some of the habits of this interesting bird. It was upon the afternoon
+of a Saturday, after they had fixed their camp to remain for the
+following day. They had landed upon a point or promontory that
+ran out into the river, and from which they commanded a view of a
+fine stretch of water. Near where they had placed their tent was the
+nest of an osprey, in the forks of a large poplar. The tree, as usual,
+was dead, and the young were plainly visible over the edge of the
+nest. They appeared to be full-grown and feathered; but it is a
+peculiarity of the young ospreys that they will remain in the nest,
+and be fed by the parent birds, until long after they might be considered
+able to shift for themselves. It is even asserted that the
+latter become impatient at length, and drive the young ones out of
+the nest by beating them with their wings; but that for a considerable
+time afterwards they continue to feed them&mdash;most likely until the
+young birds learn to capture their finny prey for themselves.</p>
+
+<p>This Lucien gave as a popular statement, but did not vouch for its
+truth. It was not long, however, before both he and his companions
+witnessed its complete verification.</p>
+
+<p>The old birds, after the arrival of the voyageurs upon the promontory,
+had remained for some time around the nest, and at intervals
+had shot down to where the party was, uttering loud screams, and
+making the air whizz with the strokes of their wings. Seeing that
+there was no intention of disturbing them, they at length desisted
+from these demonstrations, and sat for a good while quietly upon the
+edge of their nest. Then first one, and shortly after the other, flew
+out, and commenced sailing in circles, at the height of an hundred
+feet or so above the water. Nothing could be more graceful than
+their flight. Now they would poise themselves a moment in the air,
+then turn their bodies as if on a pivot, and glide off in another direction.</p>
+
+<p>All these motions were carried on with the most perfect ease, and
+as if without the slightest aid from the wings. Again they would
+come to a pause, holding themselves fixed in mid-air by a gentle
+flapping, and appearing to scrutinise some object below. Perhaps it
+was a fish; but it was either too large a one, or not the species most
+relished, or maybe it had sunk to too great a depth to be easily taken.
+Again they sail around; one of them suddenly arrests its flight, and,
+like a stone projected from a sling, shoots down to the water. Before
+reaching the surface, however, the fish, whose quick eye has detected
+the coming enemy, has gone to the dark bottom and concealed himself;
+and the osprey, suddenly checking himself by his wings and the
+spread of his full tail, mounts again, and re-commences his curvilinear
+flight.</p>
+
+<p>After this had gone on for some time, one of the birds&mdash;the larger
+one, and therefore the female&mdash;was seen to leave off hunting and
+return to the nest. There she sat only for a few seconds, when, to the
+astonishment of the boys, she began to strike her wings against the
+young ones, as if she was endeavouring to force them from the nest.
+This was just what she designed doing. Perhaps her late unsuccessful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span>
+attempt to get them a fish had led her to a train of reflections,
+and sharpened her determination to make them shift for themselves.
+However that may be, in a few moments she succeeded in driving
+them up to the edge, and then, by half pushing, and half beating
+them with her wings, one after the other&mdash;two of them there were&mdash;was
+seen to take wing, and soar away out over the lake.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment, the male shot down upon the water, and then
+rose again into the air, bearing a fish, head-foremost, in his talons.
+He flew directly towards one of the young, and meeting as it hovered
+in the air, turned suddenly over and held out the fish to it. The latter
+clutched it with as much ease as if it had been accustomed to the thing
+for years, and then turning away, carried the fish to a neighbouring
+tree, and commenced devouring it.</p>
+
+<p>The action had been perceived by the other youngster, who followed
+after, and alighted upon the same branch, with the intention of
+sharing in the meal. In a few minutes the best part of the fish was
+eaten up, and both, rising from the branch, flew back to their nest.
+There they were met by the parents, and welcomed with a loud
+squeaking, that was intended, no doubt, to congratulate them upon
+the success of their first &ldquo;fly.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>fter remaining for some time on the nest along with the others,
+the old male again resolved to &ldquo;go a-fishing,&rdquo; and with this intent he
+shot out from the tree, and commenced wheeling above the water.
+The boys, having nothing better to engage them, sat watching his
+motions, while they freely conversed about his habits and other points
+in his natural history. Lucien informed them that the osprey is a bird
+common to both Continents, and that it is often seen upon the shores
+of the Mediterranean, pursuing the finny tribes there, just as it does
+in America. In some parts of Italy it is called the &ldquo;leaden eagle,&rdquo;
+because its sudden heavy plunge upon the water is fancied to resemble
+the falling of a piece of lead.</p>
+
+<p>While they were discoursing, the osprey was seen to dip once or
+twice towards the surface of the water, and then suddenly check himself,
+and mount upward again. These man&#339;uvres were no doubt
+caused by the fish which he intended to &ldquo;hook&rdquo; having suddenly
+shifted their quarters. Most probably experience had taught them
+wisdom, and they knew the osprey as their most terrible enemy. But
+they were not to escape him at all times. As the boys watched the
+bird, he was seen to poise himself for an instant in the air, then suddenly
+closing his wings, he shot vertically downward.</p>
+
+<p>So rapid was his descent, that the eye could only trace it like a bolt
+of lightning. There was a sharp whizzing sound in the air&mdash;a plash
+was heard&mdash;then the smooth bosom of the water was seen to break,
+and the white spray rose several feet above the surface. For an
+instant the bird was no longer seen. He was underneath, and the
+place of his descent was marked by a patch of foam. Only a single
+moment was he out of sight. The next he emerged, and a few strokes
+of his broad wing carried him into the air, while a large fish was seen
+griped in his claws. As the voyageurs had before noticed, the fish<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span>
+was carried head-foremost, and this led them to the conclusion that
+in striking his prey beneath the water the osprey follows it and aims
+his blow from behind.</p>
+
+<p>After mounting a short distance the bird paused for a moment in
+the air, and gave himself a shake, precisely as a dog would do after
+coming out of water. He then directed his flight, now somewhat slow
+and heavy, toward the nest. On reaching the tree, however, there
+appeared to be some mismanagement. The fish caught among the
+branches as he flew inward. Perhaps the presence of the camp had
+distracted his attention, and rendered him less careful. At all events,
+the prey was seen to drop from his talons; and bounding from branch
+to branch, went tumbling down to the bottom of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing could be more opportune than this, for Fran&ccedil;ois had not
+been able to get a &ldquo;nibble&rdquo; during the whole day, and a fresh fish for
+dinner was very desirable to all. Fran&ccedil;ois and Basil had both started
+to their feet, in order to secure the fish before the osprey should
+pounce down and pick it up; but Lucien assured them that they need
+be in no hurry about that, as the bird would not touch it again after
+he had once let it fall. Hearing this, they took their time about it,
+and walked leisurely up to the tree, where they found the fish lying.
+After taking it up they were fain to escape from the spot, for the
+effluvium arising from a mass of other fish that lay in a decomposed
+state around the tree was more than any delicate pair of nostrils
+could endure.</p>
+
+<p>The one they had secured proved to be a very fine salmon of not
+less than six pounds weight, and therefore much heavier than the
+bird itself! The track of the osprey's talons was deeply marked;
+and by the direction in which the creature was scored, it was evident
+the bird had seized it from behind. The old hawks made a considerable
+noise while the fish was being carried away; but they soon gave
+up their squealing, and, once more hovering out over the river, sailed
+about with their eyes bent upon the water below.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What a number of fish they must kill!&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois. &ldquo;They
+don't appear to have much difficulty about it. I should think they
+get as much as they can eat. See! there again! Another, I declare!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Fran&ccedil;ois spoke the male osprey was seen to shoot down as
+before, and this time, although he appeared scarcely to dip his foot
+in the water, rose up with a fish in his talons.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They have sometimes others to provide for besides themselves,&rdquo;
+remarked Lucien. &ldquo;For instance, the bald eagle&mdash;&mdash;&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien was interrupted by a cackling scream, which was at once
+recognised as that of the very bird whose name had just escaped his
+lips. All eyes were instantly turned in the direction whence it came&mdash;which
+was from the opposite side of the river&mdash;and there, just in the
+act of launching itself from the top of a tall tree, was the great enemy
+of the osprey&mdash;the white-headed eagle himself!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now a chase!&rdquo; cried Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;yonder comes the big robber!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>With some excitement of feeling, the whole party watched the
+movements of the birds. A few strokes of the eagle's wing brought
+him near; but the osprey had already heard his scream, and knowing
+it was no use carrying the fish to his nest, turned away from it, and
+rose spirally upward, in the hope of escaping in that direction. The
+eagle followed, beating the air with his broad pinions, as he soared
+after. Close behind him went the female osprey, uttering wild<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span>
+screams, flapping her wings against his very beak, and endeavouring
+to distract his attention from the chase. It was to no purpose, however,
+as the eagle full well knew her object, and disregarding her impotent
+attempts, kept on in steady flight after her mate. This continued
+until the birds had reached a high elevation, and the ospreys,
+from their less bulk, were nearly out of sight. But the voyageurs
+could see that the eagle was on the point of overtaking the one that
+carried the fish.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 347px;">
+<img src="images/illus-099.jpg" width="347" height="500" alt="THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE." title="THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE." />
+<span class="caption">THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.</span></div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span>Presently, a glittering object dropped down from the heavens, and
+fell with a plunge upon the water. It was the fish, and almost at
+the same instant was heard the &ldquo;whish!&rdquo; of the eagle, as the great
+bird shot after it. Before reaching the surface, however, his white
+tail and wings were seen to spread suddenly, checking his downward
+course; and then, with a scream of disappointment, he flew off in a
+horizontal direction, and alit upon the same tree from which he had
+taken his departure. In a minute after the ospreys came shooting
+down, in a diagonal line, to their nest; and, having arrived there, a
+loud and apparently angry consultation was carried on for some time,
+in which the young birds bore as noisy a part as either of their
+parents.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It's a wonder,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;the eagle missed the fish&mdash;he rarely
+does. The impetus which he can give his body enables him to overtake
+a falling object before it can reach the earth. Perhaps the
+female osprey was in his way, and hindered him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But why did he not pick it up in the water?&rdquo; demanded Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Because it went to the bottom, and he could not reach it&mdash;that's
+clear.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was Basil who made answer, and the reason he assigned was the
+true one.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It's too bad,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;that the osprey, not half so big a
+bird, must support this great robber-tyrant by his industry.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It's no worse than among our own kind,&rdquo; interposed Basil. &ldquo;See
+how the white man makes the black one work for him here in
+America. That, however, is the <i>few</i> toiling for the <i>million</i>. In
+Europe the case is reversed. There, in every country, you see the
+million toiling for the few&mdash;toiling to support an oligarchy in luxurious
+case, or a monarch in barbaric splendour.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But why do they do so? the fools!&rdquo; asked Fran&ccedil;ois, somewhat
+angrily.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Because they know no better. That oligarchy, and those monarchs,
+have taken precious care to educate and train them to the
+belief that such is the <i>natural</i> state of man. They furnish them with
+school-books, which are filled with beautiful sophisms&mdash;all tending to
+inculcate principles of endurance of wrong, and reverence for their
+wrongers. They fill their rude throats with hurrah songs that paint
+false patriotism in glowing colours, making loyalty&mdash;no matter to
+whatsoever despot&mdash;the greatest of virtues, and revolution the
+greatest of crimes; they studiously divide their subjects into several
+creeds, and then, playing upon the worst of all passions&mdash;the passion
+of religious bigotry&mdash;easily prevent their misguided helots from
+uniting upon any point which would give them a real reform. Ah!
+it is a terrible game which the present rulers of Europe are playing!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was Basil who gave utterance to these sentiments, for the young
+republican of Louisiana had already begun to think strongly on
+political subjects. No doubt Basil would one day be an M.C.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The bald eagles have been much blamed for their treatment of
+the ospreys, but,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;perhaps they have more reason for
+levying their tax than at first appears. It has been asked: Why
+they do not capture the fish themselves? Now, I apprehend, that
+there is a <i>natural</i> reason why they do not. As you have seen, the
+fish are not always caught upon the surface. The osprey has often
+to plunge beneath the water in the pursuit, and Nature has gifted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span>
+him with power to do so, which, if I am not mistaken, she has denied
+to the eagles. The latter are therefore compelled, in some measure,
+to depend upon the former for a supply. But the eagles sometimes
+do catch the fish themselves, when the water is sufficiently shallow,
+or when their prey comes near enough to the surface to enable them
+to seize it.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Do they ever kill the ospreys?&rdquo; inquired Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think not,&rdquo; replied Lucien; &ldquo;that would be 'killing the goose,'
+etc. They know the value of their tax-payers too well to get rid of
+them in that way. A band of ospreys, in a place where there happens
+to be many of them together, have been known to unite and drive
+the eagles off. That, I suppose, must be looked upon in the light of a
+successful <i>revolution</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The conversation was here interrupted by another incident. The
+ospreys had again gone out fishing, and, at this moment, one of them
+was seen to pounce down and take a fish from the water. It was a
+large fish, and, as the bird flew heavily upward, the eagle again left
+its perch, and gave chase. This time the osprey was overtaken
+before it had got two hundred yards into the air, and seeing it was
+no use attempting to carry off the prey, it opened its claws and let it
+drop.</p>
+
+<p>The eagle turned suddenly, poised himself a moment, and then
+shot after the falling fish. Before the latter had got near the
+ground, he overtook and secured it in his talons. Then, arresting
+his own flight by the sudden spread of his tail, he winged his way
+silently across the river, and disappeared among the trees upon the
+opposite side. The osprey, taking the thing as a matter of course,
+again descended to the proper elevation, and betook himself to his
+work. Perhaps he grinned a little, like many another royal taxpayer,
+but he knew the tax had to be paid all the same, and he said
+nothing.</p>
+
+<p>An incident soon after occurred that astonished and puzzled our
+party not a little. The female osprey, that all this time seemed to
+have had but poor success in her fishing, was now seen to descend
+with a rush, and plunge deeply into the wave. The spray rose in a
+little cloud over the spot, and all sat watching with eager eyes to
+witness the result. What was their astonishment when, after waiting
+many seconds, the bird still remained under water! Minutes passed,
+and still she did not come up. <i>She came up no more!</i> The foam she
+had made in her descent floated away&mdash;the bosom of the water was
+smooth as glass&mdash;not a ripple disturbed its surface. They could have
+seen the smallest object for a hundred yards or more around the spot
+where she had disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>It was impossible she could have emerged without them seeing her.
+Where, then, had she gone? This, as I have said, puzzled the whole
+party; and formed a subject of conjecture and conversation for the
+rest of that day, and also upon the next. Even Lucien was unable
+to solve the mystery. It was a point in the natural history of the
+osprey unknown to him. Could she have drowned herself? Had
+some great fish, the &ldquo;gar pike,&rdquo; or some such creature, got hold of
+and swallowed her? Had she dashed her head against a rock, or
+become entangled in weeds at the bottom of the river?</p>
+
+<p>All these questions were put, and various solutions of the problem
+were offered. The true one was not thought of, until accident<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span>
+revealed it. It was Saturday when the incident occurred. The party,
+of course, remained all next day at the place. They heard
+almost continually the cry of the bereaved bird, who most likely
+knew no more than they what had become of his mate. On Monday
+our travellers re-embarked and continued down-stream. About a mile
+below, as they were paddling along, their attention was drawn
+to a singular object floating upon the water. They brought the
+canoe alongside it.</p>
+
+<p>It was a large fish, a sturgeon, floating dead, with a bird beside it,
+also dead! On turning both over, what was their astonishment to see
+that the talons of the bird were firmly fixed in the back of the
+fish! It was the <i>female osprey</i>! This explained all. She had
+struck a fish too heavy for her strength, and being unable to clear
+her claws again, had been drawn under the water and had perished
+along with her victim!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER, XXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>bout ten days' rapid travelling down the Elk River brought our
+party into the Athabasca Lake&mdash;sometimes called the &ldquo;Lake of the
+Hills.&rdquo; This is another of those great bodies of fresh water that lie
+between the primitive rocks of the &ldquo;Barren Grounds,&rdquo; and the more
+fertile limestone deposit upon the west. It is nearly two hundred
+miles long from west to east, and it is only fifteen miles in breadth,
+but in some places it is so narrow and full of islands that it looks
+more like a broad river than a lake. Its shores and many of its
+islands are thickly wooded, particularly upon the southern and
+western edges; and the eye of the traveller is delighted with many
+a beautiful vista as he passes along. But our voyageurs took little heed
+of these things.</p>
+
+<p>A gloom had come over their spirits, for one of their party had
+taken ill, and was suffering from a painful and dangerous disease&mdash;an
+intermittent fever. It was Lucien&mdash;he that was beloved by all
+of them. He had been complaining for several days&mdash;even while
+admiring the fair scenery of the romantic Elk&mdash;but every day he had
+been getting worse, until, on their arrival at the lake, he declared
+himself no longer able to travel. It became necessary, therefore,
+to suspend their journey; and choosing a place for their camp, they
+made arrangements to remain until Lucien should recover. They built
+a small log-hut for the invalid, and did everything to make him as
+comfortable as possible. The best skins were spread for his couch; and
+cooling drinks were brewed for him from roots, fruits, and berries, in
+the way he had already taught his companions to prepare them.</p>
+
+<p>Every day Fran&ccedil;ois went forth with his gun, and returned with
+a pair of young pigeons, or a wood-partridge, or a brace of the
+beautiful ruffed grouse; and out of these he would make delicate
+soups, which he was the better able to do as they had procured salt,
+pepper, and other ingredients, at the Fort. They had also brought
+with them a stock of tea&mdash;the real China tea&mdash;and sugar; and as the
+quantity of both was but small, this luxurious beverage was made
+exclusively for Lucien, and was found by him exceedingly beneficial
+during his illness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span></p>
+
+<p>To the great joy of all the invalid was at length restored to health,
+and the canoe being once more launched and freighted, they continued
+their journey.</p>
+
+<p>They coasted along the shores of the lake, and entered the Great
+Slave River, which runs from the Athabasca into the Great Slave
+Lake. They soon came to the mouth of another large river, called
+the Peace. This runs into the Great Slave a short distance below
+Lake Athabasca, and, strange to say, the sources of the Peace River
+lie upon the <i>western</i> side of the Rocky Mountains, so that this stream
+actually runs across the mountain-chain! It passes through the
+mountains in a succession of deep gorges, which are terrible to behold.
+On both sides dizzy cliffs and snow-capped peaks rise thousands of
+feet above its rocky bed, and the scenery is cold and desolate.</p>
+
+<p>Its head-waters interlock with those of several streams that run
+into the Pacific; so that, had our voyageurs wished to travel to the
+shores of that ocean, they might have done so in their birch-bark
+canoe nearly the whole of the way. But this was not their design at
+present, so they passed the <i>d&eacute;bouchure</i> of the Peace, and kept on for
+the Great Slave Lake. They were still upon the same water as the
+Elk, for the Great Slave is only another name for that part of the
+river lying between the two lakes&mdash;Athabasca and Great Slave. Of
+course the river had now become much larger by the influx of the
+Peace, and they were travelling upon the bosom of a magnificent
+stream, with varied scenery upon its banks.</p>
+
+<p>They were not so happy, however, as when descending the Elk&mdash;not
+but that they were all in good health, for Lucien had grown quite
+strong again. No, it was not any want of health that rendered them
+less cheerful. It was the prospect before them&mdash;the prospect of
+coming winter, which they now felt certain would arrive before they
+had got to the end of their journey. The delay of nearly a month,
+occasioned by Lucien's illness, had deranged all their calculations;
+and they had no longer any hope of being able to finish their voyage
+in what remained of the short summer. The ice would soon make
+its appearance; the lakes and rivers would be frozen up; they could
+no longer navigate them in their canoe. To travel afoot would be
+a most laborious undertaking, as well as perilous in an extreme
+degree.</p>
+
+<p>In this way it is only possible to carry a very small quantity of
+provisions&mdash;for the traveller is compelled to load himself with skin-clothing
+in order to keep out the cold. The chances of procuring
+game by the way in that season are precarious, and not to be
+depended upon. Most of the birds and many of the quadrupeds
+migrate to more southern regions; and those that remain are shy
+and rare. Besides, great snow-storms are to be encountered, in
+which the traveller is in danger of getting &ldquo;smoored.&rdquo; The earth is
+buried under a deep covering of snow, and to pass over this while
+soft is difficult, and at times quite impossible. All these circumstances
+were known to our young voyageurs&mdash;to Norman better than
+any of them&mdash;and of course the prospect was a cheerless one&mdash;much
+more so than those unacquainted with the winter of these dreary
+regions would be willing to believe.</p>
+
+<p>It was the month of August, near its end, when they reached the
+Great Slave Lake, in the latitude of 62&deg;. The days had now become
+very short, and their journeys grew short in proportion. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span>
+already experienced weather as cold as an English winter. There
+were slight frosts at night&mdash;though not yet enough to cover the
+water with ice&mdash;and the mid-day hours were hot, sometimes too hot
+to be comfortable. But this only caused them to feel the cold the
+more sensibly when evening set in; and all their robes and skins
+were necessary to keep them warm during the night.</p>
+
+<p>The Great Slave Lake, like the Athabasca, is very long and very
+narrow. It extends full 260 miles from east to west, but at its widest
+part is not over thirty, and in some places much less. Along its
+northern shores lies the edge of the &ldquo;Barren Grounds,&rdquo; and there
+nothing meets the eye but bleak and naked hills of primitive rock.
+On its southern side the geology is entirely of a different character.
+There the limestone prevails, and scarcely anything that deserves
+the name of hill is to be seen. There are fine forests too, in which
+poplars, pines, and birches, are the principal trees. The lake is filled
+with islands, many of which are wholly or partially covered with
+timber of these kinds, and willows also are abundant.</p>
+
+<p>There are fish of several species in its waters&mdash;which are in many
+places of great depth&mdash;sixty fathoms deep&mdash;and in some of the
+islands, and around the wooded shores, game exists in abundance in
+the summer season. Even in winter it is not scarce, but then it
+is difficult to follow it on account of the deep snow. Many of the
+animals, too, at this season become torpid, and are of course hidden
+in caves and hollow trees, and even in the snow itself, where no one
+can find them. Notwithstanding all this, our voyageurs knew that
+it would be the best place for them to make their winter camp.
+They saw that to complete their journey during that season would
+be impossible. Even had it been a month earlier it would have
+been a difficult undertaking.</p>
+
+<p>In a few days winter would be upon them. They would have
+to stop somewhere. There was no place where they could so safely
+stay as by the lake. One thing they would have there, which might
+not be found so plenty elsewhere, that was wood for their fire; and
+this was an inducement to remain by the lake. Having made up
+their minds, therefore, to encamp on some part of it, they looked
+from day to day for a place that would be most suitable, still
+continuing their journey towards its western end. As yet no place
+appeared to their liking, and as the lake near its western point
+trends away towards the south, Norman proposed that they should
+follow the shore no longer, but strike across to a promontory on the
+northern shore of the lake, known as &ldquo;Slave Point.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This promontory is of the limestone formation, and as Norman had
+heard, is well wooded, and stocked with game. Even buffaloes are
+found there. It is, in fact, the farthest point to the north-east that
+these animals range, and this presents us with a curious fact. It is
+the farthest point that the limestone deposit extends in that direction.
+Beyond that, to the east and north, lie the primitive rocks of the
+Barren Grounds, into which the buffaloes never stray. Thus we
+observe the connexion that exists between the <i>fauna</i> of a country and
+its geological character.</p>
+
+<p>Of course they all agreed to Norman's proposal. The canoe was,
+therefore, headed for the open waters; and, after a hard day's
+paddling&mdash;for there was a head-wind&mdash;the voyageurs landed upon a
+small wooded island, about half-way over the lake, where they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span>
+encamped for the night, intending next day to cross the remaining
+part.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">FISHING UNDER THE ICE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>n awaking next morning, to their great surprise, they saw that the
+<i>lake was frozen over</i>! They had almost anticipated as much, for the
+night was one of the coldest they had yet experienced&mdash;so cold that
+one and all of them had slept but badly. As yet the ice was thin,
+but so much the worse. It was thick enough to prevent them from
+using the canoe, but too thin to bear their weight, and they now saw
+that they were <i>prisoners upon the island</i>!</p>
+
+<p>It was not without some feelings of alarm that they made this discovery;
+but their fears were allayed by reflecting, that they could
+remain upon the island until the ice either thawed away or become
+strong enough to bear them, and then they could cross upon it to the
+northern shore. With this consolation, therefore, they set about
+making their temporary quarters upon the island as snug as circumstances
+would permit. Their apprehensions, however, began to
+return again, when several days had passed over, and the ice neither
+grew any thinner nor any thicker, but seemed to remain at a stand-still.
+In the early part of the morning it was almost strong enough
+to bear them; but during the day the sun melted it, until it was
+little better than a scum over the surface of the water.</p>
+
+<p>The alarm of our voyageurs increased. Their provisions were
+nearly out. There was no game on the islet&mdash;not so much as a bird&mdash;for
+they had beaten every bush, and found nothing. Once or twice
+they thought of launching their canoe and breaking a way for it
+through the ice. But they knew that this proceeding would be one
+of much labour as well as danger. The islet was full ten miles from
+the shore, and they would therefore have to break the ice for ten
+miles. Moreover, to stand up in a bark canoe, so as to get at the
+work, would be a difficult task. It could not be accomplished without
+endangering the equilibrium of the vessel, and indeed without upsetting
+it altogether. Even to lean forward in the bow would be a
+perilous experiment; and under these considerations the idea of
+breaking a way was abandoned.</p>
+
+<p>But their provisions were at length entirely exhausted, and what
+was to be done? The ice was still too weak to carry them. Near the
+shore it might have been strong enough, but farther out lay the
+danger. There they knew it was thinner, for it had not frozen over
+until a later period. It would have been madness to have risked it
+yet. On the other hand, they were starving, or likely to starve from
+hunger, by staying where they were. There was nothing eatable on
+the island. What was to be done? In the water were fish&mdash;they
+doubted not that&mdash;but how were they to catch them? They had
+tried them with hook and line, letting the hook through a hole in the
+ice; but at that late season the fish would not take a bait, and
+although they kept several continually set, and &ldquo;looked&rdquo; them most
+regularly and assiduously, not a &ldquo;tail&rdquo; was taken.</p>
+
+<p>They were about to adopt the desperate expedient, now more
+difficult than ever, of breaking their way through the ice, when, all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span>
+at once, it occurred to Norman, that, if they could not coax the fish
+to take a bait, they might succeed better with a net, and capture
+them against their will. This idea would have been plausible enough,
+had there been a net; but there was no net on that islet, nor perhaps
+within an hundred miles of it. The absence of a net might have been
+an obstacle to those who are ever ready to despair; but such an
+obstacle never occurred to our courageous boys. They had two
+<i>parchment</i> skins of the caribou which they had lately killed, and out
+of these Norman proposed to make a net.</p>
+
+<p>He would soon do it, he said, if the others would set to work and
+cut the deer-skins into thongs fine enough for the purpose. Two of
+them, therefore, Basil and Lucien, took out their knives, and went
+briskly to work; while Fran&ccedil;ois assisted Norman in twining the
+thongs, and afterwards held them, while the latter wove and knotted
+them into meshes. In a few hours both the skins were cut into fine
+strips, and worked up; and a net was produced nearly six yards in
+length by at least two in width. It was rude enough, to be sure, but
+perhaps it would do its work as well as if it had been twined out of
+silk. At all events, it was soon to have a trial&mdash;for the moment it
+was finished the sinkers were attached to it, and it was carried down
+to the edge of the water.</p>
+
+<p>The three &ldquo;Southerners&rdquo; had never seen a net set under ice&mdash;for in
+their country ice is an uncommon thing, and indeed never freezes of
+sufficient thickness to carry the weight of a man. They were therefore
+very curious to know how the thing was to be done. They could
+not conceive how the net was to be stretched under the ice, in such a
+manner as to catch the fish. Norman, however, knew all about it.
+He had seen the Indians, and had set many a one himself. It was no
+new thing for him, and he set about it at once.</p>
+
+<p>He first crept out upon the ice to the distance of about twenty or
+thirty yards from the shore. He proceeded cautiously, as the ice
+creaked under him. Having arrived at the place where he intended
+to set the net, he knelt down, and with his knife cut several holes in
+the ice, at the distance of about six feet from each other, and all in
+one line. He had already provided himself with a straight sapling
+of more than six feet in length, to one end of which he had attached
+a cord. The other end of this cord was tied to the net, at one of its
+corners. He now thrust the sapling through the first hole he had
+made, and then guided it so as to pass directly under the second.</p>
+
+<p>At this hole he took a fresh hold of the stick, and passed it along
+to the next, and so on to the last, where he pulled it out again, and
+of course along with it the string. The net was not drawn into the
+first hole, and by means of the cord already received through, was
+pulled out to its full length. The sinkers, of course, fell down in the
+water, and drew it into a vertical position. At both its upper corners
+the net was made fast above the ice, and was now &ldquo;set.&rdquo; Nothing
+more could be done until the fish came into it of their own accord,
+when it could be drawn out upon the ice by means of the cord
+attached; and, of course, by the same means could easily be returned
+to its place, and set again.</p>
+
+<p>All of them now went back to the fire, and with hungry looks sat
+around it, waiting the result. They had made up their minds, should
+no fish be caught, to get once more into the canoe and attempt
+breaking their way to the shore. Summoning all their patience,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span>
+therefore, they waited for nearly two hours, without examining the
+net. Then Norman and Basil crawled back upon the ice, to see what
+fortune had done for them. They approached the spot, and, with
+their hearts thumping against their ribs, untied the knot and commenced
+hauling out.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It certainly feels heavy,&rdquo; said Basil, as the net was being drawn.
+&ldquo;Hurrah!&rdquo; he shouted, &ldquo;Something kicks, hurrah!&rdquo; and with the
+second &ldquo;hurrah!&rdquo; a beautiful fish was pulled up through the hole,
+and landed upon the ice. A loud &ldquo;hurrah&rdquo; was uttered in response
+by Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois&mdash;who, fearing the ice might not bear so
+many, had remained upon the shore. A yard or two more of the net
+was cleared, and a second fish still larger than the former was greeted
+with a general &ldquo;hurrah!&rdquo; The two fish were now taken out&mdash;as
+these were all that had been caught&mdash;and the net was once more
+carefully set. Basil and Norman came back to the shore&mdash;Norman
+to receive quite a shower of compliments from his companions.</p>
+
+<p>The fish&mdash;the largest of which weighed nearly five pounds&mdash;proved
+to be trout; and it was not long before their quality was put to the
+proof. All declared they had never eaten so fine trout in their lives;
+but when the condition of their appetites is taken into account, we
+may infer that there was, perhaps, a little exaggeration in this statement.
+If hunger really makes good sauce, our voyageurs had the best
+of sauce with their fish, as each of them was as hungry as a half-famished
+wolf.</p>
+
+<p>They felt quite relieved, as far as present appetite went, but they
+were still uneasy for the future. Should they not succeed in taking
+more fish&mdash;and it was by no means certain they should succeed&mdash;they
+would be no better off than ever. Their anxiety, however, was soon
+removed. Their second &ldquo;haul&rdquo; proved even more successful than the
+first&mdash;as five fish, weighing together not less than twenty pounds,
+were pulled up.</p>
+
+<p>This supply would enable them to hold out for a long time, but
+they had not much longer to remain on the islet. Upon that very
+night there was one of those severe frosts known only in high
+latitudes, and the ice upon the lake became nearly a foot in thickness.
+They had no longer any fear of its breaking under their weight; and
+taking their canoe with all their &ldquo;traps,&rdquo; they set out to cross over
+upon the ice. In a few hours they reached the shore of the lake, near
+the end of the promontory, where they chose a spot, and encamped.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">AN ODD ALARM.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he first thing our voyageurs did after choosing a suitable situation,
+was to build a log-hut. Being young backwoodsmen this was but a
+trifle to them. All four of them knew how to handle an axe with
+dexterity. The logs were soon cut and notched, and a small cabin
+was put up, and roofed with split clap-boards. With the stones that
+lay near the shore of the lake they built a chimney. It was but a
+rude structure, but it drew admirably. Clay was wanted to &ldquo;chink&rdquo;
+the cabin, but that could not be had, as the ground was hard frozen,
+and it was quite impossible to make either clay or mud.</p>
+
+<p>Even hot water poured out would freeze into ice in a few minutes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span>
+This was a serious want&mdash;for in such a cold climate even the smallest
+hole in the walls will keep a house uncomfortable, and to fill the
+interstices between the logs, so as to make them air-tight, some soft
+substance was necessary. Grass was suggested, and Lucien went off
+in search of it. After awhile he returned with an armful of half-withered
+grass, which all agreed would be the very thing; and a
+large quantity was soon collected, as it grew plentifully at a short
+distance from the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>They now set to work to stuff it into the chinks; when, to their
+astonishment, they found that this grass had a beautiful smell, quite
+as powerful and as pleasant as that of mint or thyme! When a
+small quantity of it was flung into the fire it filled the cabin with a
+fragrance as agreeable as the costliest perfumes. It was the &ldquo;scented
+grass,&rdquo; which grows in great profusion in many parts of the Hudson's
+Bay territory, and out of which the Indians often make their beds,
+burning it also upon the fire to enjoy its aromatic perfume.</p>
+
+<p>For the first day or two, at their new abode, the travellers had
+lived altogether on fish. They had, of course, brought their net with
+them from the island, and had set it near the shore in the same way
+as before. They had captured as many as they wanted, and, strange
+to say, at one haul they found no less than five different species in
+the net! One kind, a white fish, the <i>Coregonus albus</i> of naturalists,
+but which is named &ldquo;tittameg&rdquo; by the fur-traders, they caught in
+great plenty. This fish is found in nearly all the lakes and rivers of
+the Hudson's Bay territory, and is much prized both by whites and
+Indians for its delicate flavour. At some of the trading posts it
+often forms, for weeks together, the only food which the residents
+can obtain; and they are quite satisfied when they can get enough
+of it. The tittameg is not a large fish; the largest attain to the
+weight of about eight pounds.</p>
+
+<p>There was another and still smaller species, which, from its colour,
+the voyageurs call the &ldquo;poisson bleu,&rdquo; or blue fish. It is the <i>Coregonus
+signifer</i> of ichthyologists. It is a species of grayling, and frequents
+sharp-running water, where it will leap at the fly like a trout.
+Several kinds of trout also inhabit the Great Slave Lake, and some of
+these attain to the enormous weight of eighty pounds! A few were
+caught, but none of so gigantic proportions as this. Pike were also
+taken in the net, and a species of burbot. This last is one of the
+most voracious of the finny tribe, and preys upon all others that it is
+able to swallow. It devours whole quantities of cray-fish, until its
+stomach becomes crammed to such a degree as to distort the shape of
+its whole body. When this kind was drawn out, it was treated very
+rudely by the boys&mdash;because its flesh was known to be extremely
+unsavoury, and none of them cared to eat it. Marengo, however, had
+no such scruples, and he was wont to make several hearty meals each
+day upon the rejected burbot.</p>
+
+<p>A fish diet exclusively was not the thing; and as our party soon
+grew tired of it, the hunter Basil shouldered his rifle, and strode off
+into the woods in search of game. The others remained working
+upon the cabin, which was still far from being finished.</p>
+
+<p>Basil kept along the edge of the lake in an easterly direction. He
+had not gone more than a quarter of a mile, when he came upon a
+dry gravelly ridge, which was thickly covered with a species of pine-trees
+that resembled the Scotch fir. These trees were not over forty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span>
+feet in height, with very thick trunks and long flexible branches.
+No other trees grew among them, for it is the nature of this pine&mdash;which
+was the &ldquo;scrub&rdquo; or grey pine&mdash;to monopolise the ground
+wherever it grows. As Basil passed on, he noticed that many of the
+trees were completely &ldquo;barked,&rdquo; particularly on the branches; and
+small pieces of the bark lay scattered over the ground, as though it
+had been peeled off and gnawed by some animal. He was walking
+quietly on and thinking what creature could have made such a
+wreck, when he came to a place where the ground was covered with
+fine sand or dust.</p>
+
+<p>In this, to his astonishment, he observed what he supposed to be
+the tracks of human feet! They were not those of a man, but small
+tracks, resembling the footsteps of a child of three or four years of
+age. He was about stooping down to examine them more closely,
+when a voice sounded in his ears exactly like the cry of a child!
+This brought him suddenly to an erect attitude again, and he looked
+all round to discover who or what had uttered that strange cry.
+He could see no one&mdash;child or man&mdash;and strange, too, for he had a
+clear view through the tree-trunks for several hundred yards around.
+He was filled with curiosity, not unmixed with alarm; and, stepping
+forward a few paces, he was about to bend down and examine the
+tracks a second time, when the singular cry again startled him.</p>
+
+<p>This time it was louder than before, as if he was closer to whatever
+had uttered it, but Basil now perceived that it proceeded from above
+him. The creature from which it came was certainly not upon the
+ground, but high up among the tops of the trees. He looked up, and
+there, in the fork of one of the pines, he perceived a singular and
+hideous-looking animal&mdash;such as he had never before seen. It was of
+a brown colour, about the size of a terrier-dog, with thick shaggy
+hair, and clumped up in the fork of the tree&mdash;so that its head and
+feet were scarcely distinguishable.</p>
+
+<p>Its odd appearance, as well as the peculiar cry which it had uttered,
+would have alarmed many a one of less courage than our young
+hunter, and Basil was at first, as he afterwards confessed, &ldquo;slightly
+flurried;&rdquo; but a moment's reflection told him what the animal was&mdash;one
+of the most innocent and inoffensive of God's creatures&mdash;the
+Canada porcupine. It was this, then, that had barked the scrub
+pines&mdash;for they are its favourite food; and it was its track&mdash;which
+in reality very much resembles that of a child&mdash;that Basil had seen
+in the sand.</p>
+
+<p>The first thought of the young hunter was to throw up his rifle,
+and send a bullet through the ungainly animal; which, instead of
+making any effort to escape, remained almost motionless, uttering, at
+intervals, its child-like screams. Basil, however, reflected that the
+report of his rifle would frighten any large game that might chance
+to be near; and as the porcupine was hardly worth a shot, he concluded,
+upon reflection, it would be better to leave it alone. He
+knew&mdash;for he had heard Lucien say so&mdash;that he would find the
+porcupine at any time, were it a week, or even a month after&mdash;for
+these creatures remain sometimes a whole winter in the same grove.
+He resolved, therefore, should no other game turn up, to return for
+it; and, shouldering his rifle again, he continued his course through
+the woods.</p>
+
+<p>As he proceeded, the timber became thinner. The scrub-pines gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span>
+place to poplar-trees, with here and there an undergrowth of willows.
+The trees stood far apart, and the willows grew only in clumps or
+&ldquo;islands,&rdquo; so that the view was nearly open for many hundred yards
+around. Basil walked on with all the silence and watchfulness of a
+true &ldquo;still&rdquo; hunter&mdash;for, among backwoodsmen, this species of
+hunting is so called. He ascended a low hill, and keeping a tree in
+front of him, looked cautiously over its crest. Before him, and
+stretching from the bottom of the hill, was a level tract of considerable
+extent.</p>
+
+<p>It was bounded on one side by the edge of the lake, and on all the
+others by thin woods, similar to those through which the hunter had
+been for some time travelling. Here and there, over the plain, there
+stood trees, far apart from each other, and in nowise intercepting the
+view for a mile or more. The ground was clear of underwood, except
+along the immediate edge of the lake, which was fringed by a thicket
+of willows.</p>
+
+<p>As Basil looked over the hill, he espied a small group of animals
+near the interior border of the willows. He had never seen animals
+of the same species before, but the genus was easily told. The tall
+antlered horns, that rose upon the head of one of them, showed that
+they were deer of some kind; and the immense size of the creature
+that bore them, together with his ungainly form, his long legs, and
+ass-like ears, his huge head with its overhanging lip, his short neck
+with its standing mane, and, above all, the broad palmation of the
+horns themselves, left Basil without any doubt upon his mind that
+the animals before him were moose-deer&mdash;the largest, and perhaps
+the most awkward, of all the deer kind.</p>
+
+<p>The one with the antlers was the male or bull-moose. The others
+were the female and her two calves of the preceding year. The
+latter were still but half-grown, and, like the female, were without
+the &ldquo;branching horns&rdquo; that adorned the head of the old bull. They
+were all of a dark-brown colour&mdash;looking blackish in the distance&mdash;but
+the large one was darker than any of the others.</p>
+
+<p>Basil's heart beat high, for he had often heard of the great moose,
+but now saw it for the first time. In his own country it is not found,
+as it is peculiarly a creature of the cold regions, and ranges no farther
+to the south than the northern edge of the United States territory.
+To the north it is met with as far as timber grows&mdash;even to the
+shores of the Polar Sea! Naturalists are not certain, whether or
+not it be the same animal with the elk of Europe. Certainly the
+two are but little, if anything, different; but the name &ldquo;elk&rdquo; has
+been given in America to quite another and smaller species of deer&mdash;the
+wapiti.</p>
+
+<p>The moose takes its name from its Indian appellation, &ldquo;moos&ouml;&#259;,&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;wood-eater;&rdquo; and this name is very appropriate, as the animal lives
+mostly upon the leaves and twigs of trees. In fact, its structure&mdash;like
+that of the camelopard&mdash;is such that it finds great difficulty in
+reaching grass, or any other herbage, except where the latter chances
+to be very tall, or grows upon the declivity of a very steep hill.
+When it wishes to feed upon grass, the moose usually seeks it in such
+situations; and it may often be seen browsing up the side of a hill,
+with its legs spread widely on both sides of its neck. But its favourite
+food is found at a more convenient height, and consists of the young
+shoots of many species of trees. It prefers those of the poplar, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span>
+birch-tree, and willows, and one kind of these last, the red willow, is
+its particular favourite.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;striped&rdquo; maple is also much relished by the moose&mdash;hence the
+name &ldquo;moose-wood,&rdquo; by which this tree is known among the hunters.
+It loves also the common water-lilies, and in summer it may be seen
+wading out into lakes, and plucking up their succulent leaves. It
+takes to the water also for other purposes&mdash;to cool its body, and rid
+itself of several species of gnats and mosquitoes that at this season
+torment it exceedingly. At such times it is more easily approached;
+and the Indians hunt it in their canoes, and kill it in the water, both
+with spears and arrows. They never find the moose, however, in
+large numbers&mdash;for it is a solitary animal, and only associates in pairs
+during one part of the year, and in families at another season&mdash;as
+Basil now found it.</p>
+
+<p>In winter the Indians track it through the snow, following it upon
+snow-shoes. These give them the advantage of skimming along the
+surface, while the moose plunges through the deep rift, and is therefore
+impeded in its flight. Notwithstanding, it will frequently
+escape from the hunter, after a <i>chase of several days' duration</i>! Sometimes,
+in deep snow, a dozen or more of these animals will be found
+in one place, where they have got accidentally together. The snow
+will be trodden down until the place appears as if enclosed by a wall.
+This the hunters term a &ldquo;moose-pound,&rdquo; and when found in such
+situations the moose are easily approached and surrounded&mdash;when a
+general <i>battue</i> takes place, in which few or none of the animals are
+allowed to escape.</p>
+
+<p>I have said that Basil's heart beat high at the sight of the moose.
+He was very desirous of killing one&mdash;partly on account of the novelty
+of the thing, and partly because he and his companions at the camp
+were anxious for a change of diet. Moose-meat was the very thing;
+and he knew that if he could return to camp with a few pieces of this
+strung over his gun, he would receive a double welcome. He was
+well aware that the flesh of the moose was of the most savoury and
+delicate kind, and that the long pendulous upper lip is one of the
+&ldquo;tit-bits&rdquo; of the fur countries. Moreover, the fine hide would be an
+acceptable addition to their stock, as it is the best of all deer-skins
+for mocassins, as well as snow-shoes&mdash;articles which Basil knew would
+soon be needed. For these reasons he was unusually desirous of killing
+one of the moose.</p>
+
+<p>He knew it would be difficult to approach them. He had heard
+that they were shyest at that very season&mdash;the beginning of winter&mdash;and
+indeed such is the case. No deer is so difficult to get a shot at
+as a moose in early winter. In summer it is not so&mdash;as then the musquitoes
+torment these animals to such a degree that they pay less
+heed to other enemies, and the hunter can more easily approach them.
+In winter they are always on the alert. Their sense of smell&mdash;as well
+as of sight and hearing&mdash;is acute to an extreme degree, and they are
+cunning besides. They can scent an enemy a long distance off&mdash;if
+the wind be in their favour&mdash;and the snapping of a twig, or the
+slightest rustle of the leaves, is sufficient to start them off.</p>
+
+<p>In their journeyings through the snow, when they wish to rest
+themselves, they make a sort of <i>d&eacute;tour</i>, and, coming back, lie down
+near the track which they have already passed over. This gives them
+an opportunity of hearing any enemy that may be following upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span>
+their trail, and also of making off in a side-direction, while the latter
+will be looking steadfastly ahead for them.</p>
+
+<p>Basil had heard of all these tricks of the moose&mdash;for many an old
+moose-hunter had poured his tale into Basil's ear. He proceeded,
+therefore, with all due caution. He first buried his hand in his game-bag,
+and after a little groping brought out a downy feather which
+had chanced to be there. This he placed lightly upon the muzzle of
+his rifle, and having gently elevated the piece above his head, watched
+the feather. After a moment, the breeze carried it off, and Basil
+noted the direction it took. This is called, in hunter phrase, &ldquo;tossing
+the feather,&rdquo; and gave Basil the exact direction of the wind&mdash;an important
+knowledge in the present case.</p>
+
+<p>To Basil's gratification he saw that it was blowing down the lake,
+and nearly towards himself. He was not exactly to leeward of the
+moose; but, what was better still, the willows that fringed the lake
+were, for he could see them bending from the deer, as the breeze blew
+freshly. He knew he could easily get among the willows; and as
+they were not quite leafless, and, moreover, were interspersed with
+tall reed grass, they formed a tolerable cover under which he might
+make his approach.</p>
+
+<p>Without losing time, then, he made for the willows, and placing
+them between himself and the game, commenced &ldquo;approaching&rdquo;
+along the shore of the lake.</p>
+
+<p>He had a full half-hour's creeping&mdash;at one time upon his hands and
+knees&mdash;at another crawling flat upon his breast like a gigantic lizard,
+and now and then, at favourable spots, walking in a bent attitude.
+A full half-hour was he, and much pain and patience did it cost him,
+before getting within shot. But Basil was a hunter, and knew both
+how to endure the pain and practise the patience&mdash;virtues that, in
+hunting as well as in many other occupations usually meet with their
+reward. And Basil was likely to meet with his, for on parting the
+leaves, and looking cautiously through, he saw that he had arrived
+at the right spot. Within fifty yards of him he saw the high shoulders
+of the bull-moose and his great flat antlers towering over the tops of
+the willows, among the leaves of which the snout of the animal was
+buried. He also caught a glimpse of parts of the other three beyond;
+but he thought only of the bull, and it was upon him that he kept his
+eyes fixed. Basil did not think of the quality of the meat, else he
+would have selected either the cow or one of the calves. Had it been
+buffaloes he would certainly have done so; but as he had never killed
+a moose, he was determined to slay the leader of the herd.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, had he wished to shoot one of the others, it might not have
+been so easy, as they were farther off, and he could only see the tops
+of their shoulders over the willows. Neither did the bull offer a fair
+mark. He stood face to face with the hunter, and Basil fancied that
+a shot on the frontal bone might not kill him. He knew it would
+not kill a buffalo. There was only one other part at which he could
+aim&mdash;the fore-shoulder; and after waiting some moments for the
+animal to give him a fairer chance he took aim at this and fired. He
+heard a loud cracking of hoofs, as the cow and calves shambled off
+over the plain, but he saw that the bull was not with them. He was
+down behind the willows. No doubt he was dead.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span></p>
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>hat was a rare thing for Basil to do, he rushed forward without
+reloading his gun. A few springs brought him into the open ground,
+and in presence of the game. To his astonishment, the bull was not
+dead, nor down neither, but only upon his knees&mdash;of course wounded.
+Basil saw the &ldquo;crease&rdquo; of the bullet along the neck of the animal as
+he drew near. It was only by a quick glance that he saw this, for
+as soon as the bull saw <i>him</i> he rose to his full height&mdash;his eyes flashing
+like a tiger's&mdash;and settling his antlers in a forward position, sprang
+upon the hunter! Basil leaped aside to avoid the encounter; and
+in the first rush was successful, but the animal turned suddenly, and,
+coming up a second time, raised his fore-feet high in the air, and
+struck forward with his long-pointed hoofs.</p>
+
+<p>Basil attempted to defend himself with his rifle, but the piece was
+struck out of his hand in an instant. Once more avoiding the forward
+rush of the infuriated beast, the young hunter looked around
+for some object to save him. A tree fell under his eye, and he ran
+towards it with all his speed. The moose followed close upon his
+heels, and he had just time to reach the tree and get around its
+trunk, when the animal brushed past, tearing the bark with his
+sharp antlers. Basil now slipped round the trunk, and when the
+moose again turned himself the two were on opposite sides of the
+tree! The beast, however, rushed up, and struck the tree furiously
+first with his brow antlers, and then with his hoofs, uttering loud
+snorts, and at intervals a shrill whistling sound that was terrible to
+hear.</p>
+
+<p>The disappointment which the enraged animal felt, at seeing his
+enemy thus escape him, seemed to have added to his rage; and he
+now vented his spite upon the tree, until the trunk, to the height of
+six feet, was completely stripped of its bark. While this was going
+on, Basil remained behind the tree, &ldquo;dodging&rdquo; round as the moose
+man&#339;uvred, and taking care always to have the animal on the
+opposite side. To have got into a safer situation he would have
+climbed the tree; but it happened to be a poplar, without a branch
+for many feet from the ground, and of too great a girth to be &ldquo;embraced.&rdquo;
+He could do nothing, therefore, but remain upon the
+ground, and keep the tree-trunk between himself and the bull.</p>
+
+<p>For nearly an hour this lasted, the moose now remaining at rest
+for a few minutes, and then making fresh onsets that seemed to abate
+nothing in their fury. His rage appeared to be implacable, and his
+vengeance as tenacious as that of a tiger or any other beast of prey.
+The wound which the hunter had given him was no doubt painful,
+and kept his resentment from cooling. Unfortunately, it was not a
+mortal wound, as Basil had every opportunity of seeing. The bullet
+had hit the fore-shoulder; but, after tearing along the skin, had
+glanced off without injuring the bone. It had only enraged the bull,
+without crippling him in the least degree.</p>
+
+<p>Basil began to dread the result. He was becoming faint with
+fatigue as well as hunger. When would he be relieved? When would
+the fierce brute feel inclined to leave him? These were questions
+which the hunter put to himself repeatedly, without being able to
+divine an answer. He had heard of hunters being killed by wounded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span>
+moose. He had heard that these creatures will remain for days
+watching a person whom they may have &ldquo;treed.&rdquo; He could not
+stand it for days. He would drop down with fatigue, and then the
+bull would gore and trample him at pleasure. Would they be able
+to trace him from the camp? They would not think of that before
+nightfall. They would not think of him as &ldquo;lost&rdquo; before that time;
+and then they could not follow his trail in the darkness, nor even
+in the light&mdash;for the ground was hard as a rock, and he had made
+no footmarks. Marengo might trace him. The dog had been left
+at the camp, as Basil preferred &ldquo;still-hunting&rdquo; without him. But
+in his present situation the hunter's apprehensions were stronger
+than his hopes. Even Marengo might be baffled in lifting the
+scent.</p>
+
+<p>The trail was an exceedingly devious one, for Basil had meandered
+round the sides of the hill in search of game. Deer or other animals
+might have since crossed it, which might mislead the hound. It
+would be cold at night, and much colder next morning. There were
+many chances that no relief might reach him from the camp. Impressed
+with this conviction, Basil began to feel serious alarm. Not
+despair, however&mdash;he was not the boy to despair. His mind only
+grew more alive to the necessity for action. He looked around to
+discover some means of escape. His gun lay not a hundred yards off.
+Could he only get hold of the piece, and return safely to the tree
+again, he could there load it and put an end to the scene at once.
+But to reach the gun was impossible. The moose would bound after
+and overtake him to a certainty. The idea of getting the gun was
+abandoned.</p>
+
+<p>In the opposite direction to that in which the gun lay, Basil perceived
+that there were other trees. The nearest was but a dozen
+yards from him; and others, again, grew at about the same distance
+from that one, and from each other. Basil now conceived the idea
+of escaping to the nearest, and from that to the next, and by this
+means getting back into the thick forest. Once there, he believed
+that he would be the better able to effect his escape, and perhaps
+reach the camp by dodging from tree to tree. He could beat the
+moose for a dozen yards&mdash;getting a little the start of him&mdash;and this
+he hoped to be able to do. Should he fail in his short race, however&mdash;should
+his foot slip&mdash;the alternative was fearful. <i>It was no other
+than death!</i></p>
+
+<p>He knew that, but it did not change his resolution to make the
+attempt. He only waited for the animal to work round between him
+and the tree towards which he intended to run. You will wonder
+that he did not prefer to have the moose on the other side. But he
+did not, for this reason&mdash;had the bull been there, he could have
+sprung after him at the first start; whereas, when heading the other
+way, Basil believed he could brush close past, and gain an advantage,
+as the unwieldy brute, taken by surprise, would require some time
+in turning himself to give chase.</p>
+
+<p>The opportunity at length arrived; and, nerving himself for the
+race, the hunter sprang past the moose, brushing the very tips of its
+antlers. He ran without either stopping or even looking back, until
+he had reached the tree, and sheltered himself behind its trunk. The
+moose had followed, and arrived but the moment after, snorting and
+whistling furiously. Enraged at the <i>ruse</i>, it attacked this tree, as it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span>
+had the other, with hoof and horns; and Basil nimbly evaded both
+by keeping on the opposite side, as before.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes he prepared himself for a second rush, and once
+more started. A third tree was reached in safety&mdash;and then a fourth,
+and a fifth, and many others, in a similar manner&mdash;the moose all the
+while following in hot pursuit. Basil had begun to hope that in
+this way he would get off, when, to his chagrin, he saw that an open
+space still intervened between him and the thick woods, upon which
+there were only a few trees, and those so small that not one of them
+would have sheltered him. This tract was full two hundred yards
+in width, and extended all along the edge of the thick forest. He
+dared not cross it. The moose would overtake him before he could
+get half the way; and he was obliged to give up the idea of making
+the attempt.</p>
+
+<p>As he stood behind the last tree he had reached, he saw that it
+branched, and the lowest branches grew but a little above his head.
+He could easily climb it, and at once resolved to do so. He would
+there be safe for the time, and could at least rest himself, for he was
+now weak with fatigue. He therefore stretched up his hands, and,
+laying hold of a branch, swung himself up into the tree. Then,
+climbing up a little higher, he sat down on one of the forks.</p>
+
+<p>The moose appeared as furious as ever; and ran round the tree,
+now striking it with his horns, and then rearing upon his hind-legs,
+and pouncing against the trunk with his hoofs. At times his snout
+was so close to Basil, that the latter could almost touch it; and he
+had even drawn his hunting-knife, and reached down with the intent
+of giving the creature a stab.</p>
+
+<p>This last action led to a train of thought, and Basil seemed suddenly
+to adopt some new resolution. Leaving the fork where he had
+perched himself, he climbed higher up the tree; and, selecting one
+of the longest and straightest branches, commenced cutting it off close
+to the trunk. This was soon effected; and then, drawing it along
+his knee, he trimmed off all the twigs and tops until the branch
+became a straight pole, like a spear-handle. Along one end of this
+he laid the handle of his knife; and with thongs, which he had
+already cut out of the strap of his bullet-pouch, he spliced the knife
+and pole together. This gave him a formidable weapon&mdash;for the
+knife was a &ldquo;bowie,&rdquo; and had a long blade, with a point like a rapier.
+He was not slow in using it.</p>
+
+<p>Descending again to the lowermost limbs, he commenced making
+demonstrations, in order to bring the moose within reach. This he
+very soon succeeded in doing; and the animal ran forward and reared
+up against the tree. Before it could get upon its four legs again,
+Basil had thrust it in the neck, giving full force to the blow. The
+blood rushed forth in a thick stream, as the jugular vein had been
+cut by the keen blade; and the huge brute was seen to totter in its
+steps, and then fall with a dull heavy sound to the earth. In a few
+moments the hunter had the satisfaction of perceiving that it was
+quite dead.</p>
+
+<p>Basil now dropped out of the tree, and walking back to where his
+rifle lay, took up the piece and carefully reloaded it. He then
+returned to the moose, and opening the great jaws of the animal,
+gagged them with a stick. He next unspliced his knife, took off the
+gristly lips, and cut out the tongue. These he placed in his game-bag,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span>
+and shouldering his rifle, was about to depart; when some new
+idea caused him to halt, put down his gun, and again unsheath his
+knife. Once more approaching the carcass, he made an incision near
+the kidneys; and having inserted his hand, drew forth what appeared
+to be a part of the intestines. It was the bladder. He then looked
+around as if in search of something. Presently his eye rested upon
+some tall reed-grass that was growing near. This was just what he
+wanted, and, pulling up one of the stems, he cut and fashioned it
+into a pipe.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 345px;">
+<img src="images/illus-116.jpg" width="345" height="500" alt="BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL" title="BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL" />
+<span class="caption">BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span>With this the moose-bladder was blown out to its full dimensions,
+and tied at the neck by a piece of thong. The other end of the
+thong was fastened to one of the branches of the tree above, so that
+the bladder dangled within a few feet of the carcass of the moose,
+dancing about with the lightest breath of wind. All these precautions
+Basil had taken to keep the wolves from devouring the moose&mdash;for
+it was his intention to return and butcher it, as soon as he could
+get help. When he had hung the bladder to his liking, he put up his
+knife again; and, once more shouldering his rifle, walked off.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the camp&mdash;which he did shortly after&mdash;the tongue of
+the moose was broiled without delay, and, after making a delicious
+meal of it, the whole party went off for the remainder of the meat.
+They found it all quite safe; although, had it not been for the bladder,
+not much of it would have been there&mdash;as no less than a dozen great
+gaunt wolves were seen lurking about, and these would have eaten it
+up in the shortest possible time. The bladder, however, had kept
+them off; for, strange to say, these creatures, who are as cunning as
+foxes, and can hardly be trapped, can yet be deceived and frightened
+by such a simple thing as a bladder dangling from a branch.</p>
+
+<p>The moose proved to be one of the largest of his kind. His height
+was quite equal to that of a horse; and his horns, flattened out to the
+breadth of shovels, weighed over sixty pounds. His carcass was not
+less than fifteen hundred pounds weight; and our voyageurs had to
+make two journeys to convey the meat to their camp. On the last
+journey, Fran&ccedil;ois brought the porcupine as well&mdash;having found it on
+the very same tree where Basil had left it!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">LIFE IN A LOG-HUT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he log-hut was finished on the 1st of September, and not a day too
+soon; for on that very day the winter set in with full severity. A
+heavy fall of snow came down in the night; and next morning, when
+our voyageurs looked abroad, the ground was covered to the depth of
+a foot, or more; and the ice upon the lake was also white. Walking
+through the great wreaths now became very difficult; and the next
+thing to be done was the making of &ldquo;snow-shoes.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Snow-shoes are an invention of the Indians; and, in the winter of
+the Arctic regions of America, are an article almost as indispensable
+as clothing itself. Without them, travelling afoot would be impossible.
+In these countries, as already stated, the snow often covers
+the ground to the depth of many feet; and remains without any considerable
+diminution for six, and, in some years, eight or nine months.
+At times, it is frozen hard enough on the surface to bear a man without
+the snow-shoes; but oftener on account of thaws and fresh falls,
+it becomes quite soft, and at such times travelling over it is both
+difficult and dangerous. To avoid both the difficulty and the danger,
+the Indians make use of this very singular sort of foot-wear&mdash;called
+&ldquo;snow-shoes&rdquo; by the English, and &ldquo;raquets&rdquo; by the Canadian
+voyageurs.</p>
+
+<p>They are used by all the Indian tribes of the Hudson's Bay
+territory; and were it not for them these people would be confined
+to one place for months together, and could not follow the deer or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span>
+other game. As almost all savages are improvident, and none more
+so than the North American Indians, were they prevented for a
+season from going out to hunt, whole tribes would starve. Indeed,
+many individuals of them perish with hunger as it is; and the life of
+all these Indians is nothing more than one continued struggle for
+food enough to sustain them. In summer they are often in the
+midst of plenty; slaughtering deer and buffalo by hundreds, taking
+out only the tongues, and recklessly leaving the flesh to the wolves!
+In winter the very same Indians may be seen without a pound of
+meat in their encampment&mdash;the lives of themselves and their families
+depending upon the success of a single day's hunt!</p>
+
+<p>But let us return to the snow-shoes. Let us see what they are, and
+learn how they are made.</p>
+
+<p>Any boy who has snared sparrows in snow-time, has, no doubt,
+done so by tying his snares upon a hoop netted across with twine or
+other small cord. Now, if he will conceive his hoop bent into an
+oblong shape&mdash;something like what the figure of a boat turned on its
+mouth would make in snow&mdash;and if he will also fancy the netting to
+consist of thongs of twisted deer-hide woven somewhat closely together,
+he will get a very good idea of an Indian snow-shoe. It is
+usually from three to four feet long, by about a foot wide at the
+middle part, from which it tapers gently to a point, both at the heel
+and toe.</p>
+
+<p>The frame, as I have said, is like the hoop of a boy's bird-snare. It
+is made of light, tough wood, and, of course, carefully bent and
+polished with the knife. The slender branches of the &ldquo;scrub-pine&rdquo;
+are esteemed excellent for this purpose, as their wood is light, flexible
+and tough in its fibres. This is also a favourite tree, where it grows,
+to make tent-poles, canoe-timbers, and other implements required by
+the Indians; and these people use so much of it for their arrows, that
+it has received from the Canadian voyageurs the name of <i>bois de
+fl&ecirc;che</i> (arrow-wood).</p>
+
+<p>Well, then, the frame of the snow-shoes being bent to its proper
+shape, two transverse bars are placed across near the middle, and
+several inches from each other. They are for the foot to rest upon,
+as well as to give strength to the whole structure. These being made
+fast, the netting is woven on, and extends over the whole frame,
+with the exception of a little space in front of the bars where the ball
+of the foot is to rest. This space is left free of netting, in order to
+allow play to the toes while walking. The mesh-work is made of
+thongs usually cut from the parchment-skin of a deer, and twisted.
+Sometimes twisted intestines are used, and the netting exactly
+resembles that seen in &ldquo;racquets&rdquo; for ball play.</p>
+
+<p>The snow-shoe, when finished, is simply fastened upon the foot by
+means of straps or thongs; and a pair of them thus placed, will present
+a surface to the snow of nearly six square feet&mdash;more, if required,
+by making them larger. But this is enough to sustain the heaviest
+man upon the softest snow, and an Indian thus &ldquo;shod&rdquo; will skim
+over the surface like a skater.</p>
+
+<p>The shoes used by all tribes of Indians are not alike in shape.
+There are fashions and fancies in this respect. Some are made&mdash;as
+among the Chippewa Indians&mdash;with one side of the frame nearly
+straight; and these, of course, will not do for either foot, but are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span>
+&ldquo;rights and lefts.&rdquo; Generally, however, the shape is such that the
+snow-shoe will fit either foot.</p>
+
+<p>The snow-shoes having now become a necessary thing, our young
+voyageurs set about making a complete set for the whole party&mdash;that
+is, no less than four pairs. Norman was the &ldquo;shoemaker,&rdquo; and
+Norman knew how. He could splice the frames, and work in the
+netting, equal to an Indian squaw. Of course all the others assisted
+him. Lucien cut the moose-skin into fine regular strips; Basil
+waded off through the snow, and procured the frames from the wood
+of the scrub-pine trees where he had encountered the porcupine;
+and then he and Fran&ccedil;ois trimmed them with their knives, and
+sweated them in the hot ashes until they became dry, and ready
+for the hands of the &ldquo;shoemaker.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This work occupied them several days, and then each had a pair
+of shoes fitted to his size and weight.</p>
+
+<p>The next consideration was, to lay in a stock of meat. The moose
+had furnished them with enough for present use, but that would not
+last long, as there was no bread nor anything else to eat with it.
+Persons in their situation require a great deal of meat to sustain
+them, much more than those who live in great cities, who eat a
+variety of substances, and drink many kinds of drinks. The healthy
+voyageur is rarely without a keen appetite; and meat by itself is
+a food that speedily digests, and makes way for a fresh meal; so
+that the ration usually allowed to the <i>employ&eacute;s</i> of the fur companies
+would appear large enough to supply the table of several families.
+For instance, in some parts of the Hudson's Bay territory, the
+voyageur is allowed eight pounds of buffalo-meat <i>per diem</i>! And
+yet it is all eaten by him, and sometimes deemed barely sufficient.</p>
+
+<p>A single deer, therefore, or even a buffalo, lasts a party of voyageurs
+for a very short time, since they have no other substance, such as
+bread or vegetables, to help it out. It was necessary, then, that our
+travellers should use all their diligence in laying up a stock of dried
+meat, before the winter became too cold for them to hunt. There
+was another consideration&mdash;their clothing. They all had clothing
+sufficient for such weather as they had yet experienced; but that
+would never do for the winter of the Great Slave Lake, and they
+knew it. Many deer must be killed, and many hides dressed, before
+they could make a full set of clothing for all, as well as a set of
+deer-skin blankets, which would be much needed.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the snow-shoes were finished, therefore, Basil and
+Norman went out each day upon long hunting expeditions, from
+which they rarely returned before nightfall. Sometimes they brought
+with them a deer, of the caribou or reindeer species, and the &ldquo;woodland&rdquo;
+variety, which were in plenty at this place. They only carried to
+camp the best parts with the skin, as the flesh of the woodland caribou
+is not much esteemed. It is larger than the other kind&mdash;the &ldquo;Barren
+Ground caribou,&rdquo; weighing about one hundred and fifty pounds; but
+both its venison and hide are of inferior quality to those of the latter
+species. Sometimes our hunters killed smaller game; and on several
+occasions they returned without having emptied their guns at all.</p>
+
+<p>But there was one day that made up for several&mdash;one grand day
+when they were extremely successful, and on which they killed
+a whole herd of moose, consisting of five individuals&mdash;the old bull,
+a spike buck&mdash;that is, a young buck, whose horns had not yet got<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span>
+antlers upon them&mdash;the cow, and two calves. These they had tracked
+and followed for a long distance, and had succeeded, at length, in
+running them into a valley where the snow was exceedingly deep, and
+where the moose became entangled. There had been a shower of
+rain the day before that had melted the surface of the snow; and
+this had again frozen into an icy crust, upon which the deer lacerated
+their ankles at every plunge, leaving a track of blood behind them as
+they ran.</p>
+
+<p>Under these circumstances they were easily trailed, and Basil and
+Norman, skimming along upon their snow-shoes, soon came up with
+them, and shot first one and then another, until the whole herd were
+stretched in the valley. They then butchered them, and hung the
+hides and quarters upon high branches, so as to secure them from
+wolves and wolverenes. When the job was finished, the whole place
+looked like a great slaughter-yard! Next day a rude sledge was
+constructed; and the voyageurs, returning in full force, transported
+the meat to camp. Huge fires were kindled outside the hut, and
+several days were spent in cutting up and drying the flesh. Had our
+travellers been certain that the frost would have continued all winter,
+this would not have been necessary&mdash;since the meat was already
+frozen as hard as a brick.</p>
+
+<p>But they knew that a sudden thaw would spoil it; and, as there
+was plenty of good firewood on the spot, they were not going to run
+the risk of losing it in that way.</p>
+
+<p>They had now enough provision to last them for months; and
+hunting became no longer necessary, except to obtain fresh meat&mdash;which
+was, of course, preferable to the dry stock. Hunting, also,
+gave them exercise and amusement&mdash;both of which were necessary
+to their health; for to remain idle and inactive in a situation
+such as that in which they were placed is the worst possible plan,
+and is sure to engender both sickness and <i>ennui</i>. Indeed, the last
+grew upon them, notwithstanding all the pains they took to prevent
+it. There were days on which the cold was so extreme, that they
+could not put their noses out of the door without the danger of
+having them frost-bitten&mdash;although each had now a complete suit
+of deer-skin clothing, made by Lucien, the &ldquo;tailor&rdquo; of the party.</p>
+
+<p>Upon such days they were fain to remain shut up in their hut;
+and, seated around their huge log-fire, they passed the time in
+cleaning their guns, mending their nets, stitching their clothes, and
+such-like employments. These days were far from being their
+dullest; for, what with the varied and scientific knowledge of
+Lucien, which he took pleasure in imparting to his companions&mdash;what
+with the practical experience of Norman amid scenes of Arctic
+life, and the many &ldquo;voyageur tales&rdquo; he could tell&mdash;what with
+Fran&ccedil;ois merry jokes and <i>bon mots</i>&mdash;and what with Basil's <i>talent for
+listening</i>&mdash;not the least important element in a good <i>conversazione</i>,&mdash;our
+<i>quartette</i> of young voyageurs found their indoor days anything
+but dull.</p>
+
+<p>This was all well enough for a while. For a month or two they
+bore their odd kind of life cheerfully enough; but the prospect of
+nearly six months more of it began to appal them, when they reflected
+upon it; and they soon found themselves longing for a change.
+Hunting adventures, that at other times would have interested them,
+now occurred without creating any excitement; and the whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span>
+routine of their employments seemed monotonous. Nearly all of
+them were boys of an active character of mind; and most of them
+were old enough to reason about the value of time. Their idea of
+such a long isolation from civilized life, and, above all, the being
+debarred from following any useful pursuit, began to impress some
+of them forcibly. Others, as Fran&ccedil;ois, could not be contented for
+a very great stretch of time with any sort of life; so that all of them
+began to sigh for a change.</p>
+
+<p>One day, while conversing upon this theme, a bold proposal was
+made by Basil. It was, that they should &ldquo;strike camp,&rdquo; and continue
+their journey. This proposal took the others by surprise, but they
+were all just in the frame of mind to entertain and discuss it; and
+a long consultation was held upon the point. Fran&ccedil;ois chimed in
+with the proposal at once; while Lucien, more cautious, did not
+exactly oppose, but rather offered the reasons that were against it,
+and pointed out the perils of the undertaking. Norman, of course,
+was appealed to&mdash;all of them looking to him as one whose advice,
+upon that question at least, was more valuable than their own.</p>
+
+<p>Norman admitted the dangers pointed out by Lucien, but believed
+that they might overcome them by a proper caution. On the whole,
+Norman approved of the plan, and it was at length adopted. Perhaps
+Norman's habitual prudence was to some extent influenced on this
+occasion by the very natural desire he had of returning to what he
+considered his home. He had now been absent nearly two years, and
+was desirous of once more seeing his father and his old companions
+at the Fort.</p>
+
+<p>There was another feeling that influenced nearly all of them: that
+was <i>ambition</i>. They knew that to make such a journey would be
+something of a feat, and they wished to have the credit of performing
+it. To minds like that of Basil, even the danger had something
+attractive in it. It was resolved then to break up the encampment,
+and continue their journey.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>nce their resolution was taken, they lost but little time in making
+preparations to carry it out. Most of the articles required for such
+a journey were already in their hands. They had the proper dresses&mdash;snow-shoes,
+skin-blankets, and gloves. They had prepared for themselves
+sets of &ldquo;snow spectacles.&rdquo; These were made out of red cedar-wood.
+Each pair consisted of two small thin pieces, that covered the
+eyes, joined together and fastened on by thongs of buckskin. In
+each piece an oblong slit served for the eye-hole, through which the
+eye looked without being dazzled by the snow. Without this, or
+some like contrivance, travelling in the Arctic regions is painful to
+the eyes, and the traveller often loses his sight. Indeed, one of the
+most common infirmities of both the Indians and Esquimaux of these
+parts is blindness or soreness of the eyes, caused by the reflexion of
+the sunbeams from the crystals of the frozen snow. Norman was
+aware of this, and had made the spectacles to guard against this
+peril.</p>
+
+<p>Out of their spare skins they had made a small tent. This was to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span>
+be carried along by Marengo in a light sledge, which they had long
+since constructed, and taught the dog to draw. Nothing else remained
+but to pack their provisions in the smallest bulk possible,
+and this was done, according to the custom of the country, by making
+&ldquo;pemmican.&rdquo; The dry meat was first pounded until it became a
+powder; it was then put into small skin bags, made for the purpose,
+and the hot melted fat was poured in and well mixed with it. This
+soon froze hard, and the mixture&mdash;that resembled &ldquo;potted meat,&rdquo;&mdash;was
+now ready for use, and would keep for an indefinite time without
+the least danger of spoiling. Buffalo-beef, moose-meat, or venison of
+any sort, thus prepared, is called &ldquo;<i>pemmican</i>,&rdquo; and is more portable
+in this shape than any other. Besides no further cooking is required&mdash;an
+important consideration upon those vast prairie deserts, where
+firewood is seldom to be procured without the trouble of carrying it
+a great distance.</p>
+
+<p>Norman, who was the maker of the pemmican, had produced a
+superior article upon this occasion. Besides the pounded meat and
+fat, he had mixed another ingredient with it, which rendered it a
+most delicious food. This third ingredient was a small purple-coloured
+berry&mdash;of which we have already spoken&mdash;not unlike the whortleberry,
+but sweeter and of a higher flavour. It grows through most
+of the Northern regions of America; and in some places, as upon the
+Red River and the Elk, the bushes that produce it are seen in great
+plenty.</p>
+
+<p>Previous to the setting in of winter, our voyageurs had collected a
+large bagful upon the banks of the Elk, which they had dried and
+stored away&mdash;expecting to stand in need of them for this very
+purpose. They now came into use, and enabled Norman to make his
+pemmican of the very choicest quality. Five bags of it were put up,
+each weighing over thirty pounds. One of these was to be drawn
+upon the sledge, along with the tent, the axe, and a few other articles.
+The rest were to be carried by the voyageurs themselves&mdash;each
+shouldering one, which, along with their guns and accoutrements,
+would be load enough.</p>
+
+<p>These arrangements being at length complete, the party bid adieu
+to their log-hut&mdash;gave a parting look to their little canoe, which still
+rested by the door&mdash;and then, shouldering their guns and bags of
+pemmican, set out over the frozen surface of the snow.</p>
+
+<p>Of course before starting they had decided upon the route they
+were to take. This decision, however, had not been arrived at until
+after much discussion. Lucien advised that they should follow the
+shore of the lake until they should reach the Mackenzie River&mdash;which
+of course was now frozen up. Its channel, he argued, would then
+guide them; and, in case their provisions should run short, they
+would be more likely to find game upon its banks than elsewhere, as
+these were wooded almost to the sea&mdash;in consequence of its head-waters
+rising in southern latitudes, and carrying with them a warmer
+climate.</p>
+
+<p>There was plausibility in Lucien's argument, combined with much
+prudence. Norman, however, advised a contrary course. He said
+that they would have to make a considerable journey westward before
+reaching the place where the Mackenzie River flows out of the lake;
+and, moreover, he knew that the river itself was very crooked&mdash;in
+some places winding about in great curves, whose ends come near<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span>
+meeting each other. Should they keep the course of the river,
+Norman believed it would almost double their journey. A much
+shorter route, he said, would be obtained by striking across the
+country in a north-westerly direction, so as to reach the Mackenzie
+near where another great stream&mdash;the River of the Mountains&mdash;empties
+into it from the west. This would certainly be a more
+direct route, and they would avoid the windings of the river
+channel.</p>
+
+<p>Norman's reasoning prevailed. Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois readily agreed
+to his plan, and Lucien at length also gave his assent, but with some
+reluctance. Norman knew nothing whatever of the route he was
+advising them to take. His former journeys up and down the
+Mackenzie had been made in summer, and of course he had travelled
+by canoe, in company with the traders and voyageurs. He only knew
+that to strike across the country would be the shorter way. But
+&ldquo;the shortest way is not always the nearest,&rdquo; says the proverb; and
+although Lucien remembered this prudent maxim, the others did not
+give it a thought. Before the end of their journey they received a
+practical lesson of its wisdom&mdash;a lesson they were not likely to forget.
+But they knew not what was before them, and they started off in
+high spirits.</p>
+
+<p>Their first three or four days' journeys were without any event
+worth being chronicled. They travelled full twenty miles each day.
+The Southerners had become quite skilful in the management of their
+snow-shoes, and they skimmed along upon the icy crust at the rate of
+three or four miles an hour.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo and his sledge gave them very little trouble. There was
+full sixty pounds weight upon it; but to the huge dog this was a
+mere bagatelle, and he pulled it after him without any great strain.
+His harness was neatly made of moose-skin, and consisted of a collar
+with a back strap and traces&mdash;the traces meeting behind, where they
+were attached to the head of the sledge. No head-gear was necessary,
+as Marengo needed not to be either led or driven. The sledge consisted
+of two or three light planks of smooth wood, laid alongside
+each other, and held together by transverse bands. In front it
+turned up with a circular sweep, so as not to &ldquo;plough&rdquo; the snow;
+and at the top of this curved part the traces were adjusted. The
+load was, of course, carefully packed and tied, so that the overturning
+of the vehicle did no damage whatever, and it could be easily righted
+again. Marengo required no one to guide him, but followed quietly
+in the tracks of the snow-shoes, and thus avoided the trees, rocks,
+and other inequalities. If a rabbit or other creature started up,
+Marengo knew better than to go galloping after it; he felt that he
+had a more important duty to perform than to throw away his time
+upon rabbit-hunting.</p>
+
+<p>Each night a spot was chosen for the camp by the side of some lake
+or stream, where wood could be obtained for their fire. Water was
+got by breaking a hole in the ice, and the little tent was always set
+up in a sheltered situation.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the fifth day after leaving the log-hut the woods began to
+grown thinner and more straggling; and towards night of the same
+day they found themselves travelling through a country, where the
+timber only grew here and there in small clumps, and the individual
+trees were small and stunted. Next day still less timber was seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span>
+upon their route; and when camping-time came, they were obliged
+to halt at a spot where nothing but willows could be procured for
+their fire. They had, in fact, arrived upon the edge of that vast
+wilderness, the Barren Grounds, which stretches in all its wild desolation
+along the Northern half of the American continent from the
+Great Slave Lake even to the shores of the Arctic Sea on the north,
+and to those of Hudson's Bay on the east.</p>
+
+<p>This territory bears an appropriate name, for, perhaps, upon the
+whole surface of the earth there is no tract more barren or desolate&mdash;not
+even the Sa&auml;ra of Africa. Both are deserts of immense extent,
+equally difficult to cross, and equally dangerous to the traveller. On
+both the traveller often perishes, but from different causes. On the
+Sa&auml;ra it is <i>thirst</i> that kills; upon the Barren Grounds <i>hunger</i> is more
+frequently the destroyer. In the latter there is but little to be feared
+on the score of water. That exists in great plenty; or where it is not
+found, snow supplies its place. But there is water everywhere. Hill
+succeeds hill, bleak, rocky, and bare. Everywhere granite, gneiss, or
+other primitive rocks, show themselves.</p>
+
+<p>No vegetation covers the steep declivities of the hills, except the
+moss and lichen upon the rocks, a few willows upon the banks of
+streams, the dwarf birch-tree or the scrub-pines, rising only to the
+height of a few inches, and often straggling over the earth like vines.
+Every hill has its valley, and every valley its lake&mdash;dark, and deep,
+and silent&mdash;in winter scarce to be distinguished under the snow-covered
+ice. The prospect in every direction exhibits a surface of
+rocks, or bleak hills, half covered with snow. The traveller looks
+around and sees no life. He listens and hears no sound. The world
+appears dead and wrapped in its cold winding-sheet!</p>
+
+<p>Amidst just such scenes did our voyageurs find themselves on the
+seventh day after parting from the lake. They had heard of the
+Barren Grounds&mdash;had heard many fearful stories of the sufferings of
+travellers who had attempted to cross them; but the description had
+fallen far short of the actual reality. None of them could believe in
+the difficulties to be encountered, and the desolateness of the scene
+they were to witness, until now that they found themselves in its
+midst; and, as they proceeded on their journey, getting farther and
+farther from the wooded region, their apprehensions, already aroused
+by the wild aspect of the country, grew stronger and stronger. They
+began to entertain serious fears, for they knew not how far the barren
+tract extended along their route.</p>
+
+<p>On calculation they found they had provisions enough to last them
+for a month. That in some measure restored their confidence; but
+even then, they could not help giving way to serious reflections.
+Should they get lost or retarded in their course by mountains, or
+other obstacles, it might take them longer than a month to reach
+some place where game was to be met with. Each day, as they advanced,
+they found the country more hilly and difficult. Precipices
+often bounded the valleys, lying directly across their track; and as
+these could not be scaled, it was necessary to make long <i>d&eacute;tours</i> to
+pass them, so that some days they actually advanced less than five
+miles upon their journey.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding these impediments, they might still have got over
+the Barren Grounds without further suffering than the fatigue and
+necessary exposure to cold; but at this time an incident occurred, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span>
+not only frustrated all their calculations, but placed them in imminent
+danger of perishing.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BARREN GROUNDS</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he Barren Grounds are not entirely destitute of animal life. Even
+in winter&mdash;when they are almost covered with snow, and you would
+suppose that no living creature could procure subsistence upon them&mdash;even
+then they have their denizens; and, strange to say, there are
+many animals that choose them for their home. There is no part of
+the earth's surface so sterile but that some animated being can find a
+living upon it, and such a being Nature adapts to its peculiar situation.
+For instance, there are animals that prefer the very desert
+itself, and would not thrive were you to place them in a country of
+mild climate and fertile soil. In our own species this peculiarity is
+also found&mdash;as the Esquimaux would not be happy were you to transplant
+him from his icy hut amid the snows of the Arctic regions, and
+give him a palace under the genial skies of Italy.</p>
+
+<p>Among other creatures that remain all winter upon the Barren
+Grounds are the wolves. How they exist there is almost a question
+of the naturalists. It is true they prey upon other animals found at
+times in the same district; but wolves have been met with where not
+the slightest traces of other living creatures could be seen!</p>
+
+<p>There is no animal more generally distributed over the earth's
+surface than the wolf. He exists in nearly every country, and most
+likely has at one time existed in all. In America there are wolves in
+its three zones. They are met with from Cape Horn to the farthest
+point northward that man has reached. They are common in the
+tropical forests of Mexico and South America. They range over the
+great prairies of the temperate zones of both divisions of the continent,
+and in the colder regions of the Hudson's Bay territory they are
+among the best known of wild animals. They frequent the mountains,
+they gallop over the plains, they skulk through the valleys,
+they dwell everywhere&mdash;everywhere the wolf seems equally at home.</p>
+
+<p>In North America two very different kinds are known. One is the
+&ldquo;prairie&rdquo; or &ldquo;barking&rdquo; wolf, which we have already met with and
+described. The other species is the &ldquo;common&rdquo; or &ldquo;large&rdquo; wolf; but
+it is not decided among naturalists that there are not several distinct
+species of the latter. At all events, there are several <i>varieties</i> of it&mdash;distinguished
+from each other in size, colour, and even to some extent
+in form. The habits of all, however, appear to be similar, and it is a
+question, whether any of these varieties be <i>permanent</i> or only <i>accidental</i>.
+Some of them, it is well known, are accidental&mdash;as wolves
+differing in colour have been found in the same litter&mdash;but late explorers,
+of the countries around and beyond the Rocky Mountains,
+have discovered one or two kinds that appear to be specifically distinct
+from the common wolf of America&mdash;one of them, the &ldquo;dusky
+wolf,&rdquo; being much larger.</p>
+
+<p>This last is said to resemble the wolf of Europe more than the other
+American wolves do&mdash;for there is a considerable difference between
+the wolves of the two continents. Those of the Northern regions of
+America have shorter ears, a broader snout and forehead, and are of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span>
+a stouter make, than the European wolves. Their fur, too, is finer,
+denser, and longer; their tails more bushy and fox-like; and their
+feet broader. The European wolf, on the contrary, is characterized
+by a gaunt appearance, a pointed snout, long jaws, high ears, long
+legs, and feet very narrow. It is possible, nothwithstanding these
+points of difference, that both may be of the same species, the difference
+arising from a want of similitude in the circumstances by which
+they are surrounded.</p>
+
+<p>For instance, the dense wool of the Hudson's Bay wolf may be
+accounted for by the fact of its colder habitat, and its broader feet may
+be the result of its having to run much upon the surface of the snow.
+The writer of this little book believes that this peculiar adaptation
+of Nature&mdash;which may be observed in all her kingdoms&mdash;may explain
+the difference that exists between the wolves of the Northern parts
+of America and those of the South of Europe. He believes, moreover,
+that those of the Southern parts of the American continent approximate
+more nearly to the Pyrenean wolves, as he has seen in the
+tropical forest of Mexico some that possessed all that &ldquo;gaunt&rdquo; form
+and &ldquo;sneaking&rdquo; aspect that characterize the latter.</p>
+
+<p>It would be interesting to inquire whether the wolves of Siberia
+and Lapland, inhabitating a similar climate to that of the Northern
+parts of America, do not possess the same peculiarities as the North
+American kind&mdash;a point which naturalists have not yet considered,
+and which you, my boy reader, may some day find both amusement
+and instruction in determining for yourself.</p>
+
+<p>With regard to colour the wolves of both continents exhibit many
+varieties. In North America there are more than half-a-dozen colours
+of them, all receiving different names. There is the &ldquo;grey wolf,&rdquo; the
+&ldquo;white,&rdquo; the &ldquo;brown,&rdquo; the &ldquo;dusky,&rdquo; the &ldquo;pied,&rdquo; and the &ldquo;black.&rdquo;
+These trivial names will give a good enough idea of the colours of
+each kind, but there are even varieties in their markings. &ldquo;Yellow&rdquo;
+wolves, too, have been seen, and &ldquo;red&rdquo; ones, and some of a &ldquo;cream
+colour.&rdquo; Of all these the grey wolf is the most common, and is <i>par
+excellence the wolf</i>; but there are districts in which individuals of
+other colours predominate. Wolves purely black are plenty in many
+parts, and white wolves are often seen in large packs.</p>
+
+<p>Even those of the same colour differ in size, and that to a considerable
+extent. And what is also strange, large wolves will be found in
+one district of country, while much smaller ones <i>of the same colour and
+species</i> inhabit another. The largest in size of American wolves are
+about six feet in length, the tail included; and about three feet in
+height, measuring to the tips of the standing fur. The tail is usually
+about one-third of the whole length.</p>
+
+<p>The habits of the American wolf are pretty much like those of his
+European cousin. He is a beast of prey, devouring all the smaller
+animals he can lay hold of. He pursues and overtakes the deer, and
+often runs down the fox and makes a meal of it. He will kill and eat
+Indian dogs, although these are so near his own species that the one
+is often taken for the other. But this is not all, for he will even eat
+his own kind, on a pinch. He is as cunning as the fox himself, and as
+cowardly; but at times, when impelled by hunger, he becomes bolder,
+and has been known to attack man. Instances of this kind, however,
+are rare.</p>
+
+<p>The American wolves burrow, and, like the fox, have several entrances<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span>
+to their holes. A litter of young wolves numbers five puppies,
+but as many as eight are often produced at one birth.</p>
+
+<p>During their journey through the Barren Grounds our voyageurs
+had frequently observed wolves. They were mostly grey ones, and
+of great size, for they were travelling through a district where the
+very largest kind is found. At times they saw a party of five or six
+together; and these appeared to be following upon their trail&mdash;as
+each night, when they came barking about the camp, our travellers
+recognised some of them as having been seen before. They made no
+attempt to shoot any of them&mdash;partly because they did not want
+either their skins or flesh, and partly because their ammunition had
+been reduced to a small quantity, and they did not wish to spend it
+unnecessarily.</p>
+
+<p>The wolves, therefore, were allowed to approach very near the
+camp, and howl as much as they liked&mdash;which they usually did
+throughout the livelong night. What they found to allure them
+after our travellers, the latter could not make out; as they had not
+shot an animal of any kind since leaving the lake, and scarcely a
+scrap of anything was ever left behind them. Perhaps the wolves
+were <i>living upon hope</i>.</p>
+
+<p>One evening our travellers had made their camp on the side of a
+ridge&mdash;which they had just crossed&mdash;and under the shelter of some
+rough rocks. There was no wood in the neighbourhood wherewith
+to make a fire; but they had scraped the snow from the place over
+which their tent was pitched, and under it their skins were spread
+upon the ground. As the tent was a very small one, Marengo's
+sledge, with the utensils and pemmican bags, was always left outside
+close by the opening. Marengo himself slept there, and that was
+considered sufficient to secure all these things from wolves, or any
+other creatures that might be prowling about.</p>
+
+<p>On the evening in question, the sledge was in its usual place&mdash;the
+dog having been taken from it&mdash;and as our voyageurs had not yet
+had their supper, the pemmican bags were lying loosely about, one
+or two of them being open. There was a small rivulet at the foot of
+the ridge&mdash;some two hundred paces distant&mdash;and Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois
+had gone down to it to get water. One of them took the axe to
+break the ice with, while the other carried a vessel. On arriving
+near the bank of the rivulet, the attention of the boys was attracted
+to a singular appearance upon the snow. A fresh shower had fallen
+that morning, and the surface was still soft, and very smooth. Upon
+this they observed double lines of little dots, running in different
+directions, which, upon close inspection, appeared to be the tracks of
+some animal.</p>
+
+<p>At first, Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois could hardly believe them to be such,
+the tracks were so very small. They had never seen so small ones
+before&mdash;those of a mouse being quite double the size. But when they
+looked more closely at them, the boys could distinguish the marks of
+five little toes with claws upon them, which left no doubt upon their
+minds that some living creature, and that a very diminutive one,
+must have passed over the spot. Indeed, had the snow not been
+both fine-grained and soft, the feet of such a creature could not have
+made any impression upon it.</p>
+
+<p>The boys stopped and looked around, thinking they might see the
+animal itself. There was a wide circle of snow around them, and its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span>
+surface was smooth and level; but not a speck upon it betrayed the
+presence of any creature.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Perhaps it was a bird,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;and has taken flight.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think not,&rdquo; rejoined Basil. &ldquo;They are not the tracks of a bird.
+It is some animal that has gone under the snow, I fancy.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But I see no hole,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;where even a beetle could have
+gone down. Let us look for one.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>At Fran&ccedil;ois' suggestion, they walked on following one of the dotted
+lines. Presently they came to a place, where a stalk of long grass
+stood up through the snow&mdash;its seedless panicle just appearing above
+the surface. Round this stalk a little hole had been formed&mdash;partly
+by the melting of the snow, and partly by the action of the wind
+upon the panicle&mdash;and into this hole the tracks led. It was evident
+that the animal, whatever it was, must have gone down the culm of
+the grass in making its descent from the surface of the snow!</p>
+
+<p>They now observed another track going <i>from</i> the hole in an opposite
+direction, which showed that the creature had climbed up in
+the same way. Curious to know what it might have been, the boys
+hailed Lucien and Norman, telling them to come down. These,
+followed by Marengo, soon arrived upon the spot. When Lucien
+saw the tracks, he pronounced them at once to be those of the little
+shrew-mouse, the smallest of all the quadrupeds of America. Several
+of them had evidently been out upon the snow&mdash;as there were other
+dotted lines&mdash;and the tops of many stalks of grass were seen above
+the surface, each of which had formed a little hole around it, by
+which the mice were enabled to get up and down.</p>
+
+<p>Norman, who had seen these little animals before, cautioned his
+companions to remain quiet awhile, and perhaps some of them might
+come to the surface. They all stopped therefore, and stood some
+time without moving, or speaking to one another. Presently, a little
+head not much bigger than a pea was seen peeping up, and then a
+body followed, which in size did not exceed that of a large gooseberry!
+To this a tail was suspended, just one inch in length, of a
+square shape, and tapering from root to point, like that of any other
+mouse. The little creature was covered with a close smooth fur, of a
+clove-brown colour above, but more yellowish upon the belly and
+sides; and was certainly, as it sat upon the even surface of the snow,
+the most diminutive and oddest-looking quadruped that any of the
+party had ever beheld.</p>
+
+<p>They were just whispering to one another what means they should
+use to capture it, when Marengo, whom Basil had been holding
+quiet, all at once uttered a loud bay; and, springing out of the hands
+of his master, galloped off towards the camp. All of them looked
+after, wondering what had started the dog; but his strange behaviour
+was at once explained, and to their consternation. Around the tent,
+and close to its entrance, several large wolves were seen. They were
+leaping about hurriedly, and worrying some objects that lay upon
+the ground. What these objects were was too plain. They were <i>the
+bags of pemmican</i>! Part of their contents was seen strewed over the
+snow, and part was already in the stomachs of the wolves.</p>
+
+<p>The boys uttered a simultaneous shout, and ran forward. Marengo
+was by this time among the wolves, and had set fiercely upon one of
+them. Had his masters not been at hand, the fierce brutes would
+soon have settled the account with Marengo. But the former were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span>
+now close by, and the wolves, seeing them, ran off; but, to the consternation
+of the boys, each of them carried off a bag of the pemmican
+in his mouth with as much lightness and speed as if nothing encumbered
+them!</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 345px;">
+<img src="images/illus-129.jpg" width="345" height="500" alt="THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS." title="THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS." />
+<span class="caption">THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We are lost!&rdquo; cried Norman, in a voice of terror. &ldquo;Our provisions
+are gone!&mdash;all gone!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was true. The next moment the wolves disappeared over the
+summit of the ridge; and although each of the boys had seized his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span>
+gun, and ran after, the pursuit proved an idle one. Not a wolf was
+overtaken.</p>
+
+<p>Scarce a scrap of the pemmican had been left&mdash;only some fragments
+that had been gnawed by the ravenous brutes, and scattered
+over the snow. That night our travellers went to bed supperless;
+and, what with hunger, and the depression of spirits caused by this
+incident, one and all of them kept awake nearly the whole of the
+night.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ROCK-TRIPE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hey left their skin-couch at an early hour, close after daybreak.
+Hunger and anxiety drove them out of their tent. Not a morsel of
+anything for breakfast! They looked abroad over the country, in
+order, if possible, to descry some living creature. None could be
+seen&mdash;nothing but the wilderness waste of snow, with here and there
+the side of a steep hill, or a rock showing cold and bleak. Even the
+wolves that had robbed them were no longer to be seen, as if these
+creatures knew that they had got all that was worth having, and had
+now taken themselves off to hunt for plunder elsewhere.</p>
+
+<p>The situation of our travellers was really one of extreme peril,
+although it may be difficult for you, young reader, to conceive why it
+should be so. They, however, knew it well. They knew that they
+might travel for days through that inhospitable region, without falling
+in with anything that would make a single meal for them. But less
+time than that would suffice to starve them all. Already they felt
+the pangs of hunger&mdash;for they had not eaten since their breakfast of
+the preceding day, the wolves having interrupted their preparations
+for dinner.</p>
+
+<p>It was of no use remaining where they were; so, striking their tent
+once more, they travelled forward. It was but poor consolation to
+them that they travelled much lighter than before. They had nothing
+to carry but their guns, and these they had got ready for work&mdash;so
+that their journey partook somewhat of the character of a hunting
+excursion. They did not even follow a direct course, but occasionally
+turned to one side or the other, wherever a clump of willows, or any
+other roughness on the ground, looked like it might be the shelter of
+game. But during that whole day&mdash;although they travelled from
+near sunrise to sunset&mdash;not a living thing was seen; and for the
+second night they went supperless to bed.</p>
+
+<p>A man will bear hunger for many days&mdash;some more, some less&mdash;without
+actually dying of it; but at no period will his sufferings be
+greater than during the third or fourth day. He will grow more
+feeble afterwards, but the pain which he endures will not be greater.</p>
+
+<p>On the third day the sufferings of our party were extreme. They
+began to chew pieces of their skin-tent and blankets; but although
+this took the sharp edge off their appetites, it added nothing to their
+strength; and they still craved for food, and grew feebler.</p>
+
+<p>To use a poetical phrase, Marengo now became the &ldquo;cynosure of
+every eye.&rdquo; Marengo was not very fat. The sledge and short rations
+had thinned him down, and his ribs could be easily traced. Although
+the boys, and Basil in particular, would have suffered much before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span>
+sacrificing him, yet starvation will reconcile a man to part with his
+best friend. In spite of their friendship for Marengo, his masters
+could not help scanning him from time to time with hungry looks.
+Marengo was an old dog, and, no doubt, as tough as a piece of tan-leather;
+but their appetites were made up for anything.</p>
+
+<p>It was near mid-day. They had started early, as on the day before.
+They were trudging wearily along, and making but little progress.
+Marengo was struggling with his sledge, feeble as any of the party.
+Basil saw that the eyes of his companions were from time to time
+bent upon the dog; and though none of them said anything, he
+understood the thoughts that were passing within them. He knew
+that none of them wished to propose it&mdash;as Basil was the real master
+of Marengo&mdash;but their glances were sufficiently intelligible to him.
+He looked at the downcast countenance of the once merry Fran&ccedil;ois&mdash;at
+the serious air of Norman&mdash;at the wan cheek and sunken eye of
+Lucien, whom Basil dearly loved. He hesitated no longer. His duty
+to his companions at once overcame his affection for his faithful dog.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We must kill <i>him</i>!&rdquo; said he, suddenly stopping, and pointing to
+Marengo.</p>
+
+<p>The rest halted.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I fear there's no help for it,&rdquo; said Norman, turning his face in
+every direction, and sweeping the surface of the snow with hopeless
+glances.</p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois also assented to the proposal.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Let us make a condition,&rdquo; suggested Lucien; &ldquo;I for one could
+walk five miles farther.&rdquo; And as Lucien said this, he made an effort
+to stand erect, and look strong and brave; but Basil knew it was an
+effort of <i>generosity</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; said he,&mdash;&ldquo;no, dear Luce. You are done up. We must kill
+the dog!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Nonsense, Basil, you mistake,&rdquo; replied the other; &ldquo;I assure you I
+am far from being done up. I could go much farther yet. Stay!&rdquo;
+continued he, pointing ahead; &ldquo;you see yonder rocks? They are
+about three miles off, I should think. They lie directly in our course.
+Well, now, let us agree to this condition. Let us give poor Marengo
+a chance for his life. If we find nothing before reaching those rocks,
+why then&mdash;&mdash;&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And Lucien, seeing Marengo gazing up in his face, left the sentence
+unfinished. The poor brute looked up at all of them as though he
+understood every word that they were saying; and his mute appeal,
+had it been necessary, would not have been thrown away. But it did
+not require that to get him the proposed respite. All agreed willingly
+with Lucien's proposition; and, shouldering their pieces, the party
+moved on.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien had purposely understated the distance to the rocks. It
+was five, instead of three miles; and some of them made it full ten,
+as they were determined Marengo should have the benefit of every
+chance. They deployed like skirmishers; and not a brake or brush
+that lay to the right or left of the path but was visited and beaten
+by one or other of them. Their diligence was to no purpose. After
+two hours' weary work, they arrived among the rocks, having seen
+not a trace of either quadruped or bird.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come!&rdquo; cried Lucien in his now feeble voice, still trying to look
+cheerful, &ldquo;we must pass through them. There is a chance yet. Let<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span>
+him have fair play. The rocks were to be the limit, but it was not
+stated what part of them. Let us pass through to the other side&mdash;they
+do not extend far.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Encouraged by the words of Lucien, the party entered among the
+rocks, moving on separate paths. They had gone only a few paces,
+when a shout from Norman caused the rest to look to him for an
+explanation. No animal was in sight. Had he seen any? No; but
+something that gratified him certainly, for his voice and manner
+expressed it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it?&rdquo; inquired the others, all speaking at the same time.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Tripe de roche</i>!&rdquo; answered he.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Tripe de roche</i>?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; replied Norman, &ldquo;look there!&rdquo; and he pointed to one of the
+rocks directly ahead of them, at the same time moving forward to it.
+The others hastened up after. On reaching the rock, they saw what
+Norman had meant by the words <i>tripe de roche</i> (rock-tripe). It was
+a black, hard, crumply substance, that nearly covered the surface of
+the rock, and was evidently of a vegetable nature. Lucien knew
+what it was as well as Norman, and joy had expressed itself upon his
+pale cheeks at the sight. As for Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois they only stood
+waiting an explanation, and wondering what value a quantity of
+&ldquo;rock moss,&rdquo; as they deemed it, could be to persons in their condition.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien soon informed them that it was not a &ldquo;moss,&rdquo; but a &ldquo;lichen,&rdquo;
+and of that celebrated species which will sustain human life. It was
+the <i>Gyrophora</i>. Norman confirmed Lucien's statement, and furthermore
+affirmed, that not only the Indians and Esquimaux, but also
+parties of voyageurs, had often subsisted upon it for days, when they
+would otherwise have starved. There are many species,&mdash;not less
+than five or six. All of them possess nutritive properties, but only
+one is a palatable food&mdash;the <i>Gyrophora vellea</i> of botanists. Unfortunately
+this was not the sort which our voyageurs had happened
+upon, as it grows only upon rocks shaded by woods, and is rarely met
+with in the open barrens. The one, however, which Norman had
+discovered was the &ldquo;next best,&rdquo; and they were all glad at finding
+even that.</p>
+
+<p>The first thing to be thought of was to collect it, and all four set to
+peeling and scraping it from the rocks. The next thought was to
+make it ready for eating. Here a new difficulty stared them in the
+face. The <i>tripe de roche</i> had to be boiled,&mdash;it could not be eaten else,&mdash;and
+where was the fire? where was the wood to make one? Not a
+stick was to be seen. They had not met with a tree during all that
+day's journey!</p>
+
+<p>They were now as badly off as ever. The <i>tripe de roche</i> would be of
+no more use to them than so much dry grass. What could they do
+with it?</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of their suspense, one of them thought of the sledge.&mdash;Marengo's
+sledge. That would make a fire, but a very small one.
+It might do to cook a single meal. Even that was better than none.
+Marengo was not going to object to the arrangement. He looked
+quite willing to part with the sledge. But a few hours before, it
+came near being used to cook Marengo himself. He was not aware
+of that, perhaps, but no matter. All agreed that the sledge must be
+broken up, and converted into firewood.</p>
+
+<p>They were about taking it to pieces, and had already &ldquo;unhitched&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span>
+Marengo from it, when Basil, who had walked to the other side of
+the rocky jumble, cried back to them to desist. He had espied some
+willows at no great distance. Out of these a fire could be made.
+The sledge, therefore, was let alone for the present. Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois
+immediately started for the willows, while Norman and Lucien
+remained upon the spot to prepare the &ldquo;tripe&rdquo; for the pot.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time the former parties returned with two large bundles
+of willows, and the fire was kindled. The <i>tripe de roche</i>, with some
+snow&mdash;for there was no water near&mdash;was put into the pot, and the
+latter hung over the blaze.</p>
+
+<p>After boiling for nearly an hour, the lichen became reduced to
+a soft gummy pulp, and Norman thickened the mess to his taste by
+putting in more snow, or more of the &ldquo;tripe,&rdquo; as it seemed to require
+it. The pot was then taken from the fire, and all four greedily ate
+of its contents. It was far from being palatable, and had a clammy
+&ldquo;feel&rdquo; in the mouth, something like sago; but none of the party was
+in any way either dainty or fastidious just at that time, and they
+soon consumed all that had been cooked. It did not satisfy the
+appetite, though it filled the stomach, and made their situation less
+painful to bear.</p>
+
+<p>Norman informed them that it was much better when cooked with
+a little meat, so as to make broth. This Norman's companions could
+easily credit, but where was the meat to come from? The Indians
+prefer the <i>tripe de roche</i> when prepared along with the roe of fish, or
+when boiled in fish liquor.</p>
+
+<p>Our weary voyageurs resolved to remain among the rocks for that
+night at least; and with this intent they put up their little tent.
+They did not kindle any fire, as the willows were scarce, and there
+would be barely enough to make one or two more boilings of the
+rock-tripe. They spread their skins within the tent, and creeping
+in, kept one another as warm as they could until morning.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE POLAR HARE AND GREAT SNOWY OWL.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>f course hunger kept them from sleeping late. They were up and
+out of the tent by an early hour. Their fire was re-kindled, and they
+were making preparations for a fresh pot of rock-tripe, when they
+were startled by the note of a well-known bird. On looking up, they
+beheld seated upon the point of a rock the creature itself, which was
+the &ldquo;cinereous crow,&rdquo; or, as it is better known, the &ldquo;whiskey Jack.&rdquo;
+The latter name it receives from the voyageurs, on account of the
+resemblance of its Indian appellation, &ldquo;whiskae-shaw-neesh&rdquo; to the
+words &ldquo;whiskey John.&rdquo; Although sometimes called the &ldquo;cinereous
+crow,&rdquo; the bird is a true jay.</p>
+
+<p>It is one of the most inelegant of the genus, being of a dull grey
+colour, and not particularly graceful in its form. Its plumage,
+moreover, does not consist of webbed feathers, but rather more
+resembles hair; nor does its voice make up for the plainness of its
+appearance, as is the case with some birds. On the contrary, the
+voice of &ldquo;whiskey Jack&rdquo; is plaintive and squeaking, though he is
+something of a mocker in his way, and frequently imitates the notes
+of other birds. He is one of those creatures that frequent the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span>
+habitations of man, and there is not a fur post, or fort, in all the
+Hudson's Bay territory, where &ldquo;whiskey Jack&rdquo; is not familiarly
+known.</p>
+
+<p>He is far from being a favourite, however, as, like his near relative
+the magpie, he is a great thief, and will follow the marten-trapper all
+day while baiting his traps, perching upon a tree until the bait is
+set, and then pouncing down, and carrying it off. He frequently
+pilfers small articles from the forts and encampments, and is so bold
+as to enter the tents, and seize food out of any vessel that may
+contain it. Notwithstanding all this, he is a favourite with the
+traveller through these inhospitable regions. No matter how barren
+the spot where the voyageur may make his camp, his tent will
+hardly be pitched, before he receives a visit from &ldquo;whiskey Jack,&rdquo;
+who comes, of course, to pick up any crumbs that may fall. His
+company, therefore, in a region where all other wild creatures shun
+the society of man, endears him to the lonely traveller.</p>
+
+<p>At many of their camps our voyageurs had met with this singular
+bird, and were always glad to receive him as a friend. They were
+now doubly delighted to see him, but this delight arose from no
+friendly feelings. Their guest was at once doomed to die. Fran&ccedil;ois
+had taken up his gun, and in the next moment would have brought
+him down, had he not been checked by Norman. Not that Norman
+intended to plead for his life, but Norman's eye had caught sight of
+another &ldquo;whiskey Jack,&rdquo;&mdash;which was hopping among the rocks at
+some distance&mdash;and fearing that Fran&ccedil;ois' shot might frighten it
+away, had hindered him from firing. It was Norman's design to get
+both.</p>
+
+<p>The second &ldquo;whiskey Jack,&rdquo; or, perhaps, it was the &ldquo;whiskey Jill,&rdquo;
+soon drew near; and both were now seen to hop from rock to rock,
+and then upon the top of the tent, and one of them actually settled
+upon the edge of the pot, as it hung over the fire, and quietly looking
+into it, appeared to scrutinize its contents!</p>
+
+<p>The boys could not think of any way of getting the birds, except
+by Fran&ccedil;ois' gun; and it was at length agreed that Fran&ccedil;ois should
+do his best. He was sure of one of them, at least; so telling the
+others to get behind him, he fired at the more distant one where it
+sat upon the tent, and took the other on the wing.</p>
+
+<p>Both shots were successful. The two jays fell, and were soon
+divested of their soft, silky, hair-like plumage, and dropped into the
+boiling pot. They did not weigh together more than about six or
+seven ounces; but even that was accounted something under present
+circumstances; and, with the <i>tripe de roche</i>, a much better breakfast
+was made than they had anticipated.</p>
+
+<p>No more of the lichen could be found. The rocks were all searched,
+but only a few patches&mdash;not enough for another full meal&mdash;could
+be obtained. The travellers had no other resource, therefore, but
+to continue on, and passing through the rocky ground, they once
+more embarked upon the wilderness of snow.</p>
+
+<p>During that whole day not a living creature gladdened their eyes.
+They saw nothing that was eatable&mdash;fish, flesh, fowl, or vegetable.
+Not even a bit of rock-tripe&mdash;in these parts the last resource of
+starving men&mdash;could be met with. They encamped in a plain, where
+not a tree stood&mdash;not even a rock to shelter them.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning a consultation was held. Marengo was again the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span>
+subject of their thoughts and conversation. Should they kill him on
+the spot or go a little farther? That was the question. Lucien,
+as before, interposed in his favour. There was a high hill many
+miles off, and in their proper course. &ldquo;Let us first reach yonder
+hill,&rdquo; proposed Lucien. &ldquo;If nothing is found before that, then we
+must part with Marengo.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The proposal was agreed to, and, striking their tent, they again
+set out.</p>
+
+<p>It was a toilsome long way to that hill&mdash;feeble and weary as they
+all were&mdash;but they reached it without having observed the slightest
+trace of animal life.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Up the hill!&rdquo; cried Lucien, beckoning to the others, and cheering
+them with his weak voice, &ldquo;Up the hill!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>On they went, up the steep declivity&mdash;Marengo toiling on after
+them. The dog looked downcast and despairing. He really appeared
+to know the conditions that had been made for his life. His
+masters, as they crept upward, looked sharply before them. Every
+tuft that appeared above the snow was scrutinized, and every inch of
+the ground, as it came into view, was examined.</p>
+
+<p>At length they crossed the escarpment of the hill, and stood upon
+the summit. They gazed forward with disappointed feelings. The
+hill-top was a sort of table plain, of about three hundred yards in
+diameter. It was covered with snow, nearly a foot in depth. A few
+heads of withered grass were seen above the surface, but not enough
+to subdue the uniform white that prevailed all over. There was no
+creature upon it; that was evident. A bird as big as a sparrow, or a
+quadruped as large as a shrew-mouse, could have been seen upon any
+part of it. A single glance satisfied all of them that no living thing
+was there.</p>
+
+<p>They halted without proceeding farther. Some of them could not
+have gone another mile, and all of them were tottering in their tracks.
+Marengo had arrived upon the summit, and stood a little to one side,
+with the sledge behind him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>You</i> must do it!&rdquo; said Basil, speaking to Norman in a hoarse
+voice, and turning his head away. Lucien and Fran&ccedil;ois stepped
+aside at the same time, and stood as if looking down the hill. The
+countenances of all three betokened extreme sorrow. There was a
+tear in Basil's eye that he was trying to wipe away with his sleeve.</p>
+
+<p>The sharp click of Norman's gun was heard behind them, and they
+were all waiting for the report, when, at that moment, a dark shadow
+passing over the white declivity arrested their attention! It was
+the shadow of a bird upon the wing. The simultaneous exclamation
+of all three stayed Norman's finger&mdash;already pressing upon the trigger&mdash;and
+the latter, turning round, saw that they were regarding some
+object in the air. It was a bird of great size&mdash;almost as large as an
+eagle, but with the plumage of a swan. It was white all over&mdash;both
+body and wings&mdash;white as the snow over which it was sailing.
+Norman knew the bird at a glance. Its thick short neck and large
+head&mdash;its broad-spreading wings, of milky whiteness, were not to be
+mistaken. It was the &ldquo;great snowy owl&rdquo; of the Arctic regions.</p>
+
+<p>Its appearance suddenly changed the aspect of affairs. Norman
+let the butt of his rifle fall to the ground, and stood, like the rest,
+watching the bird in its flight.</p>
+
+<p>The snowy owl is, perhaps, the most beautiful, as it is one of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span>
+most powerful birds of its genus&mdash;of which there are more than a
+dozen in North America. It is a bird of the Polar regions&mdash;even the
+most remote&mdash;and in the dead of winter it is found within the Arctic
+circle, on both Continents&mdash;although at the same season it also
+wanders farther south. It dwells upon the Barren Grounds as well
+as in wooded districts. In the former it squats upon the snow, where
+its peculiar colour often prevents it from being noticed by the passing
+hunter. Nature has furnished it with every protection from the
+cold. Its plumage is thick, closely matted, and downy, and it is
+feathered to the very eyes&mdash;so that its legs appear as large as those
+of a good-sized dog. The bill, too, is completely hidden under a mass
+of feathers that cover its face, and not even a point of its whole body
+is exposed.</p>
+
+<p>The owl is usually looked upon as a night-bird, and in Southern
+latitudes it is rarely seen by day; but the owls of the Northern
+regions differ from their congeners in this respect. They hunt by
+day, even during the bright hours of noon. Were it not so, how could
+they exist in the midst of an Arctic summer, when the days are
+months in duration? Here we have another example of the manner
+in which Nature trains her wild creatures to adapt themselves to
+their situation.</p>
+
+<p>At least a dozen species of owls frequent the territory of the
+Hudson's Bay Company&mdash;the largest of which is the cinereous owl,
+whose wings have a spread of nearly five feet. Some species migrate
+south on the approach of winter; while several, as the snowy owl,
+remain to prey upon the ptarmigan, the hares, and other small
+quadrupeds, who, like themselves, choose that dreary region for their
+winter home.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers, as I have said, stood watching the owl as it soared
+silently through the heavens. Fran&ccedil;ois had thrown his gun across
+his left arm, in hopes he might get a shot at it; but the bird&mdash;a shy
+one at all times&mdash;kept away out of range; and, after circling once or
+twice over the hill, uttered a loud cry and flew off.</p>
+
+<p>Its cry resembled the moan of a human being in distress; and its
+effect upon the minds of our travellers, in the state they then were,
+was far from being pleasant. They watched the bird with despairing
+looks, until it was lost against the white background of a snow-covered
+hill.</p>
+
+<p>They had noticed that the owl appeared to be just taking flight
+when they first saw it. It must have risen up from the hill upon
+which they were; and they once more ran their eyes along the level
+summit, curious to know where it had been perched that they had
+not seen it. No doubt, reflected they, it had been near enough, but
+its colour had rendered it undistinguishable from the snow.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What a pity!&rdquo; exclaimed Fran&ccedil;ois.</p>
+
+<p>While making these reflections, and sweeping their glances around,
+an object caught their eyes that caused some of them to ejaculate
+and suddenly raise their guns. This object was near the centre of
+the summit table, and at first sight appeared to be only a lump of
+snow; but upon closer inspection, two little round spots of a dark
+colour, and above these two elongated black marks, could be seen.
+Looking steadily, the eye at length traced the outlines of an animal,
+that sat in a crouching attitude. The round spots were its eyes, and
+the black marks above them were tips of a pair of very long ears.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span>
+All the rest of its body was covered with a soft white fur, hardly to
+be distinguished from the snow upon which it rested.</p>
+
+<p>The form and colour of the animal, but more especially its long
+erect ears, made it easy for them to tell what it was. All of them
+saw it was a hare.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hush!&rdquo; continued Norman, as soon as he saw it, &ldquo;keep still all of
+you&mdash;leave it to me.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What shall we do?&rdquo; demanded Basil. &ldquo;Can we not assist you?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; was the reply, uttered in a whisper, &ldquo;stay where you are.
+Keep the dog quiet. I'll manage puss, if the owl hasn't scared her
+too badly. That scream has started her out of her form. I'm certain
+she wasn't that way before. Maybe she'll sit it out. Lucky the sun's
+high&mdash;don't move a step. Have the dog ready, but hold him tight,
+and keep a sharp look out if she bolts.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>After giving these instructions, that were all uttered quickly and
+in an under tone, Norman moved off, with his gun carried across his
+arm. He did not move in the direction of the hare, but rather as if
+he was going <i>from</i> her. His course, however, bent gradually into a
+circle of which the hare was the centre&mdash;the diameter being the full
+breadth of the summit level, which was about three hundred yards.
+In this circle he walked round and round, keeping his eye fixed upon
+the crouching animal. When he had nearly completed one circumference,
+he began to shorten the diameter&mdash;so that the curve which
+he was now following was a spiral one, and gradually drawing nearer
+to the hare. The latter kept watching him as he moved&mdash;curiosity
+evidently mingling with her fears. Fortunately, as Norman had said,
+the sun was nearly in the vertex of the heavens, and his own body
+cast very little shadow upon the snow. Had it been otherwise, the
+hare would have been frightened at the moving shadow, and would
+have sprung out of her form, before he could have got within range.</p>
+
+<p>When he had made some four or five circuits, Norman moved slower
+and slower, and then stopped nearly opposite to where the others
+were. These stood watching him with beating hearts, for they knew
+that the life of Marengo, and perhaps their own as well, depended on
+the shot. Norman had chosen his place, so that in case the hare
+bolted, she might run towards them, and give them the chance of a
+flying shot. His gun was already at his shoulder&mdash;his finger rested
+on the trigger, and the boys were expecting the report, when again
+the shadow of a bird flitted over the snow, a loud human-like scream
+sounded in their ears, and the hare was seen to spring up, and stretch
+her long legs in flight. At the same instant the great snowy owl was
+observed wheeling above, and threatening to pounce upon the fleeing
+animal!</p>
+
+<p>The hare ran in a side direction, but it brought her as she passed
+within range of the party by the sledge. The owl kept above her as
+she ran. A dozen leaps was all the hare ever made. A loud crack
+was heard, and she was seen to spring up and fall back upon the
+snow, dead as a door-nail. Like an echo another crack followed&mdash;a
+wild scream rang through the air, and the great white owl fell
+fluttering to the earth. The reports were not of a rifle. They were
+the louder detonations of a shot gun. All eyes were turned towards
+Fran&ccedil;ois, who, like a little god, stood enveloped in a halo of blue
+smoke. Fran&ccedil;ois was the hero of the hour.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo rushed forward and seized the struggling owl, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span>
+snapped its bill at him like a watchman's rattle. But Marengo did
+not care for that; and seizing its head in his teeth, gave it a crunch
+that at once put an end to its flapping.</p>
+
+<p>Marengo was reprieved, and he seemed to know it, as he bounded
+over the snow, waving his tail, and barking like a young fool.</p>
+
+<p>They all ran up to the hare, which proved to be the &ldquo;Polar hare&rdquo;
+and one of the largest of its species&mdash;not less than fifteen pounds in
+weight. Its fur, soft and white like swan-down, was stained with
+red blood. It was not quite dead. Its little heart yet beat faintly,
+and the light of life was still shining from its beautiful honey-coloured
+eyes. Both it and the owl were taken up and carried to the sledge,
+which was once more attached to Marengo, as the party intended to
+go forward and halt under the shelter of the hill.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;There must be some wood in this quarter,&rdquo; remarked Norman;
+&ldquo;I never knew this sort of hare far from timber.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;True,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;the Polar hare feeds upon willows, arbutus,
+and the Labrador tea-plant. Some of these kinds must be near.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>While they were speaking, they had reached the brow of the hill,
+on the opposite side from where they had ascended. On looking into
+the valley below, to their great joy they beheld some clumps of
+willows, and good-sized trees of poplar, birch, and spruce-pine, and
+passing down the hill, the travellers soon stood in their midst. Presently
+was heard the chipping sound of an axe and crash of falling
+timber, and in a few moments after a column of smoke was seen
+soaring up out of the valley, and curling cheerfully towards the bright
+blue sky.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">L</span>arge as the hare was, she would have made but a meal for our four
+hungry voyageurs, had they eaten at will. By Lucien's advice, however,
+they restrained themselves, and half of her was left for supper,
+when the &ldquo;cook&rdquo; promised to make them hare-soup. The head, feet,
+and other spare bits, fell to Marengo's share. The owl, whose flesh
+was almost as white as its plumage, and, as Norman well knew, most
+delicate eating, was reserved for to-morrow's breakfast.</p>
+
+<p>They had pitched their tent with the intention of remaining at that
+place all night, and continuing their journey next day; but, as it still
+wanted several hours of sunset, and the strength of all was considerably
+recruited, they resolved to hunt about the neighbourhood as
+long as they had light. It was of great importance that they should
+procure more game. The owl would make but a spare breakfast, and
+after that where was the next meal to come from? They had had a
+temporary relief, and while their strength lasted, they must use every
+effort to procure a further supply. The valley in which their new
+camp was placed looked well for game.</p>
+
+<p>It was a sort of o&auml;sis in the Barren Grounds. There was a lake and
+a considerable skirting of timber around it&mdash;consisting, as we have
+said, of willows, poplars, spruce-pine, and dwarf birch-trees. The
+Alpine arbutus, whose berries are the food of many species of animals,
+also grew upon the side of the hills; and the Labrador tea-plant was
+found upon the low ground around the lake. The leaves of this last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span>
+is a favourite food of the Polar hare, and our voyageurs had no doubt
+but that there were many of these animals in the neighbourhood.
+Indeed, they had better evidence than conjecture, for they saw
+numerous hare-tracks in the snow. There were tracks of other
+animals too, for it is a well-known fact that where one kind exists, at
+least two or three others will be found in the same habitat&mdash;all being
+connected together by a &ldquo;chain of destruction.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>A singular illustration of this was afforded to Lucien, who remained
+at the camp while the rest went out hunting. He had gathered some
+of the leaves of the Labrador tea, and was drying them over the coals,
+intending to cheer his comrades with a cup of this beverage after
+supper. The hare-soup was boiling, and the &ldquo;cook&rdquo; sat listening to
+the cheerful sounds that issued from the pot&mdash;now and then taking
+off the lid to examine its savoury contents, and give them a stir. He
+would then direct his attention to the tea-leaves that were parching
+in the frying-pan; and, having shifted them a little, felt himself at
+liberty to look about for a minute or two.</p>
+
+<p>On one of these occasions, while glancing up, his attention was
+attracted to an object which appeared upon the snow at a short distance
+from where he sat. A wreath of snow, that had formed under
+the shelter of the hill, extended all around its base, presenting a steep
+front in every direction. This front was only two or three feet in
+height; but the top surface of the wreath was many yards wide&mdash;in
+fact, it extended back until it became blended with the slope of the
+hill. It was smooth and nearly level, but the hill above was steep,
+and somewhat rough and rocky. The steep front of the wreath came
+down within half-a-dozen paces of the fire where Lucien was seated;
+and it was upon the top or scarpment of it that the object appeared
+that had drawn his attention. It was a small creature, but it was in
+motion, and thus had caught his eye.</p>
+
+<p>A single glance showed him that the little animal was a mouse, but
+of a somewhat singular species. It was about the size of the common
+mouse, but quite different in colour. The upper half of its body was
+of a light mahogany tint, while the lower half, including the legs and
+feet, were of a milky whiteness. It was, in fact, the &ldquo;white-footed
+mouse&rdquo; (<i>Mus leucopus</i>), one of the most beautiful of its kind.</p>
+
+<p>Here and there above the surface of the snow protruded the tops
+of arbutus-trees; and the little creature was passing from one of
+these to the other, in search, no doubt, of the berries that remain upon
+these trees all the winter. Sometimes it ran from point to point like
+any other mouse, but now and then it would rear itself on its hind-legs,
+and leap several feet at a single bound! In this it evidently
+assisted itself by pressing its tail&mdash;in which it possesses muscular
+power&mdash;against the snow. This peculiar mode of progression has
+obtained for it the name of the &ldquo;jumping-mouse,&rdquo; and among the
+Indians &ldquo;deer&rdquo;-mouse, because its leap reminds them of the bounding
+spring of the deer. But there are still other species of &ldquo;jumping-mice&rdquo;
+in America that possess this power to a greater degree even
+than the <i>Mus leucopus</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien watched its motions without attempting to interfere with
+it, until it had got nearly out of sight. He did not desire to do injury
+to the little creature, nor was he curious to obtain it, as he had already
+met with many specimens, and examined them to his satisfaction.
+He had ceased to think of it, and would, perhaps, never have thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span>
+of it again, but, upon turning his eyes in the opposite direction, he
+observed another animal upon the snow. This creature had a far
+different aspect from the mouse. Its body was nearly a foot in length,
+although not much thicker than that of the other! Its legs were
+short, but strong, and its forehead broad and arched convexly. It
+had a tail more than half the length of the body, hairy, and tapering
+like that of a cat. Its form was the well-known form of the weasel,
+and it was, in fact, a species of weasel.</p>
+
+<p>It was the celebrated <i>ermine</i>, celebrated for its soft and beautiful
+fur, so long prized as an ornament for the robes of the rich. It was
+white all over, with the exception of its tail; and that, for about an
+inch or so at the tip, was covered with black silky hair. On some
+parts of the body, too, the white was tinged with a primrose yellow;
+but this tinge is not found in all animals of this species, as some individuals
+are pure white. Of course it was now in its winter &ldquo;robes&rdquo;;
+but in the summer it changes to a colour that does not differ much
+from that of the common weasel.</p>
+
+<p>When Lucien first saw it, it was running along the top of the
+wreath, and coming from the same direction from which the mouse
+had come. Now and then it paused awhile, and then ran on again.
+Lucien observed that it kept its nose to the ground, and as it drew
+nearer he saw that it was following on the same path which the other
+had taken. To his astonishment he perceived that it was <i>trailing the
+mouse</i>! Whatever the latter had doubled or made a <i>d&eacute;tour</i>, the
+ermine followed the track; and where the mouse had given one of
+its long leaps, there the ermine would stop, and, after beating about
+until it struck the trail again, would resume its onward course at a
+gallop. Its man&#339;uvres were exactly like those of a hound upon the
+fresh trail of a fox!</p>
+
+<p>Lucien now looked abroad to discover the mouse. It was still in
+sight far off upon the snow, and, as Lucien could see, busily gnawing
+at the arbutus, quite unconscious that its <i>greatest</i> enemy was so near.
+I say greatest enemy, for the <i>Mus leucopus</i> is the <i>natural</i> prey of the
+<i>Mustela erminea</i>.</p>
+
+<p>The mouse was soon made aware of the dangerous proximity, but
+not until the ermine had got within a few feet of it. When it perceived
+the latter it shrunk, at first, among the leaves of the arbutus;
+but seeing there would be no protection there&mdash;as the other was still
+springing forward to seize it&mdash;it leaped up, and endeavoured to escape
+by flight. Its flight appeared to be in alternate jumps and
+runs, but the chase was not a long one. The ermine was as active as
+a cat, and, after a few skips, its claws were struck into the mouse.
+There was a short, slender squeak, and then a &ldquo;crunch,&rdquo; like the
+cracking of a hazel-nut. This last sound was produced by the teeth
+of the ermine breaking through the skull of its victim.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">L</span>ucien turned round to get hold of his rifle, intending to punish the
+ermine, although the little creature, in doing what it did, had only
+obeyed a law of nature. But the boy had also another design in
+killing it: he wished to compare it with some ermines he had seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span>
+while travelling upon Lake Winnipeg, which, as he thought, were
+much larger&mdash;one that he had caught having measured more than a
+foot in length, without including the tail. He wished, also, to make
+some comparison between it and the common weasel; for in its
+<i>winter dress</i>, in the snowy regions, the latter very much resembles
+the ermine; and, indeed, the trappers make no distinction between
+them.</p>
+
+<p>With these ideas Lucien had grasped his gun, and was raising
+himself to creep a little nearer, when his eye was arrested by the
+motions of another creature coming along the top of the wreath.
+This last was a snow-white animal, with long, shaggy fur, sharp-pointed
+snout, erect ears, and bushy tail. Its aspect was fox-like, and
+its movements and attitudes had all that semblance of cunning and
+caution so characteristic of these animals. Well might it, for it <i>was</i>
+a fox&mdash;the beautiful white fox of the Arctic regions.</p>
+
+<p>It is commonly supposed that there are but two or three kinds of
+foxes in America; and that these are only varieties of the European
+species.</p>
+
+<p>This is an erroneous idea, as there are nearly a dozen varieties
+existing in North America, although they may be referred to a less
+number of species. There is the Arctic fox, which is confined to the
+cold Northern regions, and which in winter is white.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;sooty-fox&rdquo; is a variety of the &ldquo;Arctic,&rdquo; distinguished from it
+only by its colour, which is of a uniform blackish brown.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;American fox&rdquo; or, as it is commonly called, the &ldquo;red fox,&rdquo; has
+been long supposed to be the same as the European red fox. This is
+erroneous. They differ in many points; and, what is somewhat
+curious, these points of difference are similar to those that exist
+between the European and American wolves, as already given.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;cross fox&rdquo; is supposed by the Indians and some naturalists
+to be only a variety of the last. It derives its name from its having
+two dark stripes crossing each other upon the shoulders. Its fur
+from this circumstance, and perhaps because the animal is scarce, is
+more prized than that of the red variety. When a single skin of the
+latter is worth only fifteen shillings, one of the cross fox will bring as
+much as five guineas.</p>
+
+<p>Another variety of the red fox, and a much more rare one, is the
+&ldquo;black,&rdquo; or &ldquo;silver&rdquo; fox. The skins of these command six times the
+price of any other furs found in America, with the exception of the
+sea-otter. The animal itself is so rare that only a few fall into the
+hands of the Hudson's Bay Company in a season; and Mr. Nicholay,
+the celebrated London furrier, asserts that a single skin will fetch
+from ten to forty guineas, according to quality. A remarkable cloak,
+or pelisse, belonging to the Emperor of Russia, and made out of the
+skins of silver-foxes, was exhibited in the Great London Exposition
+of 1851. It was made entirely from the neck-part of the skins&mdash;the
+only part of the silver-fox which is pure black. This cloak was
+valued at 3400<i>l</i>.; though Mr. Nicholay considers this an exaggerated
+estimate, and states its true value to be not over 1000<i>l.</i> George the
+Fourth had a lining of black fox-skins worth 1000<i>l.</i></p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;grey fox&rdquo; is a more southern species than any already described.
+Its proper home is the temperate zone covered by the United
+States; although it extends its range into the southern parts of
+Canada. In the United States it is the most common kind, although<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span>
+in that district there is also a &ldquo;red fox,&rdquo; different from the <i>Vulpus
+fulvus</i> already noticed; and which, no doubt, is the red fox of Europe,
+introduced by the early colonists of America.</p>
+
+<p>Still another species, the smallest and perhaps the most interesting
+of any, is the &ldquo;kit fox.&rdquo; This little creature is an inhabitant of the
+prairies, where it makes its burrows far from any wood. It is extremely
+shy, and the swiftest animal in the prairie country&mdash;outrunning
+even the antelope!</p>
+
+<p>When Lucien saw the fox he thought no more of the ermine, but
+drew back and crouched down, in hopes he might get a shot at the
+larger animal. He knew well that the flesh of the Arctic fox is highly
+esteemed as food, particularly by persons situated as he and his companions
+were, and he hoped to be able to add it to their larder.</p>
+
+<p>When first seen it was coming towards him, though not in a direct
+line. It was engaged in hunting, and, with its nose to the snow, was
+running in zig-zag lines, &ldquo;quartering&rdquo; the ground like a pointer dog.
+Presently it struck the trail of the ermine, and with a yelp of satisfaction
+followed it. This of course brought it close past where Lucien
+was; but, notwithstanding his eagerness to fire, it moved so rapidly
+along the trail that he was unable to take sight upon it. It did not
+halt for a moment; and, as Lucien's gun was a rifle, he knew that a
+flying shot would be an uncertain one. In the belief, therefore, that
+the fox would stop soon&mdash;at all events when it came up with the
+ermine&mdash;he restrained himself from firing, and waited.</p>
+
+<p>It ran on, still keeping the track of the ermine. The latter, hitherto
+busy with his own prey, did not see the fox until it was itself seen,
+when, dropping the half-eaten mouse, it reared up on its hind-quarters
+like a squirrel or a monkey, at the same time spitting as spitefully as
+any other weasel could have done. In a moment, however, it changed
+its tactics&mdash;for the open jaws of the fox were within a few paces of
+it&mdash;and after making a short quick run along the surface, it threw up
+its hind-quarters, and plunged head-foremost into the snow! The
+fox sprang forward, and flinging his brush high in the air, shot after
+like an arrow!</p>
+
+<p>Both had now disappeared from Lucien's sight. For a moment the
+surface of the snow was disturbed above the spot where they had gone
+down, but the next moment all was still, and no evidence existed that
+a living creature had been there, except the tracks, and the break the
+two creatures had made in going down. Lucien ran forward until he
+was within a few yards of the place, and stood watching the hole,
+with his rifle ready&mdash;thinking that the fox, at least, would soon come
+up again.</p>
+
+<p>He had waited for nearly five minutes, looking steadily at this point,
+when his eye was attracted by a movement under the snow, at a considerable
+distance, quite fifty paces, from where he stood. The frozen
+crust was seen to upheave: and, the next moment, the head of the
+fox, and afterwards his whole body, appeared above the surface.
+Lucien saw that the ermine lay transversely between his jaws, and
+was quite dead! He was about to fire, but the fox, suddenly perceiving
+him, shot off like an arrow, carrying his prey along with him.</p>
+
+<p>He was soon out of reach, and Lucien, seeing that he had lost his
+chance, was about to return to the fire, when, all at once, the fox was
+observed to stop, turn suddenly in his tracks, and run off in a new
+direction! Lucien looked beyond to ascertain the cause of this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span>
+strange man&#339;uvre. That was soon ascertained. Coming down from
+among the rocks was a large animal&mdash;five times the fox's size&mdash;but in
+other respects not unlike him. It was also of a snow-white colour,
+with long hair, bushy tail, and short erect ears, but its aspect was not
+to be mistaken. It was the great <i>white wolf</i>.</p>
+
+<p>When Lucien first saw this new-comer, the latter had just espied
+the fox, and was about stretching out into a gallop towards him.
+The fox, <i>watching backwards</i> as he ran, had not seen the wolf, until
+the latter was within a few springs of him; and now when he had
+turned, and both were in full chase, there was not over twenty yards
+between them. The direction in which they ran would bring them
+near to Lucien; and so they came, and passed him&mdash;neither of them
+seeming to heed his presence. They had not got many yards farther,
+before Lucien perceived that the wolf was fast closing on the fox,
+and would soon capture him. Believing he would then stop, so as to
+offer him a fairer chance for a shot, Lucien followed. The wolf,
+however, had noticed him coming after, and although the next
+moment he closed his great jaws upon the fox, he did not pause for
+a single instant, but, lifting the latter clear up from the ground, ran
+on without the slightest apparent diminution of speed!</p>
+
+<p>Reynard was seen to struggle and kick, while he squeaked like a
+shot puppy; but his cries each moment grew feebler, and his
+struggles soon came to an end. The wolf held him transversely in
+his jaws&mdash;just as he himself but the moment before had carried the
+ermine.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien saw there was no use in following them, as the wolf ran on
+with his prey. With some disappointment, therefore, he was about
+to return to the fire, where, to add to his mortification, he knew he
+would find his tea-leaves parched to a cinder. He lingered a moment,
+however, with his eyes still fixed upon the departing wolf that was
+just about to disappear over the crest of a ridge. The fox was still
+in his jaws, but no longer struggling. Reynard looked limber and
+dead, as his legs swung loosely on both sides of the wolf's head
+Lucien at that moment saw the latter suddenly stop in his career,
+and then drop down upon the surface of the snow as if dead! He
+fell with his victim in his jaws, and lay half doubled up, and quite still.</p>
+
+<p>This strange action would have been a difficult thing for Lucien to
+explain, but, almost at the same instant in which he observed it, a
+puff of blue smoke shot up over the ridge, and quickly following was
+heard the sharp crack of a rifle. Then a head with its cap of raccoon
+skin appeared above the snow, and Lucien, recognising the face of
+Basil, ran forward to meet him.</p>
+
+<p>Both soon stood over the body of the dead wolf, wondering at what
+they saw; but Basil, far more than Lucien&mdash;for the latter already
+knew the circumstances of that strange scene of death. First there
+was the great gaunt body of the wolf stretched along the snow, and
+quite dead. Cross-ways in his mouth was the fox, just as he had
+been carried off; and across the jaws of the latter, lay the long
+worm-like body of the ermine, still retaining between its teeth the
+half-devoured remains of the white-footed mouse! A very chain of
+destroyers! These creatures died as they had lived, preying one
+upon the other! Of all four the little mouse alone was an innocent
+victim. The other three, though morally guilty by the laws of man,
+yet were only acting in obedience to the laws of Nature and necessity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Man himself obeys a similar law, as Basil had just shown. Philosophize
+as we will, we cannot comprehend why it is so&mdash;why Nature
+requires the sacrifice of one of her creatures for the sustenance of
+another. But although we cannot understand the cause, we must
+not condemn the fact as it exists; nor must we suppose, as some do,
+that the destruction of God's creatures for our necessities constitutes
+a crime. They who think so, and who, in consistency with their
+doctrines, confine themselves to what they term &ldquo;vegetable&rdquo; food,
+are at best but shallow reasoners. They have not studied Nature
+very closely, else would they know that every time they pluck up a
+parsnip, or draw their blade across the leaf of a lettuce, they cause
+pain and death!</p>
+
+<p>How much pain we cannot tell; but that the plant feels, as well as
+the animal, we can clearly <i>prove</i>. Probably it feels less, and it may
+be each kind of plant differs from others in the amount, according to
+its higher or lower organism. Probably its amount of pleasure&mdash;its
+capability of enjoyment&mdash;is in a direct proportion to the pain which
+it endures; and it is highly probable that this double line of ratios
+runs in an ascending scale throughout the vegetable kingdom, gradually
+joining on to what is more strictly termed the &ldquo;animal.&rdquo; But
+these mysteries of life, my young friend, will be interesting studies
+for you when your mind becomes matured.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps it may be your fortune to unravel some of them, for the
+benefit of your fellow-men. I feel satisfied that you will not only be
+a student of Nature, but one of her great teachers; you will far surpass
+the author of this little book in your knowledge of Nature's
+laws; but it will always be a happiness to him to reflect, that, when
+far advanced upon the highway of science, you will look back to him
+as one you had passed upon the road, and who <i>pointed you to the
+path</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Though Basil had shot the wolf, it was plain that it was not the
+first nor yet the second time he had discharged his rifle since leaving
+the camp. From his game-bag protruded the curving claws and
+wing-tips of a great bird. In one hand he carried a white hare&mdash;not
+the Polar hare&mdash;but a much smaller kind, also an inhabitant of these
+snowy regions; and over his shoulders was slung a fierce-looking
+creature, the great wild-cat or lynx of America. The bird in his bag
+was the golden eagle, one of the few feathered creatures that brave
+the fierce winter of a northern climate, and does not migrate, like its
+congeners, the &ldquo;white-head&rdquo; and the osprey, to more southern
+regions.</p>
+
+<p>Basil had returned alone&mdash;for the three, Basil, Norman, and Fran&ccedil;ois,
+had taken different directions at setting out. This they had
+done, in order to have as great a number of chances as possible of
+finding the game. Norman came in a few minutes after, bearing a
+whole deer upon his shoulders&mdash;a glad sight that was&mdash;and, a short
+interval having passed, Fran&ccedil;ois's &ldquo;hurrah&rdquo; sounded upon their ears,
+and Fran&ccedil;ois himself was seen coming up the valley loaded like a
+little donkey with two bunches of large snow-white birds.</p>
+
+<p>The camp now exhibited a cheering sight. Such a variety was
+never seen even in the larder of a palace kitchen. The ground was
+strewed with animals like a dead menagerie. There were no less
+than a dozen kinds upon it!</p>
+
+<p>The hare-soup was now quite ready, and was accordingly served<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span>
+up by Lucien in the best style. Lucien had dried a fresh &ldquo;grist&rdquo; of
+the tea leaves, and a cheering cup followed; and then the party all
+sat around their log-fire, while each of them detailed the history of
+his experience since parting with the others.</p>
+
+<p>Fran&ccedil;ois was the first to relate what had befallen him.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;M</span>ine,&rdquo; began Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;was a bird adventure, as you all see&mdash;though
+what kind of birds I've shot, <i>I</i> can't tell. One of them's a
+hawk, I'm sure; but it's a <i>white</i> hawk, and that I never saw before.
+The rest, I suppose, are <i>white</i> partridges. Everything appears to be
+white here. What are they, Luce?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You are right about this first,&rdquo; answered Lucien, taking up one of
+the birds which Fran&ccedil;ois had brought back with him, and which was
+white all but a few spots of clove-brown upon its back. &ldquo;This is a
+hawk, as you may tell, by its appearance, or rather I should say a
+'falcon,' for you must know there is a difference.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What difference?&rdquo; demanded Fran&ccedil;ois, with some eagerness of
+manner.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why the principal difference is the formation of their beaks or
+bills. The bills of the true falcons are stronger, and have a notch in
+the lower mandible answering to a tooth in the upper one. Their
+nostrils, too, are differently formed. But another point of distinction
+is found in their habits. Both feed on warm-blooded animals, and
+neither will eat carrion. In this respect the hawks and falcons are
+alike. Both take their prey upon the wing; but herein lies the
+difference. The hawks capture it by skimming along horizontally or
+obliquely, and picking it up as they pass; whereas the true falcons
+'pounce' down upon it from above, and in a line nearly vertical.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Then this must be a true falcon,&rdquo; interrupted Fran&ccedil;ois, &ldquo;for I
+saw the gentleman do that very thing; and beautifully he did it, too.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It is a falcon,&rdquo; continued Lucien; &ldquo;and of the many species of
+hawks which inhabit North America&mdash;over twenty in all&mdash;it is one
+of the boldest and handsomest. I don't wonder you never saw it
+before; for it is truly a bird of the Northern regions, and does not
+come so far south as the territory of the United States, much less
+into Louisiana. It is found in North Europe, Greenland, and Iceland,
+and has been seen as far north on both continents as human beings
+have travelled. It is known by the name of 'jerfalcon,' or 'gyrfalcon,'
+but its zoological name is <i>Falco Islandicus</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The Indians here,&rdquo; interposed Norman, &ldquo;call it by a name that
+means 'winter bird,' or 'winterer'&mdash;I suppose, because it is one of the
+few that stay in these parts all the year round, and is therefore often
+noticed by them in winter time. The traders sometimes call it the
+'speckled partridge-hawk,' for there are some of them more spotted
+than this one is.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;True,&rdquo; said Lucien; &ldquo;the young ones are nearly of a brown colour,
+and they first become spotted or mottled after a year or two. They
+are several years old before they get the white plumage, and very few
+individuals are seen of a pure white all over, though there are some
+without a spot.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; continued the naturalist, &ldquo;it is the jerfalcon; and those
+other birds which you call 'white partridges,' are the very creatures
+upon which it preys. So you have killed both the tyrant and his
+victims. They are not partridges though, but grouse&mdash;that species
+known as 'willow grouse.'&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And as Lucien said this, he began to handle the birds, which were
+of a beautiful white all over, with the exception of the tail feathers.
+These last were pitch-black.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ho!&rdquo; exclaimed Lucien, in some surprise, &ldquo;you have two kinds
+here! Were they all together when you shot them?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; answered Fran&ccedil;ois; &ldquo;one I shot along with the hawk out
+in the open ground. All the others I killed upon a tree in a piece of
+woods that I fell in with. There's no difference between them that I
+can see.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But I can,&rdquo; said Lucien, &ldquo;although I acknowledge they all look
+very much alike. Both are feathered to the toes&mdash;both have the
+black feathers in the tail&mdash;and the bills of both are black; but if you
+observe closely, this kind&mdash;the willow-grouse&mdash;has the bill much
+stronger and less flattened. Besides, it is a larger bird than the
+other, which is 'the rock-grouse.' Both are sometimes, though
+erroneously, called 'ptarmigan;' but they are not the true ptarmigan&mdash;such
+as exist in North Europe&mdash;though these last are also to be met
+with in the Northern parts of America. The ptarmigan are somewhat
+larger than either of these kinds, but in other respects differ
+but little from them.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The habits of the 'rock' and 'willow' grouse are very similar.
+They are both birds of the snowy region, and are found as far north
+as has been explored. The willow-grouse in winter keep more among
+the trees, and are oftener met with in wooded countries; whereas the
+others like best to live in the open ground, and, from your statement,
+it appears you found each kind in its favourite haunt.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Just so,&rdquo; said Fran&ccedil;ois. &ldquo;After leaving here, I kept down the
+valley, and was just crossing an open piece of high ground, when I
+espied the white hawk, or falcon as you call it, hovering in the air as
+I'd often seen hawks do. Well, I stopped and hid behind a rock,
+thinking I might have a chance to put a few drops into him. All at
+once he appeared to stand still in the air, and, then closing his wings,
+shot down like an arrow. Just then I heard a loud '<i>whur-r-r</i>,' and
+up started a whole covey of white partridges&mdash;grouse, I should say&mdash;the
+same as this you call the 'rock-grouse.' I saw that the hawk had
+missed the whole of them, and I marked them as they flew off.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They pitched about a hundred yards or so, and then went plunge
+under the snow&mdash;every one of them making a hole for itself just like
+where one had poked their foot in! I guess, boys, this looked funny
+enough. I thought I would be sure to get a shot at some of these
+grouse as they came out again; so I walked straight up to the holes
+they had made, and stood waiting. I still saw the hawk hovering in
+the air, about an hundred yards ahead of me.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I was considering whether I ought to go farther on, and tramp the
+birds out of the snow; for I believed, of course, they were still under
+the place where the holes were. All at once I noticed a movement on
+the crust of the snow right under where the hawk was flying, and
+then that individual shot down to the spot, and disappeared under
+the snow! At the same instant, the crust broke in several places, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span>
+up came the grouse one after another, and whirred off out of sight,
+without giving me any sort of a chance. The hawk, however, had
+not come up yet; and I ran forward, determined to take him as soon
+as he should make his appearance. When I had got within shooting
+distance, up he fluttered to the surface, and&mdash;what do you think?&mdash;he
+had one of the grouse struggling in his claws! I let him have the
+right barrel, and both he and grousy were knocked dead as a couple
+of door-nails!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I thought I might fall in with the others again; and kept on in the
+direction they had taken, which brought me at last to a piece of woodland
+consisting of birches and willow-trees. As I was walking along
+the edge of this, I noticed one of the willows, at some distance off,
+covered with great white things, that at first I took for flakes of snow;
+but then I thought it curious that none of the other trees had the
+same upon them. As I came a little nearer, I noticed one of the
+things moving, and then I saw they were birds, and very like the
+same I had just seen, and was then in search of. So I crept in among
+the trees; and, after some dodging, got within beautiful shooting
+distance, and gave them both barrels. There, you see the result!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Here Fran&ccedil;ois triumphantly pointed to the pile of birds, which in
+all, with the jerfalcon, counted four brace and a half.</p>
+
+<p>One was the rock-grouse, which the falcon had itself killed, and the
+others were willow-grouse, as Lucien had stated. Fran&ccedil;ois now remained
+silent, while Basil related his day's adventure.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;F</span>rank,&rdquo; began he, &ldquo;has called his 'a bird adventure.' I might
+give mine somewhat of the same title, for there was a bird mixed up
+with it&mdash;the noblest of all birds&mdash;the eagle. But you shall hear it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;On leaving the camp, I went, as you all know, up the valley.
+After travelling for a quarter of a mile or so, I came upon a wide
+open bottom, where there were some scattered willows and clumps of
+dwarf birch-trees. As Luce had told me that such are the favourite
+food of the American hare, or, as we call it in Louisiana, 'rabbit,'
+I looked out for the sign of one, and, sure enough, I soon came upon
+a track, which I knew to be that of 'puss.' It was fresh enough, and
+I followed it. It kept me meandering about for a long while, till
+at last I saw that it took a straight course for some thick brushwood,
+with two or three low birches growing out of it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As I made sure of finding the game there, I crept forward very
+quietly, holding Marengo in the leash. But the hare was not in the
+brush; and, after tramping all through it, I again noticed the
+track where she had gone out on the opposite side. I was about
+starting forth to follow it, when all at once an odd-looking creature
+made its appearance right before me. It was that fellow there!&rdquo;
+And Basil pointed to the lynx. &ldquo;I thought at first sight,&rdquo; continued
+he, &ldquo;it was our Louisiana wild cat or bay lynx, as Luce calls it, for
+it is very like our cat; but I saw it was nearly twice as big, and
+more greyish in the fur. Well, when I first sighted the creature,
+it was about an hundred yards off.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It hadn't seen me, though, for it was not running away, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span>
+skulking along slowly&mdash;nearly crosswise to the course of the hare's
+track&mdash;and looking in a different direction to that in which I was.
+I was well screened behind the bushes, and that, no doubt, prevented
+it from noticing me. At first I thought of running forward, and
+setting Marengo after it. Then I determined on staying where
+I was, and watching it a while. Perhaps it may come to a stop,
+reflected I, and let me creep within shot. I remained, therefore,
+crouching among the bushes, and kept the dog at my feet.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As I continued to watch the cat, I saw that, instead of following
+a straight line, it was moving in a circle!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The diameter of this circle was not over an hundred yards; and in
+a very short while the animal had got once round the circumference,
+and came back to where I had first seen it. It did not stop there,
+but continued on, though not in its old tracks. It still walked in
+a circle, but a much smaller one than before. Both, however, had
+a common centre; and, as I noticed that the animal kept its eyes
+constantly turned towards the centre, I felt satisfied that in that
+place would be found the cause of its strange man&#339;uvring. I looked
+to the centre. At first I could see nothing&mdash;at least nothing that
+might be supposed to attract the cat. There was a very small bush
+of willows, but they were thin. I could see distinctly through them,
+and there was no creature there, either in the bush or around it.
+The snow lay white up to the roots of the willows, and I thought
+that a mouse could hardly have found shelter among them, without
+my seeing it from where I stood.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Still I could not explain the odd actions of the lynx, upon any
+other principle than that it was in the pursuit of game; and I looked
+again, and carefully examined every inch of the ground as my eyes
+passed over it. This time I discovered what the animal was after.
+Close into the willows appeared two little parallel streaks of a dark
+colour, just rising above the surface of the snow. I should not have
+noticed them had there not been two of them, and these slanting in
+the same direction. They had caught my eyes before, but I had
+taken them for the points of broken willows. I now saw that they
+were the ears of some animal, and I thought that once or twice they
+moved slightly while I was regarding them.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;After looking at them steadily for a time, I made out the shape of
+a little head underneath. It was white, but there was a round dark
+spot in the middle, which I knew to be an eye. There was no body
+to be seen. That was under the snow, but it was plain enough that
+what I saw was the head of a hare. At first I supposed it to be
+a Polar hare&mdash;such as we had just killed&mdash;but the tracks I had
+followed were not those of the Polar hare. Then I remembered that
+the 'rabbit' of the United States also turns white in the winter of
+the Northern regions. This, then, must be the American rabbit,
+thought I.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Of course my reflections did not occupy all the time I have taken
+in describing them. Only a moment or so. All the while the lynx
+was moving round and round the circle, but still getting nearer to
+the hare that appeared eagerly to watch it. I remembered how
+Norman had man&#339;uvred to get within shot of the Polar hare;
+and I now saw the very same <i>ruse</i> being practised by a dumb
+creature, that is supposed to have no other guide than instinct. But
+I had seen the 'bay lynx' of Louisiana do some 'dodges' as cunning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span>
+as that,&mdash;such as claying his feet to make the hounds lose the scent,
+and, after running backwards and forwards upon a fallen log, leap
+into the tops of trees, and get off in that way.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Believing that his Northern cousin was just as artful as himself&rdquo;
+(here Basil looked significantly at the &ldquo;Captain,&rdquo;) &ldquo;I did not so
+much wonder at the performance I now witnessed. Nevertheless,
+I felt a great curiosity to see it out. But for this curiosity I could
+have shot the lynx every time he passed me on the nearer edge of
+the circle. Round and round he went, then, until he was not twenty
+feet from the hare, that, strange to say, seemed to regard this the
+worst of her enemies more with wonder than fear. The lynx at
+length stopped suddenly, brought his four feet close together, arched
+his back like an angry cat, and then with one immense bound,
+sprang forward upon his victim.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The hare had only time to leap out of her form, and the second
+spring of the lynx brought him right upon the top of her. I could
+hear the child-like scream which the American rabbit always utters
+when thus seized; but the cloud of snow-spray raised above the
+spot prevented me for a while from seeing either lynx or hare. The
+scream was stifled in a moment, and when the snow-spray cleared
+off, I saw that the lynx held the hare under his paws, and that
+'puss' was quite dead.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I was considering how I might best steal up within shooting
+distance, when, all at once, I heard another scream of a very different
+sort. At the same time a dark shadow passed over the snow. I
+looked up, and there, within fifty yards of the ground, a great big
+bird was wheeling about. I knew it to be an eagle from its shape;
+and at first I fancied it was a young one of the white-headed kind&mdash;for,
+as you are aware, these do not have either the white head or
+tail until they are several years old. Its immense size, however,
+showed that it could not be one of these. It must be the great
+<i>'golden' eagle</i> of the Rocky Mountains, thought I.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;When I first noticed it, I fancied that it had been after the rabbit;
+and, seeing the latter pounced upon by another preying creature,
+had uttered its scream at being thus disappointed of its prey. I
+expected, therefore, to see it fly off. To my astonishment it broke
+suddenly out of the circles in which it had been so gracefully wheeling,
+and, with another scream wilder than before, darted down
+towards the lynx!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The latter, on hearing the first cry of the eagle, had started, dropped
+his prey, and looked up. In the eagle he evidently recognised an
+antagonist, for his back suddenly became arched, his fur bristled up,
+his short tail moved quickly from side to side, and he stood with
+glaring eyes, and claws ready to receive the attack.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As the eagle came down, its legs and claws were thrown forward,
+and I could then tell it was not a bald eagle, nor the great &ldquo;Washington
+eagle,&rdquo; nor yet a fishing eagle of any sort, which both of these are.
+The fishing eagles, as Lucien had told me, <i>have always naked legs</i>,
+while those of the true eagles are more feathered. So were his, but
+beyond the feathers I could see his great curved talons, as he struck
+forward at the lynx. He evidently touched and wounded the animal,
+but the wound only served to make it more angry: and I could hear
+it purring and spitting like a tom-cat, only far louder.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The eagle again mounted back into the air, but soon wheeled round<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span>
+and shot down a second time. This time the lynx sprang forward to
+meet it, and I could hear the concussion of their bodies as they came
+together. I think the eagle must have been crippled, so that it could
+not fly up again, for the fight from that time was carried on upon the
+ground. The lynx seemed anxious to grasp some part of his antagonist's
+body&mdash;and at times I thought he had succeeded&mdash;but then
+he was beaten off again by the bird, that fought furiously with wings,
+beak, and talons.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 348px;">
+<img src="images/illus-150.jpg" width="348" height="500" alt="THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE." title="THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE" />
+<span class="caption">THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.</span></div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span>&ldquo;The lynx now appeared to be the attacking party, as I saw him repeatedly
+spring forward at the eagle, while the latter always received
+him upon its claws, lying with its back upon the snow. Both fur and
+feathers flew in every direction, and sometimes the combatants were
+so covered with the snow-spray that I could see neither of them.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I watched the conflict for several minutes, until it occurred to me,
+that my best time to get near enough for a shot was just while they
+were in the thick of it, and not likely to heed me. I therefore moved
+silently out of the bushes; and, keeping Marengo in the string, crept
+forward. I had but the one bullet to give them, and with that I could
+not shoot both; but I knew that the quadruped was eatable, and, as
+I was not sure about the bird, I very easily made choice, and shot the
+lynx. To my surprise the eagle did not fly off, and I now saw that
+one of its wings was disabled! He was still strong enough, however,
+to scratch Marengo severely before the latter could master him. As
+to the lynx, he had been roughly handled. His skin was torn in
+several places, and one of his eyes, as you see, regularly 'gouged out.'&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Here Basil ended his narration; and after an interval, during which
+some fresh wood was chopped and thrown upon the fire, Norman, in
+turn, commenced relating what had befallen him.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE &ldquo;ALARM BIRD&rdquo; AND THE CARIBOU.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;T</span>here wasn't much 'adventure' in my day's sport,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;though
+I might call it a 'bird-adventure' too, for if it hadn't been for a bird
+I shouldn't have had it. I shot a deer&mdash;that's all. But maybe it
+would be curious for you to know how I came to find the animal, so
+I'll tell you.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The first thing I did after leaving here was to climb the hill
+yonder&rdquo;&mdash;here Norman pointed to a long hill that sloped up from
+the opposite shore of the lake, and which was the direction he had
+taken, as Basil and Fran&ccedil;ois had gone right and left.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I saw neither bird, beast, nor track, until I had reached the top of
+the hill. There I got a good view of the country ahead. I saw it
+was very rocky, without a stick of timber, and did not look very
+promising for game. 'It's no use going that way,' I says to myself;
+&ldquo;I'll keep along the ridge, above where Frank's gone. He may drive
+some varmint out of the hollow, and I'll get a crack at it, as it comes
+over the hill.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I was about to turn to the left when I heard the skreek of a bird
+away ahead of me. I looked in that direction; and, sure enough,
+saw one wheeling about in the air, right above the rocky jumble with
+which the country was covered.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now it's a mighty curious bird that I saw. It's a sort of an owl,
+but, I should say myself, there's a sprinkling of the hawk in it&mdash;for
+it's as much like the one as the other.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No doubt,&rdquo; interrupted Lucien, &ldquo;it was one of the day owls of
+these Northern regions, some of which approach very near to the
+hawks, both in shape and habits. This peculiarity arises from the
+fact of the long summer day&mdash;of weeks in duration&mdash;within the Arctic
+circle, requiring them to hunt for their prey, just as hawks do; and
+therefore Nature has gifted them with certain peculiarities that make<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span>
+them resemble these birds. They want the very broad faces and large
+tufted heads of the true owls; besides the ears, which in the latter
+are remarkable for their size, and also for being operculated, or with
+lids, in the former are not much larger than in other birds of prey.
+The small hawk-owl which is altogether a Northern bird, is one of
+this kind.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Very well,&rdquo; continued Norman, &ldquo;what you say may be very true,
+cousin Luce; I only know that the bird I am speaking about is a
+mighty curious little creature. It ain't bigger than a pigeon, and is
+of a mottled brown colour; but what I call it curious for is this:&mdash;Whenever
+it sees any creature passing from place to place, it mounts
+up into the air, and hovers above them, keeping up a constant
+screeching, like the squalling of a child&mdash;and that's anything but
+agreeable. It does so, not only in the neighbourhood of its nest&mdash;like
+the plover and some other birds&mdash;but it will sometimes follow a
+travelling party for hours together, and for miles across the country.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>From this circumstance the Indians of these parts call it the &ldquo;alarm
+bird,&rdquo; or &ldquo;bird of warning,&rdquo; because it often makes them aware of
+the approach either of their enemies or of strangers. Sometimes it
+alarms and startles the game, while the hunter is crawling up to it;
+and I have known it to bother myself for a while of a day, when I
+was after grouse. It's a great favourite with the Indians though&mdash;as
+it often guides them to deer, or musk-oxen, by its flying and screaming
+above where these animals are feeding.</p>
+
+<p>Just in the same way it guided me. I knew, from the movements
+of the bird, that there must be something among the rocks. I
+couldn't tell what, but I hoped it would turn out to be some creature
+that was eatable; so I changed my intention, and struck out for the
+place where it was.</p>
+
+<p>It was a good half mile from the hill, and it cost me considerable
+clambering over the rocks, before I reached the ground. I thought
+to get near enough to see what it was, without drawing the bird upon
+myself, and I crouched from hummock to hummock; but the sharp-eyed
+creature caught sight of me, and came screeching over my head.
+I kept on without noticing it; but as I was obliged to go round some
+large rocks, I lost the direction, and soon found myself wandering
+back into my own trail.</p>
+
+<p>I could do nothing, therefore, until the bird should leave me, and
+fly back to whatever had first set it a-going. In order that it might
+do so, I crept in under a big stone that jutted out, and lay quiet a
+bit, watching it. It soon flew off, and commenced wheeling about in
+the air, not more than three hundred yards from where I lay. This
+time I took good bearings, and then went on. I did not care for the
+bird to guide me any longer, for I observed there was an open spot
+ahead, and I was sure that there I could see something. And sure
+enough I did. On peeping round the end of a rock, I spied a herd of
+about fifty deer.</p>
+
+<p>They were reindeer, of course, as there are no others upon the
+'Barren Grounds,' and I saw they were all does&mdash;for at this season
+the bucks keep altogether in the woods. Some of them were pawing
+the snow to get at the moss, while others were standing by the rocks,
+and tearing off the lichens with their teeth. It so happened that I
+had the wind of them, else they would have scented me and made off,
+for I was within a hundred yards of the nearest. I was not afraid of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span>
+their taking fright, so long as they could only see part of my body&mdash;for
+these deer are so stupid, or rather so curious, that almost anything
+will draw them within shot.</p>
+
+<p>Knowing this, I practised a trick that had often helped me before;
+and that was to move the barrel of my gun, up and down, with the
+same sort of motion as the deer make with their horns, when rubbing
+their necks against a rock or tree. If I'd had a set of antlers, it
+would have been all the better; but the other answered well enough.
+It happened the animals were not very wild, as, likely, they hadn't
+been hunted for a good while. I bellowed at the same time,&mdash;for I
+know how to imitate their call&mdash;and, in less than a minute's time, I
+got several of them within range. Then I took aim, and knocked one
+over, and the rest ran off. &ldquo;That,&rdquo; said Norman, &ldquo;ended <i>my</i> adventure&mdash;unless
+you call the carrying a good hundred pounds weight of
+deer-meat all the way back to camp part of it. If so, I can assure
+you that it was by far the most unpleasant part.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Here Norman finished his narration, and a conversation was carried
+on upon the subject of reindeer, or, as these animals are termed, in
+America, &ldquo;caribou.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Lucien said that the reindeer is found in the Northern regions of
+Europe and Asia as well as in America, but that there were several
+varieties of them, and perhaps there were different species. Those
+of Lapland are most celebrated, because they not only draw sledges,
+but also furnish food, clothing, and many other commodities for their
+owners. In the north of Asia, the Tungusians have a much larger
+sort, which they ride upon; and the Koreki, who dwell upon the
+borders of Kamschatka, possess vast herds of reindeer&mdash;some rich
+individuals owing as many as ten or twenty thousand!</p>
+
+<p>It is not certain that the reindeer of America is exactly the same
+as either of the kinds mentioned; and indeed in America itself there
+are two very distinct kinds&mdash;perhaps a third. Two kinds are well
+known, that differ from each other in size, and also in habits. One
+is the &ldquo;Barren Ground caribou,&rdquo; and the other, the &ldquo;Woodland
+caribou.&rdquo; The former is one of the smallest of the deer kind&mdash;the
+bucks weighing little over one hundred pounds. As its name implies,
+it frequents the Barren Grounds, although in winter it also seeks the
+shelter of wooded tracts. Upon the Barren Grounds, and the desolate
+shores and islands of the Arctic Sea, it is the only kind of deer found,
+except at one or two points, as the mouth of the Mackenzie River&mdash;which
+happens to be a wooded country, and there the moose also is
+met with.</p>
+
+<p>Nature seems to have gifted the Barren Ground caribou with such
+tastes and habits, that a fertile country and a genial clime would not
+be a pleasant home for it. It seems adapted to the bleak, sterile
+countries in which it dwells, and where its favourite food&mdash;the
+mosses and lichens&mdash;is found. In the short summer of the Arctic
+regions, it ranges still farther north; and its traces have been found
+wherever the Northern navigators have gone. It must remain among
+the icy islands of the Arctic Sea until winter be considerably advanced,
+or until the sea is so frozen as to allow it to get back to the shores of
+the continent.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;Woodland caribou&rdquo; is a larger variety&mdash;a Woodland doe
+being about as big as a Barren Ground buck&mdash;although the horns of
+the latter species are larger and more branching than those of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span>
+former. The Woodland kind are found around the shores of Hudson's
+Bay, and in other wooded tracts that lie in the southern parts of the
+fur countries&mdash;into which the Barren Ground caribou never penetrates.
+They also migrate annually, but, strange to say, their spring migrations
+are southward, while, at the same season, their cousins of the
+Barren Grounds are making their way northward to the shores of the
+Arctic Sea. This is a very singular difference in their habits, and
+along with their difference in bulk, form, &amp;c., entitles them to be
+ranked as separate species of deer.</p>
+
+<p>The flesh of the Woodland caribou is not esteemed so good an
+article of food as that of the other; and, as it inhabits a district
+where many large animals are found, it is not considered of so much
+importance in the economy of human life. The &ldquo;Barren Ground
+caribou,&rdquo; on the other hand, is an indispensable animal to various
+tribes of Indians, as well as to the Esquimaux. Without it, these
+people would be unable to dwell where they do; and although they
+have not domesticated it, and trained it to draught, like the Laplanders,
+it forms their main source of subsistence, and there is no part
+of its body which they do not turn to some useful purpose.</p>
+
+<p>Of its horns they form their fish-spears and hooks, and, previous to
+the introduction of iron by the Europeans, their ice-chisels and various
+other utensils. Their scraping or currying knives are made from the
+split shin-bones. The skins make their clothing, tent-covers, beds,
+and blankets. The raw hide, cleared of the hair and cut into thongs,
+serves for snares, bow-strings, net-lines, and every other sort of ropes.
+The finer thongs make netting for snow-shoes&mdash;an indispensable
+article to these people&mdash;and of these thongs fish-nets are also woven;
+while the tendons of the muscles, when split, serve for fine sewing-thread.
+Besides these uses, the flesh of the caribou is the food of
+many tribes, Indians and Esquimaux, for most of the year; and,
+indeed, it may be looked upon as their staple article of subsistence.</p>
+
+<p>There is hardly any part of it (even the horns, when soft) that is
+not eaten and relished by them. Were it not for the immense herds
+of these creatures that roam over the country, they would soon be
+exterminated&mdash;for they are easily approached, and the Indians have
+very little difficulty, during the summer season, in killing as many as
+they please.</p>
+
+<p>Norman next gave a description of the various modes of hunting
+the caribou practised by the Indians and Esquimaux; such as driving
+them into a pound, snaring them, decoying and shooting them with
+arrows, and also a singular way which the Esquimaux have of taking
+them in a pit-trap built in the snow.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The sides of the trap,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;are built of slabs of snow, cut as
+if to make a snow-house. An inclined plane of snow leads to the
+entrance of the pit, which is about five feet deep, and large enough
+within to hold several deer. The exterior of the trap is banked up
+on all sides with snow; but so steep are these sides left, that the deer
+can only get up by the inclined plane which leads to the entrance.
+A great slab of snow is then placed over the mouth of the pit, and
+revolves on two axles of wood. This slab will carry the deer until it
+has passed the line of the axles, when its weight overbalances one
+side, and the animal is precipitated into the pit. The slab then
+comes back into a horizontal position as before, and is ready to
+receive another deer. The animals are attracted by moss and lichens<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span>
+placed for them on the opposite side of the trap&mdash;in such a way that
+they cannot be reached without crossing the slab. In this sort of
+trap several deer are frequently caught during a single day.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Norman knew another mode of hunting practised by the Esquimaux,
+and proposed that the party should proceed in search of the herd
+upon the following day; when, should they succeed in finding the
+deer, he would show them how the thing was done; and he had no
+doubt of their being able to make a good hunt of it. All agreed
+to this proposal, as it would be of great importance to them to kill a
+large number of these animals. It is true they had now provision
+enough to serve for several days&mdash;but there were perhaps months, not
+days, to be provided for. They believed that they could not be far
+from the wooded countries near the banks of the Mackenzie, as some
+kinds of the animal they had met with were only to be found near
+timber during the winter season. But what of that? Even on the
+banks of the great river itself they might not succeed in procuring
+game. They resolved, therefore, to track the herd of deer which
+Norman had seen; and for this purpose they agreed to make a stay
+of some days at their present camp.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A BATTLE WITH WOLVES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ext morning they were up by early daybreak. The days were
+now only a few hours in length, for it was mid-winter, and they were
+but three or four degrees south of the Arctic circle. Of course they
+would require all the day for the intended hunt of the caribou, as
+they might have to follow the track of the herd for many miles
+before coming up with the animals. Lucien was to remain by the
+camp, as it would never do to leave the animals they had already
+killed without some guard. To have hung them on the trees, would
+have put them out of the reach of both wolves and foxes; but the
+lynx and wolverene are both tree-climbers, and could easily have
+got at them there.</p>
+
+<p>They had reason to believe there were wolverenes about; for these
+fierce and destructive beasts are found in every part of the fur
+countries&mdash;wherever there exist other animals upon which they can
+prey. Eagles, hawks, and owls, moreover, would have picked the
+partridges from the branches of the trees without difficulty. One
+proposed burying them in the snow; but Norman assured them that
+the Arctic foxes could scent them out, and dig them up in a few
+minutes. Then it was suggested to cover them under a pile of
+stones, as there were plenty of these lying about.</p>
+
+<p>To this Norman also objected, saying that the wolverene could
+pull off any stones they were able to pile upon them&mdash;as this creature
+in its fore-legs possesses more than the strength of a man. Besides,
+it was not unlikely that one of the great brown bears,&mdash;a species
+entirely different from either the black or grizzly bears, and which
+is only met with on the Barren Grounds&mdash;might come ranging that
+way; and he could soon toss over any stone-heap they might build.
+On the whole it was better that one of the four should remain by the
+camp; and Lucien, who cared less about hunting than any of them,
+willingly agreed to be the one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Their arrangements were soon completed, and the three hunters
+set out. They did not go straight towards the place where Norman
+had found the deer upon the preceding day, but took a cross-cut
+over the hills. This was by Norman's advice, who guided himself by
+the wind&mdash;which had not changed since the previous day. He knew
+that the caribou in feeding always travel <i>against</i> the wind; and he
+expected therefore to find them somewhere in the direction from
+which it was blowing. Following a course, which angled with that
+of the wind, they kept on, expecting soon to strike the trail of the
+herd.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Lucien, left to himself, was not idle. He had to prepare
+the flesh of the different animals, so as to render it fit to be carried
+along. Nothing was required farther than to skin and cut them up.
+Neither salting nor drying was necessary, for the flesh of one and all
+had got frozen as stiff as a stone, and in this way it would keep
+during the whole winter. The wolf was skinned with the others,
+but this was because his fine skin was wanted. His flesh was not
+intended to be eaten&mdash;although only a day or two before any one of
+the party would have been glad of such a meal.</p>
+
+<p>Not only the Indians, but the voyageurs and fur-traders, while
+journeying through these inhospitable wilds, are often but too delighted
+to get a dinner of wolf-meat. The ermine and the little
+mouse were the only other creatures of the collection that were
+deemed uneatable. As to the Arctic fox and the lynx, the flesh of
+both these creatures is highly esteemed, and is white and tender,
+almost as much so as the hares upon which they feed. The snowy
+owl too, the jerfalcon, and the eagle, were looked upon as part of the
+larder&mdash;the flesh of all being almost as good as that of the grouse.</p>
+
+<p>Had it been a fishing eagle&mdash;such as the bald-head&mdash;the case would
+have been different, for these last, on account of their peculiar food,
+taste rank and disagreeable. But there was no danger of their
+falling in with a fishing eagle at that place. These can only exist
+where there is <i>open</i> water. Hence the cause of their annual migrations
+to the southward, when the lakes and rivers of the fur countries
+become covered with their winter ice.</p>
+
+<p>Though Lucien remained quietly at the camp he was not without
+adventures to keep him from wearying. While he was singeing his
+grouse his eye happened to fall upon the shadow of a bird passing
+over the snow. On looking up he saw a very large bird, nearly as
+big as an eagle, flying softly about in wide circles. It was of a
+mottled-brown colour; but its short neck and great round head told
+the naturalist at a glance that it was a bird of the owl genus. It was
+the largest of the kind that Lucien had ever seen, and was, in fact,
+the largest known in America&mdash;the &ldquo;great cinereous owl.&rdquo; Now and
+then it would alight upon a rock or tree, at the distance of an hundred
+yards or so from the camp; where it would watch the operations
+of Lucien, evidently inclined to help him in dissecting some of the
+animals. Whenever he took up his gun and tried to approach
+within shot, it would rise into the air again, always keeping out of
+range. Lucien was provoked at this&mdash;for he wished, as a naturalist,
+to examine the bird, and for this purpose to kill it, of course; but
+the owl seemed determined that he should do no such thing.</p>
+
+<p>At length, however, Lucien resolved upon a plan to decoy the
+creature within shot. Taking up one of the grouse, he flung it out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span>
+upon the snow some thirty yards from the fire. No sooner had he
+done so, than the owl, at sight of the tempting morsel, left aside both
+its shyness and prudence, and sailed gently forward; then, hovering
+for a moment over the ground, hooked the grouse upon its claws, and
+was about to carry it off, when a bullet from Lucien's rifle, just in
+the &ldquo;nick of time,&rdquo; put a stop to its further flight, and dropped the
+creature dead upon the snow.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien picked it up and brought it to the camp, where he passed
+some time in making notes upon its size, colour, and other peculiarities.
+The owl measured exactly two feet in length from the point
+of the bill to the end of the tail; and its &ldquo;alar spread,&rdquo; as naturalists
+term it, was full five feet in extent. It was of a clove-brown colour,
+beautifully mottled with white, and its bill and eyes were of a bright
+gamboge yellow. Like all of its tribe that winter in the Arctic
+wilds, it was feathered to the toes. Lucien reflected that this species
+lives more in the woods than the &ldquo;great snowy owl,&rdquo; and, as he had
+heard, is never found far out on the Barren Grounds during winter.
+This fact, therefore, was a pleasant one to reflect upon, for it confirmed
+the testimony which the travellers had already obtained from
+several of the other creatures they had killed&mdash;that is to say, that
+they must be in the neighbourhood of some timbered country.</p>
+
+<p>Lucien had hardly finished his examination of the owl when he was
+called upon to witness another incident of a still more exciting
+nature. A hill, as already mentioned, or rather a ridge, rose up from
+the opposite shore of the lake by which the camp was pitched. The
+declivity of this hill fronted the lake, and sloped gradually back from
+the edge of the water. Its whole face was smooth and treeless,
+covered with a layer of pure snow. The camp commanded a full
+view of it up to its very crest.</p>
+
+<p>As Lucien was sitting quietly by the fire a singular sound, or
+rather continuation of sounds, fell upon his ear. It somewhat
+resembled the baying of hounds at a distance; and at first he was
+inclined to believe that it was Marengo on a view-hunt after the
+deer. On listening more attentively, however, he observed that the
+sounds came from more than one animal; and also, that they bore
+more resemblance to the howling of wolves than the deep-toned bay
+of a bloodhound. This, in fact, it was; for the next moment a
+caribou shot up over the crest of the hill, and was seen stretching at
+full gallop down the smooth declivity in the direction of the lake.
+Not twenty paces in its rear followed a string of howling animals,
+evidently in pursuit of it. There were a dozen of them in all, and
+they were running exactly like hounds upon the &ldquo;view holloa.&rdquo;
+Lucien saw at a glance they were wolves. Most of them were
+dappled-grey and white, while some were of a pure white colour.
+Any one of them was nearly as large as the caribou itself; for in these
+parts&mdash;around Great Slave Lake&mdash;the wolf grows to his largest size.</p>
+
+<p>The caribou gained upon them as it bounded down the slope of the
+hill. It was evidently making for the lake, believing, no doubt, that
+the black ice upon its surface was water, and that in that element it
+would have the advantage of its pursuers, for the caribou is a splendid
+swimmer. Nearly all deer when hunted take to the water&mdash;to throw
+off the dogs, or escape from men&mdash;and to this habit the reindeer
+makes no exception.</p>
+
+<p>Down the hill swept the chase, Lucien having a full view both of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span>
+pursuers and pursued. The deer ran boldly. It seemed to have
+gathered fresh confidence at sight of the lake, while the same object
+caused its pursuers a feeling of disappointment. They knew they
+were no match for a caribou in the water, as no doubt many a one
+had escaped them in that element. It is not likely, however, that
+they made reflections of this sort. There was but little time. From
+the moment of their appearance upon the crest of the hill till the
+chase arrived at the edge of the lake, was but a few seconds. On
+reaching the shore the caribou made no stop; but bounded forward
+in the same way as if it had been springing upon water. Most likely
+it expected to hear a plunge; but, instead of that, its hoofs came
+down upon the hard ice; and, by the impulse thus given, the animal
+shot out with the velocity of a skater.</p>
+
+<p>Strange to say, it still kept its feet; but, now seemingly overcome
+by surprise, and knowing the advantage its pursuers would have
+over it upon the slippery ice, it began to plunge and flounder, and
+once or twice came to its knees. The hungry pursuers appeared to
+recognise their advantage at once, for their howling opened with a
+fresh burst, and they quickened their pace. Their sharp claws
+enabled them to gallop over the ice at top speed; and one large
+brute that led the pack soon came up with the deer, sprang upon it,
+and bit it in the flank. This brought the deer upon its haunches,
+and at once put an end to the chase. The animal was hardly down
+upon the ice, when the foremost wolves coming up precipitated
+themselves upon its body, and began to devour it.</p>
+
+<p>It was about the middle of the lake where the caribou had been
+overtaken. At the time it first reached the ice, Lucien had laid hold
+of his rifle and run forward in order to meet the animal half-way,
+and, if possible, get a shot at it. Now that the creature was killed,
+he continued on with the design of driving off the wolves, and securing
+the carcass of the deer for himself. He kept along the ice until he
+was within less than twenty yards of the pack, when, seeing that the
+fierce brutes had torn the deer to pieces, and perceiving, moreover,
+that they exhibited no fear of himself, he began to think he might
+be in danger by advancing any nearer. Perhaps a shot from his rifle
+would scatter them, and without further reflection he raised the
+piece, and fired. One of the wolves kicked over upon the ice, and
+lay quite dead; but the others, to Lucien's great surprise, instead of
+being frightened off, immediately sprang upon their dead companion,
+and commenced tearing and devouring it, just as they had done the
+deer!</p>
+
+<p>The sight filled Lucien with alarm; which was increased at seeing
+several of the wolves&mdash;that had been beaten by the others from the
+quarry&mdash;commence making demonstrations towards himself! Lucien
+now trembled for his safety, and no wonder. He was near the middle
+of the lake upon slippery ice. To attempt running back to the camp
+would be hazardous; the wolves could overtake him before he had
+got half-way, and he felt certain that any signs of fear on his part
+would be the signal for the fierce brutes to assail him.</p>
+
+<p>For some moments he was irresolute how to act. He had commenced
+loading his gun, but his fingers were numbed with the cold,
+and it was a good while before he could get the piece ready for a
+second fire. He succeeded at length. He did not fire then, but
+resolved to keep the charge for a more desperate crisis. Could he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span>
+but reach the camp there were trees near it, and one of these he
+might climb. This was his only hope, in case the wolves attacked
+him, and he knew it was. Instead of turning and running for this
+point, he began to back for it stealthily and with caution, keeping
+his front all the while towards the wolves, and his eyes fixed upon
+them.</p>
+
+<p>He had not got many yards, when he perceived to his horror, that
+the whole pack were in motion, and <i>coming after him</i>! It was a
+terrible sight, and Lucien seeing that by retreating he only drew
+them on, stopped and held his rifle in a threatening attitude. The
+wolves were now within twenty yards of him; but, instead of moving
+any longer directly towards him, they broke into two lines, swept
+past on opposite sides of him, and then circling round, met each other
+in his rear. <i>His retreat was cut off!</i></p>
+
+<p>He now stood upon the ice with the fierce wolves forming a ring
+around him, whose diameter was not the six lengths of his gun, and
+every moment growing shorter and shorter. The prospect was
+appalling. It would have caused the stoutest heart to quail, and
+Lucien's was terrified. He shouted at the top of his voice. He fired
+his rifle at the nearest. The brute fell, but the others showed no
+symptoms of fear; they only grew more furious. Lucien clubbed his
+gun&mdash;the last resort in such cases&mdash;and laid around him with all his
+might; but he was in danger of slipping upon the ice, and his efforts
+were feeble.</p>
+
+<p>Once down he never would have risen again, for his fierce assailants
+would have sprung upon him like tigers. As it was, he felt but little
+hope. He believed himself lost. The teeth of the ferocious monsters
+gleamed under his eyes. He was growing weaker and weaker, yet
+still he battled on, and swept his gun around him with the energy of
+despair.</p>
+
+<p>Such a struggle could not have continued much longer. Lucien's
+fate would have been sealed in a very few minutes more, had not
+relief arrived in some shape or other. But it did come. A loud shout
+was heard upon the hill; and Lucien, glancing suddenly towards it,
+saw several forms rushing downward to the lake! It was the hunting
+party returned, and in a moment more they were crossing the ice to
+his rescue. Lucien gaining confidence fought with fresh vigour. The
+wolves busy in their attack had either not heard or were regardless
+of the new-comers; but the &ldquo;crack, crack&rdquo; of the guns&mdash;repeated no
+less than four times&mdash;and then the nearer reports of pistols, made a
+speedy impression upon the brutes, and in a short while half their
+number were seen tumbling and kicking upon the ice. The rest,
+uttering their hideous howls, took to flight, and soon disappeared
+from the valley; and Lucien, half dead with fatigue, staggered into
+the arms of his deliverers.</p>
+
+<p>No less than seven of the wolves were killed in the affray&mdash;two of
+which Lucien had shot himself. One or two were only wounded, but
+so badly, that they could not get away; and these were handed over
+to the tender mercies of Marengo, who amused himself for some time
+after by worrying them to death.</p>
+
+<p>The hunting party had made a good day of it. They had fallen in
+with the caribou, and had killed three of them. These they were
+bringing to camp, but had dropped them upon the hill, on perceiving
+the perilous position of Lucien. They now went back, and having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span>
+carried the deer to their camping-place, were soon engaged in the
+pleasant occupation of eating a savoury dinner. Lucien soon recovered
+from his fright and fatigue, and amused his companions by
+giving an account of the adventures that had befallen him in their
+absence.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">END OF THE &ldquo;VOYAGE.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>ur party remained several days at this place, until they had made
+a fresh stock of &ldquo;pemmican&rdquo; from the flesh of the caribou, several
+more of which they succeeded in killing; and then, arranging everything
+anew, and taking with them such skins as they wanted, they
+continued their journey.</p>
+
+<p>They had two days' hard travelling through a rocky mountainous
+country, where they could not find a stick of wood to cook their meals
+with, and were exposed to cold more than at any other place. Both
+Fran&ccedil;ois and Lucien had their faces frost-bitten; but they were cured
+by Norman, who prevented them from going near a fire until he had
+well rubbed the parts with soft snow.</p>
+
+<p>The rocks through which they passed were in many places covered
+with the <i>tripe de roche</i> of several species; but our voyageurs cared
+nothing about it so long as their pemmican lasted, and of that each
+of them had nearly as much as he could carry.</p>
+
+<p>In the most dreary part of the mountains they chanced upon
+a herd of those curious animals, the musk-oxen, and shot one of
+them; but the meat tasted so rank, and smelt so strongly of musk,
+that the whole of it was left to the wolves, foxes, and other preying
+creatures of these parts.</p>
+
+<p>On the third day, after leaving their camp by the lake, a pleasant
+prospect opened before them. It was the valley of the Mackenzie,
+stretching to the west, and extending north and south as far as the
+eye could reach, covered with forests of pine and poplar, and other
+large trees. Of course the landscape was a winter one, as the river
+was bound up in ice, and the trees themselves were half-white with
+frozen snow; but after the dreary scenery of the barren grounds,
+even this appeared warm and summer-like. There was no longer
+any danger they should be without a good fire to cook their dinners,
+or warm themselves at, and a wooded country offers a better prospect
+of game.</p>
+
+<p>The sight, therefore, of a great forest was cheering; and our
+travellers, in high spirits, planted their tent upon the banks of the
+great Northern river. They had still many hundred miles to go
+before arriving at their destination; but they determined to continue
+their journey without much delay, following the river as a guide.
+No more &ldquo;near cuts&rdquo; were to be taken in future. They had learned,
+from their recent experience, that &ldquo;the shortest way across is
+sometimes the longest way round,&rdquo; and they resolved to profit by
+the lesson. I hope, boy reader, you too will remember it.</p>
+
+<p>After reaching the Mackenzie the voyageurs halted one day, and
+upon the next commenced their journey down-stream. Sometimes
+they kept upon the bank, but at times, for a change, they travelled
+upon the ice of the river. There was no danger of its giving way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span>
+under them, for it was more than a foot in thickness, and would
+have supported a loaded wagon and horses, without even cracking.</p>
+
+<p>They were now drawing near the Arctic circle, and the days grew
+shorter and shorter as they advanced. But this did not much
+interfere with their travelling. The long nights of the Polar regions
+are not like those of more Southern latitudes. They are sometimes so
+clear, that one may read the smallest print. What with the coruscations
+of the aurora borealis, and the cheerful gleaming of the Northern
+constellations, one may travel without difficulty throughout the livelong
+night. I am sure, my young friend, you have made good use of
+your globes, and need not be told that the length of both nights and
+days, as you approach the pole, depends upon two things&mdash;the
+latitude of the place, and the season of the year; and were you to
+spend a whole year <i>leaning against the pole itself, (!)</i> you would <i>live
+but one day and one night</i>&mdash;each of them six months in length.</p>
+
+<p>But no doubt you know all these things without my telling you of
+them, and you are impatient to hear not about that, but whether the
+young voyageurs safely reached the end of their journey. That
+question I answer briefly at once&mdash;they did.</p>
+
+<p>Some distance below the point where they had struck the Mackenzie,
+they fell in with a winter encampment of Dog-rib Indians.
+Some of these people had been to the Fort to trade; and Norman
+being known to them, he and his Southern cousins were received
+with much hospitality. All their wants were provided for, as far as
+it lay in the power of these poor people to do; but the most valuable
+thing obtained from the Indians was a full set of dogs and dog-sledges
+for the whole party. These were furnished by the chief,
+upon the understanding that he should be paid for them on his next
+visit to the Fort.</p>
+
+<p>Although the reindeer of North America are not trained to the
+sledge by the Esquimaux and Indians, several kinds of dogs are;
+and a single pair of these faithful creatures will draw a full-grown
+man at a rate that exceeds almost every other mode of travelling&mdash;steam
+excepted. When our voyageurs, therefore, flung away their
+snow-shoes, and, wrapped in their skin cloaks, seated themselves
+snugly in their dog sledges, the five hundred miles that separated
+them from the Fort were soon reduced to nothing; and one afternoon,
+four small sledges, each carrying a &ldquo;young voyageur,&rdquo; with a large
+bloodhound galloping in the rear, were seen driving up to the
+stockade fence surrounding the Fort.</p>
+
+<p>Before they had quite reached the gate, there was a general rush
+of trappers, traders, voyageurs, <i>coureurs-des-bois</i> and other <i>employ&eacute;s</i>,
+to reach them; and the next moment they were lost in the midst of
+the people who crowded out of the Fort to welcome them. This was
+their hour of happiness and joy.</p>
+
+<p>To me there is an hour of regret, and I hope, boy reader, to you as
+well&mdash;the hour of our parting with the &ldquo;<span class="smcap">Young Voyageurs</span>.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class="cap2">THE FOREST EXILES,</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON.</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">B</span>oy Reader, I am told that you are not tired of my company.
+Is this true?</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Quite true, dear Captain,&mdash;quite true!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>That is your reply. You speak sincerely? I believe you do.</p>
+
+<p>In return, believe <i>me</i>, when I tell you I am not tired of yours; and
+the best proof I can give is, that I have come once more to seek you.
+I have come to solicit the pleasure of your company,&mdash;not to an
+evening party, nor to a ball, nor to the Grand Opera, nor to the
+Crystal Palace, nor yet to the Zoological Gardens of Regent's Park,&mdash;no,
+but to the great zoological garden of Nature. I have come to
+ask you to accompany me on another &ldquo;campaign,&rdquo;&mdash;another &ldquo;grand
+journey&rdquo; through the fields of Science and Adventure. Will you go?</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Most willingly&mdash;with you, dear Captain, anywhere.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Come with me, then.</p>
+
+<p>Again we turn our faces westward; again we cross the blue and
+billowy Atlantic; again we seek the shores of the noble continent of
+America.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What! to America again?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Ha! that is a large continent, and you need not fear that I am
+going to take you over old ground. No, fear not that! New scenes,
+await us; a new <i>fauna</i>, a new <i>flora</i>,&mdash;I might almost say, a new
+earth and a new sky!</p>
+
+<p>You shall have variety, I promise you,&mdash;a perfect contrast to
+the scenes of our last journey.</p>
+
+<p>Then, you remember, we turned our faces to the cold and icy
+North,&mdash;now our path lies through the hot and sunny South. Then
+we lived in a log-hut, and closed every cranny to keep out the cold,&mdash;now,
+in our cottage of palms and cane, we shall be but too glad to let
+the breeze play through the open walls. Then we wrapped our
+bodies in thick furs,&mdash;now we shall be content with the lightest
+garments. Then we were bitten by the frost&mdash;now we shall be
+bitten by the sand-flies, and mosquitoes, and bats, and snakes, and
+scorpions, and spiders, and stung by wasps, and centipedes, and
+great red ants! Trust me, you shall have a change!</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps you do not contemplate <i>such</i> a change with any very lively
+feelings of pleasure. Come! do not be alarmed at the snakes, and
+scorpions, and centipedes! We shall find a cure for every bite&mdash;an
+antidote for every bane.</p>
+
+<p>Our new journey shall have its pleasures and advantages. Remember
+how of old we shivered as we slept, coiled up in the corner
+of our dark log-hut and smothered in skins,&mdash;now we shall swing
+lightly in our netted hammocks under the gossamer leaves of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span>
+palm-tree, or the feathery frondage of the ferns. Then we gazed
+upon leaden skies, and at night looked upon the cold constellation of
+the Northern Bear;&mdash;now, we shall have over us an azure canopy,
+and shall nightly behold the sparkling glories of the Southern Cross,
+still shining as bright as when Paul and his little Virginia with
+loving eyes gazed upon it from their island home. In our last journey
+we toiled over bleak and barren wastes, across frozen lakes, and
+marshes, and rivers;&mdash;now we shall pass under the shadows of virgin
+forests, and float lightly upon the bosom of broad majestic streams,
+whose shores echo with the voices of living nature.</p>
+
+<p>Hitherto our travels have been upon the wide, open prairie, the
+trackless plain of sand, the frozen lake, the thin scattering woods of
+the North, or the treeless snow-clad &ldquo;Barrens.&rdquo; Now we are about
+to enter a great forest,&mdash;a forest where the leaves never fade, where
+the flowers are always in bloom,&mdash;a forest where the woodman's axe
+has not yet echoed, where the colonist has hardly hewed out a single
+clearing,&mdash;a vast primeval forest,&mdash;the largest in the world.</p>
+
+<p>How large, do you ask? I can hardly tell you. Are you thinking
+of Epping or the New Forest? True, these are large woods, and have
+been larger at one time. But if you draw your ideas of a great forest
+from either of these you must prepare yourselves for a startling
+announcement&mdash;and that is, that the forest through which I am
+going to take you is <i>as big as all Europe</i>! There is one place where
+a straight line might be drawn across this forest that would measure
+the enormous length of two thousand six hundred miles! And there
+is a point in it from which a circle might be described, with a
+diameter of more than a thousand miles, and the whole area included
+within the vast circumference would be found covered with an unbroken
+forest!</p>
+
+<p>I need scarce tell you what forest I allude to, for there is none
+other in the world of such dimensions&mdash;none to compare with that
+vast, trackless forest that covers the valley of the mighty Amazon!</p>
+
+<p>And what shall we see in travelling through this tree-covered
+expanse? Many a strange form of life&mdash;both vegetable and animal.
+We shall see the giant &ldquo;ceiba&rdquo; tree, and the &ldquo;zamang,&rdquo; and the
+&ldquo;caoba,&rdquo; twined by huge parasites almost as thick as their own
+trunks, and looking as though they embraced but to crush them; the
+&ldquo;juvia,&rdquo; with its globe-shaped fruits as large as the human head; the
+&ldquo;cow-tree,&rdquo; with its abundant fountains of rich milk; the &ldquo;seringa,&rdquo;
+with its valuable gum&mdash;the caoutchouc of commerce; the &ldquo;cinchona,&rdquo;
+with its fever-killing bark; the curious &ldquo;volador,&rdquo; with its winged
+seeds; the wild indigo, and the arnatto. We shall see palms of many
+species&mdash;some with trunks smooth and cylindrical, others covered
+with thorns, sharp and thickly set&mdash;some with broad entire leaves,
+others with fronds pinnate and feathery, and still others whose
+leaves are the shape of a fan&mdash;some rising like naked columns to the
+height of an hundred and fifty feet, while others scarcely attain to
+the standard of an ordinary man.</p>
+
+<p>On the water we shall see beautiful lilies&mdash;the snow-white <i>nymphs</i>,
+and the yellow <i>nuphars</i>. We shall see the <i>Victoria regia</i> covering the
+pool with its massive wax-like flowers, and huge circular leaves of
+bronze green. We shall see tall flags like Saracen spears, and the
+dark green culms of gigantic rushes, and the golden <i>arundinaria</i>&mdash;the
+bamboo, and &ldquo;ca&ntilde;a brava,&rdquo;&mdash;that rival the forest trees in height.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Many a form of animal life we may behold. Basking in the sun,
+we may behold the yellow and spotted body of the jaguar&mdash;a beautiful
+but dreaded sight. Breaking through the thick underwood, or
+emerging slowly from the water, we may catch a glimpse of the
+sombre tapir, or the red-brown capivara. We may see the ocelot
+skulking through the deep shade, or the margay springing upon its
+winged prey.</p>
+
+<p>We may see the shaggy ant-bear tearing at the cones of sand-clay,
+and licking up the white termites; or we may behold the scaly
+armadillo crawling over the sun-parched earth, and rolling itself up
+at the approach of danger. We may see human-like forms,&mdash;the
+<i>quadrumana</i>&mdash;clinging among the high branches, and leaping from
+tree to tree, like birds upon the wing; we may see them of many
+shapes, sizes, and colours, from the great howling monkeys, with their
+long prehensive tails, down to the little saimiris and ouistitis not
+larger than squirrels.</p>
+
+<p>What beautiful birds, too!&mdash;for this forest is their favourite home.
+Upon the ground, the large curassows, and gurns, and the &ldquo;gallo,&rdquo;
+with his plumage of bright red. Upon the trees, the macaws, and
+parrots, and toucans, and trogons. In the waters, the scarlet
+flamingoes, the ibises, and the tall herons; and in the air, the hawks,
+the zamuros, the king-vultures, and the eagles.</p>
+
+<p>We shall see much of the reptile world, both by land and water.
+Basking upon the bank, or floating along the stream, we may behold
+the great water lizards&mdash;the crocodile and ca&iuml;man; or the unwieldly
+forms of the <i>cheloni&aelig;</i>&mdash;the turtles. Nimbly running along the tree-trunk,
+or up the slanting lliana, we may see the crested iguana,
+hideous to behold. On the branches that overhang the silent pool
+we may see the &ldquo;water-boa,&rdquo; of huge dimensions, watching for his
+prey&mdash;the peccary, the capivara, the paca, or the agouti; and in the
+dry forest we may meet with his congener the &ldquo;stag-swallower,&rdquo;
+twined around a tree, and waiting for the roebuck or the little red-deer
+of the woods.</p>
+
+<p>We may see the mygale, or bird-catching spider, at the end of his
+strong net-trap, among the thick foliage; and the tarantula, at the
+bottom of his dark pit-fall, constructed in the ground. We may see
+the tent-like hills of the white ants, raised high above the surface,
+and the nests of many other kinds, hanging from high branches, and
+looking as though they had been constructed out of raw silk and
+pasteboard. We may see trees covered with these nests, and some
+with the nests of wasps, and still others with those of troupials and
+orioles&mdash;birds of the genus <i>icterus</i> and <i>cassicus</i>&mdash;hanging down like
+long cylindrical purses.</p>
+
+<p>All those, and many more strange sights, may be seen in the great
+forest of the Amazon valley; and some of them we <i>shall</i> see&mdash;<i>voil&agrave;</i>!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE REFUGEES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">U</span>pon a bright and lovely evening, many years ago, a party of
+travellers might have been seen climbing up that Cordillera of the
+Andes that lies to the eastward of the ancient city of Cuzco. It was
+a small and somewhat singular party of travellers; in fact, a travelling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span>
+family,&mdash;father, mother, children, and one attendant. We shall
+say a word of each of them separately.</p>
+
+<p>The chief of the party was a tall and handsome man, of nearly forty
+years of age. His countenance bespoke him of Spanish race, and so
+he was. He was not a Spaniard, however, but a Spanish-American,
+or &ldquo;Creole,&rdquo; for so Spaniards born in America are called to distinguish
+them from the natives of Old Spain.</p>
+
+<p>Remember&mdash;Creoles are <i>not</i> people with negro or African blood in
+their veins. There is a misconception on this head in England, and
+elsewhere. The African races of America are either negroes, mulattoes,
+quadroons, quinteroons, or mestizoes; but the &ldquo;Creoles&rdquo; are of
+European blood, though born in America. Remember this. Don
+Pablo Romero&mdash;for that was the name of our traveller&mdash;was a Creole,
+a native of Cuzco, which, as you know, was the ancient capital of the
+Incas of Peru.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo, as already stated, was nearly forty years of age. Perhaps
+he looked older. His life had not been spent in idleness.
+Much study, combined with a good deal of suffering and care, had
+made many of those lines that rob the face of its youthful appearance.
+Still, although his look was serious, and just then sad, his eye was
+occasionally seen to brighten, and his light elastic step showed that
+he was full of vigour and manhood. He had a moustache, very full
+and black, but his whiskers were clean shaven, and his hair cut short,
+after the fashion of most people in Spanish America.</p>
+
+<p>He wore velvet pantaloons, trimmed at the bottoms with black
+stamped leather, and upon his feet were strong boots of a reddish
+yellow colour&mdash;that is, the natural colour of the tanned hide before it
+has been stained. A dark jacket, closely buttoned, covered the upper-part
+of his body, and a scarlet silk sash encircled his waist, the long
+fringed ends hanging down over the left hip. In this sash were
+stuck a Spanish knife and a pair of pistols, richly ornamented with
+silver mountings.</p>
+
+<p>But all these things were concealed from the view by a capacious
+poncho, which is a garment that in South America serves as a cloak
+by day and a blanket by night. It is nearly of the size and shape of
+an ordinary blanket, with a slit in the centre, through which the
+head is passed, leaving the ends to hang down. Instead of being of
+uniform colour, several bright colours are usually woven into the
+poncho, forming a variety of patterns. In Mexico a very similar
+garment&mdash;the serap&eacute;&mdash;is almost universally worn. The poncho of
+Don Pablo was a costly one, woven by hand, and out of the finest
+wool of the vicu&ntilde;a, for that is the native country of this useful and
+curious animal.</p>
+
+<p>Such a poncho would cost 20<i>l.</i>, and would not only keep out cold,
+but would turn rain like a &ldquo;macintosh.&rdquo; Don Pablo's hat was also
+curious and costly. It was one of those known as &ldquo;Panama,&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;Guayaquil,&rdquo;&mdash;hats so called because they are manufactured by
+Indian tribes who dwell upon the Pacific coast, and are made out
+of a rare sea-grass, which is found near the above-mentioned places.
+A good Guayaquil hat will cost 20<i>l.</i>; and although, with its broad
+curling brim and low crown, it looks not much better than Leghorn
+or even fine straw, yet it is far superior to either, both as a protection
+against rain, or, what is of more importance in southern countries,
+against a hot tropical sun. The best of them will wear half a life-time.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span>
+Don Pablo's &ldquo;sombrero&rdquo; was one of the very best and
+costliest; and this, combined with the style of his other habiliments,
+betokened that the wearer was one of the &ldquo;ricos,&rdquo; or high class of
+his country.</p>
+
+<p>The costume of his wife, who was a dark and very beautiful
+Spanish woman, would have strengthened this idea. She wore a
+dress of black silk with velvet bodice and sleeves, tastefully embroidered.
+A mantilla of dark cloth covered her shoulders, and on
+her head was a low broad-brimmed hat, similar to those usually worn
+by men, for a bonnet is a thing unknown to the ladies of Spanish
+America. A single glance at the Do&ntilde;a Isidora would have satisfied
+any one that she was a lady of rank and refinement.</p>
+
+<p>There were two children, upon which, from time to time, she gazed
+tenderly. They were her only ones. They were a boy and girl,
+nearly of equal size and age. The boy was the elder, perhaps thirteen
+or more, a handsome lad, with swarth face, coal-black eyes, and
+curly full-flowing dark hair. The girl, too, who would be about
+twelve, was dark&mdash;that is to say, brunette in complexion. Her eyes
+were large, round, and dreamy, with long lashes that kept the sun
+from shining into them, and thus deepened their expression.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps there are no children in the world so beautiful as those of
+the Spanish race. There is a smoothness of skin, a richness in colour,
+and a noble &ldquo;hidalgo&rdquo; expression in their round black eyes that is
+rare in other countries. Spanish women retain this expression to a
+good age. The men lose it earlier, because, as I believe, they are
+oftener of corrupted morals and habits; and these, long exercised,
+certainly stamp their lines upon the face. Those which are mean,
+and low, and vicious, produce a similar character of countenance,
+while those which are high, and holy, and virtuous, give it an aspect
+of beauty and nobility.</p>
+
+<p>Of all beautiful Spanish children none could have been more
+beautiful than our two little Creole Spaniards, Leon and Leona&mdash;for
+such were the names of the brother and sister.</p>
+
+<p>There yet remains one to be described, ere we complete the account
+of our travelling party. This one was a grown and tall man, quite
+as tall as Don Pablo himself, but thinner and more angular in his
+outlines. His coppery colour, his long straight black hair, his dark
+and wild piercing eye, with his somewhat odd attire, told you at
+once he was of a different race from any of the others. He was an
+Indian&mdash;a South American Indian; and although a descendant from
+the noble race of the Peruvian Incas, he was acting in the capacity
+of a servant or attendant to Don Pablo and his family.</p>
+
+<p>There was a familiarity, however, between the old Indian&mdash;for he
+was an old man&mdash;and Don Pablo, that bespoke the existence of some
+tie of a stronger nature than that which exists between master and
+servant. And such there was in reality. This Indian had been one
+of the patriots who had rallied around Tupac Amaru in his revolution
+against the Spaniards. He had been proscribed, captured, and
+sentenced to death. He would have been executed, but for the
+interference of Don Pablo, who had saved his life. Since then Guapo&mdash;such
+was the Indian's name&mdash;had remained not only the retainer,
+but the firm and faithful friend, of his benefactor.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo's feet were sandalled. His legs were naked up to the knees,
+showing many an old scar received from the cactus plants and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span>
+thorny bushes of acacia, so common in the mountain-valleys of Peru.
+A tunic-like skirt of woollen cloth,&mdash;that home-made sort called
+&ldquo;bayeta,&rdquo;&mdash;was fastened around his waist, and reached down to the
+knees; but the upper part of his body was quite bare, and you could
+see the naked breast and arms, corded with strong muscles, and
+covered with a skin of a dark copper colour. The upper part of his
+body was naked only when the sun was hot. At other times Guapo
+wore a species of poncho like his master, but that of the Indian was
+of common stuff&mdash;woven out of the coarse wool of the llama. His
+head was bare.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 344px;">
+<img src="images/illus-167.jpg" width="344" height="500" alt="THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES." title="THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES." />
+<span class="caption">THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.</span></div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span>Guapo's features were thin, sharp, and intelligent. His eye was
+keen and piercing; and the gait of the old man, as he strode along
+the rocky path, told that it would be many years before he would
+show any signs of feebleness or tottering.</p>
+
+<p>There were four animals that carried our travellers and their
+effects. One was a horse ridden by the boy Leon. The second was
+a saddle mule, on which rode Do&ntilde;a Isidora and Leona. The other
+two animals were not mounted. They were beasts of burden, with
+&ldquo;yerguas,&rdquo; or pack-saddles, upon which were carried the few articles
+that belonged to the travellers. They were the camels of Peru&mdash;the
+far-famed llamas. Don Pablo, with his faithful retainer, travelled
+afoot.</p>
+
+<p>You will wonder that one apparently so rich, and on so distant a
+journey, was not provided with animals enough to carry his whole
+party. Another horse at least, or a mule, might have been expected
+in the cavalcade. It would not have been strange had Guapo only
+walked&mdash;as he was the arriero, or driver, of the llamas&mdash;but to see
+Don Pablo afoot and evidently tired, with neither horse nor mule to
+ride upon, was something that required explanation. There was
+another fact that required explanation. The countenance of Don
+Pablo wore an anxious expression, as if some danger impended; so
+did that of the lady, and the children were silent, with their little
+hearts full of fear. They knew not <i>what</i> danger, but they knew that
+their father and mother were in trouble.</p>
+
+<p>The Indian, too, had a serious look; and at each angle of the
+mountain road he and Don Pablo would turn around, and with
+anxious eyes gaze back in the direction that led towards Cuzco. As
+yet they could distinguish the spires of the distant city, and the
+Catholic crosses, as they glistened under the evening sunbeam. Why
+did they look back with fear and distrust? Why? <i>Because Don
+Pablo was in flight, and feared pursuers!</i> What? Had he committed
+some great crime? No. On the contrary, he was the <i>victim of a noble
+virtue</i>&mdash;the virtue of patriotism! For that had he been condemned,
+and was now in flight&mdash;flying to save not only his liberty but his
+life! yes, <i>his life;</i> for had the sentinels on those distant towers but
+recognised him, he would soon have been followed and dragged back
+to an ignominious death.</p>
+
+<p>Young reader, I am writing of things that occurred before the
+Spanish-American colonies became free from the rule of Old Spain.
+You will remember that these countries were then governed by
+viceroys, who represented the King of Spain, but who in reality were
+quite as absolute as that monarch himself. The great viceroys of
+Mexico and Peru held court in grand state, and lived in the midst of
+barbaric pomp and luxury. The power of life and death was in their
+hands, and in many instances they used it in the most unjust and
+arbitrary manner. They were themselves, of course, natives of Old
+Spain&mdash;often the pampered favourites of that corrupt court.</p>
+
+<p>All the officials by which they were surrounded and served were,
+like themselves, natives of Spain, or &ldquo;Gachupinos,&rdquo; (as the Creoles
+used to call them,) while the Creoles&mdash;no matter how rich, or learned,
+or accomplished in any way&mdash;were excluded from every office of
+honour and profit. They were treated by the Gachupinos with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span>
+contempt and insult. Hence for long, long years before the great
+revolutions of Spanish America, a strong feeling of dislike existed
+between Creole Spaniards and Spaniards of Old Spain; and this
+feeling was quite independent of that which either had towards the
+Indians&mdash;the aborigines of America. This feeling brought about the
+revolution, which broke out in all the countries of Spanish America
+(including Mexico) and which, after fifteen years of cruel and sanguinary
+fighting, led to the independence of these countries.</p>
+
+<p>Some people will tell you that they gained nothing by this independence,
+as since that time so much war and anarchy have marked
+their history. There is scarcely any subject upon which mankind
+thinks more superficially, and judges more wrongly, than upon this
+very one. It is a mistake to suppose that a people enjoys either
+peace or prosperity, simply because it is quiet. There is quiet in
+Russia, but to its millions of serfs war continuous and eternal; and
+the same may be said of many other countries as well as Russia.</p>
+
+<p>To the poor slave, or even to the over-taxed subject, peace is no
+peace, but a constant and systematised struggle, often more pernicious
+in its effects than even the anarchy of open war. A war of
+this kind numbers its slain by millions, for the victims of famine are
+victims of <i>political crime</i> on the part of a nation's rulers. I have no
+time now to talk of these things. Perhaps, boy reader, you and I
+may meet on this ground again, and at no very distant period.</p>
+
+<p>Well, it was not in the general rising that Don Pablo had been
+compromised, but previous to that. The influence of the European
+Revolution of 1798 was felt even in distant Spanish America, and
+several ebullitions occurred in different parts of that country at
+the same time. They were premature; they were crushed. Those
+who had taken part in them were hunted to the death. Death!
+death! was the war-cry of the Spanish hirelings, and bitterly did they
+execute their vengeance on all who were compromised. Don Pablo
+would have been a victim among others, had he not had timely
+warning and escaped; but as it was, all his property was taken by
+confiscation, and became the plunder of the rapacious tyrant.</p>
+
+<p>We are introduced to him just at the period of his escape. By the
+aid of the faithful Guapo he had hastily collected a few things, and
+with his wife and family fled in the night. Hence the incompleteness
+of his travelling equipage. He had taken one of the most unfrequented
+paths&mdash;a mere bridle-road&mdash;that led from Cuzco eastward
+over the Cordillera. His intent was to gain the eastern slope of the
+Andes mountains, where he might conceal himself for a time in the
+uninhabited woods of the Great <i>Monta&ntilde;a</i>, and towards this point
+was he journeying. By a <i>ruse</i> he had succeeded in putting the
+soldiers of the despot on a false track; but it was not certain that
+they might not yet fall into the true one. No wonder then, when
+he gazed back towards Cuzco, that his look was one of apprehension
+and anxiety.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE POISON-TREES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>ollowing the rugged and winding path, the travellers had climbed
+to a height of many thousand feet above the ocean level. There was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span>
+very little vegetation around them. Nothing that deserved the
+name of tree, if we except a few stunted specimens of que&ntilde;oa trees,
+and here and there patches of the Ratanhia shrub, which covered
+the hill-sides. Both these are used by the mountain Indians as fuel,
+but the Ratanhia is also a favourite remedy against dysentery and
+blood-spitting. Its extract is even exported to European countries,
+and is to be found in the shop of the apothecary.</p>
+
+<p>Now and then a beautiful species of locust was seen with its bright
+red flowers. It was the &ldquo;Sangre de Christo&rdquo; of the Peruvian <i>flora</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo Romero was a naturalist, and I may here tell you a
+pleasant and interesting fact&mdash;which is, that many of the earliest
+patriots and revolutionists of Spanish America were men who had
+distinguished themselves in natural science&mdash;in fact, were the &ldquo;savans&rdquo;
+of these countries. I call this a pleasant fact, and you may deem it
+a curious one too, because men of science are usually lovers of peace,
+and not accustomed to meddle either in war or politics.</p>
+
+<p>But the truth of the matter is this,&mdash;under the government of the
+viceroys all books, except those of a monkish religion, were jealously
+excluded from these countries. No political work whatever was
+permitted to be introduced; and the people were kept in the grossest
+ignorance of their natural rights. It was only into learned institutions
+that a glimmering of the light of freedom found its way, and
+it was amongst the professors of these institutions that the &ldquo;rights
+of men&rdquo; first began to be discussed. Many of these noble patriots
+were the first victims offered up on the altar of Spanish-American
+independence.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo, I have said, was a naturalist; and it was perhaps the
+first journey he had ever made without observing attentively the
+natural objects that presented themselves along his route. But his
+mind was busy with other cares; and he heeded neither the <i>fauna</i>
+nor <i>flora</i>. He thought only of his loved wife and dear children, of
+the dangers to which he and they were exposed. He thought only
+of increasing the distance between them and his vengeful enemies.
+During that day they had made a toilsome journey of fifteen miles,
+up the mountain&mdash;a long journey for the llamas, who rarely travel
+more than ten or twelve; but the dumb brutes seemed to exert themselves
+as if they knew that danger threatened those who guided
+them.</p>
+
+<p>They belonged to Guapo, who had not been a mere servant, but a
+cultivator, and had held a small &ldquo;chacra,&rdquo; or farm, under Don Pablo.
+Guapo's voice was well known to the creatures, and his &ldquo;hist!&rdquo; of
+encouragement urged them on. But fifteen miles was an unusual
+journey, and the animals began to show symptoms of fatigue.
+Their humming noise, which bears some resemblance to the tones of
+an Eolian harp, boomed loud at intervals as the creatures came to a
+stop; and then the voice of Guapo could be heard urging them
+forward.</p>
+
+<p>The road led up a defile, which was nothing more than the bed
+of a mountain-torrent, now dry. For a long distance there was no
+spot of level ground where our travellers could have encamped, even
+had they desired to stop. At length, however, the path led out of
+the torrent-bed, and they found themselves on a small ledge, or
+table, covered with low trees. These trees were of a peculiar kind,
+very common in all parts of the Andes, and known as <i>moll&eacute;</i> trees.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span>
+They are more properly bushes than trees, being only about ten or
+twelve feet in height. They have long delicate pinnate leaves, very
+like those of the acacia, and, when in fruit, they are thickly covered
+with clusters of small bright red berries.</p>
+
+<p>These berries are used among some tribes of Indians for making a
+highly valuable and medicinal beer; but the wood of the tree is of
+more importance to the people of those parts as an article of fuel,
+because the tree grows where other wood is scarce. It is even considered
+by the sugar-refiners as the best for their purpose, since its
+ashes, possessing highly alkaline properties, are more efficient than
+any other in purifying the boiling juice of the sugar-cane. The
+leaves of this beautiful tree, when pressed, emit a strong aromatic
+smell; and a very curious property ascribed to it by the more
+ignorant people of the mountains will be illustrated by the dialogue
+which follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Let us pass the night here,&rdquo; said Don Pablo, halting, and addressing
+himself to Guapo. &ldquo;This level spot will serve us to encamp.
+We can sleep under the shade of the bushes.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What! <i>mi amo</i>! (my master) Here?&rdquo; replied the Indian, with a
+gesture of surprise.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And why not here? Can any place be better? If we again enter
+the defile we may find no other level spot. See! the llamas will go
+no farther. We must remain therefore.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But, master,&rdquo; continued Guapo&mdash;&ldquo;see!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;See what?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The trees, master!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, what of the trees? Their shade will serve to screen us from
+the night dew. We can sleep under them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Impossible, master&mdash;<i>they are poison trees</i>!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You are talking foolishly, Guapo. These are <i>moll&eacute;</i> trees.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I know it, se&ntilde;or; but they are poison. If we sleep under them
+we shall not awake in the morning&mdash;we shall awake no more.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And Guapo, as he uttered these words, looked horrified.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;This is nonsense; you are superstitious, old man. We must abide
+here. See, the llamas have lain down. They will not move hence,
+I warrant.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo turned to the llamas, and thinking that their movements
+might influence the decision of his master, began to urge them in his
+accustomed way. But it is a peculiarity of these creatures not to stir
+one step beyond what they consider a proper journey. Even when
+the load is above that which they are accustomed to carry&mdash;that is to
+say, 120 lbs.&mdash;neither voice nor whip will move them. They may be
+goaded to death, but will not yield, and coaxing has a like effect.
+Both knew that they had done their day's work; and the voice, the
+gesticulations and blows of Guapo, were all in vain. Neither would
+obey him any longer. The Indian saw this, and reluctantly consented
+to remain; at the same time he continued to repeat his belief that
+they would all most certainly perish in the night. For himself, he
+expressed his intention to climb a ledge, and sleep upon the naked
+rocks; and he earnestly entreated the others to follow his example.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo listened to the admonitions of his retainer with incredulity,
+though not with any degree of disdain. He knew the
+devotedness of the old Indian, and therefore treated, what he considered
+a mere superstition, with a show of respect. But he felt an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span>
+inclination to cure Guapo of the folly of such a belief; and was, on
+this account, the more inclined to put his original design into
+execution. To pass the night under the shade of the moll&eacute; trees
+was, therefore, determined upon.</p>
+
+<p>All dismounted. The llamas were unloaded; their packs, or <i>yerguas</i>,
+taken off; the horse and mule were unsaddled; and all were permitted
+to browse over the little space which the ledge afforded.
+They were all trained animals. There was no fear of any of them
+straying.</p>
+
+<p>The next thing was to prepare supper. All were hungry, as none
+of the party had eaten since morning. In the hurry of flight, they
+had made no provision for an extended journey. A few pieces of
+<i>charqui</i> (jerked or dried beef) had been brought along; and, in
+passing near a field of &ldquo;oca,&rdquo; Guapo had gathered a bunch of the
+roots, and placed them on the back of his llama. This oca is a
+tuberous root, of an oval shape and pale red colour, but white inside.
+It resembles very much the Jerusalem artichoke, but it is longer and
+slimmer. Its taste is very agreeable and sweetish&mdash;somewhat like
+that of pumpkins, and it is equally good when roasted or boiled.</p>
+
+<p>There is another sort of tuberous root, called &ldquo;ulluca&rdquo; by the
+Peruvians, which is more glutinous and less pleasant to the taste.
+This kind is various in form, being either round, oblong, straight, or
+curved, and of a reddish, yellow colour outside, though green within.
+It is insipid when boiled with water, but excellent when dressed with
+Spanish peppers (<i>Capsicum</i>). Out of the <i>oca</i>, then, and <i>charqui</i>, the
+supper must be made; and for the purpose of cooking it, a fire must
+be kindled with the wood of the moll&eacute;.</p>
+
+<p>For a long time there was a doubt about whether it would be safe
+to kindle this fire. The sun had not yet gone down, and the smoke
+might attract observation from the valley below. If the pursuers
+were on their track, it might be noticed; as upon this lonely route
+a fire would indicate nothing else than the camp of some one on a
+journey. But the stomachs of our travellers cried for food, and it
+was at length resolved to light the fire, but not until after sunset,
+when the smoke could be no longer seen, and the blaze would be
+hidden behind the thick bushes of moll&eacute;.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo walked off from the camp, and wandered among the
+trees to see if he could find something that might contribute a little
+variety to their simple supper. A small, broom-like plant, that grew
+among the moll&eacute; trees, soon attracted his attention. This was the
+<i>quinoa</i> plant, which produces a seed, not unlike rice, though smaller
+in the grain, whence it has received in commerce the name &ldquo;petty
+rice.&rdquo; The quinoa seeds, when boiled, are both pleasant and nutritious,
+but especially so when boiled in milk. Previous to the discovery
+of America, &ldquo;quinoa&rdquo; was an article of food, supplying the place of
+wheat. It was much used by the natives, and is still collected for
+food in many parts. Indeed, it has been introduced into some
+European countries, and cultivated with success. The leaves, when
+young, can be used as spinach, but the seeds are the most sought
+after for food.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo having called Leon to assist him, a quantity of the seeds
+were soon collected into a vessel, and carried to the place which they
+had chosen for their camp; and, as it was now dark enough, the fire
+was kindled and the cooking-pot got ready. The Do&ntilde;a Isidora,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span>
+although a fine lady, was one of those who had all her life been
+accustomed to look after her household affairs; and this, it may be
+remarked, is a somewhat rare virtue among the Peruvian ladies, who
+are generally too much given to dress and idleness. It was not so,
+however, with the wife of Don Pablo. She knew how to look after
+the affairs of the <i>cuisine</i>, and could dress any of the peculiar dishes of
+the country with the best of cooks. In a short while, therefore, an
+excellent supper was ready, of which all ate heartily, and then,
+wrapping themselves up in their ponchos, lay down to sleep.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE SUPPER OF GUAPO.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span> have said all ate of the supper. This is not strictly true. One of
+the party did not touch it, and that was old Guapo. Why? Was he
+not hungry like the rest? Yes; as hungry as any of them. Why
+then did he not eat of the <i>charqui</i> and ocas? Simply because Guapo
+had a supper of a very different kind, which he carried in his pouch,
+and which he liked much better than the charqui stew. What was
+it? It was &ldquo;coca.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Chocolate,&rdquo; you will say, or, as some call it, &ldquo;cocoa,&rdquo; which should
+be called, to name it properly, &ldquo;cacao.&rdquo; No, I answer&mdash;it was not
+chocolate, nor cocoa, nor cacao neither.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It must have been cocoa-nuts then?&rdquo; No; nor yet cocoa-nuts.
+The &ldquo;coca,&rdquo; upon which Guapo made his supper, and which contented
+his stomach perfectly for the night, was an article very different from
+either the cacao which makes chocolate, or the nut of the cocoa-palm.
+You are now impatient to hear what sort of thing it was, and I shall
+tell you at once.</p>
+
+<p>The coca is a small tree or shrub about six feet in height, which
+grows in the warmer valleys among the Andes mountains. Its
+botanical name is <i>Erythroxylon coca</i>. Its leaves are small and of a
+bright green colour, and its blossoms white. Its fruits are very small
+scarlet berries. It is a native plant, and, therefore, found in a wild
+state; but it is cultivated by the planters of these countries in fields
+regularly laid out, and hence called &ldquo;cocales.&rdquo; This plant is raised
+from the seed, and when the young shoots have attained the height
+of about eighteen inches, they are transplanted and put down again
+at the distance of about a foot apart from each other.</p>
+
+<p>Now as these little bushes require a humid atmosphere, maize-plants
+are sown between the rows to protect them from the sun. In
+other places arbours of palm-leaves are constructed over the coca-plants.
+When no rain falls, they are watered every five or six days.
+After about two and a half years of this nursing, the coca-bush is
+ready for use, and it is the leaves alone that are valuable. These are
+gathered with great care, just as the Chinese gather the leaves of the
+tea-plant; and, as in China, women are principally employed in this
+labour. The leaves are said to be ripe, not when they have withered
+and turned brown, but at a period when they are full-grown and
+become brittle. When this period arrives, they are picked from the
+tree, and laid out on coarse woollen cloths to dry in the sun.</p>
+
+<p>When dried, they remain of a pale green colour; but should they
+get damp during the process, they become darker, and are then of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span>
+inferior quality, and sell for a less price. When fully dried, they are
+carefully packed in bags and covered up with dry sand, and are thus
+ready for the market. Their price, on the spot where the crop is
+produced, is about one shilling English per pound. They are, therefore,
+full as costly to produce as tea itself, although the coca-bush will
+yield three crops of leaves in one year&mdash;that is, a crop every four
+months; and one hundred plants will produce about an arroba (25 lbs.)
+at a crop. The coca-plant will continue to give fresh leaves for a
+long period of years, unless attacked and destroyed by ants, which is
+not unfrequently the case.</p>
+
+<p>Now, why have I so minutely described the coca-bush? Because,
+that, in the economy of the life of those Indians who inhabit the
+countries of the Andes mountains, this curious plant plays a most
+important part. Scarcely one of these people is to be met with who
+is not an eater of cocoa&mdash;a &ldquo;coquero.&rdquo; With them it is what the tea-tree
+is to the Chinese. Indeed, it is a curious fact, that in all parts
+of the world some stimulating vegetable is used by the human race.
+Tea in China; the betel-leaf, and the nut of the areca palm, among
+the Southern Asiatics; the poppy in the East; with tobacco, and
+many like things, in other countries.</p>
+
+<p>But the coca not only supplies the Indian with a solace to his
+cares, it forms the chief article of his food. With a supply of coca,
+an Indian will support himself five or six days without eating anything
+else. The poor miners, in the Peruvian mines, are all
+&ldquo;coqueros;&rdquo; and it is alleged that, without coca, they would be
+unable to undergo the painful toil to which their calling subjects
+them. When used to excess, the coca produces deleterious effects
+on the human system; but, if moderately taken, it is far more
+innocent in its results than either opium or tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>The coca-leaf is not eaten alone. A certain preparation is
+necessary, and another substance is mixed with it before it produces
+the proper effect. But let us watch the movements of Guapo, and we
+shall see how <i>he</i> does it, for Guapo is a confirmed coquero.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, true to his promise, does not sleep under the moll&eacute; trees.
+He leaves the party, and, with a melancholy air, has climbed up and
+seated himself upon a projecting rock, where he intends to pass the
+night. His last glance at Don Pablo and his family was one of foreboding.
+He had again remonstrated with his master, but to no
+purpose. The latter only laughed at the earnestness of the old
+Indian, and told him to go to his perch and leave the party to themselves.</p>
+
+<p>It was still grey light when Guapo climbed up to the rock. Against
+the sky his tall, lank form could be traced in all its outlines. For
+some moments he sat in a serious and reflective mood&mdash;evidently
+busy with thoughts about the &ldquo;poison-trees.&rdquo; His appetite, however,
+soon got the better of him; and he set to work to prepare his
+coca supper. It was a simple operation.</p>
+
+<p>Around Guapo's neck there hung a small pouch made of the skin
+of the chinchilla, which beautiful little animal is a native of these
+parts. This pouch contained a quantity of the dry leaves of the coca.
+Having taken out some half-dozen of these leaves, he put them into
+his mouth and commenced chewing them. In a short while, by the
+aid of tongue, teeth, and lips, they were formed into a little ball of
+pulp, that rolled about in his mouth. Another step in the process<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span>
+now became necessary. A small gourd, that hung around Guapo's
+neck by a thong, was laid hold of. This was corked with a wooden
+stopper, in which stopper a wire pin was fixed, long enough to reach
+down to the bottom of the gourd.</p>
+
+<p>After taking out the stopper, Guapo applied the lower part of the
+pin to his lips, and then, plunging it once more into the gourd, drew
+it out again. This time the pin came out, with a fine whitish powder
+adhering to the part that had been wetted. Now what was this
+powder? It was nothing else than lime that had been burned, and
+pulverised. Perhaps it was the ashes of the moll&eacute; tree, of which we
+have already spoken, and which, as we have said, possess a highly
+alkaline property. The ashes of the musa, or plaintain, are sometimes
+used; but, after all, it is most likely that it was the moll&eacute; ashes
+which Guapo carried, for these are most highly esteemed by the
+Indians of Southern Peru; and Guapo was a connoisseur in coca-eating.</p>
+
+<p>Whichever of the three it was&mdash;lime, moll&eacute;, or musa&mdash;Guapo carried
+the pin to his mouth, and, without touching his lips (it would have
+burnt him if he had), he inserted it, so as to penetrate the ball of
+chewed cocoa-leaves that rested upon the tip of his tongue. This
+was stabbed repeatedly and adroitly by the pin, until all the powder
+remained in the coca-ball; and then the pin was withdrawn, wiped,
+and restored to its place, along with the stopper of the gourd.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo now remained quietly &ldquo;ruminating&rdquo; for a period of about
+forty minutes&mdash;for this is about the time required for chewing a mess
+of cocoa-leaves. Indeed, so exactly is this time observed, that the
+Indians, when travelling, measure distances by it; and one &ldquo;coceada&rdquo;
+is about equal to the time occupied in walking a couple of English
+miles.</p>
+
+<p>The coceada of our old Indian being finished, he drew his llama-wool
+poncho around him; and, leaning back against the rock, was
+soon buried in a profound slumber.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE PUNA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">B</span>y early dawn Guapo was awake, but he did not immediately awake
+the others. It was still too dark to follow the mountain road. His
+first care was to have his coca breakfast, and to this he applied himself
+at once.</p>
+
+<p>Day was fairly broke when he had ended the process of mastication,
+and he bethought him of descending from the rock to arouse the
+sleepers. He knew they still slept, as no voice had yet issued from
+the grove of moll&eacute;s. The mule and horse were heard cropping the
+grass, and the llamas were now feeding upon an open spot,&mdash;the first
+they had eaten since their halt, as these creatures do not browse in
+the night.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo descended with fear in his heart. How it would have joyed
+him to hear the voice of his master, or of any of them! But, no.
+Not a sound proceeded from any one of the party. He stole nimbly
+along the ledge, making his way through the moll&eacute; trees. At length
+he reached the spot. All asleep?&mdash;yes, all! &ldquo;Are they dead?&rdquo;
+thought Guapo, and his heart beat with anxiety. Indeed, they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span>
+seemed so. The fatigue of travel had cast a sickly paleness over the
+faces of all, and one might easily have fancied they no longer lived.
+But they breathed. &ldquo;Yes, they breathe!&rdquo; ejaculated the old Indian,
+half aloud. &ldquo;They live!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo bent down, and seizing Don Pablo by the arm, shook him&mdash;at
+first gently, uttering, at the same time, some words to awake him.
+But neither the shaking nor the voice had any effect. Guapo shook
+more violently, and shouted louder. Still Don Pablo slept. None of
+the others moved&mdash;none of them heard him. It was strange, for the
+Indian knew that Don Pablo himself, as well as the others, were
+easily awaked on ordinary occasions. Guapo, becoming alarmed, now
+raised his voice to its loudest pitch, at the same time dragging Don
+Pablo's shoulder in a still more violent manner. This had the desired
+effect. The sleeper awoke but so slowly, and evidently with such
+exertion, that there was something mysterious in it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it?&rdquo; he inquired, with half-opened eyes. &ldquo;Is it morning
+already?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The sun is up. Rouse, my master! It is time we were on the
+road,&rdquo; replied the Indian.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I feel very drowsy&mdash;I am heavy&mdash;I can scarce keep my eyes
+open. What can be the cause of this?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The poison-trees, master,&rdquo; answered Guapo.</p>
+
+<p>The answer seemed to impress Don Pablo. He made a violent
+effort, and rose to his feet. When up he could scarcely stand. He
+felt as though he had swallowed a powerful opiate.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It must be so, good Guapo. Perhaps there is some truth in what
+you have said. O, heavens!&rdquo; exclaimed he, suddenly recollecting
+himself,&mdash;&ldquo;the others&mdash;my wife and children!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This thought had fully awakened Don Pablo; and Guapo and he
+proceeded at once to arouse the others, which they effected after
+much shouting and shaking. All were still heavy with sleep, and
+felt as did Don Pablo himself.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Surely there is some narcotic power in the aroma of these trees,&rdquo;
+muttered Don Pablo. &ldquo;Come, wife, let us be gone! We must remain
+under its influence no longer, else what Guapo has said may prove
+too true. Saddle up&mdash;we must eat our breakfasts farther on. To the
+road!&mdash;to the road!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo soon had the horses ready, and all hurried from the spot,
+and were once more climbing up the mountain-path. Even the
+animals seemed to move slowly and lazily, as though they, too, had
+been under the influence of some soporific. But the pure cold air of
+the mountain soon produced its effect. All gradually recovered, and
+after cooking some <i>charqui</i> and ocas in the ravine, and making their
+breakfast upon these, they again felt light and fresh, and pursued
+their journey with renewed vigour.</p>
+
+<p>The road kept on up the ravine, and in some places the banks rose
+almost perpendicularly from the bed of the dry torrent, presenting
+on both sides vast walls of black porphyry&mdash;for this is the principal
+rock composing the giant chain of the Andes. Above their heads
+screamed small parrots of rich plumage of the species <i>Conurus
+rupicola</i>, which make their nestling places, and dwell upon these
+rocky cliffs. This is a singular fact, as all other parrots known are
+dwellers among trees and are found in the forest at all times, except
+when on their passage from place to place.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But even the squirrel, which is an animal peculiarly delighting in
+tree-life, has its representative in several species of ground-squirrels,
+that never ascend a tree; and, among the monkeys, there exists the
+troglodyte or cave-dwelling chimpanzee. No doubt squirrels or
+monkeys of any kind, transported to an open or treeless country,
+would soon habituate themselves to their new situation,&mdash;for Nature
+affords many illustrations of this power of adaptation on the part of
+her creatures.</p>
+
+<p>It was near sunset when our travellers reached the highest point of
+their route, nearly 14,000 feet above the level of the sea! Here they
+emerged upon an open plain which stretched far before them. Above
+this plain towered mountains of all shapes to a height of many
+thousand feet from the level of the plain itself. Some of these
+mountains carried their covering of eternal snow, which, as the
+evening sun glanced upon it, exhibited the most beautiful tints of
+rose, and purple, and gold. The plain looked bleak and barren, and
+the cold which our travellers now felt added to the desolateness of
+the scene. No trees were in sight. Dry yellow grass covered the
+ground, and the rocks stood out naked and shaggy. They had
+reached one of those elevated tables of the Andes known as the
+<i>Puna</i>.</p>
+
+<p>These singular tracts elevated above the level of cultivation are
+almost uninhabited. Their only inhabitants are a few poor Indians,
+who are employed by the rich proprietors of the lower valleys as
+shepherds; for upon these cold uplands thrive sheep, and cattle, and
+llamas, and flocks of the wool-bearing alpaco. Through this wild
+region, however, you may travel for days without encountering even
+a single one of the wretched and isolated inhabitants who watch over
+these flocks and herds.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the Puna, our party had made their day's journey,
+and would have halted. The llamas already showed signs of giving
+out by stopping and uttering their strange booming note. But
+Guapo knew these parts&mdash;for, though a descendant of the Incas,
+he had originally come from the great forest beyond the eastern
+slope of the Andes, where many of the Peruvian Indians had retired
+after the cruel massacres of Pizarro. He now remembered, that not
+far from where they were, was a shepherd's hut, and that the
+shepherd himself was an old friend of his. That would be the place
+to stop for the night; and, by Guapo's advice, Don Pablo resolved to
+continue on to the hut.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo fell upon his knees before the llamas, and, after caressing
+and kissing them, and using a great variety of endearing expressions,
+he at last coaxed these animals to proceed. No other means would
+have availed, as beating would not make either llama budge an inch.
+The leader, who was a fine large animal and a great favourite with
+its master, at length stepped boldly out; and the other, encouraged
+by the sound of the small bells that tinkled around the head of the
+leader, followed after, and so the travellers moved on.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, papa!&rdquo; cried Leon; &ldquo;you are tired yourself&mdash;mount this
+horse&mdash;I can walk a bit:&rdquo; at the same instant the boy flung himself
+from the back of the horse, and led him up to where his father
+stood. Then handing the bridle to the latter, he struck off along
+the plain, following Guapo and his llamas.</p>
+
+<p>The road skirted round the rocks, where the mountain came down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span>
+to meet the plain. The walk was not a long one, for the hut of
+which Guapo spoke became visible at less than a quarter of a mile's
+distance. An odd-looking hut it was&mdash;more like an ill-built stack of
+bean-straw than a house. It had been built in the following
+manner:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>First, a round ring of large stones had been laid, then a row of turf,
+then another tier of stones, and so on, until the circular wall had
+reached the height of about four or five feet, the diameter being not
+more than eight or nine. On the top of the wall a number of poles
+had been set, so as to meet above where they were tied together.
+These poles were nothing else than the long flower-stalks of the
+<i>maguey</i> or American aloe, as no other wood of sufficient length grew
+in the vicinity. These poles served for rafters, and across them laths
+had been laid, and made fast. Over all this was placed a thatch of the
+long coarse Puna grass, which was tied in its place by grass ropes that
+were stretched from side to side over the top. This was the hut of
+Guapo's friend, and similar to all others that may be encountered in
+the wild region of the Puna. A door was left in the side, not over
+two feet high, so that it was necessary to crawl upon the hands and
+knees before any one could reach the interior.</p>
+
+<p>As our travellers approached, they saw that the entrance was
+closed by an ox-hide which covered the whole of the opening.</p>
+
+<p>Whether the shepherd was at home, was the next question; but as
+they got near to the house, Guapo suggested that Don Pablo should
+dismount and let Leon get upon horseback. This suggestion was
+made on account of the Puna dogs&mdash;of which creatures Guapo had
+a previous knowledge. These dogs, known by the name of Inca
+dogs, are, perhaps, the fiercest animals of their species.</p>
+
+<p>They are small, with pointed muzzles, tails curling upward, and
+long shaggy hair. They are half-wild, snappish, and surly, as it is
+possible for dogs to be. They attack strangers with fury, and it is
+as much as their masters can do to rescue even a friend from their
+attack. Even when wounded, and unable any longer to keep their
+feet, they will crawl along the ground and bite the legs of those who
+have wounded them. They are even more hostile to white people
+than to Indians, and it is sometimes dangerous to approach an
+Indian hut where three or four of these fierce creatures are kept,
+as they will jump up against the side of a horse, and bite the legs
+of the rider. Their masters often use the stick before they can get
+obedience from them. In every Indian hut several of these animals
+may be found, as they are extremely useful to the shepherds in
+guarding their flocks and for hunting.</p>
+
+<p>They are much employed throughout the Puna to hunt the &ldquo;yutu,&rdquo;
+a species of partridge which inhabits the rushy grass. This bird
+is traced by the dogs, seized before it can take to flight, and killed
+by a single bite of its fierce pursuer. Considering the savage nature
+of the Inca dogs, Guapo showed great caution in approaching the hut
+of his friend. He first called loudly, but there was no reply. He
+then stole forward with his long knife, or &ldquo;<i>machet&eacute;</i>,&rdquo; in his hand;
+and having lifted the skin that covered the low doorway, peeped in.
+The hut was empty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">G</span>uapo was not much troubled at this. He knew he could take the
+liberty of using his friend's roof for the night, even should the latter
+not return to grant it. He crawled in. Of course his friend was
+only temporarily absent&mdash;no doubt looking after his flocks of sheep
+and alpacos; and as he was a bachelor, there was no wife at home,
+but there were his furniture and utensils. Furniture! No&mdash;there
+was none. There never is in the hut of a Puna shepherd. Utensils!
+yes&mdash;there was an earthen &ldquo;olla,&rdquo; or pot to cook soup in, another
+to boil or roast maize, a jar to hold water, a few split gourd-shells for
+plates, two or three others for cups&mdash;that was all.</p>
+
+<p>This was the catalogue of utensils. Two stones set a little apart
+formed the fireplace, in which the shepherd, when he makes a fire to
+cook with, makes it out of dry dung. A couple of dirty sheep-skins
+lay upon the ground. These were the bed. Nothing more was to
+be seen. Yes, there was one thing more, and this gladdened the eyes
+of Guapo. In a bag that hung against the wall, and on which he
+soon laid his hands, he felt something&mdash;a collection of hard round
+objects, about as big as large chestnuts. Guapo knew very well
+what these were. He knew they were &ldquo;macas.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>What are <i>macas</i>? you will ask. Macas, then, are tuberous roots
+that grow in the elevated regions of the Puna, where neither ocas,
+ullucas, nor potatoes, will thrive. They are cultivated by the inhabitants,
+and in many parts constitute almost the only food of
+these wretched people. They have an agreeable and rather sweetish
+flavour, and, when boiled in milk, taste somewhat like boiled chestnuts.
+They can be preserved for more than a year by simply drying
+them in the sun, and then exposing them to the cold air, when they
+become hard and shrivelled. They thrive best in this high region,
+for although they will grow in the lower valleys, they are there very
+insipid and worthless. The Indians prepare them for food by
+boiling them into a soup, or syrup, which is taken with parched
+maize-corn.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo knew that he had got his hands upon a bag of dried macas,
+and although their owner was absent, he had already come to the
+determination to appropriate them for himself and party. His joy
+at the discovery had not subsided when another bag drew his attention,
+and this was the signal for another delightful surprise. His
+hand touched the new bag in a trice. There was a rattling sound
+within. Peas? No&mdash;maize.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Good!&rdquo; ejaculated Guapo; &ldquo;maize and macas! That with what
+is left of the charqui&mdash;we shall not fast to-night.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo now backed himself out of the hut, and joyfully announced
+the discoveries he had made. The travellers dismounted. The horse
+and mule were picketed on lassoes on the plain. The llamas were
+left to go at will. They would not stray far from their owner.</p>
+
+<p>It was piercing cold in this highland region. Do&ntilde;a Isidora and
+the children entered the hut, while Don Pablo and Guapo remained
+without for the purpose of collecting fuel. There was not a stick of
+wood, as no trees of any sort grew near. Both strayed off upon the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span>
+plain to gather the <i>taquia</i>, or ordure of the cattle, though no cattle
+were in sight. Their tracks, however, were visible all around.</p>
+
+<p>While engaged thus, the old Indian suddenly raised himself from
+his stooping position with an exclamation that betokened alarm.
+What had startled him? A loud bellowing was heard&mdash;it was the
+bellowing of a bull. But what was there in that sound to alarm two
+full-grown men? Ah! you know not the bulls of the Puna.</p>
+
+<p>Coming around a promontory of rocks a large black bull was in
+sight. He was approaching them in full run, his head thrown down,
+his eyes glaring fiercely. At every spring he uttered a roar, which
+was terrific to hear. A more horrid object it would be difficult to
+conceive. You may suppose that an adventure with an enraged bull
+is one of an ordinary character, and may occur any day, even in the
+green meadow pastures of Old England. So it is, if the animal were
+only an English bull. But it is a far different affair with the bulls of
+the Puna.</p>
+
+<p>Throughout all Spanish America animals of this kind are of a
+fiercer nature than elsewhere. It is from them the bulls used in the
+celebrated fights are obtained; and, perhaps, the race has been made
+fiercer by the treatment they receive on such occasions&mdash;for many of
+those that exhibit in the arena are afterwards used to breed from.
+But, in general, the Spanish-American &ldquo;vacqueros,&rdquo; or cattle-herds,
+treat the cattle under their charge with much cruelty, and this has
+the effect of rendering them savage. Even in herds of cattle where
+there are no bulls, there are cows so dangerous to approach, that the
+vacqueros never attempt driving them unless when well mounted.</p>
+
+<p>A Mexican or South American cattle-herd is, therefore, always a
+mounted man. There is a difference, too, among the bulls in different
+parts of these countries. On the Llanos of Venezuela they are not
+so fierce as those of the Puna, and they are more and less so in
+different parts of Mexico and the Pampas of Buenos Ayres.</p>
+
+<p>The Puna bulls are, perhaps, the fiercest and most dangerous of all.
+They are more than half wild. They scarcely ever see a human
+being, and they will attack one upon sight. To a mounted man there
+is little danger, unless by the stumbling or falling of his horse; but
+many a poor Indian, crossing these high plains afoot, has fallen a
+sacrifice to these vengeful brutes.</p>
+
+<p>Both Don Pablo and Guapo knew all this, and therefore were
+aware of their own danger. Neither had a weapon&mdash;not so much as
+a stick. They had laid aside their knives and other arms, which had
+been carried inside the hut. To reach the hut before the bull
+reached <i>them</i> would be impossible; the brute was coming nearly
+from it&mdash;for he had issued from some shelter in the rocks not far off.
+They were full two hundred yards out upon the plain, and to run in
+the direction of the rocks would have been to run counter to the
+bull, and meet him face to face! Their danger was imminent. What
+was to be done?</p>
+
+<p>There was not much time left them for consideration. The furious
+animal was within thirty paces distance, roaring loudly, shaking
+his head and brandishing his long sharp horns. At this moment a
+happy thought occurred almost simultaneously to Don Pablo and
+the Indian. The evening, as we have already said, was piercing cold,
+and both, in going out to collect the fuel, had worn their ponchos.</p>
+
+<p>The trick of the matador with his red cloak suggested itself in this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span>
+moment of peril. Both had seen it performed&mdash;Don Pablo often&mdash;and
+knew something of the &ldquo;way.&rdquo; In a moment both had stripped
+the ponchos from their shoulders, and, placing themselves <i>&agrave; la matador</i>,
+awaited the onset of the bull. It was agreed that as soon as the
+bull was &ldquo;hooded&rdquo; by either, that both should run at all speed to
+the rocks, where they could easily climb out of reach of the animal.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo happened to be more in the way, and perhaps his more
+showy poncho attracted the brute; but whether or not, he was the
+first to receive the charge. With the adroitness of a practised
+matador he flung his poncho on the horns of the animal, and then
+both ran in the direction of the rocks. As they faced towards the
+hut, however, to the horror of Don Pablo he saw the Do&ntilde;a Isidora,
+with Leon and the little Leona, all outside, and even at some distance
+from the entrance! Attracted by the bellowing of the bull and the
+shouts of the men, they had rushed out of the hut.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo, in wild accents, shouted to them to make for the door;
+but, paralysed by terror, they were for some moments unable to
+move. At length Do&ntilde;a Isidora, recovering herself, ran for the entrance,
+pushing the children before her. But the low doorway was
+difficult of access; they were slow in getting under it; and they
+would have been too late, as the bull, after shaking off the poncho,
+had turned and made directly for the hut.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;O God, preserve her!&rdquo; cried Don Pablo, as he saw the enraged
+animal within a few paces of where his wife had knelt to enter the
+doorway. &ldquo;She is lost! she is lost!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>In fact, the bull was making directly towards her, and it seemed
+as if nothing could then have interposed to save her.</p>
+
+<p>At that moment the tramp of a horse in full gallop sounded on
+their ears. Don Pablo looked up. A strange horseman was near
+the spot&mdash;an Indian. Over his head a singular instrument was
+revolving. There were three thongs fastened at one end, while at
+the other end of each was a ball. These balls were whirling and
+gyrating in the air. The next moment both thongs and balls were
+seen to part from the hands of the rider, and wrap themselves around
+the legs of the bull. The latter made an awkward spring forward,
+and then fell upon the plain, where he lay kicking and helpless.
+The horseman uttered a yell of triumph, sprang from his horse, and
+running up to the prostrate animal, thrust the blade of his long
+machet&eacute; into its throat. The red stream gushed forth, and in a few
+seconds the black monster lay motionless upon the plain.</p>
+
+<p>The new-comer quietly unwound the thongs&mdash;the <i>bolas</i>&mdash;from the
+legs of the dead bull, and then addressed himself to our travellers.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE &ldquo;VAQUERO.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>ho was this deliverer? No other than the vaquero&mdash;the friend
+of Guapo,&mdash;who now welcomed Guapo and his companions, telling
+them in the polite phraseology of all Spanish-Americans that his
+<i>house(!)</i> was at their service. They were welcome to all it contained.</p>
+
+<p>The macas, and maize, and a fresh steak from the wild bull, enabled
+them to make a most excellent supper. In return for this hospitality,
+Don Pablo made the vaquero a handsome present out of his purse;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span>
+but what gratified him still more was a supply of coca which his
+friend Guapo was enabled to bestow upon him, for his own stock
+had been exhausted for some days. Guapo, on leaving Cuzco, had
+spent his last <i>peseta</i> in buying this luxury, and therefore was well
+provided for weeks to come.</p>
+
+<p>After they had had supper, he and his friend seated themselves on
+one side, and quietly chewed for a good half-hour, when at length
+Guapo, who knew he could trust the vaquero&mdash;because the latter,
+like himself, was one of the &ldquo;patriotas&rdquo;&mdash;communicated to him the
+object of their journey through that desolate region. The vaquero
+not only promised secrecy, but bound himself to put any party of
+pursuers completely off the trail.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero, even in his remote mountain-home, had heard of Don
+Pablo, knew that he was a good patriot and friend of the Indians,
+and he would therefore have risked his life to serve such a man&mdash;for
+no people have proved more devoted to the friends of their race than
+these simple and faithful Indians of the Andes. How many instances
+of noble self-sacrifice&mdash;even of life itself&mdash;occurred during the painful
+history of their conquest by the cruel and sanguinary followers of
+Pizarro!</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero, therefore, did all in his power to make his guests
+comfortable for the night. His dogs&mdash;there were four of them&mdash;were
+not so hospitably inclined, for they did not seem to know friends from
+enemies. They had come up shortly after their master himself
+arrived, and had made a desperate attack upon everybody. The
+vaquero, however, assisted by Guapo&mdash;who, being an Indian, was less
+troubled with them&mdash;gave them a very rough handling with a large
+whip which he carried; and then, securing the whole of them, tied
+them together in a bunch, and left them at the back of the hut to
+snap and growl at each other, which they did throughout the livelong
+night. Supper over, all the travellers would have retired to
+rest; but the vaquero, having announced that he was going out to
+set snares for the chinchillas and viscachas, Leon could not rest, but
+asked permission to accompany him. This was granted both by Don
+Pablo and the vaquero himself.</p>
+
+<p>The chinchilla, and its near relative the viscacha, are two little
+animals of the rodent, or grass-eating kind, that inhabit the very
+highest mountains of Peru and Chili. They are nearly of the same
+size, and each about as big as a rabbit, which in habits they very
+much resemble. They have long tails, however, which the rabbit has
+not, though the latter beats them in the length of his ears. The
+colour of the chinchilla is known to everybody, since its soft, velvety
+fur is highly prized by ladies as an article of dress, and may be seen
+in every London fur-shop.</p>
+
+<p>The animal is of a beautiful marbled grey, white and black, with
+pure white feet. The fur of the viscacha is not so pretty, being of a
+brownish and white mixture. Its cheeks are black, with long, bristly
+moustaches, like those of a cat; while its head resembles that of the
+hare or rabbit. Both these innocent little creatures live upon the
+high declivities of the Andes, in holes and crevices among the rocks,
+where they remain concealed during the day, but steal out to feed
+twice in the twenty-four hours,&mdash;that is, during the evening twilight
+and in the early morning. The mode of capturing them is by snares
+made of horse-hair, which are set in front of their caves&mdash;just as we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span>
+snare rabbits in a warren, except that for the rabbits we make use of
+light elastic wire, instead of the horse-hair.</p>
+
+<p>Leon was delighted with the excursion, as the vaquero showed him
+how to set the snares, and told him a great many curious stories of
+Puna life and habits. Some of these stories were about the great
+condor vulture&mdash;which the narrator, of course, described as a much
+bigger bird than it really is, for the condor, after all, is not so much
+bigger than the griffon vulture, or even the vulture of California.
+But you, young reader, have already had a full account of the vultures
+of America&mdash;the condor among the rest&mdash;therefore we shall not
+repeat what was said by the vaquero about this interesting bird.</p>
+
+<p>On the way to the place where the snares were to be set, they
+passed a lagoon, or marshy lake, in which were many kinds of birds
+peculiar to these high regions. Out on the open water they saw a
+wild goose of a very beautiful species. It is called the &ldquo;Huachua&rdquo;
+goose. Its plumage is of a snowy whiteness, all except the wings,
+which are bright green and violet, while the beak, legs, and feet, are
+scarlet. They also saw two species of ibis wading about in the marsh,
+and a gigantic water-hen almost as big as a turkey. This last is of a
+dark grey colour, with a red beak, at the base of which is a large
+yellow knob of the shape of a bean. On this account it is called by
+the Indians &ldquo;bean nose.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Upon the plain, near the border of the marsh, they noticed a
+beautiful plover, having plumage marked very much like that of the
+&ldquo;huachua&rdquo; goose, with green wings shining in the sun like polished
+metal. Another curious bird also sat upon the plain, or flew around
+their heads. This was a bird of prey of the species of jerfalcons
+(<i>Polyborus</i>). The vaquero called it the &ldquo;Huarahua.&rdquo; He told Leon
+it preyed only on carrion, and never killed its own food; that it was
+very harmless and tame&mdash;which was evidently true, as, shortly after,
+one of them seated upon a stone allowed the Indian to approach and
+knock it over with a stick! Such a silly bird Leon had never seen.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero was quite a naturalist in his way&mdash;that is, he knew all
+the animals of the Puna, and their habits, just as you will sometimes
+find a gamekeeper in our own country, or often a shepherd or farm-servant.
+He pointed out a rock-woodpecker, which he called a &ldquo;pito&rdquo;
+(<i>Colaptes rupicola</i>), that was fluttering about and flying from rock to
+rock. Like the cliff-parrots we have already mentioned, this rock-woodpecker
+was a curious phenomenon, for, as their very name
+implies, the woodpeckers are all tree-dwelling birds, yet here was one
+of the genus living among rocks where not a tree was to be seen, and
+scarcely a plant, except the thorny cactuses and magueys, with which
+succulent vegetables the woodpecker has nothing to do. The &ldquo;pito&rdquo;
+is a small, brown, speckled bird, with yellow belly, and there were
+great numbers of them flying about.</p>
+
+<p>But the bird which most fixed the attention of Leon was a little
+bird about the size of a starling. Its plumage was rather pretty. It
+was brown, with black stripes on the back, and white-breasted. But
+it was not the plumage of the bird that interested Leon. It was
+what his companion told him of a singular habit which it had&mdash;that
+of repeating, at the end of every hour during the night, its melancholy
+and monotonous note. The Indians call this bird the &ldquo;cock of the
+Inca,&rdquo; and they moreover regard it with a sort of superstitious
+reverence.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Having placed his snares, the vaquero set out to return with his
+youthful companion. As they walked back along the mountain-foot,
+a fox stole out from the rocks and skulked towards the marshy lake,
+no doubt in search of prey. This fox was the <i>Canis Azar&aelig;</i>,
+a most troublesome species, found all through South America. He is the
+great pest of the Puna shepherds, as he is a fierce hunter, and kills
+many of the young lambs and alpacos.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero was sorry he had not his dogs with him, as, from the
+route the fox had taken, he would have been certain to have captured
+him, and that would have been worth something, for the great sheep-owners
+give their shepherds a sheep for every old fox that they can
+kill, and for every young one a lamb. But the dogs, on this occasion,
+had been left behind, lest they should have bitten Leon, and the
+vaquero was compelled to let &ldquo;Reynard&rdquo; go his way. It was night
+when they returned to the hut, and then, after Leon had related the
+details of their excursion, all retired to rest.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICU&Ntilde;AS, AND GUANACOS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>ur travellers were stirring by early break of day. As they issued
+from the hut, a singular and interesting scene presented itself to
+their eyes. At one view&mdash;one <i>coup d'&#339;il</i>&mdash;they beheld the whole four
+species of the celebrated camel-sheep of the Andes; for there are four
+of them,&mdash;llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicu&ntilde;a! This was a rare sight,
+indeed. They were all browsing upon the open plain: first, the
+llamas, near the hut; then a flock of tame alpacos, out upon the
+plain; thirdly, a herd of seven guanacos farther off; and still more
+distant, a larger herd of the shy vicu&ntilde;as. The guanacos and vicu&ntilde;as
+were of uniform colours,&mdash;that is, in each flock the colour of the
+individuals was the same; while among the llamas and alpacos there
+were many varieties of colour. The latter two kinds were tame,&mdash;in
+fact, they were under the charge of Guapo's friend the shepherd,
+whereas the herds of vicu&ntilde;as and guanacos consisted of wild animals.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps no animal of South America has attracted so much attention
+as the llama, as it was the only beast of burden the Indians had
+trained to their use on the arrival of Europeans in that country.
+So many strange stories were told by the earlier Spanish travellers
+regarding this &ldquo;camel-sheep,&rdquo; that it was natural that great interest
+should attach to it. These reported that the llama was used for
+riding. Such, however, is not the case. It is only trained to carry
+burdens; although an Indian boy may be sometimes seen on the
+back of a llama for mischief, or when crossing a stream and the lad
+does not wish to get his feet wet.</p>
+
+<p>The llama is three feet high from hoof to shoulder, though his long
+neck makes him look taller. His colour is generally brown, with
+black and yellow shades, sometimes speckled or spotted; and there
+are black and white llamas, but these are rare. His wool is long and
+coarse, though the females, which are smaller, have a finer and better
+wool. The latter are never used to carry burdens, but only kept for
+breeding. They are fed in flocks upon the Puna heights, and it was
+a flock of these that our travellers saw near the hut.</p>
+
+<p>The males are trained to carry burdens at the age of four years.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span>
+A pack-saddle, called <i>yergua</i>, woven out of course wool, is fastened
+on the back, and upon this the goods are placed. The burden never
+exceeds 120 or 130 pounds. Should a heavier one be put on, the
+llama, like the camel, quite understands that he is &ldquo;over-weighted,&rdquo;
+and neither coaxing nor beating will induce him to move a step. He
+will lie down, or, if much vexed, spit angrily at his driver, and this
+spittle has a highly acrid property, and will cause blisters on the
+skin where it touches. Sometimes a llama, over vexed by ill-treatment,
+has been known, in despair, to dash his brains out against a
+rock.</p>
+
+<p>The llamas are used much in the mines of Peru, for carrying the
+ore. They frequently serve better than either asses or mules, as they
+can pass up and down declivities where neither ass nor mule can
+travel. They are sometimes taken in long trains from the mountains
+down to the coast region for salt and other goods; but on such
+occasions many of them die, as they cannot bear the warm climate of
+the lowlands. Their proper and native place is on the higher plains
+of the Andes.</p>
+
+<p>A string of llamas, when on a journey, is a very interesting spectacle.
+One of the largest is usually the leader. The rest follow in
+single file, at a slow, measured pace, their heads ornamented tastefully
+with ribands, while small bells, hanging around their necks,
+tinkle as they go. They throw their high heads from side to side,
+gazing around them, and when frightened at anything, will &ldquo;break
+ranks,&rdquo; and scamper out of their path, to be collected again with some
+trouble.</p>
+
+<p>When resting, they utter a low, humming noise, which has been
+compared to the sound of an Eolian harp. They crouch down on
+their breast&mdash;where there is a callosity&mdash;when about to receive their
+burdens, and also sleep resting in the same attitude. A halt during
+the day is necessary, in order that they may be fed, as these animals
+will not eat by night. In consequence of this they make but short
+journeys&mdash;ten to fifteen miles&mdash;although they will travel for a long
+time, allowing them a day's rest out of every five or six. Like the
+camels of the East, they can go days without water, and Buffon knew
+one that went <i>eighteen months</i> without it! but Buffon is very poor
+authority. When one of them becomes wearied, and does not wish to
+proceed, it is exceedingly difficult to coax him onward.</p>
+
+<p>These animals were at one time very valuable. On the discovery
+of America a llama cost as much as eighteen or twenty dollars. But
+the introduction of mules and other beasts of burden has considerably
+cheapened them. At present they are sold for about four dollars in
+the mining districts, but can be bought where they are bred and
+reared for half that amount. In the days of the Incas their flesh was
+much used as food. It is still eaten; but for this purpose the common
+sheep is preferred, as the flesh of the llama is spongy and not very
+well flavoured. The wool is used for many sorts of coarse manufacture.
+So much for llamas. Now the &ldquo;guanaco.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This animal (whose name is sometimes written &ldquo;huanaca,&rdquo; though
+the pronunciation is the same with &ldquo;guanaco&rdquo; or &ldquo;guanaca&rdquo;) is
+larger than the llama, and for a long time was considered merely as
+the wild llama, or the llama <i>run wild</i>, in which you will perceive an
+essential distinction. It is neither, but an animal of specific difference.
+It exists in a wild state in the high mountains, though, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span>
+great care and trouble, it can be domesticated and trained to carry
+burdens as well as its congener the llama. In form it resembles the
+latter, but, as is the case with most wild animals, the guanacos are
+all alike in colour. The upper parts of the body are of a reddish
+brown, while underneath it is a dirty white. The lips are white, and
+the face a dark grey. The wool is shorter than that of the llama, and
+of the same length all over the body. The guanaco lives in herds of
+five or seven individuals, and these are very shy, fleeing to the most
+inaccessible cliffs when any one approaches them. Like the chamois
+of Switzerland and the &ldquo;bighorn&rdquo; of the Rocky Mountains, they can
+glide along steep ledges when neither men nor dogs can find footing.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;alpaco,&rdquo; or &ldquo;paco,&rdquo; as it is sometimes called, is one of the
+most useful of the Peruvian sheep, and is more like the common sheep
+than the others. This arises from its bulkier shape, caused by its
+thick fleece of long wool. The latter is soft, fine, and often five inches
+in length; and, as is well known, has become an important article in
+the manufacture of cloth. Its colour is usually either white or black,
+though there are some of the alpacos speckled or spotted. Ponchos
+are woven out of alpaco-wool by the Indians of the Andes.</p>
+
+<p>The alpaco is a domesticated animal, like the llama, but it is not
+used for carrying burdens. It is kept in large flocks, and regularly
+shorn as sheep are. If one of the alpacos gets separated from the
+flock, it will lie down and suffer itself to be beaten to death, rather
+than go the way its driver wishes. You have, no doubt, sometimes
+seen a common sheep exhibit similar obstinacy.</p>
+
+<p>Of all the Peruvian sheep the vicu&ntilde;a is certainly the prettiest and
+most graceful. It has more the form of the deer or antelope than of
+the sheep, and its colour is so striking that it has obtained among
+the Peruvians the name of the animal itself, <i>color de vicu&ntilde;a</i> (vicu&ntilde;a
+colour). It is of a reddish yellow, not unlike that of our domestic
+red cat, although the breast and under parts of the body are white.
+The flesh of the vicu&ntilde;a is excellent eating, and its wool is of more
+value than even that of the alpaco. Where a pound of the former
+sells for one dollar&mdash;which is the usual price&mdash;the pound of alpaco
+will fetch only a quarter of that sum. Hats and the finest fabrics
+can be woven from the fleece of the vicu&ntilde;a, and the Incas used to
+clothe themselves in rich stuffs manufactured from it. In the present
+day the &ldquo;ricos,&rdquo; or rich proprietors of Peru, pride themselves in possessing
+ponchos of vicu&ntilde;a wool.</p>
+
+<p>The vicu&ntilde;a inhabits the high plains of the Andes, though, unlike
+the guanaco, it rarely ventures up the rocky cliffs, as its hoofs are
+only calculated for the soft turf of the plains. It roams about in
+larger herds than the other&mdash;eighteen or twenty in the herd&mdash;and
+these are usually females under the protection and guidance of one
+polygamous old male. While feeding, the latter keeps watch over
+the flock, usually posting himself at some distance, so that he may
+have a better opportunity of seeing and hearing any danger that
+may approach. When any is perceived, a shrill whistle from the
+leader and a quick stroke of his hoof on the turf warn the flock; and
+all draw closely together, each stretching out its head in the direction
+of the danger. They then take to flight, at first slowly, but
+afterwards with the swiftness of the roe; while the male, true to his
+trust, hangs in the rear, and halts at intervals, as if to cover the
+retreat of the herd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicu&ntilde;a, although different species,
+will breed with each other; and it is certain that some of their
+hybrids will again produce young. There exist, therefore, many
+intermediate varieties, or &ldquo;mules,&rdquo; throughout the countries of the
+Andes, some of which have been mistaken for separate species.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A VICU&Ntilde;A HUNT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he vicu&ntilde;a being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh and
+wool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. It is
+an animal most difficult to approach, and there is rarely any cover
+on these naked plains by which to approach it.</p>
+
+<p>The chief mode of capturing it is by the &ldquo;chacu.&rdquo; This cannot be
+effected by a single hunter. A great number is required. Usually
+the whole population of one of the villages of the &ldquo;Sierras&rdquo; lower
+down turns out for this sport, or rather business, for it is an annual
+source of profit. Even the women go along, to cook and perform
+other offices, as the hunt of the <i>chacu</i> sometimes lasts a week or
+more.</p>
+
+<p>A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons.
+They climb up to the <i>altos</i>, or high and secluded plains, where the
+vicu&ntilde;a dwells in greatest numbers. They carry with them immense
+coils of ropes, and a large quantity of coloured rags, together with
+bundles of stakes three or four feet in length. When a proper part
+of the plain has been chosen, they drive in the stakes four or five
+yards apart and running in the circumference of a circle, sometimes
+nearly a mile in diameter.</p>
+
+<p>A rope is then stretched from stake to stake, at the height of
+between two and three feet from the ground, and over this rope are
+hung the coloured rags provided for the occasion, and which keep
+fluttering in the wind. A sort of scare-crow fence is thus constructed
+in the form of a ring, except that on one side a space of about two
+hundred yards is left open to serve as an entrance for the game.
+The Indians then, most of them on horseback, make a grand d&eacute;tour,
+extending for miles over the country; and having got behind the
+herds of vicu&ntilde;as, drive them within the circle, and close up the
+entrance by completing the ring.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters then go inside, and using the <i>bolas</i>, or even seizing the
+animals by their hind-legs, soon capture the whole. Strange to say,
+these silly creatures make no attempt to break through the sham
+fence, nor even to leap over it. Not so with the guanacos, when so
+enclosed. The latter spring against the fence at once, and if, by
+chance, a party of guanacos be driven in along with the vicu&ntilde;as, they
+not only break open the rope enclosure and free themselves, but also
+the whole herd of their cousins, the vicu&ntilde;as. It is, therefore, not
+considered any gain to get a flock of guanacos into the trap.</p>
+
+<p>The hunt usually lasts several days, but during that time the
+enclosure of ropes is flitted from place to place, until no more vicu&ntilde;as
+can be found. Then the ropes, stakes, &amp;c., are collected, and the
+produce of the hunt distributed among the hunters. But the
+Church levies its tax upon the &ldquo;chacu,&rdquo; and the skins&mdash;worth a
+dollar each&mdash;have to be given up to the priest of the village. A good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span>
+round sum this amounts to, as frequently four or five hundred vicu&ntilde;as
+are taken at a single <i>chacu</i>.</p>
+
+<p>A good hunter is sometimes able to &ldquo;approach&rdquo; the vicu&ntilde;a.
+Guapo's friend was esteemed one of the best in all the Puna. The
+sight of the herd out on the plain, with their graceful forms, and
+beautiful reddish-orange bodies, was too much for him, and he
+resolved to try his skill upon them. He said he had a plan of his
+own, which he intended to practise on this occasion.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and his party&mdash;even Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little Leona&mdash;were
+all outside the hut, although the morning air was raw and chill.
+But the domicile of the worthy vaquero was not empty, for all that.
+It was peopled by a very large colony of very small animals, and a
+night in their society had proved enough for the travellers. The
+chill air of the Puna was even more endurable than such company.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero crawled back into the hut, and in a few minutes
+returned, but so metamorphosed, that had the party not seen him
+come out of the doorway they would have mistaken him for a llama!
+He was completely disguised in the skin of one of these animals.
+His face only was partly visible, and his eyes looked out of the breast.
+The head and neck of the skin, stuffed with some light substance,
+stood up and forward, after the manner of the living animal, and
+although the legs were a little clumsy, yet it would have required a
+more intelligent creature than the vicu&ntilde;a to have observed this
+defect.</p>
+
+<p>All hands, even the saturnine Guapo, laughed loudly at the counterfeit,
+and the vaquero himself was heard to chuckle through the long
+wool upon the breast. He did not lose time, however, but instantly
+prepared to set off. He needed no other preparation than to get
+hold of his <i>bolas</i>,&mdash;that was his favourite weapon. Before going
+farther, I shall tell you what sort of weapon it is.</p>
+
+<p>The bolas consist of three balls&mdash;hence the name&mdash;of lead or stone,
+two of them heavier than the third. Each ball is fastened to the
+end of a stout thong made of twisted sinews of the vicu&ntilde;a itself, and
+the other ends of the three thongs are joined together. In using
+them the hunter holds the lightest ball in his hand, and twirls the
+other two in circles around his head, until they have attained the
+proper velocity, when he takes aim and launches them forth.</p>
+
+<p>Through the air fly the thongs and balls, and all whirling round in
+circles, until they strike some object; and if that object be the legs
+of an animal, the thongs become immediately warped around them,
+until the animal is regularly hoppled, and in attempting to escape
+comes at once to the ground. Of course great practice is required
+before such an instrument can be used skilfully; and to the novice
+there is some danger of one of the balls hitting him a crack on the
+head, and knocking over himself instead of the game. But there was
+no danger of Guapo's friend the vaquero committing this blunder.
+He had been swinging the bolas around his head for more than forty
+years!</p>
+
+<p>Without more ado, then, he seized the weapon, and, having gathered
+it with his <i>fore-feet</i> into a portable shape, he proceeded in the direction
+of the vicu&ntilde;as.</p>
+
+<p>The travellers remained by the hut, watching him with interest,
+but his movements were particularly interesting to Leon, who, like
+all boys, was naturally fond of such enterprises.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The herd of vicu&ntilde;as was not more than three quarters of a mile off.
+For the first half of this distance the vaquero shambled along right
+speedily, but as he drew nearer to the animals he proceeded slower
+and with more caution.</p>
+
+<p>The pretty creatures were busily browsing, and had no fear. They
+knew they were well guarded by their faithful sentinel, in whom
+they had every confidence,&mdash;the lord and leader of the herd. Even
+from the hut, this one could be seen standing some distance apart
+from the rest. He was easily recognised by his greater bulk and
+prouder bearing.</p>
+
+<p>The false llama has passed near the guanacos, and they have taken
+no heed of him. This is a good omen, for the guanacos are quite as
+sharp and shy as their smaller cousins, and since he has succeeded in
+deceiving them, he will likely do the same for the vicu&ntilde;as. Already
+he approaches them. He does not make for the herd, but directly
+for the leader. Surely he is near enough; from the hut he seems
+close up to the creature. See! the vicu&ntilde;a tosses his head and strikes
+the ground with his hoof. Listen! it is his shrill whistle. The
+scattered herd suddenly start and flock together; but, look! the
+<i>llama</i> stands erect on his hind-legs; the bolas whirl around his head&mdash;they
+are launched out. Ha! the vicu&ntilde;a is down!</p>
+
+<p>Where is the female drove? Have they scampered off and forsaken
+their lord? No! faithful as a loving wife, they run up to share his
+danger. With shrill cries they gather around him, moving to and
+fro. The llama is in their midst. See! he is dealing blows with some
+weapon&mdash;it is a knife! his victims fall around him&mdash;one at every
+blow; one by one they are falling. At last, at last, they are all
+down,&mdash;yes, the whole herd are stretched, dead or dying, upon the
+plain!</p>
+
+<p>The struggle is over; no sound is heard, save the hoof-stroke of the
+guanacos, llamas, and alpacos, that cover the plain in their wild flight.</p>
+
+<p>Leon could no longer restrain his curiosity; but ran off to the
+scene of the slaughter. There he counted no less than nineteen
+vicu&ntilde;as lying dead, each one stabbed in the ribs! The Indian assured
+him that it was not the first <i>battue</i> of the kind he had made. A
+whole herd of vicu&ntilde;as is often taken in this way. When the male is
+wounded or killed, the females will not leave him; but, as if out of
+gratitude for the protection he has during life afforded them, they
+share his fate without making an effort to escape!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">CAPTURING A CONDOR.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he vaquero with his horse soon dragged the vicu&ntilde;as to the hut.
+Guapo gave him a help with the mule, and in a few minutes they
+were all brought up. One of them was immediately skinned, and
+part of it prepared for breakfast, and our travellers ate heartily of
+it, as the cold Puna air had given an edge to their appetites.</p>
+
+<p>The new-killed animals, along with the red skin of the bull, which
+had been spread out on the ground at some distance from the hut,
+had already attracted the condors; and four or five of these great
+birds were now seen hovering in the air, evidently with the intention
+of alighting at the first opportunity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span></p>
+
+<p>An idea seemed to enter the head of the vaquero, while his guests
+were still at breakfast, and he asked Leon if he would like to see a
+condor caught. Of course Leon replied in the affirmative. What boy
+wouldn't like to see a condor caught?</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero said he would gratify him with the sight, and without
+staying to finish his breakfast&mdash;indeed he had had his &ldquo;coceada,&rdquo; and
+didn't care for any,&mdash;he started to his feet, and began to make preparations
+for the capture.</p>
+
+<p>How he was to catch one of these great birds, Leon had not the
+slightest idea. Perhaps with the &ldquo;bolas,&rdquo; thought he. That would
+have done well enough if he could only get near them; but the
+condors were sufficiently shy not to let any man within reach either
+with bolas or guns. It is only when they have been feasting on
+carrion, and have gorged themselves to repletion, that they can be thus
+approached, and then they may be even knocked over with sticks.</p>
+
+<p>At other times the condor is a shy and wary bird. No wonder
+either that he is so, for, unlike most other vultures, he is hunted and
+killed at all times. The vultures of most countries are respected by
+the people, because they perform a valuable service in clearing away
+carrion; and in many parts these birds are protected by statute.
+There are laws in the Southern United States, and in several of the
+Spanish-American Republics, which impose fines and penalties for
+killing the black vultures. In some Oriental countries, too, similar
+laws exist. But no statute protects the condor. On the contrary,
+he is a proscribed bird, and there is a bounty on his head, because he
+does great damage to the proprietors of sheep, and llamas, and alpacos,
+killing and devouring the young of these animals. His large quills,
+moreover, are much prized in the South American cities, and the
+killing of a condor is worth something. All this will account for the
+shyness of this great bird, while other vultures are usually so tame
+that you may approach within a few paces of them.</p>
+
+<p>As yet the half-dozen condors hovering about kept well off from
+the hut; and Leon could not understand how any one of them was
+to be caught.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero, however, had a good many &ldquo;dodges,&rdquo; and after the
+<i>ruse</i> he had just practised upon the vicu&ntilde;as, Leon suspected he would
+employ some similar artifice with the condors. Leon was right. It
+was by a stratagem the bird was to be taken.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero laid hold of a long rope, and lifting the bull's hide
+upon his shoulders, asked Guapo to follow him with the two horses.
+When he had got out some four or five hundred yards from the hut,
+he simply spread himself flat upon the ground, and drew the skin
+over him, the fleshy side turned upward. There was a hollow in the
+ground about as big as his body&mdash;in fact, a trench he had himself
+made for a former occasion&mdash;and when lying in this on his back, his
+breast was about on a level with the surrounding turf.</p>
+
+<p>His object in asking Guapo to accompany him with the horses was
+simply a <i>ruse</i> to deceive the condors, who from their high elevation
+were all the while looking down upon the plain. But the vaquero
+covered himself so adroitly with his red blanket, that even their keen
+eyes could scarcely have noticed him; and as Guapo afterwards left
+the ground with the led horses, the vultures supposed that nothing
+remained but the skin, which from its sanguinary colour to them
+appeared to be flesh.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The birds had now nothing to fear from the propinquity of the hut.
+There the party were all seated quietly eating their breakfast, and
+apparently taking no notice of them. In a few minutes' time, therefore,
+they descended lower, and lower,&mdash;and then one of the very
+largest dropped upon the ground within a few feet of the hide. After
+surveying it for a moment, he appeared to see nothing suspicious
+about it, and hopped a little closer. Another at this moment came
+to the ground&mdash;which gave courage to the first&mdash;and this at length
+stalked boldly on the hide, and began to tear at it with his great
+beak.</p>
+
+<p>A movement was now perceived on the part of the vaquero&mdash;the hide
+&ldquo;lumped&rdquo; up, and at the same time the wings of the condor were
+seen to play and flap about as if he wanted to rise into the air, but
+could not. He was evidently held by the legs!</p>
+
+<p>The other bird had flown off at the first alarm, and the whole band
+were soon soaring far upward into the blue heavens.</p>
+
+<p>Leon now expected to see the vaquero uncover himself. Not so,
+however, as yet. That wily hunter had no such intention, and
+although he was now in a sitting posture, grasping the legs of the
+condor, yet his head and shoulders were still enveloped in the bull's
+hide. He knew better than to show his naked face to the giant
+vulture, that at a single &ldquo;peck&rdquo; of his powerful beak would have
+deprived him of an eye, or otherwise injured him severely. The
+vaquero was aware of all this, and therefore did not leave his hiding-place
+until he had firmly knotted one end of the long cord around the
+shank of the bird&mdash;then slipping out at one side, he ran off to some
+distance before stopping. The condor, apparently relieved of his
+disagreeable company, made a sudden effort and rose into the air,
+carrying the hide after him. Leon shouted out, for he thought the
+vulture had escaped; but the vaquero knew better, as he held the
+other end of the cord in his hand; and the bird, partly from the
+weight of the skin, and partly from a slight tug given by the hunter,
+soon came heavily to the ground again. The vaquero was now joined
+by Guapo; and, after some sharp man&#339;uvring, they succeeded between
+them in passing the string through the nostrils of the condor,
+by which means it was quietly conducted to the hut, and staked on
+the ground in the rear&mdash;to be disposed of whenever its captor should
+think fit.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t was as yet only an hour or so after daybreak&mdash;for the vicu&ntilde;a hunt
+had occupied but a very short time and the capture of the condor a
+still shorter. Don Pablo was anxious to be gone, as he knew he was
+not beyond the reach of pursuit. A pair of the vicu&ntilde;as were hastily
+prepared, and packed upon a llama for use upon their journey. Thus
+furnished, the party resumed their route.</p>
+
+<p>The vaquero did not accompany them. He had an office to perform
+of far more importance to their welfare and safety. As soon as they
+were gone he let loose his four snarling curs, and taking them out to
+where the pile of dead vicu&ntilde;as lay upon the plain, he left them there
+with instructions to guard the carcasses from foxes, condors, or whatever<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span>
+else might wish to make a meal off them. Then mounting, he
+rode off to the place where the road leading from Cuzco ascended
+upon the table-land, and having tied his horse to a bush, he climbed
+upon a projecting rock and sat down. From this point he commanded
+a view of the winding road to the distance of miles below him.</p>
+
+<p>No traveller&mdash;much less a party of soldiers&mdash;could approach without
+his seeing them, even many hours before they could get up to where
+he sat; and it was for that reason he had stationed himself there.
+Had Don Pablo been pursued, the faithful Indian would have galloped
+after and given him warning, long before his pursuers could have reached
+the plain.</p>
+
+<p>He sat until sunset&mdash;contenting himself with a few leaves of coca.
+No pursuer appeared in sight. He then mounted his horse, and rode
+back to his solitary hut.</p>
+
+<p>Let us follow our travellers.</p>
+
+<p>They crossed the table-plain during the day, and rested that night
+under the shelter of some overhanging rocks on the other side. They
+supped upon part of the vicu&ntilde;as, and felt more cheerful, as they
+widened the distance between themselves and danger. But in the
+morning they did not remain longer by their camp than was necessary
+to get breakfast. Half-an-hour after sunrise saw them once more on
+their route.</p>
+
+<p>Their road led through a pass in the mountains. At first it
+ascended, and then began to go downward. They had crossed the
+last ridge of the Andes, and were now descending the eastern slopes.
+Another day's journey, or two at most, would bring them to the
+borders of that wild forest, which stretches from the foot-hills of the
+Andes to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean&mdash;that forest with scarcely
+a civilised settlement throughout all its wide extent&mdash;where no roads
+exist&mdash;whose only paths are rivers&mdash;whose dark jungles are in places
+so impenetrable that the Indian cannot enter them, and even the
+fierce jaguar, embarrassed by the thick underwood, has to take to
+the tree-tops in pursuit of his prey. Another day's journey or so
+would bring them to the borders of the &ldquo;Monta&ntilde;a&rdquo;&mdash;for such is the
+name which, by a strange misapplication of terms, has been given to
+this primeval wood. Yes, the Monta&ntilde;a was before them, and
+although yet distant, it could now and then be seen as the road
+wound among the rocks, stretching far towards the sky like a green
+and misty ocean.</p>
+
+<p>In that almost boundless region there dwelt none but the
+aborigines of the soil&mdash;the wild Indians&mdash;and these only in sparse
+and distant bands. Even the Spaniards in their day of glory had
+failed to conquer it; and the Portuguese from the other side were
+not more successful.</p>
+
+<p>The Spanish colonists, on the Peruvian or western border of this
+immense forest, had never been able to penetrate it as colonists or
+settlers. Expeditions from time to time had passed along its rivers
+in search of the fabled gold country of <i>Manoa</i>, whose king each
+morning gave himself a coating of gold dust, and was hence called
+El Dorado (the gilded); but all these expeditions ended in mortification
+and defeat. The settlements never extended beyond the <i>sierras</i>,
+or foot-hill of the Andes, which stretch only a few days' journey (in
+some places but a score of leagues) from the populous cities on the
+mountain-heights.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Even at this present time, if you travel thirty leagues eastward of
+the large town of Cuzco, in the direction taken by Don Pablo, you
+will pass the boundaries of civilisation, and enter a country unexplored
+and altogether unknown to the people of Cuzco themselves!
+About the &ldquo;Monta&ntilde;a&rdquo; very little is known in the settlements of the
+Andes. Fierce tribes of Indians, the jaguar, the vampire bat, swarms
+of mosquitoes, and the hot atmosphere, have kept the settler, as well
+as the curious traveller, out of these wooded plains.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo had already passed the outskirts of civilisation. Any
+settlement he might find beyond would be the hut of some half-wild
+Indian. There was no fear of his encountering a white face upon
+the unfrequented path he had chosen, though had he gone by some
+other route he might have found white settlements extending farther
+to the eastward. As it was, the wilderness lay before him, and he
+would soon enter it.</p>
+
+<p><i>And what was he to do in the wilderness?</i> He knew not. He had
+never reflected on that. He only knew that behind him was a
+relentless foe thirsting for his life. To go back was to march to
+certain death. He had no thoughts of returning. That would have
+been madness. His property was already confiscated&mdash;his death
+decreed by the vengeful Viceroy, whose soldiers had orders to capture
+or slay, whenever they should find him. His only hope, then, was
+to escape beyond the borders of civilisation&mdash;to hide himself in the
+great Monta&ntilde;a. Beyond this he had formed no plan. He had
+scarcely thought about the future. Forward, then, for the Monta&ntilde;a!</p>
+
+<p>The road which our travellers followed was nothing more than
+a narrow path or &ldquo;trail&rdquo; formed by cattle, or by some party of
+Indians occasionally passing up from the lower valleys to the
+mountain-heights. It lay along the edge of a torrent that leaped
+and foamed over its rocky bed. The torrent was no doubt on its
+way to join the greatest of rivers, the mighty Amazon&mdash;the head-waters
+of which spring from all parts of the Andes, draining the
+slopes of these mountains through more than twenty degrees of
+latitude.</p>
+
+<p>Towards evening the little party were beginning to enter among
+the mountain spurs, or foot-hills. Here the travelling grew exceedingly
+difficult, the path sometimes running up a steep acclivity
+and then descending into deep ravines&mdash;so deep and dark that the
+sun's rays seemed hardly to enter them. The road was what Spanish-Americans
+term, &ldquo;<i>Cuesta arriba, cuesta abajo</i>&rdquo; (up hill, down hill).</p>
+
+<p>In no part of the world are such roads to be met with as among
+the Andes Mountains, both in South America and in their Mexican
+continuation through the northern division of the continent. This
+arises from the peculiar geological structure of these mountains.
+Vast clefts traverse them, yawning far into the earth. In South
+America these are called <i>quebradas</i>. You may stand on the edge of
+one of them and look sheer down a precipice two thousand feet!
+You may fancy a whole mountain scooped out and carried away,
+and yet you may have to reach the bottom of this yawning gulf by
+a road which seems cut out of the face of the cliff, or rather has
+been formed by a freak of Nature&mdash;for in these countries the hand of
+man has done but little for the roads.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes the path traverses a ledge so narrow that scarce room
+is found for the feet of your trusty mule. Sometimes a hanging<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span>
+bridge has to be crossed, spanning a horrid chasm, at the bottom of
+which roars a foaming torrent&mdash;the bridge itself, composed of ropes
+and brambles, all the while swinging like a hammock under the
+tread of the affrighted traveller!</p>
+
+<p>He who journeys through the tame scenery of European countries
+can form but little idea of the wild and dangerous highways of the
+Andes. Even the passes of the Alps or Carpathians are safe in
+comparison. On the Peruvian road the lives of men and animals are
+often sacrificed. Mules slide from the narrow ledges, or break
+through the frail &ldquo;soga&rdquo; bridges, carrying their riders along with
+them, whirling through empty air to be plunged into foaming
+waters or dashed on sharp rocks below.</p>
+
+<p>These are accidents of continual occurrence; and yet, on account of
+the apathy of the Spano-Indian races that inhabit these countries,
+little is done for either roads or bridges. Every one is left to take
+care of himself, and get over them as he best may. It is only now
+and then that positive necessity prompts to a great effort, and then
+a road is repaired or a broken bridge patched with new ropes.</p>
+
+<p>But the road that was travelled by Don Pablo had seen no repairs&mdash;there
+were no bridges. It was, in fact, a mere pathway where the
+traveller scrambled over rocks, or plunged into the stream, and
+forded or swam across it as he best could. Sometimes it lay along
+the water's edge, keeping in the bottom of the ravine; at other
+places no space was left by the water, and then the path ascended
+and ran along some ledge perhaps for miles, at the end of which it
+would again descend to the bed of the stream.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hat night they encamped in the bottom of the ravine close to the
+water's edge. They found just enough of level ground to enable
+them to stretch themselves, but they were contented with that.
+There was nothing for the animals to eat except the succulent, but
+thorny, leaves of the <i>Cactus opuntia</i>, or the more fibrous blades of
+the wild agave. This evening there were no quinoa seeds to be had,
+for none of these trees grew near. Even the botanist, Don Pablo,
+could find no vegetable substance that was eatable, and they would
+have to sup upon the vicu&ntilde;a meat, without bread, potatoes, or other
+vegetables. Their stock of ocas, ullucas, and macas, was quite out.
+They had cooked the last of the macas for that morning's meal.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo here came to their relief. Guapo's experience went beyond
+the theoretical knowledge of the botanist. Guapo knew a vegetable
+which was good to eat&mdash;in fact, a most delicious vegetable when
+cooked with meat. This was no other than the fleshy heart of the
+wild maguey (<i>agave</i>), with part of the adhering roots. Among naked
+rocks, in the most barren parts of the desert wilderness, the wild
+agave may be found growing in luxuriance. Its thick, succulent
+blades, when split open, exude a cool liquid, that often gives considerable
+relief to the thirsty traveller; while the heart, or egg-shaped
+nucleus from which spring the sheathing leaves&mdash;and even
+parts of the leaves themselves&mdash;when cooked with any sort of meat,
+become an excellent and nourishing food.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Indians make this use of the aloe on the high plains of Northern
+Mexico, among the roving bands of the Apach&eacute;, Navajo, and Comanch&eacute;.
+These people cook them along with horse's flesh, for there
+the wild horse is the principal food of whole tribes. Their mode of
+cooking, both the flesh and the aloe, is by baking them together in
+little ovens of stones sunk in the ground, and then heated by fire
+until they are nearly red hot. The ashes are then cleared out, the
+meat and vegetables placed in the ovens, and then buried until both
+are sufficiently done. In fact, there is one tribe of the Apach&eacute;s who
+have obtained the name of &ldquo;Mezcaleros,&rdquo; from the fact of their
+eating the wild aloe, which in those countries goes under the name
+of &ldquo;mezcal&rdquo; plant.</p>
+
+<p>In many parts of the Andes, where the soil is barren, the wild
+maguey is almost the only vegetation to be seen, and in such places
+the Indians use it as food. It seems to be a gift of Nature to the
+desert, so that even there man may find something on which to subsist.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo with his knife had soon cleared off several large pieces of
+the maguey, and these, fried along with the vicu&ntilde;a meat, enabled the
+party to make a supper sufficiently palatable. A cup of pure water
+from the cold mountain stream, sweeter than all the wine in the
+world, washed it down; and they went to rest with hearts full of
+contentment and gratitude.</p>
+
+<p>They rose at an early hour, and, breakfasting as they had supped,
+once more took the road.</p>
+
+<p>After travelling a mile or two, the path gradually ascended along
+one of those narrow ledges that shelve out from the cliff, of which we
+have already spoken. They soon found themselves hundreds of feet
+above the bed of the torrent, yet still hundreds of feet above them
+rose the wall of dark porphyry, seamed, and scarred, and frowning.
+The ledge or path was of unequal breadth&mdash;here and there forming
+little tables or platforms. At other places, however, it was so narrow
+that those who were mounted could look over the brink of the
+precipice into the frothing water below&mdash;so narrow that no two
+animals could have passed each other. These terrible passes were
+sometimes more than an hundred yards in length, and not straight,
+but winding around buttresses of the rock, so that one end was not
+visible from the other.</p>
+
+<p>On frequented roads, where such places occur, it is usual for
+travellers, entering upon them, to shout, so that any one who chances
+to be coming from the opposite side, may have warning and halt.
+Sometimes this warning is neglected, and two trains of mules or
+llamas meet upon the ledge! Then there is a terrible scene&mdash;the
+drivers quarrel&mdash;one party has to submit&mdash;their animals have to be
+unloaded and dragged back by the heels to some wider part of the
+path, so that each party can get past in its turn!</p>
+
+<p>Near the highest part of the road, our travellers had entered upon
+one of these narrow ledges, and were proceeding along it with
+caution. The trusty mule, that carried Do&ntilde;a Isidora and Leona,
+was in front, the horse followed, and then the llamas. It is safer to
+ride than walk on such occasions, especially upon mules, for these
+animals are more sure-footed than the traveller himself. The horse
+that carried Leon, however, was as safe as any mule. He was one of
+the small Spanish-American breed, almost as sure-footed as a chamois.</p>
+
+<p>The torrent rushed and thundered beneath. It was fearful to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span>
+listen and look downward; the heads of all were giddy, and their
+hearts full of fear. Guapo, alone accustomed to such dangers, was
+of steady nerve. He and Don Pablo afoot were in the rear.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 345px;">
+<img src="images/illus-196.jpg" width="345" height="500" alt="GUAPO&#39;S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS." title="GUAPO&#39;S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS." />
+<span class="caption">GUAPO&#39;S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.</span></div>
+
+<p>They had neared the highest point of the road, where a jutting
+rock hid all beyond from their view. They were already within a
+few paces of this rock, when the mule&mdash;which, as we have stated,
+was in the front&mdash;suddenly stopped, showing such symptoms of
+terror that Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little Leona both shrieked!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Of course all the rest came to a halt behind the terrified and
+trembling mule. Don Pablo, from behind, shouted out, inquiring
+the cause of the alarm; but before any answer could be given the
+cause became apparent to all. Around the rock suddenly appeared
+the head and horns of a fierce bull, and the next moment his whole
+body had come into view, while another pair of horns and another
+head were seen close behind him!</p>
+
+<p>It would be difficult to describe the feelings of our travellers at
+that moment. The bull came on with a determined and sullen look,
+until he stood nearly head to head with the mule. The smoke of his
+wide steaming nostrils was mingled with the breath of the terrified
+mule, and he held his head downward, and evidently with the intention
+of rushing forward upon the latter. Neither could have gone
+back, and of course the fierce bull would drive the mule into the
+abyss. The other bull stood close behind, ready to continue the work
+if the first one failed, and, perhaps, there were many others behind!</p>
+
+<p>The mule was sensible of her danger, and, planting her hoofs
+firmly on the hard rock, she clung closely to the precipice. But this
+would not have served her, had not a hand interposed in her behalf.
+Amidst the terrified cries of the children, the voice of Guapo was
+heard calling to Don Pablo,&mdash;&ldquo;Your pistols, master! give me your
+pistols!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Something glided quickly among the legs of the animals. It was
+the lithe body of the Indian. In a second's time he appeared in
+front of the mule. The bull was just lowering his head to charge
+forward&mdash;his horns were set&mdash;the foam fell from his lips&mdash;and his
+eyes glanced fire out of their dark orbs. Before he could make the
+rush, there came the loud report of a pistol&mdash;a cloud of sulphury
+smoke&mdash;a short struggle on the cliff&mdash;and then a dead plunge in the
+torrent below!</p>
+
+<p>The smoke partially cleared away; then came another crack&mdash;another
+cloud&mdash;another short struggle&mdash;and another distant plash in
+the water!</p>
+
+<p>The smoke cleared away a second time. The two bulls were no
+longer to be seen!</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, in front of the mule, now ran forward upon the ledge, and
+looked around the buttress of rock. Then, turning suddenly, he
+waved his hand, and shouted back,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No more, master; you may come on&mdash;the road is clear!&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>fter two more days of fatiguing travel, the road parted from the
+bank of the river, and ran along the ridge of a high mountain spur
+in a direction at right angles to that of the Andes themselves. This
+spur continued for several miles, and then ended abruptly. At the
+point where it ended, the path, which for the whole of the day had
+been scarcely traceable, also came to an end. They were now of
+course in a forest-covered country&mdash;in the <i>Ceja de la Monta&ntilde;a</i>&mdash;that
+is, the forest that covers the foot-hills of the mountains. The forest
+of the plains, which were yet lower down, is known as the &ldquo;Monta&ntilde;a&rdquo;
+proper.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span></p>
+
+<p>During that day they had found the road in several places choked
+up with underwood, and Guapo had to clear it with his <i>machet&eacute;</i>&mdash;a
+sort of half-sword, half-knife, used throughout all Spanish America,
+partly to cut brushwood and partly as a weapon of defence. Where
+the ridge ended, however, what had once been a road was now
+entirely overgrown&mdash;vines and llianas of large size crossed the path.
+Evidently no one had passed for years. A road existed no longer;
+the luxuriant vegetation had effaced it.</p>
+
+<p>This is no unusual thing on the borders of the Monta&ntilde;a. Many a
+settlement had existed there in former times, and had been abandoned.
+No doubt the road they had been following once led to some such
+settlement that had long since fallen into ruin.</p>
+
+<p>It is a melancholy fact that the Spanish-Americans&mdash;including the
+Mexican nation&mdash;have been retrograding for the last hundred years.
+Settlements which they have made, and even large cities built by
+them, are now deserted and in ruins; and extensive tracts of country,
+once occupied by them, have become uninhabited, and have gone
+back to a state of nature. Whole provinces, conquered and peopled
+by the followers of Cortez and Pizarro, have within the last fifty
+years been retaken from them <i>by the Indians</i>: and it would be very
+easy to prove, that had the descendants of the Spanish conquerors,
+been left to themselves, another half century would have seen them
+driven from that very continent which their forefathers so easily
+conquered and so cruelly kept. This re-conquest on the part of the
+Indian races was going on in a wholesale way in the northern provinces
+of Mexico. But it is now interrupted by the approach of
+another and stronger race from the East&mdash;the Anglo-American.</p>
+
+<p>To return to our travellers. Don Pablo was not surprised that the
+road had run out. He had been expecting this for miles back.
+What was to be done? Of course they must halt for that night at
+least. Indeed it was already near camping-time. The sun was low
+in the sky, and the animals were all much jaded. The llamas could
+not have gone much farther. They looked as if they should never go
+farther. The heat of the climate&mdash;it had been getting warmer every
+hour&mdash;was too much for them. These animals, whose native home is
+among the high cool mountain valleys, as already observed, cannot
+live in the low tropical plains. Even as they descended the Sierras
+they had shown symptoms of suffering from the heat during all that
+day. Their strength was now fairly exhausted.</p>
+
+<p>The party halted. A little open space was chosen for the camp.
+The animals were relieved of their burdens and tied to the trees, lest
+they might stray off and be lost in the thick woods. A fire was
+kindled, and part of the vicu&ntilde;a meat cooked for supper.</p>
+
+<p>It was not yet night when they had finished eating, and all were
+seated on the ground. The countenance of the father was clouded
+with a melancholy expression. Do&ntilde;a Isidora sat by his side and tried
+to cheer him, endeavouring to force a smile into her large black eyes.
+The little Leona, with her head resting on her mother's lap, overcome
+with the heat and fatigue, had fallen asleep. Leon, seeing the
+dejected look of his father, was silent and thoughtful. Guapo was
+busy with his llamas.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Come, dear husband!&rdquo; said the lady, trying to assume a cheerful
+tone, &ldquo;do not be so sad. We are now safe. Surely they will never
+pursue us here.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They may not,&rdquo; mechanically replied Don Pablo; &ldquo;but what then?
+We have escaped death, for what purpose? Either to live like
+savages in these wild woods&mdash;perhaps to be killed by savages&mdash;perhaps
+to die of hunger!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Do not say so, Don Pablo. I have never heard that the Indians
+of these parts were cruel. They will not injure poor harmless people
+such as we are. And as for starving, are not these luxuriant woods
+filled with roots and fruits that will sustain life a long while? You,
+too, know so well what they are! Dear husband, do not despond;
+God will not forsake us. He has enabled us to escape from our
+enemies, from fearful dangers on our journey. Fear not! He will
+not leave us to perish now.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The cheering words of his beautiful wife had their effect upon Don
+Pablo. He embraced and kissed her in a transport of love and
+gratitude. He felt inspired with new hope. The vigour of mind and
+body, that for days had deserted him, now suddenly returned; and
+he sprang to his feet evidently with some newly-formed resolution.</p>
+
+<p>The country both before and behind them was shut out from their
+view by the thick foliage and underwood. A tall tree grew by the
+spot, with branches down to the level of a man's head. Don Pablo
+approached this tree, and seizing the branches drew himself up, and
+then climbed on towards its top. When he had reached a sufficient
+height, to overlook the surrounding woods, he stopped; and, resting
+himself upon one of the branches, looked abroad towards the east.
+All the rest stood watching him from below.</p>
+
+<p>He had been gazing but a few seconds when his face brightened up,
+and a smile of satisfaction was seen to play upon his countenance.
+He evidently saw something that pleased him. Isidora, impatient,
+called out to him from below; but Don Pablo waved his hand to her,
+as if admonishing her to be silent.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Have patience, love,&rdquo; he cried down. &ldquo;I shall descend presently
+and tell you all. I have good news, but be patient.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It required a good share of patience, for Don Pablo after this
+remained a full half-hour upon the tree. He was not all the time
+looking abroad, however. Part of it he sat upon his perch&mdash;his head
+leaning forward, and his eyes not appearing to be particularly engaged
+with anything. He was busy with his thoughts, and evidently
+meditating on some great project. Perhaps the going down of the
+sun admonished him, as much as the desire of satisfying his wife's
+curiosity, but just as the bright orb was sinking among the far tree-tops
+he descended.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now, Don Pablo,&rdquo; said the fair Isidora, pretending to frown and
+look angry, &ldquo;you have tried our patience, have you not? Come,
+then, no more mystery, but tell us all. What have you seen?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Forgive me, wife; you shall know all.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Both sat down upon the trunk of a dead tree that Guapo had felled,
+and was cutting up for firewood: not that it was at all cold, but they
+had now arrived in the country of the terrible <i>jaguar</i>, and it would
+be necessary to keep up a blazing fire throughout the night.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Your words were true, love,&rdquo; began Don Pablo. &ldquo;God has not
+forsaken us. I have seen three things that have inspired me with
+fresh life and hope.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;First, I looked out upon the Monta&ntilde;a, which I expected to see
+stretching away to the horizon, like a green ocean. I saw this in fact;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span>
+but, to my surprise, I saw more. I beheld a broad river winding like
+an immense serpent through the distant forest. It ran in a direction
+north-east, as far as the eye could reach. Even upon the horizon I
+could distinguish spots of its bright water glancing like silver under
+the rays of the setting sun. My heart leaped with joy, for I recognised
+a river whose existence has been doubted. It can be no other,
+thought I, than the <i>Madre de Dios</i>. I have often heard that there
+existed such a river in these parts, that runs on to the Amazon. A
+missionary is said to have visited it, but with the destruction of the
+missions the record has been lost. I have no doubt the river I have
+seen is the <i>Madre de Dios</i> of that missionary.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The thought of being so near the banks of this river suggested
+other thoughts. At once a design entered into my mind. &ldquo;We can
+build a raft,&rdquo; thought I, &ldquo;launch it upon this noble river, and float
+down to the Amazon, and thence to the mouth of the great stream
+itself. There is a Portuguese settlement there&mdash;the town of Grand
+Para. There we shall be safe from our foes.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Such were my first thoughts on beholding the new river. I reflected
+further. &ldquo;Our fortune is gone,&rdquo; I reflected; &ldquo;we have nothing
+in the wide world&mdash;what should we do at Para, even if we arrived
+there in safety? How could we attempt such a journey without
+provisions. It would be impossible.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>My hopes fell as quickly as they had sprung up.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I noticed your countenance change as you sat upon the tree.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;True, you might easily have done so: the prospect of reaching
+Para, penniless, and becoming a beggar in the streets&mdash;the nearer
+prospect of starving in the wilderness of the Amazon&mdash;were before
+my mind.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>My eyes for awhile were bent mechanically upon the green ocean
+of tree-tops. All at once an object arrested them. It was a patch of
+bright rose-coloured foliage, easily distinguishable amid the green
+leaves that surrounded it. It was not down in the Monta&ntilde;a&mdash;for that
+is a thousand feet below us. It was upon the side of the Sierra. My
+eyes glanced quickly around. I beheld other patches of similar
+foliage, some of them nearly an acre in breadth. My heart again
+leaped with joy. I knew well what these red spots of the forest
+were. They were clumps of <i>cinchona</i> trees&mdash;those trees that yield the
+celebrated febrifuge&mdash;the Peruvian bark!</p>
+
+<p>New ideas passed rapidly through my mind. &ldquo;Our fortune is
+gone,&rdquo; thought I. &ldquo;Here is a fortune in these valuable trees. Here
+is a mine that only requires to be worked. I shall turn <i>cascarillero</i>&mdash;I
+shall be a <i>bark-hunter</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;At first I thought that we might gather the bark, and send Guapo
+to sell it in the towns of the Sierra. Then the idea came into my
+mind that it might be possible to collect an immense quantity, store
+it up, build a great raft, float it down the rivers, and dispose of it in
+Para. I knew that in this way it would more than quadruple its
+price&mdash;for the traders of the Sierra purchase it from the poor cascarilleros,
+and have enormous profits upon it from the larger merchants.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But how to live while making this store? Yes, how to live even
+on the morrow? Could we support ourselves by hunting, or find
+sustenance from fruits and roots, as you have suggested? This was
+the most important question of all, for our present necessities far
+outweighed our future prospects.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The very thought of our necessity caused me once more to glance
+over the forest, and I continued to scan it on all sides. My eye was
+again arrested, and fixed upon a point where I saw there existed a
+different vegetation from any that could be seen elsewhere. There is
+a small valley about five hundred feet below us. It is a sort of table
+valley, and the stream along which we have been travelling runs
+through it, afterwards dashing over a fall to join the river below. In
+this valley I saw huge broad leaves of a brilliant yellowish green. I
+knew them at once to be the leaves of the great <i>musace&aelig;</i>, either
+plantains or bananas. I thought, too, I could distinguish the form of
+the <i>yucca</i> plant. These are the certain signs of some settlement, or
+where one has existed. I fancy the latter is the correct idea, as I
+could distinguish neither house nor smoke. It may be some deserted
+Indian 'chacra,' or it may be the grounds of an old mission. In
+either case, we shall be likely to find those useful plants from which
+we may obtain food.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh, papa! mamma!&rdquo; cried Leon, running up and interrupting
+the conversation. &ldquo;See what is here among the trees! I declare it
+is a great cross!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and Isidora walked towards the spot. There, sure
+enough, was a large wooden cross planted in the ground, and leaning
+to one side. The wood was much decayed, but the inscription that
+had been deeply cut in the transverse beam was still legible. It was
+simply the Spanish phrase:&mdash;</p>
+
+<center>
+&ldquo;<span class="smcap">Brazos de Dios</span>&rdquo; (The arm of God).<br />
+</center>
+
+<p>Isidora took Don Pablo by the hand, and looking steadfastly in his
+face, pointed to the inscription.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It <i>is</i> true,&rdquo; said she, &ldquo;God protects us!&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE DESERTED MISSION.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hat night all went to rest with hope in their hearts, though still not
+without some anxiety.</p>
+
+<p>If you reflect upon the situation in which they were placed, you
+will not wonder that they were anxious about the future. Their first
+care had been to fly into the wilderness, without thinking upon the
+necessities they might encounter there&mdash;without reflecting that they
+had made no provision of food to sustain them. It is true that in the
+great Monta&ntilde;a there are many plants and trees whose roots and fruits
+can be eaten; but a traveller may go for days without finding one of
+these. Indeed, to pass through this great forest, in most places, is
+impossible, so completely are the creeping parasites matted and laced
+together. It is necessary to keep along the rivers in a canoe or raft,
+else you cannot get from place to place.</p>
+
+<p>You cannot even walk along the banks of many of these rivers, as
+the underwood hangs into the very water! For the same reason
+game is hard to be procured, and neither Don Pablo nor Guapo were
+provided with proper weapons to hunt with. Don Pablo's pistols
+were all the fire-arms they had, and Guapo had no other weapon than
+his machet&eacute;. With their present means, then, there was very little
+chance of their killing any game, even should they have fallen in with
+it. But they saw none as yet, except some birds, such as parrots,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span>
+macaws, and toucans, that fluttered among the leaves. No wonder,
+then, they were anxious about what they should find to eat, or
+whether they should find anything at all.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo considered the cross a good omen, or rather a good <i>sign</i>.
+Some missionary must have planted it in years gone by. No doubt a
+missionary station must have been near; and it was highly probable
+that what he had seen in the little valley below would turn out to be
+the very place where it had stood.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as it became day, therefore, Don Pablo again ascended the
+tree to take the bearings of the valley, so that they should proceed
+towards it. Guapo also climbed up, so that both might make sure of
+the route they ought to take&mdash;for in the tangled forests of South
+America it is no easy matter to reach any object, which you may
+have only seen at a distance from the top of a tree. Without a compass,
+the traveller soon loses his direction; and, after hours of vain
+exertion and devious wandering, often finds himself at the very place
+from which he had started.</p>
+
+<p>After carefully noting the direction of the valley, Don Pablo and
+Guapo came down from the tree; and while the former, assisted by
+Leon, packed and saddled the animals, Guapo was busy with his
+machet&eacute; in clearing away the brushwood that obstructed the path.
+This did not turn out such a task after all. It was only at the brow
+of the ridge, where the undergrowth had choked up the way. A little
+farther down it was quite passable, and the party, animals and all,
+were soon winding down the Sierra towards the valley. Half-an-hour's
+travelling brought them to their destination; and then a shout of
+joy, coming simultaneously from all of them, announced their arrival
+upon the spot.</p>
+
+<p>What was it that caused them to utter this shout of joy? Before
+them towered the great <i>musace&aelig;</i>&mdash;plantains and bananas. There
+were both: their broad yellow-green and wax-like leaves sheathing
+their succulent stems, and bending gracefully over to a length of
+twenty feet. But beautiful as were the leaves of these giant plants,
+more attractive still to the eyes of our travellers were the huge
+clusters of fruit-pods that hung from beneath them. Each of these
+would have weighed nearly an hundred-weight! There was food for
+hundreds. These plants grew by the water's edge, in a damp soil&mdash;their
+natural habitat. Their leaves drooped over the stream. Another
+plant, equally interesting, was seen farther back, in a dry place.
+There were many of these ten or fifteen feet high, and as thick as a
+man's wrist. This was the <i>yucca</i> plant. All of them knew it. They
+knew that its roots produced the far-famed cassava. Cassava is bread.
+Hurrah! the staff of life was secure!</p>
+
+<p>But, more than this, there were fruits in abundance; there were
+mangoes and guavas, oranges and the celebrated cherimoya&mdash;the
+favourite of Peru. There were shaddocks and sweet limes; and see!
+yonder is a clump of sugar-canes, with their thin silken leaves and
+yellow tassels waving in the wind. Oh, look here! Here is a coffee-shrub,
+with its ripe, aromatic berries; and here is the cacao-tree.
+Coffee and chocolate&mdash;there was a choice of beverages! Ha! what
+have we here&mdash;this plant like an orange tree? It is a species of holly.
+As I live, it is the <i>yerba mat&eacute;</i>, the &ldquo;Paraguay tea.&rdquo; What shall we
+light upon next?</p>
+
+<p>And so the delighted travellers went on, over the ground, through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span>
+the thick-tangled weeds and convolvuli, making new discoveries at
+every step. Even Guapo's favourite, the coca-shrub, was found growing
+among the rest, and the eyes of the old Indian sparkled at the
+sight of it.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo's first conjecture had been right. They had arrived at
+the ruin of some old missionary station, long since deserted. Some
+zealous monk had planted all these plants and trees; had for years,
+no doubt, tended them with care; had dreamt of establishing around
+this lonely spot a great hierarchy, and making the &ldquo;wilderness blossom
+as the rose.&rdquo; An evil day had come&mdash;perhaps during the revolt of
+Juan Santos, or maybe in the later revolution of Tupac Amaru. The
+hand of the savage had been turned against the priest, who had fallen
+a victim, and his roof&mdash;the mission-house&mdash;had been given to the
+flames. Not a vestige of building was to be seen&mdash;neither stick nor
+stone&mdash;and had it not been for the curious variety of vegetation
+collected on the spot, this once cultivated and flourishing garden
+might have been taken for part of the primeval forest.</p>
+
+<p>It must have been a long time since the place was inhabited, for
+great trees and parasites had grown up in the midst of the cultivated
+plants.</p>
+
+<p>After the first transports of delight had to some extent subsided,
+a consultation was held as to future proceedings. They were not long
+in coming to a conclusion. It was resolved that a house should be
+built in the middle of this wild garden, which should be, for a time at
+least, their home.</p>
+
+<p>The poor llamas had made their last journey. They were to be
+killed. Guapo, although reluctant to part with his old favourites,
+knew that they could not live in the warm climate of the valley, and
+therefore consented. Their flesh, it is true, is none of the best, but it
+would taste the better that no other was to be had; and their wool
+and skins would be found useful. The llamas were killed.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t was Guapo himself that killed the llamas, and, having skinned
+them, he cut the flesh into thin strips, and hung it upon the branches
+to dry in the sun. This, of course, was necessary, as they had no
+salt to cure it with; but meat well dried under a hot sun will keep
+good for a long time. It is curious, that in all Spanish-American
+countries they preserve most of their meat in this way, whereas in
+North America, among the people of our own race, &ldquo;jerked beef&rdquo;
+(for that is the name we give it) is very rare.</p>
+
+<p>Now, in Spanish-America there are vast depositories of salt&mdash;both
+in mines and on plains, with salt lakes&mdash;called <i>salinas</i>; yet, for want
+of a proper commercial activity existing among these people, in
+many places the valuable article, salt, is both scarce and dear. In
+Mexico dried or &ldquo;jerked&rdquo; beef is called &ldquo;tasajo.&rdquo; In Peru, as we
+have stated, it is &ldquo;charqui;&rdquo; but mutton cured in this way is
+distinguished by the name &ldquo;chalona.&rdquo; Now as the llamas are a
+species of sheep, it was &ldquo;chalona&rdquo; that Guapo was making out of
+their mutton.</p>
+
+<p>The others were not idle; Don Pablo, assisted by Leon, was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span>
+clearing a place on which they intended to build the house, while
+the Do&ntilde;a Isidora, with her soft slender fingers (for the first time in
+her life, perhaps), was acting as laundress, and the little Leona
+assisted her as much as she was able. Where did they get their soap,
+for they had not brought so much as a single cake along with them?</p>
+
+<p>But Don Pablo was too good a botanist not to know the nature of
+the trees that grew around, and the uses to which they could be
+applied. Near by grew a curious tree, which is known among the
+Indians as the <i>parapara</i>. It was the soap-berry of botanists and
+Don Pablo knew that the bark of the berries, when rubbed, produces
+a lather that will wash linen equal to the best &ldquo;Castile.&rdquo; Do&ntilde;a
+Isidora was not long in making a trial of it, and found this to be
+true. The little round stones of the berries, when cleared of the
+pulp, are very pretty, and are much used by the missionaries in
+making rosaries. Leon found, dropping one of them on a stone,
+that it was as elastic as a ball of India rubber, for it rebounded
+several times the height of a man's head!</p>
+
+<p>In the evening they all rested from their various occupations, and
+seated themselves upon the new-cleared ground, upon the trunk
+of a tree that had been felled. They were one and all quite cheerful.
+They felt no more apprehension of pursuit. It would have been
+a very revengeful enemy, indeed, who would have followed them so
+far into the wilderness. They had no fear of that. Do&ntilde;a Isidora
+had just cooked a kettle of coffee&mdash;they had both pots and kettles,
+for these were some of the utensils with which Guapo, even in the
+hurry of flight, had taken the precaution to load his llamas.</p>
+
+<p>This coffee turned out to be of the finest quality. It was of a
+peculiar species, which has long been cultivated by the missionaries
+of Peru, and which yields a very high price. It used to be sent
+by the viceroys as a valued present to the kings of Spain. To
+sweeten the coffee some joints of sugar-cane had been crushed, and
+boiled in a rough manner; and for bread they had roasted plantains.
+During the repast they were all quite merry, and pleasant jokes
+were passed for the first time in many days.</p>
+
+<p>While thus engaged a singular sound fell upon their ears. It was
+like a voice repeating the word &ldquo;Guaco!&rdquo; They all listened. &ldquo;Guaco&mdash;Guaco!&rdquo;
+again came the voice.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hola!&rdquo; cried Leon, &ldquo;Guapo&mdash;Guapo! there's some one calling
+you, Guapo. There again!&mdash;no&mdash;it's 'Guaco'&mdash;listen! Guaco&mdash;Guaco'
+What is it, I wonder?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;That's the snake-bird,&rdquo; quietly answered Guapo, who, it must be
+remembered, was a native of the Monta&ntilde;a, and knew a great deal
+both about the birds and beasts of these regions.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The snake-bird?&rdquo; exclaimed Leon, evidently interested in the
+name.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes, young master!&rdquo; replied Guapo; &ldquo;look! yonder it goes!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of all were instantly turned in the direction pointed out
+by Guapo. There sure enough was a bird, not much larger than
+a common pigeon, but which had all the appearance of a sparrow-hawk.
+It was &ldquo;swallow-tailed,&rdquo; however, and this, with its peculiar
+form and the manner of its flight, showed that it was one of the
+kite-hawks. When first noticed, it was perched upon the top of
+a high tree, but it soon flew to another not so high, uttering as it
+went, the &ldquo;Guaco&mdash;Guaco!&rdquo; It then pitched itself to a still lower<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span>
+branch, and was evidently after something which none of the party
+could see. That something, however, soon became apparent. The
+ground had been cleared in a broad track down to the water's edge,
+and near the middle of the open space an object was observed in
+motion, making towards the weeds. That object was a snake.</p>
+
+<p>It was not a large one&mdash;not more than three feet in length&mdash;and
+its beautiful body, variegated with bands of black, red, and bright
+yellow, glistened as it moved. Its predominating colour was a fleshy
+red, or coral, from whence it has its name, for both Don Pablo and
+Guapo, as soon as they saw it, pronounced it the &ldquo;coral snake.&rdquo;
+Beautiful as it appeared, all knew that it was one of the most
+poisonous of serpents&mdash;one of the most dreaded of South American
+reptiles.</p>
+
+<p>The first thought of Guapo and Leon was to spring up, seize upon
+some weapon, and kill the creature. Don Pablo, however, restrained
+them.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Stay where you are,&rdquo; said he; &ldquo;be patient; we shall have a scene.
+Look at the hawk,&mdash;see!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Don Pablo spoke, the guaco, which had hopped down to the
+lowest branches of a neighbouring tree, swooped suddenly at the
+snake, evidently aiming to clutch it around the neck. The latter,
+however, had been too quick, and coiling itself, like a flash of
+lightning darted its head out towards the bird in a threatening
+manner. Its eyes sparkled with rage, and their fiery glitter could be
+seen even at many yards distance.</p>
+
+<p>The bird diverged from its course, and after passing the snake,
+turned and swooped again from the opposite direction. But the
+reptile had shifted its body so as to meet the attack, and its threatening
+head once more was reared high above its coiled body. The
+guaco was foiled a second time.</p>
+
+<p>This second failure seemed to enrage the bird, as it turned at
+shorter intervals, and apparently losing all fear, fluttered over the
+reptile, striking both with beak and claws. The latter still kept in
+its coil, but its head moved hastily from side to side, so as always to
+&ldquo;show front&rdquo; to its active antagonist.</p>
+
+<p>After this play had continued for some time, the snake was seen to
+draw in its head farther than usual, and the hawk, evidently somewhat
+off his guard, deeming this a fair opportunity, pounced forward
+to seize it. But he was met half way. The head of the serpent shot
+forward like a rapier, and reached his breast. The hawk felt that
+he was wounded; and uttering a wild scream, he flew suddenly
+away.</p>
+
+<p>All eyes watched him as he flew off, expecting that he would fall&mdash;for
+the bite of the coral snake will kill even a man in a few minutes,
+and a bird or small animal in much less time. It is not correct to
+say that all of them expected to see him fall. Guapo, from experience,
+knew better, and even Don Pablo, as a naturalist, had
+heard a strange account of this singular bird, and was curious to
+witness the result. The hawk, therefore, was narrowly watched.</p>
+
+<p>It flew directly for a tree, up against the trunk of which, and
+clinging to its branches, grew a parasite or creeping plant. The
+latter was of the thickness of a willow rod, with long slender leaves,
+of a dark green colour. The bird did not alight upon the top of the
+tree, but on a branch where it could reach the leaves of the creeper,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span>
+which it began immediately to pluck and devour. In a short while
+it had eaten as many as a dozen of these long leaves, when it again
+took to wing, and flew back in the direction of the snake.</p>
+
+<p>All had, for the moment, forgotten the snake, in their eagerness to
+watch the movements of the bird. To their astonishment the reptile
+was still in the same place, and coiled up as when last seen. This
+was easily explained, however, as snakes who defend themselves in
+that attitude usually remain coiled, until they are certain that their
+enemy has gone away and will not return to the attack.</p>
+
+<p>The contest was now renewed with redoubled fury. The bird
+fought with fresh courage, knowing that he had taken precautions
+against a fatal result, while the snake defended itself with the energy
+of despair. This time the battle was a short one. The guaco, using
+its wings, succeeded in striking its antagonist upon the upraised
+head, and quickly following up the blow, planted his talons so as to
+encircle the throat of his victim. The effect of his gripe was
+instantly apparent. The reptile unfolded itself, and the slender
+coral body was seen writhing and twisting along the ground. But
+it did not remain long upon the ground, for in a few moments the
+guaco rose into the air, and carried the struggling victim into the
+woods to devour it at his leisure.</p>
+
+<p>Now Guapo was exceedingly pleased at what had occurred. Why?
+It was not because such a scene was at all new to him. No; he had
+often witnessed such, and was no longer curious upon that head. It
+was something more than mere curiosity that moved Guapo. When
+the affair was over, he rose from his seat, and stalking off to the place
+where the bird had been seen to eat the leaves, he gathered a quantity
+of them, and then returned to the fire. Don Pablo recognised
+them as the leaves of a plant of the genus <i>Mikania</i>, and known
+popularly as the &ldquo;vejuco de guaco.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo knew nothing of the scientific designation of the plant, but
+he had long ago been taught the valuable properties of its leaves as
+an antidote against the bite of the most poisonous snakes. He had
+known them to cure the bite of the cascabel (<i>rattle-snake</i>), and even
+of the small spotted viper, the most poisonous of all the American
+snakes.</p>
+
+<p>What, then, did Guapo with the leaves of the vejuco? First, he
+chopped them up as fine as he could, and then, tying them tightly in
+a piece of cotton cloth, he expressed from them a quantity of juice&mdash;enough
+for his purpose. That done, with the point of a knife he
+made small incisions between his toes, and also upon his breast and
+fingers. Into each of these incisions, even while the blood was
+flowing from them, he dropped the juice of the Mikania, and rubbed
+it in with fresh leaves of the plant itself; and then, with some tufts
+of the soft floss of the silk-cotton tree he covered the incisions, so as
+to stop the bleeding. He wound up this strange performance, by
+chewing some of the leaves, and swallowing about a spoonful of the
+juice. This made the &ldquo;inoculation&rdquo; complete, and Guapo, as he himself
+declared, was now invulnerable to the bite of the most venomous
+serpent!</p>
+
+<p>He offered to &ldquo;inoculate&rdquo; the others in the same way. They at
+first refused&mdash;Don Pablo among the rest&mdash;but after a day or two,
+when each of the party had met with several narrow escapes from
+vipers, coral snakes, and the much-dreaded &ldquo;jararaca,&rdquo; Don Pablo<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span>
+thought it prudent that all should submit to the operation, and
+accordingly Guapo &ldquo;doctored&rdquo; the party without more ado.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE PALM-WOODS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t happened, that upon the opposite side of the stream there was a
+broad track covered with palm-trees, while not one was to be seen
+on that side where they intended building their house. As these
+are the most convenient trees for constructing a house to suit the hot
+climate of the Monta&ntilde;a, it appeared necessary that they should use
+them. But how were they to get at them? The stream flowed
+between them and the camp; and although not a large river, yet at
+that place it was very wide and deep, for in the flat table valley it
+expanded to the dimensions of a little lake.</p>
+
+<p>Below, where it issued out of the valley, it ran for some distance
+in a deep cleft between rocky banks almost or quite perpendicular,
+and above the valley it came dashing through an impassable ravine.
+If they could only get over to cut the palms, they knew they could
+roll them to the bank, and float them across the stretch of still water.
+But how to get over required some consideration. Guapo could
+swim like a water-dog, but Don Pablo could not; and Leon, having
+been brought up as a town boy, had had but little practice, and
+consequently was but a poor swimmer. What, then, was to be done,
+as Guapo could not well manage the palms without help?</p>
+
+<p>After examining the stream, both above and below, no crossing
+place could be found, but just at the point where it ran out of the
+valley, the space between the high banks was very narrow. A good
+long plank would have reached across it&mdash;had they only had one&mdash;but
+that they had not. Now, upon the opposite bank there grew a
+tall tree. It was one of the beautiful silk-cotton trees already
+mentioned. It stood upon the very edge of the chasm. Both Don
+Pablo and Guapo saw at a glance that this tree could be felled, and
+made to fall across the stream, so as to form the very bridge they
+wanted.</p>
+
+<p>Not much time was lost about it. Guapo, tying his axe upon his
+shoulders, ran up the near side, until he was opposite the still running
+water; and then plunging in, swam across in a few seconds. He
+soon after appeared on the opposite bank, at the root of the bombax,
+which he attacked in such a manner that one who did not know
+what he was about might have fancied he was angry at it. In a few
+minutes a great notch appeared in the side of the tree, and Guapo
+continuing his sturdy blows, made the yellow chips fly out in showers.
+Of course the notch was cut on the side next the stream, so that the
+tree would fall in that direction. The beaver understands that
+much, and Guapo had considerably more intelligence than any
+beaver.</p>
+
+<p>In about half-an-hour the bombax began to creak and lean a little.
+Then Don Pablo threw over a lasso, which had been brought along.
+Guapo noosed one end over a high limb, and tying a stone to the
+other, pitched it back to Don Pablo, who hauled it taut. Then a few
+cuts of the axe broke the skin of the tree on the other side, Don
+Pablo pulled by the rope, and with a loud tear and a crash, and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span>
+vast deal of crackling among the branches, the great bombax settled
+into a horizontal position across the chasm. The bridge was built.</p>
+
+<p>After all, it was no slight adventure to cross it. The rounded
+trunk was anything but sure footing, and even had it been a flat
+plank, the depth of the chasm&mdash;nearly an hundred feet clear&mdash;and
+the white roaring torrent below, were enough to shake the stoutest
+nerves. All, however, got over in safety, and proceeded up to the
+palm-woods. I say all&mdash;but I mean only the male population of the
+new settlement. Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little Leona remained by the
+camp, both of them busy scraping <i>yucca</i> roots, to be manufactured
+into cassava, and then into bread.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving among the palm-trees, Don Pablo was struck with a
+singular fact. He observed (indeed, he had already noticed as much
+from the opposite side of the river) that instead of one species of
+palm, there were not less than a dozen kinds growing in this wood.
+This was a very unusual circumstance, as although two or three
+species are often found together, such a varied collection as were
+there could only have been made by human hands. Here, again, was
+recognised the work of the missionary monk, who had no doubt
+planted most of the species, having received them very likely from
+many distant stations of his fellow-labourers in other parts of the
+Amazon valley.</p>
+
+<p>Whether Franciscan, Jesuit, or Dominican (for all three have had
+their missions in this part of the world), the holy father who resided
+here, thought Don Pablo, must have been an ardent horticulturist.
+Whether or not he converted many Indians to his faith, he seemed
+to have exerted himself to provide for their temporal necessities, for
+there was hardly a useful plant or tree suitable to the climate that
+was not to be found growing near the spot. Such were the reflections
+of Don Pablo.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What a variety of beautiful palms!&rdquo; said he, looking around
+upon these by far the fairest forms of the vegetable creation.</p>
+
+<p>Now, my boy reader, I have not the slightest doubt but that you,
+too, think the palms the fairest forms of the vegetable creation. I
+have not the shadow of a doubt that your heart beats joyfully at the
+very word &ldquo;palm;&rdquo; that you love to gaze at one of the stately trees,
+and that you would give all your pocket-money for an afternoon's
+ramble through a real palm-wood. Would you not? Yes. I am
+sure of it. Now I could tell you a great deal about palms if I <i>would</i>;
+and I would, too, if my space and time allowed me, but neither will,
+alas! Why, if I were only to give you even the shortest and dryest
+botanic description of all the different palms that are known to us,
+that mere dry catalogue would fill a book as big as this one!</p>
+
+<p>How many species do you think there are? Up to this time you
+have thought, perhaps, there was only one, and that was <i>the palm-tree
+itself</i>. Maybe you have heard of more, such as the sago-palm,
+the cocoa-nut palm, the date-palm, or the cabbage-palm; and you
+fancied there might be others&mdash;perhaps as many as a dozen! Now
+you will hardly credit me when I tell you that we know of no less
+than <i>six hundred species of palms</i>, all differing from each other! I
+may add, further, that it is my belief that there exist on the earth as
+many more&mdash;that is, the enormous number of twelve hundred.</p>
+
+<p>The reason why I entertain this belief is, that in all cases where
+similar guesses have been hazarded&mdash;whether with regard to plants,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span>
+or birds, or <i>mammalia</i>&mdash;they have eventually proved far below the
+mark; and as the palm countries are the very regions of the earth
+least known and least explored by botanists, it is but reasonable to
+conclude that great numbers of species have never yet been described,
+nor even seen. Another fact which strengthens this probability is,
+that peculiar species of palms are sometimes found only in a limited
+district, and nowhere else in the same country. A small river even
+sometimes forms the boundary-line of a species; and although whole
+groves may be seen on the one side, not a tree of the same sort grows
+on the other. Some botanists even prognosticate that more than
+two thousand species of palms will yet become known.</p>
+
+<p>Of the six hundred species known, about half belong to the Old
+World, and half to America. In America they are chiefly found
+growing on the Continent&mdash;although several species are natives of
+the West India Islands&mdash;while on the Eastern hemisphere the greatest
+number of species belong to the islands.</p>
+
+<p>I might tell you a great deal of the importance of these noble trees
+to the human race, for they are as useful as they are beautiful.
+Almost every sort has its particular use in the economy of human
+life. Not only do they serve certain purposes in Africa, Asia,
+America, and Oceanica, but in all these divisions of the earth there
+are whole nations who <i>live almost exclusively</i> upon one or another
+species of palm.</p>
+
+<p>A discovery has lately been made in regard to an African species,
+which it is to be hoped will have an important influence in doing
+away with the infamous slave traffic so long existing in that unhappy
+country. You have heard of <i>palm-oil</i>. Well, it is extracted from the
+nuts of a species of palm. The oil is no new discovery, but it is only
+lately that it has been found to be as quite as good for the manufacture
+of candles as either spermaceti or wax.</p>
+
+<p>The consequence has been a great increase in the traffic of this
+article on the western coast of Africa; and the native princes, finding
+that it is more profitable than slave-selling, have in many parts given
+up the last-named atrocious commerce, and have taken to gathering
+palm-oil. If a palm-tree can effect what has baffled the skill of the
+combined philanthropists and powers of Europe, then, indeed, we
+shall say, &ldquo;All honour to the noble palms.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But I might go on talking of palms until our little volume came to
+an end. I must, therefore, no longer speak generally of these beautiful
+trees, but confine myself to such species as came under the
+observation, and ministered to the wants, of the new settlers.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A HOUSE OF PALMS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he first species of palms that attracted the observation of Don
+Pablo and his party, was that known as the &ldquo;patawa&rdquo; palm. It
+belongs to the genus <i>&#338;nocarpus</i>. There are several species of this
+genus in South America, but none more beautiful than the &ldquo;patawa.&rdquo;
+It is a palm with a straight smooth stem, and pinnate leaves&mdash;the
+stem being sixty feet in height, and about a foot in diameter. The
+stem becomes smooth only in old trees. In the young ones, and even
+in those that stand in a thick shady forest, it presents a very shaggy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span>
+appearance, and is completely hidden by the bases of the old leaves
+that have decayed and fallen off. From the margins of these bases
+grow spinous processes of nearly three feet in length, which point
+upward. These are used by the Indians to make the arrows of their
+&ldquo;blow-guns,&rdquo; of which more hereafter.</p>
+
+<p>From the fruits of this palm a most delicious drink is manufactured
+with very little trouble. The fruit itself is about the size of a plum,
+but of an oval shape and deep violet colour. It grows in large
+clusters just under the leaves. To make the drink, the fruits are
+thrown into a vessel of hot water, where they remain for a few
+minutes until the pulp becomes soft. The hot water is next poured
+off, and cold water is substituted. In this the fruits are crushed and
+rubbed with the hands until all the pulp is washed from the stones.
+The liquid is then strained so as to separate the stones and other
+substances, when it is ready for use, and a most luxurious beverage
+it is,&mdash;in its taste bearing some resemblance to filberts and cream.</p>
+
+<p>A palm called the &ldquo;ass&aacute;i&rdquo; has a small sloe-like fruit which produces
+a similar beverage&mdash;thick and creamy, and of a fine plum
+colour. In all the Portuguese settlements the &ldquo;ass&aacute;i&rdquo; is a favourite
+drink, and is taken along with cassava bread, as we use milk or
+coffee.</p>
+
+<p>It was not on account of its fruit, however, that Don Pablo rejoiced
+at beholding the &ldquo;patawa&rdquo; palms. Perhaps Leon thought more
+about the rich clusters of oval plums, but his father looked only to
+the straight smooth stems which were designed for corner-posts,
+beams, and the heavier woodwork of the house.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes Guapo was busy with his axe, and one after
+another fell the princely trunks of the &ldquo;patawa&rdquo; until enough were
+cut down for their purpose.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo next looked out for some palm of a more slender trunk
+for the rafters and joists.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon found in the &ldquo;catinga,&rdquo; which is a species of the
+&ldquo;ass&aacute;i palm, the one of which we have just spoken as producing the
+ass&aacute;i wine.&rdquo; The catinga was the very thing for the rafters. It is
+tall, nearly forty feet high, but quite slender. It is one of the
+smooth palms, with pinnate leaves, not unlike those of the &ldquo;patawa.&rdquo;
+There is a peculiarity about its top,&mdash;that is, there is a column or
+sheath of several feet in length, out of which the leaves spring, and,
+at the lower end of this column, and not immediately at the root
+of the leaves, the fruit clusters grow. This sheathing column is of
+a red colour, which gives the tree a strange look.</p>
+
+<p>Another peculiarity of the catinga is that its roots grow out of the
+ground, and form a little cone from the top of which rises the stem.
+The fruits of this sort are smaller than the true ass&aacute;i, but a drink is
+also made from them which some people consider more delicious than
+that either of the ass&aacute;i or patawa. The rafters then were got from
+the catinga.</p>
+
+<p>Now for the thatch, that was the next consideration.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Master!&rdquo; cried Guapo, pointing off into the woods. &ldquo;Yonder's
+'bussu,'&mdash;very thing for thatch!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo indicated a very singular-looking tree, with a thick, clumsy,
+crooked, and deeply ringed stem. It was not a bit like either of the
+palm-trees they had already cut down. Its trunk was not over ten
+or a dozen feet high, but then, such leaves! They were not pinnated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span>
+like those already described, but what is termed &ldquo;entire,&rdquo; that is, all
+in one piece, and thirty feet in length by full five in width! Fancy
+two or three dozen of these gigantic leaves standing up almost erect
+from the top of the thick trunk, and you may form some idea of the
+&ldquo;bussu&rdquo; palm. There are many palm-trees whose leaves are used for
+thatching houses, but of all others for that purpose the bussu is the
+best.</p>
+
+<p>These great fronds have a mid-rib, and from this, on both sides,
+run veins in a diagonal direction to the edge. When they are used
+for thatch the leaf is split up the mid-rib, and then each half is laid
+upon the rafters, not straight, but in such a way that the veins of the
+leaf will lie in a vertical direction, and thus serve as gutters to guide
+the rain-water down the roof. A very few leaves will thatch a house,
+and a covering of this kind, when properly laid on, will last for ten
+or twelve years. So much are the bussu-leaves prized for thatch,
+that the Indians, in parts where this palm does not grow, often make
+a canoe voyage of a week to procure them!</p>
+
+<p>The spathe which contains the flowers is also put to many uses.
+It is of a long spindle shape, of fibrous, cloth-like texture, and brown
+colour. The Indians use it as cloth. It makes an excellent bag, in
+which the native carries his paints or other articles; and a large one,
+stretched out, makes a very comfortable cap. Indeed, Guapo used
+the first spathe he laid his hands upon for this very purpose.</p>
+
+<p>There remained now to be found some palm-tree that would split
+easily, and make laths for the roof, as well as planks for the door,
+shelves, and benches. They soon discovered the very palm for these
+purposes. It was one of the genus <i>Iriartea</i>, and known as the
+&ldquo;pashiuba&rdquo; palm. It was a tree that differed from all the others in
+its aspect. It was a noble-looking tree, rising, with a smooth stem,
+to the height of seventy feet. At its top, there was a sheathing
+column swollen larger than the stem, and not unlike the sheathing
+column of the catinga already mentioned, except that that of the
+pashiuba was of a deep green colour. Its leaves, however, differed
+materially from those of the catinga. It is true, that, like them, they
+were pinnate, but the leaflets, instead of being slender and tapering,
+were of a triangular shape, notched along the edges, and not growing
+very regularly out from the mid-rib.</p>
+
+<p>Their general arrangement, as well as the form, therefore, gave the
+tree a different, and, perhaps, more beautiful aspect. But the most
+singular characteristic of the pashiuba was its roots. I have said
+that the roots of the catinga rose above the surface of the soil. So
+did they, but only to a limited height, forming a little cone. Now
+the roots of the pashiuba stood up to the height of ten or a dozen
+feet! Each root was nearly straight in itself, but there were a
+number of them, and they sloped upwards so as to make a sort of
+pyramid, out of the apex of which grew the stem. There were wide
+spaces between the roots&mdash;so wide that you could easily pass through,
+and a full-grown man might stand upright with his head under the
+very base of the stem. Fancy a man standing under the trunk of a
+tree that rose seventy feet above his head!</p>
+
+<p>There were young trees of the same species growing around, and
+these were miniature models of the older ones. Sometimes these
+lesser ones are supported on three roots, like the tripod of a surveyor's
+compass, and this gives them a somewhat ludicrous appearance.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span>
+There are many species of this sort of palms, which are classed
+under the genus <i>Iriartea</i>. In most of them the fruit, which is small
+oval and red or yellow, is bitter and uneatable; but their wood is
+prized for many purposes. The wood of the species which Don Pablo
+had found is hard on the outside, but soft within, and splits readier
+into laths and planks than any other kind of palm.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo attacked the roots with his axe, and enough trunks were
+soon felled to make laths, doors, and all sorts of benches.</p>
+
+<p>The different kinds were now collected on the edge of the stream,
+and were tied together by a rope-like, creeping plant, called a &ldquo;Sipo,&rdquo;
+so that they formed a rude raft. The leaves of the &ldquo;bussu,&rdquo; with
+great clusters of the fruits of the catinga and patawa, were laid upon
+the raft; and then, Guapo, mounting himself on top of all, pushed
+out with his long pole, and ferried the whole across. The others
+walked round by the bridge, and were just in time to assist Guapo
+in mooring his somewhat unwieldy craft.</p>
+
+<p>Next day the framework of the house was put up, and on the day
+after the walls. These were made of bamboo-canes, plenty of which
+grew near the bottom of the valley. They grew wild, for the slopes
+of the Andes are the favourite soil of these gigantic grasses. They
+were set on end, side by side, and then tied to each other and to the
+beams of palm-trees. On the third day the &ldquo;bussu&rdquo; leaves were laid
+on, and the house was finished.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">TRACKING THE TAPIR.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t has been already mentioned that the stream in front of the house
+was wider than at other parts, forming a sort of lake. There was a
+slow current down the middle, but at the sides the water was nearly
+stagnant, and there grew in some places bunches of flags interspersed
+with beautiful white lilies. Among these could be distinguished that
+gigantic <i>nympha</i> so celebrated under the name of <i>Victoria regia</i>&mdash;for
+South America is the native country of this rare plant.</p>
+
+<p>Every night, as our party were resting from their labours, they
+heard strange noises proceeding from the water. There was plunging
+and plashing, and now and then a snorting sound like that sometimes
+uttered by frightened swine. Perhaps it would have puzzled any of
+them to tell whence these sounds proceeded, or what animal gave
+utterance to them, for there could be no doubt they were caused by
+an animal. Some of them guessed &ldquo;alligators;&rdquo; but that was not a
+correct guess, for although there are plenty of alligators in all the
+rivers of tropical America, there seemed to be none in that particular
+place.</p>
+
+<p>In truth, they might have remained long in the dark about what
+creature they thus heard sweltering about nightly, for they could
+neither see nor hear anything of it in the day; but Guapo, who knew
+every sound of the Monta&ntilde;a, enlightened them at once. Guapo had
+been a keen <i>tapir-hunter</i> in his time, and understood all the habits of
+that strange animal. It was a tapir, then, which they had heard
+taking his regular nightly bath, and regaling himself on the roots of
+the flags and <i>nymph&aelig;</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Have you ever seen a tapir? Not a living one, I fancy; perhaps<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span>
+the skin of one in a museum. He is an interesting creature, for this
+reason&mdash;that he is the largest land animal indigenous to South
+America. The llama and guanaco stand higher because their legs are
+longer, and they are far inferior to the tapir in bulk and weight:
+while the bears of South America, of which there are two or three
+species, are small-sized bears, and therefore less than the tapir. In
+fact, no very large land animals were found indigenous in the southern
+division of the American continent. There were none of the <i>bovine</i>
+tribe, as the buffalo and musk-ox of North America; and no large
+deer, as the elk and moose of the Northern latitudes. The deer of
+South America, of which there are several undescribed species, are
+all small animals. The tapir, then, in point of size takes precedence
+in the South-American <i>fauna</i>.</p>
+
+<p>His rounded body gives him some resemblance to a great hog, or a
+donkey with its hair shaved off; but, in fact, he is not very like
+either; he is more like a <i>tapir</i> than anything else&mdash;that is, he is a
+creature <i>sui generis</i>. Perhaps, if you were to shave a large donkey,
+cut off most part of his ears and tail, shorten his limbs&mdash;and, if
+possible, make them stouter and clumsier&mdash;lengthen his upper jaw so
+that it should protrude over the under one into a prolonged curving
+snout, and then give him a coat of blackish-brown paint, you would
+get something not unlike a tapir.</p>
+
+<p>To complete the resemblance, however, you would have to continue
+the erect mane over the forehead, between the ears, and down to the
+level of the eyes, which would give that crested appearance that
+characterises the tapir. Instead of hoofs, moreover, you would give
+your donkey large toes&mdash;four upon the fore feet, and upon the hind
+ones three. A little silky hair upon the stumped tail, and a few
+thinly scattered hairs of a brown colour over the body, would make
+the likeness still more striking; and it would be necessary, too, that
+the donkey be one of the very biggest kind to be as big as a big tapir.</p>
+
+<p>The tapir is a harmless creature, and although it has a good set of
+teeth, it never uses them for the purpose of defending itself. When
+attacked by either men or fierce animals, it tries to escape by flight,
+and if that fails, submits to be killed; but there is no &ldquo;fight&rdquo; to be
+got out of a tapir.</p>
+
+<p>The tapir leads a very solitary life, being met with alone, or sometimes
+in the company of the female. The latter has but one young
+at a birth, which follows her until able to provide for itself; when
+they associate no longer together, but part company, each taking its
+own way.</p>
+
+<p>This animal is called amphibious, because it spends part of its time
+in the water; but, although it has been called the American representative
+of the rhinoceros and hippopotamus, it is not so much a
+water animal as either of these. It seeks its food in the river, or the
+marshes that border it, and can remain for several minutes under
+water; but for all that most of its time is passed on dry land. It
+sleeps during the day in some dry spot upon a bed of withered leaves,
+from whence it sallies every evening, and makes to the marshy banks
+of some well-known stream. It frequently leaves its lair during rain,
+and goes in search of food. Like hogs it is very fond of wallowing in
+a muddy place; but, unlike these slovenly animals, it does not return
+to its bed until it has plunged into the clear water, and thoroughly
+purified itself of the mud.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span></p>
+
+<p>One habit of the tapir&mdash;and an unfortunate one for itself&mdash;is that
+in going its rounds it always follows the old track. In this way a
+path is soon formed from its lair to its feeding-place, so conspicuous
+that a hunter might trail it upon the run. It is easy, therefore, to
+&ldquo;waylay&rdquo; a tapir. Guapo knew this well, and had already, while
+over among the palms, marked the track of the one that came nightly
+to the stream, and had settled it in his mind that that particular
+tapir had not many days to live. In fact, Leon coaxed him to fix the
+tapir-hunt for the next morning, which Guapo, with Don Pablo's
+permission, accordingly did.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was anxious as any of them to kill the tapir, for, like many
+Indians, he was fond of its flesh, though that is by no means a palatable
+article of food. On the contrary, it is dry, and to most people
+tastes disagreeably. Guapo, however, liked it exceedingly; and,
+moreover, he wanted the tough skin for some purpose of his own.
+The wild Indians value the skin highly, as it is the best thing they
+can procure for &ldquo;viches,&rdquo; or shields, to ward off the poisoned arrows
+of their enemies.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning, an hour or so after daybreak, Guapo started for the
+hunt, accompanied by Leon. Don Pablo remained at home with his
+wife and the little Leona. Now, had the tapir-hunter possessed a
+gun, or even a bow and arrows, his plan of proceedings would have
+been different, and he would no doubt have chosen a different hour
+for the hunt. He would have chosen the twilight of the evening or
+morning, and would have hid himself in the bushes, so as to command
+a view of the track which the tapir would be certain to take on his
+way to or from the water. He would then have simply shot the
+creature as it was going past; but this is not so easy a matter neither,
+for the tapir, fearful of enemies while on land, always travels at a
+trot. As Guapo had neither bow nor gun, nothing in fact but his
+<i>machet&eacute;</i>, how was he to get near enough to use this weapon? Clumsy-looking
+as the tapir certainly is, he can shuffle over the ground faster
+than the fastest Indian.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo knew all this, but he also knew a stratagem by which the
+amphibious brute could be outwitted, and this stratagem he designed
+putting in practice. For the purpose he carried another weapon
+besides the <i>machet&eacute;</i>. That weapon was a very pacific one&mdash;it was
+a <i>spade</i>! Fortunately he had one which he had brought with him
+from the mountains.</p>
+
+<p>Now what did Guapo mean to do with the spade? The tapir
+is not a burrowing animal, and therefore would not require to
+be &ldquo;dug out.&rdquo; We shall presently see what use was made of the
+spade.</p>
+
+<p>After crossing the bridge, and getting well round among the
+palms, the hunter came upon a path well tracked into the mud. It
+was the path of the tapir,&mdash;that could be easily seen. There were
+the broad footmarks&mdash;some with three, and others with four toes&mdash;and
+there, too, were places where the animal had &ldquo;wallowed.&rdquo; The
+tracks were quite fresh, and made, as Guapo said, not an hour before
+they had arrived on the spot.</p>
+
+<p>This was just what the tapir-hunter wanted; and, choosing a
+place where the track ran between two palm-trees, and could not
+well have gone round either of them, he halted, rested his <i>machet&eacute;</i>
+against a tree, and took a determined hold of the spade. Leon now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span>
+began to see what use he intended to make of the spade. He was
+<i>going to dig a pit</i>!</p>
+
+<p>That was, in fact, the very thing he was going to do, and in less
+than an hour, with the help of Leon, it was done&mdash;the latter carrying
+away the earth upon &ldquo;bussu&rdquo; leaves as fast as Guapo shovelled it
+out. When the pit was sunk to what Guapo considered a sufficient
+depth, he came out of it; and then choosing some slender poles,
+with palm-leaves, branches, and grass, he covered it in such a manner
+that a fox himself would not have known it to be a pit-trap. But
+such it was&mdash;wide enough and deep enough, as Guapo deemed, to
+entrap the largest tapir.</p>
+
+<p>It now only remained to get the tapir into it, but therein lay the
+difficulty. Leon could not understand how this was to be managed.
+He knew that at night, as the animal was on its way to the water, it
+might step on the covering, and fall in. But Guapo had promised
+him that he should see the tapir trapped in an hour's time. Guapo
+had a plan of his own for bringing it that way, and he at once
+proceeded to put his plan into execution.</p>
+
+<p>They started along the trail going <i>from</i> the water, and towards
+the lair of the beast. The hunter knew it would not be very distant&mdash;perhaps
+a quarter or half-a-mile, perhaps less. Before starting he
+cautioned Leon to keep close behind him, and not to make the least
+noise. So little as a whisper or the rustling of the brush, he alleged,
+might spoil all his plans. Guapo marched, or rather crouched, along;
+at first freely, but after some time his step grew more stealthy and
+cautious. He knew that he was getting near to his sleeping victim.</p>
+
+<p>After stopping and repeating his caution to his companion, he
+proceeded as before until they had got better than a quarter of
+a mile from the water. Here they began to ascend a gentle hill,
+where the ground was dry, and strewed with fallen trees. At some
+places the trail was difficult to make out, and Leon would soon have
+lost it had he been left to himself. But there was no fear of Guapo
+losing it. A hound could not have followed it more surely.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Guapo stopped&mdash;then went on a few steps&mdash;then stopped
+a second time, and made a sign for Leon to come up. Without
+speaking, he pointed to a little thicket of scrubby bushes, through
+the leaves of which they could just make out some large brown
+object perfectly at rest. That was the tapir himself&mdash;sound asleep.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo had already instructed his companion that when they
+should arrive near the den of the animal, they were to make a wide
+circuit around&mdash;Leon going one way, while he himself took the
+other. Both now drew back a little, and then parted&mdash;the hunter
+going to one side, and Leon in the opposite direction. After making
+their circuit, they met at some distance beyond the back of the den;
+and then Guapo, telling the other to follow him, and, without
+observing any further caution, walked straight towards where the
+tapir lay.</p>
+
+<p>The Indian knew by experience that the latter, when roused,
+would make directly along its accustomed trail to the water, for to
+the water it always flies when alarmed by an enemy. When they
+had got within a few paces of the den, a movement was seen among
+the leaves&mdash;then a crackling noise was heard, as the huge body of the
+animal broke through the bushes, and took to flight. He did not
+trot according to his usual gait, but went off in a gallop, with his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span>
+head carried in a singular and awkward manner between his fore-legs!
+You have, no doubt, seen a donkey sometimes gallop in a
+similar style.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo bounded after, followed by Leon, who kept close at his
+heels. Of course the tapir was in sight only a few seconds, but the
+hunter knew that he would take the beaten track, and therefore was
+at no loss. They made no unnecessary noise&mdash;lest the tapir might
+be frightened from its path&mdash;but ran on in silence.</p>
+
+<p>They soon got back to the pit-fall, Guapo of course leading the
+way.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hola!&rdquo; cried the latter, when he came in sight of it, &ldquo;hola,
+young master! he's in the trap!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Sure enough he was; and the next moment they stood upon the
+edge of the pit, and beheld the great brown body struggling and
+tumbling about at the bottom.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo did not pause a moment, but leaped in, <i>machet&eacute;</i> in hand.
+He had no fear of the animal biting him, for he knew it would not
+do so; but Guapo, in his hurry, had leaped carelessly, and his foot
+slipping, he fell over the smooth body of the tapir. The latter in its
+fright jumped upward, and the next moment Guapo was <i>undermost</i>
+at the bottom of the pit!</p>
+
+<p>The animal had no design of trampling the hunter; but seeing
+that it could easily leap out&mdash;the pit being shallowed for it by
+Guapo's body and the fallen branches&mdash;it made a spring, and came
+out on the edge. Leon had got round upon the side next the river,
+but he chanced to be on the wrong side just then; for the heavy
+tapir dashing past, knocked against him, and sent him sprawling
+among the trees. Before he could recover himself, or Guapo climb
+out of the pit, a loud plunge in the water announced that the animal
+had escaped to an element where it might defy their pursuit.</p>
+
+<p>Both were quite crest-fallen and disappointed, but Guapo especially
+so. He had prided himself very much on his skill as a tapir-hunter,
+and his pride was mortified at the result. He seemed very much
+chagrined; and as he and Leon returned toward the house, he
+stopped at intervals and looked into the water. Then shaking his
+machet&eacute; in a threatening manner, cried out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Dive away, old thick-skin! Dive deep as you will, I'll have your
+hide yet!&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE POISONED ARROWS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he result of the tapir chase determined Guapo to have himself
+better armed. There was one weapon&mdash;and a very efficient one too&mdash;which
+he knew how both to make and use. That weapon was
+a &ldquo;gravat&aacute;na,&rdquo; or blow-gun, sometimes called &ldquo;pocuna.&rdquo; He had
+had an eye to this weapon all along, and had already provided the
+materials necessary for making it. These materials were of a varied
+character, and had cost him some trouble in getting them together.</p>
+
+<p>First, then, for the blow-tube itself he had cut stems of a slender
+palm-tree, a species of <i>Iriartea</i>, but not that sort already described.
+It was the <i>Pashiuba miri</i> of the Indians. This little palm grows to
+the height of from twelve to twenty feet, and is never thicker than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span>
+a man's wrist. Its roots, like the others of its genus, rise above the
+ground, but only a few inches. The stems which Guapo had chosen
+were of different sizes. One was about the thickness of the handle
+of a garden-rake, while the other was not over the diameter of a
+walking-cane. Both were hollow in the heart, or rather they
+contained pith like the alder-tree, which when forced out left a
+smooth bore.</p>
+
+<p>Having cut these stems to a length of about ten feet, and pushed
+out the pith, Guapo inserted the smaller one into the bore of the
+larger, which fitted tightly all the way&mdash;for he had chosen it of the
+proper thickness to this end. The object of thus using two stems
+instead of one will not, at first, be understood. It was for the purpose
+of making the tube perfectly straight, as this is a most important
+consideration in the gravat&aacute;na. The outer and stronger stem corrected
+any bend that there might be in the inner one, and they were
+carefully arranged so that the one should straighten the other.</p>
+
+<p>Had it not been perfectly straight, Guapo would have bound it to
+a post and made it so; but it happened to come quite right without
+further trouble. The tube of the lesser one was now cleaned out
+thoroughly, and polished by a little bunch of the roots of a tree-fern,
+until it was as smooth and hard as ebony. A mouthpiece of wood
+was placed at the smaller end of the table, and a sight was glued on
+the outside. This &ldquo;sight&rdquo; was the tooth of an animal,&mdash;one of the
+long curving incisors of a rodent animal called the &ldquo;paca,&rdquo; which is
+found in most parts of tropical America. To make the instrument
+look neater, Guapo had procured the tough shining bark of a creeping
+plant, which he wound spirally around the outside from the mouthpiece
+to the muzzle; and then the gravat&aacute;na was finished.</p>
+
+<p>There was yet much to be done before it could be used. Arrows
+were to be made, and a quiver in which to carry them, and poison to
+dip their points in&mdash;for the arrows of the blow-gun do not kill
+by the wound they inflict, but by the poison with which they are
+charged.</p>
+
+<p>The next thing, then, to which Guapo turned his attention was the
+manufacture of the arrows. These can be made of cane, reeds, and
+other kinds of wood; but the best materials for the purpose are the
+long spines of the patawa palm, of which I have already spoken.
+These spines grow out from the lower part of the leaf-petioles, and, in
+young trees and those much sheltered, remain upon the trunk, giving
+it a very shaggy appearance. They are often three feet in length,
+about as thick as large wire, rather flattish, and of a black colour.
+To make the arrows, Guapo cut them to the length of fifteen or
+eighteen inches, and then pointed them sharply at one end. About
+three inches from the points he notched them all, so that they would
+break in the wound rather than drop out again, in consequence of the
+struggles of the animal.</p>
+
+<p>About two or three inches from the thick end of the arrow Guapo
+wrapped lightly around the shaft some strands of the soft silky
+cotton, which he had procured from the pods of the great &ldquo;ceiba,&rdquo; or
+silk-cotton tree, already mentioned. This he fastened on with a fibre
+of an aloe plant&mdash;one of the <i>bromelias</i>; and the cotton, when thus
+secured, assumed a conical or spindle shape, having its larger end
+towards the butt of the arrow. When inserted into the gravat&aacute;na,
+the swell of the cotton filled the tube exactly,&mdash;not so tightly as to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span>
+impede the passage of the arrow, nor so loosely as to allow of &ldquo;windage&rdquo;
+when blown upon through the mouthpiece.</p>
+
+<p>The arrows were now ready, with the exception of the poison for
+their tips; and this was the most important of all, for without it both
+blow-gun and arrows would have been useless weapons, indeed. But
+Guapo was just the man who knew how to make this poison, and that
+is more than could be said of every Indian, for it is only the &ldquo;piaches&rdquo;
+(priests, or &ldquo;medicine-men&rdquo;) who understand the process. Nay, more,
+there are even some tribes where not an individual knows how the
+arrow-poison is made; and these have to procure it by barter from
+others, paying a high price, and sometimes going a great distance
+for it.</p>
+
+<p>This celebrated poison is known under different names, but those
+of &ldquo;curare,&rdquo; &ldquo;ticuna,&rdquo; and &ldquo;wouraly,&rdquo; are the principal.</p>
+
+<p>It is one of the most deadly poisons yet discovered&mdash;as much so as
+the <i>upastiente</i> of Java, or the bean of St. Ignatius&mdash;but it is perfectly
+harmless when swallowed, and, indeed, it is often taken by the
+Indians as an excellent stomachic. Should it get into the blood, however,
+by means of an arrow-wound, or a sore, no remedy has yet been
+discovered that will cure it. Death is certain, and a death similar to
+that caused by the bite of a venomous serpent. So say those who
+have suffered from it, but recovered on account of their having been
+only slightly wounded, or lightly inoculated with it. Let us see, then,
+how Guapo prepared this deadly mixture.</p>
+
+<p>He had gone out to the forest, and returned carrying a bundle of
+slender rods. They were pieces of a lliana, or creeping plant. It was
+the <i>bejuco de curare</i>, or &ldquo;mavacure,&rdquo; as it is sometimes called. The
+leaves he had stripped off, and left behind as useless. Had he brought
+them with him, they would have been seen to be small leaves of an
+oblong-oval shape, sharp at the points, and of a whittish-green colour.
+Don Pablo knew the plant to be a species of <i>Strychnos</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo with his knife first scraped all the bark, as well as the
+alburnum or white coating, from the rods, which last he flung away.
+The mixture of bark and alburnum was next placed upon a smooth
+stone, and mashed into a fibre of a yellowish colour. This done, it
+was gathered into a heap, and placed within a funnel, which had
+already been made out of a plantain-leaf. The funnel was a long
+narrow cone, and to strengthen it, it was set within another funnel
+made of the thick leaf of the &ldquo;bussu&rdquo; palm, and then both were
+supported by a framework of palm fibres.</p>
+
+<p>Underneath the apex was placed a small pan&mdash;which could afterwards
+be put over the fire&mdash;and then cold water was thrown into the
+funnel along with the bark. A yellowish liquid soon commenced to
+filter and drip into the pan, and this liquid was the <i>curare</i>, the arrow
+poison. It still required, however, to be concentrated by evaporation;
+and for this purpose the pan was transferred to a slow fire,
+where it was kept until the liquid became thickened by the heat.</p>
+
+<p>Another process was yet required before the curare was ready for
+the arrows. It was sufficiently concentrated and deadly, but still too
+thin to adhere properly to their tips, and for this purpose a mixture
+of some gummy juice was necessary. This Guapo soon prepared from
+the large leaves of a tree called the &ldquo;kiracaguero,&rdquo; and poured it into
+the infusion; and then the curare turned from its yellow colour to
+black, and was ready for use. The change of colour was produced by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span>
+the decomposition of a hydruret of carbon; the hydrogen was burned,
+and the carbon set free.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo now dipped a few of his arrows, and carefully deposited
+them in a large joint of bamboo, which served as a quiver. I say
+<i>carefully</i>, for had one of these arrows dropped with its poisoned point
+upon his naked foot, or wounded him elsewhere, he never would have
+prepared any more curare. But he handled them with care, and the
+remainder of the liquid he poured into a small gourd (similar to that
+in which he carried his coca-lime), which he closely corked up with a
+piece of the pith from a palm.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo, with Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the children, had watched with
+interest all this process. At first, they were afraid to go near, believing
+that the fumes of the liquid might be injurious. This was long
+believed to be the case, in consequence of the absurd tales spread
+abroad by the old missionaries, and even at a later period by the
+traveller La Condamine. These asserted, that when the Indians
+wished to make the curare poison, they selected for this purpose the
+old women of the tribe, whose lives were not deemed of any value;
+and that several of these always fell a sacrifice while &ldquo;cooking&rdquo; the
+curare!</p>
+
+<p>This silly story is now refuted; and Guapo not only assured his
+companions that there was no danger, but even tasted the curare
+from time to time while in the pan, in order to judge when it was
+sufficiently concentrated. This he could tell by its taste, as it grew
+more and more bitter as the evaporation proceeded. The arrow-poisons
+of South America are not all made from the creeping plant,
+the mavacure. Among some Indian tribes a root is used called
+&ldquo;curare de raiz;&rdquo; and with others the poison is produced by a mixture
+of several species of juices from the plant <i>Ambihuasca</i>, tobacco, red
+pepper, a bark called &ldquo;barbasco,&rdquo; from a tree of the genus <i>Jacquinia</i>,
+and a plant of the name &ldquo;sarnango.&rdquo; Of all these the juice of the
+<i>Ambihuasca</i> is the most powerful ingredient, but the making of this
+species of poison is a most complicated process.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was not long in having an opportunity to test his gravat&aacute;na,
+and this was just what he desired, for the old Indian was not a little
+vain of his skill, and he wished to make a show of it in the eyes of
+his companions. His vanity, however, was the more pardonable, as
+he was in reality a first-rate shot, which he proved to the satisfaction
+of everybody within half-an-hour. The instrument had scarcely been
+finished and laid aside, when a loud screaming and chattering was
+heard in the air, and on looking up a flock of large birds was seen
+flying over the heavens. They were still high up, but all of a sudden
+they darted down together and alit on a tall tree that stood nearly
+alone.</p>
+
+<p>Here they continued their chattering, only in a lower and more
+confidential tone; and they could be seen, not hopping, but climbing
+about, sometimes with their backs and heads turned downward, and,
+in short, clinging to the branches in every imaginable way. These
+birds were all of one kind, each of them full eighteen inches in
+length, and of a uniform colour over the body, which was a purple,
+or deep indigo&mdash;their beaks only being white. In the sun their
+plumage glistened with a metallic lustre. They were, in fact, a rare
+species,&mdash;the <i>ana</i>, or <i>purple macaw</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Without saying a word, Guapo seized his gravat&aacute;na and arrows,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span>
+and stole off through the underwood towards the tree upon which
+the macaws had perched. In a few minutes he stood under it,
+screened from the view of the birds by the broad leaves of a plantain
+that happened to grow beneath. This cover was necessary, else the
+macaws, which are shy birds, might have uttered one of their wild,
+choral screams, and flown off. They did not, however, and Guapo
+had a fair chance at them. All his movements could be observed by
+the party at the house, as he was on that side of the plantain.</p>
+
+<p>He was seen to adjust an arrow into the tube, and then raise the
+gravat&aacute;na to his lips. Strange to say, he did not hold it as we do a
+common gun,&mdash;that is, with the left hand advanced along the tube.
+On the contrary, both hands were held nearly together, at the lower
+end, and close to his mouth. Now, you will wonder how he could
+hold such a long tube steady in this way. It is, indeed, a very
+difficult thing, and much practice alone can accomplish it. As they
+watched him narrowly, his chest was seen to expand, his cheeks
+rose with a strong &ldquo;puff,&rdquo; and some of them thought they could
+perceive the passage of the little arrow out of the tube.</p>
+
+<p>However this might be, they soon after saw something sticking in
+the side of one of the macaws, and could see the bird pecking at it
+with its great beak, and trying to pull it out. In this it appeared to
+have succeeded after a short while, for something fell from the tree.
+It was the shaft with its cotton &ldquo;boss&rdquo; that fell down. The point,
+broken off where it had been notched, was still in the body of the
+bird, and was infusing the deadly venom into its veins. In about
+two minutes' time the wounded bird seemed to grow giddy, and
+began to stagger. It then fell over, still clutching the branch with
+its strong, prehensile claws; but after hanging a moment, these too
+relaxed, and the body fell heavily to the ground. It was quite dead.</p>
+
+<p>Long before it came down Guapo had pushed a fresh arrow into
+the tube, and given a fresh puff through it, wounding a second of
+the macaws. Then another arrow was chosen, and another victim,
+until several had been shot, and the creatures upon the tree could be
+seen in all stages of dying. Some, on receiving the wound, uttered
+a cry and flew off, but the poison soon brought them down, and they
+invariably fell at no great distance from the tree.</p>
+
+<p>At length Guapo was seen to desist, and walk boldly out from his
+ambush. To the surprise of all, the remaining macaws, of which
+there were still six or seven upon the tree, showed no fear of him, nor
+did they attempt to fly away! This was explained, however, by
+their subsequent conduct; for in a few seconds more they were seen,
+one by one, falling to the ground, until not a single bird was left
+upon the tree. All of them had been killed by the arrows of the
+blow-gun!</p>
+
+<p>Leon now ran out to assist Guapo in gathering his game. There
+were no less than eight couple of them in all, and they were all quite
+dead&mdash;some of them shot in the thigh, some in the neck or wing, and
+others through the body. None of them had lived over two minutes
+after receiving the wound. Such is the quickness with which the
+&ldquo;curare&rdquo; does its work!</p>
+
+<p>As a hunting instrument for most species of game the South
+American Indian prefers the gravat&aacute;na to any other; and with good
+reason. Had Guapo been armed with a rifle or fowling-piece, he
+would have shot one macaw, or perhaps a pair, and then the rest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span>
+would have uttered a tantalising scream, and winged their way out
+of his reach. He might have missed the whole flock, too, for on a
+high tree, such as that on which they had alit, it is no easy matter to
+kill a macaw with a shot-gun. Now the gravat&aacute;na throws its arrow
+to a height of from thirty to forty yards, and the least touch is
+sufficient to do the business. Its silence, moreover, enables the
+hunter to repeat the shot, until several head of game reward his
+skill. The Indians use it with most effect in a vertical or upward
+direction; and they are always surer to kill a bird with it when
+perched on a high tree, than when seated on a low shrub or on the
+ground.</p>
+
+<p>As we have observed that the curare can be taken inwardly without
+any danger, it will be evident to all that game killed by the poisoned
+arrows may be eaten with safety. Indeed, there are many epicures
+in South America who prefer it in this way; and when a chicken is
+wanted for the table, these people require that it should be killed by
+an arrow dipped in curare.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MILK-TREE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">G</span>uapo kept his promise with the tapir, and on that very same day.
+Shortly after the macaws had been brought in, little Leona, who
+had been straying down by the water's edge, came running back to
+the house, and in breathless haste cried out, &ldquo;Mamma, mamma!
+what a big hog!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Where, my pet?&rdquo; inquired her mother, with a degree of anxiety,
+for she fancied that the child might have seen some fierce beast of
+prey instead of a hog.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In the water,&rdquo; replied Leona; &ldquo;among the great lillies.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It's the tapir,&rdquo; cried Leon. &ldquo;Carrambo! it's our tapir!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was busy plucking his macaws, but at the word tapir he
+sprang to his feet, making the feathers fly in all directions.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Where, se&ntilde;orita?&rdquo; he asked, addressing little Leona.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Down below,&rdquo; replied the child; &ldquo;near the edge of the river.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo seized his gravat&aacute;na, and crouched down towards the bank,
+with Leon at his heels. On nearing the water, he stopped; and,
+with his body half-bent, looked down stream. There, sure enough,
+was the huge brown beast standing with his body half out of the
+water, and pulling up the roots of the flags with his great teeth and
+long moveable snout. It was not likely he would return to his
+former den after the chase he had had; and fancying, no doubt,
+that all the danger lay upon the opposite shore, he had come to this
+side to browse awhile.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo cautioned Leon to remain where he was, while he himself,
+almost crawling upon his belly, proceeded along the bank. In a few
+minutes he was out of sight, and Leon, seeing nothing more of him,
+kept his eyes sharply fixed upon the tapir.</p>
+
+<p>The latter remained quietly feeding for about ten minutes, when
+the boy saw him give a little start. Perhaps, thought he, he has
+heard Guapo among the weeds&mdash;for the tapir has good ears&mdash;and
+that was what caused him to make the motion. The tapir stopped
+feeding for a moment, but then recommenced, though evidently not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span>
+with as much eagerness as before. Presently he stopped a second
+time, and seemed undetermined as to whether he should not turn
+and take to the clear water. In this way he hesitated for several
+minutes; then, to the astonishment of Leon, his body began to rock
+from side to side, and the next moment, with a plunge, he fell
+heavily backward, making the waves undulate on all sides of him.
+The arrow had done its work&mdash;he was dead!</p>
+
+<p>A loud shout from Guapo echoed along the river, and the Indian
+was seen plunging forward to the dead tapir, which the next moment
+he had seized by the leg, and was dragging towards the bank. He
+was here met by the whole party, all of whom were anxious to see
+this rare and singular creature. Ropes were soon attached to the
+legs, and Guapo, assisted by Don Pablo and Leon, drew the huge
+carcass out upon the shore; and dragged it up to the house.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo at once skinned it, carefully preserving the hide to make
+soles for his sandals and other purposes; and that night all of them
+tried a &ldquo;tapir-steak&rdquo; for supper. All, however, Guapo alone excepted,
+preferred the flesh of the purple macaws, which, cooked as
+they were with onions and red pepper, were excellent eating, particularly
+for Spanish-American palates. Guapo had all the tapir to himself.</p>
+
+<p>The bamboo palm-house was now quite finished, and several articles
+of furniture too&mdash;for during the nights both Don Pablo and his trusty
+man Guapo had worked at many things. You will, no doubt, be
+asking where they procured lights,&mdash;will you not? I shall tell you.
+One of the loftiest and most beautiful of the palm-trees&mdash;<i>the wax-palm</i>&mdash;grew
+in these very parts, for the lower slopes of the Andes are
+its favourite habitat. Out of its trunk exudes wax, which has only
+to be scraped off and made into candles, that burn as well as those
+made of the wax of bees. Indeed, the missionaries, in their various
+religious ceremonies, have always made large use of these palm-candles.</p>
+
+<p>Another &ldquo;wax-palm,&rdquo; called &ldquo;Carn&aacute;uba,&rdquo; is found in South America.
+In this one, the wax&mdash;of a pure white colour, and without any admixture
+of resin&mdash;collects upon the under-side of the leaves, and can be
+had in large quantities by merely stripping it off. But even, had
+neither of these palms been found, they needed not to have gone
+without lights, for the fruits of the &ldquo;patawa,&rdquo; already described, when
+submitted to pressure, yield a pure liquid oil, without any disagreeable
+smell, and most excellent for burning in lamps. So, you see,
+there was no lack of light in the cheerful cottage.</p>
+
+<p>But there were two things, you will say, still wanting&mdash;one of them
+a necessary article, and the other almost so&mdash;and which could not
+possibly be procured in such a place. These two things were <i>salt</i> and
+<i>milk</i>. Now there was neither a salt-mine, nor a lake, nor a drop of
+salt water, nor yet either cow, goat, or ass, within scores of miles of
+the place, and still they had both salt and milk!</p>
+
+<p>The milk they procured from a tree which grew in the woods close
+by, and a tree so singular and celebrated, that you have no doubt
+heard of it before now. It was the <i>palo de vaca</i>, or &ldquo;cow-tree,&rdquo; called
+sometimes by an equally appropriate name <i>arbol del leche</i>, or &ldquo;milk-tree.&rdquo;
+It is one of the noblest trees of the forest, rising, with its tall
+straight stem, to a great height, and adorned with large oblong
+pointed leaves, some of which are nearly a foot in length. It carries<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">223</a></span>
+fruit which is eatable, about the size of a peach, and containing one
+or two stones; and the wood itself is valuable, being hard, fine-grained,
+and durable.</p>
+
+<p>But it is the sap which gives celebrity to the tree. This is neither
+more nor less than milk of a thick creamy kind, and most agreeable
+in flavour. Indeed, there are many persons who prefer it to the milk
+of cows, and it has been proved to be equally nutritious, the people
+fattening upon it in districts where it grows. It is collected, as the
+sugar-water is from the maple, simply by making a notch or incision
+in the bark, and placing a vessel underneath, into which the sap runs
+abundantly. It runs most freely at the hour of sunrise; and this is
+also true as regards the sap of the sugar-tree, and many other trees
+of that kind.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes it is drunk pure as it flows from the tree; but there are
+some people who, not relishing it in its thick gummy state, dilute it
+with water, and strain it before using it. It is excellent for tea or
+coffee, quite equal to the best cream, and of a richer colour. When
+left to stand in an open vessel, a thick coagulum forms on the top,
+which the natives term cheese, and which they eat in a similar
+manner, and with equal relish. Another virtue of this extraordinary
+tree is that the cream, without any preparation, makes a glue for all
+purposes as good as that used by cabinet-makers, and, indeed, Don
+Pablo and Guapo had already availed themselves of it in this way.</p>
+
+<p>So much for the <i>palo de vaca</i>.</p>
+
+<p>It still remains for me to tell you where the <i>salt</i> came from; and
+although the milk-tree was ever so welcome, yet the salt was a thing
+of still greater necessity. Indeed, the latter might be looked upon as
+an indispensable article in household economy. You, my young
+reader, know not what it is to be without salt. With whole sacks of
+this beautiful mineral within your reach, almost as cheap as sand,
+you cannot fancy the longing&mdash;the absolute craving&mdash;for it, which
+they feel who are for a period deprived of it.</p>
+
+<p>Even the wild animals will make long journeys in search of those
+salt-springs&mdash;or, as they are called, &ldquo;licks&rdquo;&mdash;which exist in many
+places in the wilderness of America. For salt, Don Pablo and his
+companions would have exchanged anything they had,&mdash;their sugar,
+plantains, cocoa, coffee, or even the cassava, which was their bread.
+They longed for salt, and knew not how they could get on without
+it. The only substitute was the &ldquo;aji,&rdquo; or capsicum, of which several
+species grew around, and almost every dish they ate was strongly
+spiced with it. But still this was not salt, and they were not contented
+with it.</p>
+
+<p>It was now that they found a friend in Guapo. Guapo knew that
+among many of the Indian tribes the fruit of a certain species of palm
+was manufactured into salt; and he knew the palm, too, if he could
+only get his eyes upon it. Seeing his master and the rest so troubled
+upon this head, Guapo rose one morning early and stole off among the
+groves of palm, on the other side of the river. There, in a marshy
+place, with its roots even growing in the water, stood the very tree,&mdash;a
+small palm of about four inches in diameter and twenty to thirty
+feet high. It was thicker at the base than the top, and the top itself
+rose several feet above the tuft of pinnate, feathery fronds, ending in
+a pointed spike. It was the &ldquo;jara&rdquo; palm, of the genus <i>Leopoldinia</i>.</p>
+
+<p>It was the fruits upon which Guapo bent his eyes with earnestness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">224</a></span>
+Each one was as large as a peach, of an oval shape, slightly flattened,
+and of a yellowish green colour. They grew in large clusters among
+the bases of the leaves; and Guapo was not long in ascending several
+trees&mdash;for the jara is a smooth-skinned palm, and can be climbed&mdash;and
+breaking off the spadices, and flinging them to the ground. He
+had soon collected a bag-full, with which he hurried back to the
+house.</p>
+
+<p>All wondered what Guapo meant to do with these fruits, for they
+tasted them and found them very bitter. Guapo soon showed them
+his intention. Having prepared a sort of furnace, he set the nuts on
+fire; and when they were thoroughly reduced to ashes, to the great
+joy and astonishment of all, these ashes, which were as white as flour,
+had the taste of salt! It is true it was not equal to &ldquo;Turk's Island,&rdquo;
+nor yet to &ldquo;Bay&rdquo; salt, but it proved to be good enough for cooking
+purposes, and satisfied the craving which all had felt for this indispensable
+article.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>bout this time an incident occurred that was very near having a
+fatal termination for one of the party&mdash;Leon. The day was a very
+hot one, and as the cool water looked inviting, Leon could not resist
+the temptation of taking a bath. Having undressed himself, he
+plunged into the river nearly in front of where the house stood, and
+began splashing about quite delighted. The rest were not heeding
+him, as each was engaged with some occupation within the house.</p>
+
+<p>Leon at first kept wading about in a place that was not beyond
+his depth, but, by little and little, he took short swims, as he wished
+to practise, and become a good swimmer like Guapo. His father had
+not only given him permission, but had even advised him to do so.
+And it may be here remarked that all parents would do well to take
+the same course with their children and allow them to acquire this
+healthful and useful art. No one can deny that thousands of lives
+are annually sacrificed, because so few have taken the trouble to learn
+swimming.</p>
+
+<p>Well; Leon was determined to be a swimmer, and at each attempt
+he made a wider stretch into the deep water, swam around, and then
+back again to the bank.</p>
+
+<p>In one of these excursions, just as he had got farthest out, all at
+once he felt a sharp pain as if from the bite of some animal, and then
+another, and another, upon different parts of the body, as if several
+sets of teeth were attacking him at once!</p>
+
+<p>Leon screamed&mdash;who wouldn't have done so?&mdash;and his scream
+brought the whole household to the edge of the water in less than a
+score of seconds. All of them believed that he was either drowning or
+attacked by a crocodile. On arriving at the bank, however, they saw
+that he was still above water, and swimming boldly for the shore&mdash;no
+signs of a crocodile were to be seen!</p>
+
+<p>What was the matter?</p>
+
+<p>Of course that question was asked of him by them all in a breath.
+His reply was that &ldquo;he could not tell&mdash;<i>something was biting him all
+over</i>!&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">225</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The quick eye of the mother now caught sight of blood&mdash;around
+the swimmer the water was tinged with it&mdash;her piercing shriek rent
+the air.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;O God! my child&mdash;my child! Save him&mdash;save him!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Both Don Pablo and Guapo dashed into the water and plunged
+forward to meet him. In the next moment he was raised in their
+arms, but the blood streamed down his body and limbs, apparently
+from a dozen wounds. As they lifted him out of the water they saw
+what had caused these wounds. A shoal of small fish, with ashy-green
+backs and bright orange bellies and fins, was seen below.
+With large open mouths they had followed their victim to the very
+surface, and now that he was lifted out of their reach, they shot
+forward and attacked the legs of his rescuers, causing Don Pablo and
+Guapo to dance up in the water, and make with all haste for the
+bank. As soon as they had reached it, they turned round and
+looked into the water. There were these blood-thirsty pursuers that
+had followed them up to the very bank, and now swam about darting
+from point to point, and ready for a fresh attack on any one that
+might enter the water!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They are the 'cannibal fish!'&rdquo; said Guapo, in an angry tone, as
+he turned to attend to Leon. &ldquo;I shall punish them yet for it.
+Trust me, young master, you shall be revenged!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leon was now carried up to the house, and it was found that in all
+he had received nearly a dozen wounds! Some of them were on the
+calves of his legs, where the piece of flesh was actually taken out!
+Had he been farther out in the river, when first attacked, he might
+never have reached the shore alive, as the fierce creatures were
+gathering in far greater numbers when he was rescued, and would
+most undoubtedly have torn him to pieces and eaten him up!</p>
+
+<p>Such has been the fate of many persons who have fallen among the
+&ldquo;cannibal fish&rdquo; in the midst of wide rivers where they had no chance
+of escape. These ferocious little &ldquo;caribes,&rdquo; or &ldquo;caribitos,&rdquo; as they are
+called (for the word <i>carib</i> signifies cannibal), lie at the bottom of
+rivers, and are not easily seen; but the moment an attack is made by
+one of them, and a drop of blood stains the water, the whole shoal
+rises to the surface, and woe to the creature that is assailed by their
+sharp triangular teeth!</p>
+
+<p>Of course the wounds of Leon, although painful, were not dangerous,
+but the chief danger lay in the loss of blood which was pouring from
+so many veins. But Guapo found ready to his hand the best thing
+in the world for stopping it. On some mimosa-trees, not far from
+the house, he had already observed&mdash;indeed, so had all of them&mdash;a
+very singular species of ants' nests of a yellowish brown colour. The
+ants themselves were of a beautiful emerald green. They were the
+<i>Formica spinicollis</i>. These nests were composed of a soft cotton-down,
+which the ants had collected from a species of <i>Melastoma</i>, a
+handsome shrub found growing in these regions; and this down
+Guapo knew to be the best for blood-stopping.</p>
+
+<p>Even Don Pablo had heard of its being used by the Indians for this
+purpose, and knew it by the name of &ldquo;<i>yesca de hormigas</i>,&rdquo; or &ldquo;touch-wood
+of ants.&rdquo; He had heard, moreover, that it was far superior even
+to the ants' nests of Cayenne, which form an article of commerce and
+are highly prized in the hospitals of Europe. Guapo, therefore, ran
+off and robbed the green ants of their nests, and speedily returned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">226</a></span>
+with the full of his hands of the soft &ldquo;yesca.&rdquo; This was applied to
+the wounds, and in a few minutes the bleeding was effectually
+stopped, and Leon, although still suffering pain, had now only to be
+patient and get well.</p>
+
+<p>Strange to say, another incident occurred that very evening, which
+taught our party a further lesson of the danger of taking to the
+water without knowing more of its inhabitants. Just as they had
+finished supper, and were seated in front of their new house, the
+mule, that had been let loose, stepped into the river to drink and
+cool its flanks. It was standing in the water, which came up to its
+belly, and, having finished its drink, was quietly gazing around it.
+All at once, it was observed to give a violent plunge, and make with
+hot haste for the bank. It snorted and looked terrified, while its red
+nostrils were wide open, and its eyes appeared as if they would start
+from their sockets. At length it reached the bank, and, staggering
+forward, rolled over in the sand, as if it was going to die!</p>
+
+<p>What could all this mean? Had it, too, been attacked by the
+&ldquo;caribes?&rdquo; No; that was not likely, as the bite of these creatures
+upon the hard shanks of the mule could not have produced such an
+effect. They might have frightened it, but they could not have
+thrown it into &ldquo;fits&rdquo;&mdash;for it was evidently in some sort of a fit at
+that moment.</p>
+
+<p>It might have been a puzzle to our party not easily solved, had
+Guapo not been upon the spot. But Guapo had witnessed such an
+incident before. Just before the mule gave the first plunge Guapo's
+eyes had been wandering in that direction. He had noticed an odd-looking
+form glide near the mule and pass under the animal's belly.
+This creature was of a greenish-yellow colour, about five feet in
+length, and four or five inches thick. It resembled some kind of
+water-snake more than a fish, but Guapo knew it was not a snake,
+but an eel. It was the great <i>electric eel</i>&mdash;the &ldquo;temblador,&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;gymnotus.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This explained the mystery. The gymnotus, having placed itself
+under the belly of the unsuspecting mule, was able to bring its body
+in contact at all points, and hence the powerful shock that had
+created such an effect.</p>
+
+<p>The mule, however, soon recovered, but from that time forward, no
+coaxing, nor leading, nor driving, nor whipping, nor pushing, would
+induce that same mule to go within twenty feet of the bank of that
+same piece of water.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo now bethought himself of the narrow escape he himself had
+had while swimming across to the palm-woods; and the appearance
+of the gymnotus only rendered him more determined to keep the
+promise he had made to Leon,&mdash;that is, that he would revenge him
+of the caribes.</p>
+
+<p>None of them could understand how Guapo was to get his revenge
+without catching the fish, and that would be difficult to do. Guapo,
+however, showed them how on the very next day.</p>
+
+<p>During that evening he had made an excursion into the wood, and
+returned home carrying with him a large bundle of roots.</p>
+
+<p>They were the roots of two species of plants&mdash;one of the genus
+<i>Piscidea</i>, the other a <i>Jacquinia</i>. Out of these, when properly pounded
+together, Guapo intended to make the celebrated &ldquo;barbasco,&rdquo; or fish-poison,
+which is used by all the Indians of South America in capturing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">227</a></span>
+fish. Guapo knew that a sufficient quantity of the barbasco thrown
+into the water would kill either &ldquo;temblador,&rdquo; caribe, or any fish that
+ever swam with fins.</p>
+
+<p>And so it proved. In the morning Guapo having prepared his
+barbasco, proceeded to the upper end of the lake-like opening of the
+river, and there flung his poison into the stream. The slow current
+through the valley greatly favoured him, and from the large quantity
+of roots he had used, the whole pool was soon infected with it. This
+was seen from the whitish tinge which the water assumed. The
+barbasco had scarcely time to sink to the bottom when small fish
+were seen coming to the surface, and turning &ldquo;wrong side uppermost.&rdquo;
+Then larger ones appeared, and in a few minutes all the fish in that
+particular stretch of water, with several gymnoti, were seen floating
+on the surface quite dead. To the great joy of Guapo and Leon, who
+sat by the bank watching, hundreds of the little caribes, with their
+bronze gills quite open, and their yellow bellies turned up, were seen
+among the rest.</p>
+
+<p>But Guapo had not made this great slaughter purely out of revenge.
+He had another object. They were not too well off for meat, and a
+dish of fish would be welcome. Guapo and Don Pablo had already
+provided themselves with long-handled nets, and they soon scooped
+out several basketfuls of fish. Among others they netted numerous
+&ldquo;caribes,&rdquo; for these little monsters, fierce as they are, are not surpassed
+for delicacy of flavour by any fish in the South American
+rivers. The gymnoti approached the bank, where Guapo fished them
+out, not to eat&mdash;although they are often eaten. There was not a
+spark of electricity in them now. The barbasco had cured them of
+that; any one might have handled them with safety, as there was not
+a charge left in their whole battery.</p>
+
+<p>The lake was quite cleared of all its dangerous denizens, and Leon
+might bathe with safety, as soon as he got well; and over the fish-dinner
+they could now laugh at the adventures both of Leon and the
+electrified mule.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE CINCHONA-TREES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>n about two weeks from their arrival in the valley, the house, with
+a stable for the horse and mule, was completed, and all the necessary
+furniture as well. Had you entered the establishment about this
+time, you would have observed many odd articles and implements,
+most of them quite new. You would have seen boxes woven out of
+palm leaves, and bags made of the fibrous, cloth-like spathe of the
+&ldquo;bussu,&rdquo; filled with the soft, silky cotton of the bombax, to be
+afterwards spun and woven for shirts and dresses.</p>
+
+<p>You would have seen baskets of various shapes and sizes woven
+out of the rind of the leaf-stalks of a singular palm called &ldquo;I&uacute;,&rdquo;
+which has no stem, but only leaves of ten feet long, growing directly
+out of the ground. You would have seen chairs made of split palms
+and bamboo, and a good-sized table, upon which, at meal-time,
+might be noticed a table-cloth, not of diaper, but, what served
+equally well, the broad smooth silken leaves of the plantain. There
+were cups, too, and plates, and bowls, and dishes, and bottles, of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">228</a></span>
+light gourd-shell (<i>Crescentia cujete</i>), some of the bottles holding
+useful liquids, and corked with the elastic pith of a palm. Other
+vessels of a boat-shape might be noticed.</p>
+
+<p>There were large wooden vessels pointed at the ends like little
+canoes. They were nothing more than the spathes or flower-sheaths
+of one of the largest of palms, the &ldquo;<i>Inaga</i>.&rdquo; This noble tree rises to
+the height of one hundred feet, and carries feathery fronds of more
+than fifty feet in length. The spathes are so large that they are
+used by the Indian women for cradles and baskets; and their wood
+is so hard, that hunters often cook meat in them, hanging them over
+the fire when filled with water!</p>
+
+<p>Many other singular implements might have been noticed in the
+new home. One, a cylinder of what appeared to be wood, covered
+thickly with spinous points, hung against the wall. That was a
+grater, used for the manioc, or yucca roots; and it was a grater of
+nature's own making, for it was nothing more than a piece of one of
+the air roots of the &ldquo;pashiuba&rdquo; palm, already described. Another
+curious object hung near this last. It was a sort of conical bag,
+woven out of palm-fibre, with a loop at the bottom, through which
+loop a strong pole was passed, that acted as a lever when the article
+was in use. This wicker-work bag was the &ldquo;tipiti.&rdquo; Its use was to
+compress the grated pulp of the manioc roots, so as to separate the
+juice from it, and thus make &ldquo;cassava.&rdquo; The roots of the yucca, or
+manioc plant, grow in bunches like potatoes.</p>
+
+<p>Some of them are oblong&mdash;the length of a man's arm&mdash;and more
+than twenty pounds in weight. When required for use, the bark is
+scraped off, and they are grated down. They are then put into the
+tipiti, already mentioned; and the bag is hung up to a strong pin,
+while the lever is passed through the loop at the bottom. Its short
+end goes under a firm notch, and then some one usually sits upon the
+long end until the pulp is squeezed sufficiently dry. The bag is so
+formed that its extension, by the force of the lever, causes its sides to
+close upon the pulp, and thus press out the juice. The pulp is next
+dried in an oven, and becomes the famous &ldquo;cassava&rdquo; or &ldquo;farinha,&rdquo;
+which, throughout the greater part of South America, is the only
+bread that is used. The juice, of course, runs through the wicker-work
+of the <i>tipiti</i> into a vessel below, and there produces a sediment,
+which is the well-known &ldquo;tapioca.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>There are two kinds of the yucca or manioc-root,&mdash;the <i>yucca dulce</i>,
+and <i>yucca amarga</i>&mdash;the sweet and bitter. One may be eaten raw
+without danger. The other, which very closely resembles it, if eaten
+raw, would produce almost instant death, as its juice is one of the
+deadliest of vegetable poisons. Even while it is dripping from the
+tipiti into the vessel placed below, great care is always taken lest
+children or other animals should drink of it.</p>
+
+<p>There were no beds&mdash;such things are hardly to be found in any
+part of tropical America&mdash;at least not in the low hot countries. To
+sleep in a bed in these climates is far from being pleasant. The
+sleeper would be at the mercy of a thousand crawling things,&mdash;insects
+and reptiles. Hammocks, or &ldquo;redes,&rdquo; as they are called, take
+the place of bedsteads; and five hammocks, of different dimensions,
+could be seen about the new house. Some were strung up within, others
+in the porch in front, for, in building his house, Don Pablo had
+fashioned it so that the roof protruded in front, and formed a shaded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">229</a></span>
+verandah&mdash;a pleasant place in which to enjoy the evenings. Guapo
+had made the hammocks, having woven the cords out of the epidermis
+of the leaf of a noble palm, called &ldquo;tucum.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Their home being now sufficiently comfortable, Don Pablo began
+to turn his attention to the object for which he had settled on that
+spot. He had already examined the cinchona-trees, and saw that
+they were of the finest species. They were, in fact, the same which
+have since become celebrated as producing the &ldquo;Cuzconin,&rdquo; and
+known as <i>Cascarilla de Cuzco</i> (Cuzco bark).</p>
+
+<p>Of the Peruvian-bark trees there are many species,&mdash;between
+twenty and thirty. Most of these are true cinchona-trees, but there
+are also many kinds of the genus <i>Exostemma</i>, whose bark is collected
+as a febrifuge, and passes in commerce under the name of <i>Peruvian
+bark</i>. All these are of different qualities and value. Some are
+utterly worthless, and, like many other kinds of &ldquo;goods,&rdquo; form a sad
+commentary on the honesty of commerce.</p>
+
+<p>The species, which grew on the sides of the adjacent hills, Don
+Pablo recognised as one of the most valuable. It was a nearly-allied
+species to the tree of Loxa, which produces the best bark. It
+was a tall slender tree&mdash;when full grown, rising to the height of
+eighty feet; but there were some of every age and size. Its leaves
+were five inches long and about half that breadth, of a reddish
+colour, and with a glistening surface, which rendered them easily
+distinguished from the foliage of the other trees. Now it is a fortunate
+circumstance that the Peruvian-bark trees differ from all
+others in the colour of their leaves.</p>
+
+<p>Were this not the case, &ldquo;bark-hunting&rdquo; would be a very troublesome
+operation. The labour of finding the trees would not be repaid
+with double the price obtained for the bark. You may be thinking,
+my young friend, that a &ldquo;cascarillero,&rdquo; or bark-hunter, has nothing
+to do but find a wood of these trees; and then the trouble of searching
+is over, and nothing remains but to go to work and fell them. So it
+would be, did the cinchona-trees grow together in large numbers,
+but they do not. Only a few&mdash;sometimes only a single tree&mdash;will
+be found in one place; and I may here remark that the same is true
+of most of the trees of the Great Monta&ntilde;a of South America. This
+is a curious fact, because it is a different arrangement from that made
+by nature in the forests of North America.</p>
+
+<p>There a whole country will be covered with timber of a single, or
+at most two or three species; whereas, in South America, the forests
+are composed of an endless variety. Hence it has been found difficult
+to establish saw-mills in these forests, as no one timber can be
+conveniently furnished in sufficient quantity to make it worth while.
+Some of the palms, as the great <i>morichi</i>, form an exception to this
+rule. These are found in vast <i>palmares</i>, or palm-woods, extending
+over large tracts of country, and monopolising the soil to themselves.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo, having spent the whole of a day in examining the
+cinchonas, returned home quite satisfied with them, both as regarded
+their quantity and value. He saw, from a high tree which he had
+climbed, &ldquo;<i>manchas</i>,&rdquo; or spots of the glistening reddish leaves, nearly
+an acre in breadth. This was a fortune in itself. Could he only
+collect 100,000 lbs. of this bark, and convey it down stream to the
+mouth of the Amazon, it would there yield him the handsome sum of
+40,000 or 50,000 dollars! How long before he could accomplish this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">230</a></span>
+task he had not yet calculated; but he resolved to set about it at
+once.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 341px;">
+<img src="images/illus-230.jpg" width="341" height="500" alt="GUAPO AND THE &#39;NIMBLE PETERS.&#39;" title="GUAPO AND THE &#39;NIMBLE PETERS.&#39;" />
+<span class="caption">GUAPO AND THE &#39;NIMBLE PETERS.&#39;</span></div>
+
+<p>A large house had been already constructed for storing the bark,
+and in the dry hot climate of the high Monta&ntilde;a, where they now
+were, Don Pablo knew it could be dried in the woods, where it was
+stripped from the trees.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">231</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>t length, all things being ready, Don Pablo and party set out for
+a day's work among the cinchonas. As it was the first day of bark-gathering
+all went along to enjoy the novelty of the thing. A
+&ldquo;mancha&rdquo; of the cinchona trees was not far off, so their journey
+would be a short one. For this reason, the horse and mule remained
+in the stable eating the fruits of the &ldquo;murumuru&rdquo; palm, of which
+all cattle are exceedingly fond. Even the hard undigested stones or
+nuts, after passing through the bodies of horses and cattle, are eagerly
+devoured by wild or tame hogs, and the zamuros, or black vultures,
+when hungered, take to the pulpy fruit of this thorny palm-tree.</p>
+
+<p>It was a very early hour when they set out, for Don Pablo and his
+people were no sluggards. Indeed, in that climate, the early morning
+hours are the pleasantest, and they had made it a rule to be always
+up at daybreak. They could thus afford to take a <i>siesta</i> in their
+hammocks during the hot noontide,&mdash;a custom very common, and
+almost necessary, in tropical countries. Their road to the cinchonas
+led up the stream, on the same side with the house. After going a few
+hundred yards, they entered a grove of trees that had white trunks
+and leaves of a light silvery colour. The straight, slender stems of
+these trees, and the disposition of their branches,&mdash;leaning over at
+the tops,&mdash;gave them somewhat the appearance of palms. They
+were not palms, however, but &ldquo;amba&iuml;ba&rdquo; trees. So said Don Pablo,
+as they passed under their shade.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I shouldn't wonder,&rdquo; added he, &ldquo;if we should see that strange
+animal the a&iuml;. The leaves of these trees are its favourite food, and it
+lives altogether among their branches.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You mean the 'nimble Peter,' do you not, papa?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This inquiry was put by Leon, who had read about the animal
+under this name, and had read many false stories of it, even in the
+works of the great Buffon.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; replied Don Pablo; &ldquo;it goes by that name sometimes, on
+account of its sluggish habits and slow motions. For the same
+reason the English call it 'sloth,' and it is known among naturalists
+as <i>bradypus</i>. There are two or three species, but all with very
+similar habits, though, as usual, the French classifiers have separated
+them into distinct genera.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, Buffon says,&rdquo; rejoined Leon, &ldquo;that it is the most miserable
+creature in the world; that it can scarcely get from tree to tree;
+that some remain in the same tree all their lives, or, that when one
+has eaten all the leaves off a tree, it drops to the ground, to save
+itself the trouble of getting down by the trunk, and, that when on
+the ground it cannot move a yard in an hour. Is all this true?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Totally untrue. It is true the a&iuml; does not move rapidly over the
+ground, but the ground is not its proper place no more than it is
+that of the orang-otang, or other tree-monkeys. Its conformation
+shows that nature intended it for an inhabitant of the trees, where
+it can move about with sufficient ease to procure its food. On the
+branches it is quite at home, or, rather, I should say, <i>under</i> the
+branches, for, unlike the squirrels and monkeys, it travels along the
+under sides of the horizontal limbs, with its back downward. This<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">232</a></span>
+it can do with ease, by means of its great curving claws, which are
+large enough to span the thickest boughs. In this position, with
+a long neck of <i>nine vertebr&aelig;</i>,&mdash;the only animal which has that
+number,&mdash;it can reach the leaves on all sides of it; and, when not
+feeding, this is its natural position of repose.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Its remaining during its whole life in one tree, or suffering itself to
+fall from the branches, are romances of the early Spanish voyagers,
+to which M. Buffon gave too much credit. The a&iuml; does not descend
+to the ground at all when it can help it, but passes from one tree
+to another by means of the outspreading branches. Sometimes,
+when these do not meet, it has cunning enough to wait for a windy
+day, and then, taking advantage of some branch blown nearer by
+the wind, it grasps it and passes to the next tree. As it requires no
+drink, and can live without any other food than the leaves of the
+<i>cecropia</i>, of course it remains on a single tree so long as it has plenty
+of leaves. See!&rdquo; exclaimed Don Pablo, pointing up; &ldquo;here are
+several trees stripped of their leaves! I'll warrant that was done by
+the a&iuml;.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>A-ee</i>!&rdquo; echoed a voice in the most lugubrious tones.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I thought so,&rdquo; cried Don Pablo, laughing at the surprise which
+the voice had created among the rest of the party. &ldquo;That's the very
+fellow himself,&mdash;this way,&mdash;here he is!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>All of them ran under the tree to which Don Pablo pointed, and
+looked up. There, sure enough, was an animal about the size of
+a cat, of a dark hay colour, with a patch of dirty orange and black
+upon the back. This could be easily seen, for the creature was
+hanging along a horizontal branch with its back downward, and its
+huge curving claws, all in a bunch, were hooked over the branch.
+Its hair was thick and rough, and no tail was visible, but its small
+round head and flat face was almost as like the human face as is that
+of any monkey. Indeed, the others would have taken it for a
+monkey,&mdash;Guapo excepted,&mdash;had they not been already talking about
+it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh, yonder's another!&rdquo; cried Leon, pointing higher up in the
+tree; and, sure enough, there was, for the a&iuml; is usually found in
+company with its mate. The other was a copy of the one already
+observed, with some slight difference in size&mdash;no doubt it was the
+female one. Both had observed the approach of the party, and now
+uttered their melancholy &ldquo;Ayee&mdash;a-ee!&rdquo; that sounded anything but
+agreeable. In fact, so very disagreeable is the voice of this creature,
+that it has been considered its best weapon of defence. Beside the
+utterance of their cry, neither of them made any effort to escape
+or defend themselves.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and the rest were about to pass on and leave the a&iuml;s
+to their leaf diet, but Guapo had other notions on that subject.
+Ugly as these creatures were, Guapo intended to have one of them
+for his dinner. He, therefore, begged Don Pablo to stop a moment
+until he should get them down. How was this to be done? Would
+he climb up and drag them from the tree? That is not so easily
+accomplished, for the a&iuml;s, with their crescent claws, can hold on with
+terrible force. Besides, they were out upon the slender branches,
+where it would have been difficult to get at them.</p>
+
+<p>But Guapo did not intend to climb. The tree was a slender one&mdash;he
+had his axe with him&mdash;and the next moment its keen blade was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">233</a></span>
+crashing through the bark of the amba&iuml;ba wood. A few minutes
+served to bring the tree down, and down it came, the a&iuml;s screaming
+as it fell. Guapo now approached to seize them, but about this he
+used some caution. Both finding themselves without hope of escape,
+prepared for defence. Buffon asserts that they make none. That
+is not true, as was seen by all the party.</p>
+
+<p>Throwing themselves on their backs, they struck out with their
+fore-arms in a sort of mechanical manner. These with the long
+horny claws they kept playing in front of their bodies, striking
+alternately with them, and rapidly, as a dog will do when suddenly
+plunged into water. Guapo did not put his hands near them. He
+knew they would not bite, but he also knew that he might get
+a scratch with the sharp claws, and that he did not wish for. But
+Guapo had a way to take them, and that he now put in practice.
+Lopping a couple of branches from the tree, he held one out to each
+of the a&iuml;s, and touched them with it on the breast.</p>
+
+<p>Each, as soon as it felt the branch, clutched it tightly between its
+powerful fore-arms and held on as if for life and death. It would
+have taken a stronger man than Guapo to have pulled either of the
+branches away again. The thing was now done. Giving his axe to
+Leon to carry for him, Guapo lifted an a&iuml;, still clinging to the
+branch, in each hand, and carried them off as if they had been a pair
+of water-pots. He did not wish to kill them until he got them
+home, alleging that they were better for eating when freshly
+butchered.</p>
+
+<p>The bark-hunters now continued their route, and shortly after
+entered a little glade or opening in the forest, about an acre in size.
+When they had reached the middle of this, Guapo threw his a&iuml;s
+upon the ground and marched on.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why do you leave them?&rdquo; inquired the others.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No fear for them,&rdquo; replied Guapo; &ldquo;they'll be there when we
+come back. If I carried them into the woods, they might steal off
+while we were at work, but it would take them six hours to get to
+the nearest tree.&rdquo; All laughed at this, and went on, leaving the a&iuml;s
+to themselves. Before passing out from the glade, they stopped
+a moment to look at the great, conical nests of the termites, or
+white ants, several of which, like soldiers' tents, stood near the edge
+of the glade. It was yet early, the air was chilly, and the ants were
+not abroad; so that, after gazing for a while on these singular
+habitations, the bark-gatherers pursued their way, and were soon
+under the shadow of the cinchona trees.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BARK-HUNTERS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>n a few minutes the work began&mdash;that work which was to occupy
+them, perhaps, for several years. The first blow of Guapo's axe was
+the signal to begin the making of a fortune. It was followed by
+many others, until one of the cinchonas lay along the sward. Then
+Guapo attacked another, as near the root as was convenient for
+chopping.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo's part of the work now began. Armed with a sharp
+knife, he made circular incisions round the trunk, at the distance of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">234</a></span>
+several feet from each other, and a single longitudinal one intersecting
+all the others. The branches were also served in a similar way,
+and then the tree was left as it lay. In three or four days they would
+return to strip off the bark both from trunk and branches, and this
+would be spread out under the sun to dry. When light and dry it
+would be carried to the storehouse. So the work went merrily on.
+The trees were taken as they stood&mdash;the very young ones alone being
+left, as the bark of these is useless for commerce.</p>
+
+<p>The Do&ntilde;a Isidora sat upon a fallen trunk, and, conversing with her
+husband, watched the proceedings with interest. A new and happy
+future seemed at no great distance off. Little Leona stood beside
+Guapo, watching the yellow chips as they flew, and listening to some
+very fine stories with which Guapo was regaling her. Guapo loved
+little Leona. He would have risked his life for her, would Guapo,
+and Leona knew it.</p>
+
+<p>Leon was not particularly engaged on that day. When the bark
+was ready for peeling he intended to take a hand with the rest. He
+could then employ himself in spreading it, or could lead the mule in
+carrying it to the storehouse. Leon did not intend to be idle, but
+there happened to be no work for him just then; and after watching
+the bark-cutters for awhile, he sauntered back along the path, in
+order to have a little fun with the a&iuml;s. Leon had no very great confidence
+that he would find them in the place where they had been
+left, and yet he believed in Guapo. But it was hard to understand
+that two animals, each endowed with a full set of legs and feet, should
+not be able to make their way for a distance of twenty paces, and
+escape! After the rough handling they had had, too! He would
+have a peep at them, anyhow, to see how they were coming on. So
+back he went.</p>
+
+<p>On getting near the glade their voices reached him. They were
+there, after all! He could hear them utter their pitiful &ldquo;ay-ee&mdash;ay-ee!&rdquo;
+and, as he thought, in a louder and more distressing tone
+than ever. What could be the matter? They had been silent for
+some time, he was sure, for such cries as they now uttered could have
+been heard easily where the rest were. What could be the meaning
+of this fresh outburst? Had some new enemy attacked them? It
+seemed like enough.</p>
+
+<p>Leon stole forward, and peeped into the glade. No&mdash;there was
+nothing near them! But what was the matter with the creatures?
+Instead of lying quietly, as they had done when left behind, they
+were now rolling and tumbling backward and forward, and pitching
+about, and dancing first on their feet and then on their heads, and
+cutting all sorts of strange capers! Could it be for their own
+amusement? No; their lamentable cries precluded that supposition;
+besides, their odd attitudes and contortions bespoke terror and
+pain!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Carrambo!&rdquo; muttered Leon. &ldquo;What's the matter with them?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They seemed inclined to escape towards the trees; but, after making
+a few lengths, they would fall to the ground, tumble about, and
+then, getting up again, head in the opposite direction!</p>
+
+<p>Leon was puzzled,&mdash;no wonder. He looked around for a solution
+of this queer conduct on the part of the a&iuml;s. No explanation appeared.
+At length he bethought himself of going up to them. Perhaps, when
+nearer, he might learn what set them a-dancing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">235</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha!&rdquo; he ejaculated, struck with some sudden thought. &ldquo;I know
+now; there's a snake at them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This conjecture&mdash;for it was only a conjecture&mdash;caused him to stop
+short. It might be some venomous snake, thought he. The grass
+was not long, and he could have seen a very large snake; but still a
+small coral snake, or the little poisonous viper, might have been there.
+He fancied he saw something moving; but to get a better view he
+passed slowly around the edge of the glade, until he was nearly on
+the opposite side to that where he had entered. He still kept at a
+good distance from the a&iuml;s, but as yet discovered no snake.</p>
+
+<p>To his great surprise, the a&iuml;s now lay stretched along the grass,
+their struggles appeared each moment to grow less violent, and their
+melancholy cries became weaker and weaker. Their contortions at
+length came to an end. A feeble effort to raise themselves alone
+could be perceived,&mdash;then a spasmodic motion of their long crooked
+limbs,&mdash;their cries became indistinct; and, after a while, both lay
+motionless and silent! Were they dead? Surely so, thought Leon.</p>
+
+<p>He stood gazing at them for some minutes. Not a motion of their
+bodies could be perceived. Surely they had no longer lived! But,
+then, what could have killed them? There was no snake to be seen;
+no animal of any kind except themselves! Had they been taken with
+some sudden disease,&mdash;some kind of convulsions that had ended
+fatally? This seemed the most probable thing, judging from the odd
+manner in which they had acted. Maybe they had eaten some sort
+of plant that had poisoned them!</p>
+
+<p>These conjectures passed rapidly through the mind of Leon. Of
+course, he resolved to satisfy himself as to the cause of their death, if
+dead they actually were. He began to draw nearer, making his
+advances with stealth and caution&mdash;as he was still apprehensive about
+the snake.</p>
+
+<p>After he had made a few paces in a forward direction, he began to
+perceive something moving around the bodies of the animals. Snakes?
+No. What then? A few paces nearer. See! the whole ground is in
+motion. The bodies of the a&iuml;s, though dead, are covered with living,
+moving objects! Ha! <i>it is a &ldquo;chacu&rdquo; of the white ants</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Leon now comprehended the whole affair. The ground was literally
+alive with the terrible <i>termites</i>. They had made their foray, or
+&ldquo;chacu,&rdquo; as it is called, from the neighbouring cones; they had
+attacked the helpless a&iuml;s, and put them to death, with their poisonous
+stings! Already they were tearing them to pieces, and bearing them
+off to their dark caves! So thick were they on the bodies of the
+animals, that the latter had suddenly changed their colour, and now
+appeared to be nothing more than living heaps of crawling insects!</p>
+
+<p>It was a hideous sight to behold, and Leon felt his flesh creep as he
+looked upon it. Still he felt a curiosity to witness the result, and he
+stood watching the busy crowd that had gathered about the a&iuml;s. He
+had heard strange accounts of these white ants; how that, in a few
+minutes, they will tear the carcasses of large animals to pieces, and
+carry them away to their dens; and he was determined to prove the
+truth of this by observation. He did not go any nearer, for he was
+not without some dread of these ugly creatures; but, happening to
+find himself beside a small tree, with low horizontal branches, he
+climbed up, and sat down upon one of the branches, resting his feet
+upon another. He was inclined to take the thing as easily as possible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">236</a></span></p>
+
+<p>His perch commanded a full view of the operations of the termites,
+and for a long time he sat watching them with interest. He could
+see that it was not the same set that were always on the carcasses of
+the a&iuml;s. On the contrary, one host were always leaving the spot,
+while another took their places, and from the great conical houses
+fresh bands appeared to issue. In fact, two great parallel belts of
+them, like army columns, stretched from the &ldquo;hills&rdquo; to the a&iuml;s, going
+in opposite directions.</p>
+
+<p>Those which travelled towards the cells presented a very different
+appearance to the others. These were loaded with pieces of torn
+flesh, or skin with tufts of hair adhering to it; and each ant carried
+a piece by far larger than its own body. Their bodies, in fact, were
+quite hidden under their disproportionate burdens. The others&mdash;those
+which were coming from the conical hills&mdash;were empty-handed,
+and presented the appearance of a whittish stream flowing along the
+surface of the ground!</p>
+
+<p>It was a most singular sight; and Leon sat watching the creatures
+until his head was giddy, and he felt as though the ground itself was
+in motion.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>ll at once the attention of the boy was called away from the crawling
+millions. A rustling among some dead leaves was heard. It
+appeared to proceed from the edge of the glade, not far from the ant-hills.
+The branches of the underwood were seen to move, and the
+next moment a slender cylindrical object, about a foot and a half in
+length, was protruded out from the leaves. Had there not been a
+pair of small eyes and ears near the farther end of this cylindrical
+object, no one would have taken it for the head and snout of an
+animal. But Leon saw the little sparkling black eyes, and he therefore
+conjectured that it was some such creature.</p>
+
+<p>The next moment the body came into view, and a singular creature
+it was. It was about the size of a very large Newfoundland dog,
+though of a different shape. It was covered all over with long brownish
+hair, part of which looked so coarse as to resemble dry grass or
+bristles. On each shoulder was a wide strip of black, bordered with
+whitish bands; and the tail, which was full three feet long, was
+clothed with a thick growth of coarse hair, several inches in length,
+that looked like strips of whalebone. This was carried aloft, and
+curving over the back. But the most curious feature of the animal
+was its snout.</p>
+
+<p>Talk of the nose of a grey hound. It would be a &ldquo;pug&rdquo; in comparison!
+That of this animal was full twice as long, and not half so
+thick, with a little mouth not over an inch in size, and without a
+single tooth! It was certainly the oddest snout Leon had ever seen.
+The legs, too, were remarkable. They were stout and thick, the
+hinder ones appearing much shorter than the fore-legs; but this was
+because the creature in its hind-feet was <i>plantigrade</i>, that is, it
+walked with the whole of its soles touching the surface, which only
+bears and a few other sorts of quadrupeds do.</p>
+
+<p>Its fore-feet, too, were oddly placed upon the ground. They had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">237</a></span>
+four long claws upon each, but these claws, instead of being spread
+out, as in the dog or cat, were all folded backward along the sole, and
+the creature, to avoid treading on them, actually walked on the sides
+of its feet! The claws were only used for scraping up the ground,
+and then it could bring them forward in a perpendicular position,
+like the blade of a hoe, or the teeth of a garden-rake. Of course,
+with feet furnished in such an out-of-the-way fashion, the animal
+moved but slowly over the ground. In fact it went very slowly, and
+with a stealthy pace.</p>
+
+<p>Although Leon had never seen the creature before, he had read
+about it, and had also seen pictures of it. He knew it, therefore, at
+a glance. That proboscis-looking snout was not to be mistaken. It
+could belong to no other creature than the <i>tamanoir</i>, or <i>great ant-eater</i>,
+by the people of South America called the <i>ant-bear</i>. It was, in fact,
+that very thing; but to Leon's astonishment, as soon as it got fairly
+out of the bushes, he noticed a singular-looking hunch upon its back,
+just over the shoulder. At first he could not make out what this
+was, as he had never heard of such a protuberance, besides, the tail
+half hid it from his view. All of a sudden the animal turned its head
+backwards, touched the hunch with its snout, gave itself a shake,
+and then the odd excrescence fell to the ground, and proved to be a
+young ant-eater, with bushy tail and long snout, the &ldquo;very image of
+its mother.&rdquo; The large one was thus seen to be a female that had
+been carrying her infant upon her shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>It was close to one of the ant-hills where the old tamanoir placed
+her young upon the ground, and turning away from it, she approached
+the great cone. Erecting herself upon her hind-feet, she stood with
+the fore ones resting against the hill, apparently examining it, and
+considering in what part of it the shell or roof was thinnest and
+weakest. These cones, composed of agglutinated sand and earth,
+are frequently so stoutly put together that it requires a pick-axe or
+crowbar to break them open.</p>
+
+<p>But the ant-eater knew well that her fore-feet were armed with an
+implement equal to either pick or crow, and she would certainly
+have made a hole there and then, had she not noticed, on looking
+around to the other side, that the inhabitants of the hill were all
+abroad upon one of their forays. This seemed to bring about a
+sudden change in her determination, and, dropping her fore-feet to
+the ground, she once more threw up her great tail, and returned to
+where she had left her young one. Partly pushing it before her with
+her snout, and partly lifting it between her strong fore-arms, she
+succeeded in bringing the latter to the border of the path along
+which travelled the ants.</p>
+
+<p>Here she squatted down, and placed herself so that the point of
+her nose just touched the selvedge of the swarming hosts, having
+caused the youngster by her side to do the same. Then throwing out
+a long worm-like tongue, which glittered with a viscous coating, she
+drew it back again covered with ants. These passed into her mouth,
+and thence, of course, into her capacious stomach. The tongue,
+which was more than a foot in length, and nearly as thick as a quill,
+was again thrown out, and again drawn back, and this operation she
+continued, the tongue making about two &ldquo;hauls&rdquo; to every second
+of time! Now and then she stopped eating, in order to give
+some instructions to the little one that was seen closely imitating<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">238</a></span>
+her, and with its more slender tongue dealing death among the
+<i>termites</i>.</p>
+
+<p>So very comic was the sight that Leon could not help laughing at
+it, as he sat upon his perch.</p>
+
+<p>An end, however, was put to his merriment, by the sudden appearance
+of another animal&mdash;one of a different character. It was a large
+cat-like creature, of a reddish-yellow, or tawny colour, long body and
+tail, round head, with whiskers, and bright gleaming eyes. Leon
+had seen that sort of animal before. He had seen it led in strings
+by Indians through the streets of Cuzco, and he at once recognised
+it. It was the <i>Puma</i>&mdash;the maneless lion of America.</p>
+
+<p>The specimens which Leon had seen with the Indians had been
+rendered tame and harmless. He knew that, but he had also been
+told that the animal in its wild state is a savage and dangerous
+beast. This is true of the puma in some districts, while in others the
+creature is cowardly, and will flee at the sight of man. In all cases,
+however, when the puma is brought to bay, it makes a desperate
+fight, and both dogs and men have been killed in the attack.</p>
+
+<p>Leon had not been frightened at the tamanoir. Even had it been
+a savage creature, he knew it could not climb a tree&mdash;though there
+are two smaller species of ant-bears in South America that can&mdash;and
+he therefore knew he was quite safe on his perch. But his feelings
+were very different when the red body of the puma came in sight.
+It could run up the smoothest trunk in the forest with as much ease
+and agility as a cat, and there would be no chance of escaping from
+it if it felt disposed to attack him. Of this the boy was fully conscious,
+and no wonder he was alarmed.</p>
+
+<p>His first thought was to leap down, and make for the cinchona-trees,
+where the others were; but the puma had entered the glade
+from that side, and it was therefore directly in his way: he would
+have run right in its teeth by going toward the cinchona-trees. He
+next thought of slipping quietly down, and getting into the woods
+behind him. Unfortunately, the tree on which he was stood out in
+the glade quite apart from any others, the puma would see him go off,
+and, of course, could overtake him in a dozen leaps. These thoughts
+passed through the boy's mind in a few seconds of time; and in a few
+seconds of time he was convinced that his best course would be to
+remain where he was, and keep quiet. Perhaps the puma would not
+notice him&mdash;as yet he had not.</p>
+
+<p>No doubt he would have done so, had there been nothing else on
+the spot to take off his attention; but just as he came into the open
+ground, his eyes fell upon the ant-eaters, where they lay squatted and
+licking up the termites. He had entered the glade in a sort of
+skulking trot, but the moment he saw the tamanoirs he halted, drew
+his body into a crouching attitude, and remained thus for some
+moments, while his long tail oscillated from side to side, as that of a
+cat when about to spring upon a mouse or a sparrow.</p>
+
+<p>Just at this moment the tamanoir, having turned round to address
+some conversation to her young companion, espied him, and sprang
+to her feet. She recognised in the puma&mdash;as in others of his race&mdash;a
+deadly enemy. With one sweep of her fore-arm she flung the young
+one behind her, until it rested against the wall of the ant-hill, and
+then, following in all haste, threw herself into an erect attitude in
+front of her young, covering it with her body.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">239</a></span></p>
+
+<p>She was now standing firm upon her hind-feet&mdash;her back resting
+against the mud wall&mdash;but her long snout had entirely disappeared!
+That was held close along her breast, and entirely concealed by the
+shaggy tail, which for this purpose had been brought up in front.
+Her defence rested in her strong fore-arms, which, with the great
+claws standing at right angles, were now held out in a threatening
+manner. The young one, no doubt aware of some danger, had drawn
+itself into its smallest bulk, and was clewed up behind her.</p>
+
+<p>The puma dashed forward, open-mouthed, and began the attack.
+He looked as though he would carry everything by the first assault;
+but a sharp tear from the tamanoir's claws drew the blood from his
+cheek, and although it rendered him more furious, it seemed to
+increase his caution. In the two or three successive attempts he kept
+prudently out of reach of these terrible weapons. His adversary held
+her fore-legs wide open, as though she was desirous of getting the
+other to rush between them, that she might clutch him, after the
+manner of the bears. This was exactly what she wanted, and in this
+consists the chief mode of defence adopted by these animals. The
+puma, however, seemed to be up to her trick.</p>
+
+<p>This thrust-and-parry game continued for some minutes, and might
+have lasted longer, had it not been for the young tamanoir. This
+foolish little creature, who up to that moment was not very sure
+what the fuss was all about, had the imprudent curiosity to thrust
+out its slender snout. The puma espied it, and making a dart
+forward, seized the snout in his great teeth, and jerked the animal
+from under. It uttered a low squall, but the next moment its head
+was &ldquo;crunched&rdquo; between the muscular jaws of the puma.</p>
+
+<p>The old one now appeared to lose all fear and caution. Her tail
+fell down. Her long snout was unsheathed from under its protection,
+and she seemed undecided what to do. But she was not allowed
+much time to reflect. The puma, seeing the snout, the most vulnerable
+part, uncovered, launched himself forward like an arrow, and
+caught hold of it in his bristling fangs. Then having dragged his
+victim forward, he flung her upon her breast, and mounting rapidly
+on her back, proceeded to worry her at his pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>Although Leon pitied the poor tamanoir, yet he dared not interfere,
+and would have permitted the puma to finish his work, but at that
+moment a sharp pain, which he suddenly felt in his ankle, caused him
+to start upon his seat, and utter an involuntary scream.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">L</span>eon looked down to ascertain what had caused him such a sudden
+pain. The sight that met his eyes made his blood run cold. The
+ground below was alive and moving. A white stratum of ants covered
+it on all sides to the distance of several yards. <i>They were ascending
+the tree!</i> Nay, more; a string of them had already crawled up; the
+trunk was crowded by others coming after; and several were upon
+his feet, and legs, and thighs! It was one of these that had stung
+him!</p>
+
+<p>The fate of the a&iuml;s&mdash;which he had just witnessed&mdash;and the sight of
+the hideous host, caused him again to scream out. At the same time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">240</a></span>
+he had risen to his feet, and was pulling himself up among the upper
+branches. He soon reached the highest; but he had not been a
+moment there, when he reflected that it would be no security. The
+creatures were crawling upwards as fast as they could come.</p>
+
+<p>His next thought was to descend again, leap from the tree, and
+crushing the vermin under his feet, make for the bark-cutters. He
+had made up his mind to this course, and was already half-down,
+when <i>he remembered the puma</i>! In his alarm at the approach of the
+ants he had quite forgotten this enemy, and he now remembered that
+it was directly in the way of his intended escape. He turned his eyes
+in that direction. It was not there! The ant-bears were still upon
+the ground&mdash;the young one dead, and the mother struggling in her
+last agonies; but no puma!</p>
+
+<p>The boy began to hope that his cries had frightened him off. His
+hope was short-lived; for on glancing around the glade, he now
+beheld the fierce brute crouching among the grass, and evidently
+coming towards him! What was to be done? Would the puma
+attack him in the tree? Surely he would; but what better would he
+be on the ground? No better, but worse. At all events he had not
+time for much reflection, for before two seconds the fierce puma was
+close to the tree. Leon was helpless&mdash;he gave himself up for lost.
+He could only cry for help, and he raised his voice to its highest
+pitch.</p>
+
+<p>The puma did not spring up the tree at once, as Leon had expected.
+On the contrary, it crouched round and round with glaring eyes and
+wagging tail, as if calculating the mode of attack. Its lips were red&mdash;stained
+with the blood of the ant-eaters&mdash;and this added to the
+hideousness of its appearance. But it needed not that, for it was
+hideous enough at any time.</p>
+
+<p>Leon kept his eyes upon it, every moment expecting it to spring
+up the tree. All at once he saw it give a sudden start, and at the
+same instant he heard a hissing noise, as if something passed rapidly
+through the air. Ha! something sticking in the body of the puma!
+It is an arrow,&mdash;a poisoned arrow! The puma utters a fierce growl&mdash;it
+turns upon itself&mdash;the arrow is crushed between its teeth. Another
+&ldquo;hist!&rdquo;&mdash;another arrow! Hark! a well-known voice&mdash;well-known
+voices&mdash;the voices of Don Pablo and Guapo! See! they burst into
+the glade&mdash;Don Pablo with his axe, and Guapo with his unerring
+gravat&aacute;na!</p>
+
+<p>The puma turns to flee. He has already reached the border of the
+wood; he staggers&mdash;the poison is doing its work. Hurrah! he is
+down; but the poison does not kill him, for the axe of Don Pablo is
+crashing through his skull. Hurrah! the monster is dead, and Leon
+is triumphantly borne off on the shoulders of the faithful Guapo!</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo dragged the puma away, in order that they might get
+his fine skin. The ant-eaters, both of which were now dead, he left
+behind, as he saw that the termites were crawling thickly around
+them, and had already begun their work of devastation. Strange to
+say, as the party returned that way, going to dinner, not a vestige
+remained either of the a&iuml;s or the ant-eaters, except a few bones and
+some portions of coarse hair. The rest of all these animals had been
+cleared off by the ants, and carried into the cells of their hollow cones!</p>
+
+<p>It was, no doubt, the noise of the bark-hunters that had started
+the ant-eaters abroad, for these creatures usually prowl only in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">241</a></span>
+night. The same may have aroused the fierce puma from his lair,
+although he is not strictly a nocturnal hunter.</p>
+
+<p>A curious incident occurred as they approached the glade on their
+way home. The male tamanoir was roused from his nest among the
+dry leaves, and Guapo, instead of running upon him and killing the
+creature, warned them all to keep a little back, and he would show
+them some fun. Guapo now commenced shaking the leaves, so that
+they rattled as if rain was falling upon them. At this the ant-eater
+jerked up its broad tail, and appeared to shelter itself as with an
+umbrella! Guapo then went towards it, and commenced driving it
+before him just as if it had been a sheep or goat, and in this manner
+he took it all the way to the house. Of course Guapo took care not
+to irritate it; for, when that is done, the ant-eater will either turn
+out of his way or stop to defend itself.</p>
+
+<p>The tamanoir is not so defenceless a creature as might at first sight
+be imagined by considering his small toothless mouth and slow
+motions. His mode of defence is that which has been described, and
+which is quite sufficient against the tiger-cat, the ocelot, and all the
+smaller species of feline animals. No doubt the old female would
+have proved a match for the puma had she not been thrown off her
+guard by his seizing upon her young. It is even asserted that the
+great ant-bear sometimes hugs the jaguar to death; but this I believe
+to be a mistake, as the latter is far too powerful and active to be
+thus conquered. Doubtless the resemblance of the jaguar to some of
+the smaller spotted cats of these countries, leads to a great many
+misconceptions concerning the prowess of the <i>American tiger</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the tamanoir there are two, or perhaps three, other species
+of <i>ant-bears</i> in the forests of South America. These, however, are so
+different in habits and appearance, that they might properly be
+classed as a separate genus of animals. They are <i>tree-climbers</i>, which
+the tamanoir is not, spite of his great claws. They pursue the ants
+that build their nests upon the high branches, as well as the wasps
+and bees; and to befit them for this life, they are furnished with
+<i>naked prehensile tails</i>, like the opossums and monkeys. These are
+characteristics entirely distinct from those of the <i>Myrmecophaga
+jubata</i>, or <i>great</i> ant-eater.</p>
+
+<p>One of these species is the <i>tamandua</i>, called by the Spano-Americans
+<i>Osso hormiguero</i> (ant-bear). The tamandua is much less than the
+tamanoir, being only three and a half feet in length, while the latter
+is over seven. The former is of a stouter build, with neither so long
+a snout in proportion, nor such claws. The claws, moreover, are
+made for tree-climbing, and are not so much in the way when the
+animal walks on the ground. It is, therefore, a more active creature,
+and stands better upon its limbs. Its fur is short and silky, but the
+tail is nearly naked, and, as already stated, highly prehensile, although
+it does not sleep hanging by the tail as some other animals do.</p>
+
+<p>The tamandua is usually of a dull straw-colour, although it varies
+in this respect, so that several species have been supposed to exist.
+It spends most of its time upon the trees; and in addition to its ant-diet,
+it feeds upon wild honey, and bees too, whenever it can catch
+them. The female, like the tamanoir, produces only one young at a
+birth, and like the other species, carries it upon her back until it is
+able to provide for itself. The tamandua has sometimes been called
+<i>tridactyla</i>, or the &ldquo;three-toed ant-eater,&rdquo; because it has only three<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">242</a></span>
+claws upon each of its fore-feet, whereas the tamanoir is provided
+with four.</p>
+
+<p>Another species of &ldquo;ant-bear,&rdquo; differing from both in size and in
+many of its habits, is the &ldquo;little ant-eater.&rdquo; This one has only two
+claws on each fore-foot, hence its specific name. It is a very small
+creature&mdash;not larger than the common grey squirrel&mdash;with a prehensile
+tail like the tamandua. The tail, however, is not entirely
+naked&mdash;only on the under side near the point. It is not so good a
+walker as the three-toed kind, though more active on its feet than the
+tamanoir. Standing upon its hind-feet, and supporting itself also by
+the tail&mdash;which it has already thrown around some branch&mdash;the little
+ant-eater uses its fore-feet as hands to carry food to its mouth. It
+lives among the trees, and feeds upon wasps, bees, and especially the
+larv&aelig; of both; but it does not use the tongue to any great extent.
+It is, on this account, an essentially different sort of animal.</p>
+
+<p>The little ant-eater is usually of a bright yellow colour, brownish
+on the back; but there are many varieties in this respect, and some
+are of a snowy whiteness. Its fur is soft and silky, sometimes slightly
+curled or matted at the points, and the tail fur is annulated, or
+ringed, with the prevailing colours of the body.</p>
+
+<p>So much for the ant-bears of America.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ANT-LION.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>nts are disagreeable insects in any country, but especially so in
+warm tropical climates. Their ugly appearance, their destructive
+habits, but, above all, the pain of their sting, or rather bite&mdash;for ants
+do not sting as wasps, but bite with the jaws, and then infuse poison
+into the wound&mdash;all these render them very unpopular creatures. A
+superficial thinker would suppose that such troublesome insects could
+be of no use, and would question the propriety of Nature in having
+created them.</p>
+
+<p>But when we give the subject a little attention, we find that they
+were not created in vain. Were it not for these busy creatures,
+what would become of the vast quantities of decomposing substances
+found in some countries? What would be done with the decaying
+vegetation and the dead animal matter? Why, in many places, were
+it not consumed by these insects, and reorganised into new forms of
+life, it would produce pestilence and death; and surely these are far
+more disagreeable things than ants.</p>
+
+<p>Of ants there are many different kinds; but the greatest number
+of species belong to warm countries, where, indeed, they are most
+useful. Some of these species are so curious in their habits, that
+whole volumes have been written about them, and naturalists have
+spent a life-time in their study and observation. Their social and
+domestic economy is of the most singular character, more so than
+that of the bees; and I am afraid here to give a single trait of their
+lives, lest I should be led on to talk too much about them. I need
+only mention the wonderful nests or hills which some species build&mdash;those
+great cones of twenty feet in height, and so strong that wild
+bulls run up their sides and stand upon their tops without doing
+them the least injury!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">243</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Others make their houses of cylindrical form, rising several feet
+from the surface. Others, again, prefer nesting in the trees, where
+they construct large cellular masses of many shapes, suspending them
+from the highest branches; while many species make their waxen
+dwellings in hollow trunks, or beneath the surface of the earth.
+There is not a species, however, whose habits, fully observed and described,
+would not strike you with astonishment. Indeed, it is difficult
+to believe all that is related about these insects by naturalists
+who have made them their study. One can hardly understand how
+such little creatures can be gifted with so much intelligence, or
+<i>instinct</i>, as some choose to call it.</p>
+
+<p>Man is not the only enemy of the ants. If he were so, it is to be
+feared that these small insignificant creatures would soon make the
+earth too hot for him. So prolific are they, that if left to themselves
+our whole planet would, in a short period, become a gigantic ants'
+nest!</p>
+
+<p>Nature has wisely provided against the over increase of the ant
+family. No living thing has a greater variety of enemies than they.
+In all the divisions of animated nature there are ant-destroyers&mdash;<i>ant-eaters</i>!
+To begin with the mammalia, man himself feeds upon
+them&mdash;for there are tribes of Indians in South America, the principal
+part of whose food consists of dried termites, which they bake into a
+kind of &ldquo;paste!&rdquo; There are quadrupeds that live exclusively on
+them, as the ant-bear, already described, and the <i>pangolins</i>, or scaly
+ant-eaters of the Eastern continent. There are birds, too, of many
+sorts that devour the ants; and there are even some who make them
+exclusively their food, as the genus <i>Myothera</i>, or &ldquo;ant-catchers.&rdquo;
+Many kinds of reptiles, both snakes and lizards, are ant-eaters; and,
+what is strangest of all, there are <i>insects</i> that prey upon them!</p>
+
+<p>No wonder, then, with such a variety of enemies that the ants are
+kept within proper limits, and are not allowed to overrun the earth.</p>
+
+<p>The observations just made are very similar to those that were
+addressed by Do&ntilde;a Isidora to the little Leona, one day when they
+were left alone. The others had gone about their usual occupation of
+bark-cutting, and these, of course, remained at home to take care of
+the house and cook the dinner. That was already hanging over a
+fire outside the house: for in these hot countries it is often more
+convenient to do the cooking out-of-doors.</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora, busy with some sewing, was seated under the shadow
+of the banana-trees, and the pretty little Leona was playing near her.
+Leona had been abusing the ants, partly on account of their having
+so frightened Leon, and partly because one of the red species had
+bitten herself the day before; and it was for this reason that her
+mother had entered into such explanations regarding these creatures,
+with a view of exculpating them from the bitter accusations urged
+against them by Leona. Talking about ants very naturally led them
+to cast their eyes to the ground to see if any of the creatures were
+near; and sure enough there were several of the red ones wandering
+about. Just then the eyes of Do&ntilde;a Isidora rested upon a very different
+insect, and she drew the attention of her daughter to it.</p>
+
+<p>It was an insect of considerable size, being full an inch in length,
+with an elongated oval body, and a small flat head. From the head
+protruded two great horny jaws, that bore some resemblance to a
+pair of calliper compasses. Its legs were short and very unfitted for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">244</a></span>
+motion. Indeed they were not of much use for that purpose, as it
+could make very little way on them, but crawled only sidewards, or
+backwards, with great apparent difficulty. The creature was of a
+greyish or sand colour; and in the sand, where it was seated, it
+might not have been observed at all had not the lady's eyes been
+directed upon the very spot. But Do&ntilde;a Isidora, who was a very
+good entomologist, recognised it; and, knowing that it was a very
+curious insect, on this account called the attention of her daughter to it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it, mamma?&rdquo; inquired the little Leona, bending forward
+to examine it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The <i>ant-lion</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The ant-lion! Why, mamma, it is an insect! How then can it
+be called lion?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It is a name given it,&rdquo; replied the lady, &ldquo;on account of its fierce
+habits, which, in that respect, assimilate it to its powerful namesake,&mdash;the
+king of the beasts; and, indeed, this little creature has
+more strength and ferocity in proportion to its size than even the
+lion himself.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But why the <i>ant</i>-lion, mamma?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Because it preys principally on ants. I have said there are insect
+ant-eaters. This is one of them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But how can such a slow creature as that get hold of them?
+Why, the ants could crawl out of its way in a moment!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;That is true. Nevertheless it manages to capture as many as it
+requires. Remember 'the race is not always to the swift.' It is by
+stratagem it succeeds in taking its prey&mdash;a very singular stratagem
+too. If you will sit back and not frighten it, I have no doubt it will
+soon give you an opportunity of seeing how it manages the matter.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leona took a seat by the side of her mother. They were both at
+just such a distance from the ant-lion that they could observe every
+movement it made; but for a considerable time it remained quiet;
+no doubt, because they had alarmed it. In the interval Do&ntilde;a Isidora
+imparted to her daughter some further information about its natural
+history.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The ant-lion,&rdquo; said she, &ldquo;is not an insect in its perfect state, but
+only the <i>larva</i> of one. The perfect insect is a very different creature,
+having wings and longer legs. It is one of the <i>neuropterous</i> tribe, or
+those with nerved wings. The wings of this species rest against
+each other, forming a covering over its body, like the roof upon
+a house. They are most beautifully reticulated like the finest lace-work,
+and variegated with dark spots, that give the insect a very
+elegant appearance. Its habits are quite different to those which it
+follows when a larva, or in that state when it is the ant-lion. It
+flies but little during the day, and is usually found quietly sitting
+amongst the leaves of plants, and seems to be one of the most pacific
+and harmless of insects. How very different with the larva&mdash;the
+very reverse&mdash;See!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora pointed to the ant-lion that was just then beginning
+to bestir itself, and both sat silent regarding it attentively.</p>
+
+<p>First, then, the little creature going backwards, and working with
+its callipers, traced a circle on the surface of the sand. This circle
+was between two and three inches in diameter. Having completed
+it, it now commenced to clear out all the sand within the circle.
+To accomplish this, it was seen to scrape up the sand with one of its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">245</a></span>
+fore-feet, and shovel a quantity of it upon its flat head; then, giving
+a sudden jerk of the neck, it pitched the sand several inches outside
+the traced circumference.</p>
+
+<p>This operation it repeated so often, and so adroitly, that in a very
+short time a round pit began to show itself in the surface of the
+ground. Whenever it encountered a stone, this was raised between
+its callipers and pitched out beyond the ring. Sometimes stones
+occurred that were too large to be thrown out in this way. These it
+managed to get upon its back, and, then crawling cautiously up the
+sides of the pit, it tumbled them upon the edge and rolled them
+away. Had it met with a stone so large as to render this impossible,
+it would have left the place, and chosen another spot of ground.
+Fortunately this was not the case, and they had an opportunity of
+watching the labour to its conclusion.</p>
+
+<p>For nearly an hour they sat watching it&mdash;of course not neglecting
+their other affairs&mdash;and, at the end of that time, the ant-lion had
+jerked out so much sand, that a little funnel-shaped pit was formed
+nearly as deep as it was wide. This was its trap, and it was now
+finished and ready for action.</p>
+
+<p>Having made all its arrangements, it had nothing more to do than
+remain at the bottom of the pit, and wait patiently until some
+unfortunate ant should chance to come that way and fall in; and
+where these insects were constantly wandering over the ground,
+such an accident would, sooner or later, be certain to take place.</p>
+
+<p>Lest the ant should peep into the pit, discover its hideous form
+below, and then retreat, this ant-lion had actually the cunning to
+bury its body in the sand, leaving only a small portion of its head
+to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>Both Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little Leona remained watching with
+increased interest. They were very anxious to witness the result.
+They were not kept long in suspense. I have already stated that
+many ants were crawling about. There were dozens of them
+&ldquo;quatering&rdquo; the ground in every direction in search of their own
+prey; and they left not an inch of it unsearched. At last one was
+seen to approach the trap of the ant-lion. Curiosity brings it to
+the very edge of that terrible pit-fall. It protrudes its head and
+part of its body over the brink&mdash;it is not such a terrible gulf to look
+into&mdash;if it should slip down, it could easily crawl out again.</p>
+
+<p>Ha! it little knows the enemy that is ambushed there. It
+perceives something singular&mdash;an odd something&mdash;perhaps it might
+be something good to eat. It is half resolved to slide down and
+make a closer examination of this something. It is balancing on the
+brink, and would, no doubt, have gone down voluntarily, but that is
+no longer left to its own choice. The mysterious object at the
+bottom of the funnel suddenly springs up and shows itself&mdash;it is the
+ant-lion in all its hideous proportions; and before the little ant can
+draw itself away, the other has flung around it a shower of sand
+that brings it rolling down the side of the pit. Then the sharp
+callipers are closed upon the victim&mdash;all the moisture in his body
+is sucked out&mdash;and his remains, now a dry and shapeless mass, are
+rested for a moment upon the head of the destroyer, and then jerked
+far outside the pit!</p>
+
+<p>The ant-lion now dresses his trap, and, again burying himself in
+the sand, awaits another victim.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">246</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">D</span>o&ntilde;a Isidora and Leona had watched all the man&#339;uvres of the
+ant-lion with great interest, and Leona, after the bite she had had,
+was not in any mood to sympathise with the ants. Indeed, she felt
+rather grateful to the ant-lion, ugly as he was, for killing them.</p>
+
+<p>Presently Leon returned from the woods, and was shown the trap
+in full operation; but Leon, upon this day, was full of adventures
+that had occurred upon the hills to himself, Guapo, and Don Pablo.
+In fact, he had hastened home before the others to tell his mamma of
+the odd incidents to which he had been a witness.</p>
+
+<p>That morning they had discovered a new <i>mancha</i> of cinchona
+trees. When proceeding towards them they came upon the dead
+carcass of a deer. It was a large species, the <i>Cervus antisensis</i>, but,
+as it had evidently been dead several days, it was swollen out to
+twice its original size, as is always the case with carcasses of animals
+left exposed in a warm climate. It was odd that some preying
+animals had not eaten it up. A clump of tall trees, that shaded it,
+had, no doubt, concealed it from the sharp sight of the vultures, and
+these birds, contrary to what has so often been alleged, can find
+no dead body by the smell. Neither ants nor animals that prey
+upon carrion had chanced to come that way, and there lay the deer
+intact.</p>
+
+<p>So thought Don Pablo and Leon. Guapo, however, was of a
+different opinion, and, going up to the body, he struck it a blow
+with his axe. To the surprise of the others, instead of the dead
+sound which they expected to hear, a dry crash followed the blow,
+and a dark hole appeared where a piece of thin shell-like substance
+had fallen off. Another blow from Guapo's axe, and the whole side
+went in. Not a bit of carcass was there; there were bones&mdash;clean
+bones&mdash;and dry hard skin, but no flesh, not an atom of flesh!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Tatou-poyou!&rdquo; quietly remarked Guapo.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What!&rdquo; said Don Pablo, &ldquo;an armadillo, you think?&rdquo; recognising,
+in Guapo's words, the Indian name for one of the large species of
+armadillos.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; replied Guapo. &ldquo;All eaten by the tatou-poyou. See!
+there's his hole.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and Leon bent over the sham carcass, and, sure enough,
+under where its body had been they could see a large hole in the
+ground. Outside the carcass, also, at the distance of several feet
+was another.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;This is where he entered,&rdquo; said Guapo, pointing to the second.
+&ldquo;He's not about here now,&rdquo; continued he, &ldquo;no, no,&mdash;ate all the meat,
+and gone long ago.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This was evident, as the hollow skeleton was quite dry, and had
+evidently been empty for a good while.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo was pleased at this incident, as it gave him an
+opportunity of verifying a curious habit of the armadillos. These
+creatures are among the finest burrowers in the world, and can bury
+themselves in the earth in a few seconds time; but, being badly
+toothed,&mdash;some of them altogether without teeth,&mdash;they can only
+feed upon very soft substances. Putrid flesh is with them a favourite<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">247</a></span>
+&ldquo;dish,&rdquo; and in order to get at the softest side of a carcass, they
+burrow under, and enter it from below, rarely leaving their horrid
+cave until they have thoroughly cleared it out.</p>
+
+<p>The bark-hunters now passed on, Don Pablo making many inquiries
+about the armadillos, and Guapo giving replies, while Leon listened
+with interest. Guapo knew a good deal about these curious creatures,
+for he had eaten many a dozen of them in his time, and as many
+different kinds of them too. Their feeding upon carrion had no effect
+on Guapo's stomach, and, indeed, white people in South America
+relish them as much as Indians. The white people, however, make a
+distinction in the species, as they suppose some kinds to be more
+disposed to a vegetable diet than others.</p>
+
+<p>There are some in the neighbourhood of the settlements, that
+<i>occasionally pay a visit to the graveyards or cemeteries</i>, and these kinds
+do not go down well. All of them will devour almost any sort of
+trash that is soft and pulpy, and they are more destructive to the ant
+than even the ant-eaters themselves. How so? Because, instead of
+making a nice little hole in the side of the ant-hill, as the tamanoirs
+do, and through this hole eating the ants themselves, the armadillos
+break down a large part of the structure and devour the <i>larv&aelig;</i>. Now
+the ants love these <i>larv&aelig;</i> more than their own lives, and when these
+are destroyed, they yield themselves up to despair, refuse to patch up
+the building, the rain gets in, and the colony is ruined and breaks up.</p>
+
+<p>It does not follow, however, that the flesh of the armadillo should
+be &ldquo;queer&rdquo; because the animal itself eats queer substances. Among
+carnivorous creatures the very opposite is sometimes the truth; and
+some animals&mdash;as the tapir, for instance&mdash;that feed exclusively on
+sweet and succulent vegetables, produce a most bitter flesh for themselves.
+About this there is no standing law either way.</p>
+
+<p>The flesh of the armadillo is excellent eating, not unlike young
+pork, and, when &ldquo;roasted in the shell&rdquo; (the Indian mode of cooking
+it), it is quite equal, if not superior, to a baked &ldquo;pig,&rdquo; a dish very
+much eaten in our own country.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo did not call them armadillos&mdash;he had several Indian names
+for different kinds of them. &ldquo;Armadillo&rdquo; is the Spanish name, and
+signifies the &ldquo;little armed one,&rdquo; the diminutive of &ldquo;armado&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;armed.&rdquo; This name is peculiarly appropriate to these animals, as
+the hard bony casing which covers the whole upper parts of their
+bodies, bears an exceeding resemblance to the suits of plate armour
+worn in the days of Cortez and chivalry.</p>
+
+<p>On the head there is the helmet, the back is shielded by a corslet,
+and even the limbs are covered with greaves. Of course, this armour
+is arranged differently in the different species, and there is more or
+less hair upon all, between the joinings of the plates.</p>
+
+<p>These points were not touched upon by Guapo, but others of equal
+interest were. He went on to say that he knew many different kinds
+of them;&mdash;some not bigger than a rat, and some as large as a full-grown
+sheep; some that were slow in their paces, and others that
+could outrun a man; some that were flat, and could squat so close as
+hardly to be seen against the ground,&mdash;(these were <i>tatou-poyous</i>, the
+sort that had hollowed out the deer); and some again that were high-backed
+and nearly globe-shaped. Such was Guapo's account of these
+curious animals which are found only in the warmer regions of North
+and South America.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">248</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">AN ARMADILLO HUNT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">C</span>onversing in this way, the bark-hunters, at length, reached the
+cinchona-trees, and then all talk about armadillos was at an end.
+They went lustily to their work&mdash;which was of more importance&mdash;and,
+under Guapo's axe, several of the cinchonas soon &ldquo;bit the dust.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>There was a spot of open ground just a little to one side of where
+these trees stood. They had noticed, on coming up, a flock of zamuros,
+or black vultures, out upon this ground, clustered around some object.
+It was the carcass of another deer. The first blow of the axe startled
+the birds, and they flapped a short way off. They soon returned,
+however, not being shy birds, but the contrary.</p>
+
+<p>There was nothing in all this to create surprise, except, perhaps,
+the dead deer. What had been killing these animals? Not a beast
+of prey, for that would have devoured them, unless, indeed, it might
+be the puma, that often kills more than he can eat.</p>
+
+<p>The thought had occurred to Don Pablo that they might have died
+from the poisoned arrows of an Indian. This thought somewhat
+disquieted him, for he knew not what kind of Indians they might be,&mdash;they
+might be friendly or hostile;&mdash;if the latter, not only would all
+his plans be frustrated, but the lives of himself and party would be
+in danger. Guapo could not assure him on this head; he had been
+so long absent from the Great Monta&ntilde;a that he was ignorant of the
+places where the tribes of these parts might now be located. These
+tribes often change their homes.</p>
+
+<p>He knew that the Chunchos sometimes roamed so far up, and they
+were the most dangerous of all the Indians of the Monta&ntilde;a,&mdash;haters
+of the whites, fierce and revengeful. It was they who several times
+destroyed the settlements and mission stations. If Chunchos were in
+the woods they might look out for trouble. Guapo did not think
+there were any Indians near. He would have seen some traces of
+them before now, and he had observed none since their arrival. This
+assurance of the knowing Indian quite restored Don Pablo's confidence,
+and they talked no longer on the subject. After a while,
+their attention was again called to the vultures. These filthy creatures
+had returned to the deer, and were busily gorging themselves, when,
+all at once, they were seen to rise up as if affrighted. They did not
+fly far,&mdash;only a few feet,&mdash;and stood with outstretched necks looking
+towards the carrion, as if whatever had frightened them was there.</p>
+
+<p>The bark-hunters could perceive nothing. It was the body of a
+small deer, already half eaten, and no object bigger than a man's
+hand could have been concealed behind it. The zamuros, however,
+<i>had</i> seen something strange&mdash;else they would hardly have acted as
+they did&mdash;and, with this conviction, the bark-hunters stopped their
+work to observe them.</p>
+
+<p>After a while the birds seemed to take fresh courage, hopped back
+to the carrion, and recommenced tearing at it. In another moment
+they again started and flew back, but, this time, not so far as before,
+and then they all returned again, and, after feeding another short
+while, started back a third time.</p>
+
+<p>This was all very mysterious, but Guapo, guessing what was the
+matter, solved the mystery by crying out,&mdash;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">249</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Tatou-poyou</i>!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Where?&rdquo; inquired Don Pablo.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yonder, master, yonder in the body of the beast.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo looked, and, sure enough, he could see something moving;
+it was the head and shoulders of an armadillo. It had burrowed
+and come up through the body of the deer, thus meeting the vultures
+half-way! No doubt, it was the mysterious mode by which it had
+entered on the stage that had frightened them.</p>
+
+<p>They soon, however, got over their affright, and returned to their
+repast.</p>
+
+<p>The armadillo&mdash;a very large one&mdash;had, by this time, crept out into
+the open air, and went on eating.</p>
+
+<p>For a while the zamuros took no heed of him, deeming, perhaps,
+that, although he had come in by the back-door, he might have as
+good a right upon the premises as themselves. Their pacific attitude,
+however, was but of short duration; something occurred to ruffle their
+temper&mdash;some silent affront, no doubt, for the bark-hunters heard
+nothing. Perhaps the <i>tatou</i> had run against the legs of one, and
+scraped it with the sharp edge of his corslet. Whether this was the
+cause or no, a scuffle commenced, and the beast in armour was attacked
+by all the vultures at once.</p>
+
+<p>Of course he did not attack in turn, he had no means; he acted
+altogether on the defensive; and this he was enabled to do by simply
+drawing in his legs and flattening himself upon the ground. He was
+then proof, not only against the beaks and weak talons of a vulture,
+but he might have defied the royal eagle himself.</p>
+
+<p>After flapping him with their wings, and pecking him with their
+filthy beaks, and clawing him with their talons, the zamuros saw it
+was all to no purpose, and desisted. If they could not damage him,
+however, they could prevent him from eating any more of the deer;
+for the moment he stretched out his neck, several vultures sprang at
+him afresh, and would have wounded him in the tender parts of his
+throat had he not quickly drawn in his head again. Seeing that his
+feast was at an end&mdash;at least above ground&mdash;he suddenly raised his
+hind-quarters, and in a brace of seconds buried himself in the earth.
+The vultures pecked him behind as he disappeared, but the odd
+manner of his exit, like that of his <i>entr&eacute;e</i>, seemed to mystify them,
+and several of them stood for some moments in neck-stretched
+wonder.</p>
+
+<p>This scene had scarcely ended when a pair of fresh armadillos were
+espied, coming from the farther edge of the opening, and, in fact,
+from the edge of a precipice, for the river flowed close by, and its
+channel was at that point shut in by cliffs. These two were large
+fellows, and were making speedily towards the carrion, in order to
+get up before it was all gone. Guapo could stand it no longer.
+Guapo had tasted roast armadillo, and longed for more. In an
+instant, therefore, axe in hand, he was off to intercept the new-comers.
+Don Pablo and Leon followed to see the sport and assist in
+the capture.</p>
+
+<p>The armadillos, although not afraid of the vultures, seeing the
+hunters approach, turned tail and made for the precipice. Guapo
+took after one, while Don Pablo and Leon pursued the other. Guapo
+soon overhauled his one, but, before he could lay his hands upon it,
+it had already half buried itself in the dry ground. Guapo, however,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">250</a></span>
+seized the tail and held on; and, although not able to drag it out, he
+was resolved it should get no deeper.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;">
+<img src="images/illus-250.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO." title="THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO." />
+<span class="caption">THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.</span></div>
+
+<p>The one pursued by Don Pablo had got close to the edge of the
+precipice, before either he or Leon could come up with it. There it
+stood for a moment, as if in doubt what plan to pursue. Don Pablo
+and Leon were congratulating themselves that they had fairly
+&ldquo;cornered&rdquo; it, for the cliff was a clear fall of fifty feet, and, of course,
+it could get no farther in that direction, while they approached it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">251</a></span>
+from two sides so as to cut off its retreat. They approached it with
+caution, as they were now near the edge, and it would not do to
+move too rashly. Both were bent forward with their arms outstretched
+to clutch their prey; they felt confident it was already in
+their grasp. Judge their astonishment, then, at seeing the creature
+suddenly clew itself into a round ball, and roll over the cliff!</p>
+
+<p>They looked below. They saw it upon the ground; they saw it
+open out again, apparently unharmed, for, the next moment, it
+scuttled off and hid itself among the rocks by the edge of the water!</p>
+
+<p>They turned toward Guapo, who was still holding his one by the
+tail, and calling for help. Although it was but half buried, all three
+of them could not have dragged it forth by the tail. That member
+would have pulled out before the animal could have been dislodged;
+and such is not an unfrequent occurrence to the hunters of the armadillo.
+Don Pablo, however, took hold of the tail and held fast until
+Guapo loosened the earth with his axe, and then the creature was
+more easily &ldquo;extracted.&rdquo; A blow on its head from Guapo made all
+right, and it was afterwards carried safely to the house, and &ldquo;roasted
+in the shell.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>That was a great day among the &ldquo;armadillos.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE OCELOT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">D</span>uring the whole summer, Don Pablo, Guapo, and Leon, continued
+bark-gathering. Every day they went out into the woods, excepting
+Sunday of course. That was kept as a day of rest; for, although far
+from civilised society, there was not the less necessity for their being
+Christians. God dwells in the wilderness as well as in the walled
+city, and worship to Him is as pleasing under the shadow of the
+forest leaves, as with sounding organ beneath the vaulted dome of
+the grand cathedral.</p>
+
+<p>During week-days, while the others were abroad, Do&ntilde;a Isidora and
+the little Leona were not idle at home; yet their whole time was
+not taken up by the mere concerns of the <i>cuisine</i>. They had an
+industry of their own, and, in fact, one that promised to be almost as
+profitable in its results as the bark-gathering. This was neither more
+nor less than preparing <i>vanilla</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Some days after arriving in the valley, while exploring a wood that
+lay at the back of the cultivated ground, Don Pablo discovered that
+every tree carried a creeper or parasite of a peculiar kind. It was a
+small creeper not unlike ivy, and was covered with flowers of a
+greenish-yellow colour, mixed with white. Don Pablo at once recognised
+in this parasitical plant one of the many species of lianas
+that produce the delicious and perfumed vanilla. It was, in fact, the
+finest of the kind&mdash;that which, among the French, is called <i>leq</i>
+vanilla; and, from the fact that every tree had a number of these
+parasites, and no other climbing vines, Don Pablo came to the conclusion
+that they had been planted by the missionaries. It is thus
+that vanilla is usually cultivated, by being set in slips at the root of
+some tree which may afterwards sustain it.</p>
+
+<p>In the course of the summer, these vanilla vines exhibited a different
+appearance. Instead of flowers, long bean-like capsules made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">252</a></span>
+their appearance. These capsules or pods were nearly a foot in
+length, though not much thicker than a swan's quill. They were a
+little flattish, wrinkled, and of a yellow colour, and contained inside,
+instead of beans, a pulpy substance, surrounding a vast quantity of
+small seeds, like grains of sand. These seeds are the perfumed vanilla
+so much prized, and which often yield the enormous price of fifty
+dollars a pound! To preserve these, therefore, was the work of Do&ntilde;a
+Isidora and Leona; and they understood perfectly how to do it.</p>
+
+<p>First, they gathered the pods before they were quite ripe. These
+they strung upon a thread, taking care to pass the thread through
+that end nearest the footstalk. The whole were next plunged for
+an instant into boiling water, which gave them a blanched appearance.
+The thread was then stretched from tree to tree, and the pods,
+hanging like a string of candles, were then exposed to the sun for
+several hours. Next day, they were lightly smeared with an oiled
+feather, and then wrapped in oiled cotton of the <i>Bombax ceiba</i>, to
+prevent the valves from opening.</p>
+
+<p>When they had remained in this state for a few days, the string
+was taken out, and passed through the other ends, so that they
+should hang in an inverted position. This was to permit the discharge
+of a viscid liquid from the footstalk end; and in order to
+assist this discharge, the pods were several times lightly pressed
+between the fingers. They now became dry and wrinkled. They
+had also shrunk to less than half their original size, and changed
+their colour to a reddish-brown. Another delicate touch of the oil-feather,
+and the vanilla was ready for the market. Nothing remained
+but to pack them in small cases, which had already been prepared
+from the leaf of a species of palm-tree.</p>
+
+<p>In such a way did the lady Isidora and her daughter pass their
+time; and before the summer was out they had added largely to the
+stock of wealth of our exiles.</p>
+
+<p>Although these two always remained by the house, they were not
+without <i>their</i> adventures as well, one of which I shall describe. It
+occurred while they were getting in their crop of vanilla. Leona
+was in the porch in front, busy among the vanilla-beans. She had a
+large needle and a thread of palm-leaf fibre, with which she was
+stringing the long pods, while her mother was inside the house
+packing some that had been already dried.</p>
+
+<p>Leona rested for a moment, and was looking over the water, when,
+all at once, she exclaimed,</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Maman&mdash;Maman! come out and see! oh! what a beautiful cat!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The exclamation caused Do&ntilde;a Isidora to start, and with a feeling
+of uneasiness. The cause of her uneasiness was the word &ldquo;cat.&rdquo; She
+feared that what the innocent child had taken for a &ldquo;beautiful cat&rdquo;
+might prove to be the dreaded jaguar. She ran at once out of the
+door, and looked in the direction pointed out by Leona. There, sure
+enough, on the other side of the water, was a spotted creature, looking
+in the distance, very much like a cat; but Do&ntilde;a Isidora saw at a
+glance that it was a far larger animal.</p>
+
+<p>Was it the jaguar? It was like one, in its colour and markings.
+It was of a yellowish colour, and covered all over with black spots,
+which gave it the semblance of the jaguar. Still Do&ntilde;a Isidora
+thought that it was not so large as these animals usually are; and
+this, to some extent, restored her confidence. When first seen, it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">253</a></span>
+close down to the water's edge, as if it had come there to drink; and
+Do&ntilde;a Isidora was in hopes that, after satisfying its thirst, it would
+go away again. What was her consternation to see it make a forward
+spring, and, plunging into the water, swim directly for the
+house!</p>
+
+<p>Terrified, she seized Leona by the hand, and retreated inside. She
+shut the door, and bolted it. If it were a jaguar, what protection
+would that be? Such a creature could dash itself through the frail
+bamboo wall, or tear the door to pieces with his great claws in a
+moment. &ldquo;If it be a jaguar,&rdquo; thought she, &ldquo;we are lost!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora was a woman of courage. She was determined to
+defend the lives of herself and daughter to the last. She looked
+around the house for a weapon. The pistols of Don Pablo were
+hanging against the wall. She knew they were loaded. She took
+them down, and looked to the flints and priming, and then stationed
+herself at a place where she could see out through the interstices of
+the bamboos. The little Leona kept by her side, though she knew,
+that in a struggle with a ferocious jaguar, she could give no help.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the animal had crossed the river, and she could see it
+spring out on the bank, and come on towards the house. In a few
+seconds it was close to the porch, where it halted to reconnoitre.
+Do&ntilde;a Isidora saw it very plainly, and would now have had a very
+good chance to fire at it; but she did not wish to begin the combat.
+Perhaps it might go away again, without attempting to enter the
+house. In order not to draw its attention, she stood perfectly quiet,
+having cautioned Leona to do the same.</p>
+
+<p>It was not a large animal, though its aspect was fierce enough to
+terrify any one. Its tiger-like eyes, and white teeth, which it showed
+at intervals, were anything but pleasant to look upon. Its size, however,
+was not so formidable; and Do&ntilde;a Isidora had understood the
+jaguar to be a large animal; but there is also a smaller species of
+jaguar. This might be the one.</p>
+
+<p>After halting a moment, the creature turned to one side, and then
+proceeded at a skulking trot around the house. Now and then it
+stopped and looked toward the building, as if searching for some
+aperture by which it might get in. Do&ntilde;a Isidora followed it round
+on the inside. The walls were so open that she could mark all its
+movements; and, with a pistol in each hand, she was ready for the
+attack, determined to fire the moment it might threaten to spring
+against the bamboos.</p>
+
+<p>On one side of the house, at a few paces distance, stood the mule.
+The horse had been taken to the woods, and the mule was left alone.
+This animal was tied to a tree, which shaded her from the sun. As
+soon as the fierce creature got well round the house, it came in full
+view of the mule, which now claimed its attention. The latter, on
+seeing it, had started, and sprung round upon her halter, as if badly
+terrified by the apparition.</p>
+
+<p>Whether the beast of prey had ever before seen a mule was a question.
+Most likely it had not; for, half-innocently, and half as if with
+the intention of making an attack, it went skulking up until it was
+close to the heels of the latter. It could not have placed itself in a
+better position to be well kicked; and well kicked it was, for, just
+at that moment, the mule let fling with both her heels, and struck it
+upon the ribs. A loud &ldquo;thump&rdquo; was heard by those within the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">254</a></span>
+house, and Do&ntilde;a Isidora, still watching through the canes, had the
+satisfaction to see the spotted creature take to its heels, and gallop
+off as if a kettle had been tied to its tail! It made no stop, not even
+to look back; but having reached the edge of the water, plunged in,
+and swam over to the opposite shore. They could see it climb out on
+the other side, and then, with a cowed and conquered look, it trotted
+off, and disappeared among the palm-trees.</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora knew that it was gone for good; and having now no
+further fear went on with her work as before. She first, however,
+carried out a large measure of the <i>murumuru</i> nuts, and gave them to
+the mule, patting the creature upon the nose, and thanking her for
+the important service she had rendered.</p>
+
+<p>When Don Pablo and the rest returned, the adventure was, of
+course, related; but from the description given of the animal, neither
+Don Pablo nor Guapo believed it could have been the jaguar. It was
+too small for that. Besides a jaguar would not have been cowed and
+driven off by a mule. He would more likely have killed the mule,
+and dragged its body off with him across the river, or perhaps have
+broken into the house, and done worse.</p>
+
+<p>The animal was, no doubt, the &ldquo;ocelot,&rdquo; which is also spotted, or
+rather marked with the eye-like rosettes which distinguish the skin of
+the jaguar. Indeed, there are quite a number of animals of the cat
+genus in the forests of the Monta&ntilde;a; some spotted like the leopard,
+others striped as the tiger, and still others of uniform colour all over
+the body. They are, of course, all preying animals, but none of them
+will attack man, except the jaguar and the puma. Some of the
+others, when brought to bay, will fight desperately, as would the
+common wild cat under like circumstances; but the largest of them
+will leave man alone, if unmolested themselves. Not so with the
+jaguar, who will attack either man or beast, and put them to death,
+unless he be himself overpowered.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguar, or, as he is sometimes called, &ldquo;ounce,&rdquo; and by most
+Spanish-Americans &ldquo;tiger,&rdquo; is the largest and most ferocious of all
+the American <i>Felid&aelig;</i>. He stands third in rank as to these
+qualities&mdash;the lion and tiger of the Eastern continent taking precedence of
+him. Specimens of the jaguar have been seen equal in size to the
+Asiatic tiger; but the average size of the American animal is much
+less. He is strong enough, however, to drag a dead horse or ox to
+his den&mdash;often to a distance of a quarter of a mile&mdash;and this feat has
+been repeatedly observed.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguar is found throughout all the tropical countries of Spanish
+America, and is oftener called tiger than jaguar. This is a misapplied
+name; for although he bears a considerable likeness to the
+tiger, both in shape and habits, yet the markings of his skin are
+quite different. The tiger is striated or striped, while the black on
+the jaguar is in beautiful eye-like rosettes. The leopard is more like
+the jaguar than any other creature; and the panther and cheetah of
+the Eastern continent also resemble him. The markings of the
+jaguar, when closely examined, differ from all of these. The spots
+on the animals of the old world are simple spots or black rings, while
+those of the American species are rings with a single spot in the
+middle, forming <i>ocell&aelig;</i>, or eyes. Each, in fact, resembles a rosette.</p>
+
+<p>Jaguars are not always of the same colour. Some have skins
+of an orange yellow, and these are the most beautiful. Others are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">255</a></span>
+lighter-coloured; and individuals have been killed that were nearly
+white. But there is a &ldquo;black jaguar,&rdquo; which is thought to be of a
+different species. It is larger and fiercer than the other, and is found
+in the very hottest parts of the Great Monta&ntilde;a. Its skin is not
+quite jet-black, but of a deep maroon brown; and upon close inspection,
+the spots upon it can be seen of a pure black. This species
+is more dreaded by the inhabitants of those countries than the
+other; and it is said always to attack man wherever it may encounter
+him.</p>
+
+<p>In the forests of South America, the jaguar reigns with undisputed
+sway. All the other beasts fear, and fly from him. His roar produces
+terror and confusion among the animated creation, and causes
+them to fly in every direction. It is never heard by the Indian
+without some feeling of fear,&mdash;and no wonder; for a year does not
+pass without a number of these people falling victims to the savage
+ferocity of this animal.</p>
+
+<p>There are those, however, among them who can deal single-handed
+with the jaguar,&mdash;regular &ldquo;jaguar-hunters&rdquo; by profession,&mdash;who do
+not fear to attack the fierce brute in his own haunts. They do not
+trust to fire-arms, but to a sharp spear. Upon this they receive his
+attack, transfixing the animal with unerring aim as he advances.
+Should they fail in their first thrust, their situation is one of peril;
+yet all hope is not lost. On their left arm they carry a sort of
+sheep-skin shield. This is held forward, and usually seized by the
+jaguar; and while he is busy with it, the hunter gains time for a
+second effort, which rarely fails to accomplish his purpose.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguars are killed for many reasons. Their beautiful skins
+sell for several dollars; besides, in many places a price is set upon
+their heads, on account of their destructive habits. Thousands are
+destroyed every year. For all this, they do not seem to diminish in
+numbers. The introduction of the large mammalia into America has
+provided them with increased resources; and in many places, where
+there are herds of half-wild cattle, the number of the jaguars is said
+to be greater than formerly. It is difficult for one, living in a
+country where such fierce animals are unknown, to believe that they
+may have an influence over man to such an extent as to prevent his
+settling in a particular place; yet such is the fact. In many parts
+of South America, not only plantations, but whole villages, have been
+abandoned solely from fear of the jaguars!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A FAMILY OF JAGUARS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>s yet none of the exiles had seen any tracks or indications of the
+terrible jaguar, and Don Pablo began to believe that there were none
+in that district of country. He was not allowed to remain much
+longer in this belief, for an incident occurred shortly after proving
+that at least one pair of these fierce animals was not far off.</p>
+
+<p>It was near the end of the summer, and the cinchona-trees on the
+side of the river on which stood the house had been all cut down and
+&ldquo;barked.&rdquo; It became necessary, therefore, to cross the stream in
+search of others. Indeed, numerous &ldquo;manchas&rdquo; had been seen on the
+other side, and to these the &ldquo;cascarilleros&rdquo; now turned their attention.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">256</a></span>
+They, of course, reached them by crossing the tree-bridge, and then
+keeping up the stream on the farther side.</p>
+
+<p>For several days they had been at work in this new direction, and
+were getting bark in by the hundred-weight.</p>
+
+<p>One day Guapo and Leon had gone by themselves&mdash;Guapo to fell
+the trees as usual, and Leon who was now an expert bark-peeler, to
+use the scalping-knife. Don Pablo had remained at home, busy with
+work in the great magazine, for there was much to do there in the
+packing and storing.</p>
+
+<p>An hour or two after, Guapo was seen to return alone. He had
+broken the handle of his axe, and having, several spare ones at the
+house, he had returned to get one. Leon had remained in the woods.</p>
+
+<p>Now Leon had finished his operations on such trees as Guapo had
+already cut down, and not finding a good seat near, had walked
+towards the precipice which was farther up the hill, and sat down
+upon one of the loose rocks at its base. Here he amused himself by
+watching the parrots and toucans that were fluttering through the
+trees over his head.</p>
+
+<p>He noticed that just by his side there was a large hole or cave in
+the cliff. He could see to the further end of it from where he sat, but
+curiosity prompted him to step up to its mouth, and gave it a closer
+examination. On doing so, he heard a noise, not unlike the mew of a
+cat. It evidently came from the cave, and only increased his curiosity
+to look inside. He put his head to the entrance, and there, in a sort
+of nest, upon the bottom of the cave, he perceived two creatures,
+exactly like two spotted kittens, only larger. They were about half
+as big as full-grown cats.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Two beauties!&rdquo; said Leon to himself; &ldquo;they are the kittens of
+some wild cat&mdash;that's plain. Now we want a cat very much at home.
+If these were brought up in the house, why shouldn't they do? I'll
+warrant they'd be tame enough. I know mamma wants a cat. I've
+heard her say so. I'll give her an agreeable surprise by taking this
+pair home.&mdash;The beauties!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Without another word Leon climbed up, and taking hold of the two
+spotted animals, returned with them out of the cave. They were
+evidently very young creatures, yet for all that they growled, and
+spat, and attempted to scratch his hands; but Leon was not a boy to
+be frightened at trifles, and after getting one under each arm, he set
+off in triumph, intending to carry them direct to the house.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was in front of the house busy in new-hafting his axe. Don
+Pablo was at his work in the store-room. Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little
+Leona were occupied with some affair in the porch. All were
+engaged one way or other. Just then a voice sounded upon their
+ears, causing them all to stop their work, and look abroad. It even
+brought Don Pablo out of the storehouse. It was the voice of Leon,
+who shouted from the other side of the lake, where they all saw him
+standing, with a strange object under each arm.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hola!&rdquo; cried he. &ldquo;Look, mamma! See what I've got! I've
+brought you a couple of cats&mdash;beauties, ain't they?&rdquo; And as he said
+this, he held the two yellow bodies out before him.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo turned pale, and even the coppery cheek of Guapo
+blanched at the sight. Though at some distance, both knew at a
+glance what they were. Cats, indeed! <i>They were the cubs of the
+jaguar!</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">257</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;My God!&rdquo; cried Don Pablo, hoarse with affright. &ldquo;My God! the
+boy will be lost!&rdquo; and as he spoke he swept the upper edge of the
+lake with an anxious glance.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Run, little master!&rdquo; shouted Guapo. &ldquo;Run for your life; make
+for the bridge&mdash;for the bridge!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leon seemed astonished. He knew by the words of Guapo, and the
+earnest gestures of the rest, that there was some danger:&mdash;but of
+what? Why was he to run? He could not comprehend it. He
+hesitated, and might have stayed longer on the spot, had not his
+father, seeing his indecision, shouted out to him in a loud voice&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Run, boy! run! The jaguars are after you!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This speech enabled Leon to comprehend his situation for the first
+time, and he immediately started off towards the bridge, running as
+fast as he was able.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo had not seen the jaguars when he spoke, but his words
+were prophetic, and that prophecy was speedily verified. They had
+hardly been uttered when two yellow bodies, dashing out of the brushwood,
+appeared near the upper end of the lake. There was no
+mistaking what they were. Their orange flanks and ocellated sides
+were sufficiently characteristic. <i>They were jaguars!</i></p>
+
+<p>A few springs brought them to the edge of the water, and they
+were seen to take the track over which Leon had just passed. They
+were following by the scent&mdash;sometimes pausing&mdash;sometimes one
+passing the other&mdash;and their waving tails and quick energetic movements
+showed that they were furious and excited to the highest
+degree. Now they disappeared behind the palm-trunks, and the
+next moment their shining bodies shot out again like flashes of light.</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the little Leona screamed with affright. Don
+Pablo shouted words of encouragement in a hoarse voice. Guapo
+seized his axe&mdash;which fortunately he had finished hafting&mdash;and ran
+towards the bridge, along the water's edge. Don Pablo followed with
+his pistols, which he had hastily got his hands upon.</p>
+
+<p>For a short moment there was silence on both sides of the river.
+Guapo was opposite Leon, both running. The stream narrowed as it
+approached the ravine, and Leon and Guapo could see each other,
+and hear every word distinctly. Guapo now cried out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Drop one! young master&mdash;<i>only one</i>!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leon heard, and, being a sharp boy, understood what was meant.
+Up to this moment he had not thought of parting with his &ldquo;cats&rdquo;&mdash;in
+fact, it was because he had <i>not</i> thought of it. Now, however, at
+the voice of Guapo, he flung one of them to the ground, without
+stopping to see where it fell. He ran on, and in a few seconds again
+heard Guapo cry out&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Now the other!</i>&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leon let the second slip from his grasp, and kept on for the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>It was well he had dropped the cubs, else he would never have
+reached that bridge. When the first one fell the jaguars were not
+twenty paces behind him. They were almost in sight, but by good
+fortune the weeds and underwood hid the pursued from the pursuers.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching their young, the first that had been dropped, both
+stopped, and appeared to lick and caress it. They remained by it
+but a moment. One parted sooner than the other&mdash;the female it was,
+no doubt, in search of her second offspring. Shortly after the other
+started also, and both were again seen springing along the trail in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">258</a></span>
+pursuit. A few stretches brought them to where the second cub lay,
+and here they again halted, caressing this one as they had done the
+other.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and Do&ntilde;a Isidora, who saw all this from the other side,
+were in hopes that having recovered their young, the jaguars might
+give over their chase, and carry them off. But they were mistaken
+in this. The American tiger is of a very different nature. Once
+enraged, he will seek revenge with relentless pertinacity. It so
+proved. After delaying a moment with the second cub. Both left it,
+and sprang forward upon the trail, which they knew had been taken
+by whoever had robbed them.</p>
+
+<p>By this time Leon had gained the bridge&mdash;had crossed it&mdash;and was
+lifted from its nearer end by Guapo. The latter scarce spoke a word&mdash;only
+telling Leon to hurry towards the house. For himself he had
+other work to do than run. The bridge he knew would be no protection.
+The jaguars would cross over it like squirrels, and then&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo reflected no further, but bending over the thick branch,
+attacked it with his axe. His design was apparent at once. He was
+going to cut it from the cliff!</p>
+
+<p>He plied the axe with all his might. Every muscle in his body
+was at play. Blow succeeded blow. The branch was already creaking,
+when, to his horror, the foremost of the jaguars appeared in
+sight on the opposite side! He was not discouraged. Again fell the
+axe&mdash;again and again; the jaguar is upon the bank; it has sprung
+upon the root of the tree! It pauses a moment&mdash;another blow of
+the axe&mdash;the jaguar bounds upon the trunk&mdash;its claws rattle along
+the bark&mdash;it is midway over the chasm! Another blow&mdash;the branch
+crackles&mdash;there is a crash&mdash;it parts from the cliff&mdash;it is gone! Both
+tree and jaguar gone&mdash;down&mdash;down to the sharp rocks of the
+foaming torrent!</p>
+
+<p>A loud yell from the Indian announced his triumph. But it was
+not yet complete. It was the female jaguar&mdash;the smaller one that
+had fallen. The male still remained&mdash;where was he? Already upon
+the opposite brink of the chasm!</p>
+
+<p>He had dashed forward, just in time to see his mate disappearing
+into the gulf below. He saw, and seemed to comprehend all that
+had passed. His eyes glared with redoubled fury. There was
+vengeance in his look, and determination in his attitude.</p>
+
+<p>For a moment he surveyed the wide gulf that separated him from
+his enemies. He seemed to measure the distance at a glance. His
+heart was bold with rage and despair. He had lost his companion&mdash;his
+faithful partner&mdash;his wife. Life was nothing now&mdash;he resolved
+upon revenge or death!</p>
+
+<p>He was seen to run a few paces back from the edge of the chasm,
+and then turning suddenly, set his body for the spring.</p>
+
+<p>It would have been beautiful to have beheld the play of his
+glistening flanks at that moment had one been out of danger; but
+Guapo was not, and he had no pleasure in the sight. Guapo stood
+upon the opposite brink, axe in hand, ready to receive him.</p>
+
+<p>The Indian had not long to wait. With one desperate bound the
+jaguar launched his body into the air, and, like lightning, passed to
+the opposite bank. His fore-feet only reached it, and his claws
+firmly grasped the rock. The rest of his body hung over, clutching
+the cliff!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">259</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In a moment he would have sprung up, and then woe to his
+antagonist! but he was not allowed that moment, for he had
+scarcely touched the rock when the Indian leaped forward and
+struck at his head with the axe. The blow was not well aimed, and
+although it stunned the jaguar, he still clung to the cliff. In setting
+himself for a second blow, Guapo came too near, and the next
+moment the great claws of the tiger were buried in his foot!</p>
+
+<p>It is difficult to tell what might have been the result. It would,
+no doubt, have been different. Guapo would have been dragged
+over, and that was certain death; but at this moment a hand was
+protruded between Guapo's legs&mdash;the muzzle of a pistol was seen
+close to the head of the jaguar&mdash;a loud crack rang through the
+ravine, and when the smoke cleared away the jaguar was seen no
+more!</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, with his foot badly lacerated, was drawn back from the
+cliff into the arms of Don Pablo.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE RAFT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>his was the most exciting day that had been passed since their
+arrival in the Monta&ntilde;a; and considering the result it was well that
+the occurrence had taken place. It had rid them of a pair of bad
+neighbours&mdash;there would soon have been four&mdash;that some time or
+other would have endangered the lives of some of the party. It was
+the opinion of Guapo that they need not, at least for a while, have
+any fear of jaguars. It was not likely there was another pair in that
+district; although, from the roaming disposition of this animal,
+fresh ones might soon make their appearance; and it was deemed
+best always to act as though some were already in the neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>The cubs were disposed of. It was not deemed advisable to bring
+them up as &ldquo;cats.&rdquo; After what had occurred that was voted, even
+by Leon, a dangerous experiment&mdash;too dangerous to be attempted.
+They were still on the other side of the river, and the bridge was
+now gone. If left to themselves, no doubt they would have
+perished, as they were very young things. Perhaps some carnivorous
+creature&mdash;wolf, coati, eagle, or vulture&mdash;would have devoured them,
+or they might have been eaten up by the ants. But this was not
+to be their fate. Guapo swam across, and strangled them. Then
+tying them together, he suspended the pair over his shoulders, and
+brought them with him to be exhibited as a curiosity. Moreover
+Guapo had a design upon their skins.</p>
+
+<p>It was not long after that a pleasanter pet than either of them
+was found, and this was a beautiful little sa&iuml;miri monkey, about the
+size of a squirrel, which Guapo and Leon captured one day in the
+woods. They heard a noise as they were passing along, and going
+up to the spot, saw on the branch of a low tree nearly a dozen little
+monkeys all rolled up together in a heap with their tails wrapped
+round each other as if to keep themselves warm.</p>
+
+<p>Nearly another dozen were running about, whining and apparently
+trying to get in among the rest. Guapo and Leon made a sudden
+rush upon them, and were able to capture three or four before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">260</a></span>
+the creatures could free themselves; but only one lived, and that
+became a great pet and favourite. It was a beautiful little creature&mdash;a
+true sa&iuml;miri, or squirrel-monkey, called the &ldquo;titi.&rdquo; Its silky fur
+was of a rich olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed
+fear or joy&mdash;now filling with tears, and now brightening again&mdash;just
+like those of a child.</p>
+
+<p>During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour
+without interruption, and on account of the great plenty of the
+cinchona-trees, and their proximity to the house, they were enabled
+to accumulate a very large store. They worked like bees.</p>
+
+<p>Although this forest life was not without its pleasures and excitements,
+yet it began to grow very irksome both to Don Pablo and
+Do&ntilde;a Isidora. Life in the wilderness, with its rude cares and rude
+enjoyments, may be very pleasant for a while to those who seek it
+as amateurs, or to that class who as colonists intend to make it
+a permanent thing. But neither Don Pablo nor his wife had ever
+thought of colonisation. With them their present industry was the
+result of accident and necessity. Their tastes and longings were
+very different. They longed to return to civilised life; and though
+the very misfortune which had driven them forth into the wilderness
+had also guided them to an opportunity of making a fortune, it is
+probable they would have passed it by, had they not known that,
+penniless as they were, they would have fared still worse in any city
+to which they might have gone.</p>
+
+<p>But before the first year was out, they yearned very much to
+return to civilisation, and this desire was very natural. But there
+were other reasons that influenced them besides the mere <i>ennui</i> of
+the wilderness. The lives of themselves and their children were
+constantly in danger from jaguars, pumas, and poisonous reptiles.
+Even man himself might at any moment appear as their destroyer.
+As yet no Indian&mdash;not even a trace of one&mdash;had been seen. But this
+was not strange.</p>
+
+<p>In the tangled and impenetrable forests of the Great Monta&ntilde;a two
+tribes of Indians may reside for years within less than a league's
+distance of each other, without either being aware of the other's
+existence! Scarcely any intercourse is carried on, or excursions
+made, except by the rivers&mdash;for they are the only roads&mdash;and where
+two of these run parallel, although they may be only at a short
+distance from each other, people residing on one may never think of
+crossing to the other.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding that no Indians had yet appeared to disturb
+them, there was no certainty that these might not arrive any day,
+and treat them as enemies. On this account, Don Pablo and Do&ntilde;a
+Isidora were never without a feeling of uneasiness.</p>
+
+<p>After mutual deliberation, therefore, they resolved not to prolong
+their stay beyond the early part of spring, when they would carry
+out their original design of building a <i>balza</i> raft, and commit themselves
+to the great river, which, according to all appearance, and to
+Guapo's confident belief, flowed directly to the Amazon. Guapo had
+never either descended or ascended it himself, and on their first
+arrival was not so sure about its course; but after having gone down
+to its banks, and examined its waters, his recollections revived, and
+he remembered many accounts which he had heard of it from Indians
+of his own tribe. He had no doubt but it was the same which, under<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">261</a></span>
+the name of the &ldquo;Purus,&rdquo; falls into the Amazon between the mouths
+of the Madeira and the Coary.</p>
+
+<p>Upon this stream, therefore, in a few months they would embark.
+But these intervening months were not spent in idleness. Although
+the season for bark-gathering was past, another source of industry
+presented itself. The bottom lands of the great river were found to
+be covered with a network of underwood, and among this underwood
+the principal plant was a well-known briar, <i>Smilax officinalis</i>. This
+is the creeping plant that yields the celebrated &ldquo;sarsaparilla;&rdquo; and
+Don Pablo, having made an analysis of some roots, discovered it to be
+the most valuable species&mdash;for it is to be remembered, that, like the
+cinchona, a whole genus, or rather several genera, furnish the article
+of commerce.</p>
+
+<p>The briar which produces the sarsaparilla is a tall creeping plant,
+which throws out a large number of long wrinkled roots of a uniform
+thickness, and about the size of a goose-quill. Nothing is required
+further than digging and dragging these roots out of the ground,
+drying them a while, and then binding them in bundles with a small
+&ldquo;sipo,&rdquo; or tough forest creeper. These bundles are made up, so as to
+render the roots convenient for packing and transport.</p>
+
+<p>During several months this branch of industry occupied Don Pablo,
+Guapo, and Leon; so that when the time drew nigh for their departure,
+what with the cinchona-bark, the sarsaparilla, and the
+vanilla-beans, there was not an empty inch in the large storehouse.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo had not been all the time with them. For several days
+Gruapo was not to be seen at the house, nor anywhere around it.
+Where had Guapo been all this time? I will tell you; Guapo <i>had
+been to the mountains</i>!</p>
+
+<p>Yes, Don Pablo had sent him on an important mission, which he
+had performed with secrecy and despatch. Don Pablo, before braving
+the dangers of the vast journey he had projected, had still a lingering
+hope that something might have happened&mdash;some change in the
+government of Peru&mdash;perhaps a new Viceroy&mdash;that might enable him
+to return with safety to his native land. To ascertain if such had
+taken place, Guapo had made his journey to the mountains.</p>
+
+<p>He went no farther than the Puna&mdash;no farther than the hut of his
+friend the vaquero&mdash;who, by a previous understanding with Guapo,
+had kept himself informed about political matters.</p>
+
+<p>There was no hope; the same Council, the same Viceroy, the same
+price upon the head of Don Pablo&mdash;who, however, was believed to
+have escaped in an American ship, and to have taken refuge in the
+great Republic of the North.</p>
+
+<p>With this news Guapo returned, and now the preparations for the
+river voyage were set about in earnest. A balza raft was built out of
+large trunks of the <i>Bombax ceiba</i>, which, being light wood, was the
+best for the purpose. Of course these trunks had been cut long ago
+with a view to using them in this way. A commodious cabin, or
+&ldquo;toldo,&rdquo; was constructed on the raft, built of palm and bamboos, and
+thatched with the broad leaves of the bussu. A light canoe was also
+hollowed out, as a sort of tender to the raft, and a couple of very
+large canoes for the purpose of giving buoyancy to it, were lashed
+one upon each side. The &ldquo;merchandise&rdquo; was carefully &ldquo;stowed&rdquo; and
+covered with &ldquo;tarpaulins&rdquo; of palm-leaves, and the stores laid in with
+every providential care and calculation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">262</a></span></p>
+
+<p>You will be wondering what was done with the horse and mule,&mdash;those
+creatures who had served the exiles so faithfully and so well?
+Were they left behind to become a prey to the jaguars and the large
+blood-sucking bats, that kill so many animals in these parts? No&mdash;they
+were not to be left to such a fate. One of them&mdash;the mule&mdash;had
+been already disposed of. It was a valuable beast, and partly on that
+account, and partly from gratitude felt towards it for the well-timed
+kick it had given the ocelot, it was to be spared. Guapo had taken
+both the mule and the horse on his mountain journey, and presented
+the former to his friend the vaquero.</p>
+
+<p>But the horse was still on hand. What was to be done with him?
+Leave him behind? That would be certain death, for no horse, that
+was not cared for, could exist in the Monta&ntilde;a ten days without being
+eaten up by the fierce creatures that inhabit it. The bats would
+surely have destroyed him. Well, what was done? He could not be
+carried on the raft. But he was, though,&mdash;<i>in a way</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was resolved that the bats should not have him, nor the
+jaguars neither. He was in fine condition&mdash;fat as a pig. The fruit of
+the murumuru had agreed with him. He was just in the condition
+in which an Indian thinks a horse &ldquo;good for killing,&rdquo; and <i>Guapo
+killed him</i>! Yes, Guapo killed him! It is true it was a sort of a
+Virginius tragedy, and Guapo had great difficulty in nerving himself
+for the task. But the blow-gun was at length levelled, and the <i>curare</i>
+did its work. Then Guapo skinned him, and cut him into strips, and
+dried him into &ldquo;charqui,&rdquo; and carried him on board the raft. That
+was the closing scene.</p>
+
+<p>All left the house together, carrying with them the remains of their
+hastily-created <i>penates</i>. On reaching the end of the valley, they
+turned and threw back a last glance at a home that had to them been
+a happy one; and then, continuing their journey, they were soon
+upon the balza. The only living creature that accompanied them
+from their valley home was the pretty sa&iuml;miri, carried on the shoulder
+of the little Leona.</p>
+
+<p>The cable of piassaba-palm was carefully taken in and coiled, the
+raft was pushed out, and the next moment floated lightly upon the
+broad bosom of the river.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE GUARDIAN BROTHER.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he current of the river flowed at the rate of about four miles an
+hour, and at this speed they travelled. They had nothing to do but
+guide the raft in the middle part of the stream. This was effected by
+means of a large stern-oar fixed upon a pivot, and which served the
+purpose of a rudder. One was required to look after this oar, and
+Don Pablo and Guapo took turns at it. It was not a very troublesome
+task, except where some bend had to be got round, or some eddy
+was to be cleared, when both had to work at it together. At other
+times the balza floated straight on, without requiring the least effort
+on the part of the crew; and then they would all sit down and chat
+pleasantly, and view the changing scenery of the forest-covered shores.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes tall palms lined the banks, and sometimes great forest
+trees netted together by thick parasites that crept from one to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">263</a></span>
+other, and twined around the trunks like monster serpents. Sometimes
+the shores were one unbroken thicket of underwood, where it
+would have been almost impossible to make a landing had they wished
+it. At other places there were sand-bars, and even little islets with
+scarce any vegetation upon them; and they also passed many other
+islets and large islands thickly wooded. The country generally
+appeared to be flat, though at one or two places they saw hills that
+ran in to the banks of the river.</p>
+
+<p>Of course the change of scenery, and the many fresh vistas continually
+opening before them, rendered their voyage both cheerful and
+interesting. The many beautiful birds too, and new kinds of trees
+and animals which they saw, were a constant source of varied enjoyment,
+and furnished them with themes of conversation.</p>
+
+<p>During the first day they made a journey of full forty miles.
+Having brought their balza close to the shore, and secured it to a
+tree, they encamped for the night. There was no opening of any
+extent, but for some distance the ground was clear of underwood, and
+the trunks of great old trees rose like columns losing themselves
+amidst the thick foliage overhead. A dark forest only could be seen,
+and, as night drew on, the horrid cries of the alouattes, or howling
+monkeys, mingling with the voices of other nocturnal animals, filled
+the woods. They had no fear of monkeys, but now and then they
+thought they could distinguish the cry of the jaguar, and of him they
+had fear enough. Indeed the jaguar possesses the power of imitating
+the cry of the other animals of the forest, and often uses it to draw
+them within reach of him.</p>
+
+<p>In addition to the fire upon which they had cooked their supper,
+as soon as night had fairly set in, they kindled others, forming a sort
+of semicircle, the chord of which was the bank of the river itself.
+Within this semicircle the hammocks were stretched from tree to
+tree; and, as all were fatigued with the day's exertions, they climbed
+into them at an early hour, and were soon asleep. One alone sat up
+to keep watch. As they thought they had heard the jaguar, this was
+deemed best; for they knew that fire will not always frighten off that
+fierce animal. As the neighbourhood looked suspicious, and also as it
+was their first encampment, they, like all travellers at setting out, of
+course were more timid and cautious.</p>
+
+<p>To Leon was assigned the first watch; for Leon was a courageous
+boy, and it was not the first time he had taken his turn in this way.
+He was to sit up for about two hours, and then wake Guapo, who
+would keep the midnight watch; after which Don Pablo's turn would
+come, and that would terminate in the morning at daybreak. Leon
+was instructed to rouse the others in case any danger might threaten
+the camp.</p>
+
+<p>Leon from choice had seated himself by the head of the hammock
+in which slept the little Leona; in order, no doubt, to be nearer her,
+as she was the most helpless of the party, and therefore required
+more immediate protection. He had both the pistols by him&mdash;ready
+to his hand and loaded&mdash;and in case of danger he knew very well
+how to use them.</p>
+
+<p>He had been seated for about half-an-hour, now casting his eyes
+up to the red and wrinkled trunks of the trees, and then gazing into
+the dark vistas of the surrounding forest, or at other times looking
+out upon the glistening surface of the river. Many a strange sound<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">264</a></span>
+fell upon his ear. Sometimes the whole forest appeared to be alive
+with voices&mdash;the voices of beasts and birds, reptiles, and insects&mdash;for
+the tree-frogs and ciendas were as noisy as the larger creatures. At
+other times a perfect stillness reigned, so that he could distinctly
+hear the tiny hum of the mosquito; and then, all at once, would fall
+upon his ear the melancholy wailing of the night-hawk&mdash;the &ldquo;<i>alma
+perdida</i>,&rdquo; or &ldquo;lost soul&rdquo;&mdash;for such is the poetical and fanciful name
+given by the Spanish Americans to this nocturnal bird.</p>
+
+<p>While thus engaged Leon began to feel very drowsy. The heavy
+day's work, in which he had borne part, had fatigued him as well as
+the others; and, in spite of the odd voices that from time to time fell
+upon his ear, he could have lain down upon the bare ground and
+slept without a feeling of fear. Snakes or scorpions, or biting lizards
+or spiders, would not have kept him from going to sleep at that
+moment. It is astonishing how the desire of sleep makes one indifferent
+to all these things, which at other times we so much dread.
+Leon did not fear them a bit, but kept himself awake from a feeling
+of pride and honour. He reflected that it would never do to be unfaithful
+to the important trust confided to him. No; that would
+never do. He rubbed his eyes, and rose up, and approached the
+bank, and dipped his hands in the water, and came back to his former
+place, and sat down again. Spite of all his efforts, however, he felt
+very heavy. Oh! when would the two hours pass that he might
+rouse Guapo?</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Car-r-ambo! I nev-er was so s-s-sleepy. <i>Vamos</i>! Leon! you
+mustn't give in!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And striking himself a lively slap on the chest, he straightened
+his back, and sat upright for a while.</p>
+
+<p>He was just beginning to get bowed about the shoulders again,
+and to nod a little, when he was startled by a short sharp exclamation
+uttered by the little Leona. He looked up to her hammock.
+He could perceive it had moved slightly, but it was at rest again,
+and its occupant was evidently asleep.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Poor little sis! she is dreaming,&rdquo; he muttered half aloud. &ldquo;Perhaps
+some horrid dream of jaguars or serpents. I have half a mind
+to awake her. But, no, she sleeps too soundly; I might disturb
+them all;&rdquo; and with these reflections Leon remained upon his seat.</p>
+
+<p>Once more his head was beginning to bob, when the voice of Leona
+again startled him, and he looked up as before. The hammock moved
+slightly, but there was no appearance of anything wrong. From
+where he sat he could not see well into it, but the outlines of the
+child's body were easily discernible through the elastic netting; and
+at the farther end he could just perceive one of her little feet, where
+it had escaped from the covering, and rested partly over the edge.</p>
+
+<p>As he continued to gaze upon the delicate member, thinking
+whether he had not better cover it against the mosquitoes, all at
+once his eye was attracted by something red&mdash;a crooked red line that
+traversed from the toe downward along the side of the foot. It was
+red and glittering&mdash;it was <i>a stream of blood</i>!</p>
+
+<p>His first feeling was one of horror. His next was a resolve to
+spring to his feet and rouse the camp, but this impulse was checked
+by one of greater prudence. Whatever enemy had done it, thought
+he, must still be about the hammock; to make a noise would, perhaps,
+only irritate it, and cause it to inflict some still more terrible<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">265</a></span>
+wound. He would remain quiet, until he had got his eyes upon the
+creature, when he could spring upon it, or fire his pistol before it
+could do further harm.</p>
+
+<p>With these ideas, quickly conceived, he rose silently to his feet,
+and standing, or rather crouching forward, bent his eyes over the
+hammock.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE VAMPIRE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">L</span>eon's head was close to that of the sleeper, whose sweet breath he
+felt, and whose little bosom rose and fell in gentle undulation. He
+scanned the inside of the hammock from head to foot. He gazed
+anxiously into every fold of the cover. Not an object could he see
+that should not have been there&mdash;no terrible creature&mdash;no serpent&mdash;for
+it was this last that was in his mind. But something must have
+been there. What could have caused the stream of blood, that now
+being closer he could more plainly see trickling over the soft blue
+veins? Some creature must have done it!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! if it be the small viper,&rdquo; thought he, &ldquo;or the coral snake, or
+the deadly macaurel! If these&mdash;&mdash;&rdquo;.</p>
+
+<p>His thoughts at this moment were interrupted. A light flapping
+of wings sounded in his ear&mdash;so light, that it appeared to be made by
+the soft pinions of the owl, or some nocturnal bird. It was not by
+the wings of a bird that that sound was produced, but by the wings
+of a hideous creature. Leon was conscious, from the continued
+flapping, that something was playing through the air, and that it
+occasionally approached close to his head. He gazed upward and
+around him, and at length he could distinguish a dark form passing
+between him and the light; but it glided into the darkness again,
+and he could see it no more.</p>
+
+<p>Was it a bird? It looked like one&mdash;it might have been an owl&mdash;it
+was full as large as one; but yet, from the glance he had had of it, it
+appeared to be black or very dark, and he had never heard of owls of
+that colour. Moreover, it had not the look nor flight of an owl.
+Was it a bird at all? or whatever it was, was it the cause of the
+blood? This did not appear likely to Leon, who still had his
+thoughts bent upon the snakes.</p>
+
+<p>While he was revolving these questions in his mind, he again
+turned and looked toward the foot of the hammock. The sight
+caused him a thrill of horror. There was the hideous creature,
+which, he had just seen, right over the bleeding foot. It was not
+perched, but suspended in the air on its moving wings, with its long
+snout protruded forward and pressed against the toe of the sleeper!
+Its sharp white teeth were visible in both jaws, and its small vicious
+eyes glistened under the light of the fires. The red hair covering its
+body and large membranous wings added to the hideousness of its
+aspect, and a more hideous creature could not have been conceived.
+<i>It was the vampire</i>,&mdash;the blood-sucking <i>phyllostoma</i>!</p>
+
+<p>A short cry escaped from the lips of Leon. It was not a cry of
+pain, but the contrary. The sight of the great bat, hideous as the
+creature was, relieved him. He had all along been under the painful
+impression that some venomous serpent had caused the blood to flow,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">266</a></span>
+and now he had no further fear on that score. He knew that there
+was no poison in the wound inflicted by the phyllostoma&mdash;only the
+loss of a little blood; and this quieted his anxieties at once. He
+resolved, however, to punish the intruder; and not caring to rouse
+the camp by firing, he stole a little closer, and aimed a blow with the
+butt of his pistol.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 347px;">
+<img src="images/illus-266.jpg" width="347" height="500" alt="THE VAMPIRE BAT." title="THE VAMPIRE BAT." />
+<span class="caption">THE VAMPIRE BAT.</span></div>
+
+<p>The blow was well aimed, and brought the bat to the ground,
+but its shrill screeching awoke everybody, and in a few moments the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">267</a></span>
+camp was in complete confusion. The sight of the blood on the foot
+of the little Leona quite terrified Do&ntilde;a Isidora and the rest; but
+when the cause was explained, all felt reassured and thankful that
+the thing was no worse. The little foot was bound up in a rag; and
+although, for two or three days after, it was not without pain, yet no
+bad effects came of it.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;blood-sucking&rdquo; bats do not cause death either to man, or any
+other animal, by a single attack. All the blood they can draw out
+amounts to only a few ounces, although after their departure, the
+blood continues to run from the open wound. It is by repeating
+their attacks night after night that the strength of an animal becomes
+exhausted, and it dies from sheer loss of blood and consequent faintness.
+With animals this is far from being a rare occurrence.
+Hundreds of horses and cattle are killed every year in the South
+American pastures. These creatures suffer, perhaps, without knowing
+from what cause, for the phyllostoma performs its cupping
+operation without causing the least pain&mdash;at all events the sleeper is
+very rarely awakened by it.</p>
+
+<p>It is easy to understand how it sucks the blood of its victim, for its
+snout and the leafy appendage around its mouth&mdash;from whence it
+derives the name &ldquo;phyllostoma&rdquo;&mdash;are admirably adapted to that end.
+But how does it make the puncture to &ldquo;let&rdquo; the blood? That is as
+yet a mystery among naturalists, as it also is among the people
+who are habitually its victims. Even Guapo could not explain the
+process. The large teeth&mdash;of which it has got quite a mouthful&mdash;seem
+altogether unfitted to make a hole such as is found where the
+&ldquo;phyllostoma&rdquo; has been at work. Their bite, moreover, would awake
+the soundest sleeper.</p>
+
+<p>Besides these, it has neither fangs, nor stings, nor proboscis, that
+would serve the purpose. How then does its reach the blood? Many
+theories have been offered; some assert that it rubs the skin with its
+snout until its brings it to bleeding: others say that it sets the sharp
+point of one of its large tusks against the part, and then by plying
+its wings wheels round and round, as upon a pivot, until the point
+has penetrated&mdash;that during this operation the motion of the wings
+fans and cools the sleeping victim, so that no pain is felt. It may be
+a long while before this curious question is solved, on account of the
+difficulty of observing a creature whose habits are nocturnal, and
+most of whose deeds are &ldquo;done in the dark.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>People have denied the existence of such a creature as the blood-sucking
+bat&mdash;even naturalists have gone so far. They can allege no
+better grounds for their incredulity than that the thing has an air of
+the fabulous and horrible about it. But this is not philosophy.
+Incredulity is the characteristic of the half-educated. It may be
+carried too far, and the fables of the vulgar have often a stratum of
+truth at the bottom. There is one thing that is almost intolerable,
+and that is the conceit of the &ldquo;closet-naturalist,&rdquo; who sneers at
+everything as untrue that seems to show the least <i>design</i> on the part
+of the brute creation&mdash;who denies everything that appears at all
+singular or fanciful, and simply because it appears so. With the
+truthful observations that have been made upon the curious domestic
+economy of such little creatures as bees, and wasps, and ants, we
+ought to be cautious how we reject statements about the habits of
+other animals, however strange they may appear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">268</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Who doubts that a mosquito will perch itself upon the skin of a human
+being, pierce it with its proboscis, and suck away until it is gorged
+with blood! Why does it appear strange that a bat should do the same?</p>
+
+<p>Now your closet-naturalist will believe that the bat <i>does</i> suck the
+blood of cattle and horses, but denies that it will attack man! This
+is sheer nonsense. What difference to the vampire, whether its
+victim be a biped or quadruped? Is it fear of the former that would
+prevent it from attacking him? Perhaps it may never have seen a
+human being before: besides, it attacks its victim while asleep, and
+is rarely ever caught or punished in the act. Where these creatures
+are much hunted or persecuted by man, they may learn to fear him,
+and their original habits may become changed, but that is quite
+another thing.</p>
+
+<p>As nature has formed them, the blood-sucking bats will make their
+attack indifferently, either upon man or large quadrupeds. There
+are a thousand proofs to be had in all the tropical regions of America.
+Every year animals are killed by the <i>phyllostoma hastatum</i>, not in
+hundreds, but in thousands. It is recorded that on one extensive
+cattle-farm several hundred head were killed in the short period of
+six months by the bats; and the vaqueros, who received a bounty
+upon every bat they should capture, in one year succeeded in destroying
+the enormous number of <i>seven thousand</i>! Indeed, &ldquo;bat-hunting&rdquo;
+is followed by some as a profession, so eager are the owners
+of the cattle-farms to get rid of these pests.</p>
+
+<p>Many tribes of Indians and travellers suffer great annoyance from
+the vampire-bats. Some persons never go to sleep without covering
+themselves with blankets, although the heat be ever so oppressive.
+Any part left naked will be attacked by the &ldquo;phyllostoma&rdquo;, but they
+seem to have a preference for the tip of the great toe&mdash;perhaps because
+they have found that part more habitually exposed. Sometimes
+one sleeper is &ldquo;cupped&rdquo; by them, while another will not be
+molested; and this, I may observe, is true also of the mosquitoes.
+There may be some difference as to the state of the blood of two individuals,
+that leads to this fastidious preference. Some are far more
+subject to their attack than others&mdash;so much so that they require to
+adopt every precaution to save themselves from being bled to death.
+Cayenne pepper rubbed over the skin is used to keep them off, and
+also to cure the wound they have made; but even this sometimes
+proves ineffective.</p>
+
+<p>Of course there are many species of bats in South America besides
+the vampire; in fact, there is no class of mammalia more numerous
+in genera and species, and no part of the world where greater numbers
+are found than in the tropical regions of America. Some are insect-eaters,
+while others live entirely on vegetable substances; but all have
+the same unsightly and repulsive appearance. The odour of some kinds
+is extremely fetid and disagreeable.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding this, they are eaten by many tribes of Indians,
+and even the French Creoles of Guiana have their &ldquo;bat-soup,&rdquo; which
+they relish highly. The proverb &ldquo;<i>De gustibus non disputandum est</i>,&rdquo;
+seems to be true for all time. The Spanish Americans have it in the phrase
+&ldquo;<i>Cada uno a su gusto</i>;&rdquo; &ldquo;<i>Chacun &agrave; son go&ucirc;t</i>,&rdquo; say the French;
+and on hearing these tales about &ldquo;ant-paste,&rdquo; and &ldquo;roast monkey,&rdquo;
+and &ldquo;armidillo done in the shell,&rdquo; and &ldquo;bat-soup,&rdquo; you, boy reader,
+will not fail to exclaim &ldquo;Every one to his liking.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">269</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The vampire appeared to be to Guapo's liking. It was now his
+turn to keep watch, and as the rest of them got into their hammocks,
+and lay awake for a while, they saw him take up the bat, spit it upon
+a forked stick, and commence broiling it over the fire. Of course <i>he
+ate it</i>!</p>
+
+<p>When morning came, and they had got up, what was their astonishment
+to see no less than fourteen bats lying side by side!
+They were dead, of course: Guapo had killed them all during his
+watch. They had appeared at one period of the night in alarming
+numbers, and Guapo had done battle manfully without awaking
+anybody.</p>
+
+<p>Another curious tableau came under their notice shortly after.
+Just as they were about to embark, a singular looking tree was observed
+growing near the bank of the river. At first they thought the tree
+was covered with birds'-nests, or pieces of some kind of moss. Indeed,
+it looked more like a tree hung over with rags than anything else.
+Curiosity led them to approach it. What was their astonishment to
+find that the nests, moss, or rags, were neither more or less than a
+vast assemblage of bats suspended, and asleep! They were hanging
+in all possible positions; some with their heads down, some by the
+claws upon either wing, and some by both, while a great many had
+merely hooked over the branch the little horny curvature of their
+tails. Some hung down along the trunk, suspended by a crack in the
+bark, while others were far out upon the branches.</p>
+
+<p>It was certainly the oddest &ldquo;roost&rdquo; that any of the party (Guapo,
+perhaps, excepted) had ever witnessed; and, after gazing at it for
+some time, they turned away without disturbing the sleepers, and
+getting on board once more, floated adown the stream swiftly and
+silently.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MARIMONDAS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hat day they made good progress, having dropped down the river
+a distance of fifty miles at least. They might even have gone farther,
+but a good camping-place offered, and they did not like to pass it, as
+they might not find another so convenient. It was a muddy bank,
+or rather a promontory that ran out into the river, and was entirely
+without trees, or any other vegetation, as it was annually overflowed,
+and formed, in fact, part of the bed of the river. At this time the
+mud was quite dry and smooth, and appeared as if it had been
+paddled and beaten down by the feet of animals and birds. This
+was, in fact, the case, for the point was a favourite resting-place for
+the &ldquo;chiguires,&rdquo; or &ldquo;capivaras,&rdquo; on their passage to and from the
+water. There were tracks of tapirs, too, and peccaries, and many
+sorts of wading birds, that had been there while the mud was still
+soft.</p>
+
+<p>There were no trees to which to hang their hammocks, but the
+ground was smooth and dry, and they could sleep well enough upon
+it. They would not be troubled with the bats, as these creatures
+keep mostly in the dark shadowy places of the forest; and snakes
+would not likely be found out on the bare ground. They thought
+they would there be safer from jaguars, too. In fact, it was from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">270</a></span>
+these considerations that they had chosen the place for their camp.
+They could go to the woods for an armful or two of sticks to cook
+supper with, and that would suffice.</p>
+
+<p>The balza was brought close in on the upper side of the promontory,
+so as to be out of the current; and then all landed and made
+their preparations for passing the night. Guapo marched off with
+his axe to get some firewood, and Leon accompanied him to assist
+in carrying it. They had not far to go&mdash;only a hundred yards or so,
+for up at the end of the promontory the forest began, and there
+were both large trees and underwood.</p>
+
+<p>As they walked forward one species of trees caught their attention.
+They were palm-trees, but of a sort they had not yet met with. They
+were very tall, with a thick, globe-shaped head of pinnate, plume-like
+leaves. But what rendered these trees peculiar was the stem.
+It was slender in proportion to the height of the tree, and was
+thickly covered with long needle-shaped spines, not growing irregularly,
+but set in bands, or rings, around the tree. This new palm
+was the &ldquo;pupunha,&rdquo; or &ldquo;peach-palm,&rdquo; as it is called, from the
+resemblance which its fruits bear to peaches. It is also named
+&ldquo;pirijao&rdquo; in other parts of South America, and it belongs to the
+genus &ldquo;<i>Gullielma</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>At the tops of these trees, under the great globe of leaves, Guapo
+and Leon perceived the nuts. They were hanging in clusters, as
+grapes grow; but the fruits were as large as apricots, of an oval,
+triangular shape, and of a beautiful reddish yellow colour. That
+they were delicious eating, either roasted or boiled, Guapo well
+knew; and he was determined that some of them should be served
+at supper. But how were they to be reached? No man could climb
+such a tree as they grew upon! The needles would have torn the
+flesh from any one who should have attempted it.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo knew this. He knew, moreover, that the Indians, who are
+very fond of the fruit of this tree,&mdash;so much so that they plant large
+<i>palmares</i> of it around their villages&mdash;have a way of climbing it to
+get at the ripe clusters. They tie cross pieces of wood from one tree
+to the other, and thus make a sort of step-ladder, by which they
+ascend to the fruit. It is true, they might easily cut down the trees,
+as the trunks are not very thick; but that would be killing the
+goose that gave the golden eggs.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, however, had no farther interest in this wild orchard than
+to make it serve his turn for that one night; so, laying his axe to
+one of the &ldquo;pupunhas,&rdquo; he soon levelled its majestic stem to the
+ground. Nothing more remained than to lop off the clusters, any one
+of which was as much as Leon could lift from the ground. Guapo
+found the wood hard enough even in its green state, but when old it
+becomes black, and is then so hard that it will turn the edge of an
+axe. There is, perhaps, no wood in all South America harder than
+that of the pirijao palm.</p>
+
+<p>It is with the needle-like spines of this species that many tribes of
+Indians puncture their skins in tattooing themselves, and other uses
+are made by them of different parts of this noble tree. The macaws,
+parrots, and other fruit-eating birds, are fonder of the nuts of the
+pupunha than perhaps any other species; and so, too, would be the
+fruit-eating quadrupeds if they could get at them. But the thorny
+trunk renders them quite inaccessible to all creatures without wings,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">271</a></span>
+excepting man himself. No; there is one other exception, and that
+is a creature closely allied to man, I mean the <i>monkey</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the thorny stem, which even man cannot scale
+without a contrivance; notwithstanding the apparently inaccessible
+clusters&mdash;inaccessible from their great height&mdash;there is a species of
+monkey that manages now and then to get a meal of them. How do
+these monkeys manage it? Not by climbing the stem, for the thorns
+are too sharp even for them. How then? Do the nuts fall to the
+ground and allow the monkeys to gather them? No. This is not the
+case. How then? We shall see!</p>
+
+<p>Guapo and Leon had returned to the camp, taking with them the
+pupunha fruit and the firewood. A fire was kindled, the cooking-pot
+hung over it on a tripod, and they all sat around to wait for its
+boiling.</p>
+
+<p>While thus seated, an unusual noise reached their ears coming
+from the woods. There were parrots and macaws among the palms
+making noise enough, and fluttering about, but it was not these.
+The noise that had arrested the attention of our travellers was a
+mixture of screaming, and chattering, and howling, and barking,
+as if there were fifty sorts of creatures at the making of it. The
+bushes, too, were heard &ldquo;switching about,&rdquo; and now and then a dead
+branch would crack, as if snapped suddenly. To a stranger in these
+woods such a blending of sounds would have appeared very mysterious
+and inexplicable. Not so to our party. They knew it was only
+a troop of monkeys passing along upon one of their journeys. From
+their peculiar cries, Guapo knew what kind of monkeys they were.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Marimondas</i>,&rdquo; he said.</p>
+
+<p>The marimondas are not true &ldquo;howlers,&rdquo; although they are of the
+same tribe as the &ldquo;howling monkeys.&rdquo; They belong to the genus
+<i>Ateles</i>, so called because they want the thumb, and are therefore
+<i>imperfect</i> or <i>unfinished</i> as regards the hands. But what the ateles
+want in hands is supplied by another member&mdash;the tail, and this
+they have to all perfection. It is to them a fifth hand, and apparently
+more useful than the other four. It assists them very materially in
+travelling through the tree-tops. They use it to bring objects
+nearer them. They use it to suspend themselves in a state of repose,
+and thus suspended, they sleep&mdash;nay more, thus suspended they often
+die! Of all the monkey tribe the ateles are those that have most
+prehensile power in their tails.</p>
+
+<p>There are several species of them known&mdash;the coaita, the white-faced,
+the black cayou, the beelzebub, the chamek, the black-handed,
+and the marimonda. The habits of all are very similar, though the
+species differ in size and colour.</p>
+
+<p>The marimonda is one of the largest of South American monkeys,
+being about three feet standing upon its hind-legs, with a tail of
+immense length, thick and strong near the root, and tapering to
+a point. On its under side, for the last foot or so from the end,
+there is no hair, but a callous skin, and this is the part used for
+holding on to the branches. The marimonda is far from being a
+handsome monkey. Its long, thin arms and thumbless hands give it
+an attenuated appearance, which is not relieved by the immense
+disproportioned tail. It is reddish, or of a parched coffee colour, on
+the upper part of the body, which becomes blanched on the throat,
+belly, and insides of the thighs. Its colour, in fact, is somewhat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">272</a></span>
+of the hue of the half-blood Indian and Negro,&mdash;hence the marimonda
+is known in some parts of Spanish America by the name of &ldquo;mono zambo,&rdquo;
+or &ldquo;zambo&rdquo; monkey&mdash;a &ldquo;zambo&rdquo; being the descendant
+of Indian and Negro parents.</p>
+
+<p>The noise made by the marimondas which had been heard by our
+party seemed to proceed from the bank of the river, some distance
+above the promontory; but it was evidently growing louder every
+minute, and they judged that the monkeys were approaching.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes they appeared in sight, passing along the upper
+part of a grove of trees that stood close to the water. Our travellers
+had now an excellent view of them, and they sat watching them
+with interest. Their mode of progression was extremely curious.
+They never came to the ground, but where the branches interlocked
+they ran from one to the other with the lightning speed of squirrels,
+or, indeed, like birds upon the wing.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes, however, the boughs stood far apart. Then the marimonda,
+running out as far as the branch would bear him, would
+wrap a few inches of his tail around it and spring off into the air.
+In the spring he would give himself such an impetus as would cause
+the branch to revolve, and his body following this circular motion,
+with the long thin arms thrown out in front, he would grasp the first
+branch that he could reach. This, of course, would land him on a
+new tree, and over that he would soon spring to the next.</p>
+
+<p>Among the troop several females were perceived with their young.
+The latter were carried on the backs of the mothers, where they
+held on by means of their own little tails, feeling perfectly secure.
+Sometimes the mothers would dismount them, and cause them to
+swing themselves from branch to branch, going before to show them
+the way. This was witnessed repeatedly. In other places, where
+the intervening space was too wide for the females with their young
+to pass over, the males could be seen bending down a branch of
+the opposite tree, so as to bring it nearer, and assist them in crossing.
+All these movements were performed amidst a constant
+gabble of conversation, and shouting, and chattering, and the noise
+of branches springing back to their places.</p>
+
+<p>The grove through which the troop was passing ended just by the
+edge of the promontory. The palm-trees succeeded, with some trees
+of large size that grew over them.</p>
+
+<p>The marimondas at length reached the margin of the grove, and
+then they were all seen to stop, most of them throwing themselves,
+heads down, and hanging only by their tails. This is the position in
+which they find themselves best prepared for any immediate action;
+and it is into this attitude they throw themselves when suddenly
+alarmed. They remained so for some minutes; and from the chattering
+carried on among them, it was evident that they were engaged in
+deliberation. A loud and general scream proclaimed the result; and
+all of them, at one and the same instant, dropped down to the ground,
+and were seen crossing over among the palm-trees.</p>
+
+<p>They had to pass over a piece of open ground with only some weeds
+upon it; but their helplessness on the ground was at once apparent.
+They could not place their palms on the surface, but doubled them
+up and walked, as it were, on the backs of their hands in the most
+awkward manner. Every now and again, they flung out their great
+tails, in hopes of grasping something that would help them along;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">273</a></span>
+and even a large weed was a welcome support to them. On the
+ground they were evidently &ldquo;out of their element.&rdquo; In fact, the
+<i>ateles</i> rarely descend from the trees, which are their natural
+<i>habitat</i>.</p>
+
+<p>At length they reached the palms; and, seated in various attitudes,
+looked up at the tempting fruit, all the while chattering away. How
+were they to reach it? Not a tree that was not covered with long
+needles&mdash;not a bunch of the luscious fruit that was not far above the
+height of the tallest marimonda! How were they to get at it?&mdash;that
+was the question. It might have been a puzzling question to so
+many boys&mdash;to the monkeys it was not; for in less than a score of
+seconds they had settled it in their minds how the pupunhas were to
+be plucked.</p>
+
+<p>Rising high over the palms grew a large tree, with long out-reaching
+branches. It was the &ldquo;zamang&rdquo; tree&mdash;a species of <i>mimosa</i>,
+and one of the most beautiful trees of South America. Its trunk
+rose full seventy feet without a branch; and then it spread out in
+every direction in numerous horizontal limbs, that forked and forked
+again until they became slender boughs. These branches were clad
+with the delicate pinnate leaves that characterise the family of the
+mimosas.</p>
+
+<p>Many of the pupunha palms grew under the shadow of this zamang,
+but not the tallest ones. These were farther out. There were some,
+however, whose tufted crowns reached within a few yards of the
+lower limbs of the mimosa.</p>
+
+<p>The monkeys, after a short consultation, were seen scampering up
+the zamang. Only some of the old and strong ones went&mdash;the rest
+remained watching below.</p>
+
+<p>From the earnestness of their looks it was evident they felt a lively
+interest in the result. So, too, did the party of travellers; for these
+watched so closely, that the pot was in danger of boiling over.</p>
+
+<p>The marimondas, having climbed the trunk, ran out upon the
+lowermost limbs, until they were directly above the palms. Then
+one or two were seen to drop off, and hang down by their tails. But,
+although, with their fore-arms at full stretch, they hung nearly five
+feet from the branch, they could not even touch the highest fronds
+of the palms, much less the fruit-clusters that were ten or twelve feet
+farther down. They made repeated attempts; suspending themselves
+over the very tallest palms, but all to no purpose.</p>
+
+<p>One would have supposed they would have given it up as a bad
+job. So thought Do&ntilde;a Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona. Don
+Pablo knew better by his reading, and Guapo by his experience.
+When they saw that no one of them could reach the nuts, several
+were seen to get together on one of the branches. After a moment
+one dropped down head-foremost as before, and hung at his full
+length. Another ran down the body of this one, and taking a turn
+of his tail round his neck and fore-arm, skipped off and also hung
+head downwards. A third joined himself on to the second in a
+similar manner, and then a fourth. The fore-arms of the fourth
+rested upon the fruit-cluster of the pupunha!</p>
+
+<p>The chain was now long enough for the purpose. In a few minutes
+the last monkey on the chain, with his teeth and hands, had separated
+the footstalk of the spathes, and the great clusters&mdash;two of them
+there were&mdash;fell heavily to the bottom of the tree. The marimondas<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">274</a></span>
+on the ground ran forward; and, in the midst of loud rejoicings
+began to pull off the &ldquo;peaches&rdquo; and devour them.</p>
+
+<p>But the monkeys above did not cease their labours. There were many
+mouths to feed, and they wanted more nuts. Without changing
+their position, they, by means of their arms and legs, threw
+themselves into a vibrating motion, and by this means the last on
+the string soon seized upon another pupunha, and also detached its
+fruit. In this way they continued, until they had stripped every
+tree within their reach; when, judging they had got enough, the
+lowermost monkey <i>climbed back upon himself</i>, then up his companions
+to the branch, and in the same style was followed by the other three
+in succession. As soon as they were clear of one another, the whole
+party came down by the trunk to the ground, and joined their comrades
+below in the luxurious repast.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MONKEY MOTHER.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ow you will, perhaps, imagine that Guapo, having sat so quiet
+during all this scene, had no desire for a bit of roast-monkey to
+supper. In that fancy, then, you would be quite astray from the
+truth. Guapo had a <i>strong</i> desire to eat roast marimonda that very
+night; and, had he not been held back by Don Pablo, he would
+never have allowed the monkeys to get quietly out of the zamang&mdash;for
+it being an isolated tree, it would have afforded him a capital
+opportunity of &ldquo;treeing&rdquo; them. His blow-gun had been causing his
+fingers to itch all the time; and as soon as Don Pablo and the rest
+were satisfied with observing the monkeys, Guapo set out, blow-gun,
+in hand, followed by Leon.</p>
+
+<p>There was no cover by which he might approach the group; and,
+therefore, no course was left for him but to run up as quickly forward
+as possible, and take his chance of getting a shot as they made off.</p>
+
+<p>This course he pursued; but, before he was within anything like
+fair range, the monkeys, uttering their shrill screams, scampered
+over the open ground, much faster than before, and took to the
+grove, from which they had approached the spot.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo followed at a slashing pace, and was soon under the trees,
+Leon at his heels. Here they were met by a shower of sticks, pieces
+of bark, half-eaten &ldquo;peaches,&rdquo; and something that was far less
+pleasant to their olfactory nerves! All these came from the tops of
+the trees&mdash;the very tallest ones&mdash;to which the monkeys had retreated,
+and where they were now hidden among the llianas and
+leaves.</p>
+
+<p>You may fancy that it is easy to pursue a troop of monkeys in a
+forest. But it is not easy&mdash;in most cases it is not <i>possible</i>. The
+tangled underwood below puts a stop to the chase at once, as the
+monkeys can make their way through the branches above much
+quicker than the hunter can through the creeping plants below.</p>
+
+<p>The pursuit would have been all up with Guapo, for the marimondas
+had soon got some way beyond the edge of the grove; but
+just as he was turning to sulk back, his keen Indian eye caught sight
+of one that was far behind the rest&mdash;so far, indeed, that it seemed
+determined to seek its safety rather by hiding than by flight. It had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">275</a></span>
+got under cover of a bunch of leaves, and there it lay quiet, uttering
+neither sound nor syllable. Guapo could just see a little bit of its
+side, and at this in an instant the gravat&aacute;na was pointed. Guapo's
+chest and cheeks were seen to swell out to their fullest extent, and
+off went the arrow. A shriek followed&mdash;the monkey was hit&mdash;beyond
+a doubt. Guapo coolly waited the result.</p>
+
+<p>A movement was visible among the leaves; the marimonda was
+seen to turn and double about, and pluck something from its side;
+and then the broken arrow came glancing among the twigs, and fell
+to the ground. The monkey was now perceived to be twisting and
+writhing upon the branches, and its wild death-screams was answered
+by the voices of the others farther off.</p>
+
+<p>At length its body was seen more distinctly; it no longer thought of
+concealment; but lay out along the limb; and the next moment it
+dropped off. It did not fall to the ground, though. It had no design
+of gratifying its cruel destroyer to that extent. No; it merely
+dropped to the end of its tail, which, lapped over the branch, held it
+suspended. A few convulsive vibrations followed, and it hung down
+dead!</p>
+
+<p>Guapo was thinking in what way he might get it down, for he
+knew that unless he could reach it by some means, it would hang
+there until the weather rotted it off, or until some preying bird or
+the tree-ants had eaten it. He thought of his axe&mdash;the tree was not
+a very thick one, and it was a soft-wood tree. It would be worth the
+labour of cutting it down.</p>
+
+<p>He was about turning away to get the axe, when his eye was
+attracted by the motion of some object near the monkey.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Another!&rdquo; he muttered, and sure enough, another,&mdash;a little tiny-creature,&mdash;ran
+out from among the leaves, and climbed down the tail
+and body of the one already shot, threw it arms around her neck and
+whined piteously. It was the young one&mdash;Guapo had shot the
+mother!</p>
+
+<p>The sight filled Leon with pity and grief; but Guapo knew nothing
+of these sentiments. He had already inserted another arrow into his
+gravat&aacute;na, and was raising his tube to bend it, when, all at once,
+there was a loud rustling among the leaves above&mdash;a large marimonda
+that had returned from the band was seen springing out upon the
+branch&mdash;he was the husband and father!</p>
+
+<p>He did not pause a moment. Instinct or quick perception taught
+him that the female was dead: his object was to save the young one.</p>
+
+<p>He threw his long tail down, and grasped the little creature in its
+firm hold, jerked it upward; and then mounting it on his back, bore
+it off among the branches!</p>
+
+<p>All this passed so quickly, that Guapo had not time to deliver his
+second arrow. Guapo saw them no more.</p>
+
+<p>The Indian, however, was not to be cheated out of his supper of
+roasted-monkey. He walked quietly back for his axe; and bringing
+it up, soon felled the tree, and took the marimond mother with him
+to the camp.</p>
+
+<p>His next affair was to skin it, which he did by stripping the pelt
+from the head, arms, legs, and all; so that after being skinned, the
+creature bore a most hideous resemblance to a child!</p>
+
+<p>The process of cooking came next, and this Guapo made more
+tedious than it might have been, as he was resolved to dress the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">276</a></span>
+marimonda after the manner practised by the Indians, and which by
+them is esteemed the best. He first built a little stage out of split
+laths of the pupunha palm. For this a hard wood that will resist
+fire a long time is necessary, and the pupunha was just the thing.</p>
+
+<p>Under this stage Guapo kindled a fire of dry wood, and upon the
+laths he placed his monkey in a sitting posture, with its arms crossed
+in front, and its head resting upon them. The fire was then blown
+upon, until it became a bright blaze, which completely enveloped the
+half-upright form of the monkey. There was plenty of smoke; but
+this is nothing in the eyes of a South American Indian, many of
+whom prefer the &ldquo;smoky flavour&rdquo; in a roast monkey.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo had now no more to do, but wait patiently until the body
+should be reduced to a black and charred mass, for this is the condition
+in which it is eaten by these strange people. When thus
+cooked, the flesh becomes so dry that it will keep for months without
+spoiling.</p>
+
+<p>The white people who live in the <i>monkey countries</i> eat roast monkey
+as well as the Indians. Many of them, in fact, grow very fond of it.
+They usually dress it, however, in a different manner. They take off
+the head and hands before bringing it to the table; so that the
+&ldquo;child-like&rdquo; appearance is less perceptible.</p>
+
+<p>Some species of monkeys are more delicate food than others, and
+there are some kinds that <i>white</i> monkey-eaters will not touch.</p>
+
+<p>As for the Indians, it seems with them to be &ldquo;all fish,&rdquo; &amp;c.; and
+they devour all kinds indifferently, whether they be &ldquo;howlers,&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;ateles,&rdquo; or &ldquo;capuchins,&rdquo; or &ldquo;ouistitis,&rdquo; or &ldquo;sajous,&rdquo; or &ldquo;sakis,&rdquo; or
+whatever sort. In fact, among many Indian tribes, monkey stands
+in the same place that mutton does in England; and they consider
+it their staple article of flesh meat. Indeed, in these parts, no other
+animal is so common as the monkey; and, with the exception of
+birds and fish, they have little chance of getting any other species of
+animal food. The best &ldquo;Southdown&rdquo; would, perhaps, be as distasteful
+to them as monkey meat would be to you; so here again we are
+met by that same eternal proverb,&mdash;<i>Chacun &agrave; son go&ucirc;t</i>.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">G</span>uapo sat by the fire patiently awaiting the &ldquo;doing&rdquo; of the marimonda.
+The rest had eaten their supper, and were seated some
+distance apart. They were looking out upon the broad river, and
+watching the movements of the various birds. They could see tall
+scarlet flamingoes on the farther shore, and smaller birds of the ibis
+kind. They could see the &ldquo;tiger crane,&rdquo; so called from its colour and
+spots resembling the markings of the jaguar. Among some tall
+canes on the banks the &ldquo;ciganos,&rdquo; or gipsy birds, fluttered about with
+their great crest, looking like so many pheasants, but far inferior to
+these creatures in their flesh. In fact, the flesh of the &ldquo;cigano&rdquo; is so
+bitter and disagreeable that even <i>Indians will not eat it</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Sitting upon a naked branch that projected over the water they
+noticed the solitary sky-blue king-fisher. Over the water swept the
+great harpy eagle&mdash;also a fisher like his white-headed cousin of the
+North; and now and then flocks of muscovy ducks made the air<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">277</a></span>
+resound with their strong broad wings. They saw also the &ldquo;boat-bill,&rdquo;
+or &ldquo;crab-eater,&rdquo; a curious wading bird of the heron kind, with
+a large bill shaped like two boats laid with their concave sides
+against each other. This, like the king-fisher, sat solitarily upon a
+projecting stump, now and then dashing into the shallow water, and
+scooping up the small fishes, frogs, and crustacea with its huge
+mandibles.</p>
+
+<p>Another curious bird was observed, which had something of the
+appearance of the water-hen&mdash;to which kind it is also assimilated in
+its habits. It was the &ldquo;faithful jacana&rdquo; or &ldquo;chuza,&rdquo; as it is called in
+some places. There are several species of &ldquo;jacana&rdquo; in South America,
+and also some species in the tropical countries of the East. That
+known as the &ldquo;faithful jacana&rdquo; has a body about the size of a
+common fowl; but its legs and neck are longer, so that when standing
+it is a foot and a half in height. The body is of a brownish colour;
+and there is a crest of twelve black feathers on the nape of the
+neck, three inches in length. At the bend of the wings there are
+horny spurs, half an inch long, with which the bird can defend itself
+when attacked. It is, however, a pacific bird, and only uses them in
+defence.</p>
+
+<p>The most singular character of the jacana is its long toes and
+claws. There are four upon each foot: three in front, and one
+directed backwards, and when standing these cover a base nearly as
+large as the body of the bird; and, indeed, upon ordinary ground
+they interfere with the freedom of its walking. But these spreading
+feet were not designed for ordinary ground. They were given it to
+enable it to pass lightly over the leaves of water-lilies, and other
+yielding surfaces, through which a narrow-footed bird would at once
+sink. Of course, as nature designed them for this purpose, they
+answer admirably, and the jacana skims along the surface of lily-covered
+ponds or streams without sinking. From the leaves it picks
+up such insects and larv&aelig; as lodge there, and which form its principal
+food.</p>
+
+<p>The jacana utters a singular cry when alarmed. It remains silent
+during the whole day, and also at night, unless disturbed by the approach
+of some danger, when it utters its &ldquo;alarm cry.&rdquo; So quick is
+its ear, that it can detect the least noise or rustling caused by any
+one approaching. For this reason some tribes of Indians have tamed
+the jacana, and use it as a sentinel or &ldquo;watch-dog,&rdquo; to apprise them
+of the approach of their enemies during the darkness of the night.
+Another use is also made of it by the Spanish-Americans. It is
+tamed and allowed to go about along with the domestic poultry.
+When these are attacked by hawks or other birds of prey, the jacana
+defends them with its sharp wing-spurs, and generally succeeds in
+beating off the enemy. It never deserts the flock, but accompanies
+it in all its movements, and will defend its charge with great fury
+and courage.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the water-birds which were noticed by our travellers, many
+kinds were seen by them upon the shore and fluttering among the
+trees. There were parrots in flocks, and macaws in pairs&mdash;for these
+birds usually go in twos&mdash;there were trogons, and great billed toucans,
+and their kindred the aracaris; and there, too, were &ldquo;umbrella-chatterers,&rdquo;
+of which there is a species quite white; and upon a
+fruit-covered tree, not far off, they saw a flock of the snow-white<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">278</a></span>
+&ldquo;bell-birds&rdquo; (<i>Casmarhynchos</i>). These are about as large as blackbirds,
+with broad bills, from the base of which grows a fleshy tubercle
+that hangs down to the length of nearly three inches, like that of the
+turkey-cock. The name of &ldquo;bell-birds&rdquo; is given to them on account
+of the clear, bell-like ring of their note, which they utter about the
+middle of the day, when most other creatures of the tropical world
+are in silence or asleep.</p>
+
+<p>Of course Don Pablo as a naturalist was interested in all those
+birds, and observed their habits and movements with attention.
+There was none of them about which he had not some strange story
+to tell, and in this way he was beguiling the after-supper hour. It
+was too early for them to go to rest&mdash;indeed it was not quite sunset;
+and Guapo for one had not yet had his supper, although that meal
+was now very near at hand. The marimonda was becoming charred
+and black, and would soon be ready for mastication.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo sat by the fire, now and again raking up the cinders with a
+long pole which he held in his hand, while his eyes from time to time
+rested on the marimonda that was directly in front of him, <i>vis-&agrave;-vis</i>.</p>
+
+<p>At length the monkey appeared to him to be &ldquo;done to a turn,&rdquo; and
+with his <i>machet&eacute;</i> in one hand, and a forked stick in the other, he was
+just bending forward to lift it off the fire, when, to his horror, the
+ground was felt to move beneath him, causing him to stagger, and
+almost throwing him from his feet! Before he could recover himself,
+the surface again heaved up, and a loud report was heard, like the
+explosion of some terrible engine. Then another upheaval&mdash;another
+report&mdash;the ground opened into a long fissure&mdash;the staging of palms,
+and the half-burned cinders, and the charred monkey, were flung in
+all directions, and Guapo himself went sprawling upon his back!</p>
+
+<p>Was it an earthquake? So thought the others, who were now on
+their feet running about in great consternation&mdash;the females screaming
+loudly. So, too, thought Guapo for the moment.</p>
+
+<p>Their belief in its being an earthquake, however, was of short
+duration. The shocks continued; the dried mud flew about in large
+pieces, and the burnt wood and splinters were showered in the air.
+The smoke of these covered the spot, and prevented a clear view; but
+through the smoke the terrified spectators could perceive that some
+large body was in motion&mdash;apparently struggling for life! In another
+moment it broke through the bending stratum of mud, causing a long
+rift, and there was displayed before their eyes the hideous form of a
+gigantic crocodile!</p>
+
+<p>Though not quite so terrible as an earthquake, it was a fearful
+monster to behold. It was one of the largest, being nearly twenty
+feet in length, with a body thicker than that of a man. Its immense
+jaws were of themselves several feet long, and its huge tusks, plainly
+seen, gave it a most frightful appearance. Its mouth was thrown
+open, as though it gasped for air, and a loud bellowing proceeded
+from its throat that sounded like a cross between the grunting of a
+hog and the lowing of a bull.</p>
+
+<p>The air was filled with a strong musky odour, which emanated from
+the body of the animal; and, what with the noise made by the
+crocodile itself, the screams and shouts of the party, the yelling of the
+various birds&mdash;for they, too, had taken up the cue&mdash;there was for
+some moments an utter impossibility of any voice being heard above
+the rest. It was, indeed, a scene of confusion. Don Pablo and his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">279</a></span>
+companions were running to and fro&mdash;Guapo was tumbling about
+where he had fallen&mdash;and the great lizard was writhing and flapping
+his tail, so that pots, pans, half-burnt faggots, and even Guapo's
+monkey, were being knocked about in every direction.</p>
+
+<p>Of course such a violent scene could not be of long duration. It
+must end one way or the other. Guapo, who soon came to himself,
+now that he saw what it was that had pitched him over, had already
+conceived a plan for terminating it. He ran for his axe, which
+fortunately lay out of the range of the crocodile's tail, and having
+laid his hands upon it, he approached in a stealthy manner with the
+intention of striking a blow.</p>
+
+<p>He directed himself towards the root of the reptile's tail, for he
+knew that that was the only place where a blow of the axe would
+cripple it; but, just as he was getting within reach, the crocodile
+suddenly shifted himself round, making his tail fly like a piece of
+sprung whalebone. Guapo leaped hastily back&mdash;as hastily, I will
+make bold to say, as any Indian of his years could have done, but not
+quick enough to clear himself quite. He wanted about eight inches;
+but in this case inches were as good as miles for the crocodile's purpose,
+for about eight inches of the tip of his tail came &ldquo;smack&rdquo; across
+Guapo's naked shins, and sent the old Indian head over heels.</p>
+
+<p>It was just an accident that Guapo's shanks were not broken like
+sticks of sealing-wax; and had the blow been directed with the
+crocodile's full force, such would have been the unhappy result. As
+it was they were only &ldquo;scratched,&rdquo; and Guapo, leaping to his feet,
+ran to recover his axe, for that weapon had flown several yards out of
+his hands at the blow.</p>
+
+<p>By the time he laid hold of it, however, the <i>saurian</i>, was no longer
+on dry ground. His newly-opened eyes&mdash;opened, perhaps, for the
+first time for months&mdash;caught sight of the water close by, and crawling
+forward a step or two, he launched his ugly, mud-bedaubed carcass
+into the welcome element. The next moment he had dived, and was
+out of sight.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">G</span>uapo was in no humour for enjoying the conversation of that evening.
+The crocodile had &ldquo;choused&rdquo; him out of his favourite supper.
+The monkey was literally knocked to &ldquo;smithereens,&rdquo; and the pieces
+that still adhered together were daubed all over with mud. It wasn't
+fit meat&mdash;even for an Indian&mdash;and Guapo had to content himself with
+a dried plantain and a stew of jerked horse-flesh.</p>
+
+<p>Of course Don Pablo and the rest examined with curiosity the great
+hole in the mud that had contained the crocodile. There it had lain
+during months of the dry season in a state of torpidity, and would,
+no doubt, have remained still longer, but that it was aroused by the
+big fire that Guapo had built over it. The irritation produced by this
+had been the cause of its sudden resurrection, for the crocodiles that
+thus bury themselves usually come out after the beginning of the
+heavy rains.</p>
+
+<p>It was a true long-snouted crocodile, as Don Pablo had observed in
+the short opportunity he had had; and not an alligator&mdash;for it must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">280</a></span>
+be here remarked, that the true crocodile is found in many parts of
+Spanish America, and also in many of the West Indian Islands. For
+a long time it was believed that only alligators existed in America,
+and that the crocodiles were confined to the Eastern Continent. It
+is now known that at least one species of crocodile is an American
+animal, and several distinct species of alligators are inhabitants of
+the New World.</p>
+
+<p>There is the alligator of the Mississippi&mdash;which is the &ldquo;ca&iuml;man&rdquo; or
+&ldquo;cayman&rdquo; of the Spanish Americans; there is the spectacled alligator,
+a southern species, so called from a pair of rings around its
+eyes having a resemblance to spectacles; and there is a still smaller
+species called the &ldquo;bava,&rdquo; which is found in Lake Valencia, and in
+many South American rivers. The last kind is much hunted by the
+Indians, who, although they eat parts of all these creatures, are fonder
+of the flesh of the bava than of any of the others.</p>
+
+<p>They had not intended to keep watch this night, as the naked
+promontory seemed to be a safe place to sleep upon; but now, after
+their adventure with the crocodile, they changed their minds, and
+they resolved to mount guard as before. The monster might easily
+crawl out of the water again, and, judging from the size of his
+mouth, it is not improbable to suppose that he might have swallowed
+one of the smaller individuals of the party at a single effort. Lest
+he might return to use either his teeth or his tail, the watch was
+set as on other nights&mdash;Leon taking the first turn, Guapo the second,
+and Don Pablo sitting it out till daybreak. The night passed
+through, however, without any unusual disturbance; and although
+an occasional plunge was heard in the water close by, no more was
+seen of the crocodile until morning.</p>
+
+<p>I have said <i>until</i> morning&mdash;for he was seen then. Yes! indeed.
+That beauty was not going to let them off without giving them
+another peep at him&mdash;not he.</p>
+
+<p>They were awake and up before day; and as the fire had been kept
+burning all night, they had now nothing more to do than rake up
+the embers, and hang on the coffee-kettle. It was not yet bright
+day when breakfast was already cooked, and they sat down to eat
+it.</p>
+
+<p>While engaged in this operation, they noticed a string of flamingoes
+on the muddy promontory, at the end where it joined the land.
+They were ranged in line, like soldiers, some of them balanced on one
+long thin leg, as these birds do. They appeared in the grey light to be
+unusually tall; but when it became a little clearer, our travellers
+could perceive that they were not upon the ground, but standing
+upon an old log. This, of course, made them look taller. They
+were just in the very track by which Guapo and Leon had passed to
+get the wood the evening before. Now, neither Guapo nor Leon
+remembered any log. They were certain there was none there, else
+they would have cut it up for firewood, that was a sure thing; and
+it was very mysterious who could have rolled a log there during the
+night!</p>
+
+<p>While discussing this point it became clearer; and, to the astonishment
+of all, what they had taken to be an old log turned out to be
+nothing else than their old friend the crocodile! I have said to the
+astonishment of all&mdash;that is not strictly correct. Guapo saw nothing
+to astonish him in that sight. He had witnessed a similar one many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">281</a></span>
+a time, and so does every one who travels either on the Amazon or
+the Orinoco.</p>
+
+<p>These flamingoes were perfectly safe, so far as the crocodile was
+concerned, and they knew it. As long as they kept out of the reach
+of his jaws and tail, he could not hurt them. Although he could
+bend himself to either side, so as to &ldquo;kiss&rdquo; the tip of his own tail, he
+could not reach any part of his back, exert himself as he might. This
+the flamingoes and other birds well know, and these creatures being
+fond of a place to perch upon, often avail themselves of the long
+serrated back of the crocodile, or the ca&iuml;man.</p>
+
+<p>As the day became brighter the flamingoes sat still&mdash;not appearing
+to be alarmed by the movements at the camp, which was about an
+hundred yards distant from their perch. It was likely they had
+never been frightened by the hunter, for these birds in districts
+where they are hunted are exceedingly shy. All at once, however,
+as if by a given signal, the whole flock rose together, and flew off
+with loud screams. The crocodile, too, was seen to move, but it was
+not this which had scared them off. It was after they had gone that
+he had stirred himself; and even, had it not been so, they would not
+have regarded his movements, as these birds are often seen perched
+upon a <i>crawling</i> crocodile!</p>
+
+<p>No. Something else had affrighted them, and that was a noise in
+the bushes beyond, which was now distinctly heard at the camp.
+There was a rustling of leaves and a crackling of branches, as if more
+than one creature made the noise. So it appeared, for the next
+moment nearly a score of animals dashed out of the bushes, and ran
+on towards the water.</p>
+
+<p>These creatures were odd enough to fix the attention of the party
+at the camp. They were about the size of small hogs&mdash;very much of
+the same build&mdash;and covered with a thin sandy bristly hair, just like
+some hogs are. They were not &ldquo;pig-headed,&rdquo; however. Their heads
+were exactly like those of the grey rabbit, and instead of hoofs they
+were toed and clawed. This gave them altogether a lighter appearance
+than hogs, and yet they did not run as fast, although when
+first noticed they appeared to be doing their best.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers knew them at once, for they were animals that are
+common upon the rivers in all the warm parts of South America.
+They were &ldquo;<i>capivaras</i>,&rdquo; or &ldquo;chiguires,&rdquo; as they are also called. These
+creatures are peculiar to the American continent. They are, in fact,
+&ldquo;guinea-pigs&rdquo; on a large scale, and bear the greatest resemblance
+to those well-known animals, except in size and colour; for the
+capivaras are of uniform sandy brown.</p>
+
+<p>They are of the same genus as the guinea-pigs, though the systematizers
+have put them into a separate one, and have also made a
+third genus to suit another animal of very similar shape and habits.
+This is the &ldquo;moco,&rdquo; which is between the guinea-pig and capivara in
+size, and of a greyish olive colour. All three are natives of South
+America, and in their wild state are found only there, though from
+the absurd name &ldquo;guinea-pig,&rdquo; you may be led to think that this
+little creature came originally from Africa.</p>
+
+<p>The three are all &ldquo;rodent&rdquo; animals, and the capivara is the largest
+&ldquo;rodent&rdquo; that is known. It, moreover, is amphibious, quite as much
+so as the tapir, and is found only near the banks of rivers. It is
+more at home in the water than on dry land, or perhaps it has more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">282</a></span>
+numerous enemies on land; though, poor, persecuted creature! it is
+not without some in either element, as will be seen by what follows.</p>
+
+<p>The drove of the capivaras counted nearly a score, and they were
+making for the water as fast as their legs could carry them. The
+crocodile lay directly across their path, but their black eyes, large
+and prominent, seemed to be occupied with something behind; and
+they had run up almost against the body of the reptile before they
+saw it. Uttering a sort of squeak they made a half-pause. Some
+sprang up and leaped over&mdash;others attempted to go round. All
+succeeded except one; but the crocodile, on seeing their approach&mdash;no
+doubt it was for this he had been in wait all the morning&mdash;had
+thrown himself into the form of a half-moon; and as they passed
+he let fly at them. His powerful tail came &ldquo;flap&rdquo; against the
+nearest, and it was pitched several yards, where, after a kick or two,
+it lay upon its side as dead as a herring, a door-nail, or even Julius
+C&aelig;sar&mdash;take your choice.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he chiguires that escaped past the crocodile, the next instant
+plunged into the river, and disappeared under the water. They
+would come to the surface for breath in ten or twelve minutes, but
+at such a distance off that they needed no longer fear pursuit from
+the same enemy.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers took no notice of them from the moment they were
+fairly out of the bushes. They saw that the crocodile had knocked
+one of them over; but the eyes of Guapo and Don Pablo were
+directed upon a different place&mdash;the point at which the chiguires had
+sallied out of the underwood. These knew that the animals had
+not issued forth in their natural way, as if they were going to the
+stream to drink, or in search of food. No&mdash;quite different. Their
+bristles were erect&mdash;they were excited&mdash;they were terrified&mdash;beyond
+a doubt they were pursued!</p>
+
+<p>Who or what was their pursuer? It might be an ocelot, or the
+yaguarundi, or some one of the smaller cats; for many of these prey
+on the defenceless capivara. It <i>might</i> be one of these, thought Don
+Pablo and Guapo; but what if it was not? What else could it be?
+What else? <i>The jaguar!</i></p>
+
+<p>It <i>was</i> the jaguar? As they stood gazing with looks full of
+apprehension, the leaves of the underwood were seen to move, and
+then a beautiful but terrible object, the spotted head of a jaguar,
+was thrust forth. It remained a moment as if reconnoitring, and
+then the whole body, bright and glistening, glided clear of the
+leaves, and stood boldly out in front of the underwood. Here it
+halted another moment&mdash;only a moment. The crocodile had turned
+itself, and was about closing its jaws upon the body of the chiguire,
+when the jaguar seeing this, uttered a loud scream, and making one
+bound forward, seized the dead animal almost at the same instant.</p>
+
+<p>They were now face to face,&mdash;the great lizard and the great cat;
+and their common prey was between them. Each had a firm hold
+with his powerful jaws, and each appeared determined to keep
+what he had got. The yellow eyes of the jaguar seemed to flash fire,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">283</a></span>
+and the black sunken orbs of the saurian glared with a lurid and
+deadly light. It was a terrible picture to look upon.</p>
+
+<p>For some seconds both remained apparently gazing into each
+other's eyes, and firmly holding the prey between them. The tail
+of the jaguar vibrated in sudden angry jerks, while that of the
+crocodile lay bent into a semicircle, as if ready to be sprung at
+a moment's notice.</p>
+
+<p>This inaction did not last long. The fury of the jaguar was
+evidently on the increase. He was indignant that he, the king of
+the American forest, should thus meet with opposition to his will;
+and, indeed, the crocodile was about the only creature in all the
+wide Monta&ntilde;a that dare oppose him in open fight. But he was
+determined to conquer even this enemy, and for that purpose he
+prepared himself.</p>
+
+<p>Still holding on to the capivara, and watching his opportunity,
+he sprang suddenly forward, throwing one of his great paws far in
+advance. His object was to <i>claw the eye</i> of his adversary; for he
+well knew that the latter was vulnerable neither upon its long
+snout, nor its gaunt jaws, nor even upon the tough scaly skin of its
+throat. Its eyes alone could be injured, and these were the objects
+of the jaguar's attack.</p>
+
+<p>The thrust was a failure. The crocodile had anticipated such
+a man&#339;uvre, and suddenly raising himself on his fore-legs, threw up
+one of his great scaly hands and warded off the blow. The jaguar
+fearing to be clutched between the strong fore-arms of the saurian,
+drew back to his former position.</p>
+
+<p>This man&#339;uvre, and its counter-man&#339;uvre, were repeated several
+times, and although each time the struggle lasted a little longer
+than before, and there was a good deal of lashing of tails and tearing
+of teeth, and scratching of claws, still neither of the combatants
+seemed to gain any great advantage. Both were now at the height
+of their fury, and a third enemy approaching the spot would not
+have been heeded by either.</p>
+
+<p>From the first the head of the crocodile had been turned to the
+water, from which he was not distant over ten feet. He had, in fact,
+been carrying his prey towards it when he was interrupted by the
+attack of the jaguar; and now at every fresh opportunity he was
+pushing on, bit by bit, in that direction. He knew that in his own
+proper element he would be more than a match for his spotted
+assailant, and no doubt he might have escaped from the contest by
+surrendering his prey. Had he been a smaller crocodile he would
+have been only too glad to have done so; but trusting to his size
+and strength, and perhaps not a little to the justice of his cause, he
+was determined not to go without taking the capivara along with
+him.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguar, on the other hand, was just as determined he should
+not. He, too, had some rights. The capivara would not have been
+killed so easily, had he not frightened it from behind; besides, the
+crocodile was out of his element. He was poaching on the domain
+of the forest monarch.</p>
+
+<p>Bit by bit, the crocodile was gaining ground&mdash;at each fresh pause
+in the struggle he was forging forward, pushing the chiguire before
+him, and of course causing his antagonist to make ground backwards.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguar at length felt his hind-feet in the water; and this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">284</a></span>
+seemed to act upon him like a shock of electricity. All at once he
+let go his hold of the capivara, ran a few feet forward, and then
+flattening his body along the ground, prepared himself for a mighty
+spring. Before a second had passed, he launched his body high into
+the air, and descended upon the back of the crocodile just over his
+fore-shoulders! He did not settle there, but ran nimbly down the
+back of the saurian towards its hinder part, and its claws could
+be heard rattling against its scaly skin.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment more he was seen close-squatted along the crocodile's
+body, and with his teeth tearing fiercely at the root of its tail. He
+knew that after the eyes this was the most vulnerable part of his
+antagonist, and if he had been allowed but a few minutes' time, he
+would soon have disabled the crocodile; for to have seriously
+wounded the root of his tail, would have been to have destroyed his
+essential weapon of offence.</p>
+
+<p>The jaguar would have succeeded had the encounter occurred only
+a dozen yards farther from the water. But the crocodile was close
+to the river's edge, and perceiving the advantage against him, and
+that there was no hope of dismounting his adversary, he dropped
+the capivara, and crawling forward, plunged into the water. When
+fairly launched, he shot out from the shore like an arrow, carrying
+the jaguar along, and the next moment he had dived to the depth of
+the stream. The water was lashed into foam by the blows of his feet
+and tail; but in the midst of the froth, the yellow body of the jaguar
+was seen rising to the surface, and after turning once or twice, as if
+searching for his hated enemy, the creature headed for the bank and
+climbed out. He stood for a moment looking back into the stream.
+He appeared less cowed than angry and disappointed. He seemed
+to vow a future revenge; and then seizing the half-torn carcass of
+the capivara, he threw it lightly over his shoulder and trotted off
+into the thicket.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers had not watched this scene either closely or continuously.
+They had been too busy all the time. From its commencement
+they had been doing all in their power to get away from
+the spot; for they dreaded lest the jaguar might either first overpower
+the crocodile and then attack them, or being beaten off by
+the latter, might take it into his head to revenge himself by killing
+whatever he could. With these apprehensions, therefore, they had
+hastily carried everything aboard, and drawing in their cable, pushed
+the balza from the shore. When the fight came to an end, they had
+got fairly into the current, and just as the jaguar disappeared, the
+raft was gliding swiftly down the broad and rippling stream.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XL.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>or several days they voyaged down-stream, without any occurrence
+of particular interest. Once or twice they saw Indians upon the
+shore; but these, instead of putting off in their canoes, seemed
+frightened at so large a craft, and remained by their &ldquo;maloccas,&rdquo; or
+great village-houses, in each of which several families live together.
+Not caring to have any dealings with them, our travellers were only
+too glad to get past without molestation; and, therefore, when they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">285</a></span>
+passed any place where they thought they observed the signs of
+Indians on the bank, they kept on for hours after, without stopping.</p>
+
+<p>A curious incident occurred one evening as they were bringing the
+balza to her moorings, which compelled them to drop a little farther
+down-stream, and, in fact, almost obliged them to float all night,
+which would have been a dangerous matter, as the current at the
+place happened to be sharp and rapid.</p>
+
+<p>They had been on the look-out for some time for a good camping-place,
+as it was their usual hour to stop. No opening, however, appeared
+for several miles. The banks on both sides were thickly-wooded
+to the river's edge, and the branches of the trees even
+drooped into the water. At length they came in sight of a natural
+raft that had been formed by driftwood in a bend of the stream;
+and as the logs lay thickly together, and even piled upon each other,
+it appeared an excellent place to encamp on. It was, at all events,
+better than to attempt to penetrate the thick jungles which met
+them everywhere else; and so the balza was directed towards the
+raft, and soon floated alongside it.</p>
+
+<p>They had already got ashore on the raft, which was dry and firm,
+and would have served their purpose well enough; when, all at
+once, Guapo was heard uttering one of those exclamations, which
+showed that all was not right. The rest looked towards him for
+an explanation. He was standing by the edge of the floating
+timber, just where the balza touched it, with his arms stretched out
+in an attitude that betokened trouble. They all ran up. They saw
+what was the matter at a glance. Thousands of red ants were
+climbing from the raft to the balza! Thousands,&mdash;nay, it would be
+nearer the truth to say millions!</p>
+
+<p>At one glance Don Pablo saw that it would be a terrible calamity,
+should these creatures gain a lodgment on the balza. Not only were
+they the dreaded stinging ants, but in a short time nothing on board
+would be left. In a few hours they would have eaten all his stores,&mdash;his
+bark, his vanilla, and his roots. Already quite a number had got
+upon the canoe, and were crossing it toward the body of the balza.</p>
+
+<p>Without saying another word, he ordered all to get on board as
+quickly as possible, each taking some utensil that had already been
+carried on shore. He and Guapo flew to the poles; and, having
+hastily unfastened and drawn in the cable, they pushed the balza
+out into the stream. Then while Guapo managed the great oar, Don
+Pablo, assisted by Leon and by Do&ntilde;a Isidora, went to work with
+scoops and pails, dashing water upon the ants; until every one of
+them had disappeared, drowned in the canoe or washed off into the
+river. Fortunate for them, they had observed this strange enemy
+in time. Had they not done so&mdash;in other words, had they gone to
+sleep, leaving the balza where it was during the night&mdash;they would
+have awakened in the morning to find their stores completely destroyed,
+their labour of a year brought to nothing in the space of a
+single night. This is no uncommon occurrence to the merchant or
+the colonist of tropical America.</p>
+
+<p>They had made a narrow escape, but a fortunate one. They were
+not without their troubles, however. No open ground could be found
+for miles below; and, as it was growing dark, they approached the
+thickly-wooded bank; and, after a good deal of scratching among
+the branches, at length succeeded in making the cable fast to a tree.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">286</a></span>
+The balza then swung round, and floated at the end of the cable,
+half of it being buried under the long hanging branches.</p>
+
+<p>They spent their night on board, for it was no use attempting to
+to get on shore through the underwood; and even if they had, they
+could not have encamped very comfortably in a thicket. On the
+other hand, the balza did not afford the best accommodation for
+sleeping. The little &ldquo;toldo,&rdquo; or cabin, was not large enough to swing
+a hammock in. It would only contain a few persons seated close together;
+and it had been built more for the purpose of keeping the
+sun off during the hot hours of the day than for sleeping in. The
+rest of the balza was occupied with the freight; and this was so
+arranged with sloping sides, thatched with the bussu-leaves, that
+there was no level place where one could repose upon it. The night,
+therefore, was passed without very much sleep having been obtained
+by any one of the party. Of course, the moment the first streaks of
+day began to appear along the Eastern sky, they were all awake and
+ready to leave their disagreeable anchorage.</p>
+
+<p>As they were making preparations to untie the cable, they noticed
+that just below where the balza lay, a horizontal limb stretched far
+out over the river. It was the lowermost limb of a large zamang-tree,
+that stood on the bank close to the edge of the water. It was
+not near the surface, but a good many feet above. Still it was not
+certain that it was high enough for the roof of the toldo to clear it.
+That was an important question; for although the current was not
+very rapid just there, it was sufficiently so to carry the balza under
+this branch before they could push it out into the stream. Once the
+cable was let go, they must inevitably pass under the limb of the
+zamang; and if that caught the toldo, it would sweep off the frail
+roof like so much spider's-web. This would be a serious damage;
+and one to be avoided, if possible.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo and Guapo went to the end of the balza nearest the
+branch, and stood for some time surveying it. It was about eight or
+ten yards distant; but in the gray dawn they could not judge
+correctly of its height, and they waited till it grew a little clearer.
+At length they came to the conclusion that the branch was high
+enough. The long pendulous leaves&mdash;characteristic of this great
+<i>mimosa</i> and the drooping branchlets hung down much below the
+main shaft; but these, even if they touched the roof, would do no
+injury. It was, therefore, determined to let go the cable.</p>
+
+<p>It was now clear day, for they had been delayed a good while; but
+at length all was ready, and Guapo untied the cable, and drew the
+end on board. The balza began to move; slowly at first, for the
+current under the bushes was very slight.</p>
+
+<p>All at once the attention of the voyagers was called to the strange
+conduct of the pet monkey. That little creature was running to and
+fro, first upon the roof of the toldo, then down again, all the while
+uttering the most piercing shrieks as if something was biting off its
+tail! It was observed to look forward and upward toward the
+branch of the zamang, as if the object it dreaded was in that quarter.
+The eyes of all were suddenly bent in the same direction. What was
+their horror on beholding, stretched along the branch, the hideous
+body of an enormous serpent! Only part of it could be seen; the
+hinder half and the tail were hidden among the bromelias and vines
+that in huge masses clustered around the trunk of the zamang, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">287</a></span>
+the head was among the leaflets of the mimosa; but what they saw
+was enough to convince them that it was a snake of the largest size&mdash;the
+great &ldquo;<i>water boa</i>&rdquo;&mdash;the <i>anaconda</i>!</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 342px;">
+<img src="images/illus-287.jpg" width="342" height="500" alt="ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA." title="ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA." />
+<span class="caption">ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.</span></div>
+
+<p>That part of the body in sight was full as thick as a man's thigh,
+and covered with black spots or blotches upon a ground of dingy
+yellow. It was seen to glisten as the animal moved, for the latter
+was in motion, crawling along the branch <i>outward</i>! The next moment
+its head appeared under the pendulous leaves; and its long forking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">288</a></span>
+tongue, protruding several inches from its mouth, seemed to feel the
+air in front of it. This tongue kept playing backwards and forwards,
+and its viscid covering glittered under the sunbeam, adding to the
+hideous appearance of the monster.</p>
+
+<p>To escape from passing within its reach would be impossible. The
+balza was gliding directly under it! It could launch itself aboard at
+will. It could seize upon any one of the party without coming from
+the branch. It could coil its body around them, and crush them with
+the constricting power of its muscles. It could do all this; for it had
+crushed before now the tapir, the roebuck, perhaps even the jaguar
+himself.</p>
+
+<p>All on board the boat knew its dangerous power too well; and, of
+course, terror was visible in every countenance.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo seized the axe, and Guapo laid hold of his <i>machet&eacute;</i>. Do&ntilde;a
+Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona, were standing&mdash;fortunately they
+were&mdash;by the door of the toldo; and, in obedience to the cries and
+hurried gestures of Don Pablo and the Indian, they rushed in and
+flung themselves down. They had scarcely disappeared inside, when
+the forward part of the balza upon which stood Don Pablo and Guapo,
+came close to the branch, and the head of the serpent was on a level
+with their own. Both aimed their blows almost at the same instant;
+but their footing was unsteady, the boa drew back at the moment,
+and both missed their aim. The next moment the current had carried
+them out of reach, and they had no opportunity of striking a second
+blow.</p>
+
+<p>The moment they had passed the hideous head again dropped down,
+and hung directly over, as if waiting. It was a moment of intense
+anxiety to Don Pablo. His wife and children! Would it select one
+as its victim, and leave the others? or&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>He had but little time for reflection. Already the head of the snake
+was within three feet of the toldo door. Its eyes were glaring&mdash;it was
+about to dart down.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh, God, have mercy!&rdquo; exclaimed Don Pablo, falling upon his
+knees. &ldquo;Oh, God!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>At that moment a loud scream was heard. It came from the toldo;
+and, at the same instant, the sa&iuml;miri was seen leaping out from the
+door. Along with the rest, it had taken shelter within; but just as
+the head of the snake came in sight, a fresh panic seemed to seize
+upon it; and, as if under the influence of fascination, it leaped
+screaming in the direction of the terrible object. It was met half
+way. The wide jaws closed upon it, its shrieks were stifled, and the
+next moment its silken body, along with the head of the anaconda,
+disappeared among the leaves of the mimosa. Another moment passed,
+and the balza swept clear of the branch, and floated triumphantly
+into the open water.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo sprang to his feet, ran into the toldo, and, after embracing
+his wife and children, knelt down and offered thanks to God for
+their almost miraculous deliverance.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>f course the escape from danger so imminent, after the first moments
+were over, produced a sort of reaction in the feelings of all and they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">289</a></span>
+were now rather joyous than otherwise. But with all there was a
+mixture of regret when they thought of the fate of little &ldquo;titi.&rdquo; It
+had been their only pet, and had grown to be such a favourite that its
+loss was now mourned by every one, and its absence caused them to
+feel as though one of the company had been left behind. Several times
+during that day poor &ldquo;titi&rdquo; was the subject of conversation; indeed,
+they could hardly talk about anything else. Little Leona was quite
+inconsolable; for the pretty creature had loved Leona, and used to
+perch on her shoulder by the hour, and draw her silken ringlets
+through its tiny hand, and place its dainty little nose against the rich
+velvet of her cheek, and play off all sorts of antics with her ears. Many
+an hour did &ldquo;titi&rdquo; and Leona spend together. No wonder that the
+creature was missed.</p>
+
+<p>During the whole of that day they travelled through a country
+covered with dense forest. The river was a full half-mile wide, but
+sometimes there were islands, and then the current became narrowed
+on each side, so that in passing, the balza almost touched the trees on
+one side or the other. They saw many kinds of trees growing together,
+and rarely a large tract covered with any one species of timber, for
+this, as already remarked, is a peculiarity of the Amazon forest.</p>
+
+<p>Many new and curious trees were noticed, of which Don Pablo gave
+short botanical descriptions to the others, partly to instruct them, and
+partly to while away the hours. Guapo, at the rudder, listened to
+these learned lectures, and sometimes added some information of his
+own about the properties of the trees, and the uses to which they were
+put by the Indians. This is what is termed the popular part of the
+science of botany, and, perhaps, it is more important than the mere
+classification of genera and species, which is usually all the information
+that you get from the learned and systematic botanists.</p>
+
+<p>Among the trees passed to-day was one called the &ldquo;volador.&rdquo; This
+is a large forest tree, with lobed leaves, of a heart-shape. But it is
+the seeds which are curious, and which give to the tree the odd name
+of &ldquo;volador,&rdquo; or &ldquo;flier.&rdquo; These seeds have each a pair of membranaceous
+and striated wings, which, when the seeds fall, are turned
+to meet the air at an angle of 45&deg;; and thus a rotatory motion is produced,
+and the falling seeds turn round and round like little fly-wheels.
+It is altogether a curious sight when a large volador is shaken in calm
+weather, to see the hundreds of seeds whirling and wheeling towards
+the ground, which they take a considerable time in reaching. The
+volador is not confined to South America, I have seen it in Mexico,
+and other parts of North America.</p>
+
+<p>Another singular tree noticed was a tree of the barberry family
+known among the Spanish-Americans as <i>barba de tigre</i>, or &ldquo;tiger's
+beard.&rdquo; This name it derives from the fact of its trunk&mdash;which is very
+large and high&mdash;being thickly set all over with sharp, branching thorns,
+that are fancied to resemble the whiskers of the jaguar, or South
+American &ldquo;tiger.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>A third remarkable tree (or bush) observed was the <i>Bixa orellana</i>,
+which yields the well-known <i>arnatto</i> dye. This bush is ten or twelve
+feet in height, and its seeds grow in a burr-like pericarp. These seeds
+are covered with a reddish pulp, which produces the dye. The mode
+of making it is simple. The Indian women throw the seeds into a
+vessel of hot water, and stir them violently for about an hour, until
+they have taken off the pulp. The water is then poured off, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">290</a></span>
+deposit, separated from the seeds, is mixed with oil of turtle-eggs, or
+crocodile fat, and kneaded into cakes of three or four ounces weight.</p>
+
+<p>It is then &ldquo;anoto,&rdquo; sometimes written &ldquo;arnatto,&rdquo; sometimes &ldquo;arnotto,&rdquo;
+sometimes &ldquo;onoto,&rdquo; and sometimes &ldquo;anato.&rdquo; The first is the proper
+spelling. In Brazil it is called &ldquo;urucu,&rdquo; whence the French name
+&ldquo;rocou;&rdquo; and the Peruvians have still another designation for it,
+&ldquo;achot&eacute;.&rdquo; Of course each tribe of Indians calls it by a separate name.
+The botanic name, <i>Bixa</i>, is the ancient name by which it was known
+to the Indians of Hayti, for it is found in most parts of tropical
+America growing wild, although it is also cultivated. It is an article
+in great demand among all the Indians of South America, who use it
+for painting their bodies, and dyeing the cotton cloth of which they
+make their garments.</p>
+
+<p>But these people are very skilful in drawing pigments from plants
+and trees of many kinds; in fact, their practical chemistry, so far as
+it relates to dyes and poisons, is quite surprising, and from time to
+time Guapo pointed out trees that were used by them, for such purposes.</p>
+
+<p>One was a climbing plant, whose tendrils reached to the tops of the
+highest trees. It had beautiful violet-coloured flowers, an inch long,
+and Don Pablo saw that it was a species of <i>bignonia</i>. Guapo called it
+&ldquo;chica.&rdquo; When in fruit it carries a pod two feet in length, full of
+winged seeds. But Guapo said it was not from the seeds that the dye
+was obtained, but from the leaves, which turn red when macerated in
+water. The colouring matter comes out of the leaves in the form of a
+light powder, and is then shaped into cakes, which sell among the
+Indians for the value of a dollar each. This colour has a tinge of lake
+in it, and is prized even more highly than the anoto. Indeed, red dyes
+among all savage nations seem to hold a higher value than those of
+any other colour.</p>
+
+<p>Another dye-tree was the &ldquo;huitoc.&rdquo; This one is a slender tree, about
+twenty feet high, with broad leaves shooting out from the stem, and
+nuts growing at their bases, after the manner of the bread-fruit.
+These nuts resemble black walnuts, and are of a russet colour outside;
+but the pulp inside, which produces the huitoc, is of a dark blue, or
+purple tint.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;wild indigo tree,&rdquo; was also seen growing in the woods, with a
+leaf narrow at the base, and broad at the extremity. With these and
+many other dyes the Indians of the Monta&ntilde;a paint their bodies in
+fantastic modes. So much are they addicted to these customs, that,
+among the Indians who labour at the missions, some have been known
+to work nearly a month to procure paint enough to give their body a
+single coat, and the missionaries have made a merchandise of this
+gigantic folly. But the paint is not always to be looked upon in the
+light of a mere folly, or vanity. Sometimes it is used to keep off the
+&ldquo;zancudos,&rdquo; or mosquitoes, so numerous and annoying in these regions.</p>
+
+<p>Another singular tree was observed, which Guapo called the
+&ldquo;marima,&rdquo; or &ldquo;shirt-tree.&rdquo; The use of this he explained. The tree
+stands fifty or sixty feet high, with a diameter of from two to three.
+When they find them of this size, the Indians cut them down, and
+then separate the trunk into pieces of about three feet long. From
+these pieces they strip the bark, but without making any longitudinal
+incision, so that the piece of bark when taken off is a hollow cylinder.
+It is thin and fibrous, of a red colour, and looks like a piece of coarsely-woven<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">291</a></span>
+sack-cloth. With this the shirt is made, simply by cutting
+two holes in the sides to admit the arms, and the body being passed
+into it, it is worn in time of rain. Hence the saying of the old
+missionaries, that in the &ldquo;forests of America garments were found
+ready-made on the trees.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Many other trees were noticed valuable for their fruits, or leaves,
+or bark, or roots, or their wood. There was the well-known &ldquo;seringa,&rdquo;
+or India-rubber tree; the great courbaril, the &ldquo;dragon's-blood&rdquo; tree,
+not that celebrated tree of the East but one of a different genus from
+whose white bark flows a red blood-like juice.</p>
+
+<p>They saw, also, a species of cinnamon-tree though not the cinnamon
+of commerce; the large tree that bears the Brazilian nut-meg (the
+Puxiri); and that one, also, a large forest tree, that bears the nuts
+known as &ldquo;Tonka beans,&rdquo; and which are used in the flavouring of
+snuff.</p>
+
+<p>But of all the trees which our travellers saw on that day, none made
+such a impression upon them as the &ldquo;juvia,&rdquo; or Brazil-nut tree. This
+tree is not one with a thick trunk; in fact, the largest ones are not
+three feet in diameter, but it rises to a height of 120 feet. Its trunk
+is branchless for more than half that height, and the branches then
+spread out and droop, like the fronds of the palm. They are naked
+near their bases, but loaded towards the top with tufts of silvery green
+leaves, each two feet in length. The tree does not blossom until its
+fifteenth year, and then it bears violet-coloured flowers; although
+there is another species, the &ldquo;sapucaya,&rdquo; which has yellow ones. But
+it is neither the trunk, nor the branches, nor the leaves, nor yet the
+flowers of this tree, that render it such an object of curiosity. It is
+the great woody and spherical pericarps that contain the nuts or fruits
+that are wonderful. These are often as large as the head of a child,
+and as hard as the shell of the cocoa-nut! Inside is found a large
+number&mdash;twenty or more&mdash;of those triangular-shaped nuts which you
+may buy at any Italian warehouse under the name of &ldquo;Brazil-nuts.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE FOREST FESTIVAL.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>n consequence of their having rested but poorly on the preceding
+night, it was determined that they should land at an early hour; and
+this they did, choosing an open place on the shore. It was a very
+pretty spot, and they could see that the woods in the background
+were comparatively open, as though there were some meadows or
+prairies between.</p>
+
+<p>These openings, however, had been caused by fire. There had been
+a growth of cane. It had been burned off and as yet was not grown
+up again, though the young reeds were making their appearance like
+a field of green wheat. Some places, and especially near the river,
+the ground was still bare. This change in the landscape was quite
+agreeable to our travellers; so much so, that they resolved to exercise
+their limbs by taking a short stroll; and, having finished their late
+dinner they set out. They all went together, leaving the balza and
+camp to take care of themselves.</p>
+
+<p>After walking a few hundred yards their ears were assailed by a
+confused noise, as if all the animals in the forest had met and were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">292</a></span>
+holding a <i>conversazione</i>. Some low bushes prevented them from seeing
+what it meant, but on pushing their way through, they saw whence
+and from what sort of creatures the noise proceeded.</p>
+
+<p>Standing out in the open ground was a large and tall juvia-tree.
+Its spreading branches were loaded with great globes as big as human
+heads&mdash;each one, of course, full of delicious nuts. These were now
+ripe, and some of them had already fallen to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the ground an odd scene presented itself to the eyes of our
+travellers. Between birds and animals assembled there, there were
+not less than a dozen kinds, all as busy as they could be.</p>
+
+<p>First, then, there were animals of the rodent kind. These were
+pacas, agoutis and capivaras. The pacas were creatures a little larger
+than hares, and not unlike them, except that their ears were shorter.
+They were whitish on the under parts, but above were of a dark
+brown colour, with rows of white spots along each side. They had
+whiskers like the cat, consisting of long white bristles; and their
+tails, like those of hares, were scarcely visible. The agoutis bore a
+considerable resemblance to the pacas. Like these, they are also
+rodent animals, but less in size; and instead of being spotted, they
+are of a nearly uniform dark colour mixed with reddish brown.</p>
+
+<p>Both pacas and agoutis are found in most parts of tropical America.
+There are several species of each, and with the chinchillas and
+viscachas already described, they occupy the place in those regions
+that the hares and rabbits do in northern climates. Indeed, European
+settlers usually know them by the names of hare or rabbit, and hunt
+them in the same way. The flesh of most species is very good eating,
+and they are therefore much sought after both by the natives and
+colonists.</p>
+
+<p>Along with these, near the juvia-tree, were several capivaras, already
+noticed. But still more singular creatures on the ground were the
+monkeys. Of these there were different kinds; but that which first
+drew the attention of our party was the great Capuchin monkey.
+This creature is not less than three feet in height and of a reddish
+maroon colour. Its body is entirely different from the &ldquo;ateles&rdquo;
+monkeys, being stouter and covered with a fuller coat of hair; and
+its tail is large and bushy, without any prehensile power. It is, in
+fact, less of a tree monkey than the <i>ateles</i>, although it also lives among
+the branches. The most striking peculiarities of the Capuchin are
+its head and face. In these it bears a stronger resemblance to the
+human being than any other monkey in America.</p>
+
+<p>The top of its head is covered with a crop of coarse hair, that lies
+somewhat after the fashion of human hair; but, what most contributes
+to the human expression is a large full beard and whiskers
+reaching down to the breast, and arranged exactly after the fashion
+of the huge beards worn by Orientals and some Frenchmen. There
+were only two of these Capuchins on the ground&mdash;a male and female,
+for this species does not associate in bands. The female one was
+easily distinguished by her smaller size, and her beard was considerably
+less than that of the male. The beards seemed to be objects of
+special attention with both&mdash;especially the male, as every now and
+then he was observed to stroke it down with his hand, just as a dandy
+may be seen doing with his moustache or his well-brushed whiskers.</p>
+
+<p>Another peculiar habit of the Capuchins was noticed. There was a
+little pool of water close by. Every now and then they ran to this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">293</a></span>
+pool and took a drink from it. But in drinking they did not apply
+their lips to the pool or lap like a dog. No; they lifted the water in
+the hollow of their hands&mdash;hence their specific name of <i>chiropotes</i>, or
+&ldquo;hand-drinking monkeys.&rdquo; They raised the water to their lips with
+great care, taking pains not to let a drop of it fall on their precious
+beards. From this habit of going so often to quench their thirst, the
+Capuchin monkeys have in some parts got the name of &ldquo;hard-drinking
+monkeys.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Apart from these was a troop of monkeys of a very different species.
+They were nearly of the same size, but more of the shape of the
+&ldquo;ateles;&rdquo; and their long tails, naked underneath and curling downward
+near the points, showed that, like them too, they possessed
+prehensile power in that member. Such was the fact, for they were
+&ldquo;howling monkeys;&rdquo; and some species of these can use the tail
+almost as adroitly as the &ldquo;ateles&rdquo; themselves. Those that our
+travellers saw were the &ldquo;guaribas,&rdquo; nearly black in colour, but with
+their hands covered with yellow hair, whence their name among the
+naturalists of &ldquo;yellow-handed howler.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They were seated in a ring when first observed, and one&mdash;apparently
+the chief of the band&mdash;was haranguing the rest; but so rapid were
+his articulations, and so changeable the tones of his voice, that any
+one would have thought the whole party were chattering together.
+This, in effect, did occur at intervals, and then you might have heard
+them to the distance of more than a mile. These creatures are
+enabled to produce this vast volume of voice in consequence of a
+hollow bony structure at the root of the tongue, which acts as a drum,
+and which gives them the appearance of a swelling, or goitre, in the
+throat. This is common to all the howling monkeys as well as the
+guaribas.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the howlers there were other species&mdash;there were tamarins,
+and ouistitis, and the black coaitas of the genus &ldquo;ateles,&rdquo; all assembled
+around the juvia-tree. There were parrots, and macaws, and other
+nut-eating birds. High above in the air soared the great eagle
+watching his opportunity to swoop down on the pacas or agoutis, his
+natural prey. It was altogether a singular assemblage of wild
+animals&mdash;a zoological garden of the wilderness.</p>
+
+<p>Our party, concealed by bushes, looked on for some time. They
+noticed that not one of all the living things was <i>under</i> the tree. On
+the contrary, they formed&mdash;monkeys, cavies, parrots, and all&mdash;a sort
+of ring around it, but at such a distance that none of the branches
+were above them! Why was this? Guapo knew the reason well,
+and before leaving their place of observation the others had an explanation
+of it.</p>
+
+<p>While they stood gazing, one of the great globes was seen to fall
+from the tree above. The loud report as it struck the earth could
+have been heard a long way off. It caused the whole assemblage of
+living creatures to start. The macaws flapped their wings, the
+monkeys ran outward and then stopped, and a simultaneous cry
+from the voices of both birds and beasts echoed on all sides; and
+then there was a general chattering and screaming, as though the
+fall of the great pericarp had given pleasure to all parties.</p>
+
+<p>It was very evident from this circumstance why both beasts and
+birds kept so far out from the tree. One of these fruits coming down
+like a nine-pound shot would have crushed any of them to atoms.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">294</a></span>
+Indeed, so heavy are they, that one of them falling from a height of
+fifty or sixty feet will dash out the brains of a man; and the Indians
+who gather them go under the trees with great wooden helmets that
+cover both the head and shoulders! It would be no boy's play to
+&ldquo;go a nutting&rdquo; in a wood of juvia-trees.</p>
+
+<p>But how did the monkeys and birds get at the nuts? Neither of
+these could break open the outer shell. This is full half an inch
+thick, and so hard that it can scarcely be cut with a saw. How could
+either monkeys or birds open it?&mdash;that was the question put to
+Guapo.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Watch them,&rdquo; said Guapo.</p>
+
+<p>All kept their eyes bent attentively on what was going on; and
+to their astonishment they observed that neither the monkeys nor
+the birds had anything to do with the opening of the shells. That
+was entirely the work of the rodent animals, the pacas, cavies, and
+agoutis. These with their fine cutting teeth laid open the thick
+pericarps, and whenever one was seen to have succeeded, and the
+triangular nuts were scattered upon the ground, then there was a
+general rush, and macaws, parrots, and monkeys scrambled for a
+share.</p>
+
+<p>The monkeys, however, did their part of the work. Whenever a
+fruit fell from the tree, one or two of them, deputed by the others,
+were seen to run in and roll it out, all the while exhibiting symptoms
+of great terror. They would then lift it in their hands, several of
+them together, and dash it repeatedly upon a stone. Sometimes,
+when the shell was not a strong one, they succeeded in breaking it
+in this way; but oftener they were not able, and then it was left to
+the rodent animals, who were watched at their operations, and
+usually robbed of the fruits of their labour. Such were the singular
+incidents witnessed at this festival of juvia-nuts.</p>
+
+<p>But the scene was brought to a sudden termination. A cry was
+heard that rose far above all the other noises&mdash;a cry more terrible
+than the screams of the parrots, or the shrieks of the howling
+monkeys&mdash;it was the cry of the jaguar! It came from a piece of
+wood close to the juvia-trees, and the branches were heard to crackle
+as the dreaded utterer advanced.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the ground was cleared of every creature. Even the
+winged birds had flew up from the spot, and perched upon the
+branches; the cavies took to the water; the pacas and agouties to
+their burrows; and the monkeys to the tops of the adjacent trees;
+and nothing remained on the ground but the empty shells of the
+juvias.</p>
+
+<p>Our party did not stay to notice the change. They, too, had been
+warned by the roar of the tiger, and hastily leaving the spot, returned
+to their place of encampment. On reaching it, they kindled a large
+circle of fire to keep them in safety during the night. They saw no
+more of the jaguar, although at intervals through the midnight
+hours, they were awakened by his loud and savage cry, resounding
+through the openings of the forest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">295</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">ACRES OF EGGS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he next evening our travellers encamped on a sand-bar, or rather
+a great bank of sand, that ran for miles along one side of the river.
+Of course they had nothing to hang their hammocks to, but that
+was a matter of no importance, for the sand was dry and soft, and
+of itself would make a comfortable bed, as pleasant to sleep on as a
+hair-mattress. They only wanted wood enough to cook with, and
+to keep up their fire during the night&mdash;so as to frighten off the wild
+beasts.</p>
+
+<p>This night they kept watch as usual, Leon taking the first turn.
+In fact, they found that they must do so every night&mdash;as in each of
+the camps where they had slept some danger had threatened; and
+they thought it would be imprudent for all to go to sleep at the
+same time. The heaviest part of the sentinel's duty fell to Guapo's
+share; but Guapo had long accustomed himself to go without sleep,
+and did not mind it; moreover Don Pablo took longer spells at the
+stern-oar during the day, and allowed Guapo many a &ldquo;cat-nap.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Leon seated himself upon a pile of sand that he had gathered up,
+and did his best to keep awake, but in about an hour after the rest
+were asleep he felt very drowsy&mdash;in fact, quite as much so as on the
+night of the adventure with the vampire. He used pretty much the
+same means to keep himself awake, but not with so good success, for
+on this occasion he fell into a nap that lasted nearly half-an-hour,
+and might have continued still longer, had he not slid down the
+sand-hill and tumbled over on his side. This awoke him; and feeling
+vexed with himself, he rubbed his eyes as if he was going to push
+them deeper into their sockets.</p>
+
+<p>When this operation was finished, he looked about to see if any
+creature had ventured near. He first looked towards the woods&mdash;for
+of course that was the direction from which the tigers would
+come, and these were the only creatures he feared; but he had
+scarcely turned himself when he perceived a pair of eyes glancing at
+him from the other side of the fire. Close to them another pair,
+then another and another, until having looked on every side, he saw
+himself surrounded by a complete circle of glancing eyes! It is true
+they were small ones, and some of the heads which he could see by
+the blaze, were small&mdash;they were not jaguars, but they had an ugly
+look&mdash;they looked like the heads of serpents! Was it possible that
+an hundred serpents could have surrounded the camp?</p>
+
+<p>Brought suddenly to his feet, Leon stood for some moments uncertain
+how to act. He fully believed they were snakes&mdash;anacondas,
+or water-snakes no doubt&mdash;that had just crept out of the river; and
+he felt that a movement on his part would bring on their united and
+simultaneous attack upon the sleeping party. Partly influenced by
+this fear, and again exhibiting that coolness and prudence which we
+have already noticed as a trait of his character, he remained for some
+moments silent and motionless.</p>
+
+<p>Having already risen to his feet, his eyes were now above the level
+of the blaze, and, as they got the sleep well scared out of them, he
+could see things more distinctly. He now saw that the snake-like
+heads were attached to large oval-shaped bodies, and that, besides<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">296</a></span>
+the half hundred or so that had gathered around the fires, there
+were whole droves of the same upon the sandy beach beyond. The
+white surface was literally covered as far as he could see on all sides
+of him with black moving masses; and where the rays of the moon
+fell upon the beach, there was a broad belt that glistened and
+sparkled as though she shone upon pieces of glass kept constantly in
+motion!</p>
+
+<p>A singular sight it was; and to Leon, who had never heard of
+such before, a most fearful one. For the life of him he could not
+make out what it all meant, or by what sort of odd creatures they
+were surrounded. He had but an indistinct view of them, but he
+could see that their bodies were not larger than those of a small
+sheep, and from the way in which they glistened under the moon he
+was sure they were water-animals, and had come out of the river!</p>
+
+<p>He did not stay to speculate any longer upon them. He resolved
+to wake Guapo; but in doing so the whole party were aroused, and
+started to their feet in some alarm and confusion. The noise and
+movement had its effect on the nocturnal visitors; for before Leon
+could explain himself, those immediately around the fires and for
+some distance beyond rushed to the edge, and were heard plunging
+by hundreds into the water.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo's ear caught the sounds, and his eye now ranging along the
+sandy shore, took in at a glance the whole thing.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Carapas,&rdquo; he said laconically.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Carapas?&rdquo; inquired Leon.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; said Don Pablo, who understood him. &ldquo;Turtles is it?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes, master,&rdquo; replied Guapo. &ldquo;This is, I suppose, one of their
+great hatching-places. They are going to lay their eggs somewhere
+in the sand above. They do so every year.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>There was no danger from the turtles, as Guapo assured everybody,
+but the fright had chased away sleep, and they all lay awake for
+some time listening to Guapo's account of these singular creatures,
+which we shall translate into our own phraseology.</p>
+
+<p>These large turtles, which in other parts of South America are
+called &ldquo;arraus,&rdquo; or simply &ldquo;tortugas,&rdquo; assemble every year in large
+armies, from all parts of the river. Each one of these armies chooses
+for itself a place to breed&mdash;some sandy island, or great sand-bank.
+This they approach very cautiously&mdash;lying near it for some days, and
+reconnoitring it with only their heads above the water. They then
+crawl ashore at night in vast multitudes&mdash;just as the party saw them&mdash;and
+each turtle, with the strong crooked claws of her hind feet,
+digs a hole for herself in the sand. These holes are three feet in
+diameter and two deep. In this she deposits her eggs&mdash;from seventy
+to one hundred and twenty of them&mdash;each egg being white, hard-shelled,
+and between the size of a pigeon's and pullet's. She then
+covers the whole with sand, levelling it over the top so that it may
+look like the rest of the surface, and so that the precious treasure
+may not be found by vultures, jaguars, and other predatory creatures.
+When this is done the labour of the turtle is at an end.</p>
+
+<p>The great army again betakes itself to the water, and scatters in
+every direction. The sun acting upon the hot sand does the rest;
+and in less than six weeks the young turtles, about an inch in
+diameter, crawl out of the sand, and at once make for the water.
+They are afterwards seen in pools and lakes, where the water is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">297</a></span>
+shallow, far from the place where they have been hatched; and
+it is well known that the first years of their life are not spent in the
+bed of the great river. How they find these pools, or whether
+the mothers distinguish their own young and conduct them thither,
+as the crocodiles and alligators do, is a mystery. With these last
+the thing is more easy, as the crocodile mothers deposit their eggs in
+separate places, and each returns for her young when they are
+hatched, calls them by her voice, and guides them to the pool where
+they are to remain until partly grown.</p>
+
+<p>But among the thousands of little turtles hatched at one place and
+time, and that seek the water altogether, how would it be possible
+for the turtle mother to distinguish her own young? Yet an old
+female turtle is frequently seen swimming about with as many as
+a hundred little ones after her! Now are these her own, or are they
+a collection picked up out of the general progeny? That is an
+undetermined question. It would seem impossible that each turtle
+mother should know her own young, yet amidst this apparent
+confusion there may be some maternal instinct that guides her to
+distinguish her own offspring from all the rest. Who can say?</p>
+
+<p>It is not often, however, that the turtle is permitted to have offspring
+at all. These creatures are annually robbed of their eggs
+in millions. They have many enemies, but man is the chief. When
+a turtle hatching place is discovered, the Indians assemble, and as
+soon as all the eggs have been deposited, they uncover and collect
+them. They eat them&mdash;but that is not the principal use to which
+they are put. It is for the making of oil, or &ldquo;tortoise-butter,&rdquo; they
+are collected.</p>
+
+<p>The eggs are thrown into a large trough or canoe, where they are
+broken up with a wooden spade and stirred about for awhile. They
+then remain exposed to the sun, until the oily part collects on the
+surface, which is then skimmed off and well boiled. The &ldquo;tortoise-butter&rdquo;
+is now made, and after being poured into earthen jars or
+bottles, it is ready for market. The oil is clear, of a pale yellow
+colour, and some regard it as equal to the best olive oil, both for
+lamps and for cooking. Sometimes, however, it has a putrid smell,
+because many of the eggs are already half hatched before the
+gathering takes place.</p>
+
+<p>What would be the result were these eggs not gathered by the
+Indians? Perhaps in the different rivers of South America more
+than an hundred millions of them are deposited every year! In the
+Orinoco alone, in three principal hatching places, it has been
+calculated that at least thirty three millions are annually destroyed
+for the making of tortoise-butter! Fancy, then, one hundred
+millions of animals, each of which grows to the weight of fifty or
+sixty pounds, being produced every year, and then the increase
+in production which these would make if left to themselves! Why
+the rivers would be crowded; and it would be true what old Father
+Gumilla once asserted, that &ldquo;It would be as difficult to count the
+grains of sand on the shores of the Orinoco, as to count the immense
+number of tortoises that inhabit its margins and waters. Were it
+not for the vast consumption of tortoises and their eggs, the river,
+despite its great magnitude, would be unnavigable, for vessels would
+be impeded by the enormous multitude of the tortoises.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But nature has provided against this &ldquo;over-population&rdquo; of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">298</a></span>
+turtles by giving them a great many enemies. The jaguars, the
+ocelots, the crocodiles, the cranes, and the vultures, all prey upon
+them; and, perhaps, if man were to leave them alone, the result
+would be, not such a great increase in the number of the turtles, but
+that the creatures who prey upon them would come in for a larger
+share.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;carapa,&rdquo; or arrau turtle, is, when full grown, forty or fifty
+pounds in weight. It is of a dark green colour above and orange
+beneath, with yellow feet. There are many other species of fresh-water
+turtles in the rivers of South America, but these breed separately,
+each female choosing her own place, and making her deposit
+alone. Indeed, some of the smaller species, as the &ldquo;terekay,&rdquo; are
+more esteemed both for their flesh and eggs; but as a large quantity
+of these eggs is never found together, they are not collected as
+an article of trade, but only to be roasted and eaten. The white
+does not coagulate in roasting or boiling, and only the yolk is eaten,
+but that is esteemed quite as palatable as the eggs of the common
+fowl.</p>
+
+<p>The flesh of all kinds is eaten by the Indians, who fry it in pots,
+and then pour it with its own oil into other vessels and permit it
+to cool. When thus prepared, it will keep for a long time, and
+can be taken out when required for use.</p>
+
+<p>Most of the above particulars were communicated by Guapo; and
+when he had finished talking, all the others went to sleep, leaving
+Guapo to his midnight vigil.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>hen they awoke in the morning they found Guapo busy over the
+fire. He had already been at the turtles' nests, and had collected a
+large basketful of the eggs, some of which he was cooking for breakfast.
+In addition to the eggs, moreover, half-a-dozen large turtles
+lay upon their backs close by. The flesh of these Guapo intended to
+scoop out and fry down, so as to be carried away as a sort of stock of
+preserved meat;&mdash;and a very excellent idea it was. He had caught
+them during his watch as they came out of the water.</p>
+
+<p>All the turtles had gone off, although this is not always the case;
+for frequently numbers that have not finished covering their eggs
+during the night may be seen hard at work in the morning, and so
+intent on it, that they do not heed the presence of their worst
+enemies. These the Indians denominate &ldquo;mad tortoises.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This morning, however, no &ldquo;mad tortoises&rdquo; were to be seen; but
+when our travellers cast their eyes along the beach they saw quite a
+number that appeared to be turned upon their backs just like those
+that Guapo had capsized. They were at some distance from the
+camp, but curiosity prompted our travellers to walk along the beach
+and examine them. Sure enough there were nearly a dozen large
+tortoises regularly laid on their backs, and unable to stir; but, besides
+these, there were several tortoise-shells out of which the flesh had
+been freshly scooped, and these were as neatly cleaned out as if the
+work had been done by an anatomist. All this would have been a
+mystery but for the experience of Guapo; but Guapo knew it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">299</a></span>
+the jaguar that had turned the tortoises on their backs, and that had
+cleaned out and eaten the flesh from the empty shells!</p>
+
+<p>Now, it is no easy thing for a man, provided with the necessary
+implements, to separate the flesh of a tortoise from its shell, and yet
+the jaguar, with his paw, can in a few minutes perform this operation
+most adroitly, as our travellers had full proof. All that they
+saw had been done that same night; and it gave them no very
+pleasant feeling to know that the jaguar had been at work so near
+them.</p>
+
+<p>This animal, as Guapo said, in attacking the turtles, first turns
+them over, so as to prevent their escape&mdash;for the &ldquo;carapas&rdquo; are of
+those tortoises that once upon their backs on level ground cannot
+right themselves again. He then proceeds to tear out the flesh, and
+eats it at his leisure. Oftentimes he capsizes a far greater number
+than he can eat, and even returns to the spot to have a second meal
+of them; but frequently the Indians wandering along the river, find
+the tortoises he has turned over, and of course make an easy capture
+of them.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, upon this occasion, took advantage of the jaguar's skill,
+and carried to the camp all that the latter had left. It was Guapo's
+design to make a large quantity of &ldquo;turtle sausage-meat,&rdquo; so that
+they might have a supply for many days, as by this time even Guapo
+himself was getting tired of the horse-flesh &ldquo;charqui.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They were about returning to camp, when their attention was
+drawn to two dark objects upon the sand-beach a little farther on.
+These objects were in motion, and at first they believed they were a
+pair of &ldquo;mad tortoises&rdquo; that had not yet returned to the water,
+although they were close to its edge.</p>
+
+<p>Led on by curiosity our party approached them, and saw that one
+only was a tortoise, and one of the largest kind, being nearly three
+feet in diameter. The other animal was a small ca&iuml;man or alligator.</p>
+
+<p>As our travellers drew near they saw that these two creatures were
+engaged in a fierce and deadly combat. Now, it is a curious fact
+that the larger alligators and crocodiles are among the most destructive
+enemies which the turtles have, eating thousands of the
+latter while they are still tiny little creatures and unable to defend
+themselves; and, on the other hand, that the turtles prey extensively
+on the young of both alligators and crocodiles, eating them whenever
+they can catch them! I say this is a curious fact in natural history,
+and it seems a sort of retaliatory principle established between these
+two kinds of reptiles, as if they ate one another's offspring <i>en
+revanche</i>.</p>
+
+<p>There is no feeling of revenge, however, in the matter. It is
+merely an instinct of appetite by which both kinds will eat almost
+any small fry they come across. In fact, the alligators and crocodiles
+not only eat the young of the turtles, but their own young as
+well. That is, the <i>old males</i> do; and it has been stated, that the
+males of some species of tortoises have a similar unnatural appetite.</p>
+
+<p>The turtle of which we are speaking is one of the most carnivorous
+of the whole race, and one of the fiercest in its nature too; so much
+so, that it has earned the name of the &ldquo;fierce tortoise.&rdquo; It will eat
+fish and small crustacea, and almost any living thing it finds in the
+water, which is not too large for it. It is extremely expert in
+catching its prey. It lies concealed at the bottom among the roots<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">300</a></span>
+of flags and nymph&aelig;; and when any small fish chances to pass it, by
+means of its long neck darts out its head and seizes upon its unsuspecting
+victim. Once the bill of the &ldquo;fierce turtle&rdquo; has closed upon
+any object its hold is secure. You may cut its head off, but otherwise
+it cannot be forced to let go, until it has either captured its prey
+or taken the piece with it. It will &ldquo;nip&rdquo; a stout walking-cane
+between its mandibles, as if it was no more than a rush.</p>
+
+<p>A very good story is told of a thief and a tortoise. The thief was
+prowling about the larder of an hotel in search of plunder, when he
+came upon a large market-basket filled with provisions. He immediately
+inserted his hand to secure the contents, when he felt himself
+suddenly seized by the fingers, and bitten so severely, that he
+was fain to draw back his hand in the most hasty manner possible.
+But along with the hand he drew out a &ldquo;snapping&rdquo; turtle. To get
+rid of the &ldquo;ugly customer&rdquo; was his next care; but, in spite of all
+his efforts, the turtle held on, determined to have the finger. The
+scuffle, and the shouts which pain compelled the thief to give utterance
+to, awoke the landlord and the rest of the household; and
+before the thief could disengage himself and escape, he was secured
+and given into custody.</p>
+
+<p>Well, it was just a tortoise of this species, a &ldquo;snapping turtle,&rdquo; and
+one of the largest size, that our travellers now saw doing battle with
+the ca&iuml;man. The ca&iuml;man was not one of large size, else the turtle
+would have fled from it, not that even the largest ca&iuml;mans are feared
+by the full-grown <i>carapas</i>. No; the strong plate-armour of the
+latter protects them both from the teeth and tail of this antagonist.
+The jaguar, with his pliable paws and sharp subtle claws, is to them
+a more dreaded assailant than the crocodile or ca&iuml;man.</p>
+
+<p>The one in question was some six or seven feet long, and altogether
+not much heavier than the turtle itself. It was not for the purpose
+of eating each other they fought. No&mdash;their strife was evidently on
+other grounds. No doubt the ca&iuml;man had been attempting to plunder
+the new-laid eggs of the tortoise, and the latter had detected him in
+the act. At all events, the struggle must have been going on for
+some time, for the sand was torn up, and scored, in many places, by
+the sharp claws of both.</p>
+
+<p>The battle appeared to be still at its height when our party
+arrived on the spot. Neither tortoise nor ca&iuml;man paid any attention
+to their presence, but fought on pertinaciously. The aim of the
+ca&iuml;man appeared to be to get the head of the tortoise in his mouth;
+but whenever he attempted this, the latter suddenly drew his head
+within the shell, and repeatedly disappointed him. The tortoise, on
+its part, rose at intervals upon its hind-feet, and making a dash forward,
+would dart forth its long neck, and clutch at the softer parts
+of its antagonist's body just under the throat. Several times it had
+succeeded in this man&#339;uvre, and each time it had brought the piece
+with it, so that the ca&iuml;man was already somewhat mangled. Another
+man&#339;uvre of the tortoise was to seize the tail of its antagonist.
+Instinct seemed to teach it that this was a vulnerable part, and for
+the purpose of reaching the tail, it constantly kept crawling and
+edging round towards it.</p>
+
+<p>Now, there is no movement so difficult for a reptile of the crocodile
+kind as to turn its body on dry land. The peculiar formation of the
+vertebr&aelig;, both of its neck and spine, renders this movement difficult;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">301</a></span>
+and in &ldquo;changing front,&rdquo; the reptile is forced to describe a full circle
+with its unwieldy body&mdash;in fact to turn &ldquo;all of a piece.&rdquo; The tortoise,
+therefore, had the advantage, and, after several efforts, he at
+length succeeded in outflanking his antagonist, and getting right
+round to his rear. He lost no time, but, raising himself to his full
+height and making a dart forward, seized the tail and held on. He
+had caught by the very tip, and it was seen that his horny mandibles
+had taken a proper hold.</p>
+
+<p>Now commenced a somewhat ludicrous scene. The ca&iuml;man, though
+but a small one, with the immense muscular power which he possessed
+in his tail, if not able to detach his antagonist, was able to
+give him a sound shaking, and the turtle was seen vibrating from
+side to side, dragged along the sand. He held his broad yellow feet
+spread out on all sides, so as to preserve his equilibrium, for he well
+knew that to lose that would be to lose his life. Should he get
+turned on his back it would be all over with him; but he carefully
+guarded against such a fatal catastrope. Of course there were
+intervals when the ca&iuml;man became tired, and remained still for a
+moment; and at each of these intervals the tortoise renewed his
+hold, and, in fact, as our party now perceived, was slowly, though
+surely, <i>eating the tail</i>!</p>
+
+<p>When this had continued a short while, the great saurian seemed
+to despair. The pain, no doubt, caused him to weep &ldquo;crocodile's
+tears,&rdquo; though none were seen, but his eyes glared with a lurid light,
+and he began to look around for some means of escape from his painful
+position. His eye fell upon the water. That promised something,
+although he knew full well the turtle was as much at home there as
+he. At all events, his situation could not be a worse one, and with
+this, or some such reflection, he made a &ldquo;dash&rdquo; for the water. He
+was but a few feet from it, but it cost him a good deal of pulling and
+dragging, and clawing the sand, before he could get into it. In fact,
+the tortoise knew that its position could not be benefited by the
+change, and would have preferred fighting it out on dry land, and to
+do this he set <i>his</i> claws as firmly as possible, and pulled the tail in
+the opposite direction!</p>
+
+<p>The strength of the ca&iuml;man at length prevailed. He got his body
+into the water, and, with a few strokes of his webbed feet, jerked the
+turtle after, and both were now fairly launched. Once in the river,
+the ca&iuml;man seemed to gain fresh vigour. His tail vibrated violently
+and rapidly, throwing the tortoise from side to side until the foam
+floated around them, and then both suddenly sank to the bottom.</p>
+
+<p>Whether they continued &ldquo;attached,&rdquo; or became &ldquo;separated&rdquo; there,
+or whether the turtle killed the lizard, or the lizard the turtle, or
+&ldquo;each did kill the other,&rdquo; no one ever knew, as it is highly probable
+that no human eye ever saw either of them again.</p>
+
+<p>At all events, no one of <i>our</i> party saw any more of them; and,
+having watched the surface for some time, they turned in their steps
+and walked back to the camp.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hey had got into a part of the river that seemed to be a favourite
+resort with turtles and crocodiles, and creatures of that description.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">302</a></span>
+At different times they saw turtles of different kinds; among others,
+the &ldquo;painted turtle,&rdquo; a beautiful species that derives its name from
+the fine colouring of its shell, which appears as if it had been painted
+in enamel. Of crocodiles, too, they saw three or four distinct species,
+and not unfrequently, the largest of all, the great black crocodile
+(<i>Jacare nigra</i>). This was sometimes seen of the enormous length of
+over twenty feet! Terrible-looking as these crocodiles are, they are
+not masters of every creature upon the river. There are even birds
+that can sorely vex them, and compel them to take to the water to
+save themselves from a fearful calamity&mdash;blindness.</p>
+
+<p>One day, while descending the river, our travellers were witness to
+an illustration of this.</p>
+
+<p>They were passing a wide sand-bank that shelved back from the
+river, with a scarcely perceptible slope, when they saw, at a distance
+of about two hundred yards from the water's edge, a crocodile
+making for the river. He looked as though he had just awoke from
+his torpid sleep, for his body was caked all over with dry mud, and
+he seemed both hungry and thirsty. It was like enough he was
+coming from some inland pond, where the water had dried up, and
+he was now on his way to the river.</p>
+
+<p>All at once two dark shadows were seen passing over the white
+surface of the sand-bank. In the heaven two large birds were
+wheeling about, crossing each other in their courses, and holding
+their long necks downwards, as if the crocodile was the object of
+their regard.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, on seeing them, paused; and lowered his body into a
+squatted or crouching attitude, as if in the birds he recognised an
+enemy. And yet what could such a large creature fear from a pair
+of &ldquo;king-vultures?&rdquo; for king vultures they were, as was easily seen
+by their red-orange heads and cream-coloured plumage. What could
+a crocodile, full ten feet long, fear from these, even had they been
+eagles, or the great condor himself? No matter; he was evidently
+frightened at them; and each time that they drew near in their
+flight, he stopped and flattened his body against the sand, as if that
+might conceal him. As soon as they flew off again to a more distant
+point of their a&euml;rial circle, he would once more elevate himself on his
+arms, and make all haste toward the water.</p>
+
+<p>He had got within about an hundred yards of the river, when the
+birds made a sudden turn in the sky, and swooping down, alighted
+upon the sand directly before the snout of the crocodile. The latter
+stopped again, and kept his eyes fixed upon them. They did not
+leave him long to rest; for one of them, making a few hops towards
+him, came so close, that it might have been supposed the crocodile
+could have seized it in his jaws. This, in fact, he attempted to do;
+but the wary bird threw up its broad wings, and flapped to one side
+out of his reach.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the other had hopped close up to his opposite shoulder;
+and while the crocodile was engaged with the first one, this made a
+dash forward, aiming its great open beak at the eye of the reptile.
+The crocodile parried the thrust by a sudden turn of his head; but
+he had scarcely got round, when the second vulture, watching its
+opportunity, rushed forward at the other eye. It must have succeeded
+in pecking it, for the great lizard roared out with the pain;
+and rushing forward a bit, writhed and lashed the sand with his tail.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">303</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The vultures paid no attention to these demonstrations, but only
+kept out of the way of the teeth and claws of their antagonist; and
+then, when he became still again, both returned to the attack as
+before. One after the other was seen dashing repeatedly forward&mdash;using
+both legs and wings to effect their object, and each time
+darting out their great beaks towards the eyes of the reptile. The
+head of the latter kept continuously moving from side to side; but
+move where it would, the beaks of the vultures were ready to meet
+it, and to pierce into the sockets of those deep lurid eyes.</p>
+
+<p>This terrible contest lasted all the time the balza was floating by.
+It was a slow current at this place, and our travellers were a long
+time in passing, so that they had a good opportunity of witnessing
+the strange spectacle. Long after they had glided past, they saw
+that the conflict continued. They could still perceive the black body
+of the reptile upon the white sand-bank, writhing and struggling,
+while the flapping wings of the vultures showed that they still kept
+up their terrible attack. But the head of the crocodile was no longer
+directed towards the water.</p>
+
+<p>At the first onset the reptile had used every effort to retreat in
+that direction. He knew that his only safety lay in getting into the
+river, and sinking beyond the reach of his adversaries. At every
+interval between their assaults, he had been seen to crawl forward,
+stopping only when compelled to defend himself. Now, however,
+his head was seen turned from the water; sometimes he lay parallel
+with the stream; and sometimes he appeared to be heading back for
+the woods, while his struggles and contortions betrayed the agony
+he was undergoing. But his turning in this way was easily accounted
+for. He knew not in what direction lay the river. He could no
+longer see. His eyes were mutilated by the beaks of the birds.
+<i>He was blind!</i></p>
+
+<p>Guapo said the vultures would not leave him until they had made
+a meal of his eyes, and that was all they wanted. He would then
+remain on shore, perhaps without finding his way back to the water,
+and most likely be attacked by jaguars, or other preying creatures,
+who could conquer him the easier now that he was deprived of his
+sight!</p>
+
+<p>As the balza glided on, Guapo told our travellers many strange
+stories of crocodiles. He stated, what is well known to be true, that
+in the rivers of South America many people are every year killed by
+these ravenous creatures; in fact, far more than have ever fallen
+victims to the salt-sea sharks. In some places they are much fiercer
+than in others; but this may arise from different species being the
+inhabitants of these different places. There is the true crocodile,
+with long sharp snout, and large external tusks; and the ca&iuml;man,
+with a snout broader and more pike-shaped; and the former is a
+much more courageous and man-eating creature. Both are often
+found in the same river; but they do not associate together, but
+keep in distinct bands or societies; and they are often mistaken for
+each other.</p>
+
+<p>This may account for the difference of opinion that exists in regard
+to the fierceness of these reptiles&mdash;many asserting that they are utterly
+harmless, and will not attack man under any circumstances; while
+others, who have witnessed their attacks, of course bearing testimony
+to the contrary. There are many places in South America, where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">304</a></span>
+natives will fearlessly enter a lake or river known to be full of crocodiles,
+and drive these creatures aside with a piece of a stick; but there are
+other districts where nothing will tempt an Indian to swim across a
+river infested with these reptiles. In the Amazon districts, in every
+Indian village, several people may be seen who have been maimed by
+crocodiles. No wonder that among author-travellers there should be
+such a difference of opinion.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo stated, that when an Indian has been seized by a crocodile
+in its great jaws, he has only one chance of escape, and that is, by
+thrusting his fingers into the eyes of the reptile. This will invariably
+cause it to let go its hold, and generally frighten it, so as to enable the
+person to escape. It, of course, requires great presence of mind to
+effect this, as the person who has been seized will himself be in great
+pain from the tearing teeth of the monster, and, perhaps, will have
+been drawn under the water, before he can gather his senses. But it
+has often occurred that Indians, and even women, have escaped in this
+way.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of the crocodile are its most tender parts,&mdash;in fact, the only
+parts that can be made to feel pain. A crocodile may be disabled by
+cutting at the root of its tail, but it can only be frightened by an
+attack upon the eyes; and this appears to be a well-known fact, not
+only to the Indians, but to all its other enemies among the birds and
+quadrupeds.</p>
+
+<p>The young crocodiles are often attacked, and have their eyes pecked
+out, by the small gallinazo or &ldquo;zamuro&rdquo; vultures just in the same
+way that we have seen one of a larger size become the victim of the
+more powerful king vultures.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE &ldquo;GAPO.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>fter many days of rafting our travellers arrived in a most singular
+country. They were now approaching the mighty Amazon, and the
+river upon which they had hitherto been travelling appeared to divide
+into many branches, where it formed <i>deltas</i> with the Amazon. Every
+day, and sometimes two or three times in the day, they passed places
+where the river forked, as though each branch passed round an island,
+but our travellers perceived that these branches did not meet again;
+and they conjectured that they all fell into the Amazon by separate
+embouchures. They were often puzzled to know which one to take,
+as the main river was not always broadest, and they might get into
+one that was not navigable below. A curious region it was through
+which they passed; for, in fact, they were now travelling in the
+country of the &ldquo;Gapo.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>What is the &ldquo;Gapo?&rdquo; you will ask. The &ldquo;Gapo,&rdquo; then, is the name
+given to vast tracts of country upon the Amazon and some of its
+tributary streams, that are annually inundated, and remain under
+water for several months in the year. It extends for hundreds of
+miles along the Amazon itself, and up many of the rivers, its tributaries
+also, for hundreds of miles.</p>
+
+<p>But the whole country does not become one clear sheet of water, as
+is the case with floods in other parts of the world. On the contrary,
+high as is the flood, the tree-tops and their branches rise still higher,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">305</a></span>
+and we have in the &ldquo;Gapo&rdquo; the extraordinary spectacle of a flooded
+forest, thousands of square miles in extent!</p>
+
+<p>In this forest the trees do not perish, but retain life and verdure.
+In fact, the trees of this part are peculiar, most of them differing in
+kind from the trees of any other region. There are species of palms
+growing in the &ldquo;Gapo&rdquo; that are found nowhere else; and there are
+animals and birds, too, that remain in this region during the whole
+season of flood. It has been further asserted that there are tribes of
+&ldquo;Gapo&rdquo; Indians, who live in the middle of the inundation, making
+their dwellings upon the trees, and who can pass from branch to branch
+and tree to tree almost as nimbly as monkeys.</p>
+
+<p>This may or may not be true. It would not be a new thing, if true,
+for it is well known that the Guarano Indians, at the mouth of the
+Orinoco, dwell among the tops of the murichi palms during many
+months of the season of flood. These people build platforms on the
+palms, and upon these erect roofs, and sling their hammocks, and,
+with little fireplaces of mud, are enabled to cook their provisions upon
+them. But they have canoes, in which they are able to go from place
+to place, and capture fish, upon which they principally subsist. The
+murichi palm furnishes them with all the other necessaries of life.</p>
+
+<p>This singular tree is one of the noblest of the palms. It rises to a
+height of more than one hundred feet, and grows in immense <i>palmares</i>,
+or palm-woods, often covering the bank of the river for miles. It is
+one of those called &ldquo;fan-palm&rdquo;&mdash;that is, the leaves, instead of being
+pinnate or feathery, have long naked stalks, at the end of which the
+leaflets spread out circularly, forming a shape like a fan. One of the
+murichi leaves is a grand sight. The leaf-stalk, or petiole, is a foot
+thick where it sprouts from the trunk; and before it reaches the
+leaflets it is a solid beam of ten or twelve feet long, while the circular
+fan or leaf itself is nine or ten in diameter! A single leaf of the
+murichi palm is a full load for a man.</p>
+
+<p>With a score of such leaves,&mdash;shining and ever verdant as they are,&mdash;at
+the top of its column-like trunk, what a majestic tree is the
+murichi palm!</p>
+
+<p>But it is not more beautiful than useful. Its leaves, fruit, and stem,
+are all put to some use in the domestic economy of the Indians. The
+leaf-stalk, when dried, is light and elastic, like the quill of a bird&mdash;owing
+to the thin, hard, outer covering and soft internal pith. Out
+of the outer rind, when split off, the Indian makes baskets and
+window-blinds. The pithy part is separated into laths, about half an
+inch thick, with which window-shutters, boxes, bird-cages, partitions,
+and even entire walls, are constructed.</p>
+
+<p>The epidermis of the leaves furnishes the strings for hammocks and
+all kinds of cordage. From the fruits a favourite beverage is produced,
+and these fruits are also pleasant eating, somewhat resembling apples.
+They are in appearance like pine-cones, of a red colour outside and
+yellow pulp. The trunk itself furnishes a pith or marrow that can be
+used as sago; and out of the wood the Indian cuts his buoyant canoe!
+In short, there are tribes of Indians that not only live, in a literal
+sense, <i>on</i> the murichi palms, but that almost subsist on them.</p>
+
+<p>Although the flood had, to a considerable extent, subsided, the river
+in most places was still beyond its banks; and this made it difficult
+for our travellers to find a place for their night-camps. Several nights
+they were obliged to sleep, as they best could, on the balza,&mdash;the latter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">306</a></span>
+being secured to a tree. Sometimes, by pushing some distance up the
+mouth of an &ldquo;igarip&eacute;,&rdquo; or creek, they were able to find dry ground,
+on which to encamp. During their passage through this labyrinth of
+rivers, they travelled but very slowly, and their provisions were fast
+running out. There was no chance for increasing their stock, as they
+could not find either wild-hogs (peccaries) or capivaras. These
+creatures, although they can swim well enough, would only be found
+upon the banks of the river, when it returned within its proper
+channel.</p>
+
+<p>Now and then Guapo brought down a parrot, a macaw, or an aracari,
+with his blow-gun; but these were only temporary supplies. They
+had often heard howling monkeys in the trees, but had not been able
+to see them; and none of the party would have refused to eat roast-monkey
+now, as they had all tried it and found it quite palatable.
+Guapo, blow-gun in hand, was continually peering up among the tree-tops
+in search of monkeys or other game. He was, at length, rewarded
+for his vigilance.</p>
+
+<p>One night they had pushed the balza up an &ldquo;igarip&eacute;&rdquo; for a hundred
+yards or so, where a dry bank gave them an opportunity of landing.
+The creek itself was not much wider than the balza, and tall trees
+stood upon both banks. In one or two places the thorny &ldquo;jacitara&rdquo;
+palm&mdash;which is a sort of climbing plant, often hanging over the
+branches of other trees&mdash;nearly reached across the stream. These
+curious palms had even to be cautiously pushed to one side as the balza
+passed,&mdash;for the arrowy claws upon them, if once hooked into the
+clothes of passengers, would either have dragged the latter from off
+the raft, or have torn out the piece of cloth.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ARAGUATOES.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>ur party had passed several of these jacitaras, made the balza fast,
+landed, and were just cooking their scanty supper, when they heard
+a band of howling monkeys afar off in the woods. There was nothing
+unusual in this; for these creatures are heard at all times among the
+forests of the Amazon, especially at sunrise and before sunset, or
+whenever there is any appearance of the approach of a rain-storm.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers would not have noticed their voices on this occasion,
+but that they seemed to be approaching in that direction; and as
+they were coming along the bank of the main river, Guapo concluded
+that on arriving at the &ldquo;igarip&eacute;&rdquo; they would turn up it and pass near
+where the balza was, and thus he might have them within reach of
+his gravat&aacute;na. It was certain they were coming down the river side&mdash;of
+course upon the tree-tops, and would, no doubt, turn up as Guapo
+expected, for the trees on the opposite side of the igarip&eacute; stood too
+far apart even for monkeys to spring across.</p>
+
+<p>After waiting for half-an-hour or so, the hideous howling of the
+monkeys could be heard at no great distance, and they were taking
+the desired route. In fact, in a few minutes after, the troop appeared
+upon some tall trees that stood on the edge of the creek, not fifty
+yards from where the balza was moored. They were large animals,
+of that lanky and slender shape that characterises the prehensile-tailed
+monkeys; but these were different from the <i>ateles</i> already<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">307</a></span>
+mentioned. They were true howlers, as they had already proved by
+the cries they had been uttering for the half-hour past.</p>
+
+<p>There are several species of howling monkeys, as we have already
+stated. Those that had arrived on the igarip&eacute; Guapo pronounced to
+be <i>araguatoes</i>. Their bodies are of a reddish-brown colour on the
+body and shoulders, lighter underneath, and their naked wrinkled
+faces are of a bluish black, and with very much of the expression of
+an old man. Their hair is full and bushy, and gives them some
+resemblance to a bear, whence their occasional name of &ldquo;bear-ape,&rdquo;
+and also their zoological designation, <i>Simia ursina</i>. The araguato is
+full three feet without the tail, and that powerful member is much
+longer.</p>
+
+<p>When the band made its appearance on the igarip&eacute;, they were seen
+to come to a halt, all of them gathering into a great tree that stood
+by the water's edge. This tree rose higher than the rest, and the
+most of the monkeys having climbed among the top branches, were
+visible from the balza. There were about fifty in the troop, and one
+that seemed larger than any of the others appeared to act as leader.
+Many of them were females, and there were not a few that had young
+ones, which they carried upon their backs just as the Indian mothers
+and those of other savage nations carry their children.</p>
+
+<p>Most of the little monkeys lay along the backs of their mothers,
+clasping them around the neck with their fore-arms, while their hind
+ones girdled the middle of the body. But it was in their tails the
+little fellows seemed to place most reliance. The top parts of these
+were firmly lapped around the thick base of the tails of the old ones,
+and thus not only secured their seat, but made it quite impossible for
+them to drop off. No force could have shaken them from this hold,
+without dragging out their tails or tearing their bodies to pieces,
+indeed, it was necessary they should be thus firmly seated, as the
+exertions of the mothers,&mdash;their quick motions and long springing
+leaps from tree to tree&mdash;would otherwise have been impossible.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the bank of the igarip&eacute;, the araguatoes were evidently
+at fault. Their intention had been to proceed down along the main
+river, and the creek now interfered. Its water lay directly across
+their course, and how were they to get over it? Swim it, you may,
+say. Ha! little do you know the dread these creatures have of water.
+Yes; strange to say, although many species of them pass their lives
+upon trees that overhang water, or even grow out of it, they are as
+much afraid of the water beneath them as if it were fire. A cat is not
+half so dainty about wetting her feet as some monkeys are; and
+besides a cat can swim, which the monkeys cannot&mdash;at best so badly
+that in a few minutes they would drown.</p>
+
+<p>Strange, is it not, that among animals, those that approach nearest
+to man, like him are not gifted by nature with the power of swimming?
+It is evident, then, that that is an art left to be discovered
+by the intellect of man. To fall into the water would be a sad mishap
+for a monkey, not only on account of the ducking, but of the danger.
+There is not much likelihood of an araguato falling in. Even though
+one branch may have broken and failed it, in the great concave
+sphere which it can so quickly trace around it by means of its five
+long members, it is sure of finding a second. No; the araguatoes
+might spend a life-time in the flooded forest without even wetting a
+hair farther than what is wetted by the rain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">308</a></span></p>
+
+<p>From their movements, it was evident the igarip&eacute; had puzzled them;
+and a consultation was called among the branches of the tall tree
+already mentioned. Upon one of the very highest sat the large old
+fellow who was evidently leader of the band. His harangue was loud
+and long, accompanied by many gestures of his hands, head, and tail.
+It was, no doubt, exceedingly eloquent. Similar speeches delivered
+by other old araguato chiefs, have been compared to the creaking of
+an ungreased bullock-cart, mingled with the rumbling of the wheels!</p>
+
+<p>Our party thought the comparison a just one. The old chief finished
+at length. Up to this point not one of the others had said a word.
+They all sat silent, observing perfect decorum; indeed, much greater
+than is observed in the great British Parliament or the Congress of
+America. Occasionally one of the children might utter a slight
+squeak, or throw out its hand to catch a mosquito; but in such cases
+a slap from the paw of the mother, or a rough shaking, soon reduced
+it to quiet.</p>
+
+<p>When the chief had ended speaking, however, no debate in either
+Congress or Parliament could have equalled the noise that then arose.
+Every araguato seemed to have something to say, and all spoke at
+the same time. If the speech of the old one was like the creaking of
+a bullock-cart, the voices of all combined might appropriately be
+compared to a whole string of these vehicles, with half the quantity
+of grease and a double allowance of wheels!</p>
+
+<p>Once more the chief, by a sign, commanded silence, and the rest
+became mute and motionless as before.</p>
+
+<p>This time the speech of the leader appeared to refer to the business
+in hand&mdash;in short, to the crossing of the igarip&eacute;. He was seen repeatedly
+pointing in that direction, as he spoke, and the rest followed
+his motions with their eyes.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">BRIDGING AN IGARIP&Eacute;.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he tree upon which the araguatoes were assembled stood near the
+edge of the water, but there was another still nearer. This was also
+a tall tree free of branches for a great way up. On the opposite bank
+of the igarip&eacute; was a very similar tree, and the long horizontal branches
+of the two were separated from each other by a space of about twenty
+feet. It was with these two trees that the attention of the araguatoes
+appeared to be occupied; and our travellers could tell by their looks
+and gestures that they were conversing about, and calculating, the
+distance between their upper branches. For what purpose?</p>
+
+<p>Surely they do not expect to be able to make a crossing between
+them? No creature without wings could pass from one to the other!
+Such were the questions and doubts expressed by Leon, and indeed
+by all except Guapo, but Guapo had seen araguatoes before, and knew
+some of their tricks. Guapo, therefore, boldly pronounced that it
+was their intention to cross the igarip&eacute; by these two trees. He was
+about to explain the manner in which they would accomplish it, when
+the movement commenced, and rendered his explanation quite unnecessary.</p>
+
+<p>At a commanding cry from the chief, several of the largest and
+strongest monkeys swung themselves into the tree that stood on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">309</a></span>
+edge of the water. Here, after a moment's reconnoissance, they were
+seen to get upon a horizontal limb&mdash;one that projected diagonally
+over the igarip&eacute;. There were no limbs immediately underneath it on
+the same side of the tree; and for this very reason had they selected
+it. Having advanced until they were near its top, the foremost of the
+monkeys let himself down upon his tail, and hung head downward.
+Another slipped down the body of the first, and clutched him around
+the neck and fore-arms with his strong tail, with his head down also.
+A third succeeded the second, and a fourth the third, and so on until
+a string of monkeys dangled from the limb.</p>
+
+<p>A motion was now produced by the monkeys striking other branches
+with their feet, until the long string oscillated back and forwards like
+the pendulum of a clock. This oscillation was gradually increased,
+until the monkey at the lower end was swung up among the branches
+of the tree on the opposite side of the igarip&eacute;. After touching them
+once or twice, he discovered that he was within reach; and the next
+time when he had reached the highest point of the oscillating curve,
+he threw out his long thin fore-arms, and firmly clutching the
+branches, held fast.</p>
+
+<p>The oscillation now ceased. The living chain stretched across the
+igarip&eacute; from tree to tree, and, curving slightly, hung like a suspension-bridge!
+A loud screaming, and gabbling, and chattering, and
+howling, proceeded from the band of araguatoes, who, up to this
+time, had watched the man&#339;uvres of their comrades in silence&mdash;all
+except the old chief, who occasionally had given directions both with
+voice and gestures. But the general gabble that succeeded was, no
+doubt, an expression of the satisfaction of all that the <i>bridge was
+built</i>.</p>
+
+<p>The troop now proceeded to cross over, one or two old ones going
+first, perhaps to try the strength of the bridge. Then went the
+mothers carrying their young on their backs, and after them the
+rest of the band.</p>
+
+<p>It was quite an amusing scene to witness, and the behaviour of
+the monkeys would have caused any one to laugh. Even Guapo
+could not restrain his mirth at seeing those who formed the bridge
+biting the others that passed over them, both on the legs and tails,
+until the latter screamed again!</p>
+
+<p>The old chief stood at the near end and directed the crossing.
+Like a brave officer, he was the last to pass over. When all the
+others had preceded him, he crossed after, carrying himself in a
+stately and dignified manner. None dared to bite at <i>his</i> legs. They
+knew better than play off their tricks on <i>him</i>, and he crossed quietly
+and without any molestation.</p>
+
+<p>Now the string still remained suspended between the trees. How
+were the monkeys that formed it to get themselves free again? Of
+course the one that had clutched the branch with his arms might
+easily let go, but that would bring them back to the same side from
+which they had started, and would separate them from the rest of
+the band. Those constituting the bridge would, therefore, be as far
+from crossing as ever!</p>
+
+<p>There seemed to be a difficulty here&mdash;that is, to some of our
+travellers. To the monkeys themselves there was none. They knew
+well enough what they were about, and they would have got over
+the apparent difficulty in the following manner:&mdash;The one at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">310</a></span>
+tail end of the bridge would simply have let go his hold, and the
+whole string would then have swung over and hung from the tree on
+the opposite bank, into which they could have climbed at their
+leisure. I say they <i>would</i> have done so had nothing interfered to
+prevent them from completing the man&#339;uvre. But an obstacle
+intervened which brought the affair to a very different termination.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo had been seated along with the rest, gravat&aacute;na in hand.
+He showed great forbearance in not having used the gravat&aacute;na long
+before, for he was all the while quite within reach of the araguatoes;
+but this forbearance on his part was not of his own freewill. Don
+Pablo had, in fact, hindered him, in order that he and the others,
+should have an opportunity of witnessing the singular man&#339;uvres of
+the monkeys. Before the scene was quite over, however, the Indian
+begged Don Pablo to let him shoot, reminding him how much they
+stood in need of a little &ldquo;monkey-meat.&rdquo; This had the effect Guapo
+desired; the consent was given, and the gravat&aacute;na was pointed
+diagonally upwards. Once more Guapo's cheeks were distended&mdash;once
+more came the strong, quick puff&mdash;and away went the arrow.
+The next moment it was seen sticking in the neck of one of the
+monkeys.</p>
+
+<p>Now, the one which Guapo had aimed at and hit was that which
+had grasped the tree on the opposite side with its arms. Why did
+he chose this more than any other? Was it because it was nearer, or
+more exposed to view? Neither of these was the reason. It was,
+that had he shot any of the others in the string&mdash;they being supported
+by their tails&mdash;it would not have fallen; the tail, as we have
+already seen, still retaining its prehensile power even to death. But
+that one which held on to the tree by its fore-arms would in a second
+or two be compelled from weakness to let go, and the whole chain
+would drop back on the near side of the igarip&eacute;. This was just what
+Guapo desired, and he waited for the result. It was necessary only
+to wait half-a-dozen seconds. The monkey was evidently growing
+weak under the influence of the <i>curare</i>, and was struggling to retain
+its hold. In a moment it must let go.</p>
+
+<p>The araguato at the &ldquo;tail-end&rdquo; of the bridge, not knowing what
+had happened, and thinking all was right for swinging himself
+across, slipped his tail from the branch just at the very same instant
+that the wounded one let go, and the whole chain fell &ldquo;souse&rdquo; into
+the water! Then the screaming and howling from those on shore,
+the plunging and splashing of the monkeys in the stream, mingled
+with the shouts of Leon, Guapo, and the others, created a scene of
+noise and confusion that lasted for several minutes. In the midst
+of it, Guapo threw himself into the canoe, and with a single stroke
+of his paddle shot right down among the drowning monkeys. One or
+two escaped to the bank, and made off; several went to the bottom;,
+but three, including the wounded one, fell into the clutches of the
+hunter.</p>
+
+<p>Of course roast-monkey was added to the supper; but none of the
+travellers slept very well after it, as the araguatoes, lamenting their
+lost companions, kept up a most dismal wailing throughout the
+whole of the night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">311</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MANATI.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he araguatoes, with dried plantains and cassava, were the food of
+our travellers for several days after. On the evening of the third
+day they had a change. Guapo succeeded in capturing a very large
+turtle, which served for relish at several meals. His mode of taking
+the turtle was somewhat curious, and deserves to be described.</p>
+
+<p>The balza had been brought to the bank, and they were just
+mooring it, when something out on the water attracted the attention
+of Leon and Leona. It was a small, darkish object, and would not
+have been observed but for the ripple that it made on the smooth
+surface of the river, and by this they could tell that it was in motion.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A water-snake!&rdquo; said Leon.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; ejaculated the little Leona, &ldquo;I hope not, brother Leon.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;On second thoughts,&rdquo; replied Leon, &ldquo;I don't think it is a snake.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Of course the object was a good distance off, else Leon and Leona
+would not have talked so coolly about it. But their words had
+reached the ear of Do&ntilde;a Isidora, and drawn her attention to what
+they were talking about.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No; it is not a snake,&rdquo; said she. &ldquo;I fancy it is a turtle.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo up to this had been busy with Don Pablo in getting the
+balza made fast. The word &ldquo;turtle,&rdquo; however, caught his ear at
+once, and he looked up, and then out on the river in the direction
+where Leon and Leona were pointing. As soon as his eye rested
+upon the moving object he replied to the remark of Do&ntilde;a Isidora.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes, my mistress,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;it is a turtle, and a big one too.
+Please all keep quiet&mdash;I think I can get him.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>How Guapo was to get the turtle was a mystery to all. The
+latter was about thirty paces distant, but it would be difficult, if not
+impossible, to hit his small snout&mdash;the only part above water&mdash;with
+the arrow of the blow-gun. Moreover, they thought that the arrow
+would not penetrate the hard, bony substance, so as to stick there
+and infuse its poison into the wound.</p>
+
+<p>These conjectures were true enough, but his gravat&aacute;na was not
+the weapon which Guapo was about to use. He had other weapons
+as well&mdash;a fish-spear or harpoon, and a regular bow and arrows,
+which he had made during his leisure hours in the valley.</p>
+
+<p>The latter was the weapon with which the tortoise was to be killed.</p>
+
+<p>Taking the bow, and adjusting an arrow to the string, Guapo
+stepped forward to the water's edge. All watched him, uttering
+their hopes of his success. It was still not clear with them how
+the turtle was to be killed by an arrow shot from a bow any more
+than by one sent from a blow-gun. Would it not glance from the
+shell even should he succeed in hitting it under water! Surely it
+would!</p>
+
+<p>As they stood whispering their conjectures to one another, they
+observed Guapo, to their great astonishment, <i>pointing his arrow
+upward</i>, and making as if he was going to discharge it in the air!
+This he, in fact, <i>did</i> do a moment after; and they would have
+been puzzled by his apparently strange conduct, had they not observed,
+in the next instant, that the arrow, after flying high up,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">312</a></span>
+came down again head-foremost and stuck upright in the back of the
+turtle!</p>
+
+<p>The turtle dived at once, and all of them expected to see the
+upright arrow carried under water. What was their surprise as well
+as chagrin to see that it had fallen out, and was floating on the
+surface! Of course the wound had only been a slight one, and the
+turtle would escape, and be none the worse for it.</p>
+
+<p>But Guapo shared neither their surprise nor chagrin. Guapo felt
+sure that the turtle was his, and said nothing; but, jumping into
+the canoe, began to paddle himself out to where the creature had
+been last seen. What could he be after? thought they.</p>
+
+<p>As they watched him, they saw that he made for the floating
+arrow. &ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; said they, &ldquo;he is gone to recover it.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>That seemed probable enough, but, to their astonishment, as he
+approached the weapon it took a start, and ran away from him!
+Something below dragged it along the water. That was clear, and
+they began to comprehend the mystery. The <i>head</i> of the arrow was
+still sticking in the shell of the turtle. It was only the shaft that
+floated, and that was attached to the head by a string! The latter
+had been but loosely put on, so that the pressure of the water, as
+the turtle dived, should separate it from the shaft, leaving the shaft
+with its cord to act as a buoy, and discover the situation of the turtle.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, in his swift canoe, soon laid hold of the shaft, and after
+a little careful man&#339;uvring, succeeded in landing his turtle high and
+dry upon the bank. A splendid prize it proved. It was a &ldquo;jurara&rdquo;
+tortoise&mdash;the &ldquo;tataruga,&rdquo; or great turtle of the Portuguese, and its
+shell was full three feet in diameter.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo's mode of capturing the &ldquo;jurara&rdquo; is the same as that
+generally practised by the Indians of the Amazon, although strong
+nets and the hook are also used. The arrow is always discharged
+upwards, and the range calculated with such skill, that it falls
+vertically on the shell of the turtle, and penetrates deep enough
+to stick, and detach itself from the shaft. This mode of shooting
+is necessary, else the jurara could not be killed by an arrow, because
+it never shows more than the tip of its snout above water, and any
+arrow hitting it in a direct course would glance harmlessly from its
+shell. A good bowman among the Indians will rarely miss shooting
+in this way,&mdash;long practice and native skill enabling him to guess
+within an inch of where his weapon will fall.</p>
+
+<p>In the towns of the Lower Amazon, where turtles are brought to
+market, a small square hole may be observed in the shells of these
+creatures. That is the mark of the arrow-head.</p>
+
+<p>Guapo lost no time in turning his turtle inside out, and converting
+part of it into a savoury supper, while the remainder was fried into
+sausage-meat, and put away for the following day.</p>
+
+<p>But on that following day a much larger stock of sausage-meat
+was procured from a very different animal, and that was a &ldquo;cow.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How?&rdquo; you exclaim,&mdash;&ldquo;a cow in the wild forests of the Amazon!
+Why, you have said that no cattle&mdash;either cows or horses&mdash;can exist
+there without man to protect them, else they would be devoured by
+pumas, jaguars, and bats. Perhaps they had arrived at some
+settlement where cows were kept?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Not a bit of it; your conjecture, my young friend, is quite astray.
+There was not a civilised settlement for many hundreds of miles<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">313</a></span>
+from where Guapo got his cow&mdash;nor a cow neither, of the sort you
+are thinking of. But there are more kinds of cows than one; and,
+perhaps, you may have heard of a creature called the &ldquo;fish-cow?&rdquo;
+Well, that is the sort of cow I am speaking of. Some term it the
+&ldquo;sea-cow,&rdquo; but this is an improper name for it, since it also inhabits
+fresh-water rivers throughout all tropical America. It is known as
+the <i>Manati</i>, and the Portuguese call it &ldquo;<i>peixe boi</i>,&rdquo; which is only
+&ldquo;fish-cow&rdquo; done into Portuguese.</p>
+
+<p>It is a curious creature the fish-cow, and I shall offer you a short
+description of it. It is usually about seven feet in length, and five
+round the thickest part of the body, which latter is quite smooth,
+and tapers off into a horizontal flat tail, semicircular in shape.
+There are no hind-limbs upon the animal, but just behind the head
+are two powerful fins of an oval shape. There is no neck to be
+perceived; and the head, which is not very large, terminates in
+a large mouth and fleshy lips, which are not unlike those of a cow:
+hence its name of &ldquo;cow-fish.&rdquo; There are stiff bristles on the upper
+lip, and a few thinly scattered hairs over the rest of the body.
+Behind the oval fins are two <i>mamm&aelig;</i>, or breasts, from which, when
+pressed, flows a stream of beautiful white milk. Both eyes and ears
+are very small in proportion to the size of the animal, but, nevertheless,
+it has full use of these organs, and is not easily approached
+by its enemy.</p>
+
+<p>The colour of the skin is a dusky lead, with some flesh-coloured
+marks on the belly, and the skin itself is an inch thick at its thickest
+part, on the back. Beneath the skin is a layer of fat, of great,
+thickness, which makes excellent oil when boiled. As we have said,
+the manati has no appearance of hind-limbs. Its fore-limbs, however,
+are highly developed for a water animal. The bones in them
+correspond to those in the human arm, having five fingers with the
+joints distinct, yet so enclosed in an inflexible sheath that not a joint
+can be moved.</p>
+
+<p>The cow-fish feeds on grass, coming in to the borders of the lakes
+and rivers to procure it. It can swim very rapidly by means of its
+flat tail and strong fins, and is not so easily captured as might be
+supposed. All the art of the hunter is required to effect its destruction.
+The harpoon is the weapon usually employed, though sometimes
+they are caught in strong nets stretched across the mouths of
+rivers or the narrow arms of lakes. The flesh of the manati is much
+esteemed, and tastes somewhat between beef and pork, altogether
+different from &ldquo;fish.&rdquo; Fried in its own oil, and poured into pots or
+jars, it can be preserved for many months.</p>
+
+<p>As already stated, on the day after Guapo shot the turtle&mdash;in fact,
+the next morning&mdash;just as they were going to shove off, some of the
+party, in gazing from the edge of the balza, noticed a queer-looking
+animal in the clear water below. It was no other than a &ldquo;fish-cow;&rdquo;
+and, as they continued to examine it more attentively, they were
+astonished to observe that, with its short paddle-like limbs, it
+hugged two miniature models of itself close to its two breasts.
+These were the &ldquo;calves&rdquo; in the act of suckling, for such is the mode
+in which the manati nourishes her young.</p>
+
+<p>All the others would have watched this spectacle for a while,
+interested in the maternal and filial traits thus exhibited by a
+subaqueous creature, but while they stood looking into the water,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">314</a></span>
+something glanced before their eyes, and glided with a plunge to
+the bottom. It was the harpoon of Guapo.</p>
+
+<p>Blood rose to the surface immediately, and there was a considerable
+splashing as the strong manati made its attempt to escape; but
+the head of the harpoon was deeply buried in its flesh, and, with the
+attached cord, Guapo soon hauled the animal ashore. It was as
+much as he and Don Pablo could do to drag it on dry land; but the
+knife soon took it to pieces; and then several hours were spent in
+making it fit for preservation. Its fat and flesh yielded enough to
+fill every spare vessel our travellers had got; and, when all were
+filled, the balza was pushed off, and they continued their voyage
+without any fear of short rations for some time to come.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER L.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE CLOSING CHAPTER.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span>fter many days of difficult navigation the balza floated upon the
+broad and mighty Amazon, whose yellowish-olive flood flowed yet
+fifteen hundred miles farther to the Atlantic Ocean.</p>
+
+<p>The current was in most places over four miles an hour, and the
+navigation smooth and easy&mdash;so that our travellers rarely made less
+than fifty miles a-day. There was considerable monotony in the
+landscape, on account of the absence of mountains, as the Amazon,
+through most of its course, runs through a level plain. The numerous
+bends and sudden windings of the stream, however, continually
+opening out into new and charming vistas, and the ever-changing
+variety of vegetation, formed sources of delight to the travellers.</p>
+
+<p>Almost every day they passed the mouth of some tributary river&mdash;many
+of these appearing as large as the Amazon itself. Our travellers
+were struck with a peculiarity in relation to these rivers&mdash;that is,
+their variety of colour. Some were whitish, with a tinge of olive,
+like the Amazon itself; others were blue and transparent; while
+a third kind had waters as black as ink. Of the latter class is the
+great river of the Rio Negro&mdash;which by means of a tributary (the
+Cassiquiare) joins the Amazon with the Orinoco.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, the rivers of the Amazon valley have been classed into
+<i>white</i>, <i>blue</i>, and <i>black</i>. <i>Red</i> rivers, such as are common in the northern
+division of the American continent, do not exist in the valley of the
+Amazon.</p>
+
+<p>There appears to be no other explanation for this difference in the
+colour of rivers, except by supposing that they take their hue from
+the nature of the soil through which these channels run.</p>
+
+<p>But the <i>white</i> rivers, as the Amazon itself, do not appear to be of
+this hue merely because they are &ldquo;muddy.&rdquo; On the contrary, they
+derive their colour, or most of it, from some impalpable substance
+held in a state of irreducible solution. This is proved from the fact,
+that even when these waters enter a reservoir, and the earthy matter
+is allowed to settle, they still retain the same tinge of yellowish olive.
+There are some white rivers, as the Rio Branco, whose waters are
+almost as white as milk itself!</p>
+
+<p>The <i>blue</i> rivers of the Amazon valley are those with clear transparent
+waters, and the courses of these lie through rocky countries where
+there is little or no alluvium to render them turbid.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">315</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The <i>black</i> streams are the most remarkable of all. These, when deep,
+look like rivers of ink; and when the bottom can be seen, which is
+usually a sandy one, the sand has the appearance of gold. Even when
+lifted in a vessel, the water retains its inky tinge, and resembles that
+which may be found in the pools of peat-bogs. It is a general supposition
+in South America that the black-water rivers get their colour
+from the extract of sarsaparilla roots growing on their banks. It is
+possible the sarsaparilla roots may have something to do with it, in
+common with both the roots and leaves of many other vegetables. No
+other explanation has yet been found to account for the dark colour
+of these rivers, except the decay of vegetable substances carried in
+their current; and it is a fact that all the black-water streams run
+through the most thickly wooded regions.</p>
+
+<p>A curious fact may be mentioned of the black rivers; that is, that
+mosquitoes&mdash;the plague of tropical America&mdash;are not found on their
+banks. This is not only a curious, but an important fact, and might
+be sufficient to determine any one on the choice of a settlement. You
+may deem a mosquito a very small thing, and its presence a trifling
+annoyance. Let me tell you that settlements have been broken up
+and deserted on account of the persecution experienced from these
+little insects! They are the real &ldquo;wild beasts&rdquo; of South America, far
+more to be dreaded than pumas, or crocodiles, or snakes, or even the
+fierce jaguar himself.</p>
+
+<p>Day after day our travellers kept on their course, meeting with
+many incidents and adventures&mdash;too many to be recorded in this little
+volume. After passing the mouth of the Rio Negro, they began to
+get a peep now and then of high land, and even mountains, in the
+distance; for the valley of the Amazon, on approaching its mouth,
+assumes a different character from what it has farther up-stream.
+These mountains bend towards it both from the Brazilian country on
+the south, and from Guiana on the north, and these are often visible
+from the bosom of the stream itself.</p>
+
+<p>It was about a month from their entering the main stream of the
+Amazon, and a little more than two from the first launching of their
+vessel, when the balza was brought alongside the wharf of Grand Para,
+and Don Pablo and his party stepped on shore at this Brazilian town.
+Here, of course, Don Pablo was a free man&mdash;free to go where he pleased&mdash;free
+to dispose of his cargo as he thought best. But he did <i>not</i> dispose
+of it at Grand Para.</p>
+
+<p>A better plan presented itself. He was enabled to freight part of a
+vessel starting for New York, and thither he went, taking his family
+and cargo along with him. In New York he obtained a large price
+for his bark, roots, and beans; in fact, when all were disposed of, he
+found himself nearly twenty thousand dollars to the good. With this
+to live upon, he determined to remain in the great Republic of the
+North until such time as his own dear Peru might be freed from the
+Spanish oppressor.</p>
+
+<p>Ten years was the period of his exile. At the end of that time the
+Spanish-American provinces struck almost simultaneously for liberty;
+and in the ten years' struggle that followed, not only Don Pablo, but
+Leon&mdash;now a young man&mdash;bore a conspicuous part. Both fought by
+the side of Bolivar at the great battle of Junin, which crowned the
+patriot army with victory.</p>
+
+<p>At the close of the War of Independence, Don Pablo was a general<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">316</a></span>
+of division, while Leon had reached the grade of a colonel. But as
+soon as the fighting was over, both resigned their military rank, as
+they were men who did not believe in soldiering as a <i>mere profession</i>.
+In fact, they regarded it as an unbecoming profession in time of peace,
+and in this view <i>I</i> quite agree with them.</p>
+
+<p>Don Pablo returned to his studies; but Leon organised an expedition
+of <i>cascarilleros</i>, and returned to the Monta&ntilde;a, where for many
+years he employed himself in &ldquo;bark-hunting.&rdquo; Through this he became
+one of the richest of Peruvian &ldquo;ricos.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Guapo, who at this time did not look a year older than when first
+introduced, was as tough and sinewy as ever, and was at the head of
+the cascarilleros; and many a <i>coceada</i> did Guapo afterwards enjoy
+with his mountain friend the &ldquo;vaquero&rdquo; while passing backward and
+forward between Cuzco and the Monta&ntilde;a.</p>
+
+<p>Do&ntilde;a Isidora lived for a long period an ornament to her sex, and
+the little Leona had <i>her</i> day as the &ldquo;belle of Cuzco.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But Leon and Leona both got married at length; and were you to
+visit Cuzco at the present time, you might see several little Leons
+and Leonas, with round black eyes, and dark waving hair&mdash;all of
+them descendants from our family of&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="center">&ldquo;<span class="smcap">Forest Exiles</span>.&rdquo;</div>
+<br /><br />
+
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">317</a></span></p>
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class="cap2">THE BUSH-BOYS,</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">OR</div>
+<br />
+<div class="cap">ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BOERS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">H</span>endrik Von Bloom was a <i>boer</i>.</p>
+
+<p>When I called Hendrik Von Bloom a boer, I did not mean him
+any disrespect. Quite the contrary.</p>
+
+<p>All the same it may be well to explain that Mynheer Hendrik had
+not always been a boer. He could boast of a somewhat higher
+condition&mdash;that is, he could boast of a better education than the
+mere Cape farmer usually possesses, as well as some experience in
+wielding the sword. He was not a native of the colony, but of
+Holland; and he had found his way to the Cape, not as a poor
+adventurer seeking his fortune, but as an officer in a Dutch regiment
+then stationed there.</p>
+
+<p>His soldier-service in the colony was not of long duration. A
+certain cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude&mdash;the daughter of a
+rich boer&mdash;had taken a liking to the young lieutenant; and he in
+his turn became vastly fond of her. The consequence was, that they
+got married. Gertrude's father dying shortly after, the large farm,
+with its full stock of horses, and Hottentots, broad-tailed sheep, and
+long-horned oxen, became hers. This was an inducement for her
+soldier-husband to lay down the sword and turn &ldquo;vee-boer,&rdquo; or
+stock farmer, which he consequently did.</p>
+
+<p>These incidents occurred many years previous to the English becoming
+masters of the Cape colony. When that event came to pass,
+Hendrik Von Bloom was already a man of influence in the colony
+and &ldquo;field-cornet&rdquo; of his district, which lay in the beautiful county
+of Graaf Reinet. He was then a widower, the father of a small
+family. The wife whom he had fondly loved,&mdash;the cherry-cheeked,
+flaxen-haired Gertrude&mdash;no longer lived.</p>
+
+<p>History will tell you how the Dutch colonists, discontented with
+English rule, rebelled against it. The ex-lieutenant and field-cornet
+was one of the most prominent among these rebels. History will
+also tell you how the rebellion was put down; and how several of
+those compromised were brought to execution. Von Bloom escaped
+by flight; but his fine property in the Graaf Reinet was confiscated
+and given to another.</p>
+
+<p>Many years after we find him living in a remote district beyond
+the great Orange River, leading the life of a &ldquo;trek-boer,&rdquo;&mdash;that is, a
+nomade farmer, who has no fixed or permanent abode, but moves
+with his flocks from place to place, wherever good pastures and water
+may tempt him.</p>
+
+<p>From about this time dates my knowledge of the field-cornet and
+his family. Of his history previous to this I have stated all I know,
+but for a period of many years after I am more minutely acquainted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">318</a></span>
+with it. Most of its details I received from the lips of his own son.
+I was greatly interested, and indeed instructed, by them. They were
+my first lessons in African zoology.</p>
+
+<p>Believing, boy reader, that they might also instruct and interest
+you, I here lay them before you. You are not to regard them as
+merely fanciful. The descriptions of the wild creatures that play
+their parts in this little history, as well as the acts, habits, and
+instincts assigned to them, you may regard as true to Nature. Young
+Von Bloom was a student of Nature, and you may depend upon the
+fidelity of his descriptions.</p>
+
+<p>Disgusted with politics, the field-cornet now dwelt on the remote
+frontier&mdash;in fact, beyond the frontier, for the nearest settlement was
+an hundred miles off. His &ldquo;kraal&rdquo; was in a district bordering the
+great Kalihari desert&mdash;the Sa&auml;ra of Southern Africa. The region
+around, for hundreds of miles, was uninhabited, for the thinly-scattered,
+half-human Bushmen who dwelt within its limits, hardly
+deserved the name of inhabitants any more than the wild beasts that
+howled around them.</p>
+
+<p>I have said that Von Bloom now followed the occupation of a
+&ldquo;trek-boer.&rdquo; Farming in the Cape colony consists principally in the
+rearing of horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and these animals form
+the wealth of the boer. But the stock of our field-cornet was now a
+very small one. The proscription had swept away all his wealth,
+and he had not been fortunate in his first essays as a nomade grazier.
+The emancipation law, passed by the British Government, extended
+not only to the Negroes of the West India Islands, but also to the
+Hottentots of the Cape; and the result of it was that the servants of
+Mynheer Von Bloom had deserted him. His cattle, no longer
+properly cared for, had strayed off. Some of them fell a prey to wild
+beasts&mdash;some died of the <i>murrain</i>. His horses, too, were decimated
+by that mysterious disease of Southern Africa, the &ldquo;horse-sickness;&rdquo;
+while his sheep and goats were continually being attacked and
+diminished in numbers by the earth-wolf, the wild hound, and the
+hyena. A series of losses had he suffered until his horses, oxen,
+sheep, and goats, scarce counted altogether an hundred head. A
+very small stock for a vee-boer, or South African grazier.</p>
+
+<p>Withal our field-cornet was not unhappy. He looked around upon
+his three brave sons&mdash;Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. He looked upon his
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired daughter, Gertrude, the very type and
+image of what her mother had been. From these he drew the hope
+of a happier future.</p>
+
+<p>His two eldest boys were already helps to him in his daily occupations;
+the youngest would soon be so likewise. In Gertrude,&mdash;or
+&ldquo;Tr&uuml;ey,&rdquo; as she was endearingly styled,&mdash;he would soon have a
+capital housekeeper. He was not unhappy therefore; and if an
+occasional sigh escaped him, it was when the face of little Tr&uuml;ey
+recalled the memory of that Gertrude who was now in heaven.</p>
+
+<p>But Hendrik Von Bloom was not the man to despair. Disappointments
+had not succeeded in causing his spirits to droop. He only
+applied himself more ardently to the task of once more building up
+his fortune.</p>
+
+<p>For himself he had no ambition to be rich. He would have been
+contented with the simple life he was leading, and would have cared
+but little to increase his wealth. But other considerations weighed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">319</a></span>
+upon his mind&mdash;the future of his little family. He could not suffer
+his children to grow up in the midst of the wild plains without
+education.</p>
+
+<p>No; they must one day return to the abodes of men, to act their
+part in the drama of social and civilised life. This was his design.</p>
+
+<p>But how was this design to be accomplished? Though his so called
+act of treason had been pardoned, and he was now free to return
+within the limits of the colony, he was ill prepared for such a purpose.
+His poor wasted stock would not suffice to set him up within
+the settlements. It would scarce keep him a month. To return
+would be to return a beggar!</p>
+
+<p>Reflections of this kind sometimes gave him anxiety. But they
+also added energy to his disposition, and rendered him more eager
+to overcome the obstacles before him.</p>
+
+<p>During the present year he had been very industrious. In order
+that his cattle should be provided for in the season of winter he had
+planted a large quantity of maize and buckwheat, and now the crops
+of both were in the most prosperous condition. His garden, too,
+smiled, and promised a profusion of fruits, and melons, and kitchen
+vegetables. In short, the little homestead where he had fixed himself
+for a time, was a miniature o&auml;sis; and he rejoiced day after day,
+as his eyes rested upon the ripening aspect around him. Once more
+he began to dream of prosperity&mdash;once more to hope that his evil
+fortunes had come to an end.</p>
+
+<p>Alas! It was a false hope. A series of trials yet awaited him&mdash;a
+series of misfortunes that deprived him of almost everything he possessed,
+and completely changed his mode of existence.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps these occurrences could hardly be termed misfortunes,
+since in the end they led to a happy result.</p>
+
+<p>But you may judge for yourself, boy reader, after you have heard
+the &ldquo;history and adventures&rdquo; of the &ldquo;trek-boer&rdquo; and his family.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE KRAAL.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he ex-field-cornet was seated in front of his <i>kraal</i>&mdash;for such is the
+name of a South African homestead. From his lips protruded a large
+pipe, with its huge bowl of <i>meerschaum</i>. Every boer is a smoker.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the many losses and crosses of his past life, there
+was contentment in his eye. He was gratified by the prosperous
+appearance of his crops. The maize was now &ldquo;in the milk,&rdquo; and the
+ears, folded within the papyrus-like husks, looked full and large.
+It was delightful to hear the rustling of the long green blades, and
+see the bright golden tassels waving in the breeze. The heart of the
+farmer was glad as his eye glanced over his promising crop of
+&ldquo;mealies.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But there was another promising crop that still more gladdened
+his heart&mdash;his fine children. There they are&mdash;all around him.</p>
+
+<p>Hans&mdash;the oldest&mdash;steady, sober Hans, at work in the well-stocked
+garden; while the diminutive but sprightly imp Jan, the youngest,
+is looking on, and occasionally helping his brother. Hendrik&mdash;the
+dashing Hendrik, with bright face and light curling hair&mdash;is busy
+among the horses, in the &ldquo;horse-kraal;&rdquo; and Tr&uuml;ey&mdash;the beautiful,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">320</a></span>
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Tr&uuml;ey&mdash;is engaged with her pet&mdash;a
+fawn of the springbok gazelle&mdash;whose bright eyes rival her own in
+their expression of innocence and loveliness.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, the heart of the field-cornet is glad as he glances from one to
+the other of these his children&mdash;and with reason. They are all fair
+to look upon,&mdash;all give promise of goodness. If their father feels an
+occasional pang, it is, as we have already said, when his eye rests
+upon the cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude.</p>
+
+<p>But time has long since subdued that grief to a gentle melancholy.
+Its pang is short-lived, and the face of the field-cornet soon lightens
+up again as he looks around upon his dear children, so full of hope
+and promise.</p>
+
+<p>Hans and Hendrik are already strong enough to assist him in his
+occupations,&mdash;in fact, with the exception of &ldquo;Swartboy,&rdquo; they are
+the only help he has.</p>
+
+<p>Who is Swartboy?</p>
+
+<p>Look into the horse-kraal, and you will there see Swartboy engaged,
+along with his young master Hendrik, in saddling a pair of
+horses. You may notice that Swartboy appears to be about thirty
+years old, and he is full that; but if you were to apply a measuring
+rule to him, you would find him not much over four feet in height!
+He is stoutly built, however, and would measure better in a horizontal
+direction. You may notice that he is of a yellow complexion,
+although his name might lead you to fancy he was black&mdash;for
+&ldquo;Swartboy&rdquo; means &ldquo;black-boy.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>You may observe that his nose is flat and sunk below the level of
+his cheeks; that his cheeks are prominent, his lips very thick, his
+nostrils wide, his face beardless, and his head almost hairless&mdash;for
+the small kinky wool-knots thinly scattered over his skull can
+scarcely be designated hair. You may notice, moreover, that his
+head is monstrously large, with ears in proportion, and that the eyes
+are set obliquely, and have a Chinese expression. You may notice
+about Swartboy all those characteristics that distinguish the &ldquo;Hottentots&rdquo;
+of South Africa.</p>
+
+<p>Yet Swartboy is not a Hottentot&mdash;though he is of the same race.
+He is a Bushman.</p>
+
+<p>How came this wild Bushman into the service of the ex-field-cornet
+Von Bloom? About that there is a little romantic history. Thus:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Among the savage tribes of Southern Africa there exists a very
+cruel custom,&mdash;that of abandoning their aged or infirm, and often
+their sick or wounded, to die in the desert. Children leave their
+parents behind them, and the wounded are often forsaken by their
+comrades with no other provision made for them beyond a day's food
+and a cup of water!</p>
+
+<p>The Bushman Swartboy had been the victim of this custom. He
+had been upon a hunting excursion with some of his own kindred,
+and had been sadly mangled by a lion. His comrades, not expecting
+him to live, left him on the plain to die; and most certainly would
+he have perished had it not been for our field-cornet. The latter, as
+he was &ldquo;trekking&rdquo; over the plains, found the wounded Bushman,
+lifted him into his wagon, carried him on to his camp, dressed his
+wounds, and nursed him till he became well. That is how Swartboy
+came to be in the service of the field-cornet.</p>
+
+<p>Though gratitude is not a characteristic of his race, Swartboy was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">321</a></span>
+not ungrateful. When all the other servants ran away, he remained
+faithful to his master; and since that time had been a most efficient
+and useful hand. In fact, he was now the only one left, with the
+exception of the girl, Totty&mdash;who was, of course, a Hottentot; and
+much about the same height, size, and colour, as Swartboy himself.</p>
+
+<p>We have said that Swartboy and the young Hendrik were saddling
+a pair of horses. As soon as they had finished that job, they mounted
+them, and riding out of the kraal, took their way straight across the
+plain. They were followed by a couple of strong, rough-looking
+dogs.</p>
+
+<p>Their purpose was to drive home the oxen and the other horses
+that were feeding a good distance off. This they were in the habit
+of doing every evening at the same hour,&mdash;for in South Africa it is
+necessary to shut up all kinds of live stock at night, to protect them
+from beasts of prey. For this purpose are built several enclosures
+with high walls,&mdash;&ldquo;kraals,&rdquo; as they are called,&mdash;a word of the same
+signification as the Spanish &ldquo;corral,&rdquo; and I fancy introduced into
+Africa by the Portuguese&mdash;since it is not a native term.</p>
+
+<p>These kraals are important structures about the homestead of a
+boer, almost as much so as his own dwelling-house, which of itself
+also bears the name of &ldquo;kraal.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As young Hendrik and Swartboy rode off for the horses and cattle,
+Hans, leaving his work in the garden, proceeded to collect the sheep
+and drive them home. These browsed in a different direction; but,
+as they were near, he went afoot, taking little Jan along with him.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey having tied her pet to a post, had gone inside the house to
+help Totty in preparing the supper. Thus the field-cornet was left
+to himself and his pipe, which he still continued to smoke.</p>
+
+<p>He sat in perfect silence, though he could scarce restrain from
+giving expression to the satisfaction he felt at seeing his family thus
+industriously employed. Though pleased with all his children, it
+must be confessed he had some little partiality for the dashing
+Hendrik, who bore his own name, and who reminded him more of
+his own youth than any of the others. He was proud of Hendrik's
+gallant horsemanship, and his eyes followed him over the plain until
+the riders were nearly a mile off, and already mixing among the
+cattle.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment an object came under the eyes of Von Bloom, that
+at once arrested his attention. It was a curious appearance along
+the lower part of the sky, in the direction in which Hendrik and
+Swartboy had gone, but apparently beyond them. It resembled a
+dun-coloured mist or smoke, as if the plain at a great distance was
+on fire!</p>
+
+<p>Could that be so? Had some one fired the <i>karoo</i> bushes? Or was
+it a cloud of dust?</p>
+
+<p>The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet
+it had that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not
+be the dust raised by a great herd of antelopes,&mdash;a migration of the
+springboks, for instance? It extended for miles along the horizon,
+but Von Bloom knew that these creatures often travel in flocks of
+greater extent than miles. Still he could not think it was that.</p>
+
+<p>He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to
+account for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against
+the blue sky&mdash;now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">322</a></span>
+conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the
+west, and already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had
+passed over the sun's disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell
+upon the plain. Was it the forerunner of some terrible storm?&mdash;of
+an earthquake?</p>
+
+<p>Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not
+like an ordinary cloud,&mdash;it was not like a cloud of dust,&mdash;it was not
+like smoke. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No
+wonder that he became anxious and apprehensive.</p>
+
+<p>All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon
+the plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted.
+Then the two riders disappeared under its dun shadow!</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom rose to his feet, now seriously alarmed. What could
+it mean?</p>
+
+<p>The exclamation to which he gave utterance brought little Tr&uuml;ey
+and Totty from the house; and Hans with Jan had now got back
+with the sheep and goats. All saw the singular phenomenon, but
+none of them could tell what it was. All were in a state of alarm.</p>
+
+<p>As they stood gazing, with hearts full of fear, the two riders
+appeared coming out of the cloud, and then they were seen to gallop
+forward over the plain in the direction of the house. They came on
+at full speed, but long before they had got near, the voice of Swartboy
+could be heard crying out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Baas Von Bloom! <i>da springaans are comin'!&mdash;da springaan!&mdash;da
+springaan!</i>&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE SPRING-HAAN.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;A</span>h <i>the springaan</i>!&rdquo; cried Von Bloom, recognising the Dutch name
+for the far-famed migratory locust.</p>
+
+<p>The mystery was explained. The singular cloud that was spreading
+itself over the plain was neither more nor less than a flight of
+locusts!</p>
+
+<p>It was a sight that none of them, except Swartboy, had ever
+witnessed before. His master had often seen locusts in small quantities,
+and of several species,&mdash;for there are many kinds of these
+singular insects in South Africa. But that which now appeared was
+a true migratory locust (<i>Gryllus devastatorius</i>); and upon one of its
+great migrations&mdash;an event of rarer occurrence than travellers would
+have you believe.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy knew them well; and, although he announced their
+approach in a state of great excitement, it was not the excitement
+of terror.</p>
+
+<p>Quite the contrary. His great thick lips were compressed
+athwart his face in a grotesque expression of joy. The instincts of
+his wild race were busy within him. To them a flight of locusts
+is not an object of dread, but a source of rejoicing&mdash;their coming
+as welcome as a take of shrimps to a Leigh fisherman, or harvest to
+the husband-man.</p>
+
+<p>The dogs, too, barked and howled with joy, and frisked about
+as if they were going out upon a hunt. On perceiving the cloud,
+their instinct enabled them easily to recognise the locusts. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">323</a></span>
+regarded them with feelings similar to those that stirred Swartboy&mdash;for
+both dogs and Bushmen eat the insects with avidity!</p>
+
+<p>At the announcement that it was only locusts, all at once recovered
+from their alarm. Little Tr&uuml;ey and Jan laughed, clapped their
+hands, and waited with curiosity until they should come nearer.
+All had heard enough of locusts to know that they were only
+grasshoppers that neither bit nor stung any one, and therefore no
+one was afraid of them.</p>
+
+<p>Even Von Bloom himself was at first very little concerned about
+them. After his feelings of apprehension, the announcement that
+it was a flight of locusts was a relief, and for a while he did not
+dwell upon the nature of such a phenomenon, but only regarded it
+with feelings of curiosity.</p>
+
+<p>Of a sudden his thoughts took a new direction. His eye rested
+upon his fields of maize and buckwheat, upon his garden of melons,
+and fruits, and vegetables: a new alarm seized upon him; the
+memory of many stories which he had heard in relation to these
+destructive creatures rushed into his mind, and as the whole truth
+developed itself, he turned pale, and uttered new exclamations of alarm.</p>
+
+<p>The children changed countenance as well. They saw that their
+father suffered; though they knew not why. They gathered
+inquiringly around him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Alas! alas! Lost! lost!&rdquo; exclaimed he; &ldquo;yes, all our crop&mdash;our
+labour of the year&mdash;gone, gone! O my dear children!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How lost, father?&mdash;how gone?&rdquo; exclaimed several of them in
+a breath.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;See the springaan! they will eat up our crop&mdash;all&mdash;all!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;'Tis true, indeed,&rdquo; said Hans, who being a great student had
+often read accounts of the devastations committed by the locusts.</p>
+
+<p>The joyous countenances of all once more wore a sad expression,
+and it was no longer with curiosity that they gazed upon the distant
+cloud, that so suddenly had clouded their joy.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom had good cause for dread. Should the swarm come on,
+and settle upon his fields, farewell to his prospects of a harvest.
+They would strip the verdure from his whole farm in a twinkling.
+They would leave neither seed, nor leaf, nor stalk behind them.</p>
+
+<p>All stood watching the flight with painful emotions. The swarm
+was still a full half-mile distant. They appeared to be coming no
+nearer,&mdash;good!</p>
+
+<p>A ray of hope entered the mind of the field-cornet. He took off
+his broad felt hat, and held it up to the full stretch of his arm. The
+wind was blowing from the north, and the swarm was directly to the
+west of the kraal. The cloud of locusts had approached from the
+north, as they almost invariably do in the southern parts of Africa.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said Hendrik, who having been in their midst could tell
+what way they were drifting, &ldquo;they came down upon us from a
+northerly direction. When we headed our horses homewards, we
+soon galloped out from them, and they did not appear to fly after
+us; I am sure they were passing southwards.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom entertained hopes that as none appeared due north
+of the kraal, the swarm might pass on without extending to the
+borders of his farm. He knew that they usually followed the
+direction of the wind. Unless the wind changed they would not
+swerve from their course.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">324</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He continued to observe them anxiously. He saw that the selvedge
+of the cloud came no nearer. His hopes rose. His countenance grew
+brighter. The children noticed this and were glad, but said nothing.
+All stood silently watching.</p>
+
+<p>An odd sight it was. There was not only the misty swarm of the
+insects to gaze upon. The air above them was filled with birds&mdash;strange
+birds and of many kinds. On slow, silent wing soared the
+brown &ldquo;oricou,&rdquo; the largest of Africa's vultures; and along with
+him the yellow &ldquo;chasse fiente,&rdquo; the vulture of Kolb&eacute;. There swept
+the bearded &ldquo;lamvanger,&rdquo; on broad extended wings. There shrieked
+the great &ldquo;Caffre eagle,&rdquo; and side by side with him the short-tailed
+and singular &ldquo;bateleur.&rdquo; There, too were hawks of different sizes
+and colours, and kites cutting through the air, and crows and
+ravens, and many species of <i>insectivora</i>.</p>
+
+<p>But far more numerous than all the rest could be seen the little
+<i>springhaan-vogel</i>, a speckled bird of nearly the size and form of
+a swallow. Myriads of these darkened the air above&mdash;hundreds of
+them continually shooting down among the insects, and soaring up
+again each with a victim in its beak. &ldquo;Locust-vultures&rdquo; are these
+creatures named, though not vultures in kind. They feed exclusively
+on these insects, and are never seen where the locusts are not. They
+follow them through all their migrations, building their nests, and
+rearing their young, in the midst of their prey!</p>
+
+<p>It was, indeed, a curious sight to look upon, that swarm of winged
+insects, and their numerous and varied enemies; and all stood
+gazing upon it with feelings of wonder. Still the living cloud
+approached no nearer, and the hopes of Von Bloom continued to
+rise.</p>
+
+<p>The swarm kept extending to the south&mdash;in fact, it now stretched
+along the whole western horizon; and all noticed that it was gradually
+getting lower down&mdash;that is, its top edge was sinking in the
+heavens. Were the locusts passing off to the west? No.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Da am goin roost for da nacht&mdash;now we'll get 'em in bag-full,&rdquo;
+said Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular
+locust-eater, as fond of them as either eagle or kite,&mdash;aye, as the
+&ldquo;springhaan-vogel&rdquo; itself.</p>
+
+<p>It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling
+down on the plain.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Can't fly without sun,&rdquo; continued the Bushman. &ldquo;Too cold
+now. Dey go dead till da mornin.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And so it was. The sun had set. The cool breeze weakened the
+wings of the insect travellers; and they were compelled to make
+halt for the night upon the trees, bushes, and grass.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the dark mist that had hid the blue rim of the
+sky, was seen no more; but the distant plain looked as if a fire had
+swept over it. It was thickly covered with the bodies of the insects,
+that gave it a blackened appearance as far as the eye could reach.</p>
+
+<p>The attendant birds, perceiving the approach of night, screamed
+for awhile, and then scattered away through the heavens. Some
+perched upon the rocks, while others went to roost among the low
+thickets of mimosa; and now for a short interval both earth and air
+were silent.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom now bethought him of his cattle. Their forms were
+seen afar off in the midst of the locust-covered plain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">325</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Let 'em feed um little while, baas,&rdquo; suggested Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;On what?&rdquo; inquired his master. &ldquo;Don't you see the grass is
+covered!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;On de springhaan demself, baas,&rdquo; replied the Bushman; &ldquo;good
+for fatten big ox&mdash;better dan grass&mdash;ya, better dan <i>mealies</i>.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But it was too late to leave the cattle longer out upon the plain.
+The lions would soon be abroad&mdash;the sooner because of the locusts,
+for the king of the beasts does not disdain to fill his royal stomach
+with these insects&mdash;when he can find them.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom saw the necessity of bringing his cattle at once to their
+kraal.</p>
+
+<p>A third horse was saddled, which the field-cornet himself mounted,
+and rode off, followed by Hendrik and Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>On approaching the locusts they beheld a singular sight. The
+ground was covered with these reddish-brown creatures, in some
+spots to the depth of several inches. What bushes there were were
+clustered with them,&mdash;all over the leaves and branches, as if swarms
+of bees had settled upon them. Not a leaf or blade of grass that
+was not covered with their bodies!</p>
+
+<p>They moved not, but remained silent, as if torpid or asleep. The
+cold of the evening had deprived them of the power of flight.</p>
+
+<p>What was strangest of all to the eyes of Von Bloom and Hendrik,
+was the conduct of their own horses and cattle. These were some
+distance out in the midst of the sleeping host; but instead of being
+alarmed at their odd situation, they were greedily gathering up the
+insects in mouthfuls, and crunching them as though they had been
+corn!</p>
+
+<p>It was with some difficulty that they could be driven off; but the
+roar of a lion, that was just then heard over the plain, and the
+repeated application of Swartboy's <i>jambok</i>, rendered them more
+tractable, and at length they suffered themselves to be driven home,
+and lodged within their kraals.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy had provided himself with a bag, which he carried back
+full of locusts.</p>
+
+<p>It was observed that in collecting the insects into the bag, he acted
+with some caution, handling them very gingerly, as if he was afraid
+of them. It was not them he feared, but snakes which, upon such
+occasions are very plenteous, and very much to be dreaded&mdash;as the
+Bushman from experience well knew.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t was a night of anxiety in the kraal of the field-cornet. Should the
+wind veer round to the west, to a certainty the locusts would cover
+his land in the morning, and the result would be the total destruction
+of his crops. Perhaps worse than that. Perhaps the whole vegetation
+around&mdash;for fifty miles or more&mdash;might be destroyed; and then how
+would his cattle be fed? It would be no easy matter even to save
+their lives. They might perish before he could drive them to any
+other pasturage!</p>
+
+<p>Such a thing was by no means uncommon or improbable. In the
+history of the Cape colony many a boer had lost his flocks in this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">326</a></span>
+very way. No wonder there was anxiety that night in the kraal of
+the field-cornet.</p>
+
+<p>At intervals Von Bloom went out to ascertain whether there was
+any change in the wind. Up to a late hour he could perceive none.
+A gentle breeze still blew from the north&mdash;from the great Kalihari
+desert&mdash;whence, no doubt, the locusts had come. The moon was
+bright, and her light gleamed over the host of insects that darkly
+covered the plain. The roar of the lion could be heard mingling with
+the shrill scream of the jackal and the maniac laugh of the hyena.
+All these beasts, and many more, were enjoying a plenteous repast.</p>
+
+<p>Perceiving no change in the wind, Von Bloom became less uneasy,
+and they all conversed freely about the locusts. Swartboy took a
+leading part in this conversation, as he was better acquainted with
+the subject than any of them. It was far from being the first flight
+of locusts Swartboy had seen, and many a bushel of them had he
+eaten. It was natural to suppose, therefore, that he knew a good deal
+about them.</p>
+
+<p>He knew not whence they came. That was a point about which
+Swartboy had never troubled himself. The learned Hans offered an
+explanation of their origin.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They come from the desert,&rdquo; said he. &ldquo;The eggs from which they
+are produced, are deposited in the sands or dust; where they lie until
+rain falls, and causes the herbage to spring up. Then the locusts are
+hatched, and in their first stage are supported upon this herbage.
+When it becomes exhausted, they are compelled to go in search of
+food. Hence these 'migrations,' as they are called.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This explanation seemed clear enough.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now I have heard,&rdquo; said Hendrik, &ldquo;of farmers kindling fires
+around their crops to keep off the locusts. I can't see how fires would
+keep them off&mdash;not even if a regular fence of fire were made all round
+a field. These creatures have wings, and could easily fly over the
+fires.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The fires,&rdquo; replied Hans, &ldquo;are kindled, in order that the smoke
+may prevent them from alighting; but the locusts to which these
+accounts usually refer are without wings, called <i>voetgangers</i> (foot-goers).
+They are, in fact, the <i>larv&aelig;</i> of these locusts, before they have
+obtained their wings. These have also their migrations, that are
+often more destructive than those of the perfect insects, such as we
+see here. They proceed over the ground by crawling and leaping
+like grasshoppers; for, indeed, they are grasshoppers&mdash;a species of
+them. They keep on in one direction, as if they were guided by
+instinct to follow a particular course. Nothing can interrupt them
+in their onward march unless the sea or some broad and rapid river.
+Small streams they can swim across; and large ones, too, where they
+run sluggishly; walls and houses they can climb&mdash;even the chimneys&mdash;going
+straight over them; and the moment they have reached the
+other side of any obstacle, they continue straight onward in the old
+direction.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In attempting to cross broad rapid rivers, they are drowned in
+countless myriads, and swept off to the sea. When it is only a small
+migration, the farmers sometimes keep them off by means of fires, as
+you have heard. On the contrary, when large numbers appear, even
+the fires are of no avail.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But how is that, brother?&rdquo; inquired Hendrik. &ldquo;I can understand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">327</a></span>
+how fires would stop the kind you speak of, since you say they
+are without wings. But since they are so, how do they get through
+the fires? Jump them?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No, not so,&rdquo; replied Hans. &ldquo;The fires are built too wide and large
+for that.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How then, brother?&rdquo; asked Hendrik. &ldquo;I'm puzzled.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;So am I,&rdquo; said little Jan.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And I,&rdquo; added Tr&uuml;ey.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, then,&rdquo; continued Hans, &ldquo;millions of the insects crawl into
+the fires and put them out!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ho!&rdquo; cried all in astonishment. &ldquo;How? Are they not burned?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Of course,&rdquo; replied Hans. &ldquo;They are scorched and killed&mdash;myriads
+of them quite burned up. But their bodies crowded thickly on the
+fires choke them out. The foremost ranks of the great host thus
+become victims, and the others pass safely across upon the holocaust
+thus made. So you see, even fires cannot stop the course of the locusts
+when they are in great numbers.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In many parts of Africa, where the natives cultivate the soil, as
+soon as they discover a migration of these insects, and perceive that
+they are heading in the direction of their fields and gardens, quite a
+panic is produced among them. They know that they will lose their
+crops to a certainty, and hence dread a visitation of locusts as they
+would an earthquake, or some other great calamity.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We can well understand their feelings upon such an occasion,&rdquo;
+remarked Hendrik, with a significant look.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The flying locusts,&rdquo; continued Hans, &ldquo;seem less to follow a
+particular direction than their larv&aelig;. The former seem to be guided
+by the wind. Frequently this carries them all into the sea, where
+they perish in vast numbers. On some parts of the coast their dead
+bodies have been found washed back to land in quantities incredible.
+At one place the sea threw them upon the beach, until they lay piled
+up in a ridge four feet in height, and fifty miles in length! It has
+been asserted by several well-known travellers that the effluvium
+from this mass tainted the air to such an extent that it was perceived
+one hundred and fifty miles inland!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Heigh!&rdquo; exclaimed little Jan. &ldquo;I didn't think anybody had so
+good a nose.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>At little Jan's remark there was a general laugh. Von Bloom did
+not join in their merriment. He was in too serious a mood just then.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Papa,&rdquo; inquired little Tr&uuml;ey, perceiving that her father did not
+laugh, and thinking to draw him into the conversation,&mdash;&ldquo;Papa!
+were these the kind of locusts eaten by John the Baptist when in the
+desert? His food, the Bible says, was 'locusts and wild honey.'&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I believe these are the same,&rdquo; replied the father.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I think, papa,&rdquo; modestly rejoined Hans, &ldquo;they are not exactly the
+same, but a kindred species. The locust of Scripture was the true
+<i>Gryllus migratorius</i>, and different from those of South Africa, though
+very similar in its habits.&rdquo; &ldquo;But,&rdquo; continued he, &ldquo;some writers dispute
+that point altogether. The Abyssinians say that it was beans of the
+locust-tree, and not insects, that were the food of St. John.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is your own opinion, Hans?&rdquo; inquired Hendrik, who had a
+great belief in his brother's book-knowledge.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, I think,&rdquo; replied Hans, &ldquo;there need be no question about it.
+It is only torturing the meaning of a word to suppose that St. John ate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">328</a></span>
+the locust fruit, and not the insect. I am decidedly of opinion that the
+latter is meant in Scripture; and what makes me think so is, that these
+two kinds of food, 'locusts and wild honey,' are often coupled together,
+as forming at the present time the subsistence of many tribes who are
+denizens of the desert. Besides, we have good evidence that both were
+used as food by desert-dwelling people in the days of Scripture. It is,
+therefore, but natural to suppose that St. John, when in the desert,
+was forced to partake of this food; just as many a traveller of
+modern times has eaten of it when crossing the deserts that surround
+us here in South Africa.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I have read a great many books about locusts,&rdquo; continued Hans;
+&ldquo;and now that the Bible has been mentioned, I must say for my part,
+I know no account given of these insects so truthful and beautiful as
+that in the Bible itself. Shall I read it, papa?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;By all means, my boy,&rdquo; said the field-cornet, rather pleased at the
+request which his son had made, and at the tenor of the conversation.</p>
+
+<p>Little Tr&uuml;ey ran into the inner room and brought out an immense
+volume bound in gemsbok skin, with a couple of brass clasps upon it
+to keep it closed. This was the family Bible; and here let me observe,
+that a similar book may be found in the house of nearly every boer,
+for these Dutch colonists are a Protestant and Bible-loving people&mdash;so
+much so, that they think nothing of going a hundred miles, four
+times in the year, to attend the <i>nacht-maal</i>, or sacramental supper!
+What do you think of that?</p>
+
+<p>Hans opened the volume, and turned at once to the book of the
+prophet Joel. From the readiness with which he found the passage,
+it was evident he was well acquainted with the book he held in his
+hands.</p>
+
+<p>He read as follows:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>&ldquo;A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick
+darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great people
+and a strong: there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any
+more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth
+before them, and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the
+garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness;
+yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as
+the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like
+the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the
+noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people
+set in battle array. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens
+shall tremble; the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall
+withdraw their shining. How do the beasts groan! the herds of
+cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of
+sheep are made desolate.&rdquo;</p></div>
+
+<p>Even the rude Swartboy could perceive the poetic beauty of this
+description.</p>
+
+<p>But Swartboy had much to say about the locusts, as well as the
+inspired Joel.</p>
+
+<p>Thus spoke Swartboy:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Bushman no fear da springhaan. Bushman hab no garden&mdash;no
+maize&mdash;no buckwheat&mdash;no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman
+eat locust himself&mdash;he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat
+dem dar springhaan. Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho!
+den for dem springhaan!&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">329</a></span></p>
+
+<p>These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are
+eaten by almost every species of animal known in South Africa. Not
+only do the <i>carnivora</i> greedily devour them, but also animals and birds
+of the game kind&mdash;such as antelopes, partridges, guinea-fowls, bustards,
+and, strange to say, the giant of all&mdash;the huge elephant&mdash;will travel
+for miles to overtake a migration of locusts! Domestic fowls, sheep,
+horses, and dogs, devour them with equal greediness. Still another
+strange fact&mdash;the locusts eat one another! If any one of them gets
+hurt, so as to impede his progress, the others immediately turn upon
+him and eat him up!</p>
+
+<p>The Bushmen and other native races of Africa submit the locusts to
+a process of cookery before eating them; and during the whole evening
+Swartboy had been engaged in preparing the bagful which he had
+collected. He &ldquo;cooked&rdquo; them thus:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>He first boiled, or rather steamed them, for only a small quantity of
+water was put into the pot. This process lasted two hours. They
+were then taken out, and allowed to dry; and after that shaken about
+in a pan, until all the legs and wings were broken off from the bodies.
+A winnowing process&mdash;Swartboy's thick lips acting as a fan&mdash;was next
+gone through; and the legs and wings were thus got rid of. The
+locusts were then ready for eating.</p>
+
+<p>A little salt only was required to render them more palatable, when
+all present made trial of, and some of the children even liked them.
+By many, locusts prepared in this way are considered quite equal to
+shrimps!</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes they are pounded when quite dry into a sort of meal,
+and with water added to them, are made into a kind of stirabout.</p>
+
+<p>When well dried, they will keep for a long time; and they frequently
+form the only store of food which the poorer natives have to depend
+upon for a whole season.</p>
+
+<p>Among many tribes&mdash;particularly among those who are not agricultural&mdash;the
+coming of the locusts is a source of rejoicing. These
+people turn out with sacks, and often with pack-oxen to collect and
+bring them to the villages; and on such occasions vast heaps of them
+are accumulated and stored, in the same way as grain!</p>
+
+<p>Conversing of these things the night passed on until it was time for
+going to bed. The field-cornet went out once again to observe the
+wind; and then the door of the little kraal was closed, and the family
+retired to rest.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE LOCUST-FLIGHT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he field-cornet slept but little. Anxiety kept him awake. He turned
+and tossed, and thought of the locusts. He napped at intervals, and
+dreamt about locusts, and crickets, and grasshoppers, and all manner
+of great long-legged, goggle-eyed insects. He was glad when the first
+ray of light penetrated through the little window of his chamber.</p>
+
+<p>He sprang to his feet; and, scarce staying to dress himself, rushed
+out into the open air. It was still dark, but he did not require to see
+the wind. He did not need to toss a feather or hold up his hat. The
+truth was too plain. A strong breeze was blowing&mdash;it was blowing
+<i>from the west</i>!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">330</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Half distracted, he ran farther out to assure himself. He ran until
+clear of the walls that enclosed the kraals and garden.</p>
+
+<p>He halted and felt the air. Alas! his first impression was correct.
+The breeze blew directly from the west&mdash;directly from the locusts.
+He could perceive the effluvium borne from the hateful insects: there
+was no longer cause to doubt.</p>
+
+<p>Groaning in spirit, Von Bloom returned to his house. He had no
+longer any hope of escaping the terrible visitation.</p>
+
+<p>His first directions were to collect all the loose pieces of linen or
+clothing in the house, and pack them within the family chests. What!
+would the locusts be likely to eat them?</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, yes&mdash;for these voracious creatures are not fastidious. No
+particular vegetable seems to be chosen by them. The leaves of the
+bitter tobacco plant appear to be as much to their liking as the
+sweet and succulent blades of maize! Pieces of linen, cotton, and
+even flannel, are devoured by them, as though they were the tender
+shoots of plants. Stones, iron, and hard wood, are about the only
+objects that escape their fierce masticators.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom had heard this, Hans had read of it, and Swartboy confirmed
+it from his own experience.</p>
+
+<p>Consequently, everything that was at all destructible was carefully
+stowed away; and then breakfast was cooked and eaten in
+silence.</p>
+
+<p>There was a gloom over the faces of all, because he who was the head
+of all was silent and dejected. What a change within a few hours!
+But the evening before the field-cornet and his little family were in the
+full enjoyment of happiness.</p>
+
+<p>There was still one hope, though a slight one. Might it yet rain?
+Or might the day turn out cold?</p>
+
+<p>In either case Swartboy said the locusts could not take wing&mdash;for
+they cannot fly in cold or rainy weather. In the event of a cold or
+wet day they would have to remain as they were, and perhaps the
+wind might change round again before they resumed their flight. Oh,
+for a torrent of rain, or a cold cloudy day!</p>
+
+<p>Vain wish! vain hope! In half-an-hour after the sun rose up in
+African splendour, and his hot rays, slanting down upon the sleeping
+host, warmed them into life and activity. They commenced to
+crawl, to hop about, and then, as if by one impulse, myriads rose
+into the air. The breeze impelled them in the direction in which it
+was blowing,&mdash;in the direction of the devoted maize fields.</p>
+
+<p>In less than five minutes, from the time they had taken wing, they
+were over the kraal, and dropping in tens of thousands upon the
+surrounding fields. Slow was their flight, and gentle their descent,
+and to the eyes of those beneath they presented the appearance of a
+shower of <i>black</i> snow, falling in large feathery flakes. In a few
+moments the ground was completely covered, until every stalk of
+maize, every plant and bush, carried its hundreds. On the outer
+plains too, as far as eye could see, the pasture was strewed thickly;
+and as the great flight had now passed to the eastward of the house,
+the sun's disk was again hidden by them as if by an eclipse!</p>
+
+<p>They seemed to move in a kind of <i>echelon</i>, the bands in the rear
+constantly flying to the front, and then halting to feed, until in turn
+these were headed by others that had advanced over them in a
+similar manner.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">331</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The noise produced by their wings was not the least curious phenomenon;
+and resembled a steady breeze playing among the leaves
+of the forest, or the sound of a water-wheel.</p>
+
+<p>For two hours this passage continued. During most of that time,
+Von Bloom and his people had remained within the house, with
+closed doors and windows. This they did to avoid the unpleasant
+shower, as the creatures impelled by the breeze, often strike the
+cheek so forcibly as to cause a feeling of pain. Moreover, they did
+not like treading upon the unwelcome intruders, and crushing them
+under their feet, which they must have done, had they moved about
+outside where the ground was thickly covered.</p>
+
+<p>Many of the insects even crawled inside, through the chinks of the
+door and windows, and greedily devoured any vegetable substance
+which happened to be lying about the floor.</p>
+
+<p>At the end of two hours Von Bloom looked forth. The thickest of
+the flight had passed. The sun was again shining; but upon what
+was he shining? No longer upon green fields and a flowery garden.
+No. Around the house, on every side, north, south, east, and west,
+the eye rested only on black desolation. Not a blade of grass, not a
+leaf could be seen&mdash;even the very bark was stripped from the trees,
+that now stood as if withered by the hand of God! Had fire swept
+the surface, it could not have left it more naked and desolate. There
+was no garden, there were no fields of maize or buckwheat, there was
+no longer a farm&mdash;the kraal stood in the midst of a desert!</p>
+
+<p>Words cannot depict the emotions of the field-cornet at that
+moment. The pen cannot describe his painful feelings.</p>
+
+<p>Such a change in two hours! He could scarce credit his senses&mdash;he
+could scarce believe in its reality. He knew that the locusts
+would eat up his maize, and his wheat, and the vegetables of his
+garden; but his fancy had fallen far short of the extreme desolation
+that had actually been produced. The whole landscape was metamorphosed&mdash;grass
+was out of the question&mdash;trees, whose delicate
+foliage had played in the soft breeze but two short hours before, now
+stood leafless, scathed by worse than winter. The very ground
+seemed altered in shape! He would not have known it as his own
+farm. Most certainly had the owner been absent during the period
+of the locust-flight, and approached without any information of what
+had been passing, he would not have recognised the place of his own
+habitation!</p>
+
+<p>With the phlegm peculiar to his race, the field-cornet sat down,
+and remained for a long time without speech or movement.</p>
+
+<p>His children gathered near, and looked on&mdash;their young hearts
+painfully throbbing. They could not fully appreciate the difficult
+circumstances in which this occurrence had placed them; nor did
+their father himself at first. He thought only of the loss he had
+sustained, in the destruction of his fine crops; and this of itself,
+when we consider his isolated situation, and the hopelessness of
+restoring them, was enough to cause him very great chagrin.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Gone! all gone!&rdquo; he exclaimed, in a sorrowing voice. &ldquo;Oh!
+Fortune&mdash;Fortune&mdash;again art thou cruel!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Papa! do not grieve,&rdquo; said a soft voice; &ldquo;we are all alive yet, we
+are here by your side;&rdquo; and with the words a little white hand was
+laid upon his shoulder. It was the hand of the beautiful Tr&uuml;ey.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if an angel had smiled upon him. He lifted the child<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">332</a></span>
+in his arms, and in a paroxysm of fondness pressed her to his heart.
+That heart felt relieved.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Bring me the Book,&rdquo; said he, addressing one of the boys.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 356px;">
+<img src="images/illus-332.jpg" width="356" height="500" alt="THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS." title="THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS." />
+<span class="caption">THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.</span></div>
+
+<p>The Bible was brought&mdash;its massive covers were opened&mdash;a verse
+was chosen&mdash;and the song of praise rose up in the midst of the
+desert.</p>
+
+<p>The Book was closed; and for some minutes all knelt in prayer.</p>
+
+<p>When Von Bloom again stood upon his feet, and looked around<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">333</a></span>
+him, the desert seemed once more to &ldquo;rejoice and blossom as the
+rose.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Upon the human heart such is the magic influence of resignation
+and humility.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">&ldquo;INSPANN AND TREK!&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>ith all his confidence in the protection of a Supreme Being, Von
+Bloom knew that he was not to leave everything to the Divine hand.
+That was not the religion he had been taught; and he at once set
+about taking measures to extricate himself from the unpleasant
+position in which he was placed.</p>
+
+<p>Unpleasant position! Ha! It was more than unpleasant, as the
+field-cornet began to perceive. It was a position of peril!</p>
+
+<p>The more Von Bloom reflected, the more was he convinced of this.
+There they were, in the middle of a black naked plain, that without
+a green spot extended beyond the limits of vision. How much
+farther he could not guess; but he knew that the devastations of the
+migratory locust sometimes cover an area of thousands of miles! It
+was certain that the one that had just swept past was on a very
+extensive scale.</p>
+
+<p>It was evident he could no longer remain by his kraal. His
+horses, and cattle, and sheep, could not live without food; and should
+these perish, upon what were he and his family to subsist? He must
+leave the kraal. He must go in search of pasture, without loss of
+time,&mdash;at once. Already the animals, shut up beyond their usual
+hour, were uttering their varied cries, impatient to be let out. They
+would soon hunger; and it was hard to say when food could be
+procured for them.</p>
+
+<p>There was no time to be lost. Every hour was of great importance,&mdash;even
+minutes must not be wasted in dubious hesitation.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet spent but a few minutes in consideration.
+Whether should he mount one of his best horses, and ride off alone
+in search of pasture? or whether would it not be better to &ldquo;inspann&rdquo;
+his wagon, and take everything along with him at once?</p>
+
+<p>He soon decided in favour of the latter course. In any case he
+would have been compelled to move from his present location,&mdash;to
+leave the kraal altogether.</p>
+
+<p>He might as well take everything at once. Should he go out
+alone, it might cost him a long time to find grass and water&mdash;for both
+would be necessary&mdash;and, meantime, his stock would be suffering.</p>
+
+<p>These and other considerations decided him at once to &ldquo;inspann&rdquo;
+and &ldquo;trek&rdquo; away, with his wagon, his horses, his cattle, his sheep,
+his &ldquo;household goods,&rdquo; and his whole family circle.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Inspann and trek!&rdquo; was the command: and Swartboy, who was
+proud of the reputation he had earned as a wagon-driver, was now
+seen waving his bamboo whip like a great fishing-rod.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Inspann and trek!&rdquo; echoed Swartboy, tying upon his twenty-feet
+lash a new cracker, which he had twisted out of the skin of the
+hartebeest antelope.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Inspann and trek!&rdquo; he repeated, making his vast whip crack like
+a pistol; &ldquo;yes, baas, I'll inspann;&rdquo; and, having satisfied himself that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">334</a></span>
+his &ldquo;voor-slag&rdquo; was properly adjusted, Swartboy rested the bamboo
+handle against the side of the house, and proceeded to the kraal to
+collect the yoke-oxen.</p>
+
+<p>A large wagon, of a sort that is the pride and property of every
+Cape farmer, stood to one side of the house. It was a vehicle of the
+first class,&mdash;a regular &ldquo;cap-tent&rdquo; wagon,&mdash;that had been made for
+the field-cornet in his better days, and in which he had been used to
+drive his wife and children to the &ldquo;nacht-maal,&rdquo; and upon <i>vrolykheids</i>
+(parties of pleasure). In those days a team of eight fine horses used
+to draw it along at a rattling rate. Alas! oxen had now to take
+their place; for Von Bloom had but five horses in his whole stud,
+and these were required for the saddle.</p>
+
+<p>But the wagon was almost as good as ever it had been,&mdash;almost as
+good as when it used to be the envy of the field-cornet's neighbours,
+the boers of Graaf Reinet. Nothing was broken. Everything was
+in its place,&mdash;&ldquo;voor-kist,&rdquo; and &ldquo;achter-kist,&rdquo; and side-chests. There
+was the snow-white cap, with its &ldquo;fore-clap&rdquo; and &ldquo;after-clap,&rdquo; and
+its inside pockets, all complete; and the wheels neatly carved, and
+the well-planed boxing and &ldquo;disselboom,&rdquo; and the strong &ldquo;trektow&rdquo;
+of buffalo-hide. Nothing was wanting that ought to be found about
+a wagon. It was, in fact, the best part of the field-cornet's property
+that remained to him,&mdash;for it was equal in value to all the oxen,
+cattle, and sheep, upon his establishment.</p>
+
+<p>While Swartboy, assisted by Hendrik, was catching up the twelve
+yoke-oxen, and attaching them to the disselboom and trektow of the
+wagon, the &ldquo;baas&rdquo; himself, aided by Hans, Totty, and also by Tr&uuml;ey
+and little Jan, was loading up the furniture and implements. This
+was not a difficult task. The <i>Penates</i> of the little kraal were not
+numerous, and were all soon packed either inside or around the
+roomy vehicle.</p>
+
+<p>In about an hour's time the wagon was loaded up, the oxen were
+inspanned, the horses saddled, and everything was ready for &ldquo;trekking.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And now arose the question, <i>whither</i>?</p>
+
+<p>Up to this time Von Bloom had only thought of getting away
+from the spot&mdash;of escaping beyond the naked waste that surrounded
+him.</p>
+
+<p>It now became necessary to determine the direction in which they
+were to travel&mdash;a most important consideration.</p>
+
+<p>Important, indeed, as a little reflection showed. They might go in
+the direction in which the locusts had gone, or that in which they
+had come? On either route they might travel for scores of miles
+without meeting with a mouthful of grass for the hungry animals;
+and in such a case these would break down and perish.</p>
+
+<p>Or the travellers might move in some other direction, and find
+grass, but not water. Without water, not only would they have to
+fear for the cattle, but for themselves&mdash;for their own lives. How
+important then it was, which way they turned their faces!</p>
+
+<p>At first the field-cornet bethought him of heading towards the
+settlements. The nearest water in that direction was almost fifty
+miles off. It lay to the eastward of the kraal. The locusts had just
+gone that way. They would by this time have laid waste the whole
+country&mdash;perhaps to the water or beyond it!</p>
+
+<p>It would be a great risk going in that direction.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">335</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Northward lay the Kalihari desert. It would be hopeless to steer
+north. Von Bloom knew of no o&auml;sis in the desert. Besides the
+locusts had come from the north. They were drifting southward
+when first seen; and from the time they had been observed passing
+in this last direction, they had no doubt ere this wasted the plains
+far to the south.</p>
+
+<p>The thoughts of the field-cornet were now turned to the west. It
+is true the swarm had last approached from the west; but Von
+Bloom fancied that they had first come down from the north, and
+that the sudden veering round of the wind had caused them to
+change direction. He thought that by trekking westward he would
+soon get beyond the ground they had laid bare.</p>
+
+<p>He knew something of the plains to the west&mdash;not much indeed,
+but he knew that at about forty miles distance there was a spring
+with good pasturage around it, upon whose water he could depend.
+He had once visited it, while on a search for some of his cattle, that
+had wandered thus far. Indeed, it then appeared to him a better
+situation for cattle than the one he held, and he had often thought
+of moving to it. Its great distance from any civilized settlement was
+the reason why he had not done so. Although he was already far
+beyond the frontier, he still kept up a sort of communication with
+the settlements, whereas at the more distant point such a communication
+would be extremely difficult.</p>
+
+<p>Now that other considerations weighed with him, his thoughts
+once more returned to this spring; and after spending a few minutes
+more in earnest deliberation, he decided upon &ldquo;trekking&rdquo; westward.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy was ordered to head round, and strike to the west. The
+Bushman promptly leaped to his seat upon the voor-kist, cracked
+his mighty whip, straightened out his long team, and moved off over
+the plain.</p>
+
+<p>Hans and Hendrik were already in their saddles; and having
+cleared the kraals of all their live stock, with the assistance of the
+dogs, drove the lowing and bleating animals before them.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey and little Jan sat beside Swartboy on the fore-chest of the
+wagon; and the round full eyes of the pretty springbok could be
+seen peeping curiously out from under the cap-tent.</p>
+
+<p>Casting a last look upon his desolate kraal, the field-cornet turned
+his horse's head, and rode after the wagon.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">WATER! WATER!</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>n moved the little caravan, but not in silence. Swartboy's voice
+and whip made an almost continual noise. The latter could be
+plainly heard more than a mile over the plain, like repeated discharges
+of a musket. Hendrik, too, did a good deal in the way of
+shouting; and even the usually quiet Hans was under the necessity
+of using his voice to urge the flock forward in the right direction.</p>
+
+<p>Occasionally both the boys were called upon to give Swartboy a
+help with the leading oxen when those became obstinate or restive,
+and would turn out of the track. At such times either Hans or
+Hendrik would gallop up, set the heads of the animals right again,
+and ply the &ldquo;jamboks&rdquo; upon their sides.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">336</a></span></p>
+
+<p>This &ldquo;jambok&rdquo; is a severe chastener to an obstinate ox. It is an
+elastic whip made of rhinoceros or hippopotamus skin,&mdash;hippopotamus
+is the best,&mdash;near six feet long, and tapering regularly from
+butt to tip.</p>
+
+<p>Whenever the led oxen misbehaved, and Swartboy could not reach
+them with his long &ldquo;voor-slag,&rdquo; Hendrik was ever ready to tickle
+them with his tough jambok; and, by this means, frighten them into
+good behaviour. Indeed, one of the boys was obliged to be at their
+head nearly all the time.</p>
+
+<p>A leader is used to accompany most teams of oxen in South Africa.
+But those of the field-cornet had been accustomed to draw the
+wagon without one, ever since the Hottentot servants ran away;
+and Swartboy had driven many miles with no other help than his
+long whip. But the strange look of everything, since the locusts
+passed, had made the oxen shy and wild; besides the insects had
+obliterated every track or path which oxen would have followed.
+The whole surface was alike,&mdash;there was neither trace nor mark.
+Even Von Bloom himself could with difficulty recognise the features
+of the country, and had to guide himself by the sun in the sky.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik stayed mostly by the head of the leading oxen. Hans
+had no difficulty in driving the flock when once fairly started. A
+sense of fear kept all together, and as there was no herbage upon any
+side to tempt them to stray, they moved regularly on.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom rode in front to guide the caravan. Neither he nor
+any of them had made any change in their costume, but travelled in
+their everyday dress. The field-cornet himself was habited after the
+manner of most boers, in wide leathern trousers, termed in that
+country &ldquo;crackers;&rdquo; a large roomy jacket of green cloth, with ample
+outside pockets; a fawn-skin waistcoat; a huge white felt hat, with
+the broadest of brims; and upon his feet a pair of brogans of African
+unstained leather, known among the boers as &ldquo;feldt-schoenen&rdquo;
+(country shoes). Over his saddle lay a &ldquo;kaross,&rdquo; or robe of leopard-skins,
+and upon his shoulder he carried his &ldquo;roer&rdquo;&mdash;a large smooth-bore
+gun, about six feet in length, with an old-fashioned flint-lock,&mdash;quite
+a load of itself.</p>
+
+<p>This is the gun in which the boer puts all his trust; and although
+an American backwoodsman would at first sight be disposed to
+laugh at such a weapon, a little knowledge of the boer's country
+would change his opinion of the &ldquo;roer.&rdquo; His own weapon&mdash;the
+small-bore rifle, with a bullet less than a pea&mdash;would be almost useless
+among the large game that inhabits the country of the boer.
+Upon the &ldquo;karoos&rdquo; of Africa there are crack shots and sterling
+hunters, as well as in the backwoods or on the prairies of America.</p>
+
+<p>Curving round under the field-cornet's left arm, and resting against
+his side, was an immense powder-horn&mdash;of such size as could only be
+produced upon the head of an African ox. It was from the country
+of the Bechuanas, though nearly all Cape oxen grow horns of vast
+dimensions. Of course it was used to carry the field-cornet's powder,
+and, if full, it must have contained half-a-dozen pounds at least!
+A leopard-skin pouch hanging under his right arm, a hunting-knife
+stuck in his waist-belt, and a large meerschaum pipe through the
+band of his hat, completed the equipments of the trek-boer, Von
+Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>Hans and Hendrik were very similarly attired, armed, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">337</a></span>
+equipped. Of course their trousers were of dressed sheep-skin, wide&mdash;like
+the trousers of all young boers&mdash;and they also wore jackets
+and &ldquo;feldt-schoenen,&rdquo; and broad-brimmed white hats. Hans carried
+a light fowling-piece, while Hendrik's gun was a stout rifle of the
+kind known as a &ldquo;y&auml;ger&rdquo; an excellent gun for large game. In this
+piece Hendrik had great pride, and had learnt to drive a nail with it
+at nearly a hundred paces. Hendrik was <i>par excellence</i> the marksman
+of the party. Each of the boys also carried a large crescent-shaped
+powder-horn, with a pouch for bullets; and over the saddle
+of each was strapped the robe or kaross, differing only from their
+father's in that his was of the rarer leopard-skin, while theirs were
+a commoner sort, one of antelope, and the other of jackal-skin.</p>
+
+<p>Little Jan also wore wide trousers, jacket, &ldquo;feldt-schoenen,&rdquo; and
+broad-brimmed beaver,&mdash;in fact, Jan, although scarce a yard high,
+was, in point of costume, a type of his father,&mdash;a diminutive type of
+the boer. Tr&uuml;ey was habited in a skirt of blue woollen stuff, with
+a neat bodice elaborately stitched and embroidered after the Dutch
+fashion, and over her fair locks she wore a light sun-hat of straw
+with a ribbon and strings. Totty was very plainly attired in strong
+homespun, without any head-dress. As for Swartboy, a pair of old
+leathern &ldquo;crackers&rdquo; and a striped shirt were all the clothing he
+carried, beside his sheep-skin kaross. Such were the costumes of
+our travellers.</p>
+
+<p>For full twenty miles the plain was wasted bare. Not a bite could
+the beasts obtain, and water there was none. The sun during the
+day shone brightly,&mdash;too brightly, for his beams were as hot as
+within the tropics. The travellers could scarce have borne them had
+it not been that a stiff breeze was blowing all day long. But this
+unfortunately blew directly in their faces, and the dry karoos are
+never without dust. The constant hopping of the locusts with their
+millions of tiny feet had loosened the crust of earth: and now the
+dust rose freely upon the wind. Clouds of it enveloped the little
+caravan, and rendered their forward movement both difficult and
+disagreeable. Long before night their clothes were covered, their
+mouths filled, and their eyes sore.</p>
+
+<p>But all that was nothing. Long before night a far greater
+grievance was felt,&mdash;the want of water!</p>
+
+<p>In their hurry to escape from the desolate scene at the kraal, Von
+Bloom had not thought of bringing a supply in the wagon&mdash;a sad
+oversight, in a country like South Africa, where springs are so rare,
+and running streams so uncertain. A sad oversight indeed, as they
+now learnt&mdash;for long before night they were all crying out for water&mdash;all
+were equally suffering from the pangs of thirst.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom thirsted, but he did not think of himself, except that
+he suffered from self-accusation. He blamed himself for neglecting
+to bring a needful supply of water. He was the cause of the
+sufferings of all the rest. He felt sad and humbled on account of
+his thoughtless negligence.</p>
+
+<p>He could promise them no relief&mdash;at least none until they should
+reach the spring. He knew of no water nearer.</p>
+
+<p>It would be impossible to reach the spring that night. It was late
+when they started. Oxen travel slowly. Half the distance would
+be as much as they could make by sundown.</p>
+
+<p>To reach the water they would have to travel all night; but they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">338</a></span>
+could not do that for many reasons. The oxen would require to rest&mdash;the
+more so that they were hungered; and now Von Bloom
+thought, when too late, of another neglect he had committed&mdash;that
+was, in not collecting, during the flight of the locusts, a sufficient
+quantity of them to have given his cattle a feed.</p>
+
+<p>This plan is often adopted under similar circumstances; but the
+field-cornet had not thought of it: and as but few locusts fell in the
+trails where the animals had been confined, they had therefore been
+without food since the previous day. The oxen in particular showed
+symptoms of weakness, and drew the wagon sluggishly; so that
+Swartboy's voice and long whip were kept in constant action.</p>
+
+<p>But there were other reasons why they would have to halt when
+night came on. The field-cornet was not so sure of the direction.
+He would not be able to follow it by night, as there was not the
+semblance of a track to guide him. Besides it would be dangerous
+to travel by night, for then the nocturnal robber of Africa&mdash;the
+fierce lion&mdash;is abroad.</p>
+
+<p>They would be under the necessity, therefore, of halting for the
+night, water or no water.</p>
+
+<p>It wanted yet half-an-hour of sundown when Von Bloom had
+arrived at this decision. He only kept on a little farther in hopes of
+reaching a spot where there was grass. They were now more than
+twenty miles from their starting-point, and still the black &ldquo;spoor&rdquo;
+of the locusts covered the plain. Still no grass to be seen, still the
+bushes bare of their leaves, and barked!</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet began to think that he was trekking right in
+the way the locusts had come. Westward he was heading for
+certain; he knew that. But he was not yet certain that the flight had
+not advanced from the west instead of the north. If so, they might
+go for days before coming upon a patch of grass!</p>
+
+<p>These thoughts troubled him, and with anxious eyes he swept the
+plain in front, as well as to the right and left.</p>
+
+<p>A shout from the keen-eyed Bushman produced a joyful effect.
+He saw grass in front. He saw some bushes with leaves! They
+were still a mile off, but the oxen, as if the announcement had been
+understood by them, moved more briskly forward.</p>
+
+<p>Another mile passed over, and they came upon grass, sure enough.
+It was a very scanty pasture, though&mdash;a few scattered blades
+growing over the reddish surface, but in no place a mouthful for
+an ox. There was just enough to tantalize the poor brutes without
+filling their stomachs. It assured Von Bloom, however, that they
+had now got beyond the track of the locusts; and he kept on a little
+farther in hopes that the pasture might get better.</p>
+
+<p>It did not, however. The country through which they advanced
+was a wild, sterile plain&mdash;almost as destitute of vegetation as that
+over which they had hitherto been travelling. It no longer owed its
+nakedness to the locusts, but to the absence of water.</p>
+
+<p>They had no more time to search for pasture. The sun was
+already below the horizon when they halted to &ldquo;outspan.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>A &ldquo;kraal&rdquo; should have been built for the cattle, and another for
+the sheep and goats. There were bushes enough to have constructed
+them, but who of that tired party had the heart to cut them down
+and drag them to the spot?</p>
+
+<p>It was labour enough&mdash;the slaughtering a sheep for supper, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">339</a></span>
+collecting sufficient wood to cook it. No kraal was made. The
+horses were tied around the wagon. The oxen, cattle, and sheep
+and goats, were left free to go where they pleased. As there was no
+pasture near to tempt them, it was hoped that, after the fatigue of
+their long journey, they would not stray far from the camp-fire,
+which was kept burning throughout the night.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE FATE OF THE HERD.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">B</span>ut they did stray.</p>
+
+<p>When day broke, and the travellers looked around them, not a head
+of the oxen or cattle was to be seen. Yes, there was one, and one only&mdash;the
+milch-cow. Totty, after milking her on the previous night, had
+left her tied to a bush where she still remained. All the rest were
+gone, and the sheep and goats as well.</p>
+
+<p>Whither had they strayed?</p>
+
+<p>The horses were mounted, and search was made. The sheep and
+goats were found among some bushes not far off; but it soon appeared
+that the other animals had gone clean away.</p>
+
+<p>Their spoor was traced for a mile or two. It led back on the very
+track they had come; and no doubt any longer existed that they had
+returned to the kraal.</p>
+
+<p>To overtake them before reaching that point, would be difficult, if
+at all possible. Their tracks showed that they had gone off early in
+the night, and had travelled at a rapid rate&mdash;so that by this time
+they had most likely arrived at their old home.</p>
+
+<p>This was a sad discovery. To have followed them on the thirsting
+and hungry horses would have been a useless work; yet without
+the yoke-oxen how was the wagon to be taken forward to the
+spring?</p>
+
+<p>It appeared to be a sad dilemma they were in; but after a short
+consultation the thoughtful Hans suggested a solution of it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Can we not attach the horses to the wagon?&rdquo; inquired he. &ldquo;The
+five could surely draw it on to the spring?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What! and leave the cattle behind?&rdquo; said Hendrik. &ldquo;If we do not
+go after them, they will be all lost, and then&mdash;&mdash;&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We could go for them afterwards,&rdquo; replied Hans; &ldquo;but it is not
+better first to push forward to the spring; and, after resting the
+horses a while, return then for the oxen? They will have reached
+the kraal by this time. There they will be sure of water anyhow,
+and that will keep them alive till we get there.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The course suggested by Hans seemed feasible enough. At all
+events, it was the best plan they could pursue; so they at once set
+about putting it in execution. The horses were attached to the wagon
+in the best way they could think of. Fortunately some old horse-harness
+formed part of the contents of the vehicle, and these were
+brought out and fitted on, as well as could be done.</p>
+
+<p>Two horses were made fast to the disselboom as &ldquo;wheelers;&rdquo; two
+others to the trektow cut to the proper length; and the fifth horse
+was placed in front as a leader.</p>
+
+<p>When all was ready, Swartboy again mounted the voor-kist,
+gathered up his reins, cracked his whip, and set his team in motion.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">340</a></span>
+To the delight of every one, the huge heavy-laden wagon moved off
+as freely as if a full team had been inspanned.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Hans, cheered as it passed them; and
+setting the milch-cow and the flock of sheep and goats in motion,
+moved briskly after. Little Jan and Tr&uuml;ey still rode in the wagon;
+but the others now travelled afoot, partly because they had the flock
+to drive, and partly that they might not increase the load upon the
+horses.</p>
+
+<p>They all suffered greatly from thirst, but they would have suffered
+still more had it not been for that valuable creature that trotted
+along behind the wagon&mdash;the cow&mdash;&ldquo;old Graaf,&rdquo; as she was called.
+She had yielded several pints of milk, both the night before and that
+morning; and this well-timed supply had given considerable relief to
+the travellers.</p>
+
+<p>The horses behaved beautifully. Notwithstanding that their harness
+was both incomplete and ill-fitted, they pulled the wagon along
+after them as if not a strap or buckle had been wanting. They
+appeared to know that their kind master was in a dilemma, and were
+determined to draw him out of it. Perhaps, too, they smelt the
+spring-water before them. At all events, before they had been many
+hours in harness, they were drawing the wagon through a pretty
+little valley covered with green, meadow-looking sward; and in five
+minutes more were standing halted near a cool crystal spring.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time all had drunk heartily, and were refreshed. The
+horses were turned out upon the grass, and the other animals browsed
+over the meadow. A good fire was made near the spring, and a
+quarter of mutton cooked&mdash;upon which the travellers dined&mdash;and
+then all sat waiting for the horses to fill themselves.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet, seated upon one of the wagon-chests, smoked his
+great pipe. He could have been contented, but for one thing&mdash;the
+absence of his cattle.</p>
+
+<p>He had arrived at a beautiful pasture-ground&mdash;a sort of o&auml;sis in the
+wild plains, where there were wood, water, and grass,&mdash;everything
+that the heart of a &ldquo;vee-boer&rdquo; could desire. It did not appear to be
+a large tract, but enough to have sustained many hundred head of
+cattle&mdash;enough for a very fine &ldquo;stock farm.&rdquo; It would have answered
+his purpose admirably; and had he succeeded in bringing on his
+oxen and cattle, he would at that moment have felt happy enough.
+But without them what availed the fine pasturage? What could he
+do there without them to stock it? They were his wealth&mdash;at least,
+he had hoped in time that their increase would become wealth. They
+were all of excellent breeds; and, with the exception of his twelve
+yoke-oxen, and one or two long-horned Bechuana bulls, all the others
+were fine young cows calculated soon to produce a large herd.</p>
+
+<p>Of course his anxiety about these animals rendered it impossible
+for him to enjoy a moment's peace of mind, until he should start back
+in search of them. He had only taken out his pipe to pass the time,
+while the horses were gathering a bite of grass. As soon as their
+strength should be recruited a little, it was his design to take three
+of the strongest of them, and with Hendrik and Swartboy, ride back
+to the old kraal.</p>
+
+<p>As soon, therefore, as the horses were ready for the road again, they
+were caught and saddled up; and Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Swartboy,
+mounted and set out, while Hans remained in charge of the camp.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">341</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They rode at a brisk rate, determined to travel all night, and, if
+possible, reach the kraal before morning. At the last point on the
+route where there was grass, they off-saddled, and allowed their
+horses to rest and refresh themselves. They had brought with them
+some slices of the roast mutton, and this time they had not forgotten
+to fill their gourd-canteens with water&mdash;so that they should not again
+suffer from thirst. After an hour's halt they continued their journey.</p>
+
+<p>It was quite night when they arrived at the spot where the oxen
+had deserted them; but a clear moon was in the sky, and they were
+able to follow back the wheel-tracks of the wagon, that were quite
+conspicuous under the moonlight. Now and then to be satisfied, Von
+Bloom requested Swartboy to examine the spoor, and see whether the
+cattle had still kept the back-track. To answer this gave no great
+trouble to the Bushman. He would drop from his horse, and bending
+over the ground, would reply in an instant. In every case the answer
+was in the affirmative. The animals had certainly gone back to their
+old home.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom believed they would be sure to find them there, but
+should they find them <i>alive</i>? That was the question that rendered
+him anxious.</p>
+
+<p>The creatures could obtain water by the spring, but food&mdash;where?
+Not a bite would they find anywhere, and would not hunger have
+destroyed them all before this?</p>
+
+<p>Day was breaking when they came in sight of the old homestead.
+It presented a very odd appearance. Not one of the three would
+have recognised it. After the invasion of the locusts it showed a very
+altered look, but now there was something else that added to the
+singularity of its appearance. A row of strange objects seemed to be
+placed upon the roof ridge, and along the walls of the kraals. What
+were these strange objects, for they certainly did not belong to the
+buildings? This question was put by Von Bloom, partly to himself,
+but loud enough for the others to hear him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;<i>Da vogels</i>!&rdquo; (the vultures), replied Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>Sure enough, it was a string of vultures that appeared along the
+walls.</p>
+
+<p>The sight of these filthy birds was more than ominous. It filled
+Von Bloom with apprehension. What could they be doing there?
+There must be carrion near?</p>
+
+<p>The party rode forward. The day was now up, and the vultures
+had grown busy. They flapped their shadowy wings, rose from the
+walls, and alighted at different points around the house.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Surely there must be carrion,&rdquo; muttered Von Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>There was carrion, and plenty of it. As the horsemen drew near
+the vultures rose into the air, and a score of half-devoured carcasses
+could be seen upon the ground. The long curving horns that appeared
+beside each carcass, rendered it easy to tell to what sort of animals
+they belonged. In the torn and mutilated fragments, Von Bloom
+recognised the remains of his lost herd!</p>
+
+<p>Not one was left alive. There could be seen the remains of all of
+them, both cows and oxen, lying near the enclosures and on the
+adjacent plain&mdash;each where it had fallen.</p>
+
+<p>But how had they fallen? That was the mystery.</p>
+
+<p>Surely they could not have perished of hunger, and so suddenly?
+They could not have died of thirst, for there was the spring bubbling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">342</a></span>
+up just beside where they lay? The vultures had not killed them!
+What then?</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom did not ask many questions. He was not left long in
+doubt. As he and his companions rode over the ground, the mystery
+was explained. The tracks of lions, hyenas, and jackals, made everything
+clear enough. A large troop of these animals had been upon
+the ground. The scarcity of game, caused by the migration of the
+locusts, had no doubt rendered them more than usually ravenous, and
+in consequence the cattle became their prey.</p>
+
+<p>Where were they now? The morning light, and the sight of the
+house perhaps, had driven them off. But their spoor was quite fresh.
+They were near at hand, and would be certain to return again upon
+the following night.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom felt a strong desire to be revenged upon the hideous
+brutes; and, under other circumstances, would have remained to get
+a shot at them. But just then that would have been both imprudent
+and unprofitable work. It would be as much as their horses could
+accomplish, to get back to camp that night; so, without even entering
+the old house, they watered their animals, refilled their calabashes
+at the spring, and with heavy hearts once more rode away from the
+kraal.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A LION COUCHANT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hey had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared
+before them that caused all three to draw bridle suddenly and simultaneously.
+That object was a lion!</p>
+
+<p>He was couched upon the plain directly in the path they intended
+to take&mdash;the very same path by which they had come!</p>
+
+<p>How was it they had not seen him before? He was under the lee
+of a low bush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and
+its thin naked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as
+a lion. His tawny hide shone conspicuously through them.</p>
+
+<p>The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed
+towards the kraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on
+seeing them approach; and had skulked around the walls, and then
+run to their rear. He had executed this man&#339;uvre to avoid an encounter&mdash;for
+a lion reasons as a man does, though not to the same
+extent. Seeing the horsemen come that way, his reasoning powers
+were strong enough to tell him that they were not likely to return by
+the same path. It was more natural they should continue on. A man,
+ignorant of all the preceding events connected with their journey,
+would have reasoned much in the same way. If you have been at all
+observant, you have seen other animals&mdash;such as dogs, deer, hares, or
+even birds&mdash;act just as the lion did on this occasion.</p>
+
+<p>Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through
+the mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter
+with the three travellers.</p>
+
+<p>Now a lion will not always act so&mdash;though he will in five cases out
+of six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the
+courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears
+to be a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright <i>cowardice</i>,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">343</a></span>
+denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest
+times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
+knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with
+many virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not
+by mere assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!</p>
+
+<p>How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in
+their opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both <i>are</i>
+right in a certain sense.</p>
+
+<p>The fact is, some lions are cowardly while others are brave.</p>
+
+<p>The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in
+this little volume we have no room. I think, however, boy reader, I
+can satisfy you with an analogy.</p>
+
+<p>Answer me&mdash;Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of
+which are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs of your
+acquaintance! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of
+them noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others
+mean, sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. Now, you are
+satisfied that my statement about the lions may be true.</p>
+
+<p>There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
+His age&mdash;the state of his stomach&mdash;the season of the year&mdash;the hour
+of the day&mdash;but, above all, the sort of hunters that belong to the district
+he inhabits.</p>
+
+<p>This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the intellect
+of animals, which of course <i>I</i> do. It is perfectly natural that
+the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character of
+his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
+old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this
+subject when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked
+that the alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern
+times; but it has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather
+hunter has tamed its ferocity. The very <i>same species</i> in South America
+eats Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is
+dreaded in some parts even more than the lion!</p>
+
+<p>It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some
+districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where
+they have been &ldquo;jaged&rdquo; by the courageous and stalwart boer with his
+long loud-cracking &ldquo;roer.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow
+of the Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender
+&ldquo;assegai&rdquo; of the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.</p>
+
+<p>Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave
+one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or
+&ldquo;schwart-fore life,&rdquo; as the boers term it; and these are esteemed the
+fiercest and most dangerous. The &ldquo;yellow-maned,&rdquo;&mdash;for there is considerable
+variety in the colour of the Cape lions&mdash;is regarded as
+possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of
+this. The young &ldquo;black-manes&rdquo; may often be mistaken for the true
+yellow variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,&mdash;for
+the swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many
+years of age.</p>
+
+<p>Whether the &ldquo;schwart-fore life&rdquo; was a fierce and brave one, Von
+Bloom did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had
+been taken off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate
+an attack; and that had the horsemen chosen to make a d&eacute;tour,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">344</a></span>
+and ride peacefully away, they might have continued their journey
+without ever seeing or hearing of him again.</p>
+
+<p>But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious
+oxen and cattle. <i>That</i> lion had pulled down some of them, at least.
+The Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and
+fiercest of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.</p>
+
+<p>Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced
+on horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay.
+Here he drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm,
+stuck his loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.</p>
+
+<p>You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as
+the lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been
+safer too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse; but
+when the mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed
+that will stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from
+the saddle under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the
+field-cornet was not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot.
+Laying his roer athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel
+steady against it, he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights.</p>
+
+<p>During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between
+him and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that
+it sufficed to conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly
+visible through the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen
+with his muzzle and whiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen.</p>
+
+<p>No&mdash;he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or
+two shakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still, however,
+as lions usually do, until more nearly approached. The hunter, as
+already stated, was full fifty yards from him.</p>
+
+<p>Excepting the motion of his tail, he made no other until Von
+Bloom pulled trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several
+feet into the air. The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing
+his bullet to glance off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw
+the fur fly from the side of the lion where it struck him.</p>
+
+<p>It was but a wound; and not deadly, as soon appeared.</p>
+
+<p>With long bounds the angry brute came on&mdash;lashing his tail, and
+showing his fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have
+doubled his size. He looked as large as a bull!</p>
+
+<p>In a few seconds' time he had crossed the distance that separated
+him from the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot.
+The moment he had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained
+horse, and rode off towards the others.</p>
+
+<p>All three were for a short while together&mdash;Hendrik holding his
+y&auml;ger cocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and
+arrows. But the lion dashed forward before either could fire; and
+they were obliged to spur and gallop out of his way.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik
+took the other; and the game was now between the two parties&mdash;both
+of which had pulled up at some distance off.</p>
+
+<p>The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first at
+one, then at the other&mdash;as if uncertain which to pursue.</p>
+
+<p>His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression.
+His whole fierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect&mdash;his tail
+lashed his flanks&mdash;his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set
+trenchant teeth&mdash;their white spikes contrasting with the red blood<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">345</a></span>
+that clotted his cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added
+horror to his appearance.</p>
+
+<p>But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik
+at this moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired;
+while at the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through
+the air.</p>
+
+<p>Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the
+shaft of the latter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh.</p>
+
+<p>The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most
+determined courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear.
+Either the arrow or one of the bullets must have sickened him with
+the combat; for, dropping his mop-like tail to a level with the line
+of his back, he broke away; and, trotting sulkily forward, sprang in
+at the door of the kraal!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE LION IN THE TRAP.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>here was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual
+a place; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover
+within convenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would
+have afforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts,
+would have been difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have
+overtaken him, had he attempted to run off. He was aware that the
+house was uninhabited. He had been prowling around it all the night&mdash;perhaps
+within it&mdash;and therefore knew what sort of a place it was.</p>
+
+<p>The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would
+protect him from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for
+these to approach near would be his advantage and their danger.</p>
+
+<p>An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There
+was a large window in one end of the house. Of course it was not
+glazed&mdash;it never had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts.
+A strong wooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on
+its hinges, but in the hurried &ldquo;flitting,&rdquo; the window had been left
+open. The door also had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in
+at the latter, a string of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring
+out through the former, and ran with all their might across the
+plain. They were jackals!</p>
+
+<p>As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had either been chased
+into the house by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had
+been overlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had
+been making a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously
+disturbed.</p>
+
+<p>The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the
+door, caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window;
+and the appearance of the horsemen without had still further
+frightened these cowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the
+kraal at top speed, and never halted until they were out of sight!</p>
+
+<p>The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone was
+suddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the
+same moment.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine dogs, to assist in
+driving back the cattle.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">346</a></span></p>
+
+<p>During the short halt the party had made by the spring, these had
+fastened upon a half-eaten carcass behind the walls; and, being extremely
+hungry, had stuck to it, even after the horsemen had ridden
+off. Neither of the dogs had seen the lion, until the moment when
+the savage brute charged forward, and was making for the kraal.
+The shots, the growling of the lion, and the loud wings of the vultures
+as they flew off affrighted, told the dogs that something was going on
+in front, at which they ought to be present; and, forsaking their
+pleasant meal, both came bounding over the walls.</p>
+
+<p>They reached the open space in front, just as the lion leaped into
+the door; and without hesitation the brave noble animals rushed on,
+and followed him inside the house.</p>
+
+<p>For some moments there was heard a confused chorus of noises&mdash;the
+barking and worrying of the dogs, the growling and roaring of
+the lion. Then a dull sound followed as of some heavy object dashed
+against the wall. Then came a mournful howl&mdash;another, another&mdash;a
+noise like the crackling of bones&mdash;the &ldquo;purr&rdquo; of the great brute with
+its loud rough bass&mdash;and then a deep silence. The struggle was
+over. This was evident, as the dogs no longer gave tongue. Most
+likely they were killed.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters remained watching the door with feelings of intense
+anxiety. The laugh had died upon their lips, as they listened to
+those hideous sounds, the signs of the fearful combat. They called
+their dogs by name. They hoped to see them issue forth, even if
+wounded. But no. The dogs came not forth&mdash;they never came
+forth&mdash;they were dead!</p>
+
+<p>A long-continued silence followed the noise of the conflict. Von
+Bloom could no longer doubt that his favourite and only dogs had
+been killed.</p>
+
+<p>Excited by this new misfortune he almost lost prudence. He was
+about to rush forward to the door, where he might deliver his fire
+close to the hated enemy, when a bright idea came into the brain of
+Swartboy; and the Bushman was heard calling out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Baas! baas! we shut him up! we close da skellum up!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>There was good sense in this suggestion&mdash;there was plausibility in
+it. Von Bloom saw this; and, desisting from his previous intention,
+he determined to adopt Swartboy's plan.</p>
+
+<p>But how was it to be executed? The door still hung upon its
+hinges, as also the window-shutter. If they could only get hold of
+these, and shut them fast, they would have the lion secure, and
+might destroy him at their leisure.</p>
+
+<p>But how to shut either door or window in safety? That was the
+difficulty that now presented itself.</p>
+
+<p>Should they approach either, the lion would be certain to see them
+from within; and, enraged as he now was, would be sure to spring
+upon them. Even if they approached on horseback to effect their
+purpose, they would not be much safer. The horses would not stand
+quiet while they stretched out to lay hold of latch or handle. All
+three of the animals were already dancing with excitement. They
+knew the lion was inside, an occasional growl announced his presence
+there&mdash;they would not approach either door or window with sufficient
+coolness; and their stamping and snorting would have the effect of
+bringing the angry beast out upon them.</p>
+
+<p>It was clear, then, that to shut either door or window would be an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">347</a></span>
+operation of great danger. So long as the horsemen were in open
+ground, and at some distance from the lion, they had no cause to
+fear; but should they approach near and get entangled among the
+walls, some one of them would be most likely to fall a victim to the
+ferocious brute.</p>
+
+<p>Low as may be the standard of a Bushman's intellect, there is
+a species peculiar to him in which he appears to excel. In all
+matters of hunter-craft, his intelligence, or instinct you might
+almost call it, is quite a match for the more highly-developed mind
+of the Caucasian. This arises, no doubt, from the keen and frequent
+exercise of those particular faculties,&mdash;keen and frequent, because
+his very existence often depends on their successful employment.</p>
+
+<p>Huge ill-shapen head that Swartboy carried on his shoulders,
+there was an ample stock of brains in it; and a life of keen endeavour
+to keep his stomach supplied had taught him their exercise. At that
+moment Swartboy's brains came to the relief of the party.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Baas!&rdquo; he said, endeavouring to restrain the impatience of his
+master, &ldquo;vyacht um bige, mein baas! Leave it to da ole Bushy to
+close da door. He do it.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How?&rdquo; inquired Von Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Vyacht um bige, mein baas! no long to wait,&mdash;you see.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>All three had ridden up together within less than an hundred
+yards of the kraal. Von Bloom and Hendrik sat silent, and watched
+the proceedings of the Bushman.</p>
+
+<p>The latter drew from his pocket a clue of small cord, and, having
+carefully uncoiled it, attached one end to an arrow. He then rode
+up to within thirty yards of the house, and dismounted&mdash;not
+directly opposite the entrance, but a little to one side&mdash;so that the
+face of the wooden door, which was fortunately but three-quarters
+open, was thus fair before him. Keeping the bridle over his arm,
+he now bent his bow, and sent the arrow into the woodwork of the
+door. There it was, sticking near the edge, and just under the
+latch!</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Swartboy delivered the shaft, he had leaped back into
+his saddle&mdash;to be ready for retreat in case the lion should charge
+out. He still, however, kept hold of the string, one end of which
+was attached to the arrow.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;thud&rdquo; of the arrow, as it struck the door, had drawn the
+attention of the lion. Of course, none of them saw him, but his
+angry growl told them that it was so. He did not show himself,
+however, and was again silent.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy now drew the string taut,&mdash;first felt it with a steady
+pull; and then, satisfied of its strength, gave it a stronger jerk, and
+brought the door to. The latch acted beautifully, and the door
+remained shut even after the strain was taken off the cord.</p>
+
+<p>To have opened the door now the lion must have had the sagacity
+to lift the latch, or else must have broken through the thick, strong
+planks&mdash;neither of which things was to be feared.</p>
+
+<p>But the window still remained open, and through it the lion could
+easily leap out. Swartboy, of course, designed closing it in the
+same manner as he had done the door.</p>
+
+<p>But now arose a particular danger. He had only one piece of
+cord. That was attached to the arrow that still stuck fast. How
+was he to detach and get possession of it?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">348</a></span></p>
+
+<p>There appeared to be no other way but by going up to the door
+and cutting it from the shaft. In this lay the danger; for, should
+the lion perceive him and rush out by the window, it would be all
+over with the Bushman.</p>
+
+<p>Like most of his race, Swartboy was more cunning than brave&mdash;though
+he was far from being a coward. Still he was by no means
+inclined at that moment to go up to the door of the kraal.</p>
+
+<p>The angry growls from within would have made a stouter heart
+than Swartboy's quail with fear.</p>
+
+<p>In this dilemma Hendrik came to his relief. Hendrik had
+conceived a way of getting possession of the string, without going
+near the door!</p>
+
+<p>Calling to Swartboy to be on his guard, he rode within thirty
+yards of the entrance&mdash;but on the other side from where Swartboy
+was&mdash;and there halted. At the place there stood a post with several
+forks upon it, that had been used as a bridle-post.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik dismounted, hooked his rein over one of these forks;
+rested his y&auml;ger across another; and then, sighting the shaft of the
+arrow, pulled trigger. The rifle cracked, the broken stick was seen
+to fly out from the door, and the string was set free!</p>
+
+<p>All were ready to gallop off; but the lion, although he growled
+fiercely on hearing the shot, still lay close.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy now drew in the string; and, having adjusted it to
+a fresh arrow, moved round so as to command a view of the window.
+In a few minutes the shaft had cut through the air and stuck deep
+into the yielding wood, and then the shutter swung round on its
+hinges, and was drawn close.</p>
+
+<p>All three now dismounted, ran silently and rapidly up, and
+secured both door and shutter with strong rheins of raw hide.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hurrah! the lion was caged.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE DEATH OF THE LION.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">Y</span>es, the fierce brute was fairly in the trap. The three hunters
+breathed freely.</p>
+
+<p>But how was the affair to end? Both door and window-shutter
+fitted strongly and closely; and, although it was possible to glance
+through the chinks, nothing could be seen inside&mdash;since, both being
+shut, it was quite dark within.</p>
+
+<p>Even could the lion have been seen, there was no hole through
+which to thrust the muzzle of a gun and fire at him. He was just as
+safe as his captors; and, so long as the door remained closed, they
+could do him no more harm than he could them.</p>
+
+<p>They might leave him shut up, and let him starve. He could live
+for a while upon what the jackals had left, with the carcasses of the
+two dogs, but that would not sustain him long, and in the end he
+would have to give up and miserably perish. After all, this did not
+seem so certain to Von Bloom and his companions. Finding that he
+was caged in earnest, the brute might attack the door, and with his
+sharp claws and teeth manage to cut his way through.</p>
+
+<p>But the angry field-cornet had not the slightest intention of leaving
+the lion such a chance. He was determined to destroy the beast<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">349</a></span>
+before leaving the ground; and he now set to thinking how this
+could be accomplished in the speediest and most effectual manner.</p>
+
+<p>At first he thought of cutting a hole in the door with his knife,
+large enough to see through and admit the barrel of his roer. Should
+he not succeed in getting a view of the beast through that one, he
+would make another in the window-shutter. The two being on adjacent
+sides of the house, would give him the command of the whole
+interior&mdash;for the former dwelling of the field-cornet comprised only a
+single apartment. During his residence there, there had been two,
+thanks to a partition of zebra-skins; but these had been removed,
+and all was now in one room.</p>
+
+<p>At first Von Bloom could think of no other plan to get at the
+enemy, and yet this one did not quite please him. It was safe
+enough, and, if carried out, could only end in the death of the
+lion.</p>
+
+<p>A hole in both door and window-shutter would enable them to fire
+at the brute as many bullets as they pleased, while they would be
+quite secure from his attack. But the time that would be required
+to cut these holes&mdash;that was why the plan did not please the field-cornet.
+He and his party had no time to spare; their horses were
+weak with hunger, and a long journey lay before them ere a morsel
+could be obtained. No,&mdash;the time could not be spared for making a
+breach. Some more expeditious mode of attack must be devised.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Father,&rdquo; said Hendrik, &ldquo;suppose we set the house on fire?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Good. The suggestion was a good one. Von Bloom cast his eyes
+up to the roof&mdash;a sloping structure with long eaves. It consisted of
+heavy beams of dry wood with rafters and laths, and all covered
+over with a thatch of rushes, a foot in thickness. It would make a
+tremendous blaze, and the smoke would be likely enough to suffocate
+the lion even before the blaze could get at him.</p>
+
+<p>The suggestion of Hendrik was adopted. They prepared to fire
+the house.</p>
+
+<p>There was still a large quantity of rubbish,&mdash;the collected firewood
+which the locusts had not devoured. This would enable them to
+carry out their purpose; and all three immediately set about hauling
+it up, and piling it against the door.</p>
+
+<p>One might almost have fancied that the lion had fathomed their
+design; for, although he had been for a long while quite silent, he
+now commenced a fresh spell of roaring. Perhaps the noise of the
+logs, striking against the door outside, had set him at it; and,
+finding himself thus shut up and baited, he had grown impatient.
+What he had sought as a shelter had been turned into a trap, and
+he was now anxious to get out of it.</p>
+
+<p>This was evident by the demonstrations he began to make. They
+could hear him rushing about&mdash;passing from door to window&mdash;striking
+both with his huge paws, and causing them to shake upon their
+hinges&mdash;all the while uttering the most fiendish roars.</p>
+
+<p>Though not without some apprehensions, the three continued
+their work. They had their horses at hand, ready to be mounted in
+case the lion might make his way through the fire. In fact, they
+intended to take to their saddles&mdash;as soon as the fire should be fairly
+under way&mdash;and watch the conflagration from a safe distance.</p>
+
+<p>They had dragged up all the bush and dry wood, and had piled
+them in front of the door. Swartboy had taken out his flint and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">350</a></span>
+steel, and was about to strike, when a loud scratching was heard
+from the inside, unlike anything that had yet reached their ears.
+It was the rattling of the lion's claws against the wall, but it had an
+odd sound as if the animal was struggling violently; at the same
+time his voice seemed hoarse and smothered, and appeared to come
+from a distance.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 357px;">
+<img src="images/illus-350.jpg" width="357" height="500" alt="THE LION IN A FIX." title="THE LION IN A FIX." />
+<span class="caption">THE LION IN A FIX.</span></div>
+
+<p>What was the brute doing?</p>
+
+<p>They stood for a moment, looking anxiously in each other's faces.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">351</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The scratching continued&mdash;the hoarse growling at intervals&mdash;but
+this ended at length; and then came a snort, followed by a roar so
+loud and clear, that all three started in affright. They could not
+believe that walls were between them and their dangerous enemy!</p>
+
+<p>Again echoed that horrid cry. Great Heaven! It proceeded no
+longer from the inside&mdash;it came from above them!</p>
+
+<p>Was the lion upon the roof?</p>
+
+<p>All three rushed backward a step or two, and looked up. A sight
+was before them that rendered them almost speechless with surprise
+and terror.</p>
+
+<p>Above the funnel of the chimney appeared the head of the lion;
+his glaring yellow eyes and white teeth showing more fearful from
+contrast with the black soot that begrimed him. He was dragging
+his body up. One foot was already above the capstone; and with
+this and his teeth he was widening the aperture around him.</p>
+
+<p>It was a terrible sight to behold&mdash;at least to those below.</p>
+
+<p>As already stated they were alarmed; and would have taken to
+their horses, had they not perceived that the animal was stuck fast!</p>
+
+<p>It was evident that this was the case, but it was equally evident
+that in a few moments he would succeed in clearing himself from the
+chimney. His teeth and claws were hard at work, and the stones
+and mortar were flying in all directions. The funnel would soon be
+down below his broad chest, and then&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom did not stay to think what then. He and Hendrik,
+guns in hand, ran up near the bottom of the wall. The chimney
+was but a score of feet in height; the long roer was pointed upward,
+reaching nearly half that distance. The y&auml;ger was also aimed. Both
+cracked together. The lion's eyes suddenly closed, his head shook
+convulsively, his paw dropped loose over the capstone, his jaws fell
+open, and blood trickled down his tongue. In a few moments he
+was dead!</p>
+
+<p>This was apparent to every one. But Swartboy was not satisfied,
+until he had discharged about a score of his arrows at the head of
+the animal, causing it to assume the appearance of a porcupine.</p>
+
+<p>So tightly had the huge beast wedged himself, that even after
+death he still remained in his singular situation.</p>
+
+<p>Under other circumstances he would have been dragged down for
+the sake of his skin. But there was no time to spare for skinning
+him; and without further delay, Von Bloom and his companions
+mounted their horses and rode off.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>ur travellers would have talked much about lions, but for the condition
+of their horses. This made them feel uneasy. With the exception
+of a few hours grazing, the poor brutes had been without
+food since the appearance of the locusts. Horses do not travel well
+upon soft grass, and of course they were now suffering severely.</p>
+
+<p>It would be far in the night before the horsemen could reach the
+camp&mdash;although they were pushing on as fast as the horses could
+travel.</p>
+
+<p>It was quite dark, when they arrived at the spot where they had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">352</a></span>
+halted the previous evening. In fact, it was very dark. Neither
+moon nor stars were to be seen in the sky; and thick black clouds
+covered the whole canopy of the heavens. It looked as though a
+rain-storm might be expected&mdash;still no rain had as yet fallen.</p>
+
+<p>It was the intention of the travellers to halt at this place, and let
+their horses graze a while. With this view they all dismounted; but,
+after trying one or two places, they could find no grass!</p>
+
+<p>This appeared strange, as they had certainly observed grass at
+that very spot the day before. Now there was none!</p>
+
+<p>The horses put their noses to the ground, but raised them up
+again, snorting as they did so, and evidently disappointed. They
+were hungry enough to have eaten grass had there been any, for they
+eagerly snatched at the leaves of the bushes as they passed along!</p>
+
+<p>Had the locusts been there also? No. The mimosa-bushes still
+retained their delicate foliage, which would not have been the case
+had the locusts visited the spot.</p>
+
+<p>Our travellers were astonished that there was no grass. Surely
+there was some the day before? Had they got upon a new track?</p>
+
+<p>The darkness prevented them from having a view of the ground;
+yet Von Bloom could not be mistaken about the route&mdash;having
+travelled it four times already. Though he could not see the surface,
+every now and again he caught a glimpse of some tree or bush,
+which he had marked in his former journeys, and these assured him
+they were still upon the right track.</p>
+
+<p>Surprised at the absence of grass where they had so lately observed
+it, they would have examined the surface more carefully; but
+they were anxious to push on to the spring, and at length gave up
+the idea of halting. The water in their gourds had been used up
+long before this; and both they and their horses were once more suffering
+from thirst.</p>
+
+<p>Besides, Von Bloom was not without some anxiety about the
+children at the wagon. He had been separated from them now a full
+day and a half, and many a change might take place&mdash;many a danger
+might arise in that time. In fact, he began to blame himself for
+having left them alone. It would have been better to have let his
+cattle perish. So thought he now. A presentiment that all was not
+right was gradually forming in his mind; and he grew more anxious
+to proceed as he reflected.</p>
+
+<p>They rode on in silence. It was only on Hendrik expressing a
+doubt about the way, that the conversation recommenced. Swartboy
+also thought they were taking a wrong course.</p>
+
+<p>At first Von Bloom assured them they were right; but after going
+a little farther, he admitted that he was in doubt; and then, after
+another half-mile's travelling, he declared that he had lost the track.
+He could no longer recognise any one of the marks or bearings he had
+taken.</p>
+
+<p>The proper thing to be done under these circumstances was to
+leave the horses to themselves; and this all three well knew. But
+the animals were suffering the pangs of hunger, and when left to
+themselves, would not journey forward, but rushed up to the mimosa-bushes,
+and eagerly commenced devouring their leaves.</p>
+
+<p>The consequence was, that their riders were obliged to keep them
+going with whip and spur; and in that way there was no certainty
+of the horses taking the right direction.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">353</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After several hours' advancing, all the while in a state of suspense,
+and as yet no appearance of either wagon or camp-fire, the travellers resolved
+upon coming to a halt. It was of no use going forward. They
+believed they could not be far from the camp; but they were now as
+likely to be riding from as towards it; and they concluded at length,
+that it would be wiser to remain where they were until the day broke.</p>
+
+<p>They all dismounted therefore, and fastened their horses to the
+bushes&mdash;so that the animals could browse upon the leaves till morning&mdash;which
+could not now be very far off. They rolled themselves
+up in their karosses, and lay down upon the earth.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik and Swartboy were soon asleep. Von Bloom would have
+slept too, for he was tired enough; but the heart of the father was
+too full of anxiety to allow repose to his eyes, and he lay awake
+watching for the dawn.</p>
+
+<p>It came at length, and at the first light his eyes swept the surface
+of the surrounding country. The party had by chance halted on an
+eminence that commanded a good view for miles on each side, but
+the field-cornet had not glanced half around the circle, when an
+object came before his eyes that brought gladness to his heart. It
+was the white tent of the wagon!</p>
+
+<p>The joyful exclamation he uttered awoke the sleepers, who immediately
+sprang to their feet; and all three stood gazing at the
+welcome sight.</p>
+
+<p>As they continued to gaze, their joy gradually gave place to
+feelings of surprise. Was it their wagon, after all?</p>
+
+<p>It certainly looked like theirs; but it was a full half-mile off, and
+at such a distance one wagon would look just like another. But
+what led them to doubt its being theirs? It was the appearance of
+the place in which they saw it. Surely it was not the same place in
+which they had outspanned!</p>
+
+<p>Theirs had been left in an oblong valley between two gentle ridges&mdash;in
+such a valley was this one standing. Near a pool formed by a
+spring&mdash;here, too, was the same, for they could perceive the water
+shining. But in all other respects the situation was different. The
+surface of the valley in which their wagon had been left was covered,
+both sides and bottom, with a verdant carpet of grass; whereas the
+one now before their eyes was brown and bare! Not a blade of
+grass was to be seen&mdash;the trees seeming to be the only things that
+had any verdure. Even the low bushes appeared to be destitute of
+leaves! The scene had no resemblance whatever to that where they
+had outspanned. It must be the camp of some other travellers,
+thought they.</p>
+
+<p>They had fully arrived at this conclusion, when Swartboy, whose
+eyes had been rolling about everywhere, now rested upon the ground
+at his feet. After a moment's observation&mdash;which the increasing
+light now enabled him to make&mdash;he turned suddenly to the others,
+and directed their attention to the surface of the plain. This they
+saw was covered with tracks, as if a thousand hoofs had passed over
+it. In fact, it presented the appearance of a vast sheep-pen; so
+vast, that as far as their sight extended, they beheld the same
+tracked and trampled appearance!</p>
+
+<p>What could this mean? Hendrik did not know. Von Bloom was
+in doubt. Swartboy could tell at the first glance. It was no new
+sight to him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">354</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;All right, baas,&rdquo; he said, looking up in his master's face. &ldquo;Da's
+da ole wagon!&mdash;da same spring an vley&mdash;da same place&mdash;dar hab
+been um trek-boken!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A trek-boken!&rdquo; cried Von Bloom and Hendrik, in a breath.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ya, baas&mdash;a mighty big one too; das da spoor of dem antelope&mdash;See!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom now comprehended all. The bareness of the country,
+the absence of the leaves on the lower bushes, the millions of small
+hoof-tracks, all were now explained. A migration of the springbok
+antelope, a &ldquo;trek-boken,&rdquo; had swept over the spot. That it was that
+had caused such a mighty change. The wagon they saw was theirs,
+after all.</p>
+
+<p>They lost no time, but, catching their horses, bridled them, and
+rode rapidly down the hill.</p>
+
+<p>Though somewhat relieved at seeing the wagon, Von Bloom was
+still apprehensive.</p>
+
+<p>As they approached, they perceived the two horses standing beside
+it, and tied to the wheels, the cow also was there&mdash;but neither goats
+nor sheep were in the neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>There was a fire burning in the rear of the hind-wheels, and a dark
+mass underneath the wagon, but no human form could be observed.</p>
+
+<p>The hearts of the horsemen beat loudly as they advanced. Their
+eyes were bent earnestly upon the wagon. They felt keen anxiety.</p>
+
+<p>They had got within three hundred yards, and still no one stirred&mdash;no
+human form made its appearance. Von Bloom and Hendrik now
+suffered intensely.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment the two horses by the wagon neighed loudly; the
+dark mass under the wagon moved, rolled outward, rose up, and
+stood erect. Totty was recognised!</p>
+
+<p>And now the &ldquo;after-clap&rdquo; of the wagon was hurriedly drawn
+aside, and three young faces were seen peeping forth.</p>
+
+<p>A shout of joy burst from the horsemen, and the next moment
+little Jan and Tr&uuml;ey leaped out from the cap-tent into the arms of
+their father&mdash;while the mutual congratulations of Hans and Hendrik,
+Swartboy and Totty, produced for some moments a scene of
+joyful confusion quite indescribable.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE TREK-BOKEN.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hose who remained by the camp had had their adventures too;
+and their tale was by no means a merry one, for it disclosed the unpleasant
+fact, that the sheep and goats were all lost. The flock had
+been carried off, in a most singular manner; and there was but
+little hope of their ever being seen again.</p>
+
+<p>Hans began his tale:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Nothing unusual occurred on the day you left us. I was busy
+all the afternoon in cutting 'wait-a-bit' thorns for a kraal. Totty
+helped me to drag them up, while Jan and Tr&uuml;ey looked after the
+flock. The animals did not stray out of the valley here, as the grass
+was good, and they had had enough of trotting lately.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well&mdash;Totty and I got the kraal, as you see, all ready. So, when
+night came, we drove the flock in; and, after milking the cow and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">355</a></span>
+getting our supper, we all went to bed. We were precious tired, and
+all of us slept soundly throughout the night without being disturbed.
+Both jackals and hyenas came around, but we knew they would not
+break into that kraal.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Hans pointed to the circular enclosure of thorn-bushes, that had
+been well constructed.</p>
+
+<p>He then proceeded with his narration:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In the morning we found everything right. Totty again milked
+the cow; and we had breakfast. The flock was let out upon the
+grass, and so were the cow and the two horses.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Just about mid-day I began to think what we were to have for
+dinner, for the breakfast had cleared up everything. I did not like
+to kill another sheep, if it could be helped. So bidding Jan and
+Tr&uuml;ey stay close by the wagon, and leaving Totty to look after the
+flock, I took my gun and started off in search of game. I took no
+horse, for I thought I saw springboks out on the plain; and I would
+stalk them better afoot.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Sure enough, there were springboks. When I got out of the
+valley here, and had a better view, I saw what astonished me, I can
+assure you.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I could scarce credit my eyes. The whole plain, towards the west,
+appeared to be one vast crowd of animals; and by their bright yellow
+sides, and the snow-white hair on their rumps, I knew they were
+springboks. They were all in motion, some browsing along, while
+hundreds of them were constantly bounding up into the air full ten
+feet high, and leaping on top of each other. I assure you all it was
+one of the strangest sights I ever beheld, and one of the pleasantest
+too; for I knew that the creatures that covered the plain, instead of
+being fierce wild beasts, were nothing but graceful and beautiful little
+gazelles.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;My first thought was to get near them, and have a shot; and I was
+about to start off over the plain, when I perceived that the antelopes
+were coming towards me. I saw that they were approaching with
+considerable rapidity; and if I only remained where I was, they
+would save me the trouble of stalking in upon them. I lay down
+behind a bush and waited.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I had not very long to wait. In less than a quarter of an hour the
+foremost of the herd drew near, and in five minutes more a score of
+them were within shot.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I did not fire for some time. I knew they would come still nearer;
+and I lay watching the motions of those pretty creatures. I took
+notice of their light handsome forms, their smooth slender limbs,
+their cinnamon-coloured backs, and white bellies, with the band of
+chestnut along each side. I looked at the lyre-shaped horns of the
+bucks, and above all, at the singular flaps on their croup, that unfolded
+each time that they leaped up, displaying a profusion of long
+silky hair, as white as snow itself.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;All these points I noticed, and at length, tired of admiring them, I
+singled out a fine-looking doe&mdash;for I was thinking of my dinner, and
+knew that doe-venison was the most palatable.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;After aiming carefully, I fired. The doe fell, but, to my astonishment,
+and others did not fly off. A few of the foremost only galloped
+back a bit, or bounded up into the air; but they again set to browsing
+quite unconcerned, and the main body advanced as before!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">356</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I loaded as quickly as I could, and brought down another,&mdash;this
+time a buck&mdash;but as before without frightening the rest!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I proceeded to load for the third time; but, before I had finished,
+the front ranks had passed on both sides of me, and I found myself in
+the midst of the herd!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I saw no need for covering myself any longer behind the bush, but
+rose to my knees, and, firing at the nearest, brought it down also.
+Its comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange
+conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance,
+they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their
+course. They seemed possessed by some species of infatuation. I
+remembered hearing that such was their way when upon one of their
+migrations, or &ldquo;trek-bokens.&rdquo; This, then, thought I, must be a &ldquo;trek-boken.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew
+thicker and thicker around me, until at length they became so
+crowded, that I began to feel very singularly situated. Not that I
+was afraid of the creatures, as they made no demonstration of using
+their horns upon me. On the contrary, they did all they could to get
+out of my way. But the nearest only were alarmed; and, as my
+presence in no way terrified those that were an hundred yards off,
+the latter made no attempt to give ground. Of course the nearest
+ones could only get a few paces from me, by pushing the others closer,
+or springing up over their backs&mdash;so that with the ones thus constantly
+bounding up into the air there was all the time a ring around
+me two deep!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation,
+or how long I might have kept my place. Perhaps I might have
+loaded and fired away for some time, but just at the moment the
+sheep came into my mind.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;They'll be carried away, thought I. I had heard that such a thing
+was common enough.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I saw that the antelopes were heading towards the valley&mdash;the
+foremost were already into it, and would soon be on the spot, where
+I had just seen our little flock feeding!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;In hopes of yet heading the springboks, and driving the sheep into
+the kraal, before the former crowded on them, I started towards the
+valley. But, to my chagrin, I could get no faster than the herd was
+going!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As I approached the creatures, to make my way through their mass,
+they leaped about and sprang over one another, but could not for
+their lives open a way for me as fast as I wanted one. I was so near
+some of them that I could have knocked them down with my gun!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I commenced hallooing, and, brandishing the gun about, I was
+making a lane more rapidly, when I perceived in front what appeared
+to be a large open space. I pushed forward for this, but the nearer
+I came to its border the more densely I found the creatures packed.
+I could only see that it was an open space by leaping up. I did not
+know what was causing it. I did not stay to reflect. I only wished
+to get forward as rapidly as possible, thinking about our flock.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I continued to clear my way, and at length found myself in the
+position I had coveted; while the lane I had made, in getting there,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">357</a></span>
+closed instantaneously behind me. I was about to rush on and take
+advantage of the bit of clear ground, when, what should I see in the
+centre, and directly before me, but a great yellow lion!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;That accounted for the break in the herd. Had I known what had
+been causing it, I should have fought my way in any other direction
+but that; but there was I, out in the open ground, the lion not ten
+paces from me, and a fence of springboks two deep around both
+of us!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I need not say I was frightened, and badly too. I did not for some
+moments know how to act. My gun was still loaded&mdash;for, after thinking
+of saving our little flock, I did not care to empty it at the antelopes.
+I could get one, thought I, at any time when I had secured the sheep in the kraal.
+The piece, therefore, was loaded and with bullets.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Should I take aim at the lion, and fire? I asked myself this question,
+and was just on the point of deciding in the affirmative, when I
+reflected that it would be imprudent. I observed that the lion, whose
+back was turned to me, had either not seen, or as yet took no notice
+of me. Should I only wound him&mdash;and from the position he was in I
+was not likely to do more,&mdash;how then? I would most likely be torn
+to pieces.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;These were my reflections, all of which scarce occupied a second of
+time. I was about to &ldquo;back out&rdquo; or back in among the springboks,
+and make my way in some other direction, and had even got near the
+edge, when, in looking over my shoulder, I saw the lion suddenly halt
+and turn round. I halted too, knowing that to be the safest plan;
+and, as I did so, I glanced back at the lion's eyes.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;To my relief, I saw they were not upon me. He seemed to have
+taken some fancy in his head. His appetite, perhaps, had returned;
+for the next moment he ran a few yards, and then, rising with a
+terrific bound, launched himself far into the herd, and came down
+right upon the back of one of the antelopes! The others sprang right
+and left, and a new space was soon opened around him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;He was now nearer than ever to where I stood, and I could see him
+distinctly crouched over his victim. His claws held its quivering
+body, and his long teeth grasped the poor creature by the neck. But,
+with the exception of his tail, he was making not the slightest motion,
+and that vibrated gently from side to side, just as a kitten that had
+caught a tiny mouse. I could see, too, that his eyes were close shut,
+as though he were asleep!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now I had heard that under such circumstances the lion may be
+approached without much danger. Not that I wished to go any
+nearer&mdash;for I was near enough for my gun&mdash;but it was this recollection,
+I believe, that put me in the notion of firing. At all events,
+something whispered me I would succeed, and I could not resist
+trying.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The broad blind jaw of the brute was fair before me. I took aim,
+and pulled trigger; but, instead of waiting to see the effect of my
+shot, I ran right off in an opposite direction.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I did not halt till I had put several acres of antelopes between
+myself and the place where I had last stood; and then I made the
+best of my way to the wagon.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Long before I had reached it, I could see that Jan, and Tr&uuml;ey, and
+Totty, were safe under the tent. That gave me pleasure, but I also
+saw that the sheep and goats had got mixed up with the springboks,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">358</a></span>
+and were moving off with them as if they belonged to the same
+species! I fear they are all lost.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And the lion?&rdquo; inquired Hendrik.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yonder he lies!&rdquo; answered Hans, modestly pointing to a yellow
+mass out upon the plain, over which the vultures were already
+beginning to hover. &ldquo;Yonder he lies, you could hardly have done it
+better yourself, brother Hendrik.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Hans said this, he smiled in such a manner as to show, that he
+had no idea of making a boast of his achievements.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik was loud in acknowledging that it was a most splendid
+feat, and also in regretting that he had not been on the ground to
+witness the wonderful migration of the springboks.</p>
+
+<p>But there was no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party
+were in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The
+cow and horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had
+been left by the antelopes. Upon what were they to be fed?</p>
+
+<p>To follow the spoor of the migratory springboks with the hope of
+recovering their flock would be quite useless. Swartboy assured them
+of this. The poor animals might be carried hundreds of miles before
+they could separate themselves from the great herd, or bring their
+involuntary journey to an end!</p>
+
+<p>The horses could travel but little farther. There was nought to feed
+them on but the leaves of the mimosas, and this was but poor food for
+hungry horses. It would be fortunate if they could be kept alive
+until they should reach some pasture; and where now was pasture to
+be found? Locusts and antelopes between them seemed to have turned
+all Africa into a desert!</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet soon formed his resolution. He would remain there
+for the night, and early on the morrow set out in search of some other
+spring.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately Hans had not neglected to secure a brace of the springboks;
+and their fat venison now came into general use. A roast of
+that, and a drink of cool water from the spring, soon refreshed the
+three wearied travellers.</p>
+
+<p>The horses were let loose among the mimosa-trees, and allowed to
+shift for themselves; and although under ordinary circumstances they
+would have &ldquo;turned up their noses&rdquo; at such food as mimosa-leaves,
+they now turned them up in a different sense, and cleared the thorny
+branches like so many giraffes.</p>
+
+<p>Some naturalist as the &ldquo;Buffon&rdquo; school has stated that neither wolf,
+fox, hyena, nor jackal, will eat the carcass of a lion,&mdash;that their fear
+of the royal despot continues even after his death.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet and his family had proof of the want of truth in
+this assertion. Before many hours both jackals and hyenas attacked
+the carcass of the king of beasts, and in a very short while there was
+not a morsel of him there but his bones. Even his tawny skin was
+swallowed by these ravenous creatures, and many of the bones broken
+by the strong jaws of the hyenas. The respect which these brutes
+entertain for the lion ends with his life. When dead, he is eaten by
+them with as much audacity as if he were the meanest of animals.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">359</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">SPOORING FOR A SPRING.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">V</span>on Bloom was in the saddle at an early hour. Swartboy accompanied
+him, while all the others remained by the wagon to await his return.
+They took with them the two horses that had remained by the wagon,
+as these were fresher than the others.</p>
+
+<p>They rode nearly due westward. They were induced to take this
+direction by observing that the springboks had come from the north.
+By heading westward they believed they would sooner get beyond the
+wasted territory.</p>
+
+<p>To their great satisfaction an hour's travelling carried them clear
+of the track of the antelope migration! and although they found no
+water, there was excellent grass.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet now sent Swartboy back for the other horses and
+the cow, pointing out a place where he should bring them to graze,
+while he himself continued on in search of water.</p>
+
+<p>After travelling some miles farther, Von Bloom perceived to the
+north of him a long line of cliff rising directly up from the plain, and
+running westward as far as he could see. Thinking that water would
+be more likely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head
+towards them. As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed
+with the beautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes. He
+passed through grassy plains of different sizes, separated from each
+other by copses of the delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming
+large thickets, while others consisted of only a few low bushes. Towering
+high over the mimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a
+species Von Bloom had never seen before. They stood thinly upon
+the ground; but each, with its vast leafy head, seemed a little forest
+of itself.</p>
+
+<p>The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, which
+contrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond&mdash;the latter stepping
+up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet in height,
+and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house.</p>
+
+<p>The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller&mdash;such
+a fine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that
+most of the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo.
+The whole of it to the north for hundreds of miles was a famous desert&mdash;the
+desert of Kalihari&mdash;and these cliffs were a part of its southern
+border. The &ldquo;vee-boer&rdquo; would have been rejoiced at such a sight
+under other circumstances. But what to him now were all these fine
+pastures&mdash;now that he was no longer able to stock them?</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the beauty of the scene, his reflections were painful.</p>
+
+<p>But he did not give way to despair. His present troubles were
+sufficiently grievous to prevent him from dwelling much on the future.
+His first care was to find a place where his horses might be recruited;
+for without them he could no longer move anywhere&mdash;without them
+he would be helpless indeed.</p>
+
+<p>Water was the desired object. If water could not be found, all this
+beautiful park through which he was passing would be as valueless to
+him as the brown desert.</p>
+
+<p>Surely so lovely a landscape could not exist without that most
+essential element!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">360</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So thought the field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove
+his eyes wandered over the ground in search of it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ho!&rdquo; he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridges
+whirred up from his path. &ldquo;A good sign that: they are seldom far
+from water.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens,
+running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water was
+nigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall <i>cameel-doorn</i> tree, he next
+observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now,&rdquo; muttered he to himself, &ldquo;I must be very near to some spring
+or pool.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon
+the crest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight
+of the birds.</p>
+
+<p>Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerly direction,
+and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Both
+appeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain, about
+five hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apart
+from any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yet
+seen.</p>
+
+<p>As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed
+several pairs of parrots alighting upon it. These after chattering a
+while among its branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its
+base.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Surely,&rdquo; thought Von Bloom, &ldquo;there must be water there. I shall
+ride forward and see.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. The
+animal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as
+his head was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward
+with outstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along.</p>
+
+<p>The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up the
+bridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinking
+from the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within
+a dozen yards of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but
+he thought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon
+the grass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in
+quite as good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal
+his liberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree.</p>
+
+<p>As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of
+nature that towered majestically above him. It was one of the
+largest trees he had ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the
+&ldquo;nwana&rdquo; tree, a species of <i>ficus</i>, with large sycamore-shaped leaves
+that grew thickly over its magnificent head. Its trunk was full
+twenty feet in diameter, rising to more than that height without a
+branch, and then spreading off into numerous limbs that stretched
+far out in a horizontal direction. Through the thick foliage Von
+Bloom could perceive shining egg-shaped fruits as large as cocoa-nuts;
+and upon these the parrots and several other kinds of birds
+appeared to be feeding.</p>
+
+<p>Other trees of the same species stood out upon the plain at long
+distances apart; and though they were all taller than the surrounding
+timber, none were so large or conspicuous as the one that grew by
+the spring.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">361</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet, as he enjoyed the cool shade which its umbrageous
+frondage afforded, could not help thinking what an admirable spot
+it would be to build a kraal. The inmates of a dwelling placed beneath
+its friendly shelter, need never dread the fierce rays of the
+African sun; even the rain could scarce penetrate its leafy canopy.
+In fact, its dense foliage almost constituted a roof of itself.</p>
+
+<p>Had his cattle still remained to him, no doubt the vee-boer would
+have resolved at once to make this spot his future home. But,
+tempting as it was, what now could he do in such a place? To him
+it would be only a wilderness. There was no species of industry he
+could follow in such a remote quarter. True, he might sustain himself
+and his family by hunting. He saw that game was plenteous
+all around. But that would be but a sorry existence, with no
+promise for the future. What would his children do hereafter?
+Were they to grow up with no other end than to become poor
+hunters&mdash;no better than the wild Bushmen? No! no! no! To
+make a home there would be out of the question. A few days to
+recruit his wearied horses, and then he would make a struggle and
+trek back to the settlements.</p>
+
+<p>But what after he had got back? He knew not what then. His
+future was gloomy and uncertain.</p>
+
+<p>After indulging in such reflections for an hour or more, he bethought
+him that it was time to return to the camp; and having
+caught and bridled his horse, he mounted and set forth.</p>
+
+<p>The animal, refreshed by the sweet grass and cool water, carried
+him briskly along; and in less than two hours he came up with
+Swartboy and Hendrik where they were pasturing the horses.</p>
+
+<p>These were taken back to the wagon and harnessed in; and then
+the great vehicle once more &ldquo;treked&rdquo; across the plains.</p>
+
+<p>Before the sun had set, the long white cap-tent was gleaming
+under the leafy screen of the gigantic &ldquo;nwana.&rdquo;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE TERRIBLE TSETSE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he verdant carpet that stretched away around them&mdash;the green
+leaves upon the trees&mdash;the flowers by the fountain&mdash;the crystal water
+in its bed&mdash;the black bold rocks towering up at a distance&mdash;all combined
+to make a lovely picture. The eyes of the wayfarers were glad
+as they beheld it; and while the wagon was outspanning, every one
+gave utterance to their delightful emotions.</p>
+
+<p>The place seemed to please every one. Hans loved its quiet and
+sylvan beauty. It was just such a place as he would choose to ramble
+in, book in hand, and dream away many a pleasant hour. Hendrik
+liked it much, because he had already observed what he termed
+&ldquo;extensive spoor&rdquo; about the spot: in other words, he had noticed
+the tracks of many of Africa's largest wild animals.</p>
+
+<p>Little Tr&uuml;ey was delighted to see so many beautiful flowers. There
+were bright scarlet geraniums, and starlike sweet-scented jessamines,
+and the gorgeous belladonna lily, with its large blossoms of rose-colour
+and white; and there were not only plants in flower, but
+bushes, and even trees, covered with gaudy and sweetly-perfumed
+blossoms. There was the &ldquo;sugar-bush,&rdquo; the most beautiful of its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">362</a></span>
+family, with its large cup-shaped corollas of pink, white, and green;
+and there, too, was the &ldquo;silver-tree&rdquo; whose soft silvery leaves playing
+in the breeze, looked like a huge mass of silken flowers; and there
+were the mimosas covered with blossoms of golden yellow that filled
+the air with their strong and agreeable perfume.</p>
+
+<p>Rare forms of vegetation were around or near at hand: the arborescent
+aloes, with their tall flower-spikes of coral red, and euphorbias
+of many shapes; and <i>zamia</i>, with its palm-like fronds; and the soft-leaved
+<i>Strelitzia regin&aelig;</i>. All these were observed in the neighbourhood
+of this new-discovered fountain.</p>
+
+<p>But what received little Tr&uuml;ey's admiration more than any other
+was the beautiful blue water-lily, which is certainly one of the
+loveliest of Africa's flowers. Close by the spring, but a little farther
+in the direction of the plain, was a vley, or pool&mdash;in fact, it might
+have been termed a small lake&mdash;and upon the quiet bosom of its
+water the sky-blue corollas lay sleeping in all their gorgeous beauty.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey, leading her little pet on a string, had gone down on the bank
+to look at them. She thought she could never cease gazing at such
+pretty things.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I hope papa will stay here a long time,&rdquo; she said to her companion,
+little Jan.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And I hope so too. Oh! Tr&uuml;ey, what a fine tree yon is! Look!
+nuts as big as my head, I declare. Bless me, sis! how are we to
+knock some of them down?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And so the children conversed, both delighted with the new scenes
+around them.</p>
+
+<p>Although all the young people were inclined to be happy, yet they
+were checked in their expression of it, by observing that there was
+a cloud on the brow of their father. He had seated himself under
+the great tree, but his eyes were upon the ground, as though he were
+busy with painful reflections. All of them noticed this.</p>
+
+<p>His reflections were, indeed, painful&mdash;they could not well have been
+otherwise. There was but one course left for him&mdash;to return to the
+settlements, and begin life anew. But how to begin it? What could
+he do? His property all gone, he could only serve some of his richer
+neighbours; and for one accustomed all his life to independence, this
+would be hard indeed.</p>
+
+<p>He looked towards his five horses, now eagerly cropping the luxuriant
+grass that grew under the shadow of the cliffs. When would they
+be ready to trek back again? In three or four days he might start.
+Fine animals, most of them were&mdash;they would carry the wagon
+lightly enough.</p>
+
+<p>So ran the reflections of the field-cornet. He little thought at the
+moment that those horses would never draw wagon more, nor any
+other vehicle. He little thought that those five noble brutes were
+doomed!</p>
+
+<p>Yet so it was. In less than a week from that time, the jackals and
+hyenas were quarrelling over their bones. Even at that very moment
+while he watched them browsing, the poison was entering their veins,
+and their death-wounds were being inflicted. Alas! alas! another
+blow awaited Von Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet had noticed, now and again, that the horses seemed
+uneasy as they fed. At times they started suddenly, whisked their
+long tails, and rubbed their heads against the bushes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">363</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Some fly is troubling them,&rdquo; thought he, and had no more uneasiness
+about the matter.</p>
+
+<p>It was just that&mdash;just a fly that was troubling them. Had Von
+Bloom known what that fly was, he would have felt a very different
+concern about his horses. Had he known the nature of that little
+fly, he would have rushed up with all his boys, caught the horses in
+the greatest hurry, and led them far away from those dark cliffs.
+But he knew not the &ldquo;tsetse&rdquo; fly.</p>
+
+<p>It still wanted some minutes of sunset, and the horses were permitted
+to browse freely, but Von Bloom observed that they were
+every moment getting more excited&mdash;now striking their hoofs upon
+the turf,&mdash;now running a length or two&mdash;and at intervals snorting
+angrily. At the distance they were off&mdash;a quarter of a mile or so&mdash;Von
+Bloom could see nothing of what was disturbing them; but their
+odd behaviour at length induced him to walk up to where they were.
+Hans and Hendrik went along with him.</p>
+
+<p>When they arrived near the spot, they were astonished at what
+they then beheld. Each horse seemed to be encompassed by a swarm
+of bees!</p>
+
+<p>They saw, however, they were not bees, but insects somewhat
+smaller, of a brown colour, resembling gad-flies, and exceedingly
+active in their flight. Thousands of them hovered above each horse,
+and hundreds could be seen lighting upon the heads, necks, bodies,
+and legs of the animals,&mdash;in fact, all over them. They were evidently
+either biting or stinging them. No wonder the poor brutes were
+annoyed.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom suggested that they should drive the horses farther out
+into the plain, where these flies did not seem to haunt. He was
+only concerned about the annoyance which the horses received from
+them. Hendrik also pitied their sufferings; but Hans, alone of all
+the three, guessed at the truth. He had read of a fatal insect that
+frequented some districts in the interior of South Africa, and the
+first sight of these flies aroused his suspicions that it might be
+they.</p>
+
+<p>He communicated his thoughts to the others, who at once shared
+his alarm.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Call Swartboy hither!&rdquo; said Von Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>The Bushman was called, and soon made his appearance, coming
+up from the spring. He had for the last hour been engaged in unpacking
+the wagon, and had taken no notice of the horses or the
+interest they were exciting.</p>
+
+<p>As soon, however, as he got near, and saw the winged swarm
+whirring around the horses, his small eyes opened to their widest
+extent, his thick lips fell, and his whole face yielded itself to an expression
+of amazement and alarm.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it, Swart?&rdquo; inquired his master.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Mein baas! mein baas! der duyvel um da&mdash;dar skellum is da
+'tsetse!'&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And what if it be the tsetse?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Mein Gott!&mdash;all dead&mdash;dead&mdash;ebery horse!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy then proceeded to explain, with a loud and continuous
+&ldquo;clicking,&rdquo; that the fly which they saw was fatal in its bite, that
+the horses would surely die&mdash;sooner or later, according to the number
+of stings they had already received; but, from the swarm of insects<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">364</a></span>
+around them, the Bushman had no doubt they had been badly stung,
+and a single week would see all five of the horses dead.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Wait, mein baas&mdash;morrow show.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And to-morrow did show; for before twelve o'clock on the next
+day, the horses were swollen all over their bodies and about their
+heads. Their eyes were quite closed up; they refused any longer to
+eat, but staggered blindly among the luxuriant grass, every now and
+then expressing the pain they felt by a low melancholy whimpering.
+It was plain to every one they were going to die.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom tried bleeding, and various other remedies; but to no
+purpose. There is no cure for the bite of the tsetse fly!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">G</span>reat, indeed, was now the affliction of the field-cornet. Fortune
+seemed to be adverse in everything. Step by step he had been sinking
+for years, every year becoming poorer in worldly wealth. He
+had now reached the lowest point&mdash;poverty itself. He owned
+nothing whatever. His horses might be regarded as dead. The cow
+had escaped from the tsetse by avoiding the cliffs, and keeping out
+upon the plain; and this animal now constituted his whole live stock,&mdash;his
+whole property! True, he still had his fine wagon; but
+of what use would that be without either oxen or horses? a wagon
+without a team! Better a team without a wagon.</p>
+
+<p>What could he do? How was he to escape from the position he
+was placed in? To say the least, it was an awkward one&mdash;nearly
+two hundred miles from any civilised settlement, and no means of
+getting there,&mdash;no means except by walking; and how were his
+children to walk two hundred miles? Impossible!</p>
+
+<p>Across desert tracts, exposed not only to terrible fatigue, but to
+hunger, thirst, and fierce carnivorous animals. It appeared impossible
+that they could accomplish such a task.</p>
+
+<p>And what else was there to be done? asked the field-cornet of himself.
+Were they to remain there all their lives, subsisting precariously
+on game and roots? Were his children to become &ldquo;Bush-boys,&rdquo;&mdash;himself
+a Bushman?</p>
+
+<p>With these reflections passing through his mind, no wonder that
+Von Bloom felt deeply afflicted.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Merciful Heaven!&rdquo; he exclaimed, as he sat with his head between
+his hands, &ldquo;what will become of me and mine?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Poor Von Bloom! he had reached the lowest point of his fortunes.</p>
+
+<p>He had, in reality, reached the lowest point; for on that very day,&mdash;even
+within that very hour&mdash;an incident occurred, that not only
+gave relief to his afflicted spirit, but that promised to lay the foundation
+of future wealth and prosperity. In one hour from that time
+the prospects of the field-cornet had undergone a complete change,&mdash;in
+one hour from that time he was a happy man, and all around him
+were as happy as he!</p>
+
+<p>You are impatient to hear how this change was effected? What
+little fairy had sprung out of the spring, or come down from the cliffs,
+to befriend the good field-cornet in his hour of misery? You are
+impatient to hear! Then you shall hear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">365</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The sun was just going down. They were all seated under the
+great tree, and near a fire, upon which they had cooked their supper.
+There was no talking, no cheerful conversation,&mdash;for the children
+saw that their father was in trouble, and that kept them silent. Not
+a word passed between them, or only an occasional whisper.</p>
+
+<p>It was at this moment that Von Bloom gave utterance to his sad
+thoughts in words as above.</p>
+
+<p>As if seeking for an answer, his eyes were raised to heaven, and
+then wandered around the plain. All at once they became fixed
+upon a singular object, that appeared at some distance off, and was
+just emerging from the bushes.</p>
+
+<p>It was an animal of some kind, and from its vast size Von Bloom
+and the others at first took it to be an elephant. None of them,
+except Swartboy, were accustomed to elephants in their wild state,&mdash;for,
+although these animals once inhabited the most southerly portion
+of Africa, they have long since deserted the settled districts, and are
+now only to be found far beyond the frontier of the colony. But
+they knew that there were elephants in these parts&mdash;as they had
+already observed their tracks&mdash;and all now supposed the huge
+creature that was approaching must be one.</p>
+
+<p>Not all, Swartboy was an exception. As soon as his eyes fell upon
+the animal he cried out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Chukuroo&mdash;a chukuroo!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A rhinoster, is it?&rdquo; said Von Bloom, knowing that &ldquo;chuckuroo&rdquo;
+was the native name for the rhinoceros, or &ldquo;rhinoster,&rdquo; as he called
+it in Dutch.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ya, baas,&rdquo; replied Swartboy; &ldquo;and one o' da big karles&mdash;da,
+'kobaoba,' da long-horn white rhinoster.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>What Swartboy meant by this was that the animal in question was
+a large species of rhinoceros, known among the natives as the
+&ldquo;kobaoba.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Now I dare say, young reader, you have been all your life under
+the impression that there was but one species of rhinoceros in the
+world&mdash;that is <i>the</i> rhinoceros. Is it not so? Yes.</p>
+
+<p>Well, permit me to inform you, that you have been under a wrong
+impression. There are quite a number of distinct species of this very
+singular animal. At least eight distinct kinds I know of; and I do
+not hesitate to say that when the central parts of Africa have been
+fully explored, as well as South Asia and the Asiatic islands, nearly
+half as many more will be found to exist.</p>
+
+<p>In South Africa four distinct species are well known; one in
+North Africa differs from all these; while the large Indian rhinoceros
+bears but slight resemblance to any of them. A distinct species from
+any is the rhinoceros of Sumatra, an inhabitant of that island; and
+still another is the Java rhinoceros, found in the island of Java. Thus
+we have no less than eight kinds, all specifically differing from one
+another.</p>
+
+<p>The natives of South Africa are acquainted with four distinct
+species of rhinoceros, to which they give distinct names; and it may
+be remarked that this observation of species by native hunters is far
+more to be depended upon than the speculations of mere closet-naturalists,
+who draw their deductions from a tubercle, or the tooth,
+or a stuffed skin. Gordon Cumming, for example, the most distinguished
+of all African hunters has done more to increase the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">366</a></span>
+knowledge of African zoology than a whole college full of &ldquo;speculating&rdquo;
+<i>savans</i>.</p>
+
+<p>This same Gordon Cumming has written a most interesting account
+of his hunting experiences, tells you that there are four kinds of
+rhinoceros in Southern Africa; and no man is likely to know better
+than he.</p>
+
+<p>These four kinds are known among the natives as the &ldquo;borele,&rdquo;
+the &ldquo;keitloa,&rdquo; the &ldquo;muchocho,&rdquo; and &ldquo;kobaoba.&rdquo; The two first are
+&ldquo;black rhinoceroses,&rdquo;&mdash;that is, the general colour of their skin is dark&mdash;while
+the &ldquo;muchocho&rdquo; and &ldquo;kobaoba&rdquo; are white varieties, having
+the skin of a dingy whitish hue. The black rhinoceroses are much
+smaller&mdash;scarce half the size of the others, and they differ from them
+in the length and set of their horns, as well as in other particulars.</p>
+
+<p>In the form and length of their neck, the set of their ears, and
+other respects, the black rhinoceroses differ materially from the white
+ones. In fact, their habits are quite unlike. The former feed chiefly
+on the leaves and twigs of thorns, such as the <i>Acacia horrida</i>, or
+&ldquo;wait-a-bits,&rdquo; while the latter live upon grass. The former are of
+fiercer disposition&mdash;will attack man or any other animal on sight;
+and even sometimes seem to grow angry with the bushes, charging
+upon them and breaking them to pieces!</p>
+
+<p>The white rhinoceroses, although fierce enough when wounded or
+provoked, are usually of pacific disposition, and will permit the
+hunter to pass without molestation.</p>
+
+<p>These become very fat, and make excellent eating. The flesh of no
+African animal is esteemed superior to the calf of the white rhinoceros,
+whereas the black varieties never grow fat, and their flesh is tough
+and unpalatable.</p>
+
+<p>The hide is also used for different purposes, among others for making
+the whips known as &ldquo;jamboks,&rdquo; though hippopotamus-hide is
+superior.</p>
+
+<p>The skin of the African rhinoceros, as already stated, is without
+the plaits, folds, and scutell&aelig;, that characterise its Asiatic congener,
+yet it is far from being a soft one. It is so thick and difficult to
+pierce, that a bullet of ordinary lead will sometimes flatten upon it.
+To ensure its penetrating, the lead must be hardened with solder.</p>
+
+<p>The rhinoceros, though not a water animal, like the hippopotamus,
+is nevertheless fond of that element, and is rarely found at a great
+distance from it. All four kinds love to lie and wallow in mud, just
+as hogs in a summer's day; and they are usually seen coated all over
+with this substance. During the day they may be observed lying
+down or standing under the shade of some thick mimosa-tree, either
+asleep or in a state of easy indolence; and it is during the night that
+they wander about in search of food and water.</p>
+
+<p>If approached from the lee side they can easily be got at, as their
+small sparkling eyes do not serve them well. On the contrary, if the
+hunter go to windward, they will scent him at a great distance, as
+their sense of smell is most acute. If their eyes were only as keen as
+their nostrils, it would be a dangerous game to attack them, for they
+can run with sufficient rapidity to overtake a horse in the first charge.</p>
+
+<p>In charging and running, the black variety far excels the white.
+They are easily avoided, however, by the hunter springing quickly to
+one side, and letting them rush blindly on.</p>
+
+<p>The black rhinoceros is about six feet high at the shoulder, and full<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">367</a></span>
+thirteen in length; while the white kinds are far larger. The white
+rhinoceros is full seven feet high, and fourteen in length!</p>
+
+<p>No wonder that an animal of these extraordinary dimensions was
+at first sight taken for the elephant. In fact, the kobaoba rhinoceros
+is the quadruped next to the elephant in size; and with his great
+muzzle&mdash;full eighteen inches broad&mdash;his long clumsy head, his vast
+ponderous body, this animal impresses one with an idea of strength
+and massive grandeur as great, and some say greater than the elephant
+himself. He looks, indeed, like a caricature of the elephant. It was
+not such a bad mistake, then, when our people by the wagon took
+the &ldquo;kobaoba&rdquo; for the &ldquo;mighty elephant.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy, however, set them all right by declaring that the animal
+they saw was the white rhinoceros.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A HEAVY COMBAT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>hen they first saw the kobaoba, he was, as stated, just coming out
+of the thicket. Without halting, he headed in the direction of the
+vley already mentioned; and kept on towards it, his object evidently
+being to reach the water.</p>
+
+<p>This little lake, of course, owed its existence to the spring&mdash;though
+it was full two hundred yards from the latter&mdash;and about the same
+from the great tree. It was nearly circular in shape, and about one
+hundred yards in diameter, so that its superficial area would thus be
+a little over two English acres. It merited, then, the name of &ldquo;lake;&rdquo;
+and by that name the young people already called it.</p>
+
+<p>On its upper side&mdash;that in the direction of the spring&mdash;its shore
+was high, and in one or two places rocky, and these rocks ran back
+to the spring along the channel of a little rivulet. On the west or
+outer side of the lake the land lay lower, and the water at one or two
+points lipped up nearly to the level of the plain. For this reason it
+was, that upon that side, the bank was paddled all over with tracks
+of animals that had been to drink. Hendrik the hunter had observed
+among them the footprints of many kinds he knew nothing about.</p>
+
+<p>It was for the lower end of the lake the kobaoba was making&mdash;no
+doubt with him an old and favourite drinking place.</p>
+
+<p>There was a point where the water was easier of access than elsewhere&mdash;a
+little to one side of where the wash or waste-stream of the
+lake ran out. It was a sort of cove with bright sandy beach, and
+approachable from the plain by a miniature gorge, hollowed out, no
+doubt, by the long usage of those animals who came to drink at the
+vley. By entering this cove, the tallest animals might get deep water
+and good bottom, so that they could drink without much straining
+or stooping. The kobaoba came on in a direct line for the lake; and
+as he drew near, they could see him heading for the gorge that led
+into the little cove. It proved he had been there before.</p>
+
+<p>Next moment he passed through the gap, and stood knee-deep in
+the water.</p>
+
+<p>After swallowing several copious draughts&mdash;now sneezing, and then
+wheezing&mdash;he plunged his broad snout, horn and all, into the water,
+tossed it till it foamed, and then lying down in it, commenced wallowing
+like a hog.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">368</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The place was shallow, and most of his huge body was above the
+surface&mdash;though there was deep enough water in the lake to have
+given him a bath had he desired it.</p>
+
+<p>The first thought of Von Bloom, as well as of Hendrik, was how to
+&ldquo;circumvent&rdquo; the rhinoceros, and of course destroy him. Not that
+they simply wished his destruction; but Swartboy had already
+represented what fine food the species was, and there was no stock
+of provision in camp. Hendrik had another object in wishing the
+death of the creature. He wanted a new loading-rod for his rifle;
+and he had gazed covetously at the kobaoba's long horn.</p>
+
+<p>But it was easier to desire the death of the rhinoceros than to
+accomplish it. They had no horses&mdash;at least, none that could be
+mounted&mdash;and to attack the animal on foot, would be a game as
+dangerous as idle. He would be like enough to impale one of them
+on his great spike, or else trample them brutally under his huge feet.
+If he did not do one or the other, he would easily make his escape&mdash;as
+any kind of rhinoceros can outrun a man.</p>
+
+<p>How were they to manage him then?</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps they might get near&mdash;fire at him from an ambush, and with
+a lucky shot stretch him out. A single bullet sometimes kills the
+rhinoceros&mdash;but only when correctly placed, so as to penetrate the
+heart, or some other of the &ldquo;vitals.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This was, probably, the best plan. They might easily get near
+enough. There was some bush cover close to the spot. It was probable
+the old kobaoba would not perceive them, if they approached
+from leeward, particularly as he seemed in the full tide of enjoyment
+at that moment.</p>
+
+<p>They were about to attempt the approach, and had got to their feet
+for that purpose, when a sudden fit seemed to have attacked Swartboy.
+The latter commenced jumping over the ground, at the same time
+muttering in a low voice,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Da klow! da klow!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>A stranger would have fancied Swartboy in a fit, but Von Bloom
+knew that by &ldquo;Da klow! da klow!&rdquo; the Bushman meant &ldquo;The
+elephant! the elephant!&rdquo; and therefore looked in the direction in
+which Swartboy was pointing.</p>
+
+<p>Sure enough, upon the western plain, looming up against the yellow
+sky, was a dark mass, that upon examination presented the outlines
+of an elephant. Its rounded back was easily distinguished over the
+low bushes; and its broad hanging ears were moving as it marched.
+All saw at a glance that it was coming towards the lake, and almost
+in the same track that the rhinoceros had taken.</p>
+
+<p>Of course this new apparition quite disarranged the plans of the
+hunters. At sight of the mighty elephant, they scarce any longer gave
+a thought to the kobaoba. Not that they had formed any very great
+hopes of being able to kill the gigantic animal, yet some such thought
+was running through their minds. They had determined to try, at all
+events.</p>
+
+<p>Before they could agree upon any plan, however, the elephant had
+got up to the edge of the lake. Though moving only at a slow walk,
+with his immense strides he soon measured off a large quantity of
+ground, and advanced much more rapidly than one would have
+supposed. The hunters had scarce time to exchange thoughts, before
+the huge creature was up within a few yards of the water.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">369</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Here he halted, pointed his proboscis in different directions, stood
+quite silent, and seemed to listen.</p>
+
+<p>There was no noise to disturb him&mdash;even the kobaoba for the moment
+was quiet.</p>
+
+<p>After standing a minute or so, the huge creature moved forward
+again, and entered the gorge already described.</p>
+
+<p>They at the camp had now a full view of him, at less than three
+hundred yards distant. An immense mass he seemed. His body quite
+filled the gorge from side to side, and his long yellow tusks projecting
+more than two yards from his jaws, curved gracefully upward. He
+was an &ldquo;old bull,&rdquo; as Swartboy whispered.</p>
+
+<p>Up to this time the rhinoceros had not had the slightest intimation
+of the elephant's approach; for the tread of the latter&mdash;big beast as
+he is&mdash;is as silent as a cat's. It is true that a loud rumbling noise like
+distant thunder proceeded from his inside as he moved along; but the
+kobaoba was in too high a caper just then to have heard or noticed
+any sound that was not very near and distinct.</p>
+
+<p>The huge body of the elephant coming suddenly into &ldquo;his sunshine,&rdquo;
+and flinging its dark shadow over the vley, was distinct enough, and
+caused the kobaoba to get to his feet with an agility quite surprising
+for a creature of his build.</p>
+
+<p>At the same time a noise, something between a grunt and a whistle
+escaped him, as the water was ejected from his nostrils.</p>
+
+<p>The elephant also uttered his peculiar salute, in a trumpet note,
+that echoed from the cliffs; and halted in his tracks as soon as he saw
+the rhinoceros.</p>
+
+<p>No doubt both were surprised at the rencontre; as both stood for
+some seconds eyeing each other with apparent astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>This, however, soon gave place to a different feeling. Symptoms of
+anger began to show themselves. It was evident that bad blood was
+brewing between them.</p>
+
+<p>There was, in fact, a little dilemma. The elephant could not get
+comfortably at the water unless the rhinoceros left the cove; and the
+rhinoceros could not well get out of the cove, so long as the elephant
+blocked up the gorge with his immense thick limbs.</p>
+
+<p>It is true, the kobaoba might have sneaked through among the
+other's legs, or he might have swum off and landed at some other point,
+and in either way have left the coast clear.</p>
+
+<p>But of all animals in the world a rhinoceros is, perhaps, the most
+unaccommodating. He is, also, one of the most fearless, dreading
+neither man nor beast&mdash;not even the boasted lion, whom he often
+chases like a cat. Hence the old kobaoba had no intention of yielding
+ground to the elephant; and from his attitude, it was plain that he
+neither intended to sneak off under the other's belly, nor swim a single
+stroke for him. No&mdash;not a stroke.</p>
+
+<p>It remained to be seen how the point of honour was to be decided.
+The attitude of affairs had become so interesting, that every one by
+the camp was gazing with fixed eyes upon the two great bulls&mdash;for the
+rhinoceros was also a &ldquo;bull&rdquo; and of the largest size known of his kind.</p>
+
+<p>For several minutes they stood eyeing each other. The elephant,
+although much the larger, knew his antagonist well. He had met his
+&ldquo;sort&rdquo; before, and knew better than to despise his powers. Perhaps,
+ere now, he had had a touch of that long spit-like excrescence that
+stood out from the kobaoba's snout.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">370</a></span></p>
+
+<p>At all events, he did not rush upon his adversary at once&mdash;as he
+would have done on some poor antelope that might have crossed him
+in the same way.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/illus-370.jpg" width="500" height="357" alt="A DEADLY ENCOUNTER." title="A DEADLY ENCOUNTER." />
+<span class="caption">A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.</span></div>
+
+<p>His patience, however, became exhausted. His ancient dignity was
+insulted&mdash;his rule disputed&mdash;he wished to have his bath and his drink&mdash;he
+could bear the insolence of the rhinoceros no longer.</p>
+
+<p>With a bellow that made the rocks ring again, he charged forward;
+placed his tusks firmly under the shoulder of his adversary,&mdash;gave a
+mighty &ldquo;lift,&rdquo; and turned the rhinoceros over in the water!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">371</a></span></p>
+
+<p>For a moment the latter plunged, and blowed, and snorted, his head
+half under water; but in a second's time he was on his feet again, and
+charging in turn. The spectators could see that he aimed right at
+the elephant's ribs with his horn, and that the latter did all he could
+to keep head towards him.</p>
+
+<p>Again the elephant flung the kobaoba, and again the latter rose and
+charged madly upon his huge antagonist; and so both fought until
+the water around them was white with foam.</p>
+
+<p>The contest was carried on in the water, until the elephant, seeming
+to think his adversary had an advantage there, backed himself into
+the gorge, and stood waiting with his head towards the lake. In this
+position the sides of the gorge did not protect him, as perhaps he
+fancied. They were too low, and his broad flanks rose far above them.
+They only kept him from turning round, and this interfered with the
+freedom of his movements.</p>
+
+<p>It could scarce have been design in the rhinoceros to act as he now
+did, though it appeared so to those who were watching. As the
+elephant took up his position in the gorge, the kobaoba clambered out
+upon the bank; and then, wheeling suddenly, with head to the ground
+and long horn projected horizontally, the latter rushed upon his
+antagonist and struck him right among the ribs. The spectators saw
+that the horn penetrated, and the loud scream that came from the
+elephant, with the quick motions of his trunk and tail, told plainly
+that he had received a severe wound. Instead of standing any longer
+in the gorge he rushed forward, and did not stop until he was knee-deep
+in the lake. Drawing the water up into his trunk, he raised it
+on high, and pointing it backwards, he discharged large volumes over
+his body, and upon the spot where he had received the thrust of the
+kobaoba's horn.</p>
+
+<p>He then ran out of the lake, and charged about in search of the
+rhinoceros; but long-horn was no longer to be found!</p>
+
+<p>Having escaped from the cove without compromising his dignity,
+and perhaps believing that he had gained the victory, the rhinoceros,
+as soon as he delivered the thrust, had galloped off and disappeared
+among the bushes.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he battle between these two large quadrupeds did not continue for
+more than ten minutes. During that time the hunters made no advance
+towards attacking either of them&mdash;so much absorbed were
+they in watching the novel contest. It was only after the rhinoceros
+had retreated, and the elephant returned to the water, that they once
+more began to deliberate on some plan of assaulting this mightiest of
+African animals. Hans now laid hold of his gun and joined them.</p>
+
+<p>The elephant, after looking about for his enemy, had got back, and
+was standing knee-deep in the lake. He appeared restless and
+highly excited. His tail was continually in motion, and at intervals
+he uttered a piercing melancholy scream&mdash;far different to the usual
+trumpet-like bellow of his voice. He lifted his huge limbs, and then
+plunged them back again to the bottom, until the foam gathered
+upon the water with his continued churning.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">372</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But the oddest of his actions was the manner in which he employed
+his long tubular trunk. With this he sucked up vast volumes of
+water, and then pointing it backwards ejected the fluid over his
+back and shoulders, as if from an immense syringe. This shower-bath
+he kept repeating time after time, though it was evident he was
+not at his ease.</p>
+
+<p>They all knew he was angry. Swartboy said it would be exceedingly
+dangerous to be seen by him at that moment, without having a
+horse to gallop out of his way. On this account every one of them
+had concealed themselves behind the trunk of the nwana-tree, Von
+Bloom peeping past one side, and Hendrik the other, in order to
+watch his movements.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the danger, they at length resolved to attack
+him. They believed that if they did not do so soon, he would walk
+off, and leave them supperless&mdash;for they had hoped to sup upon a
+slice of his trunk. Time, therefore, had grown precious, and they
+resolved to attack him without further ado.</p>
+
+<p>They intended to creep as near as was safe. All three would fire
+together, and then lie close in the bushes until they saw the effect of
+their shots.</p>
+
+<p>Without farther parley, Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, leaving
+the tree, crept through the bushes towards the western end of the
+lake. It was not a continuous thicket, but only an assemblage of
+copses and clumps, so that they required to steal very cautiously
+from one to the other. Von Bloom led the way, while the boys kept
+in his tracks, following him closely.</p>
+
+<p>After some five minutes spent in this way, they got under cover of
+a little clump near the water's edge, and near enough to the gigantic
+game. Upon their hands and knees they now approached the verge
+of the underwood; and, having parted the leaves, looked through.
+The mighty quadruped was right under their eyes, within twenty
+yards of them!</p>
+
+<p>He was still busy plunging about, and blowing volumes of water
+over his body. He gave no sign that he had any suspicion of their
+presence. They could take time, therefore, in choosing a part of his
+huge body at which to aim their pieces.</p>
+
+<p>When first seen from their new position, he was standing stern
+towards them. Von Bloom did not think it a good time to fire, as
+they could not give him a deadly wound in that situation. They
+waited, therefore, until he might turn his side, before they should
+deliver their volley. They kept their eyes all the while steadily
+fixed on him.</p>
+
+<p>He ceased at length to &ldquo;churn&rdquo; with his feet, and no longer raised
+water in his trunk; and now the hunters perceived that the lake
+was red for a space around him! It was his blood that had reddened
+it.</p>
+
+<p>They no longer doubted that he had been wounded by the rhinoceros;
+but whether the wound was a bad one they could not tell.
+It was in his side, and as yet they could only see his broad stern from
+the position in which he still continued to stand. But they waited
+with confidence&mdash;as they knew that in turning to get out of the
+water, he would have to present his side towards them.</p>
+
+<p>For several minutes he kept the same position; but they noticed
+that his tail no longer switched about, and that his attitude was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">373</a></span>
+loose and drooping. Now and then he turned his proboscis to the
+spot where he had received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn. It was
+evident that the wound was distressing him, and this became more
+apparent by the loud painful breathing the creature uttered through
+his trunk.</p>
+
+<p>The three began to grow impatient. Hendrik asked leave to creep
+round to another point, and give him a shot that would turn him
+round.</p>
+
+<p>Just at that moment the elephant made a motion, as though he
+was about to come out of the water.</p>
+
+<p>He had got fairly round&mdash;his head and fore-part were over dry
+land&mdash;the three guns were pointed&mdash;the eyes of the three hunters
+were about to glance through the sights of their pieces, when all at
+once he was seen to rock and stagger,&mdash;and then roll over! With a
+loud plash, his vast body subsided into the water, sending great
+waves to every corner of the lake.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters uncocked their guns, and, springing from their ambush,
+rushed forward to the bank. They saw at a glance that the
+elephant was dead. They saw the wound upon his side,&mdash;the hole
+made by the horn of the rhinoceros. It was not very large, but the
+terrible weapon had penetrated far into his body, into his very
+vitals. No wonder, then, at the result it had produced&mdash;the death of
+the mightiest of quadrupeds.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as it became known that the elephant was dead, everybody
+was seen rushing forward to the spot. Little Tr&uuml;ey and Jan were
+called from their hiding-place&mdash;for they had both been hidden in the
+wagon&mdash;and Totty, too, went down with the rest. Swartboy was
+one of the first upon the spot, carrying an axe and a large knife&mdash;for
+Swartboy had designs upon the carcass&mdash;while Hans and Hendrik
+both threw off their jackets to assist in the butchering operations.</p>
+
+<p>And what during this time was Von Bloom about? Ha! That is
+a more important question than you think for. That was an important
+hour&mdash;the hour of a great crisis in the life of the field-cornet.</p>
+
+<p>He was standing with folded arms on the bank of the lake, directly
+over the spot where the elephant had fallen. He appeared to be
+wrapt in silent meditation, his eyes bent upon the huge carcass of
+the animal. No, not on the carcass. A close observer would have
+perceived that his eyes did not wander over that mountain of thick
+skin and flesh, but were resting upon a particular spot.</p>
+
+<p>Was it the wound in the animal's side? And was Von Bloom
+meditating how the thrust had caused the death of such a huge
+creature?</p>
+
+<p>Neither one nor the other. His thoughts were upon a very different
+theme from either.</p>
+
+<p>The elephant had fallen so that his head was clear of the water,
+and rested upon a little bank of sand; along which, his soft and
+limber trunk lay extended to its full length. Curving like a pair of
+gigantic scimeters from its base, were the yellow enamelled tusks;
+those ivory arms that for years,&mdash;aye centuries, perhaps,&mdash;had served
+him to root up the trees of the forest, and rout his antagonists in
+many a dread encounter. Precious and beautiful trophies were they,
+but alas! their world-wide fame had cost no less than life to many
+thousands of his race.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">374</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Shining in all their magnificence lay these mated crescents, gently
+curved and softly rounded. It was upon these that the eyes of the
+field-cornet were bent!</p>
+
+<p>Aye, and bent too with an eagerness unusual in his glance. His lips
+were compressed, his chest was visibly heaving. Oh! there was a world
+of thoughts passing through the mind of Von Bloom at that moment.</p>
+
+<p>Were they painful thoughts? The expression of his face told the
+contrary. The cloud that all that day sat perched upon his brow
+had vanished. Not a trace of it remained, but in its place could be
+seen the lines of hope and joy, and these feelings at length found expression
+in words.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It is the hand of Heaven!&rdquo; he exclaimed aloud. &ldquo;A fortune&mdash;a
+fortune!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it, papa?&rdquo; inquired little Tr&uuml;ey, who was near him;
+&ldquo;what were you speaking about, dear papa?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And then all the others gathered around him, noticing his excited
+manner, and pleased at seeing him look so happy.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What is it, papa?&rdquo; asked all together, while Swartboy and Totty
+stood eager as the rest to hear the answer.</p>
+
+<p>In the pleasant excitement of his thoughts, the fond father could
+no longer conceal from his children the secret of his new-born happiness.
+He would gratify them by disclosing it.</p>
+
+<p>Pointing to the long crescents he said,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You see those beautiful tusks?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Yes, of course, they all did.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, do you know their value?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>No. They knew they were worth something. They knew that it
+was from elephants' tusks that ivory was obtained, or, more properly,
+that elephants' tusks were ivory itself; and that it was used in the
+manufacture of hundreds of articles. In fact, little Tr&uuml;ey had a
+beautiful fan made out of it, which had been her mother's; and Jan
+had a knife with an ivory handle. Ivory was a very beautiful
+material, and cost very dear, they knew. All this they knew, but the
+value of the two tusks they could not guess at. They said so.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, my children,&rdquo; said Von Bloom, &ldquo;as near as I can estimate
+them, they are worth twenty pounds each of English money.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! oh! Such a grand sum!&rdquo; cried all in a breath.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; continued the field-cornet; &ldquo;I should think each tusk is one
+hundred pounds in weight, and as ivory at present sells for four
+shillings and sixpence the pound weight, these two would yield
+between forty and fifty pounds of sterling money.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Why, it would buy a full span of best oxen!&rdquo; cried Hans.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Four good horses!&rdquo; said Hendrik.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;A whole flock of sheep!&rdquo; added little Jan.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But whom can we sell them to?&rdquo; asked Hendrik, after a pause.
+&ldquo;We are away from the settlements. Who is to give us either oxen,
+or horses, or sheep, for them? It would not be worth while to carry
+two tusks all the way&mdash;&mdash;&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Not two, Hendrik,&rdquo; said his father interrupting him; &ldquo;but twenty
+it might,&mdash;aye, twice twenty, or three times that number. Now, do
+you understand what makes me so gay?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; exclaimed Hendrik, as well as the others, who now began
+to perceive what their father was so joyed about, &ldquo;you think we can
+obtain more tusks in these parts?&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">375</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Precisely so. I think there are many elephants here. I feel
+certain of it from the quantity of their spoor I have already noticed.
+We have our guns, and fortunately, plenty of ammunition. We are
+all pretty fair shots&mdash;why can we not obtain more of these valuable
+trophies?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But we shall,&rdquo; continued Von Bloom. &ldquo;I know we shall, because
+I recognise the hand of God in sending us this wealth in the midst of
+our misery&mdash;after we had lost everything. More will come by the
+guiding of the same hand. So be of good cheer, my children! We
+shall not want&mdash;we shall yet have plenty&mdash;we may be rich!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was not that any of those young creatures cared much about
+being rich, but because they saw their father so happy, that they
+broke out into something more than a murmur of applause. It was,
+in fact, a cheer, in which both Totty and Swartboy joined. It rang
+over the little lake, and caused the birds about settling to roost to
+wonder what was going on. There was no happier group in all Africa
+than stood at that moment upon the shore of that lonely little vley.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">TURNED HUNTERS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he field-cornet, then, had resolved upon turning hunter by profession&mdash;a
+hunter of elephants; and it was a pleasant reflection to think,
+that this occupation promised, not only exciting sport, but great
+profit. He knew that it was not so easy a matter to succeed in killing
+such large and valuable game as elephants. He did not suppose that
+in a few weeks or months he would obtain any great quantities of
+their ivory spoils; but he had made up his mind to spend even years
+in the pursuit. For years he should lead the life of a Bushman&mdash;for
+years his sons would be &ldquo;Bush-boys,&rdquo; and he hoped that in time his
+patience and toil would be amply rewarded.</p>
+
+<p>That night around the camp-fire all were very happy and very
+merry. The elephant had been left where he lay, to be cut up on the
+morrow. Only his trunk had been taken off&mdash;part of which was
+cooked for supper.</p>
+
+<p>Although all the flesh of the elephant is eatable, the trunk is
+esteemed one of the delicate bits. It tastes not unlike ox-tongue;
+and all of them liked it exceedingly. To Swartboy, who had made
+many a meal upon &ldquo;de ole klow,&rdquo; it was a highly-relished feast.</p>
+
+<p>They had plenty of fine milk, too. The cow, now upon the best of
+pasture, doubled her yield; and the quantity of this, the most delicious
+of all drinks, was sufficient to give every one a large allowance.</p>
+
+<p>While enjoying their new-fashioned dish of roast elephant-trunk,
+the conversation naturally turned upon these animals.</p>
+
+<p>Everybody knows the appearance of the elephant, therefore a
+description of him is quite superfluous. But everybody does not
+know that there are two distinct kinds of this gigantic quadruped&mdash;the
+African and Asiatic.</p>
+
+<p>Until a late period they were thought to be of the same species.
+Now they are acknowledged to be, not only distinct, but very different
+in many respects. The Asiatic, or, as it is more frequently called, the
+&ldquo;Indian&rdquo; elephant is the larger of the two; but it is possible that
+domestication may have produced a larger kind, as is the rule with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">376</a></span>
+many animals. The African species exists only in a wild state; and
+it would appear that individuals of this kind have been measured
+having the dimensions of the largest of the wild Asiatic elephants.</p>
+
+<p>The most remarkable points of difference between the two are
+found in the ears and tusks. The ears of the African elephant are of
+enormous proportions, meeting each other above the shoulders, and
+hanging down below the breast. Those of the Indian elephant are
+scarce one-third the size. In his grand tusks the former has far the
+advantage&mdash;these in some individuals weighing nearly two hundred
+pounds each&mdash;while the tusks of the latter rarely reach the weight of
+one hundred. To this, however, there are some exceptions. Of course
+a two hundred pound tusk is one of the very largest, and far above
+the average even of African elephants. In this species the females
+are also provided with tusks&mdash;though not of such size as in the males&mdash;whereas
+the female of the Indian elephant has either no tusks at all,
+or they are so small as to be scarcely perceptible outside the skin of
+the lips.</p>
+
+<p>In Africa the elephant exists only in a state of nature. None of
+the nations upon this little-known continent tame or train him to
+any purpose. He is only prized among them for his precious teeth,
+and his flesh as well. Some have asserted that this species is more
+fierce than its Indian congener, and could not be domesticated. This
+is altogether a mistake. The reason why the African elephant is not
+trained, is simply that none of the modern nations of Africa have yet
+reached a high enough point of civilisation to avail themselves of the
+services of this valuable animal.</p>
+
+<p>The African elephant may be domesticated and trained to the
+&ldquo;howdah,&rdquo; or castle, as easily as his Indian cousin. The trial has
+been made; but that it can be done no better proof is required than
+that at one period it was done, and upon a large scale. The elephants
+of the Carthaginian army were of this species.</p>
+
+<p>The African elephant at present inhabits the central and southern
+parts of Africa. Abyssinia on the east, and Senegal on the west, are
+his northern limits, and but a few years ago he roamed southward to
+the very Cape of Good Hope. The activity of the Dutch ivory-hunters,
+with their enormous long guns, has driven him from that
+quarter; and he is no longer to be found to the south of the Orange
+River.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy spoke of a variety well known among the Hottentot
+hunters as the &ldquo;koes-cops.&rdquo; This kind, he said, differed from the
+ordinary ones by its altogether wanting the tusks, and being of a far
+more vicious disposition. Its encounter is more dreaded; but as it
+possesses no trophies to make it worth the trouble and danger of
+killing, the hunters usually give it a wide berth.</p>
+
+<p>Such was the conversation that night around the camp-fire. Much
+of the information here given was furnished by Hans, who of course
+had gathered it from books; but the Bushman contributed his quota&mdash;perhaps
+of a far more reliable character.</p>
+
+<p>All were destined ere long to make practical acquaintance with the
+haunts and habits of this huge quadruped, that to them had now
+become the most interesting of all the animal creation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">377</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">JERKING AN ELEPHANT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ext day was one of severe, but joyful labour. It was spent in
+&ldquo;curing&rdquo; the elephant, not in a medical sense, but in the language of
+the provision-store.</p>
+
+<p>Although not equal to either beef or mutton, or even pork, the flesh
+of the elephant is sufficiently palatable to be eaten. There is no
+reason why it should not be, for the animal is a clean feeder, and
+lives altogether on vegetable substances&mdash;the leaves and tender shoots
+of trees, with several species of bulbous roots, which he well knows
+how to extract from the ground with his tusks and trunk. It does
+not follow from this that his beef should be well tasted&mdash;since we
+see that the hog, one of the most unclean of feeders, yields most
+delicious &ldquo;pork;&rdquo; while another of the same family (<i>pachydermata</i>)
+that subsists only on sweet succulent roots, produces a flesh both
+insipid and bitter. I allude to the South American tapir. The quality
+of the food, therefore, is no criterion of the quality of the flesh.</p>
+
+<p>It is true that the beef of the elephant was not what Von Bloom
+and most of his family would have chosen for their regular diet. Had
+they been sure of procuring a supply of antelope-venison, the great
+carcass might have gone, not to the &ldquo;dogs,&rdquo; but to their kindred the
+hyenas. But they were not sure of getting even a single antelope,
+and therefore decided upon &ldquo;curing&rdquo; the elephant. It would be a
+safe stock to have on hand, and need not interfere with their eating
+venison, or any other dainty that might turn up.</p>
+
+<p>The first thing done was to cut out the tusks. This proved a tough
+job, and occupied full two hours. Fortunately there was a good axe
+on hand. But for this and Swartboy's knowledge, double the time
+might have been wasted in the operation.</p>
+
+<p>The ivory having been extracted and put away in a safe place, the
+&ldquo;cutting up&rdquo; then commenced in earnest. Von Bloom and Swartboy
+were the &ldquo;baas-butchers,&rdquo; while Hans and Hendrik played the part
+of &ldquo;swabs.&rdquo; As the carcass lay half under water, they would have
+had some difficulty in dealing with the under part. But this they did
+not design to touch. The upper half would be amply sufficient to provision
+them a long while; and so they set about removing the skin from
+that side that was uppermost.</p>
+
+<p>The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into
+sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under skin, of
+tough and pliant nature. Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy
+would have saved this for making them&mdash;as it is used for such purposes
+by the Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in
+the wagon, and this skin was thrown away.</p>
+
+<p>They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large
+sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with
+the axe. This trouble they would not have taken&mdash;as they did not
+want the ribs&mdash;but they cut them away for another reason, namely,
+to enable them to get at the valuable fat, which lies in enormous
+quantities around the intestines. Of course for all cooking purposes,
+the fat would be to them invaluable, and indeed almost necessary to
+render the flesh itself eatable.</p>
+
+<p>It is no easy matter to get at the fat in the inside of an elephant,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">378</a></span>
+as the whole of the intestines have first to be removed. But Swartboy
+was not to be deterred by a little trouble; so climbing into the interior
+of the huge carcass, he commenced cutting and delving, and every now
+and then passing a multitude of &ldquo;inwards&rdquo; out to the others, who
+carried them off out of the way.</p>
+
+<p>After a long spell of this work, the fat was secured, and carefully
+packed in a piece of clean under-skin; and then the &ldquo;butchering&rdquo;
+was finished.</p>
+
+<p>Of course the four feet, which along with the trunk are considered
+the &ldquo;tit-bits,&rdquo; had already been separated at the fetlock joint; and
+stood out upon the bank, for the future consideration of Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>The next thing to be done was to &ldquo;cure&rdquo; the meat. They had a
+stock of salt&mdash;that precious, though, as lately discovered, not indispensable
+article. But the quantity&mdash;stowed away in a dry corner of
+the wagon&mdash;was small, and would have gone but a short way in curing
+an elephant.</p>
+
+<p>They had no idea of using it for such a purpose. Flesh can be preserved
+without salt; and not only Swartboy, but Von Bloom himself,
+knew how to preserve it. In all countries where salt is scarce, the
+process of &ldquo;jerking&rdquo; meat is well understood, and consists simply in
+cutting it into thin strips and hanging it out in the sun. A few days
+of bright warm sunshine will &ldquo;jerk&rdquo; it sufficiently; and meat thus
+dried will keep good for months. A slow fire will answer the purpose
+nearly as well; and in the absence of sunshine, the fire is often resorted
+to.</p>
+
+<p>Sun-dried meat in South Africa is called &ldquo;biltongue.&rdquo; The
+Spaniards of Mexico name it &ldquo;tasajo,&rdquo; while those of Peru style it
+&ldquo;charqui.&rdquo; In English it is &ldquo;jerked&rdquo; meat.</p>
+
+<p>Several hours were spent in cutting the elephant-beef into strips,
+and then a number of forked poles were set up, others were laid
+horizontally over the forks, and upon these the meat was suspended,
+and hung down in numberless festoons.</p>
+
+<p>Before the sun went down, the neighbourhood of the camp presented
+a rare appearance. It looked somewhat like the enclosure of a yarn-bleacher,
+except that the hanging strips, instead of being white, were
+of a beautiful clear ruby colour.</p>
+
+<p>But the work was not yet completed. The feet remained to be
+&ldquo;preserved,&rdquo; and the mode of curing these was entirely different.
+That was a secret known only by Swartboy, and in the execution of
+it the Bushman played first fiddle, with the important air of a <i>chef de
+cuisine</i>.</p>
+
+<p>He proceeded as follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>He first dug a hole in the ground, about two feet deep, and a little
+more in diameter&mdash;just large enough to admit one of the feet, which
+was nearly two feet diameter at the base. The earth which came out of
+this hole Swartboy placed in the form of a loose embankment around
+the edge.</p>
+
+<p>By his direction the boys had already collected upon the spot a large
+quantity of dried branches and logs. These Swartboy now built over
+the hole, into a pyramid of ten feet high, and then set the pile on fire.
+He next proceeded to make three other pits precisely similar, and built
+over each a fire like the first, until four large fires were burning upon
+the ground.</p>
+
+<p>The fires being now fairly under way, he could only wait until each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">379</a></span>
+had burned down. This would carry the process into the night, and
+so it turned out; but Swartboy had a foresight of this. He knew he
+would get through with the more important portion of his work before
+bedtime.</p>
+
+<p>When the first fire had burned quite to red cinders, Swartboy's
+hardest turn of duty began. With a shovel he lifted the cinders out
+of the hole, until it was empty; but he was more than an hour in performing
+this apparently simple labour. The difficulty arose from the
+intense heat he had to encounter, which drove him back after every
+few moments' work; so that he was compelled to retreat at intervals
+in order to cool himself.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;baas,&rdquo; as well as Hendrik and Hans, took turns with him,
+until all four were perspiring as if they had been shut up for half-an-hour
+in a baker's oven.</p>
+
+<p>When the hole was thoroughly scooped clean of coals, Swartboy,
+assisted by Von Bloom, lifted one of the huge feet; and, carrying it
+as near as they dare go on account of the scorching heat, they heaved
+it in upon its base.</p>
+
+<p>The sandy earth which had been originally removed, and which
+was now as hot as molten lead, was pushed over, and around the foot;
+and then the cinders were raked on top, and over that another huge
+fire was kindled.</p>
+
+<p>The same process was gone through with the other three feet, and
+all four were to be left in the &ldquo;oven&rdquo; until the fires should be burned
+down, when they would be found sufficiently &ldquo;baked.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy would then rake off the cinders, take out the feet with a
+sharp wooden spit, beat them well to get rid of the dust, scrape the
+sand clear, then pare off the outside skin, when they would be ready
+either to be eaten or would keep for a long time.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy would do all this as soon as the four huge bonfires should
+burn down.</p>
+
+<p>But that would not be before the morning; so all of them, fatigued
+by the extraordinary exertions of the day, finished their suppers of
+broiled trunk, and went to rest under the protecting shadow of the
+nwana.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE HIDEOUS HYENA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>atigued as they were, they would soon have fallen asleep. But
+they were not permitted to do so. As they lay with closed eyes in
+that half-dreamy state that precedes sleep, they were suddenly
+startled by strange voices near the camp.</p>
+
+<p>These voices were uttered in peals of loud laughter; and no one,
+unacquainted with them, would have pronounced them to be anything
+else than the voices of human beings. They exactly resembled
+the strong treble produced by the laugh of a maniac negro. It
+seemed as if some Bedlam of negroes had been let loose, and were
+approaching the spot.</p>
+
+<p>I say approaching, because each moment the sounds grew clearer
+and louder; and it was evident that whatever gave utterance to
+them was coming nearer to the camp.</p>
+
+<p>That there was more than one creature was evident&mdash;aye, and it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">380</a></span>
+was equally evident that there was more than one kind of creature;
+for so varied were the voices, it would have puzzled a ventriloquist
+to have given imitations of them all. There was howling, and
+whining, and grunting, and growling, and low melancholy moaning
+as of some one in pain, and hissing, and chattering, and short, sharp
+intonations, as if it were the barking of dogs, and then a moment or
+two of deep silence, and again that chorus of human-like laughter,
+that in point of horror and hideous suggestions surpassed all the
+other sounds.</p>
+
+<p>You will suppose that such a wild concert must have put the camp
+in a state of great alarm. Not a bit of it. Nobody was frightened
+in the least&mdash;not even innocent little Tr&uuml;ey, nor the diminutive Jan.</p>
+
+<p>Had they been strangers to these sounds, no doubt they would
+have been more than frightened. They would have been terrified by
+them; for they were calculated to produce such an effect upon any
+one to whose ears they were new.</p>
+
+<p>But Von Bloom and his family had lived too long upon the wild
+karoo to be ignorant of those voices. In the howling, and chattering,
+and yelping, they heard but the cries of the jackal; and they well
+knew the maniac laugh of the hideous hyena.</p>
+
+<p>Instead of being alarmed, and springing from their beds, they lay
+still and listened&mdash;not dreading any attack from the noisy creatures.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom and the children slept in the wagon; Swartboy and
+Totty upon the ground&mdash;but these lay close to the fires, and therefore
+did not fear wild beasts of any kind.</p>
+
+<p>But the hyenas and jackals upon this occasion appeared to be both
+numerous and bold. In a few minutes after they were first heard,
+their cries rose around the camp on all sides, so near and so loud as
+to be positively disagreeable&mdash;even without considering the nature
+of the brutes that uttered them.</p>
+
+<p>At last they came so close, that it was impossible to look in any
+direction without seeing a pair of green or red eyes gleaming under
+the light of the fires! White teeth, too, could be observed, as the
+hyenas opened their jaws, to give utterance to their harsh laughter.</p>
+
+<p>With such a sight before their eyes, and such sounds ringing in
+their ears, neither Von Bloom nor any of his people&mdash;tired as they
+were&mdash;could go to sleep. Indeed, not only was sleep out of the
+question, but, worse than that, all&mdash;the field-cornet himself not excepted&mdash;began
+to experience some feelings of apprehension, if not
+actual alarm.</p>
+
+<p>They had never beheld a troop of hyenas so numerous and fierce.
+There could not be less than two dozen of them around the camp,
+with twice that number of jackals.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom knew that although, under ordinary circumstances, the
+hyena is not a dangerous animal, yet there are places and times when
+he will attack human beings. Swartboy knew this well, and Hans,
+too, from having read of it. No wonder, then, that some apprehension
+was felt by all of them.</p>
+
+<p>The hyenas now behaved with such boldness, and appeared so
+ravenous, that sleep was out of the question. Some demonstration
+must be made to drive the brutes away from the camp.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, laid hold of their guns, and got
+out of the wagon, while Swartboy armed himself with his bow and
+arrows. All four stood close by the trunk of the nwana, on the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">381</a></span>
+side from that where the fires were. In this place they were in the
+shadow, where they could best observe anything that should come
+under the light of the fires without being themselves seen. Their
+position was well chosen.</p>
+
+<p>They had scarcely fixed themselves in it, when they perceived a
+great piece of neglect they had been guilty of. Now, for the first
+time it occurred to them what had brought the hyenas around them
+in such numbers. Beyond a doubt it was the flesh of the elephant,&mdash;the
+<i>biltongue</i>.</p>
+
+<p>That was what the beasts were after; and all now saw that a mistake
+had been committed in hanging the meat too low. The hyenas
+might easily get at it.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon made manifest; for, even at the moment while they
+stood watching the red festoons, plainly visible under the light of
+Swartboy's fires, a shaggy spotted brute rushed forward, reared up
+on his hind-legs, seized one of the pieces, dragged it down from the
+pole, and then ran off with it into the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>A rushing sound could be heard as the others joined him to get a
+share of his plunder; and, no doubt, in less than half a minute the
+morsel was consumed; for, at the end of that time, glancing eyes and
+gleaming teeth showed that the whole troop was back again and
+ready to make a fresh seizure.</p>
+
+<p>None of the hunters had fired, as the nimbleness with which the
+brutes moved about rendered it difficult to take aim at any one of
+them; and all knew that powder and lead were too precious to be
+wasted on a &ldquo;flying shot.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Emboldened by their success, the hyenas had now drawn nearer,
+and in a moment more would have made a general charge upon the
+scaffolds of flesh, and, no doubt, would have succeeded in carrying
+off a large quantity of it. But just then it occurred to Von Bloom
+that it would be best to lay aside their guns and remedy the mistake
+they had made, by putting the biltongue out of reach. If they
+did not do so, they would either have to remain awake all night and
+guard it, or else lose every string of it.</p>
+
+<p>How was it to be put out of reach?</p>
+
+<p>At first they thought of collecting it into a heap and stowing it
+away in the wagon. That would not only be an unpleasant job, but
+it would interfere with their sleeping quarters.</p>
+
+<p>An alternative, however, presented itself. They saw that if the
+scaffolds were only high enough, the meat might be easily hung so
+as to be out of reach of the hyenas. The only question was, how to
+place the cross-poles a little higher. In the darkness they could not
+obtain a new set of uprights, and therein lay the difficulty. How
+were they to get over it?</p>
+
+<p>Hans had the credit of suggesting a way; and that was to take
+out some of the uprights, splice them to the others, with the forked
+ends uppermost, and then rest the horizontal poles on the upper
+forks. That would give a scaffold tall enough to hang the meat
+beyond the reach of either jackals or hyenas.</p>
+
+<p>Hans' suggestion was at once adopted. Half of the uprights were
+taken up and spliced against the others so as to raise their forks full
+twelve feet in the air; and then the cross-poles were rested over
+their tops. By standing upon one of the wagon-chests, Von Bloom
+was able to fling the strips of meat over the horizontal poles, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">382</a></span>
+in such a manner that it hung only a few inches down, and was now
+quite beyond the reach of the ravenous brutes.</p>
+
+<p>When the business was finished, the party resumed their station
+under the shadow of the tree, intending to watch for a while, and see
+how the wolfish intruders would act.</p>
+
+<p>They had not long to watch. In less than five minutes the troop
+approached the biltongue, howling, and gibbering, as before; only
+this time uttering peculiar cries, as if to express disappointment.
+They saw at a glance that the tempting festoons were no longer
+within their reach.</p>
+
+<p>They were not going to leave the ground, however, without
+assuring themselves of this fact; and several of the largest approached
+boldly under the scaffolds, and commenced leaping up to
+try the height.</p>
+
+<p>After several attempts, springing each time as high as they were
+able, they appeared to grow discouraged; and no doubt would in
+time have imitated the fox with the grapes, and gone quietly away.
+But Von Bloom, indignant at being roused after such a fashion, from
+his pleasant rest, was determined to take some revenge upon his tormentors;
+so he whispered the word to the others, and a volley was
+delivered from behind the tree.</p>
+
+<p>The unexpected discharge caused a quick scattering of both hyenas
+and jackals, and the pattering of their numerous feet could be heard
+as they ran off. When the ground under the scaffold was examined,
+two of the larger of these ravenous quadrupeds, and one of the
+smaller, were found to have bitten the dust.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy had discharged his arrow along with the guns, and it was
+he that had slain the jackal, for the poisoned shaft was seen sticking
+between the animal's ribs.</p>
+
+<p>The guns were again loaded, the party took their stations as before;
+but, although they waited another half-hour, neither hyena nor jackal
+made their appearance.</p>
+
+<p>They had not gone far away, however, as their wild music testified;
+but the reason they did not return was, that they had now discovered
+the half carcass of the elephant that lay in the lake, and upon that
+they were making their supper. Their plunging in the water could
+be distinctly heard from the camp, and during the whole night they
+quarrelled and growled, and laughed and yelled, as they gorged
+themselves on their ample prey.</p>
+
+<p>Of course Von Bloom and his people did not sit up all night to
+listen to this medley of noises. As soon as they perceived that the
+brutes were not likely to come any more near the camp, they laid
+aside their weapons, returned to their respective sleeping-places, and
+were all soon buried in the sweet slumber that follows a day of healthy
+exercise.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">STALKING THE OUREBI.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ext morning the hyenas and jackals had disappeared from the
+scene, and, to the surprise of all, not a particle of flesh was left upon
+the bones of the elephant. There lay the huge skeleton picked clean,
+the bones even polished white by the rough tongues of the hyenas.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">383</a></span>
+Nay, still stranger to relate, two of the horses&mdash;these poor brutes had
+been long since left to themselves,&mdash;had been pulled down during the
+night, and their skeletons lay at a short distance from the camp as
+cleanly picked as that of the elephant!</p>
+
+<p>All this was evidence of the great number of ravenous creatures
+that must have their home in that quarter,&mdash;evidence, too, that game
+animals abounded, for where these are not numerous the beasts of
+prey cannot exist. Indeed, from the quantity of tracks that were
+seen upon the shores of the vley, it was evident that animals of
+various kinds had drunk there during the night. There was the
+round solid hoof of the quagga, and his near congener the dauw; and
+there was the neat hoofprint of the gemsbok, and the larger track of
+the eland; and among these Von Bloom did not fail to notice the
+spoor of the dreaded lion. Although they had not heard his roaring
+that night, they had no doubt that there were plenty of his kind in
+that part of the country. The presence of his favourite prey,&mdash;the
+quaggas, the gemsboks, and the elands,&mdash;were sure indications that
+the king of beasts was not far off.</p>
+
+<p>Not much work was done that day. The heavy labour of curing
+the biltongue, that had occupied them the whole of the preceding
+day, and their disturbed rest, had rendered them all listless; and
+neither Von Bloom nor the others had any inclination for work. So
+they moved around the camp and did very little.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy took his elephant's feet from the oven, and cleaned them;
+and also let down the biltongue and arranged it so as to be better
+exposed to the sun. Von Bloom himself shot the three remaining
+horses, having driven them to a good distance from the camp. He
+did this to put an end to the suffering of the poor brutes,&mdash;for it was
+plain to every one that they could survive but a day or two longer;
+and to send a bullet through the heart of each was an act of mercy to
+them.</p>
+
+<p>Out of all the live stock of the field-cornet, the cow alone remained,
+and she was now tended with the greatest care. Without the precious
+milk, which she yielded in such quantity, their diet would have been
+savage enough; and they fully appreciated the service she rendered
+them. Each day she was driven out to the best pasture, and at night
+shut up in a safe kraal of wait-a-bit thorns, that had been built for
+her at a little distance from the tree. These thorns had been placed
+in such a manner that their shanks all radiated inward, while the
+bushy tops were turned out, forming a <i>chevaux-de-frise</i>, that scarce
+any animal would have attempted to get through. Such a fence will
+turn even the lion, unless when he has been rendered fierce and reckless
+by provocation.</p>
+
+<p>Of course a gap had been left for the cow to pass in and out, and
+this was closed by one immense bush, which served all the purpose of
+a gate. Such was the kraal of &ldquo;old Graaf.&rdquo; Besides the cow, the
+only living thing that remained in camp was Tr&uuml;ey's little pet, the
+fawn of the gazelle.</p>
+
+<p>But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature,
+not less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive
+proportions. That was the fawn of an &ldquo;ourebi,&rdquo;&mdash;one of the elegant
+little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in
+the &ldquo;bush&rdquo; of Southern Africa.</p>
+
+<p>It was to Hendrik they were indebted not only for this pet, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">384</a></span>
+for a dinner of delicate venison, which they had that day eaten, and
+which all of them, except Swartboy, preferred to elephant beef.
+Hendrik had procured the venison by a shot from his rifle, and in the
+following manner.</p>
+
+<p>About mid-day he went out&mdash;having fancied that upon a large
+grassy meadow near the camp he saw some animal. After walking
+about half-a-mile, and keeping among bushes, around the edge of the
+meadow, he got near enough to be sure that it was an animal he had
+observed,&mdash;for he now saw two in the place he had marked.</p>
+
+<p>They were of a kind he had not met with before. They were very
+small creatures,&mdash;smaller even than springboks,&mdash;but, from their
+general form and appearance, Hendrik knew they were either antelopes
+or deer; and, as Hans had told him there were no deer in
+Southern Africa, he concluded they must be some species of antelope.
+They were a buck and doe,&mdash;this he knew because one of them only
+carried horns. The buck was under two feet in height, of slender
+make, and pale tawny colour. He was white-bellied, with white
+arches above the eyes, and some long white hair under the throat.
+Below his knees were yellowish tufts of long hair; and his horns&mdash;instead
+of being lyrate, like those of the springbok&mdash;rose nearly
+vertical to the height of four inches. They were black in colour,
+round-shaped, and slightly ringed. The doe was without horns, and
+was a much smaller animal than her mate.</p>
+
+<p>From all these marks Hendrik thought the little antelopes were
+&ldquo;ourebis;&rdquo; and such they were.</p>
+
+<p>He continued to stalk in upon them, until he was as close as he
+could get. But he was still more than two hundred yards from them,
+and of course far from being within shooting distance with his small
+rifle.</p>
+
+<p>A thick <i>jong dora</i> bush concealed him, but he dared not go farther
+else the game would have taken the alarm. He could perceive that
+they were shy creatures.</p>
+
+<p>Every now and again the buck would raise his graceful neck to its
+full stretch, utter a slight bleating call, and look suspiciously around
+him. From these symptoms Hendrik drew the inference that it was
+shy game, and would not be easily approached.</p>
+
+<p>He lay for a moment, thinking what he should do. He was to
+leeward of the game, as he had purposely gone there; but after a
+while, to his chagrin, he saw that they were feeding up the wind, and
+of course widening the distance between them and himself.</p>
+
+<p>It occurred to Hendrik that it might be their habit to browse up
+the wind, as springboks and some other species do. If so, he might
+as well give it up, or else make a long circuit and head them. To do
+this would be a work of labour and of time, and a very uncertain
+stalk it would be in the end. After all his long tramping, and creeping,
+and crouching, the game would be like enough to scent him
+before they came within shot&mdash;for it is for this very reason that their
+instinct teaches them to browse against, and not with the wind.</p>
+
+<p>As the plain was large, and the cover very distant, Hendrik was
+discouraged and gave up the design he had half formed of trying to
+head them.</p>
+
+<p>He was about to rise to his feet, and return home, when it occurred
+to him that perhaps he might find a decoy available. He knew there
+were several species of antelopes, with whom curiosity was stronger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">385</a></span>
+than fear. He had often lured the springbok within reach. Why
+would not these obey the same impulse?</p>
+
+<p>He determined to make trial. At the worst he could only fail, and
+he had no chance of getting a shot otherwise.</p>
+
+<p>Without losing a moment he thrust his hand into his pocket. He
+should have found there a large red handkerchief, which he had more
+than once used for a similar purpose. To his chagrin it was not there!</p>
+
+<p>He dived into both pockets of his jacket, then into his wide trousers,
+then under the breast of his waistcoat. No. The handkerchief was
+not to be found. Alas! it had been left in the wagon! It was very
+annoying.</p>
+
+<p>What else could he make use of? Take off his jacket and hold it
+up? It was not gay enough in colour. It would not do.</p>
+
+<p>Should he raise his hat upon the end of his gun? That might be
+better, but still it would look too much like the human form, and
+Hendrik knew that all animals feared that.</p>
+
+<p>A happy thought at length occurred to him. He had heard, that
+with the curious antelopes, strange forms or movements attract almost
+as much as glaring colours. He remembered a trick that was said to
+be practised with success by the hunters. It was easy enough, and
+consisted merely in the hunter standing upon his hands and head, and
+kicking his heels in the air!</p>
+
+<p>Now Hendrik happened to be one of those very boys who had often
+practised this little bit of gymnastics for amusement and he could
+stand upon his head like an acrobat.</p>
+
+<p>Without losing a moment he placed his rifle upon the ground, between
+his hands, and hoisting his feet into the air, commenced kicking them
+about, clinking them together, and crossing them in the most fantastic
+manner.</p>
+
+<p>He had placed himself so that his face was turned towards the
+animals, while he stood upon his head. Of course he could not see
+them while in this position, as the grass was a foot high; but, at
+intervals, he permitted his feet to descend to the earth; and then, by
+looking between his legs, he could tell how the ruse was succeeding.</p>
+
+<p>It did succeed. The buck, on first perceiving the strange object,
+uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a bird&mdash;for
+the &ldquo;ourebi&rdquo; is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The doe
+followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear.</p>
+
+<p>The buck, perceiving this, suddenly halted&mdash;as if ashamed of his
+want of gallantry&mdash;wheeled round, and galloped back, until he was
+once more between the doe and the odd thing that had alarmed him.</p>
+
+<p>What could this odd thing be? he now seemed to inquire of himself.
+It was not a lion, nor a leopard, nor a hyena, nor yet a jackal.
+It was neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor
+any of his well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for
+they are not double-headed as it appeared. What could it be? It
+had kept its place&mdash;it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at
+all dangerous. No doubt it was harmless enough.</p>
+
+<p>So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would
+go a little nearer. He would have a better view of the thing before
+he took to flight. No matter what it was, it could do no hurt at that
+distance; and as to overtaking him, pah! there wasn't a creature,
+biped or quadruped in all Africa that he could not fling dust in the
+face of.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">386</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So he went a little nearer, and then a little nearer still, and continued
+to advance by successive runs, now this way and now that way,
+zigzagging over the plain, until he was within less than a hundred
+paces of the odd object that at first sight had so terrified him.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 344px;">
+<img src="images/illus-386.jpg" width="344" height="500" alt="HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS." title="HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS." />
+<span class="caption">HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.</span></div>
+
+<p>His companion, the doe, kept close after him; and seemed quite as
+curious as himself&mdash;her large shining eyes opened to their full extent,
+as she stopped to gaze at intervals.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes the two met each other in their course; and halted a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">387</a></span>
+moment, as though they held consultation in whispers; and asked
+each other if they had yet made out the character of the stranger.</p>
+
+<p>It was evident, however, that neither had done so&mdash;as they still
+continued to approach it with looks and gestures of inquiry and
+wonder.</p>
+
+<p>At length the odd object disappeared for a moment under the grass;
+and then reappeared&mdash;but this time in an altered form. Something
+about it glanced brightly under the sun, and this glancing quite
+fascinated the buck, so that he could not stir from the spot, but stood
+eyeing it steadily.</p>
+
+<p>Fatal fascination! It was his last gaze. A bright flash shot up&mdash;something
+struck him through the heart, and he saw the shining
+object no more!</p>
+
+<p>The doe bounded forward to where her mate had fallen, and stood
+bleating over him. She knew not the cause of his sudden death, but
+she saw that he was dead. The wound in his side&mdash;the stream of red
+blood&mdash;were under her eyes. She had never witnessed death in that
+form before, but she knew her lover was dead. His silence&mdash;his form
+stretched along the grass motionless and limber&mdash;his glassy eyes&mdash;all
+told her he had ceased to live.</p>
+
+<p>She would have fled, but she could not leave him&mdash;she could not
+bear to part even from his lifeless form. She would remain a while,
+and mourn over him.</p>
+
+<p>Her widowhood was a short one. Again flashed the priming,&mdash;again
+cracked the shining tube&mdash;and the sorrowing doe fell over upon
+the body of her mate.</p>
+
+<p>The young hunter rose to his feet, and ran forward. He did not,
+according to usual custom, stop to load before approaching his quarry.
+The plain was perfectly level, and he saw no other animal upon it.
+What was his surprise on reaching the antelopes, to perceive that there
+was a third one of the party still alive!</p>
+
+<p>Yes, a little fawn, not taller than a rabbit, was bounding about
+through the grass, running around the prostrate body of its mother,
+and uttering its tiny bleat.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik was surprised, because he had not observed this creature
+before; but, indeed, he had not seen much of the antelopes until the
+moment of taking aim, and the grass had concealed the tiny young
+one.</p>
+
+<p>Hunter as Hendrik was, he could not help feeling strongly as he
+regarded the <i>tableau</i> before him. But he felt that he had not
+wantonly destroyed these creatures for mere amusement, and that
+satisfied his conscience.</p>
+
+<p>The little fawn would make a famous pet for Jan, who had often
+wished for one, to be equal with his sister. It could be fed upon the
+cow's milk, and, though it had lost both father and mother, Hendrik
+resolved that it should be carefully brought up. He had no difficulty
+in capturing it, as it refused to leave the spot where its mother lay,
+and Hendrik soon held the gentle creature in his arms.</p>
+
+<p>He then tied the buck and doe together; and, having fastened
+a strong cord round the horns of the latter, he set off dragging the
+two antelopes behind him.</p>
+
+<p>As these lay upon the ground, heads foremost, they were drawn
+with the grain of the hair, which made it much easier; and as there
+was nothing but grass sward to be passed over, the young hunter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">388</a></span>
+succeeded in taking the whole of his game to camp without any
+great difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>The joy of all was great, at seeing such a fine lot of venison, but
+Jan's rejoicing was greater than all; and he no longer envied Tr&uuml;ey
+the possession of her little gazelle.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t would have been better that Jan had never seen the little
+&ldquo;ourebi,&rdquo;&mdash;better both for Jan and the antelope, for that night the
+innocent creature was the cause of a terrible panic in the camp.</p>
+
+<p>They had all gone to sleep as on the previous night,&mdash;Von Bloom
+and the four children in the wagon, while the Bushman and Totty
+slept upon the grass. The latter lay under the wagon; but Swartboy
+had kindled a large fire a little distance from it, and beside this had
+stretched himself, rolled up in his sheep-skin kaross.</p>
+
+<p>They had all gone to sleep without being disturbed by the hyenas.
+This was easily accounted for. The three horses that had been shot
+that day occupied the attention of these gentry, for their hideous
+voices could be heard off in the direction where the carcasses lay.
+Having enough to give them a supper, they found no occasion to
+risk themselves in the neighbourhood of the camp, where they had
+experienced such a hostile reception on the previous night. So
+reasoned Von Bloom, as he turned over and fell asleep.</p>
+
+<p>He did not reason correctly, however. It was true that the
+hyenas were just then making a meal upon the horses; but it was
+a mistake to suppose that that would satisfy these ravenous brutes,
+who never seem to have enough. Long before morning, had Von
+Bloom been awake he would have heard the maniac laugh closer to
+the camp, and might have seen the green eyes of the hyena glancing
+under the expiring blaze of Swartboy's camp-fire.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, he had heard the beasts once that he awoke; but, knowing
+that the biltongue had been this night placed out of their reach, and
+thinking that there was nothing to which they could do any harm,
+he gave no heed to their noisy demonstrations, and went to sleep
+again.</p>
+
+<p>He was awakened, however, by a shrill squeak, as of some animal
+in the agonies of death; and then there was a second squeak, that
+seemed to be suddenly interrupted by the stifling of the creature's
+utterance!</p>
+
+<p>In these cries Von Bloom, as well as the others&mdash;who were now
+also awake&mdash;recognised the bleat of the ourebi, for they had heard it
+several times during the afternoon.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The hyenas are killing it!&rdquo; thought they. But they had not
+time to say so, before another and far different cry reached their
+ears, and caused them all to start as if a bomb-shell had burst under
+the wagon. That cry was the voice of Jan, and sounded in the
+same direction whence came the scream of the stifled antelope!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;O heaven! what could it mean?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The child's voice first reached them in a sudden screech&mdash;then
+there was a confused noise resembling a scuffle&mdash;and Jan was again
+heard crying aloud for help, while at the same time his voice was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">389</a></span>
+interrupted, and each call appeared to come from a greater distance!
+Something or somebody was carrying him off!</p>
+
+<p>This idea occurred to Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, at the same
+instant. Of course it filled them with consternation; and, as they
+were scarce yet awake, they knew not what to do.</p>
+
+<p>The cries of Jan, however, soon brought them to their senses;
+and to run towards the direction whence these came was the first
+thought of all.</p>
+
+<p>To grope for their guns would waste time, and all three leaped out
+of the wagon without them.</p>
+
+<p>Totty was upon her feet and jabbering, but she knew no more
+than they what had happened.</p>
+
+<p>They did not stop long to question her. The voice of Swartboy,
+uttered in loud barks and clicks, summoned them elsewhere; and
+they now beheld a red flaming brand rushing through the darkness,
+which no doubt was carried in the hands of that worthy.</p>
+
+<p>They started off in the direction of the blazing torch, and ran as
+fast as they could. They still heard the Bushman's voice, and to
+their dismay beyond it the screams of little Jan.</p>
+
+<p>Of course they could not tell what was causing all this. They
+only pressed on with fearful apprehensions.</p>
+
+<p>When they had got within some fifty paces of the torch, they
+perceived it suddenly descend, then raised again, and brought down,
+in a rapid and violent manner! They could hear the voice of the
+Bushman barking and clicking louder than ever, as though he was
+engaged in chastising some creature.</p>
+
+<p>But Jan's voice they no longer heard&mdash;he was screaming no more&mdash;was
+he dead?</p>
+
+<p>With terrible forebodings they rushed on.</p>
+
+<p>When they arrived upon the spot, a singular picture presented
+itself to their eyes. Jan lay upon the ground, close in by the roots
+of some bushes which he was holding tightly in his grasp. From one
+of his wrists extended a stout thong, or <i>rheim</i>, which passed through
+among the bushes to the distance of several feet; and, fast to its
+other end, was the ourebi fawn, dead, and terribly mangled! Over
+the spot stood Swartboy with his burning tree, which blazed all the
+brighter that he had just been using it over the back of a ravenous
+hyena. The latter was not in sight. It had long since skulked off,
+but no one thought of pursuit, as all were too anxious about Jan.</p>
+
+<p>No time was lost in lifting the child to his feet. The eyes of all
+ran eagerly over him to see where he was wounded; and an exclamation
+of joy soon broke forth when they saw that, except the
+scratches of the thorns, and the deep track of a cord upon his wrist,
+nothing in the shape of a wound could be discovered upon his
+diminutive body. He had now come to himself, and assured them
+all that he was not hurt a bit. Hurrah! Jan was safe!</p>
+
+<p>It now fell to Jan's lot to explain all this mysterious business.</p>
+
+<p>He had been lying in the wagon along with the rest, but not like
+them asleep. No. He could not sleep a wink for thinking on his
+new pet, which, for want of room in the wagon, had been left below
+tied to one of the wheels.</p>
+
+<p>Jan had taken it into his head that he would like to have another
+look at the ourebi before going to sleep. So, without saying a word
+to any one, he crept out of the cap-tent, and descended to where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">390</a></span>
+antelope was tied. He unloosed it gently, and then led it forward
+to the light of the fire, where he sat down to admire the creature.</p>
+
+<p>After gazing upon it for some time with delight, he thought that
+Swartboy could not do otherwise than share his feelings; and
+without more ado, he shook the Bushman awake.</p>
+
+<p>The latter had no great stomach for being roused out of sleep to
+look at an animal, hundreds of which he had eaten in his time. But
+Jan and Swartboy were sworn friends, and the Bushman was not
+angry. He, therefore, indulged his young master in the fancy he
+had taken; and the two sat for a while conversing about the pet.</p>
+
+<p>At length Swartboy proposed sleep. Jan would agree to this only
+upon the terms that Swartboy would allow him to sleep alongside of
+him. He would bring his blanket from the wagon, and would not
+trouble Swartboy by requiring part of the latter's kaross.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy objected at first; but Jan urged that he had felt cold in
+the wagon, and that was partly why he had come down to the fire.
+All this was sheer cunning in the little imp. But Swartboy could
+not refuse him anything, and at length consented. He could see no
+harm in it, as there were no signs of rain.</p>
+
+<p>Jan then returned to the wagon, climbed noiselessly up, drew out
+his own blankets, and brought them to the fire. He then wrapped
+himself up, and lay down alongside of Swartboy, with the ourebi
+standing near, and in such a situation that he could still have his
+eyes upon it, even when lying. To secure it from wandering, he had
+fastened a strong rheim around its neck, the other end of which he
+had looped tightly upon his own wrist.</p>
+
+<p>He lay for some time contemplating his beautiful pet. But sleep
+at length overcame him, and the image of the ourebi melted before
+his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>Beyond this Jan could tell little of what happened to him. He
+was awakened by a sudden jerking at his wrist, and hearing the
+antelope scream. But he had not quite opened his eyes, before he
+felt himself dragged violently over the ground.</p>
+
+<p>He thought at first it was Swartboy playing some trick upon him;
+but as he passed the fire, he saw by its light that it was a huge black
+animal that had seized the ourebi, and was dragging both him and it
+along.</p>
+
+<p>Of course he then began to scream for help, and caught at everything
+he could to keep himself from being carried away. But he
+could lay hold of nothing, until he found himself among thick bushes,
+and these he seized and held with all his might.</p>
+
+<p>He could not have held out long against the strength of the hyena;
+but it was just at that moment that Swartboy came up with his fire-brand,
+and beat off the ravisher with a shower of blows.</p>
+
+<p>When they got back to the light of the fire they found that Jan
+was all right. But the poor ourebi&mdash;it had been sadly mauled, and
+was now of no more value than a dead rat.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">V</span>on Bloom now reflected that the hyenas were likely to prove a
+great pest to him. No meat, nor anything, would be safe from them&mdash;even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">391</a></span>
+his very children would be in danger, if left alone in the camp;
+and no doubt he would often be compelled to leave them, as he would
+require the older ones upon his hunting excursions.</p>
+
+<p>There were other animals to be dreaded still more than the hyenas.
+Even during that night they had heard the roaring of lions down by
+the vley; and when it was morning, the spoor showed that several
+of these animals had drunk at the water.</p>
+
+<p>How could he leave little Tr&uuml;ey&mdash;his dear little Tr&uuml;ey&mdash;or Jan,
+who was not a bit bigger&mdash;how could he leave them in an open camp
+while such monsters were roving about? He could not think of
+doing so.</p>
+
+<p>He reflected what course he should pursue. At first he thought of
+putting up a house. That would necessarily be a work of time.
+There was no good building material convenient. A stone house
+would cost a great deal of labour&mdash;as the stones would have to be
+carried nearly a mile, and in their hands too. That would never do,
+as Von Bloom might only remain a short while at that place. He
+might not find many elephants there, and of course would be under
+the necessity of going elsewhere.</p>
+
+<p>Why not build a log-house? you will say. That would not be so
+much of a job, as part of the country was well wooded, and they had
+an axe.</p>
+
+<p>True, part of the country was wooded, but in a particular manner.
+With the exception of the nwana-trees, that stood at long distances
+apart&mdash;and regularly, as if they had been planted&mdash;there was nothing
+that deserved the name of timber. All the rest was mere &ldquo;bush,&rdquo;&mdash;a
+thorny jungle of mimosas, euphorbias, arborescent aloes, strelitzias,
+and the horrid zamia plants, beautiful enough to the eye, but of no
+utility whatever in the building of a house. The nwanas, of course,
+were too large for house-logs. To have felled one of them would have
+been a task equal almost to the building of a house; and to have
+made planks of them would have required a steam saw-mill. A log-house
+was not to be thought of either.</p>
+
+<p>Now a frail structure of poles and thatch would not have given
+sufficient security. An angry rhinoceros, or elephant, would level
+such a house to the ground in a few moments.</p>
+
+<p>Suppose, too, that there were man-eaters in the neighbourhood.
+Swartboy believed that there were, and that that region was notorious
+for them. As it was not far from Swartboy's native country,
+Von Bloom, who had reason to believe what the Bushman told him,
+was inclined to credit this. What protection would a frail house
+afford against the man-eater? Not much, indeed.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom was puzzled and perplexed. He could not commence
+his hunting excursions until this question was settled. Some place
+must be prepared, where the children would be safe during his
+absence.</p>
+
+<p>While revolving the subject in his mind, he happened to cast his
+eyes upward among the branches of the nwana-tree. All at once
+his attention became fixed upon those huge limbs, for they had
+awakened within him a strange memory. He remembered having
+heard that, in some parts of the country, and perhaps not very far
+from where he then was, the natives live in trees. That sometimes a
+whole tribe, of fifty or more, make their home in a single tree; and
+do so to secure themselves against savage beasts, and sometimes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">392</a></span>
+equally savage men. That they build their houses upon platforms,
+which they erect upon the horizontal branches; and that they ascend
+by means of ladders, which are drawn up after them at night
+when they go to rest.</p>
+
+<p>All this Von Bloom had heard, and all of it is positively true. Of
+course the reflection occurred to him, why could he not do the same?
+Why could he not build a house in the gigantic nwana? That would
+give him all the security he desired. There they could all sleep with
+perfect confidence of safety. There, on going out to hunt, he could
+leave the children, with the certainty of finding them on his return.
+An admirable idea!&mdash;how about its practicability?</p>
+
+<p>He began to consider this. If he only had planks to make a staging
+or platform, the rest would be easy. Any slight roof would be
+sufficient up there. The leaves almost formed a roof. But the
+flooring&mdash;this was the difficulty. Where were planks to be got?
+Nowhere, in that neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>His eye, at that moment, chanced to fall upon the wagon. Ha!
+there were planks there. But to break up his beautiful wagon?
+No&mdash;no&mdash;no! Such a thing was not to be thought of. But stay!
+there was no need to break it up&mdash;no need to knock out a single
+nail. It would serve every purpose without breaking a splinter off
+it. The fine vehicle was made to take to pieces, and put up again
+at will.</p>
+
+<p>He could take it to pieces. The broad bottom alone should remain
+whole. That of itself would be the platform. Hurrah!</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet, excited with the development of this fine plan,
+now communicated it to the others. All agreed that it was just the
+thing; and as the day was before them, they made no more ado, but
+set about carrying out the design.</p>
+
+<p>A ladder thirty feet long had first to be constructed. This occupied
+a good while; but at length a stout rough article was knocked up,
+which served the purpose admirably. It gave them access to the
+lowermost limb; and from this they could construct steps to all the
+others.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom ascended, and after careful examination chose the site
+of the platform. This was to rest upon two strong horizontal limbs
+of equal height, and diverging very gradually from each other. The
+quantity of thick branches in the great tree afforded him a choice.</p>
+
+<p>The wagon was now taken to pieces&mdash;a work of only a few minutes&mdash;and
+the first thing hauled up was the bottom. This was no slight
+performance, and required all the strength of the camp. Strong
+&ldquo;rheims&rdquo; were attached to one end, and these were passed over a
+limb of the tree, still higher up than those on which the staging was
+to rest. One stood above to guide the huge piece of plankwork,
+while all the rest exerted their strength upon the ropes below. Even
+little Jan pulled with all his might&mdash;though a single pound avoirdupois
+weight would have been about the measure of his strength.</p>
+
+<p>The piece was hoisted up, until it rested beautifully upon the supporting
+limbs; and then a cheer rose from below, and was answered
+by Swartboy among the branches.</p>
+
+<p>The heaviest part of the work was over. The boxing of the wagon
+was passed up, piece by piece, and set in its place just as before.
+Some branches were lopped off to make room for the cap-tent; and
+then it was also hauled up, and mounted.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">393</a></span></p>
+
+<p>By the time the sun set, everything was in its place; and the a&euml;rial
+house was ready for sleeping in. In fact, that very night they slept
+in it, or, as Hans jocularly termed it, they all went to &ldquo;roost.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But they did not consider their new habitation quite complete as
+yet. Next day they continued to labour upon it. By means of long
+poles they extended their platform from the wagon quite up to the
+trunk of the tree, so as to give them a broad terrace to move about
+upon.</p>
+
+<p>The poles were fast wattled together by rods of the beautiful
+weeping-willow (<i>Salix Babylonica</i>), which is a native of these parts,
+and several trees of which grew by the side of the vley. Upon the
+top of all, they laid a thick coating of clay, obtained from the edge of
+the lake; so that, if need be, they could actually kindle a fire, and
+cook their suppers in the tree.</p>
+
+<p>To make a still finer flooring, they procured a quantity of the
+material of which the ant-hills are composed; which, being of a
+glutinous nature, makes a mortar almost as binding as Roman
+cement.</p>
+
+<p>After the main building had been finished off, Swartboy erected a
+platform for himself, and one for Totty in another part of the ample
+nwana. Above each of these platforms he had constructed a roof or
+screen, to shelter their occupants from rain or dew.</p>
+
+<p>There was something odd in the appearance of these two screens,
+each of which was about the size of an ordinary umbrella. Their
+oddity consisted in the fact that they were ears of the elephant!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>here was no longer anything to hinder the field-cornet from commencing
+the real business of his new life, viz., the hunting of the
+elephant. He resolved, therefore, to begin at once; for until he should
+succeed in &ldquo;bagging&rdquo; a few of these giant animals, he was not easy
+in his mind. He might not be able to kill a single one; and then
+what would become of all his grand hopes and calculations? They
+would end in disappointment, and he should find himself in as bad a
+condition as ever.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed worse: for to fail in any undertaking is not only to lose
+time, but energy of mind. Success begets genius, courage, and self-reliance&mdash;all
+of which contribute to new successes; while failure
+intimidates and leads to despair. In a psychological point of view it
+is a dangerous thing to fail in any undertaking; and, therefore, before
+undertaking anything, one should be well assured of its being possible
+and practicable.</p>
+
+<p>Now Von Bloom was not sure that the great design he had formed
+was practicable. But in this case, he had no choice. No other means
+of livelihood was open to him just then; and he had resolved to make
+trial of this. He had faith in his calculations, and he had also good
+reason to hope he would succeed; but the thing was yet untried. No
+wonder he was in haste to begin the business&mdash;in haste to know what
+were his chances of success.</p>
+
+<p>By early day, therefore, he was up and out. Hendrik and Swartboy
+only accompanied him, for he could not yet bring himself to leave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">394</a></span>
+the children with no other protection than Totty&mdash;almost as much a
+child as themselves. Hans, therefore, remained by the camp.</p>
+
+<p>At first the hunters followed the little rivulet that ran from the
+spring and vley. They did so, because in this direction there was
+more &ldquo;bush;&rdquo; and they knew that elephants would be more likely to
+be found in woods than in open places. Indeed, it was only near the
+banks of the stream that any great quantity of wood was to be seen.
+A broad belt of jungle extended upon each side of it. After that,
+there were straggling groves and clumps; and then came the open
+plains, almost treeless, though covered with a rich carpet of grass for
+some distance farther. To this succeeded the wild karoo, stretching
+eastward and westward beyond the reach of vision. Along the north,
+as already mentioned, trended the line of &ldquo;bluffs&rdquo;; and beyond these
+there was nothing but the parched and waterless desert. To the
+south there lay the only thing that could be called &ldquo;woods;&rdquo; and
+although such a low jungle could lay no claim to the title of &ldquo;forest,&rdquo;
+it was, nevertheless, a likely enough haunt for elephants.</p>
+
+<p>The trees consisted chiefly of mimosas&mdash;of several species, upon
+the leaves, roots, and tender shoots of which the great ruminant loves
+to browse. There were some &ldquo;cameel-doorn&rdquo; trees, with their shady
+umbrella-like tops. But above all rose the massive heads of the
+nwanas, giving a peculiar character to the landscape.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters noticed, as they went on, that the channel of the
+rivulet became wider and larger, and that at times&mdash;no doubt after
+great rains&mdash;a large quantity of water must have run in its bed,
+forming a considerable river. But as the channel grew larger, the
+reverse was the case with the quantity of running water. The farther
+down they proceeded this became less and less; until, at the distance
+of a mile from camp, the current ceased altogether.</p>
+
+<p>For half-a-mile farther on they found water in stagnant pools, but
+none running. The wide, dry channel, however, continued on as
+before; and the &ldquo;bush&rdquo; extended on both sides without interruption, so
+thick that they could only make way by keeping in the channel itself.</p>
+
+<p>As they walked along, several kinds of small game were started.
+Hendrik would gladly have taken a shot at some of these, but his
+father would not permit him to fire just then. It might frighten
+away the great &ldquo;game&rdquo; they were in search of, and which they might
+fall in with at any moment. On their return Hendrik might do his
+best; and then the field-cornet intended to assist him in procuring
+an antelope, as there was no fresh venison in the camp. This, however,
+was a consideration of secondary importance, and the first thing
+to be done was to try and get a pair of tusks.</p>
+
+<p>There was no objection to Swartboy using his bow, as that silent
+weapon would cause no alarm. Swartboy had been taken along to
+carry the axe and other implements as well as to assist in the hunt.
+Of course he had brought his bow and quiver with him; and he was
+constantly on the watch for something at which to let fly one of his
+little poisoned arrows.</p>
+
+<p>He found a mark at length worthy of his attention. On crossing
+the plain to avoid a large bend in the channel, they came upon a
+glade or opening of considerable size, and in the middle of this glade
+a huge bird appeared standing erect.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;An ostrich!&rdquo; exclaimed Hendrik.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No,&rdquo; replied Swartboy; &ldquo;um ar da pauw.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">395</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said Von Bloom, confirming Swartboy's statement, &ldquo;it is the
+pauw.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Now a &ldquo;pauw&rdquo; in the Dutch language is a &ldquo;peacock.&rdquo; But there
+are no peacocks in Africa. The peacock in its wild state inhabits
+only Southern Asia and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The
+bird they saw, then, could not be a peacock.</p>
+
+<p>Neither was it one. And yet it bore some resemblance to a peacock,
+with its long heavy tail and wings speckled and ocellated in a very
+striking manner, and something like the &ldquo;marbled&rdquo; feathers that
+adorn the peacock's back. It had none of the brilliant colours,
+however, of that proudest of birds, though it was quite as stately,
+and much larger and taller. In fact, its great height and erect
+attitude was why Hendrik at first glance had taken it for an ostrich.
+It was neither peacock nor ostrich, but belonging to a different genus
+from either&mdash;to the genus <i>Otis</i> or bustard. It was the great bustard
+of South Africa&mdash;the <i>Otis kori</i>&mdash;called &ldquo;pauw&rdquo; by the Dutch colonists,
+on account of its ocellated plumage and other points of resemblance
+to the Indian peacock.</p>
+
+<p>Now Swartboy, as well as Von Bloom, knew that the pauw was one
+of the most delicious of fowls for the table. But they knew at the
+same time that it was one of the shyest of birds,&mdash;so shy that it is
+very difficult to get even a long shot at one. How, then, was it to be
+approached within range of the Bushman's arrow? That was the
+point to be considered.</p>
+
+<p>Where it stood, it was full two hundred yards from them; and had
+it perceived them, it would soon have widened that distance, by
+running off two hundred more. I say running off, for birds of the
+bustard family rarely take to wing, but use their long legs to escape
+from an enemy. On this account they are often hunted by dogs, and
+caught after a severe chase. Although but poor flyers, they are
+splendid runners,&mdash;swift almost as the ostrich itself.</p>
+
+<p>The pauw, however, had not observed the hunters as yet. They had
+caught a glimpse of it, before appearing out of the bushes, and had
+halted as soon as they saw it.</p>
+
+<p>How was Swartboy to approach it? It was two hundred yards
+from any cover, and the ground was as clean as a new-raked meadow.
+True, the plain was not a large one. Indeed, Swartboy was rather
+surprised to see a pauw upon so small a one, for these birds frequent
+only the wide open karoos, where they can sight their enemy at a
+great distance. The glade was not large, but, after watching the
+bustard for some minutes, the hunters saw that it was resolved to
+keep near the centre, and showed no disposition to feed in the direction
+of the thicket on either side.</p>
+
+<p>Any one but a Bushman would have despaired of getting a shot at
+this kori; but Swartboy did not despair.</p>
+
+<p>Begging the others to remain quiet, he crept forward to the edge of
+the jungle, and placed himself behind a thick leafy bush. He then
+commenced uttering a call, exactly similar to that made by the male
+of the kori when challenging an adversary to combat.</p>
+
+<p>Like the grouse, the bustard is polygamous, and of course terribly
+jealous and pugnacious, at certain seasons of the year. Swartboy
+knew that it was just then the &ldquo;fighting season&rdquo; among the pauws,
+and hoped by imitating their challenge to draw the bird&mdash;a cock he
+saw it was&mdash;within reach of his arrow.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">396</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As soon as the kori heard the call, he raised himself to his full height,
+spread his immense tail, dropped his wings until the primary feathers
+trailed along the grass, and replied to the challenge.</p>
+
+<p>But what now astonished Swartboy was, that instead of one answer
+to his call, he fancied he heard two, simultaneously uttered!</p>
+
+<p>It proved to be no fancy, for before he could repeat the decoy the bird
+again gave out its note of defiance, and was answered by a similar
+call from another quarter!</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy looked in the direction whence came the latter; and there
+sure enough, was a second kori, that seemed to have dropped from the
+region of the clouds, or, more likely, had run out from the shelter of
+the bushes. At all events, it was a good way towards the centre of
+the plain, before the hunter had observed it.</p>
+
+<p>The two were now in full view of each other; and by their movements
+any one might see that a combat was certain to come off.</p>
+
+<p>Sure of this, Swartboy did not call again; but remained silent
+behind his bush.</p>
+
+<p>After a good while spent in strutting, and wheeling round and
+round, and putting themselves in the most threatening attitudes, and
+uttering the most insulting expressions, the two koris became sufficiently
+provoked to begin the battle. They &ldquo;clinched&rdquo; in gallant
+style, using all three weapons,&mdash;wings, beak, and feet. Now they
+struck each other with their wings, now pecked with their bills; and
+at intervals, when a good opportunity offered, gave each other a smart
+kick&mdash;which, with their long muscular legs, they were enabled to
+deliver with considerable force.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy knew that when they were well into the fight, he might
+stalk in upon them unobserved; so he waited patiently, till the proper
+moment should arrive.</p>
+
+<p>In a few seconds it became evident, he would not have to move from
+his ambush; for the birds were fighting towards him. He adjusted
+his arrow to the string, and waited.</p>
+
+<p>In five minutes the birds were fighting within thirty yards of the
+spot where the Bushman lay. The twang of a bowstring might have
+been heard by one of the koris, had he been listening. The other
+could not possibly have heard it; for before the sound could have
+reached him, a poisoned arrow was sticking through his ears. The
+barb had passed through, and the shaft remained in his head, piercing
+it crosswise!</p>
+
+<p>Of course the bird dropped dead upon the grass, less astonished than
+his antagonist.</p>
+
+<p>The latter at first imagined he had done it, and began to strut very
+triumphantly around his fallen foe.</p>
+
+<p>But his eye now fell upon the arrow sticking through the head of
+the latter. He knew nothing about that. He had not done that!
+What the deuce&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps if he had been allowed another moment's reflection, he
+would have taken to his heels; but before he could make up his mind
+about the matter, there was another &ldquo;twang&rdquo; of the bowstring
+another arrow whistled through the air, and another kori lay stretched
+upon the grass!</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy now rushed forward, and took possession of the game;
+which proved to be a pair of young cocks, in prime condition for roasting.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">397</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Having hung the birds over a high branch, so as to secure them from
+jackals and hyenas, the hunters continued on; and shortly after,
+having re-entered the channel of the stream, continued to follow it
+downward.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">UPON THE SPOOR.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>hey had not gone above an hundred yards farther, when they came
+to one of the pools, already spoken of. It was a tolerably large one;
+and the mud around its edges bore the hoof-prints of numerous
+animals. This the hunters saw from a distance, but on reaching the
+spot, Swartboy, a little in the advance, turned suddenly round, and,
+with rolling orbs and quivering lips, clicked out the words,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Mein baas! mein baas! da klow! spoor ob da groot olifant!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>There was no danger of mistaking the spoor of the elephant for that
+of any other creature. There, sure enough, were the great round
+tracks&mdash;full twenty-four inches in length, and nearly as wide&mdash;deeply
+imprinted in the mud by the enormous weight of the animal's body.
+Each formed an immense hole, large enough to have set a gate-post
+in.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters contemplated the spoor with emotions of pleasure&mdash;the
+more so that the tracks had been recently made. This was evident.
+The displaced mud had not yet crusted, but looked damp and fresh.
+It had been stirred within the hour.</p>
+
+<p>Only one elephant had visited the pool that night. There were
+many old tracks, but only one fresh spoor,&mdash;and that of an old and
+very large bull.</p>
+
+<p>Of course the tracks told this much. To make a spoor twenty-four
+inches long, requires the animal to be a very large one; and to be very
+large, he should be a bull, and an old one too.</p>
+
+<p>Well, the older and larger the better, provided his tusks have not
+been broken by some accident. When that happens they are never
+recovered again. The elephant does cast his tusks, but only in the
+juvenile state, when they are not bigger than lobster's claws; and
+the pair that succeeds these is permanent, and has to last him for
+life&mdash;perhaps for centuries&mdash;for no one can tell how long the mighty
+elephant roams over this sublunary planet.</p>
+
+<p>When the tusks get broken&mdash;a not uncommon thing&mdash;he must
+remain toothless or &ldquo;tuskless&rdquo; for the rest of his life. Although the
+elephant may consider the loss of his huge tusks a great calamity,
+were he only a little wiser, he would break them off against the first
+tree. It would, in all probability, be the means of prolonging his life;
+for the hunter would not then consider him worth the ammunition it
+usually takes to kill him.</p>
+
+<p>After a short consultation among the hunters, Swartboy started off
+upon the spoor, followed by Von Bloom and Hendrik. It led straight
+out from the channel, and across the jungle.</p>
+
+<p>Usually the bushes mark the course of an elephant, where these are
+of the sort he feeds upon. In this case he had not fed; but the Bushman,
+who could follow spoor with a hound, had no difficulty in keeping
+on the track, as fast as the three were able to travel.</p>
+
+<p>They emerged into open glades; and, after passing through several<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">398</a></span>
+of these, came upon a large ant-hill that stood in the middle of one of
+the openings. The elephant had passed close to the ant-hill&mdash;he had
+stopped there awhile&mdash;stay, he must have lain down.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom did not know that elephants were in the habit of
+lying down. He had always heard it said that they slept standing.
+Swartboy knew better than that. He said that they sometimes
+slept standing, but oftener lay down, especially in districts where
+they were not much hunted. Swartboy considered it a good sign
+that this one had lain down. He reasoned from it that the
+elephants had not been disturbed in that neighbourhood, and would
+be the more easily approached and killed. They would be less
+likely to make off from that part of the country, until they&mdash;the
+hunters&mdash;had had a &ldquo;good pull&rdquo; out of them.</p>
+
+<p>This last consideration was one of great importance. In a district
+where elephants have been much hunted, and have learnt what the
+crack of a gun signifies, a single day's chase will often set them
+travelling; and they will not bring up again, until they have gone
+far beyond the reach of the hunters. Not only the particular individuals
+that have been chased act in this way; but all the others,&mdash;as
+though warned by their companions,&mdash;until not an elephant remains
+in the district. This migratory habit is one of the chief difficulties
+which the elephant-hunter must needs encounter; and, when it
+occurs, he has no other resource but to change his &ldquo;sphere of
+action.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>On the other hand, where elephants have remained for a long
+time undisturbed, the report of a gun does not terrify them; and
+they will bear a good deal of hunting before &ldquo;showing their heels&rdquo;
+and leaving the place.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy, therefore, rejoiced on perceiving that the old bull had
+lain down. The Bushman drew a world of conclusions from that
+circumstance.</p>
+
+<p>That the elephant had been lying was clear enough. The abrasion
+upon the stiff mud of the ant-heap showed where his back had rested,&mdash;the
+mark of his body was visible in the dust, and a groove-like
+furrow in the turf had been made by his huge tusk. A huge one it
+must have been, as the impression of it testified to the keen eyes of
+the Bushman.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy stated some curious facts about the great quadruped,&mdash;at
+least, what he alleged to be facts. They were,&mdash;that the elephant
+never attempts to lie down without having something to lean his
+shoulders against,&mdash;a rock, an ant-hill, or a tree; that he does this
+to prevent himself rolling over on his back,&mdash;that when he does
+by accident get into that position he has great difficulty in rising
+again, and is almost as helpless as a turtle; and, lastly, that he often
+sleeps standing beside a tree with the whole weight of his body
+leaning against the trunk!</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy did not think that he leans against the trunk when first
+taking up his position; but that he seeks the tree for the shade
+it affords, and as sleep overcomes him he inclines towards it, finding
+that it steadies and rests him!</p>
+
+<p>The Bushman stated, moreover, that some elephants have their
+favourite trees, to which they return again and again to take a nap
+during the hot mid-day hours,&mdash;for that is their time of repose. At
+night they do not sleep. On the contrary, the hours of night are spent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">399</a></span>
+in ranging about, on journeys to the distant watering-places, and in
+feeding; though in remote and quiet districts they also feed by day&mdash;so
+that it is probable that most of their nocturnal activity is the
+result of their dread of their watchful enemy, man.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy communicated these facts, as the hunters all together
+followed upon the spoor.</p>
+
+<p>The traces of the elephant were now of a different character, from
+what they had been before arriving at the ant-hill. He had been
+browsing as he went. His nap had brought a return of appetite;
+and the wait-a-bit thorns showed the marks of his prehensile trunk.
+Here and there branches were broken off, stripped clean of their
+leaves, and the ligneous parts left upon the ground. In several
+places whole trees were torn up by their roots, and those, too, of
+considerable size. This the elephant sometimes does to get at their
+foliage, which upon such trees grows beyond the reach of his proboscis.
+By prostrating them of course he gets their whole frondage
+within easy distance of his elastic nose, and can strip it off at
+pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>At times, however, he tears up a tree to make a meal of its roots&mdash;as
+there are several species with sweet juicy roots, of which the
+elephant is extremely fond. These he drags out of the ground with
+his trunk, having first loosened them with his tusks, used as crowbars.
+At times he fails to effect his purpose; and it is only when the
+ground is loose or wet, as after great rains, that he can uproot the
+larger kinds of mimosas. Sometimes he is capricious; and, after
+drawing a tree from the ground, he carries it many yards along with
+him, flings it to the ground, root upwards, and then leaves it, after
+taking a single mouthful. Destructive to the forest is the passage
+of a troop of elephants!</p>
+
+<p>Small trees he can tear up with his trunk alone, but to the larger
+ones he applies the more powerful leverage of his tusks. These he
+inserts under the roots, imbedded as they usually are in loose sandy
+earth, and then, with a quick jerk, he tosses roots, trunk, and
+branches, high into the air,&mdash;a wonderful exhibition of gigantic
+power.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters saw all these proofs of it, as they followed the spoor.
+The traces of the elephant's strength were visible all along the route.</p>
+
+<p>It was enough to beget fear and awe, and none of them were free
+from such feelings. With so much disposition to commit havoc and
+ruin in his moments of quietude, what would such a creature be in
+the hour of excitement and anger? No wonder there was fear in
+the hearts of the hunters, unpractised as some of them were.</p>
+
+<p>Still another consideration had its effect upon their minds,
+particularly on that of the Bushman. There was every reason to
+believe that the animal was a &ldquo;rover,&rdquo;&mdash;what among Indian hunters
+is termed a &ldquo;rogue.&rdquo; Elephants of this kind are far more dangerous
+to approach than their fellows. In fact, under ordinary circumstances,
+there is no more danger in passing through a herd of
+elephants than there would be in going among a drove of tame oxen.
+It is only when the elephant has been attacked or wounded, that he
+becomes a dangerous enemy.</p>
+
+<p>With regard to the &ldquo;rover&rdquo; or &ldquo;rogue,&rdquo; the case is quite different.
+He is habitually vicious; and will assail either man or any other
+animal on sight, and without the slightest provocation. He seems<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">400</a></span>
+to take a pleasure in destruction, and woe to the creature who
+crosses his path and is not of lighter heels than himself!</p>
+
+<p>The rover leads a solitary life, rambling alone through the forest,
+and never associating with others of his kind. He appears to be
+a sort of outlaw from his tribe, banished for bad temper or some
+other fault, to become more fierce and wicked in his outlawry.</p>
+
+<p>There were good reasons for fearing that the elephant they were
+spooring was a &ldquo;rover.&rdquo; His being alone was of itself a suspicious
+circumstance, as elephants usually go, from two to twenty, or even
+fifty, in a herd. The traces of ruin he had left behind him, his
+immense spoor, all seemed to mark him out as one of these fierce
+creatures. That such existed in that district they already had
+evidence. Swartboy alleged that the one killed by the rhinoceros
+was of this class, else he would not have attacked the latter as he
+had done. There was a good deal of probability in this belief of the
+Bushman.</p>
+
+<p>Under these impressions, then, it is less to be wondered, that our
+hunters felt some apprehensions of danger from the game they were
+pursuing.</p>
+
+<p>The spoor grew fresher and fresher. The hunters saw trees turned
+bottom upward, the roots exhibiting the marks of the elephant's
+teeth, and still wet with the saliva from his vast mouth. They saw
+broken branches of the mimosa giving out their odour, that had not
+had time to waste itself. They concluded the game could not be
+distant.</p>
+
+<p>They rounded a point of timber&mdash;the Bushman being a little in
+the advance.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Swartboy stopped and fell back a pace. He turned
+his face upon his companions. His eyes rolled faster than ever; but,
+although his lips appeared to move, and his tongue to wag, he was
+too excited to give utterance to a word. A volley of clicks and hisses
+came forth, but nothing articulate.</p>
+
+<p>The others, however, did not require any words to tell them what
+was meant. They knew that Swartboy intended to whisper that
+he had seen &ldquo;da oliphant;&rdquo; so both peeped silently around the bush,
+and with their own eyes looked upon the mighty quadruped.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A ROGUE ELEPHANT.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he elephant was standing in a grove of <i>mokhala</i> trees. These, unlike
+the humbler mimosas, have tall naked stems, with heads of thick
+foliage, in form resembling an umbrella or parasol. Their pinnate
+leaves of delicate green are the favourite food of the giraffe, hence
+their botanical appellation of <i>Acacia giraff&aelig;</i>; and hence also their
+common name among the Dutch hunters of &ldquo;cameel-doorns&rdquo; (camel-thorns).</p>
+
+<p>The tall giraffe, with his prehensile lip, raised nearly twenty feet
+in the air, can browse upon these trees without difficulty. Not so
+the elephant, whose trunk cannot reach so high; and the latter
+would often have to imitate the fox in the fable, were he not possessed
+of a means whereby he can bring the tempting morsel within
+reach&mdash;that is, simply by breaking down the tree. This his vast<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">401</a></span>
+strength enables him to do, unless when the trunk happens to be one
+of the largest of its kind.</p>
+
+<p>When the eyes of our hunters first rested upon the elephant, he
+was standing by the head of a prostrate mokhala, which he had just
+broken off near the root. He was tearing away at the leaves, and
+filling his capacious stomach.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Swartboy recovered the control over his tongue, he
+ejaculated in a hurried whisper:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Pas op! (take care!) baas Bloom,&mdash;hab good care&mdash;don't go near
+um&mdash;he da skellum ole klow. My footy! he wicked!&mdash;I know de ole
+bull duyvel.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>By this volley of queer phrases, Swartboy meant to caution his
+master against rashly approaching the elephant, as he knew him to
+be one of the wicked sort&mdash;in short, a &ldquo;rogue.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>How Swartboy knew this would appear a mystery, as there were
+no particular marks about the animal to distinguish him from others
+of his kind. But the Bushman, with his practised eye, saw something
+in the general physiognomy of the elephant&mdash;just as one may
+distinguish a fierce and dangerous bull from those of milder disposition,
+or a bad from a virtuous man, by some expression that one
+cannot define.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom himself, and even Hendrik, saw that the elephant had
+a fierce and ruffian look.</p>
+
+<p>They did not stand in need of Swartboy's advice to act with
+caution.</p>
+
+<p>They remained for some minutes, gazing through the bushes at the
+huge quadruped. The more they gazed, the more they became resolved
+to make an attack upon him. The sight of his long tusks was
+too tempting to Von Bloom, to admit for a moment the thought of
+letting him escape without a fight. A couple of bullets he should
+have into him, at all events; and if opportunity offered, a good many
+more, should these not be sufficient. Von Bloom would not relinquish
+those fine tusks without a struggle.</p>
+
+<p>He at once set about considering the safest mode of attack; but
+was not allowed time to mature any plan. The elephant appeared to
+be restless, and was evidently about to move forward. He might be
+off in a moment, and carry them after him for miles, or, perhaps, in
+the thick cover of wait-a-bits get lost to them altogether.</p>
+
+<p>These conjectures caused Von Bloom to decide at once upon
+beginning the attack, and without any other plan than to stalk in as
+near as would be safe, and deliver his fire. He had heard that a
+single bullet in the forehead would kill any elephant; and if he
+could only get in such a position as to have a fair shot at the animal's
+front, he believed he was marksman enough to plant his bullet in the
+right place.</p>
+
+<p>He was mistaken as to killing an elephant with a shot in the forehead.
+That is a notion of gentlemen who have hunted the elephant
+in their closets&mdash;though other closet gentlemen&mdash;the anatomists&mdash;to
+whom give all due credit&mdash;have shown the thing to be impossible,
+from the peculiar structure of the elephant's skull and the position
+of his brain.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom at the time was under this wrong impression, and
+therefore committed a grand mistake. Instead of seeking a side
+shot, which he could have obtained with far less trouble&mdash;he decided<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">402</a></span>
+on creeping round in front of the elephant, and firing right in the
+animal's face.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Hendrik and Swartboy to attack him from behind, he
+took a circuit under cover of the bushes; and at length arrived in
+the path the elephant was most likely to take.</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely gained his position, when he saw the huge animal
+coming towards him with silent and majestic tread; and although
+the elephant only walked, half-a-dozen of his gigantic strides brought
+him close up to the ambushed hunter. As yet the creature uttered
+no cry; but as he moved, Von Bloom could hear a rumbling gurgling
+sound, as of water dashing to and fro in his capacious stomach!</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom had taken up his position behind the trunk of a large
+tree. The elephant had not yet seen him, and, perhaps, would have
+passed on without knowing that he was there, had the hunter permitted
+him. The latter even thought of such a thing, for although
+a man of courage, the sight of the great forest giant caused him for a
+moment to quail.</p>
+
+<p>But, again, the curving ivory gleamed in his eyes&mdash;again he remembered
+the object that had brought him into that situation; he
+thought of his fallen fortunes&mdash;of his resolve to retrieve them&mdash;of his
+children's welfare.</p>
+
+<p>These thoughts resolved him. His long roer was laid over a knot
+in the trunk&mdash;its muzzle pointed at the forehead of the advancing
+elephant&mdash;his eye gleamed through the sights&mdash;the loud detonation
+followed&mdash;and a cloud of smoke for a moment hid everything from
+his view.</p>
+
+<p>He could hear a hoarse, bellowing, trumpet-like sound&mdash;he could
+hear the crashing of branches and the gurgling of water; and, when,
+the smoke cleared away, to his chagrin he saw that the elephant was
+still upon his feet, and evidently not injured in the least!</p>
+
+<p>The shot had struck the animal exactly where the hunter had
+aimed it; but, instead of inflicting a mortal wound, it had only excited
+the creature to extreme rage. He was now charging about
+striking the trees with his tusks, tearing branches off, and tossing
+them aloft with his trunk&mdash;though all the while evidently in ignorance
+of what had tickled him so impertinently upon the forehead!</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately for Von Bloom, a good thick tree sheltered him from
+the view of the elephant. Had the enraged animal caught sight of
+him at that moment, it would have been all up with him; but the
+hunter knew this, and had the coolness to remain close and quiet.</p>
+
+<p>Not so with Swartboy. When the elephant moved forward, he
+and Hendrik had crept after through the grove of mokhalas. They
+had even followed him across the open ground into the bush, where
+Von Bloom awaited him. On hearing the shot, and seeing that the
+elephant was still unhurt, Swartboy's courage gave way; and leaving
+Hendrik, he ran back towards the mokhala grove, shouting as he
+went.</p>
+
+<p>His cries reached the ears of the elephant, that at once rushed off
+in the direction in which he heard them. In a moment he emerged
+from the bush, and, seeing Swartboy upon the open ground, charged
+furiously after the flying Bushman. Hendrik&mdash;who had stood his
+ground, and in the shelter of the bushes was not perceived&mdash;delivered
+his shot as the animal passed him. His ball told upon the
+shoulder, but it only served to increase the elephant's fury. Without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">403</a></span>
+stopping, he rushed on after Swartboy, believing, no doubt, that the
+poor Bushman was the cause of the hurts he was receiving, and the
+nature of which he but ill understood.</p>
+
+<p>It was but a few moments, from the firing of the first shot, until
+things took this turn. Swartboy was hardly clear of the bushes
+before the elephant emerged also; and as the former struck out for
+the mokhala trees, he was scarce six steps ahead of his pursuer.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy's object was to get to the grove, in the midst of which
+were several trees of large size. One of these he proposed climbing&mdash;as
+that seemed his only chance for safety.</p>
+
+<p>He had not got half over the open ground, when he perceived he
+would be too late. He heard the heavy rush of the huge monster behind
+him&mdash;he heard his loud and vengeful bellowing&mdash;he fancied he
+felt his hot breath. There was still a good distance to be run. The
+climbing of the tree, beyond the reach of the elephant's trunk, would
+occupy time. There was no hope of escaping to the tree.</p>
+
+<p>These reflections occurred almost instantaneously. In ten seconds
+Swartboy arrived at the conclusion, that running to the tree would
+not save him; and all at once he stopped in his career, wheeled
+round, and faced the elephant!</p>
+
+<p>Not that he had formed any plan of saving himself in that way.
+It was not bravery, but only despair, that caused him to turn upon
+his pursuer. He knew that, by running on, he would surely be
+overtaken. It could be no worse if he faced round; and, perhaps,
+he might avoid the fatal charge by some dexterous man&#339;uvre.</p>
+
+<p>The Bushman was now right in the middle of the open ground;
+the elephant rushing straight towards him.</p>
+
+<p>The former had no weapon to oppose to his gigantic pursuer. He
+had thrown away his bow&mdash;his axe too&mdash;to run the more nimbly.
+But neither would have been of any avail against such an antagonist.
+He carried nothing but his sheep-skin kaross. That had encumbered
+him in his flight; but he had held on to it for a purpose.</p>
+
+<p>His purpose was soon displayed.</p>
+
+<p>He stood until the extended trunk was within three feet of his
+face; and then, flinging his kaross so that it should fall over the
+long cylinder, he sprang nimbly to one side, and started to run back.</p>
+
+<p>He would, no doubt, have succeeded in passing to the elephant's
+rear, and thus have escaped; but as the kaross fell upon the great
+trunk it was seized in the latter, and swept suddenly around. Unfortunately
+Swartboy's legs had not yet cleared the circle&mdash;the kaross
+lapped around them&mdash;and the Bushman was thrown sprawling upon
+the plain.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the active Swartboy recovered his feet, and was
+about to make off in a new direction. But the elephant, having
+discovered the deception of the kaross, had dropped it, and turned
+suddenly after him. Swartboy had hardly made three steps, when
+the long ivory curve was inserted between his legs from behind; and
+the next moment his body was pitched high into the air.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom and Hendrik, who had just then reached the edge
+of the glade, saw him go up; but to their astonishment he did not
+come to the ground again! Had he fallen back upon the elephant's
+tusks? and was he held there by the trunk? No. They saw the
+animal's head. The Bushman was not there, nor upon his back, nor
+anywhere to be seen. In fact, the elephant seemed as much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">404</a></span>
+astonished as they at the sudden disappearance of his victim! The
+huge beast was turning his eyes in every direction, as if searching
+for the object of his fury!</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/illus-404.jpg" width="500" height="351" alt="SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT." title="SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT." />
+<span class="caption">SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.</span></div>
+
+<p>Where could Swartboy have gone? Where? At this moment the
+elephant gave a loud roar, and was seen rushing to a tree, which
+he now caught in his trunk, and shook violently. Von Bloom and
+Hendrik looked up towards its top, expecting to see Swartboy there.
+Sure enough he was there, perched among the leaves and branches
+where he had been projected! Terror was depicted in his countenance,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">405</a></span>
+for he felt that he was not safe in his position. But he had
+scarce time to give utterance to his fears; for the next moment
+the tree gave way with a crash, and fell to the ground, bringing the
+Bushman down among its branches.</p>
+
+<p>It happened that the tree, dragged down by the elephant's trunk,
+fell towards the animal. Swartboy even touched the elephant's
+body in his descent, and slipped down over his hind-quarters. The
+branches had broken the fall, and the Bushman was still unhurt, but
+he felt that he was now quite at the mercy of his antagonist. He
+saw no chance of escape by flight. He was lost!</p>
+
+<p>Just at that moment an idea entered his mind&mdash;a sort of despairing
+instinct&mdash;and springing at one of the hind-legs of the quadruped, he
+slung his arms around it, and held fast! He at the same time
+planted his naked feet upon the sabots of those of the animal; so
+that, by means of this support, he was enabled to keep his hold, let
+the animal move as it would!</p>
+
+<p>The huge mammoth, unable to shake him off, unable to get at him
+with his trunk&mdash;and, above all, surprised and terrified by this novel
+mode of attack&mdash;uttered a shrill scream, and with tail erect and
+trunk high in air, dashed off into the jungle!</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy held on to the leg until fairly within the bushes; and
+then, watching his opportunity, he slipped gently off. As soon as he
+touched <i>terra firma</i> again, he rose to his feet, and ran with all his
+might in an opposite direction.</p>
+
+<p>He need not have run a single step; for the elephant, as much
+frightened as he, kept on through the jungle, laying waste the trees
+and branches in his onward course. The huge quadruped did not
+stop, till he had put many miles between himself and the scene of
+his disagreeable adventure!</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom and Hendrik had by this time reloaded, and were
+advancing to Swartboy's rescue; but they were met right in the
+teeth by the swift-flying Bushman, as he returned from his miraculous
+escape.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters, who were now warmed to their work, proposed to
+follow up the spoor; but Swartboy, who had enough of that &ldquo;old
+rogue,&rdquo; declared that there would be not the slightest chance of
+again coming up with him without horses or dogs; and as they had
+neither, spooring him any farther would be quite useless.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom saw that there was truth in the remark, and now more
+than ever did he regret the loss of his horses. The elephant, though
+easily overtaken on horseback, or with dogs to bring him to bay, can
+as easily escape from a hunter on foot; and once he has made up his
+mind to flight, it is quite a lost labour to follow him farther.</p>
+
+<p>It was now too late in the day to seek for other elephants; and
+with a feeling of disappointment, the hunters gave up the chase, and
+turned their steps in the direction of the camp.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">A</span> well-known proverb says that &ldquo;misfortunes seldom come single.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>On nearing the camp, the hunters could perceive that all was not
+right there. They saw Totty with Tr&uuml;ey and Jan standing by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">406</a></span>
+head of the ladder; but there was something in their manner that told
+that all was not right. Where was Hans?</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the hunters came in sight, Jan and Tr&uuml;ey ran down the
+rounds, and out to meet them. There was that in their glances that
+bespoke ill tidings, and their words soon confirmed this conjecture.</p>
+
+<p>Hans was not there&mdash;he had gone away hours ago&mdash;they knew not
+where, they feared something had happened to him,&mdash;they feared he
+was lost!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But what took him away from the camp?&rdquo; asked Von Bloom,
+surprised and troubled at the news.</p>
+
+<p>That, and only that could they answer. A number of odd-looking
+animals&mdash;very odd-looking, the children said,&mdash;had come to the vley
+to drink. Hans had taken his gun and followed them in a great
+hurry, telling Tr&uuml;ey and Jan to keep in the tree, and not come down
+until he returned. He would be gone only a very little while, and
+they needn't fear.</p>
+
+<p>This was all they knew. They could not even tell what direction
+he had taken. He went by the lower end of the vley; but soon the bushes
+hid him from their view, and they saw no more of him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;At what time was it?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It was many hours ago,&mdash;in the morning in fact,&mdash;not long after
+the hunters themselves had started. When he did not return the
+children grew uneasy; but they thought he had fallen in with papa
+and Hendrik, and was helping them to hunt; and that was the
+reason why he stayed so long.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Had they heard any report of a gun?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>No&mdash;they had listened for that, but heard none. The animals had
+gone away before Hans could get his gun ready; and they supposed
+he had to follow some distance, before he could overtake them&mdash;that
+might be the reason they had heard no shot.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What sort of animals were they?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They had all seen them plain enough, as they drank. They had
+never seen any of the kind before. They were large animals of
+a yellow-brown colour, with shaggy manes, and long tufts of hair
+growing out of their breasts, and hanging down between their fore-legs.
+They were as big as ponies, said Jan, and very like ponies.
+They curvetted and capered about just as ponies do sometimes.
+Tr&uuml;ey thought that they looked more like lions!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Lions!&rdquo; ejaculated her father and Hendrik, with an accent that
+betokened alarm.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, they reminded her of lions, Tr&uuml;ey again affirmed, and
+Totty said the same.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;How many were there of them?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh! a great drove, not less than fifty.&rdquo; They could not have
+counted them, as they were constantly in motion, galloping from
+place to place, and butting each other with their horns.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha! they had horns then?&rdquo; interrogated Von Bloom, relieved by
+this announcement.</p>
+
+<p>Certainly they had horns, replied all three.</p>
+
+<p>They had seen the horns, sharp-pointed ones, which first came down,
+and then turned upwards in front of the animals' faces. They had
+manes too, Jan affirmed; and thick necks that curved like that of a
+beautiful horse; and tufts of hair like brushes upon their noses; and
+nice round bodies like ponies, and long white tails that reached near<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">407</a></span>
+the ground, just like the tails of ponies, and finely-shaped limbs as
+ponies have.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I tell you,&rdquo; continued Jan, with emphasis, &ldquo;if it hadn't been for
+their horns and the brushes of long hair upon their breasts and noses,
+I'd have taken them for ponies before anything. They galloped about
+just like ponies when playing, and ran with their heads down, curving
+their necks and tossing their manes,&mdash;aye, and snorting too, as I've
+heard ponies; but sometimes they bellowed more like bulls; and, I
+confess, they looked a good deal like bulls about the head; besides I
+noticed they had hoofs split like cattle. Oh! I had a good look at
+them while Hans was loading his gun. They stayed by the water till
+he was nearly ready; and when they galloped off, they went in a long
+string one behind the other with the largest one in front, and another
+large one in the rear.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Wildebeests!&rdquo; exclaimed Hendrik.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Gnoos!&rdquo; cried Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Yes, they must have been wildebeests,&rdquo; said Von Bloom; &ldquo;Jan's
+description corresponds exactly to them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>This was quite true. Jan had correctly given many of the characteristic
+points of that, perhaps, the most singular of all ruminant animals,
+the wildebeest or gnoo (<i>Catoblepas gnoo</i>). The brush-like tuft over
+the muzzle, the long hair between the fore-legs, the horns curving
+down over the face, and then sweeping abruptly upward, the thick
+curving neck, the rounded, compact, horse-shaped body, the long
+whitish tail, and full flowing mane&mdash;all were descriptive of the
+gnoo.</p>
+
+<p>Even Tr&uuml;ey had not made such an unpardonable mistake. The
+gnoos, and particularly the old bulls, bear a very striking resemblance
+to the lion, so much so that the sharpest hunters at a distance can
+scarce tell one from the other.</p>
+
+<p>Jan, however, had observed them better than Tr&uuml;ey; and had they
+been nearer, he might have further noticed that the creatures had red
+fiery eyes and a fierce look; that their heads and horns were not unlike
+those of the African buffalo; that their limbs resembled those of
+the stag, while the rest corresponded well enough to his &ldquo;pony.&rdquo; He
+might have observed, moreover, that the males were larger than the
+females, and of a deeper brown. Had there been any &ldquo;calves&rdquo; with
+the herd, he would have seen that these were still lighter-coloured&mdash;in
+fact, of a white or cream colour.</p>
+
+<p>The gnoos that had been seen were the common kind called by the
+Dutch colonists &ldquo;wildebeests&rdquo; or wild-oxen, and by the Hottentots
+&ldquo;gnoo&rdquo; or &ldquo;gnu,&rdquo; from a hollow moaning sound to which these
+creatures sometimes give utterance, and which is represented by the
+word &ldquo;gnoo-o-oo.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>They roam in vast flocks upon the wild karoos of South Africa: are
+inoffensive animals, except when wounded: and then the old bulls are
+exceedingly dangerous, and will attack the hunter both with horns
+and hoof. They can run with great swiftness, though they scarce ever
+go clear off, but, keeping at a wary distance, circle around the hunter,
+curvetting in all directions, menacing with their heads lowered to
+the ground, kicking up the dust with their heels, and bellowing like
+bulls, or indeed like lions&mdash;for their &ldquo;rout&rdquo; bears a resemblance to the
+lion's roar.</p>
+
+<p>The old bulls stand sentry while the herd is feeding, and protect it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">408</a></span>
+both in front and rear. When running off they usually go in single
+file, as Jan had represented.</p>
+
+<p>Old bulls hang between the rear of the herd and the hunter: and
+these caper back and forward, butting each other with their horns,
+and often fighting apparently in serious earnest! Before the hunter
+comes within range, however, they drop their conflict and gallop out
+of his way. Nothing can exceed the capricious antics which these
+animals indulge in, while trooping over the plain.</p>
+
+<p>There is a second species of the same genus common in South Africa,
+and a third inhabits still farther to the north; but of the last very
+little is known. Both species are larger than the wildebeest, individuals
+of either being nearly five feet in height, while the common
+gnoo is scarce four.</p>
+
+<p>The three kinds are quite distinct, and never herd together, though
+each of them is often found in company with other animals. All three
+are peculiar to the continent of Africa, and are not found elsewhere.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;brindled gnoo&rdquo; is the other species that inhabits the South of
+Africa. It is known among the hunters and colonists as &ldquo;blauw
+wildebeest&rdquo; (blue wild-ox). It is of a bluish colour&mdash;hence the name,
+and &ldquo;brindled,&rdquo; or striped along the sides. Its habits are very similar
+to those of the common gnoo, but it is altogether a heavier and duller
+animal, and still more eccentric and ungainly in its form.</p>
+
+<p>The third species is the &ldquo;ko-koon&rdquo; of the natives. It approaches
+nearer to the brindled gnoo in form and habits; but as it is not found
+except in the more central and less-travelled portions of Africa, less is
+known about it than either of the others. It is, however, of the same
+kind; and the three species, differing widely from any other animals
+known, are entitled to form a distinct and separate genus.</p>
+
+<p>They have hitherto generally been classed with the antelopes,
+though for what reason it is hard to tell. They have far less affinity
+with the antelope than with the ox; and the everyday observations
+of the hunter and frontier boer have guided them to a similar conclusion&mdash;as
+their name for these animals (wild-oxen) would imply. Observation
+of this class is usually worth far more than the &ldquo;speculations&rdquo;
+of the closet-naturalist.</p>
+
+<p>The gnoo has long been the favourite food of the frontier farmer
+and hunter. Its beef is well flavoured, and the veal of a gnoo-calf is
+quite a delicacy. The hide is manufactured into harness and straps
+of different sorts; and the long silky tail is an article of commerce.
+Around every frontier farm-house large piles of gnoo and springbok
+horns may be seen&mdash;the remains of animals that have been captured
+in the chase.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Jaging de wildebeest&rdquo; (hunting the gnoo) is a favourite pastime
+of the young boers. Large herds of these animals are sometimes
+driven into valleys, where they are hemmed in, and shot down at will.
+They can also be lured within range, by exhibiting a red handkerchief
+or any piece of red cloth&mdash;to which colour they have a strong aversion.
+They may be tamed and domesticated easily enough; but they are
+not favourite pets with the farmer, who dreads their communicating
+to his cattle a fatal skin-disease to which the gnoos are subject, and
+which carries off thousands of them every year.</p>
+
+<p>Of course Von Bloom and his companions did not stay to talk over
+these points. They were too anxious about the fate of the missing
+Hans, to think of anything else.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">409</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They were about to start out in search of him, when just at that
+moment my gentleman was seen coming around the end of the lake,
+trudging very slowly along, under the weight of some large and heavy
+object, that he carried upon his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>A shout of joy was raised, and in a few moments Hans stood in their
+midst.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">H</span>ans was saluted by a volley of questions, &ldquo;Where have you been?
+What detained you? What has happened to you? You're all safe and
+sound? Not hurt, I hope?&rdquo; These and a few others were asked in a
+breath.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I'm sound as a bell,&rdquo; said Hans; &ldquo;and for the rest of your inquiries
+I'll answer them all as soon as Swartboy has skinned this 'aard-vark,'
+and Totty has cooked a piece of it for supper; but I'm too hungry to
+talk now, so pray excuse me.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As Hans gave this reply, he cast from his shoulders an animal nearly
+as big as a sheep, covered with long bristly hair of a reddish-grey
+colour, and having a huge tail, thick at the root, and tapering like a
+carrot; a snout nearly a foot long, but quite slender and naked; a very
+small mouth; erect pointed ears resembling a pair of horns; a low
+flattish body; short muscular legs; and claws of immense length,
+especially on the fore-feet, where, instead of spreading out, they were
+doubled back like shut fists, or the fore hands of a monkey. Altogether
+a very odd animal was that which Hans had styled an &ldquo;aard-vark,&rdquo;
+and which he desired should be cooked for supper.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Well, my boy,&rdquo; replied Von Bloom, &ldquo;we'll excuse you, the more so
+that we are all of us about as hungry as yourself, I fancy. But I
+think we may as well leave the 'aard-vark' for to-morrow's dinner.
+We've a couple of peacocks here, and Totty will get one of them ready
+sooner than the aard-vark.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;As for that,&rdquo; rejoined Hans, &ldquo;I don't care which. I'm just in the
+condition to eat anything&mdash;even a steak of tough old quagga, if I had
+it; but I think it would be no harm if Swartboy&mdash;that is, if you're
+not too tired, old Swart&mdash;would just peel the skin off this gentleman.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Hans pointed to the 'aard-vark.'&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;And dress him so that he don't spoil,&rdquo; he continued; &ldquo;for you
+know, Swartboy, that he's a tit-bit&mdash;a regular <i>bonne bouche</i>&mdash;and it
+would be a pity to let him go to waste in this hot weather. An aard-vark's
+not to be bagged every day.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;You spreichen true, Mynheer Hans,&mdash;Swartboy know all dat.
+Him skin and dress da goup.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And, so saying, Swartboy out knife, and set to work upon the carcass.</p>
+
+<p>Now this singular-looking animal which Hans called an &ldquo;aard-vark,&rdquo;
+and Swartboy a &ldquo;goup,&rdquo; was neither more or less than the
+African ant-eater.</p>
+
+<p>Although the colonists term it &ldquo;aard-vark,&rdquo; which is the Dutch for
+&ldquo;ground-hog,&rdquo; the animal has but little in common with the hog
+kind. It certainly bears some resemblance to a pig about the snout
+and cheeks; and that, with its bristly hair and burrowing habits, has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">410</a></span>
+no doubt given rise to the mistaken name. The &ldquo;ground&rdquo; part of the
+title is from the fact that it is a burrowing animal,&mdash;indeed, one of
+the best &ldquo;terriers&rdquo; in the world. It can make its way under ground,
+faster than the spade can follow it, and faster than any badger. In
+size, habits, and the form of many parts of its body, it bears a striking
+resemblance to its South American cousin the &ldquo;tamanoir,&rdquo; which of
+late years has become so famous as almost to usurp the title of &ldquo;ant-eater.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But the &ldquo;aard-vark&rdquo; is just as good an ant-eater as he,&mdash;can
+&ldquo;crack&rdquo; as thick-walled a house, can rake up and devour as many
+termites as any &ldquo;ant-bear&rdquo; in the length and breadth of the Amazon
+Valley. He has got, moreover, as &ldquo;tall&rdquo; a tail as the tamanoir, very
+nearly as long a snout, a mouth equally small, and a tongue as extensive
+and extensile. In claws he can compare with his American
+cousin any day, and can walk just as awkwardly upon the sides of
+his fore-paws with &ldquo;toes turned in.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Why, then, may I ask, do we hear so much talk of the &ldquo;tamanoir,&rdquo;
+while not a word is said of the &ldquo;aard-vark?&rdquo; Every museum and
+menagerie is bragging about having a specimen of the former, while
+not one cares to acknowledge their possession of the latter! Why
+this envious distinction? I say it's all Barnum. It's because the
+&ldquo;aard-vark's&rdquo; a Dutchman&mdash;a Cape boer&mdash;and the boers have been
+much bullied of late. That's the reason why zoologists and showmen
+have treated my thick-tailed boy so shabbily. But it shan't be so any
+longer; I stand up for the aard-vark; and, although the tamanoir
+has been specially called <i>Myrmecophaga</i>, or ant-eater, I say that the
+<i>Orycteropus</i> is as good an ant-eater as he.</p>
+
+<p>He can break through ant-hills quite as big and bigger&mdash;some of
+them twenty feet high&mdash;he can project as long and as gluey a tongue&mdash;twenty
+inches long&mdash;he can play it as nimbly and &ldquo;lick up&rdquo; as
+many white ants, as any tamanoir. He can grow as fat too, and
+weigh as heavy, and, what is greatly to his credit, he can provide you
+with a most delicate roast when you choose to kill and eat him. It is
+true he tastes slightly of formid acid, but that is just the flavour that
+epicures admire. And when you come to speak of &ldquo;hams,&rdquo;&mdash;ah! try
+his! Cure them well and properly, and eat one, and you will never
+again talk of &ldquo;Spanish&rdquo; or &ldquo;Westphalian.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Hans knew the taste of those hams&mdash;well he did, and so too Swartboy;
+and it was not against his inclination, but <i>con amore</i>, that the
+latter set about butchering the &ldquo;goup.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy knew how precious a morsel he held between his fingers,&mdash;precious,
+not only on account of its intrinsic goodness, but from its
+rarity; for although the aard-vark is a common animal in South
+Africa, and in some districts even numerous, it is not every day the
+hunter can lay his hands upon one. On the contrary, the creature is
+most difficult to capture; though not to kill, for a blow on the snout
+will do that.</p>
+
+<p>But just as he is easily killed when you catch him, in the same
+proportion is he hard to catch. He is shy and wary, scarce ever
+comes out of his burrow but at night; and even then skulks so silently
+along, and watches around him so sharply, that no enemy can approach
+without his knowing it. His eyes are very small, and, like most
+nocturnal animals, he sees but indifferently; but in the two senses of
+smell and hearing he is one of the sharpest. His long erect ears<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">411</a></span>
+enable him to catch every sound that may be made in his neighbourhood,
+however slight.</p>
+
+<p>The &ldquo;aard-vark&rdquo; is not the only ant-eating quadruped of South
+Africa. There is another four-footed creature as fond of white ants as
+he; but this is an animal of very different appearance. It is a creature
+without hair; but instead, its body is covered all over with a regular
+coat of scales, each as large as a half-crown piece. These scales
+slightly overlie each other, and can be raised on end at the will of the
+animal. In form it resembles a large lizard, or a small crocodile, more
+than an ordinary quadruped, but its habits are almost exactly like
+those of the aard-vark. It burrows, digs open the ant-hills by night,
+projects a long viscous tongue among the insects, and devours them
+with avidity.</p>
+
+<p>When suddenly overtaken, and out of reach of its underground
+retreat, it &ldquo;clews&rdquo; up like the hedgehog, and some species of the
+South American armadillos&mdash;to which last animal it bears a considerable
+resemblance on account of its scaly coat of mail.</p>
+
+<p>This ant-eater is known as the &ldquo;pangolin,&rdquo; or &ldquo;manis,&rdquo; but there
+are several species of &ldquo;pangolin&rdquo; not African. Some are met with in
+Southern Asia and the Indian islands. That which is found in South
+Africa is known among naturalists as the &ldquo;long-tailed&rdquo; or &ldquo;Tem-minck&rdquo;
+pangolin (<i>Manis Temminckii</i>).</p>
+
+<p>Totty soon produced a roasted &ldquo;peacock,&rdquo; or rather a hastily-broiled
+bustard. But, although, perhaps, not cooked &ldquo;to a turn,&rdquo; it was
+sufficiently well done to satisfy the stomachs for which it was intended.
+They were all too hungry to be fastidious, and, without a
+word of criticism, they got through their dinner.</p>
+
+<p>Hans then commenced relating the history of his day's adventure.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;W</span>ell,&rdquo; began Hans, &ldquo;you had not been gone more than an hour,
+when a herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They
+came on in single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing
+about in the water, before I thought of molesting them in any way.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game;
+but I was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I
+did not think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished
+drinking. Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue,
+and would be nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover,
+that in the herd of gnoos there were some young ones&mdash;which I was
+able to tell from their being smaller than the rest, and also by their
+lighter colour. I knew that the flesh of these is most excellent eating,
+and therefore made up my mind we should all dine upon it.</p>
+
+<p>I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent
+I had been in not loading it at the time you all went away.
+I had not thought of any sudden emergency,&mdash;but that was very
+foolish, for how knew I what might happen in a single hour or
+minute even?</p>
+
+<p>I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests
+leaving the water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I
+ran down the ladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">412</a></span>
+had forgotten to bring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too
+hot a haste to go back for them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests
+moving off, and I fancied I might be too late. But I had no intention
+of going any great distance in pursuit. A single shot at them
+was all I wanted, and that in the gun would do.</p>
+
+<p>I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover.
+I found, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious.
+The wildebeests, instead of being shy&mdash;as I had seen them in our old
+neighbourhood&mdash;appeared to have very little fear of me. This was
+especially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered
+about within an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me
+to approach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted.</p>
+
+<p>Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who
+seemed to act as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of
+them. I knew their flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get
+something more tender. I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or
+one of the young bulls whose horns had not yet begun to curve. Of
+these I saw several in the herd.</p>
+
+<p>Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough
+to any of these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond
+my range; and the two that brought up the rear, seemed to drive
+them forward as I advanced upon them.</p>
+
+<p>Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile;
+and the excitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it
+was of me to go so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat,
+and still hopeful of getting a shot, I kept on.</p>
+
+<p>At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer
+any bush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills,
+that, like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other
+scattered over the plain. These were very large&mdash;some of them more
+than twelve feet high&mdash;and differing from the dome-shaped kind so
+common everywhere. They were of the shape of large cones, or
+rounded pyramids, with a number of smaller cones rising around
+their bases, and clustering like turrets along their sides. I knew
+they were the hills of a species of white ant called by entomologists
+<i>Termes bellicosus</i>.</p>
+
+<p>There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that
+stood only about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen
+set upright&mdash;each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were
+the homes of a very different species, the <i>Termes mordax</i> of the entomologists;
+though still another species of <i>Termes</i> build their nests in
+the same form.</p>
+
+<p>I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only
+speak of them now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so
+that you may understand what followed.</p>
+
+<p>What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was
+pretty well covered. One or the other was met with every two
+hundred yards; and I fancied with these for a shelter I should have
+but little difficulty in getting within shot of the gnoos.</p>
+
+<p>I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shaped
+hill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I
+peeped through the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and
+younger ones had been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls
+were, as before, capering between me and the herd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">413</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I repeated the man&#339;uvre, and stalked in behind another large
+cone, close to which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself
+for a shot, I was again disappointed. The herd had moved off as
+before, and the brace of bulls still kept guard in the rear.</p>
+
+<p>I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed me
+exceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their man&#339;uvres
+were of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be
+made for the purpose of mocking me. At times they would charge
+up very close&mdash;their heads set in a menacing attitude; and I must
+confess that with their black shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and
+glaring red eyes, they looked anything but pleasant neighbours.</p>
+
+<p>I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should
+bother me no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of
+the others, I was determined they themselves should not escape scot-free,
+but should pay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved
+to put a bullet through one of them, at least.</p>
+
+<p>Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they
+had placed themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by
+dropping on their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came
+in contact. They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward,
+as if to get uppermost, and trample one another with their
+hoofs. Failing in this, both would rush past, until they were several
+yards apart; then wheel round, drop once more to their knees, and
+advance as before.</p>
+
+<p>Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and
+so I fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be
+in earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads
+against each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above
+all, their angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled,
+and were serious about it.</p>
+
+<p>One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.
+Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before
+he could quite recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and
+butted him back upon his side.</p>
+
+<p>Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make
+a sure shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind
+the ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any
+notice of my approach&mdash;the one because he had enough to do to guard
+himself from the terrible blows, and the other because he was so
+occupied in delivering them.</p>
+
+<p>When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull
+who appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling
+in striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside
+was towards me, and presented a fairer mark.</p>
+
+<p>I fired.</p>
+
+<p>The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the
+bull that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but,
+to my great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,
+apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him somewhere&mdash;as
+I heard the 'thud' of the bullet on his fat body&mdash;but it
+was plain I had not crippled him.</p>
+
+<p>I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded
+him. Not an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away,
+instead of the bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">414</a></span>
+fling up his tail, lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards
+me!</p>
+
+<p>His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was
+enough to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I
+was less frightened the other day when I encountered the lion.</p>
+
+<p>I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting
+myself in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my
+gun which was now empty&mdash;intending to use it as a club. But I saw
+at once, that the slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset
+of such a strong fierce animal, and that he would butt me over, and
+gore me, to a certainty.</p>
+
+<p>I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately
+they fell upon an ant-hill&mdash;the one I had just emerged from. I saw
+at a glance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fierce
+wildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake
+me?</p>
+
+<p>I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running
+upon ordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to
+that ant-hill than I did.</p>
+
+<p>I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets,
+and drew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs
+behind me, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels.</p>
+
+<p>But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked
+down at my pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther.
+Sharp as his horns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">BESIEGED BY THE BULL.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;W</span>ell,&rdquo; continued Hans, after a pause, &ldquo;I began to congratulate
+myself on my fortunate escape; for I was convinced that but for the
+ant-hill I would have been trampled and gored to death. The bull
+was one of the largest and fiercest of his kind, and a very old one
+too, as I could tell by the bases of his thick black horns nearly
+meeting over his forehead, as well as by his dark colour. I had
+plenty of time to note these things. I felt that I was now safe&mdash;that
+the wildebeest could not get near me; and I sat perched upon the
+top of the central cone, watching his movements with perfect
+coolness.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It is true he did everything to reach my position. A dozen times
+he charged up the hill, and more than once effected a lodgment
+among the tops of the lower turrets, but the main one was too steep
+for him. No wonder! It had tried my own powers to scale it.</p>
+
+<p>At times he came so close to me in his desperate efforts, that I
+could have touched his horns with the muzzle of my gun; and I
+had prepared to give him a blow whenever I could get a good chance.
+I never saw a creature behave so fiercely. The fact was, that I had
+hit him with my bullet,&mdash;the wound was there along his jaw, and
+bleeding freely. The pain of it maddened him; but that was not
+the only cause of his fury, as I afterwards discovered.</p>
+
+<p>Well. After several unsuccessful attempts to scale the cone, he
+varied his tactics, and commenced butting the ant-heap as though
+he would bring it down. He repeatedly backed, and then charged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">415</a></span>
+forward upon it with all his might; and, to say the truth, it looked
+for some time as though he would succeed.</p>
+
+<p>Several of the lesser cones were knocked over by his powerful
+blows; and the hard tough clay yielded before his sharp horns, used
+by him as inverted pick-axes. In several places I could see that he
+had laid open the chambers of the insects, or rather the ways and
+galleries that are placed in the outer crust of the hill.</p>
+
+<p>With all this I felt no fear. I was under the belief that he would
+soon exhaust his rage and go away; and then I could descend
+without danger. But after watching him a good long spell, I was
+not a little astonished to observe that, instead of cooling down, he
+seemed to grow more furious than ever. I had taken out my
+handkerchief to wipe the perspiration off my face. It was as hot as
+an oven where I sat. Not a breath of air was stirring, and the rays
+of the sun, glaring right down and then reflecting up again from the
+white clay, brought the perspiration out of me in streams. Every
+minute I was obliged to rub my eyes clear of it with the handkerchief.</p>
+
+<p>Now, before passing the kerchief over my face, I always shook it
+open; and each time I did so, I noticed that the rage of the wildebeest
+seemed to be redoubled! In fact, at such times he would leave
+off goring the heap, and make a fresh attempt to rush up at me,
+roaring his loudest as he charged against the steep wall!</p>
+
+<p>I was puzzled at this, as well as astonished. What could there be
+in my wiping my face to provoke the wildebeest anew? And yet
+such was clearly the case. Every time I did so, he appeared to swell
+with a fresh burst of passion!</p>
+
+<p>The explanation came at length. I saw that it was not the wiping
+off the perspiration that provoked him. It was the shaking out of
+my handkerchief. This was, as you know, of a bright scarlet colour.
+I thought of this, and then, for the first time, remembered having
+heard that anything scarlet has a most powerful effect upon the
+wildebeest, and excites him to a rage resembling madness.</p>
+
+<p>I did not wish to keep up his fury. I crumpled up the handkerchief
+and buried it in my pocket&mdash;preferring to endure the perspiration
+rather than remain there any longer. By hiding the scarlet,
+I conceived a hope he would the sooner cool down, and go away.</p>
+
+<p>But I had raised a devil in him too fierce to be so easily laid. He
+showed no signs of cooling down. On the contrary, he continued to
+charge, butt, and bellow, as vengefully as ever&mdash;though the scarlet
+was no longer before his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>I began to feel really annoyed. I had no idea the gnoo was so
+implacable in his rage. The bull evidently felt pain from his wound.
+I could perceive that he moaned it. He knew well enough it was
+I who had given him this pain.</p>
+
+<p>He appeared determined not to let me escape retribution. He
+showed no signs of an intention to leave the place; but laboured
+away with hoof and horns, as if he would demolish the mound.</p>
+
+<p>I was growing very tired of my situation. Though not afraid that
+the bull could reach me, I was troubled by the thought of being so
+long absent from our camp. I knew I should have been there. I
+thought of my little sister and brother. Some misfortune might
+befall them. I was very sad about that, though up to that time I
+had little or no fears for myself. I was still in hopes the wildebeest
+would tire out and leave me, and then I could soon run home.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">416</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I say, up to that time I had no very serious fears for myself&mdash;excepting
+the moment or two when the bull was chasing me to the
+hill; but that little fright was soon over.</p>
+
+<p>But now appeared a new object of dread&mdash;another enemy, as
+terrible as the enraged bull&mdash;that almost caused me to spring down
+upon the horns of the latter in my first moments of alarm!</p>
+
+<p>I have said that the wildebeest had broken down several of the
+lesser turrets&mdash;the outworks of the ant-hill&mdash;and had laid open the
+hollow spaces within. He had not penetrated to the main dome, but
+only the winding galleries and passages that perforate the outer
+walls.</p>
+
+<p>I noticed, that, as soon as these were broken open, a number of
+ants had rushed out from each. Indeed, I had observed many of
+the creatures crawling outside the hill, when I first approached it,
+and had wondered at this&mdash;as I knew that they usually keep under
+ground when going and coming from their nests. I had observed all
+this, without taking note of it at the time&mdash;being too intent in my
+stalk to think of anything else. For the last half-hour I was too
+busy watching the man&#339;uvres of the wildebeest bull, to take my
+gaze off him for a moment.</p>
+
+<p>Something in motion directly under me at length caught my eye,
+and I looked down to see what it was. The first glance caused
+me to jump to my feet; and, as I have already said, very nearly
+impelled me to leap down upon the horns of the bull!</p>
+
+<p>Swarming all over the hill, already clustering upon my shoes, and
+crawling still higher, were the crowds of angry ants. Every hole
+that the bull had made was yielding out its throng of spiteful
+insects; and all appeared moving towards me!</p>
+
+<p>Small as the creatures were, I fancied I saw design in their
+movements. They seemed all actuated with the same feeling&mdash;the
+same impulse&mdash;that of attacking me. I could not be mistaken in
+their intent. They moved all together, as if guided and led by
+intelligent beings; and they advanced towards the spot on which
+I stood.</p>
+
+<p>I saw, too, that they were the soldiers. I knew these from the
+workers, by their larger heads and long horny mandibles. I knew
+they could bite fiercely and painfully.</p>
+
+<p>The thought filled me with horror. I confess it, I never was so
+horrified before. My late encounter with the lion was nothing to
+compare with it.</p>
+
+<p>My first impression was that I would be destroyed by the termites.
+I had heard of such things&mdash;I remembered that I had. It was that,
+no doubt, that frightened me so badly, I had heard of men in their
+sleep being attacked by the white ants, and bitten to death. Such
+memories came crowding upon me at the moment, until I felt certain,
+that if I did not soon escape from that spot, the ants would sting
+me to death and eat me up!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A HELPLESS BEAST.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;W</span>hat was to be done?&rdquo; continued Hans. &ldquo;How was I to avoid
+both enemies? If I leaped down, the wildebeest would kill me to a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">417</a></span>
+certainty. He was still there, with his fierce eye bent upon me continually.
+If I remained where I was, I would soon be covered with
+the swarming hideous insects, and eaten up like an old rag.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 356px;">
+<img src="images/illus-417.jpg" width="356" height="500" alt="HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST." title="HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST." />
+<span class="caption">HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.</span></div>
+
+<p>Already I felt their terrible teeth. Those that had first crawled
+to my feet I had endeavoured to brush off; but some had got upon
+my ankles, and were biting me through my thick woollen socks! My
+clothes would be no protection.</p>
+
+<p>I had mounted to the highest part of the cone, and was standing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">418</a></span>
+upon its apex. It was so sharp I could scarcely balance myself, but
+the painful stings of the insects caused me to dance upon it like a
+mountebank.</p>
+
+<p>But what signified those that had already stung my ankle, to the
+numbers that were likely soon to pierce me with their venomous
+darts? Already these were swarming up the last terrace. They
+would soon cover the apex of the cone upon which I was standing.
+They would crawl up my limbs in myriads&mdash;they would&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>I could reflect no longer on what they would do. I preferred
+taking my chance with the wildebeest. I would leap down. Perhaps
+some lucky accident might aid me. I would battle with the gnoo,
+using my gun. Perhaps I might succeed in escaping to some other
+hill. Perhaps&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>I was actually on the spring to leap down, when a new thought
+came into my mind; and I wondered I had been so silly as not to
+think of it before. What was to hinder me from keeping off the
+termites? They had no wings&mdash;the soldiers have none&mdash;nor the
+workers neither, for that matter. They could not fly upon me.
+They could only crawl up the cone. With my jacket I could brush
+them back. Certainly I could&mdash;why did I not think of it before?</p>
+
+<p>I was not long in taking off my jacket. I laid aside my useless
+gun, dropping it upon one of the lower terraces. I caught the
+jacket by the collar; and, using it as a duster, I cleared the sides of
+the cone in a few moments, having sent thousands of the termites
+tumbling headlong below.</p>
+
+<p>Pshaw! how simply the thing was done! why had I not done it
+before? It cost scarcely an effort to brush the myriads away, and a
+slight effort would keep them off as long as I pleased.</p>
+
+<p>The only annoyance I felt now was from the few that had got
+under my trousers, and that still continued to bite me; but these I
+would get rid of in time.</p>
+
+<p>Well&mdash;I remained on the apex, now bending down to beat back
+the soldiers that still swarmed upward, and then occupying myself
+in trying to get rid of the few that crawled upon me. I felt no
+longer any uneasiness on the score of the insects&mdash;though I was not
+a bit better off as regarded the bull, who still kept guard below. I
+fancied, however, that he now showed symptoms of weariness, and
+would soon raise the siege; and this prospect made me feel more
+cheerful.</p>
+
+<p>A sudden change came over me. A new thrill of terror awaited me.</p>
+
+<p>While jumping about upon the top of the cone, my footing suddenly
+gave way&mdash;the baked clay broke with a dead crash, and I sank
+through the roof. My feet shot down into the hollow dome&mdash;till I
+thought I must have crushed the great queen in her chamber&mdash;and I
+stood buried to the neck.</p>
+
+<p>I was surprised, and a little terrified, not by the shock I had experienced
+in the sudden descent. That was natural enough, and a
+few moments would have restored my equanimity; but it was something
+else that frightened me. It was something that moved under
+my feet as they 'touched bottom,'&mdash;something that moved and
+heaved under them, and then passed quickly away, letting me still
+farther down!</p>
+
+<p>What could it be? Was it the great swarm of living ants that I
+pressed upon? I did not think it was. It did not feel like them. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">419</a></span>
+seemed to be something bulky and strong, for it held up my whole
+weight for a moment or two, before it slipped from under me.</p>
+
+<p>Whatever it was, it frightened me very considerably; and I did
+not leave my feet in its company for five seconds time. No: the
+hottest furnace would scarce have scorched them during the time
+they remained inside the dark dome. In five seconds they were on
+the walls again&mdash;on the broken edges, where I had mounted up, and
+where I now stood quite speechless with surprise!</p>
+
+<p>What next? I could keep the ants off no longer. I gazed down
+the dark cavity; they were swarming up that way in thick crowds.
+I could brush them down no more.</p>
+
+<p>My eyes at this moment chanced to wander to the bull. He was
+standing at three or four paces distance from the base of the hill.
+He was standing sideways with his head turned to it, and regarding
+it with a wild look. His attitude was entirely changed, and so, I
+thought, was the expression of his eye. He looked as if he had just
+run off to his new position, and was ready to make a second start.
+He looked as if something had also terrified him!</p>
+
+<p>Something evidently had; for, in another moment, he uttered a
+sharp rout, galloped several paces farther out, wheeled again, halted,
+and stood gazing as before!</p>
+
+<p>What could it mean? Was it the breaking through of the roof
+and my sudden descent that had frightened him?</p>
+
+<p>At first I thought so, but I observed that he did not look upward
+to the top. His gaze seemed bent on some object near the base of
+the hill&mdash;though from where I stood I could see nothing there to
+frighten him.</p>
+
+<p>I had not time to reflect what it could be, before the bull uttered
+a fresh snort; and, raising its tail high into the air, struck off at full
+gallop over the plain!</p>
+
+<p>Rejoiced at seeing this, I thought no more of what had relieved me
+of his company. It must have been my curious fall, I concluded;
+but no matter now that the brute was gone. So seizing hold of my
+gun, I prepared to descend from the elevated position of which I was
+thoroughly tired.</p>
+
+<p>Just as I had got half down the side, I chanced to look below; and
+there was the object that terrified the old bull. No wonder. It
+might have terrified anything,&mdash;the odd-looking creature that it was.
+From out a hole in the clay wall protruded a long naked cylindrical
+snout, mounted by a pair of ears nearly as long as itself, that stood
+erect like the horns of a steinbuck, and gave to the animal that bore
+them a wild and vicious look. It would have badly frightened me,
+had I not known what it was; but I recognised it at once as one of
+the most inoffensive creatures in the world&mdash;the 'aard-vark.'</p>
+
+<p>His appearance accounted for the retreat of the bull, and also explained
+why the ants had been crawling about on my first reaching
+their hill.</p>
+
+<p>Without saying a word, or making the slightest noise, I clubbed
+my gun; and, bending downward, struck the protruded snout a blow
+with the butt. It was a most wicked blow; and, considering the
+service the creature had just done me in frightening off the wildebeest,
+a most ungrateful return. But I was not master of my feelings
+at the moment. I did not reflect&mdash;only that I liked aard-vark flesh&mdash;and
+the blow was given.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">420</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Poor fellow! It did the job for him. With scarce a kick he
+dropped dead in the opening he had scraped with his own claws.</p>
+
+<p>Well&mdash;my day's adventures were not yet ended. They seemed as
+though they were never to end. I had got the aard-vark over my
+shoulders, and was about heading homeward, when, to my astonishment,
+I observed that the bull-gnoo&mdash;not the one that had besieged
+me, but his late antagonist&mdash;was still out upon the plain where I had
+last seen him! I observed, moreover, that he was still in a sort of
+half-lying, half-kneeling attitude, with his head close to the ground!</p>
+
+<p>His odd movements seemed stranger than anything else. I
+fancied he had been badly hurt by the other, and was not able to get
+away.</p>
+
+<p>At first I was cautious about going near him&mdash;remembering my
+late narrow escape&mdash;and I thought of giving him a wide berth, and
+leaving him alone. Even though wounded, he might be strong
+enough to charge upon me; and my empty gun, as I had already
+proved, would be but a poor weapon with which to defend myself.</p>
+
+<p>I hesitated about going near him; but curiosity grew strong
+within me, as I watched his queer man&#339;uvres; until at length I
+walked up within a dozen yards of where he was kneeling.</p>
+
+<p>Fancy my surprise on discovering the cause of his oblique movements.
+No hurt had he received of any kind&mdash;not even a scratch;
+but for all that, he was as completely crippled as if he had lost his
+best pair of legs.</p>
+
+<p>In a very singular manner was he rendered thus helpless. In his
+struggle with the other bull, one of his fore-legs had, somehow or
+other, got passed over his horn; and there it stuck&mdash;not only depriving
+him of the use of the limb itself, but holding his head so close to
+the ground that he was quite unable to stir from the spot!</p>
+
+<p>At first I designed helping him out of his difficulty, and letting
+him go. On second thoughts, I remembered the story of the husband-man
+and the frozen snake, which quite changed my intention.</p>
+
+<p>I next thought of killing him for venison; but having no bullet, I
+did not like to beat him to death with my gun. Besides the aard-vark
+was my load to camp, and I knew that the jackals would eat
+the bull up before we could go back for him. I thought it probable
+he would be safer left as he was&mdash;as these ravenous brutes, seeing
+him alive, might not so readily approach him.</p>
+
+<p>So I left him with his &ldquo;head under his arm,&rdquo; in hopes that we may
+find him there to-morrow.</p>
+
+<p>So ended Hans's narrative of his day's adventures.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING-ROOM.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>he field-cornet was far from satisfied with his day's work. His first
+attempt at elephant-hunting had proved a failure. Might it not be
+always so?</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the interest with which he listened to Hans's
+narrative of the day's adventures, he felt uneasy in his mind when he
+reflected upon his own.</p>
+
+<p>The elephant had escaped so easily. Their bullets seemed to have
+injured him not the least. They had only served to render him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">421</a></span>
+furious, and dangerous. Though both had hit him in places where
+their wounds should have been mortal, no such effect was produced.
+The elephant seemed to go off as unscathed, as if they had fired only
+boiled peas at him!</p>
+
+<p>Would it be always so?</p>
+
+<p>True, they had given him but two shots. Two, if well directed,
+may bring down a cow-elephant and sometimes a bull, but oftener it
+requires ten times two before a strong old bull can be made to &ldquo;bite
+the dust.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But would any elephant wait until they could load and fire a
+sufficient number of shots?</p>
+
+<p>That was an undecided point with our tyro elephant-hunters. If
+not, then they would be helpless indeed. It would be a tedious
+business spooring the game afoot, after it had once been fired upon.
+In such cases the elephant usually travels many miles before halting
+again; and only mounted men can with any facility overtake him.</p>
+
+<p>How Von Bloom sighed when he thought of his poor horses! Now
+more than ever did he feel the want of them&mdash;now more than ever did
+he regret their loss.</p>
+
+<p>But he had heard that the elephant does not always make off when
+attacked. The old bull had shown no intention of retreating, after
+receiving their shots. It was the odd conduct of Swartboy that had
+put him to flight. But for that, he would no doubt have kept the
+ground, until they had given him another volley, and perhaps his
+death-wound.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet drew consolation from this last reflection. Perhaps
+their next encounter would have a different ending. Perhaps a pair
+of tusks would reward them.</p>
+
+<p>The hope of such a result, as well as the anxiety about it, determined
+Von Bloom to lose no time in making a fresh trial. Next morning,
+therefore, before the sun was up, the hunters were once more upon
+the trail of their giant game.</p>
+
+<p>One precaution they had taken, which they had not thought of
+before. All of them had heard that an ordinary leaden bullet will
+not penetrate the tough thick skin of the great &ldquo;pachyderm.&rdquo; Perhaps
+this had been the cause of their failure on the preceding day.
+If so they had provided against the recurrence of failure from such a
+cause. They had moulded a new set of balls of harder material,&mdash;solder
+it should have been, but they had none. They chanced, however,
+to be in possession of what served the purpose equally well&mdash;the
+old &ldquo;plate&rdquo; that had often graced the field-cornet's table in his better
+byegone days of the Graaf Reinet. This consisted of candlesticks,
+and snuffer-trays, and dish-covers, and cruet-stands, and a variety of
+articles of the real &ldquo;Dutch metal.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Some of these were condemned to the alembic of the melting-pan;
+and, mixed with the common lead, produced a set of balls hard
+enough for the hide of the rhinoceros itself&mdash;so that this day the
+hunters had no fears of failure upon the score of soft bullets.</p>
+
+<p>They went in the same direction as upon the preceding day, towards
+the forest or &ldquo;bush,&rdquo; as they termed it.</p>
+
+<p>They had not proceeded a mile when they came upon the spoor of
+elephants nearly fresh. It passed through the very thickest of the
+thorny jungle&mdash;where no creature but an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a
+man with an axe, could have made way. A family must have passed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">422</a></span>
+consisting of a male, a female or two, and several young ones of
+different ages. They had marched in single file, as elephants usually
+do; and had made a regular lane several feet wide, which was quite
+clear of bushes, and trampled by their immense footsteps. The old
+bull, Swartboy said, had gone in advance, and had cleared the way of
+all obstructions, by means of his trunk and tusks. This had evidently
+been the case, for the hunters observed huge branches broken off, or
+still hanging and turned to one side, out of the way&mdash;just as if the
+hand of man had done it.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy further affirmed, that such elephant-roads usually led to
+water; and by the very easiest and shortest routes&mdash;as if they had
+been planned and laid open by the skill of an engineer&mdash;showing the
+rare instinct or sagacity of these animals.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters, therefore, expected soon to arrive at some watering-place;
+but it was equally probable the spoor might be leading them
+from the water.</p>
+
+<p>They had not followed it more than a quarter of a mile, when they
+came upon another road of a similar kind, that crossed the one they
+were spooring upon. This had also been made by a number of
+elephants&mdash;a family most likely&mdash;and the tracks upon it were as
+recent as those they had been following.</p>
+
+<p>They hesitated for a moment which to take; but at length concluded
+upon keeping straight on; and so they moved forward as
+before.</p>
+
+<p>To their great disappointment the trail at last led out into more
+open ground, where the elephants had scattered about; and after
+following the tracks of one, and then another without success, they
+got bewildered, and lost the spoor altogether.</p>
+
+<p>While casting about to find it in a place where the bush was thin
+and straggling, Swartboy suddenly ran off to one side, calling to the
+others to follow him. Von Bloom and Hendrik went after to see what
+the Bushman was about. They thought he had seen an elephant,
+and both, considerably excited, had already pulled the covers off their
+guns.</p>
+
+<p>There was no elephant, however. When they came up with Swartboy,
+he was standing under a tree, and pointing to the ground at its
+bottom.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters looked down. They saw that the ground upon one
+side of the tree was trampled, as though horses or some other animals
+had been tied there for a long time, and had worn off the turf, and
+worked it into dust with their hoofs. The bark of the tree&mdash;a full-topped
+shady acacia&mdash;for some distance up was worn smooth upon one
+side, just as though cattle had used it for a rubbing-post.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What has done it?&rdquo; asked the field-cornet and Hendrik in a
+breath.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Da olifant's slapen-boom&rdquo; (the elephant's sleeping-tree), replied
+Swartboy.</p>
+
+<p>No further explanation was necessary. The hunters remembered
+what they had been told about a curious habit which the elephant
+has&mdash;of leaning against a tree while asleep. This, then, was one of
+the sleeping-trees of these animals.</p>
+
+<p>But of what use to them, farther than to gratify a little curiosity?
+The elephant was not there.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Da ole karl come again,&rdquo; said Swartboy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">423</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha! you think so, Swart?&rdquo; inquired Von Bloom.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ya, baas, lookee da! spoor fresh&mdash;da groot olifant hab slap here
+yesterday.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What then? you think we should lie in wait, and shoot him when
+he returns.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;No, baas, better dan shoot, we make him bed&mdash;den wait see um
+lie down.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy grinned a laugh as he gave this piece of advice.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Make his bed! what do you mean?&rdquo; inquired his master.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I tell you, baas, we get da oliphant sure, if you leave da job to ole
+Swart. I gib you de plan for take him, no waste powder, no waste
+bullet.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The Bushman proceeded to communicate his plan, to which his
+master&mdash;remembering their failure of yesterday&mdash;readily gave his consent.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately they had all the implements that would be necessary
+for carrying it out,&mdash;a sharp axe, a strong rope or &ldquo;rheim&rdquo; of raw-hide,
+and their knives&mdash;and they set about the business without loss of
+time.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">T</span>o the hunters time was a consideration. If the elephant should return
+that day it would be just before the hottest hours of noon. They
+had, therefore, scarce an hour left to prepare for him&mdash;to &ldquo;make his
+bed,&rdquo; as Swartboy had jocosely termed it. So they went to work with
+alacrity, the Bushman acting as director-general, while the other two
+received their orders from him with the utmost obedience.</p>
+
+<p>The first work which Swartboy assigned to them was to cut and
+prepare three stakes of hard wood. They were to be each about three
+feet long, as thick as a man's arm, and pointed at one end.</p>
+
+<p>These were soon procured. The iron-wood which grew in abundance
+in the neighbourhood, furnished the very material; and after three
+pieces of sufficient length had been cut down with the axe, they were
+reduced to the proper size, and pointed by the knives of the hunters.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Swartboy had not been idle. First, with his knife he
+had cut a large section of bark from the elephant's tree, upon the side
+against which the animal had been in the habit of leaning, and about
+three feet from the ground. Then with the axe he made a deep notch,
+where the bark had been removed&mdash;in fact, such a notch as would have
+caused the tree to fall had it been left to itself. But it was not, for
+before advancing so far in his work, Swartboy had taken measures to
+prevent that. He had stayed the tree by fastening the rheim to its
+upper branches on the opposite side, and then carrying the rope to the
+limbs of another tree that stood out in that direction.</p>
+
+<p>Thus adjusted, the elephant's tree was only kept from falling by the
+rheim-stay; and a slight push, in the direction of the latter, would
+have thrown it over.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy now replaced the section of bark, which he had preserved;
+and after carefully collecting the chips, no one, without close examination,
+could have told that the tree had ever felt the edge of an axe.</p>
+
+<p>Another operation yet remained to be performed&mdash;that was the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">424</a></span>
+planting of the stakes, already prepared by Von Bloom and Hendrik.
+To set these firmly, deep holes had to be made. But Swartboy was
+just the man to make a hole; and in less than ten minutes he had
+sunk three, each over a foot deep, and not a half-inch wider than the
+thickness of the stakes!</p>
+
+<p>You may be curious to know how he accomplished this. You would
+have dug a hole with a spade, and necessarily as wide as the spade itself.
+But Swartboy had no spade, and would not have used it if there
+had been one&mdash;since it would have made the holes too large for his
+purpose.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy sunk his holes by &ldquo;crowing&rdquo;&mdash;which process he performed
+by means of a small pointed stick. With this he first loosened the
+earth in a circle of the proper size. He then took out the detached
+mould, flung it away, and used the point of the &ldquo;crowing stick&rdquo; as
+before. Another clearing out of mould, another application of the
+stick; and so on, till the narrow hole was deemed of sufficient depth.
+That was how Swartboy &ldquo;crowed&rdquo; the holes.</p>
+
+<p>They were sunk in a kind of triangle near the bottom of the tree,
+but on the side opposite to that where the elephant would stand, should
+he occupy his old ground.</p>
+
+<p>In each hole Swartboy now set a stake, thick end down and point
+upwards; some small pebbles, and a little mould worked in at the sides,
+wedged them as firmly as if they had grown there.</p>
+
+<p>The stakes were now daubed over with soft earth, to conceal the
+white colour of the wood; the remaining chips were picked up, and
+all traces of the work completely obliterated. This done the hunters
+withdrew from the spot.</p>
+
+<p>They did not go far; but choosing a large bushy tree to leeward,
+all three climbed up into it, and sat concealed among its branches.</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet held his long &ldquo;roer&rdquo; in readiness, and so did Hendrik
+his rifle. In case the ingenious trap of Swartboy should fail, they intended
+to use their guns, but not otherwise.</p>
+
+<p>It was now quite noon, and the day had turned out one of the
+hottest. But for the shade afforded by the leaves, they would have
+felt it very distressing. Swartboy prognosticated favourably from
+this. The great heat would be more likely than anything else to send
+the elephant to his favourite sleeping-place under the cool shady cover
+of the cameel-doorn.</p>
+
+<p>It was now quite noon. He could not be long in coming, thought
+they.</p>
+
+<p>Sure enough he came, and soon, too.</p>
+
+<p>They had not been twenty minutes on their perch, when they heard
+a strange, rumbling noise, which they knew proceeded from the
+stomach of an elephant. The next moment they saw one emerge from
+the jungle, and walk, with sweeping step, straight up to the tree. He
+seemed to have no suspicion of any danger; but placed himself at once
+alongside the trunk of the acacia&mdash;in the very position and on the side
+Swartboy had said he would take. From his spoor the Bushman knew
+he had been in the habit of so standing.</p>
+
+<p>His head was turned from the hunters, but not so much as to prevent
+them from seeing a pair of splendid tusks,&mdash;six feet long at the
+least.</p>
+
+<p>While gazing in admiration at these rich trophies, they saw the
+animal point his proboscis upward, and discharge a vast shower of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">425</a></span>
+water into the leaves, which afterwards fell dripping in bright globules
+over his body!</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy said that he drew the water from his stomach. Although
+closet-naturalists deny this, it must have been so; for shortly after,
+he repeated the act again and again&mdash;the quantity of water at each
+discharge being as great as before. It was plain that his trunk, large
+as it was, could not have contained it all.</p>
+
+<p>He seemed to enjoy this &ldquo;shower-bath;&rdquo; and the hunters did not
+wonder at it, for they themselves, suffering at the time from heat and
+thirst, would have relished something of a similar kind. As the
+crystal drops fell back from the acacia leaves, the huge animal was
+heard to utter a low grunt expressive of gratification. The hunters
+hoped that this was the prelude to his sleep, and watched him with
+intense earnestness.</p>
+
+<p>It proved to be so.</p>
+
+<p>As they sat gazing, they noticed that his head sunk a little, his ears
+ceased their flapping, his tail hung motionless, and his trunk, now
+twined around his tusks, remained at rest.</p>
+
+<p>They gaze intently. Now they see his body droop a little to one
+side&mdash;now it touches the tree&mdash;there is heard a loud crack, followed by
+a confused crashing of branches&mdash;and the huge dark body of the
+elephant sinks upon its side.</p>
+
+<p>At the same instant a terrible scream drowns all other sounds, causing
+the forest to echo, and the very leaves to quake. Then follows a
+confused roaring, mingled with the noise of cracking branches, and the
+struggles of the mighty brute where he lies kicking his giant limbs
+along the earth, in the agonies of death!</p>
+
+<p>The hunters remain in the tree. They see that the elephant is down&mdash;that
+he is impaled. There will be no need for their puny weapons.
+Their game has already received the death-wound.</p>
+
+<p>The struggle is of short duration. The painful breathing that precedes
+death is heard issuing from the long proboscis; and then follows
+a deep ominous silence.</p>
+
+<p>The hunters leap down, and approach the prostrate body. They see
+that it still lies upon the terrible <i>chevaux de fris&eacute;</i>, where it had fallen.
+The stakes have done their work most effectively. The elephant
+breathes no more. He is dead!</p>
+
+<p>It was the work of an hour to cut out those splendid tusks. But
+our hunters thought nothing of that; and they were only the more
+pleased to find each of them a heavy load&mdash;as much as a man could
+carry!</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom shouldered one, Swartboy the other, while Hendrik
+loaded himself with the guns and implements; and all three, leaving
+the carcass of the dead elephant behind them, returned triumphantly
+to camp.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>otwithstanding the success of the day's hunt, the mind of Von
+Bloom was not at rest. They had &ldquo;bagged&rdquo; their game, it was true,
+but in what manner? Their success was a mere accident, and gave
+them no earnest of what might be expected in the future. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">426</a></span>
+might go long before finding another &ldquo;sleeping-tree&rdquo; of the elephants,
+and repeating their easy capture.</p>
+
+<p>Such were the not very pleasant reflections of the field-cornet, on
+the evening after returning from their successful hunt.</p>
+
+<p>But still less pleasant were they, two weeks later, at the retrospect
+of many an unsuccessful chase from which they had returned&mdash;when,
+after twelve days spent in &ldquo;jaging&rdquo; the elephant, they had
+added only a single pair of tusks to the collection, and these the
+tusks of a cow elephant, scarce two feet in length, and of little
+value!</p>
+
+<p>The reflection was not the less painful, that nearly every day they
+had fallen in with elephants, and had obtained a shot or two at these
+animals. That did not mend the matter a bit. On the contrary, it
+taught the hunter how easily they could run away from him, as they
+invariably did. It taught him how small his chances were of
+capturing such game, so long as he could only follow it afoot.</p>
+
+<p>The hunter on foot stands but a poor chance with the elephant.
+Stalking in upon one is easy enough, and perhaps obtaining a single
+shot; but when the animal trots off through the thick jungle, it
+is tedious work following him. He may go miles before halting, and
+even if the hunter should overtake him, it may be only to deliver
+a second shot, and see the game once more disappear into the bushes&mdash;perhaps
+to be spoored no farther.</p>
+
+<p>Now the mounted hunter has this advantage. His horse can
+overtake the elephant; and it is a peculiarity of this animal, that
+the moment he finds that his enemy, whatever it be, can do that
+thing, he disdains to run any farther, but at once stands to bay;
+and the hunter may then deliver as many shots as he pleases.</p>
+
+<p>Herein lies the great advantage of the hunter on horseback.
+Another advantage is the security the horse affords, enabling his
+rider to avoid the charges of the angry elephant.</p>
+
+<p>No wonder Von Bloom sighed for a horse. No wonder he felt
+grieved at the want of this noble companion, that would have aided
+him so much in the chase.</p>
+
+<p>He grieved all the more, now that he had become acquainted with
+the district, and had found it so full of elephants. Troops of an
+hundred had been seen; and these far from being shy, or disposed
+to make off after a shot or two. Perhaps they had never heard the
+report of a gun before that of his own long roer pealed in their huge ears.</p>
+
+<p>With a horse the field-cornet believed he could have killed many,
+and obtained much valuable ivory. Without one, his chances of
+carrying out his design were poor indeed. His hopes were likely
+to end in disappointment.</p>
+
+<p>He felt this keenly. The bright prospects he had so ardently
+indulged in, became clouded over; and fears for the future once
+more harassed him. He would only waste his time in this wilderness.
+His children would live without books, without education, without
+society. Were he to be suddenly called away, what would become
+of them? His pretty Gertrude would be no better off than a little
+savage&mdash;his sons would become not in sport, as he was wont to call
+them, but in reality a trio of &ldquo;Bush-boys.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Once more these thoughts filled the heart of the father with pain.
+Oh! what would he not have given at that moment for a pair of
+horses, of any sort whatever?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">427</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet, while making these reflections, was seated in the
+great nwana-tree, upon the platform, that had been built on the side
+towards the lake, and from which a full view could be obtained of
+the water. From this point a fine view could also be obtained of the
+country which lay to the eastward of the lake. At some distance off
+it was wooded, but near the vley a grassy plain lay spread before the
+eye like a green meadow.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of the hunter were turned outward on this plain, and just
+then his glance fell upon a troop of animals crossing the open
+ground, and advancing towards the vley.</p>
+
+<p>They were large animals&mdash;nearly of the shape and size of small
+horses&mdash;and travelling in single file; as they were, the troop at
+a distance presented something of the appearance of a &ldquo;cafila,&rdquo; or
+caravan. There were in all about fifty individuals in the line; and
+they marched along with a steady sober pace, as if under the
+guidance and direction of some wise leader. How very different
+from the capricious and eccentric movements of the gnoos!</p>
+
+<p>Individually they bore some resemblance to these last-named
+animals. In the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general
+ground colour, and in the &ldquo;brindled&rdquo; or tiger-like stripes that could
+be perceived upon their cheeks, neck, and shoulders. These stripes
+were exactly of the same form as those upon a zebra; but far less
+distinct, and not extending to the body or limbs, as is the case with
+the true zebra. In general colour, and in some other respects, the
+animals reminded one of the ass; but their heads, necks, and the
+upper part of their bodies, were of darker hue, slightly tinged with
+reddish brown. In fact, the new-comers had points of resemblance
+to all four&mdash;horse, ass, gnoo, and zebra&mdash;and yet they were distinct
+from any. To the zebra they bore the greatest resemblance&mdash;for
+they were in reality a species of zebra&mdash;they were quaggas.</p>
+
+<p>Modern naturalists have divided the <i>Equid&aelig;</i>, or horse family, into
+two genera&mdash;the horse and the ass&mdash;the principal points of distinction
+being, that animals of the horse kind have long flowing manes,
+full tails, and warty callosities on both hind and fore limbs; while
+asses, on the contrary, have short, meagre, and upright manes,
+tails slender and furnished only with long hairs at the extremity,
+and their hind limbs wanting the callosities. These, however, are
+found on the fore-legs as upon horses.</p>
+
+<p>Although there are many varieties of the horse genus&mdash;scores of
+them, widely differing from each other&mdash;they can all be easily
+recognised by these characteristic marks, from the &ldquo;Suffolk Punch,&rdquo;
+the great London drayhorse, down to his diminutive little cousin the
+&ldquo;Shetland Pony.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The varieties of the ass are nearly as numerous, though this fact
+is not generally known.</p>
+
+<p>First, we have the common ass, the type of the genus; and of this
+there are many breeds in different countries, some nearly as elegant
+and as highly prized as horses. Next there is the &ldquo;onagra,&rdquo; &ldquo;koulan,&rdquo;
+or &ldquo;wild ass,&rdquo; supposed to be the origin of the common kind. This
+is a native of Asia, though it is also found in the north-eastern parts
+of Africa. There is also the &ldquo;dziggetai,&rdquo; or &ldquo;great wild ass,&rdquo; of
+Central and Southern Asia, and another smaller species the &ldquo;ghur&rdquo;
+found in Persia. Again, there is the &ldquo;kiang&rdquo; met with in Ladakh,
+and the &ldquo;yo-totze,&rdquo; an inhabitant of Chinese Tartary.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">428</a></span></p>
+
+<p>All these are Asiatic species, found in a wild state, and differing
+from one another in colour, size, form, and even in habits. Many
+of them are of elegant form, and swift as the swiftest horses.</p>
+
+<p>In this little book we cannot afford room for a description of each,
+but must confine our remarks to what is more properly our subject&mdash;the
+wild asses of Africa. Of these there are six or seven kinds&mdash;perhaps
+more.</p>
+
+<p>First, there is the &ldquo;wild ass,&rdquo; which, as already stated, extends
+from Asia into the north-eastern parts of Africa, contiguous to the
+former continent.</p>
+
+<p>Next there is the &ldquo;koomrah,&rdquo; of which very little is known, except
+that it inhabits the forests of Northern Africa, and is solitary in
+its habits, unlike most of the other species. The koomrah has been
+described as a &ldquo;wild horse,&rdquo; but, most probably, it belongs to the
+genus <i>asinus</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Now there are four other species of &ldquo;wild asses&rdquo; in Africa&mdash;wild
+horses some call them&mdash;and a fifth reported by travellers, but as
+yet undetermined. These species bear such a resemblance to one
+another in their form, the peculiar markings of their bodies, size, and
+general habits, that they may be classed together under the title of
+the zebra family. First, there is the true zebra, perhaps the most
+beautiful of all quadrupeds, and of which no description need be
+given. Second, the &ldquo;dauw,&rdquo; or &ldquo;Burchell's zebra,&rdquo; as it is more
+frequently called. Third, the &ldquo;congo dauw,&rdquo; closely resembling the
+dauw. Fourth, the &ldquo;quagga&rdquo;; and fifth, the undetermined species
+known as the &ldquo;white zebra,&rdquo; so called from its pale yellow, or
+Isabella colour.</p>
+
+<p>These five species evidently have a close affinity with each other&mdash;all
+of them being more or less marked with the peculiar transversal
+bands or &ldquo;stripes,&rdquo; which are the well-known characteristics of the
+zebra. Even the quagga is so banded upon the head and upper parts
+of its body.</p>
+
+<p>The zebra proper is &ldquo;striped&rdquo; from the tip of the nose to its very
+hoofs, and the bands are of a uniform black, while the ground colour
+is nearly white, or white tinged with a pale yellow. The &ldquo;dauws,&rdquo;
+on the other hand, are not banded upon the legs; the rays are not
+so dark or well defined, and the ground colour is not so pure or clean-looking.
+For the rest, all these three species are much alike; and it
+is more than probable that either &ldquo;Burchell's&rdquo; or the &ldquo;congo dauw&rdquo;
+was the species to which the name of &ldquo;zebra&rdquo; was first applied; for
+that which is now called the &ldquo;true zebra&rdquo; inhabits those parts of
+Africa where it was less likely to have been the first observed of the
+genus. At all events, the &ldquo;congo dauw&rdquo; is the &ldquo;hippotigris,&rdquo; or
+tiger-horse, of the Romans; and this we infer from its inhabiting a
+more northerly part of Africa than the others, all of which belong to
+the southern half of that continent. The habitat of the zebra is said
+to extend as far north as Abyssinia; but, perhaps, the &ldquo;congo dauw,&rdquo;
+which certainly inhabits Abyssinia, has been mistaken for the true
+zebra.</p>
+
+<p>Of the four species in South Africa, the zebra is a mountain
+animal, and dwells among the cliffs, while the dauw and quagga rove
+over the plains and wild karoo deserts. In similar situations to these
+has the &ldquo;white zebra&rdquo; been observed&mdash;though only by the traveller Le
+Vaillant&mdash;and hence the doubt about its existence as a distinct species.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">429</a></span></p>
+
+<p>None of the kinds associate together, though each herds with other
+animals! The quagga keeps company with the gnoo, the &ldquo;dauw&rdquo;
+with the &ldquo;brindled gnoo,&rdquo; while the tall ostrich stalks in the midst
+of the herds of both!</p>
+
+<p>There is much difference in the nature and disposition of the different
+species. The mountain zebra is very shy and wild; the dauw
+is almost untameable; while the quagga is of a timid docile nature,
+and may be trained to harness with as much facility as a horse.</p>
+
+<p>The reason why this has not been done, is simply because the
+farmers of South Africa have horses in plenty, and do not stand in
+need of the quagga, either for saddle or harness.</p>
+
+<p>But though Von Bloom the farmer had never thought of &ldquo;breaking
+in&rdquo; a quagga, Von Bloom the hunter now did.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">U</span>p to this time the field-cornet had scarce deigned to notice the
+quaggas. He knew what they were, and had often seen a drove of
+them&mdash;perhaps the same one&mdash;approach the vley and drink. Neither
+he nor any of his people had molested them, though they might have
+killed many. They knew that the yellow oily flesh of these animals
+was not fit for food, and is only eaten by the hungry natives&mdash;that
+their hides, although sometimes used for grain-sacks and other common
+purposes, are of very little value. For these reasons, they had
+suffered them to come and go quietly. They did not wish to waste
+powder and lead upon them; neither did they desire wantonly to
+destroy such harmless creatures.</p>
+
+<p>Every evening, therefore, the quaggas had drunk at the vley and
+gone off again, without exciting the slightest interest.</p>
+
+<p>Not so upon this occasion. A grand design now occupied the
+mind of Von Bloom. The troop of quaggas became suddenly invested
+with as much interest as if it had been a herd of elephants; and the
+field-cornet had started to his feet, and stood gazing upon them&mdash;his
+eyes sparkling with pleasure and admiration.</p>
+
+<p>He admired their prettily-striped heads, their plump well-turned
+bodies, their light elegant limbs; in short, he admired everything
+about them, size, colour, and proportions. Never before had quaggas
+appeared so beautiful in the eyes of the vee-boer.</p>
+
+<p>But why this new-born admiration for the despised quaggas?&mdash;for
+despised they are by the Cape farmer, who shoots them only to feed
+his Hottentot servants. Why had they so suddenly become such
+favourites with the field-cornet? That you will understand by
+knowing the reflections that were just then passing through his mind.</p>
+
+<p>They were as follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Might not a number of these animals be caught and broken in?&mdash;Why
+not? Might they not be trained to the saddle?&mdash;Why not?
+Might they not serve him for hunting the elephant just as well as
+horses?&mdash;Why not?</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom asked these three questions of himself. Half a minute
+served to answer them all in the affirmative. There was neither impossibility
+nor improbability in any of the three propositions. It
+was clear that the thing could be done, and without difficulty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">430</a></span></p>
+
+<p>A new hope sprang up in the heart of the field-cornet. Once more
+his countenance became radiant with joy.</p>
+
+<p>He communicated his thoughts both to the Bushman and &ldquo;Bush-boys&rdquo;&mdash;all
+of whom highly approved of the idea, and only wondered
+that none of them had thought of it before.</p>
+
+<p>And now the question arose as to how the quaggas were to be
+captured. This was the first point to be settled; and the four&mdash;Von
+Bloom himself, Hans, Hendrik, and Swartboy,&mdash;sat deliberately
+down to concoct some plan of effecting this object.</p>
+
+<p>Of course they could do nothing just then, and the drove that had
+come to drink was allowed to depart peacefully. The hunters knew
+they would return on the morrow about the same hour; and it was
+towards their return that the thoughts of all were bent.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik advised &ldquo;creasing,&rdquo; which means sending a bullet through
+the upper part of the neck near the withers, and by this means a
+quagga can be knocked over and captured. The shot, if properly
+directed, does not kill the animal. It soon recovers, and may be
+easily &ldquo;broken,&rdquo; though its spirit is generally broken at the same
+time. It is never &ldquo;itself again.&rdquo; Hendrik understood the mode of
+&ldquo;creasing.&rdquo; He had seen it practised by the boer-hunters. He knew
+the spot where the bullet should hit. He believed he could do it
+easily enough.</p>
+
+<p>Hans considered the &ldquo;creasing&rdquo; too cruel a mode. They might
+kill many quaggas before obtaining one that was hit in the proper
+place. Besides there would be a waste of powder and bullets&mdash;a
+thing to be considered. Why could they not snare the animals? He
+had heard of nooses being set for animals as large as the quaggas,
+and of many being caught in that manner.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik did not think the idea of snaring a good one. They
+might get one in that way&mdash;the foremost of the drove; but all the
+others, seeing the leader caught, would gallop off and return no more
+to the vley; and where would they set their snare for a second? It
+might be a long time before they should find another watering-place
+of these animals; whereas they might stalk and crease them upon
+the plains at any time.</p>
+
+<p>Swartboy now put in his plan. It was the pit-fall. That was the
+way by which Bushmen most generally caught large animals, and
+Swartboy perfectly understood how to construct a pit for quaggas.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik saw objections to this, very similar to those he had
+urged against the snare. The foremost of the quaggas might be
+caught, but the others would not be fools enough to walk into the
+pit&mdash;after their leader had fallen in and laid the trap open. They,
+of course, would gallop off, and never come back that way again.</p>
+
+<p>If it could be done at night, Hendrik admitted, the thing might be
+different. In the darkness several might rush in before catching the
+alarm. But no&mdash;the quaggas had always come to drink in day-time&mdash;one
+only could be trapped, and then the others alarmed would
+keep away.</p>
+
+<p>There would have been reason in what Hendrik said, but for a
+remarkable fact which the field-cornet himself had observed when
+the quaggas came to the lake to drink. It was that the animals had
+invariably entered the water at one point, and gone out at another.
+It was of course a mere accident that they did so, and owing to the
+nature of the ground; but such was the case, and Von Bloom had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">431</a></span>
+observed it on several occasions. They were accustomed to enter by
+the gorge, already described; and, after drinking, wade along the
+shallow edge for some yards, and then pass out by another break in
+the bank.</p>
+
+<p>The knowledge of this fact was of the utmost importance, and all
+saw that at once. A pit-fall dug upon the path by which the animals
+entered the lake, would no doubt operate as Hendrik said&mdash;one might
+be caught, and all the rest frightened off. But a similar trap placed
+upon the trail that led outward, would bring about a very different
+result. Once the quaggas had finished drinking, and just at the
+moment they were heading out of the water, the hunters could show
+themselves upon the opposite side, set the troop in quick motion, and
+gallop them into the trap. By this means not only one, but a whole
+pit-full might be captured at once!</p>
+
+<p>All this appeared so feasible that not another suggestion was offered&mdash;the
+plan of the pit-fall was at once, and unanimously adopted.</p>
+
+<p>It remained only to dig the pit, cover it properly, and then wait
+the result.</p>
+
+<p>During all the time their capture was being planned, the herd of
+quaggas had remained in sight, disporting themselves upon the open
+plain. It was a tantalizing sight to Hendrik, who would have liked
+much to have shown his marksman skill by &ldquo;creasing&rdquo; one. But the
+young hunter saw that it would be imprudent to fire at them there,
+as it would prevent them from returning to the vley; so he restrained
+himself, and along with the others remained watching the quaggas&mdash;all
+regarding them with a degree of interest which they had never
+before felt in looking at a drove of these animals.</p>
+
+<p>The quaggas saw nothing of them, although quite near to the great
+nwana-tree. They&mdash;the hunters&mdash;were up among the branches, where
+the animals did not think of looking, and there was nothing around
+the bottom of the tree to cause them alarm. The wagon-wheels had
+long ago been disposed of in the bush, partly to shelter them from
+the sun, and partly because game animals frequently came within
+shot of the tree, and were thus obtained without any trouble. There
+were scarce any traces upon the ground that would have betrayed
+the existence of a &ldquo;camp&rdquo; in the tree; and a person might have
+passed very near without noticing the odd a&euml;rial dwelling of the
+hunter family.</p>
+
+<p>All this was design upon the part of the field-cornet. As yet he
+knew little of the country around. He did not know but that it
+might contain worse enemies than either hyenas or lions.</p>
+
+<p>While they sat watching the man&#339;uvres of the quaggas, a movement
+was made by one of these creatures more singular than any that
+had yet been witnessed.</p>
+
+<p>The animal in question was browsing quietly along, and at length
+approached a small clump of bushes that stood out in the open ground.
+When close to the copse it was observed to make a sudden spring
+forward; and almost at the same instant, a shaggy creature leaped
+out of the bushes, and ran off. This last was no other than the ugly
+&ldquo;striped&rdquo; hyena. Instead of turning upon the quagga and showing
+fight, as one might have supposed so strong and fierce a brute would
+have done, the hyena uttered a howl of alarm, and ran off as fast as
+its legs would carry it.</p>
+
+<p>They did not carry it far. It was evidently making for a larger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">432</a></span>
+tract of bush that grew near; but before it had got half-way across
+the open ground, the quagga came up behind, and uttering his shrill
+&ldquo;couaag,&rdquo; reared forward, and dropped with his fore-hoofs upon the
+hyena's back. At the same instant the neck of the carnivorous animal
+was clutched by the teeth of the ruminant and held as fast, as if
+grasped by a vice.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 348px;">
+<img src="images/illus-432.jpg" width="348" height="500" alt="THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA." title="THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA." />
+<span class="caption">THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.</span></div>
+
+<p>All looked to see the hyena free itself and run off again. They
+looked in vain. It never ran another yard. It never came alive out
+of the clutch of those terrible teeth.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">433</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The quagga still held his struggling victim with firm hold&mdash;trampling
+it with his hoofs, and shaking it in his strong jaws, until in a
+few minutes the screams of the hyena ceased, and his mangled carcass
+lay motionless upon the plain!</p>
+
+<p>One would think that this incident might have been enough to
+warn our hunters to be cautious in their dealings with the quagga.
+Such a sharp biter would be no pleasant horse to &ldquo;bit and bridle.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>But all knew the antipathy that exists between the wild horse and
+the hyena; and that the quagga, though roused to fury at the sight
+of one of these animals, is very different in its behaviour towards
+man. So strong, in fact, is this antipathy, and so complete is the
+mastery of the ruminant over the carnivorous animal, that the frontier
+farmers often take advantage of these peculiar facts, and keep the
+hyenas from their cattle by bringing up with the herd a number of
+quaggas, who act as its guards and protectors!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE PIT-TRAP.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">W</span>hile they were watching the movements of the quaggas, Von Bloom
+rose suddenly to his feet. All turned their eyes upon him as he did
+so. They saw by his manner that he was about to propose something.
+What could it be?</p>
+
+<p>The thought had just occurred to him that they should at once set
+about digging the pit.</p>
+
+<p>It was near sunset&mdash;wanting only half-an-hour of it; and one
+would suppose he would have done better to leave the work till next
+morning. But no. There was a good reason why they should set
+about it at once; and that was, that they might not be able to complete
+it in time if they did not do part of it that night.</p>
+
+<p>It would be no slight undertaking to dig a pit of proper size, for
+they would require one that would at least hold half-a-dozen quaggas
+at a time. Then there was the carrying away the earth that should
+come out of it, the cutting the poles and branches to cover it, and the
+placing of these in a proper manner.</p>
+
+<p>To do all these things would take up a great deal of time; and they
+must be all done against the return of the quaggas, else the whole
+scheme would be a failure. Should the animals arrive upon the
+ground before the pit was covered in and all traces of the work
+removed, they would make off without entering the water, and perhaps
+never visit that vley again.</p>
+
+<p>Such were the conjectures of the field-cornet. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, acknowledged their justice. All saw the necessity of going
+to work at once, and to work they all went.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately among the &ldquo;implements,&rdquo; were two good spades, a
+shovel, and a pick-axe, and all of them could be busy at the same
+time. There were baskets in which the dirt could be carried off, and
+thrown into the deep channel close by, where it would not be seen.
+This was also a fortunate circumstance; for to have carried the stuff
+any great distance, would have made the job still heavier, and more
+difficult to execute in proper time.</p>
+
+<p>Having marked the outlines of the pit, they went to work with spade,
+shovel, and pick. The ground proved tolerably loose, and the pick was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">434</a></span>
+but little needed. The field-cornet himself handled one of the spades
+Hendrik the other, while Swartboy acted as shoveller, and filled the
+baskets as fast as Hans and Totty, assisted by Tr&uuml;ey and little Jan,
+could empty them. These last carried a small basket of their own,
+and contributed very materially to the progress of the work, by
+lightening the labours of Hans and Totty.</p>
+
+<p>And so the work went merrily on until midnight, and even after
+that hour, under the light of a full moon; by which time the diggers
+were buried to their necks.</p>
+
+<p>But they were now fatigued. They knew they could easily complete
+the pit next day; and so they laid down their implements, and after
+performing their ablutions in the crystal water of the stream, retired
+to their sleeping-quarters in the tree.</p>
+
+<p>By early dawn they were at it again, busy as bees; and the pit progressed
+so rapidly that before they stopped to take breakfast, Von
+Bloom could scarce see out of it standing on his toes, and the crown
+of Swartboy's woolly head was nearly two feet below the surface. A
+little more digging would do.</p>
+
+<p>After breakfast they went to work as briskly as ever; and laboured
+away until they considered that the hole was sunk to a sufficient depth.
+It would have taken a springbok to have leaped out of it; and no
+quagga could possibly have cleared itself from such a pit.</p>
+
+<p>Poles and bushes were now cut; and the pit was neatly covered
+with these, and strewed over, as well as a large tract of the adjoining
+ground, with rushes and grass. The most sagacious animal would
+have been deceived by the appearance; even a fox could not have
+discovered the trap before tumbling into it.</p>
+
+<p>They had completed the work before going to dinner,&mdash;which, consequently,
+fell late on that day&mdash;so nothing more remained to be done
+but to dine, and await the coming of the quaggas.</p>
+
+<p>At dinner they were all very merry, notwithstanding the immense
+fatigue they had gone through. The prospect of capturing the quaggas
+was very exciting, and kept the party in high spirits.</p>
+
+<p>Each offered a prognostication as to the result. Some said they
+would trap three quaggas at the least; while others were more
+sanguine, and believed they might take twice that number. Jan did
+not see why the pit should not be full; and Hendrik thought this
+probable enough&mdash;considering the way they intended to drive the
+quaggas into it.</p>
+
+<p>It certainly seemed so. The pit had been made of sufficient width
+to preclude the possibility of the animals leaping over it, while it was
+dug lengthwise across the path, so that they could not miss it. The
+lay of the ground would guide them directly into it.</p>
+
+<p>It is true that, were they to be left to themselves, and permitted to
+follow their usual method of marching&mdash;that is, in single file&mdash;only
+one, the leader, might be caught. The rest, seeing him fall in, would
+be sure to wheel round, and gallop off in a different direction.</p>
+
+<p>But it was not the intention of the hunters to leave things thus.
+They had planned a way by which the quaggas, at a certain moment,
+would be thrown into a complete panic, and thus forced pell-mell upon
+the pit. In this lay their hopes of securing a large number of the
+animals.</p>
+
+<p>Four was as many as were wanted. One for each of the hunters.
+Four would do; but of course it mattered not how many more got<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">435</a></span>
+into the pit. The more the better, as a large number would give them
+the advantage of &ldquo;pick and choose.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Dinner over, the hunters set about preparing for the reception of
+their expected visitors. As already stated, the dinner had been later
+than usual; and it was now near the hour when the quaggas might
+be looked for.</p>
+
+<p>In order to be in time, each took his station. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, placed themselves in ambush around the lake&mdash;at intervals
+from one another; but the lower end, where the animals usually
+approached and went out, was left quite open. Von Bloom remained
+on the platform in the tree, so as to mark the approach of the quaggas,
+and give warning by a signal to the other three. The positions taken
+by these were such, that they could guide the herd in the direction of
+the pit, by merely coming out of the bushes where they lay concealed.
+In order that they should show themselves simultaneously, and at the
+proper moment, they were to wait for a signal from the tree. This
+was to be the firing of the great &ldquo;roer,&rdquo; loaded blank. Hans and
+Hendrik were also to fire blank shots on discovering themselves, and
+by this means the desired panic would be produced.</p>
+
+<p>The whole scheme was well contrived, and succeeded admirably.
+The herd appeared filing over the plain, just as on the preceding days.
+Von Bloom announced their approach to the three in ambush, by repeating
+in a subdued tone the words,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Quaggas are coming!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The unsuspecting animals filed through the gorge, scattered about
+in the water, drank their fill, and then commenced retiring by the path
+on which lay the trap.</p>
+
+<p>The leader having climbed the bank, and seeing the fresh grass and
+rushes strewed upon the path, uttered a snorting bark, and seemed
+half inclined to wheel round. But just at that moment boomed the
+loud detonation of the roer; and, then, like lesser echoes, the reports
+of the smaller guns on the right and left, while Swartboy shouted at
+the top pitch of his voice, from another quarter.</p>
+
+<p>A look back showed the quaggas that they were well-nigh surrounded
+by strange enemies. But one course appeared open to them&mdash;the
+way they were wont to go; and barking with affright, the whole
+drove dashed up the bank, and crowded on towards the pit.</p>
+
+<p>Then was heard a confused noise&mdash;the cracking of the poles&mdash;the
+trampling of many hoofs&mdash;the dull sounds of heavy bodies falling together,
+and mingling in a continuous struggle&mdash;and the wild snorting,
+as the creatures hurried forward in affright. Some were seen springing
+high in the air, as if to overleap the pit. Others poised themselves
+on their hind hoofs, and wheeling round, ran back into the lake.
+Some dashed off through the bushes, and escaped in that way; but
+the great body of the drove came running back, and plunging through
+the water, made off by the gorge through which they had come. In a
+few minutes not one was in sight.</p>
+
+<p>The boys thought they had all escaped; but Von Bloom, from his
+more elevated position in the tree, could perceive the snouts of several
+protruding above the edge of the pit.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving at the spot, to their great satisfaction the hunters discovered
+no less than eight full-grown quaggas in the trap&mdash;just twice
+the number required to mount the party.</p>
+
+<p>In less than two weeks from that time, four of the quaggas were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">436</a></span>
+broken to the saddle, and perfectly obedient to the bit. Of course
+there was a good deal of kicking, and plunging, and flinging, and many
+hard gallops, and some ugly falls, before it came to this; but both the
+Bushman Swartboy and the Bush-boy Hendrik were expert in the
+<i>man&egrave;ge</i> of horses, and soon tamed the quaggas to a proper degree of
+docility.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the very first occasion when these animals were used in the
+hunt of the elephant, they rendered the very service expected of them.
+The elephant, as usual, bolted after receiving the first shot; but the
+hunters on &ldquo;quagga-back&rdquo; were enabled to keep him in sight, and
+follow rapidly upon his heels. As soon as the elephant discovered
+that, run as he would, his pursuers had the power of overtaking him,
+he disdained to fly farther, and stood to bay; thus giving them the
+opportunity of delivering shot after shot, until a mortal wound brought
+his huge body to the earth.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom was delighted. His hopes were high, his benignant star
+was once more in the ascendant.</p>
+
+<p>He would yet accomplish his design. He would yet be rich. A few
+years, would enable him to build up his fortune&mdash;to construct a
+pyramid of ivory!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">DRIVING IN THE ELAND.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">O</span>f all the family Hendrik was the hunter <i>par excellence</i>. It was he
+who habitually stored the larder; and upon days when they were
+not engaged in the chase of the elephant, Hendrik would be abroad
+alone in pursuit of antelopes, and other creatures, that furnished
+their usual subsistence. Hendrik kept the table well supplied.</p>
+
+<p>Antelopes are the principal game of South Africa&mdash;for Africa is
+the country of the antelope above all others. You may be surprised
+to hear that there are seventy different species of antelopes over all
+the earth&mdash;that more than fifty of these are African, and that thirty
+at least belong to South Africa&mdash;that is, the portion of the continent
+lying between the Cape of Good Hope and the Tropic of Capricorn.</p>
+
+<p>It would require the space of a whole book, therefore, to give a fair
+account&mdash;a monograph&mdash;of the antelopes alone; and I cannot afford
+that space here. At present I can only say that Africa is the great
+antelope country, although many fine species exist also in Asia&mdash;that
+in America there is but one kind, the prong-horn, with which you
+are already well acquainted&mdash;and that in Europe there are two,
+though one of these, the well-known &ldquo;chamois,&rdquo; is as much goat as
+antelope.</p>
+
+<p>I shall farther remark, that the seventy species of animals, by
+naturalists classed as antelopes, differ widely from one another in
+form, size, colour, pelage, habits; in short, in so many respects, that
+their classification under the name of Antelope is very arbitrary
+indeed. Some approximate closely to the goat tribe; others are
+more like deer; some resemble oxen; others are closely allied to the
+buffalo; while a few species possess many of the characteristics of
+wild sheep!</p>
+
+<p>As a general thing, however, they are more like to deer than
+any other animals; and many species of them are, in common<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">437</a></span>
+parlance, called deer. Indeed, many antelopes are more like to
+certain species of deer than to others of their own kind. The chief
+distinction noted between them and the deer is, that the antelopes
+have horny horns, that are persistent or permanent, while those of
+the deer are osseous or bony, and are annually cast.</p>
+
+<p>Like the deer the different species of antelopes possess very
+different habits. Some frequent the wide open plains; some the
+deep forest; some wander by the shady banks of streams; while
+others love to dwell upon the rocky steep, or the dry ravines of the
+mountains. Some browse upon the grass; while others, goat-like,
+prefer the leaves and tender twigs of trees. In fact, so different are
+these creatures in habits, that whatever be the natural character of
+a district of country, it will be found the favourite home of one
+or more species. Even the very desert has its antelopes, that prefer
+the parched and waterless plain to the most fertile and verdant
+valley.</p>
+
+<p>Of all antelopes the &ldquo;eland,&rdquo; or &ldquo;caana&rdquo; is the largest. It
+measures full seventeen hands at the shoulder&mdash;being thus equal in
+height to a very large horse. A large eland weighs one thousand
+pounds. It is a heavily formed animal, and an indifferent runner, as
+a mounted hunter can gallop up to one without effort. Its general
+proportions are not unlike those of a common ox, but its horns are
+straight and rise vertically from the crown, diverging only slightly
+from one another. These are two feet in length, and marked by
+a ridge that passes spirally around them nearly to the tips. The
+horns of the female are longer than those of the male.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of the eland, like those of most antelopes, are large,
+bright, and melting, without any expression of fierceness; and the
+animal, though so very large and strong, is of the most innocuous
+disposition&mdash;showing fight only when driven to desperation.</p>
+
+<p>The general colour of this antelope is dun, with a rufous tinge.
+Sometimes ashy grey touched with ochre is the prevailing hue.</p>
+
+<p>The eland is one of those antelopes that appear to be independent
+of water. It is met with upon the desert plains, far from either
+spring or stream; and it even seems to prefer such situations&mdash;perhaps
+from the greater security it finds there&mdash;though it is also
+a denizen of the fertile and wooded districts. It is gregarious, the
+sexes herding separately, and in groups of from ten to a hundred
+individuals.</p>
+
+<p>The flesh of the eland is highly esteemed, and does not yield in
+delicacy to that of any of the antelope, deer, or bovine tribes. It
+has been compared to tender beef with a game flavour; and the
+muscles of the thighs when cured and dried produce a <i>bonne bouche</i>,
+known under the odd appellation of &ldquo;thigh-tongues.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Of course the eland affording such excellent meat, and in so large
+a quantity, is zealously hunted for his spoils. Being only a poor
+runner and always very fat, the hunt is usually a short one; and
+ends in the eland being shot down, skinned, and cut up. There is no
+great excitement about this chase, except that it is not every day an
+eland can be started. The ease with which they can be captured, as
+well as the value of their venison, has led to the thinning off of
+these antelopes; and it is only in remote districts where a herd of
+them can be found.</p>
+
+<p>Now since their arrival, no elands had been seen, though now and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">438</a></span>
+then their spoor was observed; and Hendrik, for several reasons,
+was very desirous of getting one. He had never shot an eland in his
+life&mdash;that was one reason&mdash;and another was, that he wished to
+procure a supply of the fine venison which lies in such quantities
+over the ribs of these animals.</p>
+
+<p>It was, therefore, with great delight, that Hendrik one morning
+received the report that a herd of elands had been seen upon the
+upper plain, and not far off. Swartboy, who had been upon the
+cliffs, brought this report to camp.</p>
+
+<p>Without losing any more time than sufficed to get the direction
+from Swartboy, Hendrik mounted his quagga, shouldered his rifle,
+and rode off in search of the herd.</p>
+
+<p>Not far from the camp there was an easy pass, leading up the cliff
+to the plain above. It was a sort of gorge or ravine; and from the
+numerous tracks of animals in its bottom, it was evidently much
+used as a road from the upper plain to that in which were the spring
+and stream. Certain animals, such as the zebras and quaggas, and
+others that frequent the dry desert plains from preference, were
+in the habit of coming by this path when they required water.</p>
+
+<p>Up the gorge rode Hendrik; and no sooner had he arrived at its
+top, than he discovered the herd of elands&mdash;seven old bulls&mdash;about
+a mile off upon the upper plain.</p>
+
+<p>There was not cover enough to have sheltered a fox. The only
+growth near the spot where the elands were, consisted of straggling
+aloe plants, euphorbias, with some stunted bushes, and tufts of dry
+grass, characteristic of the desert. There was no clump large enough
+to have sheltered a hunter from the eye of his game; and Hendrik
+at once came to the conclusion, that the elands could not be &ldquo;stalked&rdquo;
+in the situation they then occupied.</p>
+
+<p>Now, though Hendrik had never hunted this antelope, he was
+well acquainted with its habits, and knew how it ought to be chased.
+He knew that it was a bad runner; that any old horse could bring
+up with it; and that his quagga&mdash;the fastest of the four that had
+been tamed&mdash;could do the same.</p>
+
+<p>It was only a question of &ldquo;start,&rdquo; therefore. Could he get near
+enough the bulls to have a fair start, he would run one of them down
+to a certainty. The result might be different should the elands take
+the alarm at a long distance off, and scour away over the plain.</p>
+
+<p>To get within fair starting distance, that was the point to be
+attempted.</p>
+
+<p>But Hendrik was a wary hunter, and soon accomplished this.
+Instead of riding direct for the elands, he made a grand circuit&mdash;until
+he had got the herd between him and the cliff&mdash;and then,
+heading his quagga for them, he rode quietly forward.</p>
+
+<p>He did not sit erect in the saddle, but held himself bent down,
+until his breast almost touched the withers of the quagga. This he
+did to deceive the elands, who would otherwise have recognised him
+as an enemy. In such a fashion they could not make out what kind
+of creature was coming towards them; but stood for a long while
+gazing at Hendrik and his quagga with feelings of curiosity, and of
+course some little alarm.</p>
+
+<p>They, however, permitted the hunter to get within five hundred
+yards distance&mdash;near enough for him&mdash;before they broke off in their
+heavy lumbering gallop.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">439</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Hendrik now rose in his saddle, put spurs to his quagga, and
+followed the herd at full speed.</p>
+
+<p>As he had designed, so it came to pass. The elands ran straight
+in the direction of the cliff&mdash;not where the pass was, but where there
+was none&mdash;and, on reaching the precipice, were of course forced to
+turn into a new direction, transverse to their former one. This gave
+Hendrik the advantage, who, heading his quagga diagonally, was
+soon upon the heels of the herd.</p>
+
+<p>It was Hendrik's intention to single out one of the bulls, and run
+him down&mdash;leaving the others to gallop off wherever they wished.</p>
+
+<p>His intention was carried out; for shortly after, the fattest of the
+bulls shot to one side, as if to escape in that way, while the rest
+ran on.</p>
+
+<p>The bull was not so cunning as he thought himself. Hendrik's
+eye was upon him; and in a moment the quagga was turned upon
+his track.</p>
+
+<p>Another burst carried both game and pursuer nearly a mile across
+the plain. The eland had turned from a rufous dun colour to that
+of a leaden blue; the saliva fell from his lips in long streamers, foam
+dappled his broad chest, the tears rolled out of his big eyes, and his
+gallop became changed to a weary trot. He was evidently &ldquo;blown.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes more the quagga was close upon his heels; and
+then the huge antelope, seeing that farther running could not serve
+him, halted in despair, and faced round towards his pursuer.</p>
+
+<p>Now Hendrik had his loaded rifle in his hand, and you expect to
+hear that he instantly raised it to his shoulder, took aim, fired, and
+brought down the eland.</p>
+
+<p>I must disappoint you, then, by telling you that he did no such thing.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik was a real hunter&mdash;neither rash nor wasteful of his resources.
+He knew a better plan than to kill the eland upon the spot.
+He knew that the animal was now quite in his power; and that he
+could drive him wherever he pleased, just like a tame ox. To have
+killed the creature on the spot would have been a waste of powder
+and shot. More than that, it would have rendered necessary all the
+trouble of transporting its flesh to camp&mdash;a double journey at least&mdash;and
+with the risk of the hyenas eating up most of it in his absence.
+Whereas he could save all this trouble by driving the eland to camp;
+and this was his design.</p>
+
+<p>Without firing a shot, therefore, he galloped on past the blown
+bull, headed him, turned him round, and then drove him before him
+in the direction of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>The bull could make neither resistance nor opposition. Now and
+again he would turn and trot off in a contrary direction; but he was
+easily headed again, and at length forced forward to the top of the
+pass.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">H</span>endrik was congratulating himself on his success. He anticipated
+some pleasure in the surprise he was about to create at camp, when
+he should march in with the eland&mdash;for he had no doubt that he
+would succeed in doing so.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">440</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Indeed, there appeared no reason to doubt it. The bull had
+already entered the gorge, and was moving down it, while Hendrik
+and his quagga were hurrying forward to follow.</p>
+
+<p>The hunter had arrived within a few yards of the top, when a loud
+trampling noise sounded in his ears, as if a band of heavy-footed
+animals were coming up the gorge.</p>
+
+<p>He spurred his quagga forward, in order to reach the edge, and
+get a view down the ravine. Before he was able to do so, he was
+surprised to see the eland gallop up again, and try to pass him upon
+the plain. It had evidently received fresh alarm, from something in
+the gorge; and preferred facing its old enemy to encountering the
+new.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik did not give his attention to the eland. He could ride it
+down at any time. He was more anxious first to know what had
+given it the start backward; so he continued to press forward to the
+head of the ravine.</p>
+
+<p>He might have thought of lions, and acted with greater prudence;
+but the trampling of hoofs which still echoed up the pass told him
+that lions were not the cause of the eland's alarm.</p>
+
+<p>He at length reached a point where he could see down the declivity.
+He had not far to look&mdash;for already the animals that were making
+the noise were close up to him; and he perceived they were nothing
+more than a troop of quaggas.</p>
+
+<p>He was not over-pleased at this interruption to his drive; and the
+less did he like it, that the intruders were quaggas&mdash;ill-conditioned
+brutes that they were! Had they been game animals, he would have
+shot one; but the only motive that would have induced him to shoot
+one of the quaggas would have been a feeling of anger&mdash;for, at that
+moment, he was really angry at them.</p>
+
+<p>Without knowing it, poor brutes! they had likely given him cause
+for a good deal of trouble: for it would cost him a good deal, before
+he could head the eland again, and get it back into the pass. No
+wonder, then, he was vexed a little.</p>
+
+<p>But his vexation was not so grievous as to cause him to fire upon
+the approaching herd; and, turning aside, he rode after the eland.</p>
+
+<p>He had hardly left the spot, when the quaggas came out of the
+pass, following each other to the number of forty or fifty. Each, as
+he saw the mounted hunter, started with affright, and bolted off,
+until the whole drove stretched out in a long line over the plain,
+snorting and uttering their loud &ldquo;coua-a-g&rdquo; as they ran.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik would hardly have regarded this movement under ordinary
+circumstances. He had often seen herds of quaggas, and was in no
+way curious about them. But his attention was drawn to this herd,
+from his noticing, as they passed him, that four of them had their
+tails docked short; and from this circumstance, he recognised them
+as the four that had been caught in the pit-trap and afterwards set
+free. Swartboy, for some purpose of his own, had cut off the hair
+before letting them go.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik had no doubt it was they, and that the herd was the same
+that used to frequent the vley, but that on account of the ill-treatment
+they had met with, had never since shown themselves in the
+neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>Now these circumstances coming into Hendrik's mind at the
+moment, led him to regard the quaggas with a certain feeling of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">441</a></span>
+curiosity. The sudden fright which the animals took on seeing him,
+and the comic appearance of the four with the stumped tails, rather
+inclined Hendrik towards merriment, and he laughed as he galloped
+along.</p>
+
+<p>As the quaggas went off in the same direction which the eland had
+taken, of course Hendrik's road and theirs lay so far together; and
+on galloped he at their heels. He was curious to try the point&mdash;much
+disputed in regard to horses&mdash;how far a mounted quagga would be
+able to cope with an unmounted one. He was curious moreover,
+to find out whether his own quagga was quite equal to any of its old
+companions. So on swept the chase, the eland leading, the quaggas
+after, and Hendrik bringing up the rear.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik had no need to ply the spur. His gallant steed flew like the
+wind. He seemed to feel that his character was staked upon the
+race. He gained upon the drove at every spring.</p>
+
+<p>The heavy-going eland was soon overtaken, and as it trotted to
+one side, was passed. It halted, but the quaggas kept on.</p>
+
+<p>Not only the drove kept on, but Hendrik's quagga following close
+at their heels; and in less than five minutes they had left the eland
+a full mile in their rear, and were still scouring onward over the
+wide plain.</p>
+
+<p>What was Hendrik about? Was he going to forsake the eland,
+and let it escape? Had he grown so interested in the race? Was he
+jealous about his quagga's speed, and determined it should beat all
+the others?</p>
+
+<p>So it would have appeared to any one witnessing the race from a
+distance. But one who could have had a nearer view of it, would
+have given a different explanation of Hendrik's conduct.</p>
+
+<p>The fact was, that as soon as the eland halted, Hendrik intended
+to halt also; and for that purpose pulled strongly upon his bridle.
+But, to his astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his
+intention. Instead of obeying the bit, the animal caught the steel in
+his teeth, and laying his ears back, galloped straight on!</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik then endeavoured to turn the quagga to one side, and for
+this purpose wrenched his right rein; but with such fierceness, that
+the old bit-ring gave way&mdash;the bit slipped through the animal's jaws&mdash;the
+head-stall came off with the jerk&mdash;and the quagga was completely
+unbridled!</p>
+
+<p>Of course the animal was now free to go just as he liked; and it
+was plain that he liked to go with his old comrades. His old comrades
+he well knew them to be, as his snorting and occasional neigh of
+recognition testified.</p>
+
+<p>At first Hendrik was disposed to look upon the breaking of his bit
+as only a slight misfortune. For a boy he was one of the best riders
+in South Africa, and needed no rein to steady him. He could keep
+his seat without one. The quagga would soon stop, and he could
+then repair the bit, and re-adjust the bridle which he still held in his
+hands. Such were his reflections at first.</p>
+
+<p>But their spirit began to alter, when he found that the quagga,
+instead of lessening his pace, kept on as hard as ever, and the herd
+still ran wildly before him without showing the slightest signs of coming
+to a halt.</p>
+
+<p>In fact, the quaggas were running through fear. They saw the
+mounted hunter behind them in hot pursuit; and although their old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">442</a></span>
+comrade knew who they were, how were they to tell what he was,
+with such a tall hunch upon his back? No quagga he, but some
+terrible monster, they imagined, thirsting for their lives, and eager
+to devour one and all of them!</p>
+
+<p>No wonder they showed their heels in the best style they knew
+how; and so well did they show them, that Hendrik's quagga&mdash;notwithstanding
+his keen desire to get forward among them, and explain
+away the awkward business upon his back&mdash;was not able to come an
+inch closer.</p>
+
+<p>He did not lose ground, however. His eagerness to regain his old
+associates&mdash;to partake once more of their wild freedom&mdash;for he was
+desperately tired of civilised society, and sick of elephant-hunting&mdash;all
+these ideas crowded into his mind at the moment, and nerved him
+to the utmost exertion. Could he only get up into the body of the
+crowd&mdash;for the herd now ran in a crowd&mdash;a few whimpers would
+suffice to explain&mdash;they would come to a halt at once,&mdash;they would
+gather around him, and assist both with hoofs and teeth to get
+&ldquo;shed&rdquo; of the ugly two-legged thing that clung so tightly to his
+dorsal vertebr&aelig;.</p>
+
+<p>It was &ldquo;no go,&rdquo; however. Although he was so close to their heels,
+that they flung dust in his face, and small pebbles in the face of his
+rider, to the no slight inconvenience of the latter; although he
+&ldquo;whighered&rdquo; whenever he could spare breath, and uttered his &ldquo;couag,&mdash;couag!&rdquo;
+in reality calling them by name, it was &ldquo;no go.&rdquo; They
+would not stay. They would not hear.</p>
+
+<p>And what did Hendrik during all this time? Nothing&mdash;he could
+do nothing. He could not stay the impetuous flight of his steed.
+He dared not dismount. He would have been hurled among sharp
+rocks, had he attempted such a thing. His neck would have been
+broken. He could do nothing&mdash;nothing but keep his seat.</p>
+
+<p>What thought he? At first, not much. At first he regarded the
+adventure lightly. When he was about completing his third mile, he
+began to deem it more serious; and as he entered upon the fifth, he
+became convinced that he was neither more nor less than in a very
+awkward scrape.</p>
+
+<p>But the fifth mile was left behind, and then a sixth, and a seventh;
+and still the quaggas galloped wildly on&mdash;the drove actuated by the
+fear of losing their liberty, and their old comrade by the desire of
+regaining his.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik now felt real uneasiness. Where were they going? Where
+was the brute carrying him? Perhaps off to the desert, where he
+might be lost and perish of hunger or thirst! Already he was many
+miles from the cliffs, and he could no longer tell their direction.
+Even had he halted then and there, he could not tell which way to
+turn himself. He would be lost!</p>
+
+<p>He grew more than anxious. He became frightened in earnest.</p>
+
+<p>What was he to do? Leap down, and risk his neck in the fall? He
+would lose his quagga and his saddle as well&mdash;he regarded the eland
+as already lost&mdash;he would have to walk back to camp, and get laughed
+at on his return.</p>
+
+<p>No matter for all that; his life was in danger if he kept on. The
+quaggas might gallop twenty,&mdash;aye, fifty miles before halting. They
+showed no symptoms of being blown&mdash;no signs of giving out. He
+must fling himself to the ground, and let quagga and saddle go.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">443</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He had formed this resolution, and was actually about to put it in
+practice. He was just considering how he might best escape an ugly
+fall&mdash;looking for a soft spot&mdash;when, all at once, a grand idea rushed
+into his mind.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/illus-443.jpg" width="500" height="347" alt="HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA." title="HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA" />
+<span class="caption">HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.</span></div>
+
+<p>He remembered that in taming this same quagga and breaking him
+to the saddle, he had been vastly aided by a very simple contrivance&mdash;that
+was a &ldquo;blind.&rdquo; The blind was nothing more than a piece of
+soft leather tied over the animal's eyes; but so complete had been its
+effect, that it had transformed the quagga at once from a kicking
+screaming creature into a docile animal.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">444</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Hendrik now thought of the blind.</p>
+
+<p>True, he had none. Was there nothing about him that would serve
+as one? His handkerchief? No, it would be too thin. Hurrah!
+His jacket would do!</p>
+
+<p>His rifle was in the way. It must be got rid of. It must be dropped
+to the ground. He could return for it.</p>
+
+<p>It was let down as gently as possible, and soon left far behind.</p>
+
+<p>In a twinkling Hendrik stripped off his jacket. How was it to be
+arranged so as to blind the quagga? It would not do to drop it.</p>
+
+<p>A moment's consideration served the ready boy to mature his plan.
+After a moment he bent down, passed a sleeve upon each side under
+the quagga's throat, and then knotted them together. The jacket
+thus rested over the animal's mane, with the collar near its withers,
+and the peak or skirt upon the small of its neck.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik next leaned as far forward as he could, and with his
+extended arms pushed the jacket up the animal's neck, until the skirt
+passed over its ears, and fell down it front of its face.</p>
+
+<p>It was with some difficulty that the rider, bent down as he was,
+could retain his seat; for as soon as the thick flap of cloth came down
+over the eyes of the quagga, the latter halted as if he had been shot
+dead in his tracks. He did not fall, however, but only stood still,
+quivering with terror. His gallop was at an end!</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik leaped to the ground. He was no longer afraid that the
+quagga, blinded as he now was, would make any attempt to get off;
+nor did he.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the broken bit-ring was replaced by a strong
+rheim of raw leather; the bit inserted between the quagga's teeth,
+the head-stall safely buckled, and Hendrik once more in the saddle,
+with his jacket upon his back.</p>
+
+<p>The quagga felt that he was conquered. His old associates were no
+longer in sight to tempt him from his allegiance; and with these
+considerations, aided by a slight dose of bit and spur, he turned his
+head, and moved sullenly upon the back track.</p>
+
+<p>Hendrik knew nothing about the route he should take. He followed
+back the spoor of the quaggas to the place where he had dropped his
+gun, which after riding a mile or two he recovered.</p>
+
+<p>As there was no sun in the sky, nor other object to guide him, he
+thought he could not do better than trace back the spoor; and
+although it led him by many a devious route, and he saw nothing
+more of his eland, before night he reached the pass in the cliff, and
+was soon after sitting under the shadow of the nwana-tree, regaling a
+most interested audience with the narrative of his day's adventures.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XL.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE GUN-TRAP.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">I</span>t was about this time that the field-cornet and his people were very
+much annoyed by beasts of prey. The savoury smell which their
+camp daily sent forth, as well as the remains of antelopes, killed for
+their venison, attracted these visitors. Hyenas and jackals were
+constantly skulking in the neighbourhood, and at night came around
+the great nwana-tree in scores, keeping up their horrid chorus for
+hours together. It is true that nobody feared these animals, as the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">445</a></span>
+children at night were safe in their a&euml;rial home, where the hyenas
+could not get at them. But for all that, the presence of the brutes
+was very offensive, as not a bit of meat&mdash;not a hide, nor rheim, nor
+any article of leather&mdash;could be left below without their getting their
+teeth upon it, and chewing it up. Quarters of venison they had
+frequently stolen, and they had eaten up the leathern part of Swartboy's
+saddle, and rendered it quite useless for a while. In short, so
+great a pest had the hyenas grown to be, that it became necessary to
+adopt some mode of destroying them.</p>
+
+<p>It was not easy to get a shot at them. During the day they were
+wary, and either hid themselves in caves of the cliff or in the burrows
+of the ant-eater. At night they were bold enough, and came into
+the very camp; but then the darkness hindered a good aim, and the
+hunters knew too well the value of powder and lead to waste it on
+a chance shot, though now and then, when provoked by the brutes,
+they ventured one.</p>
+
+<p>But some way must be thought of to thin the numbers of these
+animals, or get rid of them altogether. This was the opinion of
+everybody.</p>
+
+<p>Two or three kinds of traps were tried, but without much success.
+A pit they could leap out of, and from a noose they could free
+themselves by cutting the rope by their sharp teeth!</p>
+
+<p>At length the field-cornet resorted to a plan&mdash;much practised by
+the boers of Southern Africa for ridding their farms of these and
+similar &ldquo;vermin.&rdquo; It was the &ldquo;gun-trap.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Now there are several ways of constructing a gun-trap. Of course
+a gun is the principal part of the mechanism, and the trigger pulled
+by a string is the main point of the contrivance. In some countries
+the bait is tied to the string, and the animal on seizing the bait
+tightens the string, draws the trigger, and shoots itself. In this
+way, however, there is always some uncertainty as to the result. The
+animal may not place its body in the proper position with regard to
+the muzzle, and may either escape the shot altogether, or may be
+only &ldquo;creased,&rdquo; and of course get off.</p>
+
+<p>The mode of setting the &ldquo;gun-trap&rdquo; in South Africa is a superior
+plan; and the creature that is so unfortunate as to draw the trigger
+rarely escapes, but is either killed upon the spot, or so badly wounded
+as to prevent its getting away.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom constructed his trap after the approved fashion, as
+follows:&mdash;Near the camp he selected a spot where three saplings or
+young trees grew, standing in a line, and about a yard between each
+two of them. Had he not found these trees so disposed, stakes
+firmly driven into the ground would have answered his purpose
+equally well.</p>
+
+<p>Thorn-bushes were now cut, and a kraal built in the usual manner&mdash;that
+is with the tops of the bushes turned outwards. The size of
+the kraal was a matter of no consequence; and, of course, to save
+labour, a small one was constructed.</p>
+
+<p>One point, however, was observed in making the kraal. Its door
+of opening was placed so that two of the three saplings stood like
+posts, one on each side of it; and an animal going into the enclosure
+must needs pass these two trees.</p>
+
+<p>Now for the part the gun had to play.</p>
+
+<p>The weapon was placed in a horizontal position against two of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">446</a></span>
+saplings,&mdash;that is, the stock against the one outside the kraal, and
+the barrel against one of the door-posts, and there firmly lashed.
+In this position the muzzle was close to the edge of the entrance, and
+pointing directly to the sapling on the opposite side. It was at such
+a height as to have ranged with the heart of a hyena standing in the
+opening.</p>
+
+<p>The next move was to adjust the string. Already a piece of stick,
+several inches in length, had been fixed to the small of the stock,
+and, of course, behind the trigger. This was fastened transversely,
+but not so as to preclude all motion. A certain looseness in its
+adjustment gave it the freedom required to be worked as a lever&mdash;for
+that was its design.</p>
+
+<p>To each end of this little stick was fastened a string. One of
+these strings was attached to the trigger; the other, after being
+carried through the thimbles of the ramrod, traversed across the
+entrance of the kraal, and was knotted upon the opposite side to the
+sapling that stood there. This string followed the horizontal direction
+of the barrel, and was just &ldquo;taut;&rdquo; so that any farther strain
+upon it would act upon the little lever, and by that means pull
+the trigger; and then of course &ldquo;bang&rdquo; would go the roer.</p>
+
+<p>When this string was adjusted, and the gun loaded and
+cocked, the trap was set.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing remained to be done but bait it. This was not a difficult
+task. It consisted simply in placing a piece of meat or carcass
+within the enclosure, and there leaving it to attract the prowling
+beasts to the spot.</p>
+
+<p>When the gun had been set, Swartboy carried up the bait&mdash;the
+offal of an antelope killed that day&mdash;and flung it into the kraal; and
+then the party went quietly to their beds, without thinking more of
+the matter.</p>
+
+<p>They had not slept a wink, however, before they were startled by
+the loud &ldquo;crack&rdquo; of the roer, followed by a short stifled cry that
+told them the gun-trap had done its work.</p>
+
+<p>A torch was procured, and the four hunters proceeded to the spot.
+There they found the dead body of a huge &ldquo;tiger-wolf&rdquo; lying doubled
+up in the entrance, and right under the muzzle of the gun. He had
+not gone a step after receiving the shot&mdash;in fact, had hardly kicked
+before dying&mdash;as the bullet, wad, and all, had gone quite through his
+ribs and entered his heart, after making a large ugly hole in his side.
+Of course he must have been within a few inches of the muzzle,
+when his breast, pressing against the string, caused the gun to
+go off.</p>
+
+<p>Having again loaded the roer, the hunters returned to their beds.
+One might suppose they would have dragged the suicidal hyena
+away from the spot, lest his carcass should serve as a warning to his
+comrades, and keep them away from the trap. But Swartboy knew
+better than that. Instead of being scared by the dead body of one
+of their kind, the hyenas only regard it as proper prey, and will
+devour it as they would the remains of a tender antelope!</p>
+
+<p>Knowing this, Swartboy did not take the dead hyena away, but
+only drew it within the kraal to serve as a farther inducement for
+the others to attempt an entrance there.</p>
+
+<p>Before morning they were once more awakened by the &ldquo;bang&rdquo; of
+the great gun. This time they lay still; but when day broke they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">447</a></span>
+visited their trap, and found that a second hyena had too rashly
+pressed his bosom against the fatal string.</p>
+
+<p>Night after night they continued their warfare against the hyenas,
+changing the trap-kraal to different localities in the surrounding
+neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>At length these creatures were nearly exterminated, or, at all
+events, became so rare and shy, that their presence by the camp was
+no longer an annoyance one way or the other.</p>
+
+<p>About this time, however, there appeared another set of visitors,
+whose presence was far more to be dreaded, and whose destruction the
+hunters were more anxious to accomplish. That was a family of lions.</p>
+
+<p>The spoor of these had been often seen in the neighbourhood; but
+it was some time before they began to frequent the camp. However,
+about the time the hyenas had been fairly got rid of, the lions took
+their place, and came every night, roaring about the camp in a most
+terrific manner. Dreadful as these sounds were, the people were not
+so much afraid of them as one might imagine. They well knew that
+the lions could not get at them in the tree. Had it been leopards
+they might have felt less secure, as the latter are true tree-climbers;
+but they had seen no leopards in that country, and did not think of
+them.</p>
+
+<p>They were not altogether without fear of the lions, however.
+They were annoyed, moreover, that they could not with safety descend
+from the tree after nightfall, but were every night besieged from
+sunset till morning. Besides, although the cow and the quaggas
+were shut in strong kraals, they dreaded each night that the lions
+would make a seizure of one or other of these animals; and the loss
+of any one of them, but especially their valuable friend &ldquo;old Graaf,&rdquo;
+would have been a very serious misfortune.</p>
+
+<p>It was resolved, therefore, to try the gun-trap upon the lions, as it
+had succeeded so well with the hyenas.</p>
+
+<p>There was no difference in the construction or contrivance of the
+trap. The gun only had to be placed upon a higher level, so that its
+muzzle might be opposite the lion's heart, and the proper range was
+easily obtained. The bait, however, was not carcass, but an animal
+freshly killed; and for this purpose an antelope was procured.</p>
+
+<p>The result was as desired. On the first night the old male lion
+&ldquo;breasted&rdquo; the fatal string and bit the dust. Next night the lioness
+was destroyed in a similar way: and shortly after a full-grown
+young male.</p>
+
+<p>The trap then lay idle for a while; but about a week after a half-grown
+&ldquo;cub&rdquo; was shot near the camp by Hendrik, no doubt the last
+of that family, as no lions were seen for a long time after.</p>
+
+<p>A great enemy to night plunderers was that same gun-trap.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE WEAVER-BIRDS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">N</span>ow that the beasts of prey had been destroyed, or driven from
+about the camp, there was no longer any danger in that quarter, and
+the children could be left by themselves. Totty of course always
+stayed with them; while the four hunters went forth upon the
+chase of the elephant&mdash;each mounted upon his quagga.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">448</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They had done so many a time, and as no harm had happened to
+the children in their absence, such a course became habitual with
+them. Jan and Tr&uuml;ey were cautioned not to stray far from the
+nwana, and always to climb to the tree, should they perceive any
+animal that might be dangerous. Before the destruction of the
+hyenas and lions, they had been used to remain altogether in the
+tree, while the hunters were absent. But this had been quite an
+imprisonment to them; and now that the danger was not considered
+much, they were allowed to come down and play upon the grassy
+plain, or wander along the shore of the little lake.</p>
+
+<p>On one occasion when the hunters were abroad, Tr&uuml;ey had strayed
+down to the edge of the water. She was alone, if we except the
+company of the gazelle, which followed at her heels wherever she
+went. This pretty creature had grown to full size, and had turned
+out a great beauty, with large round eyes that had a lovely melting
+expression, like the eyes of Tr&uuml;ey herself.</p>
+
+<p>Well, as I have said, Tr&uuml;ey was alone. Jan was busy near the
+bottom of the tree, working a new rod into his bird-cage, and Totty
+was out upon the plain herding &ldquo;old Graaf&rdquo;&mdash;so Tr&uuml;ey and the pet
+springbok went strolling along by themselves.</p>
+
+<p>Now Tr&uuml;ey had not gone down to the water without an object.
+She had one. She had gone to give her pet a drink, and collect some
+blue lilies for a bouquet. All this she had done, and still continued
+to walk along the shore.</p>
+
+<p>On one side of the lake, and that the farthest from the nwana-tree,
+a low spit of land projected into the water. It had once been
+but a sand-bar, but grass had grown upon it, until a green turf was
+formed. There was not over a square perch of it altogether, but it
+was not square in shape. On the contrary, it was of oval form, and
+much narrower nearest the land, where it formed a neck, or isthmus,
+not more than three feet in width. It was, in short, a miniature
+peninsula, which by a very little work with the spade could have
+been converted into a miniature island&mdash;had that been desired.</p>
+
+<p>Now there is nothing very remarkable about a little peninsula
+projecting into a lake. In nearly every lake such a thing may be
+seen. But about this one there was something remarkable.</p>
+
+<p>Upon its extreme end grew a tree of singular form and foliage. It
+was not a large tree, and its branches drooped downwards until their
+tips almost touched the water. The pendulous boughs, and long
+lanceolate silvery leaves, rendered it easy to tell what sort of tree it
+was. It was the weeping or Babylonian willow&mdash;so called, because
+it was upon trees of this species that the captive Jews hung their
+harps when they &ldquo;sat and wept by the streams of Babel.&rdquo; This
+beautiful tree casts its waving shadow over the streams of South
+Africa, as well as those of Assyria; and often is the eye of the
+traveller gladdened by the sight of its silvery leaves, as he beholds
+them&mdash;sure indications of water&mdash;shining afar over the parched and
+thirsty desert. If a Christian, he fails not to remember that highly
+poetical passage of sacred writing, that speaks of the willow of
+Babylon.</p>
+
+<p>Now the one which grew upon the little peninsula had all these
+points of interest for little Tr&uuml;ey&mdash;but it had others as well. Upon
+its branches that overhung the water a very singular appearance
+presented itself. Upon these was suspended&mdash;one upon the end of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">449</a></span>
+each branch&mdash;a number of odd shaped objects, that hung drooping
+down until their lower ends nearly rested upon the surface of the
+water. These objects, as stated, were of a peculiar shape. At the
+upper ends&mdash;where they were attached to the branches&mdash;they were
+globe-shaped, but the lower part consisted of a long cylinder of much
+smaller diameter, and at the bottom of this cylinder was the entrance.
+They bore some resemblance to salad-oil bottles inverted,
+with their necks considerably lengthened; or they might be compared
+to the glass retorts seen in the laboratory of the chemist.</p>
+
+<p>They were each twelve or fifteen inches in length, and of a greenish
+colour&mdash;nearly as green as the leaves of the tree itself. Were they
+its fruit?</p>
+
+<p>No. The weeping willow bears no fruit of that size. They were
+not fruit. They were nests of birds!</p>
+
+<p>Yes; they were the nests of a colony of harmless finches of the
+genus <i>Ploceus</i>,&mdash;better known to you under the appellation of
+&ldquo;weaver-birds.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>I am sure you have heard of weaver-birds before this; and you
+know that these creatures are so called on account of the skill which
+they exhibit in the construction of their nests. They do not build
+nests, as other birds, but actually weave them, in a most ingenious
+manner.</p>
+
+<p>You are not to suppose that there is but one species of weaver-bird&mdash;one
+kind alone that forms these curious nests. In Africa&mdash;which
+is the principal home of these birds&mdash;there are many different
+kinds, forming different genera, whose hard names I shall not trouble
+you with. Each of these different kinds builds a nest of peculiar
+shape, and each chooses a material different from the others. Some,
+as the <i>Ploceus icterocephalus</i>, make their nests of a kidney shape, with
+the entrance upon the sides, and the latter not circular, but like an
+arched doorway. Others of the genus <i>Plocepasser</i> weave their nests
+in such a manner, that the thick ends of the stalks stick out all
+around the outside, giving them the appearance of suspended hedgehogs;
+while the birds of another genus closely allied to the latter,
+construct their nests of slender twigs, leaving the ends of these to
+project in a similar manner. The &ldquo;social grosbeak&rdquo; fabricates a
+republic of nests in one clump, and all under one roof. The entrances
+are in the under-surface of this mass, which, occupying the whole
+top of a tree, has the appearance of a haystack, or a dense piece of
+thatch.</p>
+
+<p>All these weaver-birds, though of different genera, bear a considerable
+resemblance to each other in their habits. They are usually
+granivorous, though some are insectivorous; and one species, the
+&ldquo;red-billed weaver bird&rdquo; is a parasite of the wild buffaloes.</p>
+
+<p>It is a mistake to suppose that weaver-birds are only found in
+Africa and the Old World, as stated in the works of many naturalists.
+In tropical America, birds of this character are found in many
+species of the genera <i>Cassicus</i> and <i>Icterus</i>, who weave pensile nests
+of a similar kind upon the trees of the Amazon and Orinoco. But
+the true weaver-birds&mdash;that is to say, those which are considered the
+type of the class,&mdash;are those of the genus <i>Ploceus</i>; and it was a
+species of this genus that had hung their pendulous habitations upon
+the weeping willow. They were of the species known as the &ldquo;pensile
+weaver-bird.&rdquo;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">450</a></span></p>
+
+<p>There were full twenty of their nests in all, shaped as already
+described, and of green colour&mdash;for the tough &ldquo;Bushman's grass,&rdquo;
+out of which they had been woven, had not yet lost its verdant hue,
+nor would it for a long time. Being of this colour, they actually
+looked like something that grew upon the tree,&mdash;like great pear-shaped
+fruits. No doubt from this source have been derived the
+tales of ancient travellers, who represented that in Africa were trees
+with fruits upon them, which, upon being broken open, disclosed to
+view either living birds or their eggs!
+Now the sight of the weaver-birds, and their nests, was nothing
+new to Tr&uuml;ey. It was some time since the colony had established
+itself upon the willow-tree, and she and they had grown well acquainted.
+She had often visited the birds, had collected seeds, and
+carried them down to the tree; and there was not one of the whole
+colony that would not have perched upon her wrist or her pretty
+white shoulders, or hopped about over her fair locks, without fear.
+It was nothing unusual to her to see the pretty creatures playing
+about the branches, or entering the long vertical tunnels that led
+upward to their nests&mdash;nothing unusual for Tr&uuml;ey to listen for hours
+to their sweet twittering, or watch their love-gambols around the
+borders of the vley.</p>
+
+<p>She was not thinking of them at the moment, but of something
+else, perhaps of the blue water-lilies&mdash;perhaps of the springbok&mdash;but
+certainly not of them, as she tripped gaily along the edge of the lake.</p>
+
+<p>Her attention, however, was suddenly attracted to the birds.</p>
+
+<p>All at once, and without any apparent cause, they commenced
+screaming and fluttering around the tree, their cries and gestures
+betokening a high state of excitement or alarm.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE SPITTING-SNAKE.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">&ldquo;W</span>hat can be the matter with my pretty birds?&rdquo; asked Tr&uuml;ey of
+herself. &ldquo;Something wrong surely! I see no hawk. Perhaps they
+are fighting among themselves. I shall go round and see. I shall
+soon pacify them.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>And so saying she mended her pace; and passing round the end of
+the lake, walked out upon the peninsula until she stood under the
+willow.</p>
+
+<p>There was no underwood. The tree stood alone upon the very end
+of the spit of land, and Tr&uuml;ey went close in to its trunk. Here she
+stopped and looked up among the branches, to ascertain what was
+causing so much excitement among the birds.</p>
+
+<p>As she approached, several of the little creatures had flown towards
+her, and alighted upon her arms and shoulders; but not as was their
+wont when desiring to be fed. They appeared to be in a state of alarm,
+and had come to her for protection.</p>
+
+<p>Some enemy certainly must be near, thought Tr&uuml;ey, though she
+could see none.</p>
+
+<p>She looked around and above. There were no hawks in the air, nor
+on the neighbouring trees,&mdash;no birds of prey of any kind. Had there
+been one in the willow, she could easily have seen it, as the foliage
+was light and thin; besides a hawk would not have remained in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">451</a></span>
+tree with her standing so near. What, then, caused the trouble among
+the birds? what was still causing it&mdash;for they were as noisy and
+terrified as ever? Ha! At last the enemy appears&mdash;at last Tr&uuml;ey's
+eyes have fallen upon the monster who has disturbed the peaceful
+colony of weavers, and roused them to such a pitch of excitement.</p>
+
+<p>Slowly gliding along a horizontal branch, grasping the limb in its
+many spiral folds, appeared the body of a large serpent. Its scales
+glittered as it moved, and it was the shining of these that had caught
+Tr&uuml;ey's eyes, and directed them upon the hideous reptile.</p>
+
+<p>When she first saw it, it was gliding spirally along one of the horizontal
+branches of the willow, and coming, as it were, from the nests
+of the birds. Her eyes, however, had scarce rested upon it, before its
+long slippery body passed from the branch, and the next moment it
+was crawling head-foremost down the main trunk of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey had scarce time to start back, before its head was opposite
+the spot where she had stood. No doubt, had she kept her place she
+would have been bitten by the serpent at once; for the reptile, on
+reaching that point, detached its head from the tree, spread its jaws
+wide open, projected its forked tongue, and hissed horribly. It was
+evidently enraged&mdash;partly because it had failed in its plundering intentions,
+not having been able to reach the nests of the birds,&mdash;and
+partly that the latter had repeatedly struck it with their beaks&mdash;no
+doubt causing it considerable pain. It was further provoked by the
+arrival of Tr&uuml;ey, in whom it recognised the rescuer of its intended
+victims.</p>
+
+<p>Whatever were its thoughts at that moment, it was evidently in a
+rage&mdash;as the motion of its head and the flashing of its eyes testified;
+and it would have sprung upon any creature that had unfortunately
+come its way.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey, however, had no intention of getting in its way if she could
+avoid it. It might be a harmless serpent for all she knew; but a snake,
+nearly six feet in length, whether it be harmless or venomous, is a
+terrible object to be near; and Tr&uuml;ey had instinctively glided to one
+side, and stood off from it as far as the water would allow her.</p>
+
+<p>She would have run back over the narrow isthmus; but something
+told her that the snake was about to take that direction, and might
+overtake her; and this thought induced her to pass to one side of the
+peninsula, in hopes the reptile would follow the path that led out to
+the mainland.</p>
+
+<p>Having got close to the water's edge, she stood gazing upon the
+hideous form, and trembled as she gazed.</p>
+
+<p>Had Tr&uuml;ey known the character of that reptile, she would have
+trembled all the more. She saw before her one of the most venomous
+of serpents, the black naja, or &ldquo;spitting-snake&rdquo;&mdash;the cobra of Africa&mdash;far
+more dangerous than its congener the <i>cobra de capello</i> of India,
+because far more active in its movements, and equally fatal in its bite.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey knew not this. She only knew that there was a great ugly
+snake, nearly twice her own length, with a large open mouth, and
+glistening tongue, apparently ready to eat her up. That was fearful
+enough for her, poor thing! and she gazed and trembled, and trembled
+and gazed again.</p>
+
+<p>Angry as the cobra appeared, it did not turn aside to attack her.
+Neither did it remain by the tree. After uttering its long loud hiss,
+it descended to the ground, and glided rapidly off.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">452</a></span></p>
+
+<p>It made directly for the isthmus, as if intending to pass it, and retreat
+to some bushes that grew at a distance off on the mainland.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey  was in hopes that such was its design, and was just beginning
+to feel safe again, when, all at once, the snake coiled itself upon the
+narrow neck of land, as if it intended to stay there.</p>
+
+<p>It had executed this man&#339;uvre so suddenly, and so apparently without
+premeditation, that Tr&uuml;ey looked to discover the cause. The
+moment before, it was gliding along in rapid retreat, its glistening
+form stretched to its full length along the earth. The next instant it
+had assumed the appearance of a coiled cable, over the edge of which
+projected its fierce head, with the scaly skin of its neck broadly extended,
+into that hood-like form which characterises the cobra.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey, we have said, looked for the cause of this sudden change in
+the tactics of the reptile. She learnt it at the first glance.</p>
+
+<p>There stretched a piece of smooth sloping ground from the edge of
+the lake back into the plain. By this the little peninsula was approached.
+As she glanced outward, she saw the springbok advancing
+down this slope. It was the approach of the antelope that had interrupted
+the retreat of the serpent!</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey, on first discovering the snake, had uttered a cry of alarm.
+This cry had summoned her pet&mdash;that had lingered behind browsing
+upon the grass&mdash;and it was now bounding forward, with its white tail
+erect, and its large brown eyes glistening with an expression of inquiry.</p>
+
+<p>It saw its mistress out upon the peninsula. Had she called it?
+Why had she uttered that strange cry? They were not sounds of joyful
+import it had heard. Was anything amiss? Yonder she stood.
+It would gallop to her and see what was wanted; and with such
+thoughts passing through its brain, the bright little creature bounded
+down the bank towards the edge of the lake.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey trembled for her pet. Another spring, and it would be upon
+the lurking serpent&mdash;another&mdash;&mdash;&ldquo;Ha! it is safe!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>These words escaped from the lips of the young girl, as she saw the
+springbok rise high in the air, and leap far and clear over the coiled
+reptile. The antelope had observed the snake in time, and saved itself
+by one of those tremendous bounds, such as only a springbok can make.
+The fond creature, having passed the danger, now ran on to its mistress,
+and stood with its big shining eyes bent upon her inquiringly.</p>
+
+<p>But the cry that Tr&uuml;ey had uttered had summoned another individual.
+To her horror, she now saw little Jan running down the
+slope, and coming directly upon the path where the cobra lay coiled!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLIII.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE SERPENT-EATER.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">J</span>an's danger was imminent. He was rushing impetuously forward
+upon the coiled serpent. He knew not that it was before him. No
+warning would reach him in time to stay his haste. In another
+moment he would be on the narrow path, and then no power could
+save him from the deadly bite. It would be impossible for him to
+leap aside or over the reptile, as the antelope had done; for even then
+Tr&uuml;ey had noticed that the cobra had darted its long neck several feet
+upwards. It would be certain to reach little Jan, perhaps coil itself
+around him. Jan would be lost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">453</a></span></p>
+
+<p>For some moments Tr&uuml;ey was speechless. Terror had robbed her
+of the power of speech. She could only scream, and fling her arms
+wildly about.</p>
+
+<p>But these demonstrations, instead of warning Jan of the danger,
+only rendered it the more certain. He connected the cries which
+Tr&uuml;ey now uttered with that which had first summoned him. She
+was in some trouble&mdash;he knew not what; but as she continued to
+scream, he believed that something had attacked her. A snake he
+thought it might be; but whatever it was, his first impulse was to
+hurry up to her rescue. He could do no good until close to her; and,
+therefore, he did not think of halting until he should reach the spot
+where she stood.</p>
+
+<p>Her screams, therefore, and the wild gestures that accompanied
+them, only caused him to run the faster; and as his eyes were bent
+anxiously on Tr&uuml;ey, there was not the slightest hope that he would
+perceive the serpent until he had either trodden upon it, or felt its
+fatal bite.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey uttered one last cry of warning, pronouncing at the same
+time the words:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;O, brother! back! The snake! the snake!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>The words were uttered in vain. Jan heard them, but did not
+comprehend their meaning. He heard the word &ldquo;snake.&rdquo; He was
+expecting as much. It had attacked Tr&uuml;ey; and although he did not
+see it, it was no doubt wound about her body. He hurried on.</p>
+
+<p>Already he was within six paces of the dread reptile, that had
+erected its long spread neck to receive him. Another moment, and
+its envenomed fangs would pierce deep into his flesh.</p>
+
+<p>With a despairing scream Tr&uuml;ey rushed forward. She hoped to
+attract the monster upon herself. She would risk her own life to save
+that of her brother!</p>
+
+<p>She had got within six feet of the threatening reptile. Jan was
+about the same distance from it on the opposite side. They were
+equally in peril; and one or the other&mdash;perhaps both&mdash;would have
+fallen a sacrifice to the deadly cobra; but at that moment their
+saviour was nigh. A dark shadow passed under their eyes&mdash;in their
+ears was a rushing sound like the &ldquo;whish&rdquo; of a falling body&mdash;and at
+the same instant a large bird darted down between them!</p>
+
+<p>It did not stay to alight. For a moment its strong broad wings
+agitated the air in their faces; but the next moment the bird made
+a sudden effort, and rose vertically upwards.</p>
+
+<p>Tr&uuml;ey's eyes fell upon the ground. The cobra was no longer there.</p>
+
+<p>With an exclamation of joy she sprang forward, and, throwing her
+arms around Jan, cried out,&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We are saved, brother!&mdash;we are saved!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Jan was somewhat bewildered. As yet he had seen no snake. He
+had seen the bird dart down between them; but so adroitly had it
+seized the cobra and carried it off, that Jan, looking only at Tr&uuml;ey,
+had not perceived the serpent in its beak. He was bewildered and
+terrified, for he still fancied that Tr&uuml;ey was in danger.</p>
+
+<p>When he heard her exclaim, &ldquo;We are saved!&rdquo; he was bewildered
+all the more.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;But the snake!&rdquo; he cried out. &ldquo;Where is the snake?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>As he put these questions, he kept examining Tr&uuml;ey from head to foot,
+as if expecting to see a reptile twined around some part of her body.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">454</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The snake, Jan! Did you not see it? It was just there, at our
+feet; but now&mdash;see! yonder it is. The secretary has got it. See!
+They are fighting! Good bird! I hope it will punish the villain for
+trying to rob my pretty weavers. That's it, good bird! Give it to
+him! See, Jan! What a fight!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Oh, ah!&rdquo; said Jan, now comprehending the situation. &ldquo;Oh, ah!
+Sure enough, yonder is a snake, and a wopper, too. Ne'er fear, Tr&uuml;ey!
+Trust my secretary. He'll give the rascal a taste of his claws. There's
+a lick well put in! Another touch like that, and there won't be much
+life left in the scaly villain. There again,&mdash;wop!&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>With these and similar exclamations the two children stood watching
+the fierce conflict that raged between the bird and the reptile.</p>
+
+<p>Now this bird was a very peculiar one&mdash;so much so, that in all the
+world there is no other of the same kind. In form it resembled a
+crane, having very long legs, and being about the height and size of
+a crane. Its head and beak, however, were more like those of an
+eagle or vulture. It had well-developed wings, armed with spurs,
+and a very long tail, with the two middle feathers longer than the
+rest. Its general colour was bluish grey, with a white throat and
+breast, and a reddish tinge upon the wing-feathers. But, perhaps,
+the most remarkable thing about the bird was its &ldquo;crest.&rdquo; This consisted
+of a number of long, blackish plumes growing out of its occiput,
+and extending down the back of its neck nearly to the shoulders.
+These gave the bird a very peculiar appearance; and the fancied
+resemblance to a secretary of the olden time with his long quill
+behind his ear&mdash;before steel pens came into fashion&mdash;is the reason
+why the bird has received the very inappropriate name of the
+&ldquo;Secretary-bird.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It is more properly named the &ldquo;serpent-eater,&rdquo; and naturalists
+have given it the title <i>Gypogeranus</i>, or &ldquo;crane-vulture.&rdquo; It is sometimes
+also called &ldquo;the messenger,&rdquo; from the staid solemn manner of
+its walk, as it stalks over the plain.</p>
+
+<p>Of all its names that of &ldquo;serpent-eater&rdquo; is the best adapted to the
+character of the bird. It is true there are other birds that kill and
+eat serpents,&mdash;as the &ldquo;guaco&rdquo; bird of South America, and many
+hawks and kites,&mdash;but the secretary is the only winged creature that
+makes reptiles of this class exclusively its prey, and carries on a
+constant war against them. It is not strictly correct to say that it
+feeds exclusively upon snakes. It will also eat lizards, tortoises, and
+even locusts; but snakes are certainly its favourite food, and to
+obtain these it risks its life in many a deadly encounter with those of
+a very large kind.</p>
+
+<p>The serpent-eater is an African bird, and is not peculiar to South
+Africa alone, as it is found in the Gambia country. It is also a native
+of the Philippine Isles. There is some doubt whether the species of
+the Philippine Isles is identical with that of Africa. A difference is
+noted in the plumage, though very slight. The disposition of the
+crest-plumes differs in the two, and the tail-feathers are differently
+arranged. In the African species the two middle ones are the longest,
+while in the serpent-eater of the Philippines it is the two outside
+feathers that project&mdash;giving the bird the appearance of having a
+&ldquo;fork&rdquo; or &ldquo;swallow&rdquo; tail. Some points of distinction have also been
+observed between the South African bird and that of the Gambia.</p>
+
+<p>The serpent-eater is, however, a very unique bird; and naturalists,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">455</a></span>
+failing to class it with either hawks, eagles, vultures, gallin&aelig;, or
+cranes, have elevated it, so as to form a distinct tribe, family, genus,
+and species, of itself.</p>
+
+<p>In South Africa it frequents the great plains and dry karoos, stalking
+about in search of its prey. It is not gregarious, but lives solitary
+or in pairs, making its nest in trees,&mdash;usually those of a thick thorny
+species, which renders the nest most difficult of approach. The whole
+edifice is about three feet in diameter, and resembles the nests of the
+tree-building eagles. It is usually lined with feathers and down, and
+two or three eggs are the number deposited for a single hatching.</p>
+
+<p>The serpent-eater is an excellent runner, and spends more time on
+foot than on the wing. It is a shy wary bird, yet, notwithstanding,
+it is most easily domesticated; and it is not uncommon to see them
+about the houses of the Cape farmers, where they are kept as pets, on
+account of their usefulness in destroying snakes, lizards, and other
+vermin. They have been long ago introduced into the French West
+India Islands, and naturalised there&mdash;in order that they should make
+war upon the dangerous &ldquo;yellow serpent,&rdquo; the plague of the plantations
+in those parts.</p>
+
+<p>Now the bird which had so opportunely appeared between Jan and
+Tr&uuml;ey, and had no doubt saved one or the other, or both, from the
+deadly bite of the <i>spuugh-slang</i>, was a serpent-eater,&mdash;one that had
+been tamed, and that made its home among the branches of the great
+nwana-tree. The hunters had found it upon the plain, wounded by
+some animal,&mdash;perhaps a very large snake,&mdash;and had brought it home
+as a curiosity. In time it quite recovered from its wounds; but the
+kindness it had received, during the period when it was an invalid,
+was not thrown away upon it. When it recovered the use of its
+wings, it refused to leave the society of its protectors, but remained
+habitually in the camp&mdash;although it made frequent excursions into
+the surrounding plains in search of its favourite food. It always,
+however, returned at night, and roosted among the branches of the
+great nwana-tree. Of course it was Jan's pet, and Jan was very good
+to it; but it now repaid all his kindness in saving him from the fangs
+of the deadly cobra.</p>
+
+<p>The children, having recovered from their alarm, stood watching
+the singular conflict between serpent and serpent-eater.</p>
+
+<p>On first seizing the reptile, the bird had caught it by the neck in
+its beak. It might not have accomplished this so readily, had not the
+attention of the snake been occupied by the children, thus throwing
+it off its guard.</p>
+
+<p>Having succeeded in seizing the reptile, the bird rose nearly in
+a vertical direction to a height of many yards, and then opening his
+beak permitted the serpent to fall to the ground. His object was to
+stun the latter by the fall; and the more effectually to do this, he
+would have carried the cobra still higher, had not the latter prevented
+it by attempting to coil itself around his wings.</p>
+
+<p>Upon letting fall his prey the serpent-eater did not remain in the
+air. On the contrary, he darted after the falling reptile, and the
+moment the latter touched the ground, and before it could put itself
+in an attitude of defence, the bird &ldquo;pounced&rdquo; upon it with spread
+foot, striking it a violent blow near the neck. The snake was still
+but slightly damaged, and throwing itself into a coil stood upon its
+defence. Its mouth was open to its widest extent, its tongue<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">456</a></span>
+protruded, its fangs were erect, and its eyes flashing with rage and
+poison. A terrible antagonist it appeared, and for a moment the
+secretary seemed to think so, as he stood on the ground confronting
+it.</p>
+
+<p>But the bird soon began to advance upon it for a renewal of the
+attack, though this advance was made in a cautious manner. With
+the pinions of one of his strong wings spread broadly out for a shield,
+he approached the reptile sideways, and, when near enough, suddenly
+wheeled, turning upon his leg as on a pivot, and struck sharply out
+with his other wing. The blow was delivered with good effect. It
+reached the head of the snake, and seemed to stun it. Its neck
+dropped, the coils became loosened. Before it could recover itself
+it was once more in the beak of the serpent-eater, and trailing
+through the air.</p>
+
+<p>This time the bird rose to a much greater height than before&mdash;as
+he was not hampered by the writhing of the serpent&mdash;and as
+before suffered the reptile to fall, and then darted suddenly after.</p>
+
+<p>When the snake came to the ground a second time it lay for a
+moment stretched at full length, as if stunned or dead. It was not
+dead, however, and would once more have coiled itself; but, before
+it could do so, the bird had repeatedly pounced upon its neck with
+his spread and horny feet; and at length, watching his opportunity
+when the head of the serpent lay flat, he struck a blow with his sharp
+beak so violent, that it split the skull of the reptile in twain! Life
+was now extinct, and the hideous form, extended to its full length,
+lay lithe and motionless upon the grass.</p>
+
+<p>Jan and Tr&uuml;ey clapped their hands, and uttered exclamations of
+joy.</p>
+
+<p>The serpent-eater took no heed of their demonstrations, but, approaching
+the dead cobra, bent over it, and coolly set about making
+his dinner.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLIV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">V</span>on Bloom and his family had now been months without bread.
+They were not without a substitute, however, as various roots and
+nuts supplied them with a change of food. Of the latter, they had
+the ground or pig-nut, which grows in all parts of Southern Africa,
+and which forms a staple food of the native inhabitants. For vegetables
+they had the bulbs of many species of <i>Ixias</i> and <i>Mesembryanthemums</i>,
+among others the &ldquo;Hottentot fig.&rdquo; They had the
+&ldquo;Caffir bread&rdquo;&mdash;the inside pith of the stems of a species of <i>Zamia</i>;
+and the &ldquo;Caffir chestnut,&rdquo; the fruit of the <i>Brabeium stellatum</i>;
+and last, not least, the enormous roots of the &ldquo;elephant's foot.&rdquo; They
+had wild onions and garlic too; and in the white flower-tops of
+a beautiful floating plant, they found a substitute for asparagus.</p>
+
+<p>All these roots and fruits were to be obtained in the neighbourhood,
+and no man knew better how to find them, and &ldquo;crow&rdquo; them up
+when found, than did Swartboy the Bushman. Well might he, for
+in Swartboy's early days he had often been compelled to subsist for
+weeks, and even months, on roots alone!</p>
+
+<p>But although they could procure a constant supply of these natural<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">457</a></span>
+productions, they considered them but a poor substitute for bread;
+and all of them longed to eat once more what is usually termed the
+&ldquo;staff of life&rdquo;&mdash;though in South Africa, where so many people live
+exclusively upon the flesh of animals, bread is hardly entitled to that
+appellation.</p>
+
+<p>Bread they were likely to have, and soon. When treking from the
+old kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize. It
+was the last of their previous year's stock; and there was not in all
+over a bushel of it. But that was enough for seed, and would
+produce many bushels if properly planted, and carefully tended.</p>
+
+<p>This had been done shortly after their arrival at their present
+home. A fertile spot of ground had been selected, only a few
+hundred yards from the nwana-tree. It had been turned up with the
+spade, for want of a plough, and the seeds planted at proper distances.</p>
+
+<p>Many an hour had been given to the weeding and hoeing of it, and
+around every plant a little hill of soft mould had been raised, to
+nourish the roots, and protect them from the heat of the sun. The
+plants were even watered now and then.</p>
+
+<p>Partly on account of this attention, and partly from the richness of
+the virgin soil, a splendid growth was the result; and the stalks
+stood full twelve feet high, with ears nearly a foot long. They had
+almost ripened; and the field-cornet intended in about a week or ten
+days to gather in the crop.</p>
+
+<p>Both he and all his people were anticipating pleasant feasts of
+maize-bread, and &ldquo;hominy,&rdquo; with &ldquo;mash and milk,&rdquo; and various other
+dishes, that with Totty's skill could be manufactured out of the
+Indian corn.</p>
+
+<p>About this time an incident occurred that nearly deprived them,
+not only of their whole plot of maize-plants, but also of their valuable
+housekeeper, Totty. It was as follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded
+a view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far
+as the bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about &ldquo;house&rdquo; affairs,
+when her attention was called off, by some singular noises that came
+from that direction. She parted the branches and looked through.
+A singular scene was before her eyes&mdash;a spectacle of no common kind.</p>
+
+<p>A body of odd-looking animals, to the number of two hundred or
+more, was coming from the direction of the cliffs. They were creatures
+of ungainly forms&mdash;in make and size not unlike large ill-shaped dogs&mdash;and
+of a greenish-brown colour. Their faces and ears only were
+black, and these were naked, while their bodies were covered with
+harsh coarse hair. They had long tails, which some of them carried
+high in the air, and flourished about in a very eccentric manner.</p>
+
+<p>Totty was by no means alarmed. She knew what sort of animals
+they were. She knew they were baboons. They were of the species
+known as the &ldquo;pig-faced&rdquo; baboon or &ldquo;chacma&rdquo; (<i>Cynocephalus
+porcarius</i>), which is found in nearly every part of South Africa where
+there are high cliffs with caves and crevices&mdash;the favourite dwelling-places
+of the baboon.</p>
+
+<p>Of all the monkey tribe the baboons, or dog-headed monkeys
+(<i>cynocephali</i>), are the most disgusting in form and features. Who
+does not feel disgust when regarding the hideous mandrill&mdash;the drill&mdash;the
+hamadryas&mdash;or even the chacma? And all these are baboons.
+The baboons are peculiar to Africa, and there are six well-known<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">458</a></span>
+species of them:&mdash;the common baboon of North Africa, the &ldquo;papion&rdquo;
+of the south and western coast, the &ldquo;hamadryas or tartarin&rdquo; of
+Abyssinia, the &ldquo;mandrill&rdquo; and &ldquo;drill&rdquo; of Guinea, and the &ldquo;chacma&rdquo;
+of the Cape Colony.</p>
+
+<p>The habits of these animals are as disgusting as their appearance.
+They may be tamed, and made &ldquo;pets&rdquo; of; but dangerous pets they
+are, as they will, upon, the slightest provocation, bite the hand that
+feeds them.</p>
+
+<p>Their great strength of body and jaw, and their long canine teeth,
+give them a dangerous power, which they often make use of. No
+dog is a match for one, and the hyena and leopard often come off
+second best in an encounter with a baboon.</p>
+
+<p>They are not carnivorous, however, and only tear their enemy to
+pieces without eating it. Their food consists of fruits and bulbous
+roots, which they well understand to dig out of the ground with the
+sharp nails of their hands.</p>
+
+<p>Although they will not attack man if left alone, they become
+dangerous assailants when hunted and brought to bay.</p>
+
+<p>Many odd stories are told of the chacma baboon among the settlers
+of Southern Africa, such as their robbing the traveller of his food,
+and then going off to some distance, and mocking him, while they
+devour it. The natives also say that they sometimes use a stick in
+walking, &ldquo;crowing&rdquo; for roots, and in self-defence. Also, when a
+young one has succeeded in finding a choice root, and is observed by
+an older and stronger one, that the latter takes it away; but, should
+the young one have already swallowed it, then the bully picks him
+up, turns him head downward, and shakes him until he is forced to
+&ldquo;disgorge!&rdquo; Many such tales are current in the country of the
+boers, and they are not all without foundation, for these animals
+most certainly possess the power of reflection in a high degree.</p>
+
+<p>Totty from her perch saw enough to convince her of this, had she
+been herself inclined to philosophise. But she was not. She was
+only a little curious about the man&#339;uvres of the animals, and she
+called Tr&uuml;ey and little Jan up into the tree, in order that they might
+share the spectacle with her. All the others were off hunting.</p>
+
+<p>Jan was delighted, and ran up the ladder at once. So did Tr&uuml;ey
+and all three stood watching the odd movements of the four-handed
+creatures.</p>
+
+<p>They perceived that the troop was actually marching in order; not
+in line, but with some understood arrangement. There were scouts
+upon the wings, and leaders in front. These were baboons of greater
+age and size than the others. There were calls and signals, and the
+change of accent and tone would have convinced any one that a
+regular conversation was going on. The females and younger ones
+marched in the middle for better security. The mothers carried
+their infants upon their backs, or over their shoulders. Now a
+mother would stop to suckle her little offspring&mdash;dressing its hair at
+the same time&mdash;and then gallop forward to make up for the loss.
+Now one would be seen beating her child, that had in some way
+given offence. Now two young females would quarrel, from jealousy
+or some other cause, and then a terrible chattering would ensue, to be
+silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs!</p>
+
+<p>Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screaming,
+and barking, as only monkeys can.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">459</a></span></p>
+
+<p>What were they after?</p>
+
+<p>That question was answered very soon. Tr&uuml;ey and Jan, and
+Totty saw, to their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an
+idle errand. They were after the maize-plants!</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 348px;">
+<img src="images/illus-459.jpg" width="348" height="500" alt="TOTTY IN TROUBLE." title="TOTTY IN TROUBLE" />
+<span class="caption">TOTTY IN TROUBLE.</span></div>
+
+<p>In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and
+were hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the
+plants. A few only could be seen,&mdash;large old fellows, that stationed
+themselves outside as sentinels, and were keeping up a constant interchange<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">460</a></span>
+of signals. The main body was already stripping the plants
+of their precious fruit.</p>
+
+<p>But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field,
+where a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another,
+extended away to the very bottom of the cliff. These had been left
+by a regular man&#339;uvre,&mdash;a deployment&mdash;as the troop traversed the
+plain in coming to the field. For what purpose?</p>
+
+<p>That was soon apparent. In less than two minutes after the crowd
+disappeared under the shelter of the maize-plants, the long heads in
+their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by
+the hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately
+took them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next,
+and so on, until, in a very short while from the time a head was
+plucked from the stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the
+baboons far off among the cliffs!</p>
+
+<p>Had this work gone on much longer the field-cornet would have
+had but a poor gathering in harvest time. The baboons thought the
+corn ripe enough, and would soon have made a crop of it, but at this
+moment their operations were interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>Totty knew but little of the danger she underwent, when she ran
+forth with nothing but that long broom-handle to drive off a troop
+of chacmas. She only thought of the loss her kind master was sustaining;
+and down the ladder she hurried, and ran straight out to
+the corn-field.</p>
+
+<p>Several sentinels met her by its edge, grinned, chattered, screamed,
+barked, and showed their long canine teeth; but they only received
+a blow over their ugly snouts from the broom-handle. Their cries
+summoned the others; and in a few moments the poor Hottentot
+was standing in the midst of an angry circle of chacmas, that were
+only prevented from springing in upon her by the expert manner in
+which she continued to ply the broom-stick.</p>
+
+<p>But this slight weapon would not have served much longer, and
+Totty's fate&mdash;that of being torn to pieces&mdash;would soon have been
+sealed, had not four horsemen, or rather &ldquo;quagga-men,&rdquo; at that
+moment galloped up to her rescue.</p>
+
+<p>These were the hunters returning from the chase; and a volley
+from their guns at once scattered the ugly chacmas, and sent them
+howling back to their caves.</p>
+
+<p>After that the field-cornet looked well to his maize, until it was
+ready for gathering; when it was all brought home, and deposited
+in safety out of the reach of either birds, reptiles, quadrupeds, or
+<i>quadrumana</i>.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLV.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">S</span>ince the taming of the quaggas the hunting had been attended with
+tolerable success. Not a week passed without adding a pair of tusks&mdash;sometimes
+two or three pairs&mdash;to the collection, which now began
+to assume the form of a little pyramid of ivory standing near the
+bottom of the nwana.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom, however, was not quite satisfied with his progress.
+He thought they might do far better if they had only a few dogs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">461</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Though the quaggas were of great service to them, and with these
+they were often able to overtake the elephant, yet they as often lost
+their great game, and it is more easy to do so than most persons
+imagine.</p>
+
+<p>But with dogs to join in the hunt, the result would be quite different.
+It is true these animals cannot pull down an elephant, nor
+do him the slightest injury; but they can follow him whithersoever
+he may go, and by their barking bring him to a stand.</p>
+
+<p>Another valuable service which the dogs perform, is in drawing
+the attention of the elephant away from the hunters. The huge
+quadruped when enraged is, as we have already seen, exceedingly
+dangerous. On such occasions he will charge upon the noisy dogs,
+mistaking them for his real assailants. This, of course, gives the
+hunter a good opportunity of delivering his fire, and avoiding the
+deadly encounter of the elephant.</p>
+
+<p>Now in several elephant-hunts which they had lately made, our
+hunters had run some very narrow risks. Their quaggas were neither
+so manageable nor so quick in their movements as horses would have
+been, and this rendered the hazard still greater. Some of them
+might one day fall a victim. So feared Von Bloom; and he would
+gladly have given for a number of dogs an elephant's tusk a-piece&mdash;even
+though they were the most worthless of curs. Indeed, their
+quality is but of slight importance. Any dogs that can trace the
+elephant and pester him with their barking would do.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom even thought of taming some hyenas, and training them
+to the hunt. This idea was by no means quixotic. The hyena is often
+used for such a purpose, and performs even better than many kinds
+of dogs.</p>
+
+<p>One day Von Bloom was pondering over this subject. He was seated
+on a little platform that had been constructed very high up&mdash;near the
+top of the nwana-tree&mdash;from which a view could be had of the whole
+country around. It was a favourite resort of the field-cornet&mdash;his
+smoking-room, in fact&mdash;where he went every evening to enjoy a quiet
+pull out of his great meerschaum. His face was turned upon the plain
+that stretched from the border of the <i>bosch</i> as far as the eye could
+reach.</p>
+
+<p>While quietly puffing away, his attention was attracted by some
+animals standing at a distance off upon the plain. The brilliant colour
+of their bodies had caught his eye.</p>
+
+<p>They were of a lively sienna colour over the back and sides, and
+white underneath, with a list of black upon the outside of the legs,
+and some black stripes upon the face, as regularly defined as if laid
+on by the brush of a painter. They had horns of very irregular shape,
+roughly knotted&mdash;each curved into something of the shape of a reaping-hook,
+and rising directly from the top of one of the straightest and
+longest heads ever carried by an animal. These animals were far from
+being gracefully formed. They had drooping hind-quarters like the
+giraffe, though in a much less degree, shoulders greatly elevated, and
+long narrow heads. For the rest their forms were bony and angular.
+Each stood five feet high, from the fore-hoof to the shoulder, and full
+nine feet in length.</p>
+
+<p>They were antelopes of course&mdash;that species known among Cape
+colonists as the &ldquo;hartebeest.&rdquo; There were in all about fifty of them
+in the herd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">462</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When first observed by Von Bloom, they were quietly browsing
+upon the plain. The next moment, however, they were seen to run
+to and fro, as if suddenly alarmed by the approach of an enemy.</p>
+
+<p>And an enemy there certainly was; for in a moment more the herd
+had taken to flight; and Von Bloom now saw that they were followed
+by a pack of hounds! I say a &ldquo;pack of hounds,&rdquo; for the creatures in
+the distance exactly resembled hounds more than anything in the
+world. Nay, more than resembled, for it actually was a pack of
+hounds&mdash;of
+wild hounds!</p>
+
+<p>Of course Von Bloom knew what they were. He knew they were
+the &ldquo;wilde-honden,&rdquo; very absurdly named by sapient naturalists
+<i>Hyena venatica</i> or &ldquo;hunting hyena,&rdquo; and by others, with equal
+absurdity the &ldquo;hunting dog.&rdquo; I pronounce these names &ldquo;absurd,&rdquo;
+first because the animal in question bears no more resemblance to a
+hyena than it does to a hedgehog; and, secondly, because &ldquo;hunting
+dog&rdquo; is a very ridiculous appellation, since any dog may merit a similar
+title.</p>
+
+<p>Now I would ask, why could these naturalists not let the nomenclature
+of the boers alone? If a better name than &ldquo;wilde-honden&rdquo;
+(wild hounds) can be given to these animals, I should like to hear it.
+Why, it is the very perfection of a name, and exactly expresses the
+character of the animal to which they apply it&mdash;that character, which
+coming under their everyday observation, suggested the name.</p>
+
+<p>It is quite a libel to call this beautiful creature a hyena. He has
+neither the ugly form, the harsh pelage, the dull colour, nor the filthy
+habits of one. Call him a &ldquo;wolf,&rdquo; or &ldquo;wild dog,&rdquo; if you please, but he
+is at the same time the handsomest wolf or wild dog in creation. But
+we shall name him, as the boers have done, a &ldquo;wild hound.&rdquo; That is
+his true title, let naturalists class him as they may.</p>
+
+<p>His size, shape, his smooth clean coat, as well as his colour, approximate
+him more to the hound than to any other animal. In the last&mdash;which
+is a ground of &ldquo;tan&rdquo; blotched and mottled with large spots of
+black and grey&mdash;he bears a striking resemblance to the common
+hound; and the superior size of his ears would seem to assimilate him
+still more to this animal. The ears, however, as in all the wild species
+of <i>Canis</i>, are of course not hanging, but erect.</p>
+
+<p>His habits, however, crown the resemblance. In his natural state
+the wild hound never prowls alone; but boldly runs down his game,
+following it in large organised packs, just as hounds do; and in his
+hunting he exhibits as much skill as if he had Tom Moody riding at
+his heels, to guide with whip and horn.</p>
+
+<p>It was the field-cornet's good fortune to witness an exhibition of
+this skill.</p>
+
+<p>The hounds had come unexpectedly upon the hartebeest herd; and
+almost at the first dash, one of the antelopes became separated from
+the rest, and ran in an opposite direction. This was just what the
+cunning dogs wanted; and the whole pack, instead of following the
+herd, turned after the single one, and ran &ldquo;tail on end.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Now this hartebeest, although an ill-shaped antelope, is one of the
+very swiftest of the tribe; and the wild hound does not capture it
+without a severe chase. In fact, he could not capture it at all, if speed
+were the only point between the two animals. But it is not. The
+hartebeest has a weakness in its character, opposite to which the wild
+hound possesses a cunning.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">463</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The former when chased, although it runs in a straight line, does
+not keep long in a direct course. Now and then it diverges to one
+side or the other, led perhaps by the form of the ground, or some other
+circumstance. In this habit lies its weakness. The wild hound is
+well aware of it, and takes advantage of it by a man&#339;uvre, which
+certainly savours strongly of reflection on his part.</p>
+
+<p>Our field-cornet had a proof of this as he watched the chase. His
+elevated position gave him a view of the whole ground, and he could
+note every movement both of pursuer and pursued.</p>
+
+<p>On breaking off, the hartebeest ran in a right line, and the hounds
+followed straight after. They had not gone far, however, when Von
+Bloom perceived that one hound was forging ahead of the rest, and
+running much faster than any of them. He might have been a swifter
+dog than the others, but the hunter did not think it was that. He
+appeared rather to be running harder that they, as if sent forward to
+push the hartebeest, while the rest saved their wind.</p>
+
+<p>This proved to be really the case; for the dog, by a desperate effort,
+having gained upon the antelope, caused the latter to turn slightly
+from it original course; and the pack, perceiving this, changed their
+direction at the same time, and held along a diagonal line, as if to
+head the game. By this means they avoided the d&eacute;tour which both
+the antelope and their companion had made.</p>
+
+<p>The hartebeest was now running upon a new line; and as before,
+one of the hounds was soon seen to head the pack, and press forward
+at the top of his speed. The one that first led, as soon as the antelope
+turned from its original course, fell back, rejoined the pack, and was
+now lagging among the hindmost! His &ldquo;turn&rdquo; of duty was over.</p>
+
+<p>Again the hartebeest verged from its course. Again the pack ran
+obliquely, and made a second &ldquo;cut&rdquo; upon him&mdash;again a fresh dog took
+the lead, and on swept the chase as before&mdash;the wild hounds uttering
+their yelping notes as they ran.</p>
+
+<p>Several times was this man&#339;uvre executed by the cunning dogs&mdash;until
+the desired result was accomplished, and the antelope was completely
+&ldquo;blown.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Then, as if they felt that it was in their power, and that further
+strategy was not needed, the whole pack rushed forward simultaneously,
+and closed rapidly upon the game.</p>
+
+<p>The hartebeest made one last despairing effort to escape, but, finding
+that speed would no longer avail, the creature wheeled suddenly round,
+and placed itself in an attitude of defiance&mdash;the foam falling from its
+lips, while its red eyes sparkled like coals of fire.</p>
+
+<p>In another moment the dogs were around it.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;What a splendid pack!&rdquo; exclaimed Von Bloom. &ldquo;Oh! that I had
+such an one!</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Ha!&rdquo; he continued, as a new thought struck him, &ldquo;and why not,
+just such an one?&mdash;why not?&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Now the train of reflections that passed through the mind of the
+field-cornet was as follows:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>That the wild hounds might be tamed, and trained to hunting,&mdash;easiest
+of all, to the chase of the elephant. He knew that this could
+be done, for boer-hunters had often done it. True, the dogs must be
+taken young, but where were young ones to be obtained? It is not
+so easy to capture the pups of the wild hound. Until they are able to
+run well, their mothers do not permit them to stray far from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">464</a></span>
+caves in which they are littered; and these are usually crevices among
+rocks quite inaccessible to man. How could he obtain a set of them?
+He had already formed such an intention. Where could be their
+breeding place?</p>
+
+<p>His reflections were interrupted at this point, by very singular
+behaviour on the part of the wild hounds, and which gave him a new
+idea of their intelligence that quite electrified him.</p>
+
+<p>When the hartebeest stood to bay, and the hounds came up, Von
+Bloom very naturally expected to see the latter run in upon their
+game, and at once pull it to the ground. This he knew was their
+usual habit. What was his astonishment at seeing the whole pack
+standing off to one side, as if they intended to leave the antelope alone!
+Some of them even lay down to rest themselves, while the others
+stood with open jaws and lolling tongues, but without showing any
+signs that they intended further to molest the panting quarry!</p>
+
+<p>The field-cornet could observe the situation well, for the antelope
+was on his side&mdash;that is, towards the cliffs&mdash;while the dogs were
+farther out upon the plain. Another circumstance that astonished
+him was, that the dogs, after running up and around the hartebeest,
+had actually drawn off to their present position!</p>
+
+<p>What could it mean? Were they afraid of its ugly horns? Were
+they resting themselves before they should make their bloody onslaught!</p>
+
+<p>The hunter kept his gaze intently fixed upon the interesting
+group.</p>
+
+<p>After a while the antelope, having recovered its wind a little, and
+seeing the pack so distant, made a fresh start.</p>
+
+<p>This time it ran in a side direction, apparently with the intention
+of gaining a hill that lay in that way, and up the sides of which it no
+doubt calculated upon gaining some advantage. But the creature
+had hardly stretched itself, when the hounds struck out after it; and
+in five hundred yards running, once more brought it to a stand.
+Again the pack took station at a distance, and the hartebeest stood
+upon the plain alone!</p>
+
+<p>Once more it essayed to escape, and started off with all the speed
+that was left in its legs&mdash;the hounds as before trooping after.</p>
+
+<p>This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a
+point in the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the
+nwana-tree, everybody had a fine view of it.</p>
+
+<p>The hartebeest seemed to be going faster than ever, or, at all events,
+the dogs did not now appear to gain upon it; and the field-cornet, as
+well as all the young people, were in hopes the poor creature would
+escape from its tireless pursuers.</p>
+
+<p>They watched the chase, until they could just see the bright body
+of the hartebeest afar off, appearing like a yellow spot upon the face
+of the rocks, but the dogs were no longer visible. Then the yellow
+spot suddenly disappeared like the going out of a candle, and they
+could see it no more.</p>
+
+<p>No doubt the antelope was pulled down!</p>
+
+<p>A strange suspicion entered the mind of Von Bloom, and, calling
+upon them to saddle the quaggas, he, with Hans and Hendrik, rode
+off towards the place where the hartebeests had been last seen.</p>
+
+<p>They approached the ground with caution; and under the shelter
+of some bushes were enabled to get within two hundred yards of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">465</a></span>
+spot without being observed. A singular spectacle rewarded their
+pains.</p>
+
+<p>Within a dozen yards of the cliff lay the body of the hartebeest,
+where it had been &ldquo;pulled down&rdquo; by the dogs. It was already half
+eaten, not by the hounds that had hunted it, but by their puppies of
+all ages, that to the number of more than threescore were now standing
+around the carcass, tugging away at its flesh and snarling at one
+another! Some of the grown dogs that had taken part in the chase
+could be seen lying upon the ground, still panting after their hard
+run; but most of them had disappeared, no doubt into the numerous
+small caves and crevices that opened along the bottom of the cliffs.</p>
+
+<p>There was no room left to doubt the singular fact&mdash;that the wild
+hounds had regularly driven the hartebeest up to their breeding-place
+to feed their young, and that they had abstained from killing it out
+upon the plain to save themselves the labour of dragging it from a
+distance!</p>
+
+<p>Indeed these animals&mdash;unlike the <i>Felid&aelig;</i>&mdash;have not the power of
+transporting a large mass to any considerable distance; hence the
+wonderful instinct which led them to guide the antelope to the very
+spot where its flesh was wanted!</p>
+
+<p>That they were in the constant practice of this singular habit was
+attested, by the numerous bones and horns of large antelopes of
+different kinds, that lay strewed around the place.</p>
+
+<p>Von Bloom had his eye upon the young puppies, and all three made
+a rush towards them. But it was to no purpose. Cunning as their
+fathers and mothers, the little fellows forsook their meal at first sight
+of the intruders, and darted off into their caves!</p>
+
+<p>But they were not cunning enough to escape the snares, which were
+laid for them every day for a week after; and, before the end of that
+time, more than a dozen of them were safely domiciled in a little
+kennel built especially for their use, under the shadow of the great
+nwana-tree.</p>
+
+<p>In less that six months from that time, several of them were in the
+field, and trained to the chase of the elephant, which duty they
+performed with all the courage and skill that could have been shown
+by hounds of the purest breed!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h2>CHAPTER XLVI.</h2>
+
+<div class="cap">CONCLUSION.</div>
+<br />
+
+<p class="noindent"><span class="first">F</span>or several years Von Bloom led the life of an elephant-hunter. For
+several years the great nwana-tree was his home, and his only companions
+his children and domestics. But, perhaps, these were not the
+least happy years of his existence, since, during all the time both he
+and his family had enjoyed the most estimable of earthly blessings,&mdash;health.</p>
+
+<p>He had not allowed his children to grow up without instruction.
+He had not permitted them to lapse into the character of mere &ldquo;Bush-boys.&rdquo;
+He had taught them many things from the book of nature,&mdash;many
+arts that can be acquired as well on the karoo as in the college.
+He had taught them to love God, and to love one another. He had
+planted in their minds the seeds of the virtuous principles,&mdash;honour
+and morality,&mdash;without which all education is worthless. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">466</a></span>
+imbued them with habits of industry and self-reliance, and had initiated
+them into many of the accomplishments of civilised life&mdash;so that
+upon their return to society they might be quite equal to its claims.
+Upon the whole, those years of the exile's life, spent in his wilderness
+home, formed no blank in his existence. He might look back upon
+them with feelings of satisfaction and pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>Man, however, is formed for society. The human heart, properly
+organised, seeks communion with the human heart; and the mind,
+especially when refined and polished by education, loves the intercourse
+of social life, and, when deprived of it, will always yearn to
+obtain it.</p>
+
+<p>So was it with the field-cornet. He desired to return once more
+within the pale of civilised society. He desired once more to revisit
+the scenes where he had so long dwelt in peaceful happiness; he
+desired once more to establish himself among his friends and acquaintances
+of former days, in the picturesque district in the Graaf Reinet.
+Indeed, to have remained any longer in his wilderness home could
+have served no purpose. It is true he had grown very much attached
+to his wild hunter-life, but it was no longer likely to be profitable.
+The elephants had completely forsaken the neighbourhood of the
+camp, and not one was to be found within twenty miles of the spot.
+They had become well-acquainted with the report of the long roer,
+and knew the dangerous character of that weapon; they had learnt
+that of all their enemies man was the one to be especially dreaded
+and shunned; and they had grown so shy of his presence, that the
+hunters frequently passed whole weeks without setting their eyes
+upon a single elephant.</p>
+
+<p>But this was no longer an object of solicitude with Von Bloom.
+Other considerations now occupied his mind, and he did not care
+much if he should never spoor another of these huge quadrupeds.
+To return to the Graaf Reinet, and settle there, was now the ultimatum
+of his wishes.</p>
+
+<p>The time had at length arrived when he would be able to carry out
+that design; and nothing seemed any longer to stand in the way of
+its full and complete accomplishment.</p>
+
+<p>The proscription against him had been long since taken off. A
+general amnesty had been passed by the government, and he had
+been pardoned among the rest.</p>
+
+<p>It is true his property was not restored to him; but that mattered
+little now. He had created a new property, as was testified by the
+vast pyramid of ivory that stood under the shadow of the great
+nwana-tree!</p>
+
+<p>Nothing remained but to transport this shining pile to a market,
+and a splendid fortune would be the result.</p>
+
+<p>And Von Bloom's ingenuity found the means for bringing it to
+market.</p>
+
+<p>About this time there was dug another huge pit-trap near the
+pass in the cliffs, in which many quaggas were trapped; and then,
+there were stirring scenes, while these wild creatures were being
+broken to harness, and trained to &ldquo;trek&rdquo; in a wagon.</p>
+
+<p>They were trained, however, after a good deal of trouble&mdash;the old
+wheels, still in prime condition, serving as the &ldquo;break;&rdquo; and then
+the body of the wagon was let down from the tree, and once more
+renewed its acquaintance with its old companions the wheels; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">467</a></span>
+the cap-tent spread its protecting shadow over all; and the white and
+yellow crescents were stowed; and the quaggas were &ldquo;inspanned;&rdquo;
+and Swartboy, mounting the &ldquo;voor-kist,&rdquo; once more cracked his long
+bamboo whip; and the wheels, well oiled with elephants' grease,
+again whirled gaily along!</p>
+
+<p>How surprised were the good people of Graaf Beinet, when one
+morning a cap-tent wagon, drawn by twelve quaggas, and followed
+by four riders mounted upon animals of the same kind, pulled up in
+the public square of their little town! How astonished they were
+on seeing that this wagon was &ldquo;chuck&rdquo; full of elephants' teeth, all
+except a little corner occupied by a beautiful girl with cherry cheeks
+and fair flaxen hair; and how joyed were they, in fine, on learning
+that the owner of both the ivory and the beautiful girl was no other
+than their old friend, and much-esteemed fellow-citizen, the field-cornet,
+Von Bloom!</p>
+
+<p>A warm welcome met the elephant-hunter in the square of Graaf
+Reinet, and, what was also of some importance, a ready market for
+his ivory.</p>
+
+<p>It chanced just at that time that ivory was selling at a very high
+rate. Some article&mdash;I do not remember what&mdash;the principal part of
+which required to be constructed of pure ivory, had come into fashion
+and general use in European countries, and the consequence was an
+increased demand for this valuable commodity. It was a fortunate
+circumstance for the returned hunter, who was at once enabled to
+dispose of his stock, not only for ready money, but at such a fine
+price as to yield him nearly twice the amount he had calculated on
+receiving!</p>
+
+<p>He had not brought it all with him, as there was more than would
+have loaded any one wagon. A second load had remained, hidden
+near the nwana-tree, and this required a journey to be made for it.</p>
+
+<p>It was made in due time, and the remainder arrived safely at Graaf
+Reinet, and was there delivered to the ivory-dealers, who had already
+purchased it.</p>
+
+<p>The result was a splendid fortune in ready money. The field-cornet
+was once more a rich man!</p>
+
+<p>For the present we can follow his history no farther than to say,
+that the proceeds of his great hunt enabled him to buy back his old
+estate, and to stock it in splendid style, with the best breeds of
+horses, horned cattle, and sheep; that he rose rapidly in wealth and
+worldly esteem; that the government gave him its confidence; and,
+having first restored him to his old office of field-cornet, soon afterwards
+promoted him to that of &ldquo;landdrost,&rdquo; or chief magistrate of
+the district.</p>
+
+<p>Hans returned to his college studies; while the dashing Hendrik
+was enabled to enter the profession for which he was most fit, and
+the very one that fitted him, by obtaining a cornetcy in the &ldquo;Cape
+Mounted Rifles.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>Little Jan was packed off to school to study grammar and geography;
+while the beautiful Tr&uuml;ey remained at home to grace the
+mansion of her honoured father, and look after his household affairs.</p>
+
+<p>Totty still ruled the kitchen; and, of course, Swartboy was the
+important man about the house, and for many a long year after
+cracked his great whip, and flourished his jambok among the long-horned
+oxen of the wealthy landdrost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">468</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But enough for the present,&mdash;enough of adventure for one year.
+Let us hope, boy readers, that before you and I have circled once
+more around the sun, we shall make a fresh trip to the land of the
+boers, and again encounter the worthy Von Bloom, his Bushman, and&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="center">&ldquo;<span class="smcap">Bush-Boys</span>.&rdquo;</div>
+<br />
+<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Top</a></span>
+<h3><span class="smcap">The End</span>.</h3>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
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@@ -0,0 +1,27427 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Popular Adventure Tales
+
+Author: Mayne Reid
+
+Release Date: June 1, 2008 [EBook #25665]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Marcia Brooks and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+POPULAR ADVENTURE TALES
+
+[Illustration: THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.]
+
+
+
+
+Popular Adventure Tales
+
+COMPRISING
+
+_THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS_
+OR, THE BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH
+
+_THE FOREST EXILES_
+OR, ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON
+
+_THE BUSH-BOYS_
+OR, ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
+
+By
+
+CAPTAIN MAYNE REID
+
+AUTHOR OF
+"_The Rifle Rangers_" "_The Wood Rangers_"
+_&c., &c._
+
+_ILLUSTRATED_
+
+LONDON
+SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO.
+GLASGOW: THOMAS D. MORISON
+
+
+
+
+BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
+
+
+Captain Mayne Reid was born at Ballyroney, County Down, on the 4th
+April, 1818, and was the son of the Rev. Thomas Mayne Reid. Mayne Reid
+was educated with a view to the Church, but finding his inclinations
+opposed to this calling, he emigrated to America and arrived in New
+Orleans on January, 1840. After a varied career as plantation over-seer,
+school-master, and actor, with a number of expeditions in connection
+with hunting and Indian warfare, he settled down in 1843 as a journalist
+in Philadelphia, where he made the acquaintance of Edgar Allan Poe.
+
+Leaving Philadelphia in 1846, he spent the summer at Newport, Rhode
+Island, as the correspondent of the _New York Herald_, and in December
+of the same year, having obtained a commission as second lieutenant in
+the 1st New York Volunteers, he sailed for Vera Cruz to take part in the
+Mexican war. He behaved with conspicuous gallantry in many engagements,
+and was severely wounded and disabled at the storming of Chapultepec on
+the 13th September, 1847.
+
+Returning to the United States in the spring of 1848, he resumed
+literary work. But in June, 1849, he sailed for Europe in order to take
+part in the revolutionary movements going on in Hungary and Bavaria,
+arriving however too late, he turned his attention again to literature,
+and in London in 1850, published his first novel "The Rifle Rangers," in
+two volumes. Between this date and his death, he produced a large number
+of volumes, which indeed no one else was capable of writing, for in them
+are avowedly embodied the observations and experiences of his own
+extraordinary career.
+
+Unfortunate building and journalistic speculation and enterprises
+involved him in financial failure, so he returned to New York in
+October, 1867. There he founded and conducted _The Onward Magazine_, but
+owing to recurring bad effects of his old Mexican wound, he had to
+abandon work for sometime and go into the hospital, on leaving which he
+returned to England in 1870. During the later years of his life he
+resided at Ross in Herefordshire where he died on the 22nd October,
+1883, and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.
+
+Mayne Reid wrote in all thirty-five works, chiefly books of adventure
+and travel. As in the case of all authors, the books vary much in merit,
+but most of them are of a high order in their own department of
+literature. Many of them have been extraordinary popular and have become
+standard works. Reid has not been surpassed by any other writer in
+combining at one and the same time, the features of thrilling adventure
+and great instruction in the fields of natural history. Many of the
+works have been translated into Continental languages and are as highly
+esteemed among the French and Germans as at home.
+
+
+
+
+                      CONTENTS
+
+                THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+                        OR
+
+              BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.
+
+
+  _CHAPTER I_                                        PAGE
+  THE FUR COUNTRIES                                    13
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS                                  16
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE                22
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT                            29
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  "CAST AWAY"                                          34
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN                                 37
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  DECOYING THE ANTELOPES                               41
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  "A PARTRIDGE DANCE"                                  45
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL                             48
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  THREE CURIOUS TREES                                  52
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE                            56
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  THE CHAIN OF LAKES                                   59
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE                        62
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS                                69
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER                                73
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA                               79
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  THE BLAIREAU, THE "TAWNIES," AND THE "LEOPARDS"      82
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK                            86
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS                     91
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  THE FISH-HAWK                                        94
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT                            97
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED                              102
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  FISHING UNDER THE ICE                               105
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  AN ODD ALARM                                        107
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE                              113
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  LIFE IN A LOG-HUT                                   117
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES                            121
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE BARREN GROUNDS                                  125
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  THE ROCK-TRIPE                                      130
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  THE POLAR HARE AND THE GREAT SNOWY OWL              133
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE                    138
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF                       140
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE                  145
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE            147
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE "ALARM BIRD" AND THE CARIBOU                    151
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  A BATTLE WITH WOLVES                                155
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  END OF THE "VOYAGE"                                 160
+
+
+                 THE FOREST EXILES,
+
+                          OR
+
+         ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON
+
+  _CHAPTER I_
+  THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD                       162
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE REFUGEES                                        164
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE POISON-TREES                                    169
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  THE SUPPER OF GUAPO                                 173
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  THE PUNA                                            175
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA                           179
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  THE "VAQUERO"                                       181
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICUNAS, AND GUANACOS              184
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  A VICUNA HUNT                                       187
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  CAPTURING A CONDOR                                  189
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD                       191
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF                              194
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST                        197
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  THE DESERTED MISSION                                201
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE                       203
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE PALM-WOODS                                      207
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  A HOUSE OF PALMS                                    209
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  TRACKING THE TAPIR                                  212
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  THE POISONED ARROWS                                 216
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  THE MILK-TREE                                       221
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS                  224
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  THE CINCHONA-TREES                                  227
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS                                231
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  THE BARK-HUNTERS                                    233
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR                     236
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS                            239
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  THE ANT-LION                                        242
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS                246
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  AN ARMADILLO HUNT                                   248
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  THE OCELOT                                          251
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  A FAMILY OF JAGUARS                                 255
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  THE RAFT                                            259
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE GUARDIAN BROTHER                                262
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  THE VAMPIRE                                         265
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE MARIMONDAS                                      269
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  THE MONKEY MOTHER                                   274
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  AN UNEXPECTED GUEST                                 276
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVIII_
+  THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS                         279
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIX_
+  FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE                   282
+
+  _CHAPTER XL_
+  ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA                          284
+
+  _CHAPTER XLI_
+  A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES                            288
+
+  _CHAPTER XLII_
+  THE FOREST FESTIVAL                                 291
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIII_
+  ACRES OF EGGS                                       295
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIV_
+  A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES            298
+
+  _CHAPTER XLV_
+  A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES                          301
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVI_
+  THE "GAPO"                                          304
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVII_
+  THE ARAGUATOES                                      306
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVIII_
+  BRIDGING AN IGARIPE                                 308
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIX_
+  THE MANATI                                          311
+
+  _CHAPTER L_
+  THE CLOSING CHAPTER                                 314
+
+
+                    THE BUSH-BOYS,
+
+                          OR
+
+      ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.
+
+
+  _CHAPTER I_
+  THE BOERS                                           317
+
+  _CHAPTER II_
+  THE KRAAL                                           319
+
+  _CHAPTER III_
+  THE SPRING-HAAN                                     322
+
+  _CHAPTER IV_
+  A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS                                325
+
+  _CHAPTER V_
+  THE LOCUST-FLIGHT                                   329
+
+  _CHAPTER VI_
+  "INSPANN AND TREK!"                                 333
+
+  _CHAPTER VII_
+  WATER! WATER!                                       335
+
+  _CHAPTER VIII_
+  THE FATE OF THE HERD                                339
+
+  _CHAPTER IX_
+  A LION COUCHANT                                     341
+
+  _CHAPTER X_
+  THE LION IN THE TRAP                                345
+
+  _CHAPTER XI_
+  THE DEATH OF THE LION                               348
+
+  _CHAPTER XII_
+  THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED                            351
+
+  _CHAPTER XIII_
+  THE TREK-BOKEN                                      354
+
+  _CHAPTER XIV_
+  SPOORING FOR A SPRING                               359
+
+  _CHAPTER XV_
+  THE TERRIBLE TSETSE                                 361
+
+  _CHAPTER XVI_
+  THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS                          364
+
+  _CHAPTER XVII_
+  A HEAVY COMBAT                                      367
+
+  _CHAPTER XVIII_
+  THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT                           371
+
+  _CHAPTER XIX_
+  TURNED HUNTERS                                      375
+
+  _CHAPTER XX_
+  JERKING AN ELEPHANT                                 377
+
+  _CHAPTER XXI_
+  THE HIDEOUS HYENA                                   379
+
+  _CHAPTER XXII_
+  STALKING THE OUREBI                                 382
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIII_
+  LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE                              388
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIV_
+  A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS                         390
+
+  _CHAPTER XXV_
+  THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS                     393
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVI_
+  UPON THE SPOOR                                      397
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVII_
+  A ROGUE ELEPHANT                                    400
+
+  _CHAPTER XXVIII_
+  THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS             405
+
+  _CHAPTER XXIX_
+  THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA                             409
+
+  _CHAPTER XXX_
+  HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST                       411
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXI_
+  BESIEGED BY THE BULL                                414
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXII_
+  A HELPLESS BEAST                                    416
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIII_
+  THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING ROOM                        420
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIV_
+  MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED                           423
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXV_
+  THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA                            425
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVI_
+  PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS                 429
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVII_
+  THE PIT-TRAP                                        433
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXVIII_
+  DRIVING IN THE ELAND                                436
+
+  _CHAPTER XXXIX_
+  A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK                          439
+
+  _CHAPTER XL_
+  THE GUN-TRAP                                        444
+
+  _CHAPTER XLI_
+  THE WEAVER-BIRDS                                    447
+
+  _CHAPTER XLII_
+  THE SPITTING-SNAKE                                  450
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIII_
+  THE SERPENT-EATER                                   452
+
+  _CHAPTER XLIV_
+  TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS                               456
+
+  _CHAPTER XLV_
+  THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST                  460
+
+  _CHAPTER XLVI_
+  CONCLUSION                                          465
+
+
+[Transcriber's Note: Obvious printer errors, (missing accents, missing
+letters, etc) including punctuation, have been silently corrected.
+
+All other inconsistencies including archaic spellings have been left as
+they were in the original.
+
+Added a List of Illustrations.]
+
+
+
+
+           LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS ON THE RED RIVER.      Frontispiece
+
+  THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.               28
+
+  BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.                            50
+
+  THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.                        67
+
+  THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS                         84
+
+  THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.                   99
+
+  BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL.                           116
+
+  THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.                   129
+
+  THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.                      150
+
+  THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.                         167
+
+  GUAPO'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.                   196
+
+  GUAPO AND THE 'NIMBLE PETERS.'                      230
+
+  THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.                        250
+
+  THE VAMPIRE BAT.                                    266
+
+  ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.                         287
+
+  THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.                              332
+
+  THE LION IN A FIX.                                  350
+
+  A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.                                 370
+
+  HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.                       386
+
+  SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.                          404
+
+  HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.                      417
+
+  THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.                           432
+
+  HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.                       443
+
+  TOTTY IN TROUBLE.                                   459
+
+
+
+
+Popular Adventure Tales.
+
+THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+OR
+
+BOY HUNTERS IN THE NORTH.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE FUR COUNTRIES
+
+
+Boy reader, you have heard of the Hudson's Bay Company? Ten to one you
+have worn a piece of fur which it has provided for you; if not, your
+pretty little sister has--in her muff, or her boa, or as a trimming for
+her winter dress. Would you like to know something of the country whence
+come these furs?--of the animals whose backs have been stripped to
+obtain them? As I feel certain that you and I are old friends, I make
+bold to answer for you--yes. Come, then! let us journey together to the
+"Fur Countries;" let us cross them from south to north.
+
+A vast journey it will be. It will cost us many thousand miles of
+travel. We shall find neither railway-train, nor steamboat, nor
+stagecoach, to carry us on our way. We shall not even have the help of a
+horse. For us no hotel shall spread its luxurious board; no road-side
+inn shall hang out its inviting sign and "clean beds;" no roof of any
+kind shall offer us its hospitable shelter. Our table shall be a rock, a
+log, or the earth itself; our lodging a tent; and our bed the skin of a
+wild beast. Such are the best accommodations we can expect upon our
+journey. Are you still ready to undertake it? Does the prospect not
+deter you?
+
+No--I hear you exclaim--I shall be satisfied with the table--what care I
+for mahogany? With the lodging--I can tent like an Arab. With the
+bed--fling feathers to the wind!
+
+Enough, brave boy! you shall go with me to the wild regions of the
+"North-west," to the far "fur countries" of America. But, first--a word
+about the land through which we are going to travel.
+
+Take down your atlas. Bend your eye upon the map of North America. Note
+two large islands--one upon the right side, Newfoundland; another upon
+the left, Vancouver. Draw a line from one to the other; it will nearly
+bisect the continent. North of that line you behold a vast territory.
+How vast? You may take your scissors, and clip fifty Englands out of it!
+There are lakes there in which you might _drown_ England, or make an
+island of it! Now, you may form some idea of the vastness of that region
+known as the "fur countries."
+
+Will you believe me, when I tell you that all this immense tract is a
+wilderness--a howling wilderness, if you like a poetical name? It is
+even so. From north to south, from ocean to ocean--throughout all that
+vast domain, there is neither town nor village--hardly anything that can
+be dignified with the name of "settlement." The only signs of
+civilisation to be seen are the "forts," or trading posts of the
+Hudson's Bay Company; and these "signs" are few and far--hundreds of
+miles--between.
+
+For inhabitants, the country has less than ten thousand white men, the
+_employes_ of the Company; and its native people are Indians of many
+tribes, living far apart, few in numbers, subsisting by the chase, and
+half starving for at least a third part of every year! In truth, the
+territory can hardly be called "inhabited." There is not a man to every
+ten miles; and in many parts of it you may travel hundreds of miles
+without seeing a face, red, white, or black!
+
+The physical aspect is, therefore, entirely wild. It is very different
+in different parts of the territory. One tract is peculiar. It has been
+long known as the "Barren Grounds." It is a tract of vast extent. It
+lies north-west from the shores of Hudson's Bay, extending nearly to the
+Mackenzie River. Its rocks are _primitive_. It is a land of hills and
+valleys--of deep dark lakes and sharp-running streams. It is a woodless
+region. No timber is found there that deserves the name. No trees but
+glandular dwarf birches, willows, and black spruce, small and stunted.
+Even these only grow in isolated valleys. More generally the surface is
+covered with coarse sand--the _debris_ of granite or quartz-rock--upon
+which no vegetable, save the lichen or the moss, can find life and
+nourishment.
+
+In one respect these "Barren Grounds" are unlike the deserts of Africa:
+they are well watered. In almost every valley there is a lake; and
+though many of these are land-locked, yet do they contain fish of
+several species. Sometimes these lakes communicate with each other by
+means of rapid and turbulent streams passing through narrow gorges; and
+lines of those connected lakes form the great rivers of the district.
+
+Such is a large portion of the Hudson's Bay territory. Most of the
+extensive peninsula of Labrador partakes of a similar character; and
+there are other like tracts west of the Rocky Mountain range in the
+"Russian possessions."
+
+Yet these "Barren Grounds" have their denizens. Nature has formed
+animals that delight to dwell there, and that are never found in more
+fertile regions. Two ruminating creatures find sustenance upon the
+mosses and lichens that cover their cold rocks: they are the caribou
+(reindeer) and the musk-ox. These, in their turn, become the food and
+subsistence of preying creatures. The wolf, in all its varieties of
+grey, black, white, pied, and dusky, follows upon their trail. The
+"brown bear"--a large species, nearly resembling the "grizzly"--is found
+only in the Barren Grounds; and the great "Polar bear" comes within
+their borders, but the latter is a dweller upon their shores alone, and
+finds his food among the finny tribes of the seas that surround them. In
+marshy ponds, existing here and there, the musk-rat builds his house,
+like that of his larger cousin, the beaver. Upon the water sedge he
+finds subsistence; but his natural enemy, the wolverene, skulks in the
+same neighbourhood.
+
+The "Polar hare" lives upon the leaves and twigs of the dwarf
+birch-tree; and this, transformed into its own white flesh, becomes the
+food of the Arctic fox. The herbage, sparse though it be, does not grow
+in vain. The seeds fall to the earth, but they are not suffered to
+decay. They are gathered by the little lemmings and meadow-mice, who, in
+their turn, become the prey of two species of _mustelidae_, the ermine
+and vison weasels. Have the fish of the lakes no enemy? Yes--a terrible
+one in the Canada otter. The mink-weasel, too, pursues them; and in
+summer, the osprey, the great pelican, the cormorant, and the
+white-headed eagle.
+
+These are the _fauna_ of the Barren Grounds. Man rarely ventures within
+their boundaries. The wretched creatures who find a living there are the
+Esquimaux on their coasts, and a few Chippewa Indians in the interior,
+who hunt the caribou, and are known as "caribou-eaters." Other Indians
+enter them only in summer, in search of game, or journeying from point
+to point; and so perilous are these journeyings, that numbers frequently
+perish by the way. There are no white men in the Barren Grounds. The
+"Company" has no commerce there. No fort is established in them: so
+scarce are the fur-bearing animals of these parts, their skins would not
+repay the expense of a "trading post."
+
+Far different are the "wooded tracts" of the fur countries. These lie
+mostly in the southern and central regions of the Hudson's Bay
+territory. There are found the valuable beaver and the wolverene that
+preys upon it. There dwells the American hare with its enemy the Canada
+lynx. There are the squirrels, and the beautiful martens (sables) that
+hunt them from tree to tree. There are found the foxes of every variety,
+the red, the cross, and the rare and highly-prized silver-fox, whose
+shining skin sells for its weight in gold! There, too, the black bear
+yields its fine coat to adorn the winter carriage, the holsters of the
+dragoon, and the shako of the grenadier. There the fur-bearing animals
+exist in greatest plenty, and many others whose skins are valuable in
+commerce, as the moose, the wapiti, and the wood-bison.
+
+But there is also a "prairie" district in the fur countries. The great
+table prairies of North America, that slope eastward from the Rocky
+Mountains, also extend northward into the Hudson's Bay territory. They
+gradually grow narrower, however, as you proceed farther north, until,
+on reaching the latitude of the Great Slave Lake, they end altogether.
+This "prairie-land" has its peculiar animals. Upon it roams the buffalo,
+the prong-horned antelope, and the mule-deer. There, too, may be seen
+the "barking wolf" and the "swift fox." It is the favourite home of the
+marmots, and the gauffres or sand-rats; and there, too, the noblest of
+animals, the horse, runs wild.
+
+West of this prairie tract is a region of far different aspect--the
+region of the Rocky Mountains. This stupendous chain, sometimes called
+the Andes of North America, continues throughout the fur countries from
+their southern limits to the shores of the Arctic Sea. Some of its peaks
+overlook the waters of that sea itself, towering up near the coast. Many
+of these, even in southern latitudes, carry the "eternal snow." This
+"mountain-chain" is, in places, of great breadth. Deep valleys lie in
+its embrace, many of which have never been visited by man. Some are
+desolate and dreary; others are oaeses of vegetation, which fascinate the
+traveller whose fortune it has been, after toiling among naked rocks, to
+gaze upon their smiling fertility.
+
+These lovely wilds are the favourite home of many strange animals. The
+argali, or mountain-sheep, with his huge curving horns, is seen there;
+and the shaggy wild goat bounds along the steepest cliffs. The black
+bear wanders through the wooded ravines; and his fiercer congener, the
+"grizzly"--the most dreaded of all American animals--drags his huge body
+along the rocky declivities.
+
+Having crossed the mountains, the fur countries extend westward to the
+Pacific. There you encounter barren plains, treeless and waterless;
+rapid rivers, that foam through deep, rock-bound channels; and a country
+altogether rougher in aspect, and more mountainous, than that lying to
+the east of the great chain. A warmer atmosphere prevails as you
+approach the Pacific, and in some places forests of tall trees cover the
+earth. In these are found most of the fur-bearing animals; and, on
+account of the greater warmth of the climate, the true _felidae_--the
+long-tailed cats--here wander much farther north than upon the eastern
+side of the continent. Even so far north as the forests of Oregon these
+appear in the forms of the cougar and the ounce.
+
+But it is not our intention at present to cross the Rocky Mountains. Our
+journey will lie altogether on the eastern side of that great chain. It
+will extend from the frontiers of civilization to the shores of the
+Arctic Sea. It is a long and perilous journey, boy reader; but as we
+have made up our minds to it, let us waste no more time in talking, but
+set forth at once. You are ready? Hurrah!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE YOUNG VOYAGEURS
+
+
+There is a canoe upon the waters of Red River--Red River of the north.
+It is near the source of the stream, but passing downward. It is a small
+canoe, a frail structure of birch-bark, and contains only four persons.
+They are all young--the eldest of them evidently not over nineteen years
+of age, and the youngest about fifteen.
+
+The eldest is nearly full-grown, though his body and limbs have not yet
+assumed the muscular development of manhood. His complexion is dark,
+nearly olive. His hair is jet black, straight as an Indian's, and long.
+His eyes are large and brilliant, and his features prominent. His
+countenance expresses courage, and his well-set jaws betoken firmness
+and resolution. He does not belie his looks, for he possesses these
+qualifications in a high degree. There is a gravity in his manner,
+somewhat rare in one so young; yet it is not the result of a morose
+disposition, but a subdued temperament produced by modesty, good sense,
+and much experience. Neither has it the air of stupidity. No: you could
+easily tell that the mind of this youth, if once roused, would exhibit
+both energy and alertness. His quiet manner has a far different
+expression. It is an air of coolness and confidence, which tells you he
+has met with dangers in the past, and would not fear to encounter them
+again.
+
+It is an expression peculiar, I think, to the hunters of the "Far
+West,"--those men who dwell amidst dangers in the wild regions of the
+great prairies. Their solitary mode of life begets this expression. They
+are often for months without the company of a creature with whom they
+may converse--months without beholding a human face. They live alone
+with Nature, surrounded by her majestic forms. These awe them into
+habits of silence. Such was in point of fact the case with the youth
+whom we have been describing. He had hunted much, though not as a
+professional hunter. With him the chase had been followed merely as a
+pastime; but its pursuit had brought him into situations of peril, and
+in contact with Nature in her wild solitudes. Young as he was, he had
+journeyed over the grand prairies, and through the pathless forests of
+the West. He had slain the bear and the buffalo, the wild cat and the
+cougar. These experiences had made their impression upon his mind, and
+stamped his countenance with that air of gravity we have noticed.
+
+The second of the youths whom we shall describe is very different in
+appearance. He is of blonde complexion, rather pale, with fair silken
+hair that waves gently down his cheeks, and falls upon his shoulders. He
+is far from robust. On the contrary, his form is thin and delicate. It
+is not the delicacy of feebleness or ill-health, but only a body of
+slighter build. The manner in which he handles his oar shows that he
+possesses both health and strength, though neither in such a high degree
+as the dark youth. His face expresses, perhaps, a larger amount of
+intellect, and it is a countenance that would strike you as more open
+and communicative. The eye is blue and mild, and the brow is marked by
+the paleness of study and habits of continued thought. These indications
+are no more than just, for the fair-haired youth _is_ a student, and one
+of no ordinary attainments. Although only seventeen years of age, he is
+already well versed in the natural sciences; and many a graduate of
+Oxford or Cambridge would but ill compare with him. The former might
+excel in the knowledge--if we can dignify it by that name--of the laws
+of scansion, or in the composition of Greek idylls; but in all that
+constitutes _real_ knowledge he would prove but an idle theorist, a
+dreamy imbecile, alongside our practical young scholar of the West.
+
+The third and youngest of the party--taking them as they sit from stem
+to bow--differs in many respects from both those described. He has
+neither the gravity of the first, nor yet the intellectuality of the
+second. His face is round, and full, and ruddy. It is bright and smiling
+in its expression. His eye dances merrily in his head, and its glance
+falls upon everything. His lips are hardly ever at rest. They are either
+engaged in making words--for he talks almost incessantly--or else
+contracting and expanding with smiles and joyous laughter. His cap is
+jauntily set, and his fine brown curls, hanging against the rich roseate
+skin of his cheeks, give to his countenance an expression of extreme
+health and boyish beauty. His merry laugh and free air tell you he is
+not the boy for books. He is not much of a hunter either. In fact, he is
+not particularly given to anything--one of those easy natures who take
+the world as it comes, look upon the bright side of everything, without
+getting sufficiently interested to excel in anything.
+
+These three youths were dressed nearly alike. The eldest wore the
+costume, as near as may be, of a backwoods hunter--a tunic-like
+hunting-shirt, of dressed buckskin, leggings and mocassins of the same
+material, and all--shirt, leggings, and mocassins--handsomely braided
+and embroidered with stained quills of the porcupine. The cape of the
+shirt was tastefully fringed, and so was the skirt as well as the seams
+of the mocassins. On his head was a hairy cap of raccoon skin, and the
+tail of the animal, with its dark transverse bars, hung down behind like
+the drooping plume of a helmet. Around his shoulders were two leathern
+belts that crossed each other upon his breast. One of these slung a
+bullet-pouch covered with a violet-green skin that glittered splendidly
+in the sun. It was from the head of the "wood-duck" the most beautiful
+bird of its tribe. By the other strap was suspended a large
+crescent-shaped horn taken from the head of an Opelousas bull, and
+carved with various ornamental devices. Other smaller implements hung
+from the belts, attached by leathern thongs: there was a picker, a
+wiper, and a steel for striking fire with. A third belt--a broad stout
+one of alligator leather--encircled the youth's waist. To this was
+fastened a holster, and the shining butt of a pistol could be seen
+protruding out; a hunting-knife of the kind denominated "bowie" hanging
+over the left hip, completed his "arms and accoutrements."
+
+The second of the youths was dressed, as already stated, in a somewhat
+similar manner, though his accoutrements were not of so warlike a
+character. Like the other, he had a powder-horn and pouch, but instead
+of knife and pistol, a canvass bag or haversack hung from his shoulder;
+and had you looked into it, you would have seen that it was half filled
+with shells, pieces of rock, and rare plants, gathered during the
+day--the diurnal storehouse of the geologist, the palaeontologist, and
+botanist--to be emptied for study and examination by the night
+camp-fire. Instead of the 'coon-skin cap he wore a white felt hat with
+broad leaf; and for leggings and mocassins he had trousers of blue
+cottonade and laced buskins of tanned leather.
+
+The youngest of the three was dressed and accoutred much like the
+eldest, except that his cap was of blue cloth--somewhat after the
+fashion of the military forage cap. All three wore shirts of coloured
+cotton, the best for journeying in these uninhabited regions, where soap
+is scarce, and a laundress not to be had at any price.
+
+Though very unlike one another, these three youths were brothers. I knew
+them well. I had seen them before--about two years before--and though
+each had grown several inches taller since that time, I had no
+difficulty in recognising them. Even though they were now two thousand
+miles from where I had formerly encountered them, I could not be
+mistaken as to their identity. Beyond a doubt they were the same brave
+young adventurers whom I had met in the swamps of Louisiana, and whose
+exploits I had witnessed upon the prairies of Texas. They were the "Boy
+Hunters,"--Basil, Lucien, Francois! I was right glad to renew
+acquaintance with them. Boy reader, do you share my joy?
+
+But whither go they now? They are full two thousand miles from their
+home in Louisiana. The Red River upon which their canoe floats is not
+that Red River, whose blood-like waters sweep through the swamps of the
+hot South--the home of the alligator and the gar. No, it is a stream of
+a far different character, though also one of great magnitude. Upon the
+banks of the former ripens the rice-plant, and the sugar-cane waves its
+golden tassels high in the air. There, too, flourishes the giant reed,
+the fan-palm, and the broad-leafed magnolia, with its huge snow-white
+flowers. There the aspect is Southern, and the heat tropical for most
+part of the year.
+
+All this is reversed on the Red River of the North. It is true that on
+its banks sugar is also produced; but it is no longer from a plant but a
+lordly tree--the great sugar-maple. There is rice too,--vast fields of
+rice upon its marshy borders; but it is not the pearly grain of the
+South. It is the wild rice, "the water oats," the food of millions of
+winged creatures, and thousands of human beings as well. Here, for
+three-fourths of the year, the sun is feeble, and the aspect that of
+winter. For months the cold waters are bound up in an icy embrace. The
+earth is covered with thick snow, over which rise the needle-leafed
+_coniferae_--the pines, the cedars, the spruce, and the hemlock. Very
+unlike each other are the countries watered by the two streams, the Red
+River of the South and its namesake of the North.
+
+But whither go our Boy Hunters in their birch-bark canoe? The river upon
+which they are _voyaging_ runs due northward into the great lake
+Winnipeg. They are floating with its current, and consequently
+increasing the distance from their home. Whither go they?
+
+The answer leads us to some sad reflections. Our joy on again beholding
+them is to be mingled with grief. When we last saw them they had a
+father, but no mother. Now they have neither one nor the other. The old
+Colonel, their father--the French _emigre_, the _hunter naturalist_--is
+dead. He who had taught them all he knew; who had taught them to ride,
+to swim, to dive deep rivers, to fling the lasso, to climb tall trees,
+and scale steep cliffs, to bring down birds upon the wing or beasts upon
+the run, with the arrow and the unerring rifle; who had trained them to
+sleep in the open air, in the dark forest, on the unsheltered prairie,
+along the white snow-wreath--anywhere--with but a blanket or a buffalo
+robe for their bed; who had taught them to live on the simplest food,
+and had imparted to one of them a knowledge of science, of botany in
+particular, that enabled them, in case of need, to draw sustenance, from
+plants and trees, from roots and fruits, to find resources where
+ignorant men would starve.
+
+He also had taught them to kindle a fire without flint, steel, or
+detonating powder; to discover their direction without a compass, from
+the rocks and the trees and the signs of the heavens; and in addition to
+all, had taught them, as far as was then known, the geography of that
+vast wilderness that stretches from the Mississippi to the shores of the
+Pacific Ocean, and northward to the icy borders of the Arctic Sea--he
+who had taught them all this, their father, was no more; and his three
+sons, the "boy men," of whom he was so proud, and of whose
+accomplishments he was wont to boast, were now orphans upon the wide
+world.
+
+But little more than a year after their return from their grand
+expedition to the Texan prairies, the "old Colonel" had died. It was one
+of the worst years of that scourge of the South--the yellow fever--and
+to this dread pestilence he had fallen a victim.
+
+Hugot, the _ex-chasseur_ and attached domestic, who was accustomed to
+follow his master like a shadow, had also followed him into the next
+world. It was not grief that killed Hugot, though he bore the loss of
+his kind master sadly enough. But it was not grief that killed Hugot. He
+was laid low by the same disease of which his master had died--the
+yellow fever. A week had scarcely passed after the death of the latter,
+before Hugot caught the disease, and in a few days he was carried to the
+tomb and laid by the side of his "old Colonel."
+
+The Boy Hunters--Basil, Lucien, Francois--became orphans. They knew of
+but one relation in the whole world, with whom their father had kept up
+any correspondence. This relation was an uncle, and, strange as it may
+seem, a Scotchman--a Highlander, who had strayed to Corsica in early
+life, and had there married the Colonel's sister. That uncle had
+afterwards emigrated to Canada, and had become extensively engaged in
+the fur trade. He was now a superintendent or "factor" of the Hudson's
+Bay Company, stationed at one of their most remote posts near the shores
+of the Arctic Sea! There is a romance in the history of some men wilder
+than any fiction that could be imagined.
+
+I have not yet answered the question as to where our Boy Hunters were
+journeying in their birch-bark canoe. By this time you will have divined
+the answer. Certainly, you will say, they were on their way to join
+their uncle in his remote home. For no other object could they be
+travelling through the wild regions of the Red River. That supposition
+is correct. To visit this Scotch uncle (they had not seen him for years)
+was the object of their long, toilsome, and perilous journey. After
+their father's death he had sent for them. He had heard of their
+exploits upon the prairies; and, being himself of an adventurous
+disposition, he was filled with admiration for his young kinsmen, and
+desired very much to have them come and live with him.
+
+Being now their guardian, he might command as much, but it needed not
+any exercise of authority on his part to induce all three of them to
+obey his summons. They had travelled through the mighty forests of the
+Mississippi, and upon the summer prairies of the South. These great
+features of the earth's surface were to them familiar things, and they
+were no longer curious about them. But there remained a vast country
+which they longed eagerly to explore. They longed to look upon its
+shining lakes and crystal rivers; upon its snow-clad hills and ice-bound
+streams; upon its huge mammalia--its moose and its musk-oxen, its wapiti
+and its monster bears. This was the very country to which they were now
+invited by their kinsman, and cheerfully did they accept his invitation.
+
+Already had they made one-half the journey, though by far the easier
+half. They had travelled up the Mississippi by steamboat as far as the
+mouth of the St. Peter's. There they had commenced their canoe
+voyage--in other words became "voyageurs"--for such is the name given to
+those who travel by canoes through these wild territories. Their
+favourite horses and the mule "Jeannette" had been left behind. This was
+a necessity, as these creatures, however useful upon the dry prairies of
+the South, where there are few or no lakes, and where rivers only occur
+at long intervals, would be of little service to the traveller in the
+Northern regions. Here the route is crossed and intercepted by numerous
+rivers; and lakes of all sizes, with tracts of inundated marsh, succeed
+one another continually. Such, in fact, are the highways of the country,
+and the canoe the travelling carriage; so that a journey from one point
+of the Hudson's Bay territory to another is often a canoe voyage of
+thousands of miles--equal to a "trip" across the Atlantic.
+
+Following the usual custom, therefore, our Boy Hunters had become
+voyageurs--"_Young Voyageurs_." They had navigated the St. Peter's in
+safety, almost to its head-waters. These interlock with the sources of
+the Red River. By a "portage" of a few miles they had crossed to the
+latter stream; and, having launched their canoe upon its waters, were
+now floating downward and northward with its current. But they had yet a
+long journey before them--nearly two thousand miles! Many a river to be
+"run," many a rapid to be "shot," many a lake to be crossed, and many a
+"portage" to be passed, ere they could reach the end of that great
+_voyage_.
+
+Come, boy reader, shall we accompany them? Yes. The strange scenes and
+wild adventures through which we must pass, may lighten the toils, and
+perhaps repay us for the perils of the journey. Think not of the toils.
+Roses grow only upon thorns. From toil we learn to enjoy leisure. Regard
+not the perils. "From the nettle danger we pluck the flower safety."
+Security often springs from peril. From such hard experiences great men
+have arisen. Come, then, my young friend! mind neither toil nor peril,
+but with me to the great wilderness of the North!
+
+Stay! We are to have another "_compagnon du voyage_." There is a fourth
+in the boat, a fourth "young voyageur." Who is he? In appearance he is
+as old as Basil, full as tall, and not unlike him in "build." But he is
+altogether of a different _colour_. He is fair-haired; but his hair
+(unlike that of Lucien, which is also light-coloured) is strong, crisp,
+and curly. It does not droop, but stands out over his cheeks in a
+profusion of handsome ringlets. His complexion is of that kind known as
+"fresh," and the weather, to which it has evidently been much exposed,
+has bronzed and rather enriched the colour. The eyes are dark blue, and,
+strange to say, with _black_ brows and lashes! This is not common,
+though sometimes observed; and, in the case of the youth we are
+describing, arose from a difference of complexion on the part of his
+parents. He looked through the eyes of his mother, while in other
+respects he was more like his father, who was fair-haired and of a
+"fresh" colour.
+
+The youth, himself, might be termed handsome. Perhaps he did not possess
+the youthful beauty of Francois, nor the bolder kind that characterized
+the face of Basil. Perhaps he was of a coarser "make" than any of his
+three companions. His intellect had been less cultivated by education,
+and _education adds to the beauty of the face_. His life had been a
+harder one--he had toiled more with his hands, and had seen less of
+civilized society. Still many would have pronounced him a handsome
+youth. His features were regular, and of clean outline. His lips
+expressed good-nature as well as firmness. His eye beamed with native
+intelligence, and his whole face bespoke a heart of true and determined
+honesty--_that made it beautiful_.
+
+Perhaps a close scrutinizer of countenances might have detected some
+resemblance--a family one--between him and his three companions. If such
+there was, it was very slight; but there might have been, from the
+relationship that existed between them and him. He was their
+cousin--their full cousin--the only son of that uncle they were now on
+their way to visit, and the messenger who had been sent to bring them.
+Such was the fourth of "the young voyageurs."
+
+His dress was not unlike that worn by Basil; but as he was seated on the
+bow, and acting as pilot, and therefore more likely to feel the cold,
+he wore over his hunting-shirt, a Canadian _capote_ of white woollen
+cloth, with its hood hanging down upon his shoulders.
+
+But there was still another "voyageur," an old acquaintance, whom you,
+boy reader, will no doubt remember. This was an animal, a quadruped, who
+lay along the bottom of the canoe upon a buffalo's hide. "From his size
+and colour--which was a tawny red--you might have mistaken him for a
+panther--a cougar. His long black muzzle and broad hanging ears gave him
+quite a different aspect, however, and declared him to be a hound. He
+_was_ one--a bloodhound, with the cross of a mastiff--a powerful animal.
+It was the dog 'Marengo.'" You remember Marengo?
+
+In the canoe there were other objects of interest. There were blankets
+and buffalo robes; there was a small canvas tent folded up; there were
+bags of provisions, and some cooking utensils; there was a spade and an
+axe; there were rifles--three of them--and a double-barrelled shot-gun;
+besides a fish-net, and many other articles, the necessary equipments
+for such a journey.
+
+Loaded almost to the gunwale was that little canoe, yet lightly did it
+float down the waters of the Red River of the North.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE
+
+
+It was the spring season, though late. The snow had entirely disappeared
+from the hills, and the ice from the water, and the melting of both had
+swollen the river, and rendered its current more rapid than usual. Our
+young voyageurs needed not therefore to ply their oars, except now and
+then to guide the canoe; for these little vessels have no rudder, but
+are steered by the paddles. The skilful voyageurs can shoot them to any
+point they please, simply by their dexterous handling of the oars; and
+Basil, Lucien, and Francois, had had sufficient practice both with
+"skiffs" and "dug-outs" to make good oarsmen of all three. They had made
+many a canoe trip upon the lower Mississippi and the bayous of
+Louisiana; besides their journey up the St. Peter's had rendered them
+familiar with the management of their birchen craft. An occasional
+stroke of the paddle kept them in their course, and they floated on
+without effort.
+
+Norman--such was the name of their Canadian or Highland cousin--sat in
+the bow and directed their course. This is the post of honour in a
+canoe; and as he had more experience than any of them in this sort of
+navigation, he was allowed habitually to occupy this post. Lucien sat in
+the stern. He held in his hands a book and pencil; and as the canoe
+glided onward, he was noting down his memoranda. The trees upon the
+banks were in leaf--many of them in blossom--and as the little craft
+verged near the shore, his keen eye followed the configuration of the
+leaves, to discover any new species that might appear.
+
+There is a rich vegetation upon the banks of the Red River; but the
+_flora_ is far different from that which appears upon the low _alluvion_
+of Louisiana. It is Northern, but not Arctic. Oaks, elms, and poplars,
+are seen mingling with birches, willows, and aspens. Several species of
+indigenous fruit trees were observed by Lucien, among which were
+crab-apple, raspberry, strawberry, and currant. There was also seen the
+fruit called by the voyageurs "le poire," but which in English
+phraseology is known as the "service-berry." It grows upon a small bush
+or shrub of six or eight feet high, with smooth pinnate leaves. These
+pretty red berries are much esteemed and eaten both by Indians and
+whites, who preserve them by drying, and cook them in various ways.
+
+There was still another bush that fixed the attention of our young
+botanist, as it appeared all along the banks, and was a _characteristic_
+of the vegetation of the country. It was not over eight feet in height,
+with spreading branches of a grey-colour. Its leaves were three inches
+wide, and somewhat lobed like those of the oak. Of course, at this early
+season, the fruit was not ripe upon it; but Lucien knew the fruit well.
+When ripe it resembles very much a red cherry, or, still more, a
+cranberry, having both the appearance and acrid taste of the latter.
+Indeed, it is sometimes used as a substitute for cranberries in the
+making of pies and tarts; and in many parts it is called the "bush
+cranberry."
+
+The name, however, by which it is known among the Indians of Red River
+is "_anepeminan_" from "_nepen_," summer, and "_minan_," berry. This has
+been corrupted by the fur-traders and voyageurs into "Pembina;" hence,
+the name of a river which runs into the Red, and also the name of the
+celebrated but unsuccessful settlement of "Pembina," formed by Lord
+Selkirk many years ago. Both took their names from this berry that grows
+in abundance in the neighbourhood. The botanical appellation of this
+curious shrub is _Viburnum oxycoccos_; but there is another species of
+the viburnum, which is also styled "oxycoccos." The common "snowball
+bush" of our garden is a plant of the same genus, and very like the
+"Pembina," both in leaf and flower. In fact, in a wild state they might
+be regarded as the same; but it is well known that the flowers of the
+snowball are sterile, and do not produce the beautiful bright crimson
+berries of the "Pembina."
+
+Lucien lectured upon these points to his companions as they floated
+along. Norman listened with astonishment to his philosophic cousin, who,
+although he had never been in this region before, knew more of its
+plants and trees than he did himself. Basil also was interested in the
+explanations given by his brother. On the contrary, Francois, who cared
+but little for botanical studies, or studies of any sort, was occupied
+differently. He sat near the middle of the canoe, double-barrel in hand,
+eagerly watching for a shot. Many species of water-fowl were upon the
+river, for it was now late in the spring, and the wild geese and ducks
+had all arrived, and were passing northward upon their annual migration.
+During the day Francois had got several shots, and had "bagged" three
+wild geese, all of different kinds, for there are many species of wild
+geese in America.
+
+He had also shot some ducks. But this did not satisfy him. There was a
+bird upon the river that could not be approached. No matter how the
+canoe was manoeuvred, this shy creature always took flight before
+Francois could get within range. For days he had been endeavouring to
+kill one. Even upon the St. Peter's many of them had been seen,
+sometimes in pairs, at other times in small flocks of six or seven, but
+always shy and wary. The very difficulty of getting a shot at them,
+along with the splendid character of the birds themselves, had rendered
+Francois eager to obtain one. The bird itself was no other than the
+great wild swan--the king of aquatic birds.
+
+"Come, brother!" said Francois, addressing Lucien, "bother your
+viburnums and your oxycocks! Tell us something about these swans. See!
+there goes another of them! What a splendid fellow he is! I'd give
+something to have him within range of buckshot."
+
+As Francois spoke he pointed down-stream to a great white bird that was
+seen moving out from the bank. It was a swan, and one of the very
+largest kind--"a trumpeter."
+
+It had been feeding in a sedge of the wild rice, and no doubt the sight
+of the canoe or the plash of the guiding oar had disturbed, and given it
+the alarm. It shot out from the reeds with head erect and wings slightly
+raised, offering to the eyes of the voyageurs a spectacle of graceful
+and majestic bearing, that, among the feathered race at least, is quite
+inimitable.
+
+A few strokes of its broad feet propelled it into the open water near
+the middle of the stream, when, making a half wheel, it turned head down
+the river, and swam with the current.
+
+At the point where it turned it was not two hundred yards ahead of the
+canoe. Its apparent boldness in permitting them to come so near without
+taking wing, led Francois to hope that they might get still nearer; and,
+begging his companions to ply the paddles, he seized hold of his
+double-barrel, and leaned forward in the canoe. Basil also conceived a
+hope that a shot was to be had, for he took up his rifle, and looked to
+the cock and cap. The others went steadily and quietly to work at the
+oars. In a few moments the canoe cleft the current at the rate of a
+galloping horse, and one would have supposed that the swan must either
+at once take wing or be overtaken.
+
+Not so, however. The "trumpeter" knew his game better than that. He had
+full confidence both in his strength and speed upon the water. He was
+not going to undergo the trouble of a fly, until the necessity arose for
+so doing; and, as it was, he seemed to be satisfied that that necessity
+had not yet arrived. The swim cost him much less muscular exertion than
+flying would have done, and he judged that the current, here very swift,
+would carry him out of reach of his pursuers.
+
+It soon began to appear that he judged rightly; and the voyageurs, to
+their chagrin, saw that, instead of gaining upon him, as they had
+expected, every moment widened the distance between him and the canoe.
+The bird had an advantage over his pursuers. Three distinct powers
+propelled him, while they had only two to rely upon. He had the current
+in his favour--so had they. He had oars or paddles--his feet; they had
+oars as well. He "carried sail," while they spread not a "rag." The wind
+chanced to blow directly down-stream, and the broad wings of the bird,
+held out from his body, and half extended, caught the very pith of the
+breeze on their double concave surfaces, and carried him through the
+water with the velocity of an arrow. Do you think that he was not aware
+of this advantage when he started in the race?
+
+Do you suppose that these birds do not _think_? I for one am satisfied
+they do, and look upon every one who prates about the _instinct_ of
+these creatures as a philosopher of a very old school indeed. Not only
+does the great swan think, but so does your parrot, and your piping
+bullfinch, and the little canary that hops on your thumb. All think, and
+_reason_, and _judge_. Should it ever be your fortune to witness the
+performance of those marvellous birds, exhibited by the graceful Mdlle.
+Vandermeersch in the fashionable _salons_ of Paris and London, you will
+agree with me in the belief that the smallest of them has a mind like
+yourself.
+
+Most certainly the swan, which our voyageurs were pursuing, thought, and
+reasoned, and judged, and calculated his distance, and resolved to keep
+on "the even tenor of his way," without putting himself to extra trouble
+by beating the air with his wings, and lifting his heavy body--thirty
+pounds at least--up into the heavens. His judgment proved sound; for, in
+less than ten minutes from the commencement of the chase, he had gained
+a clear hundred yards upon his pursuers, and continued to widen the
+distance. At intervals he raised his beak higher than usual, and uttered
+his loud booming note, which fell upon the ears of the voyageurs as
+though it had been sent back in mockery and defiance.
+
+They would have given up the pursuit, had they not noticed that a few
+hundred yards farther down the river made a sharp turn to the right. The
+swan, on reaching this, would no longer have the wind in his favour.
+This inspired them with fresh hopes. They thought they would be able to
+overtake him after passing the bend, and then, either get a shot at him,
+or force him into the air. The latter was the more likely; and, although
+it would be no great gratification to see him fly off, yet they had
+become so interested in this singular chase that they desired to
+terminate it by putting the trumpeter to some trouble. They bent,
+therefore, with fresh energy to their oars, and pulled onward in the
+pursuit.
+
+First the swan, and after him the canoe, swung round the bend, and
+entered the new "reach" of the river. The voyageurs at once perceived
+that the bird now swam more slowly. He no longer "carried sail," as the
+wind was no longer in his favour. His wings lay closely folded to his
+body, and he moved only by the aid of his webbed feet and the current,
+which last happened to be sluggish, as the river at this part spread
+over a wide expanse of level land. The canoe was evidently catching up,
+and each stroke was bringing the pursuers nearer to the pursued.
+
+After a few minutes' brisk pulling, the trumpeter had lost so much
+ground that he was not two hundred yards in the advance, and "dead
+ahead." His body was no longer carried with the same gracefulness, and
+the majestic curving of his neck had disappeared. His bill protruded
+forward, and his thighs began to drag the water in his wake. He was
+evidently on the threshold of flight. Both Francois and Basil saw this,
+as they stood with their guns crossed and ready.
+
+At this moment a shrill cry sounded over the water. It was the scream of
+some wild creature, ending in a strange laugh, like the laugh of a
+maniac!
+
+On both sides of the river there was a thick forest of tall trees of the
+cotton-wood species. From this forest the strange cry had proceeded, and
+from the right bank. Its echoes had hardly ceased, when it was answered
+by a similar cry from the trees upon the left. So like were the two,
+that it seemed as if some one of God's wild creatures was mocking
+another. These cries were hideous enough to frighten any one not used
+to them. They had not that effect upon our voyageurs, who knew their
+import. One and all of them were familiar with the voice of the
+_white-headed eagle_!
+
+The trumpeter knew it as well as any of them, but on him it produced a
+far different effect. His terror was apparent, and his intention was all
+at once changed. Instead of rising into the air, as he had premeditated,
+he suddenly lowered his head, and disappeared under the water!
+
+Again was heard the wild scream and the maniac laugh; and the next
+moment an eagle swept out from the timber, and, after a few strokes of
+its broad wing, poised itself over the spot where the trumpeter had gone
+down. The other, its mate, was seen crossing at the same time from the
+opposite side.
+
+Presently the swan rose to the surface, but his head was hardly out of
+the water when the eagle once more uttered its wild note, and, half
+folding its wings, darted down from above. The swan seemed to have
+expected this, for before the eagle could reach the surface, he had gone
+under a second time, and the latter, though passing with the velocity of
+an arrow, plunged his talons in the water to no purpose. With a cry of
+disappointment the eagle mounted back into the air, and commenced
+wheeling in circles over the spot. It was now joined by its mate, and
+both kept round and round watching for the reappearance of their
+intended victim.
+
+Again the swan came to the surface, but before either of the eagles
+could swoop upon him he had for the third time disappeared. The swan is
+but an indifferent diver; but under such circumstances he was likely to
+do his best at it. But what could it avail him? He must soon rise to the
+surface to take breath--each time at shorter intervals. He would soon
+become fatigued and unable to dive with sufficient celerity, and then
+his cruel enemies would be down upon him with their terrible talons.
+Such is the usual result, unless the swan takes to the air, which he
+sometimes does. In the present case he had built his hopes upon a
+different means of escape. He contemplated being able to conceal himself
+in a heavy sedge of bulrushes that grew along the edge of the river, and
+towards these he was evidently directing his course under the water.
+
+At each emersion he appeared some yards nearer them, until at length he
+rose within a few feet of their margin, and diving again was seen no
+more! He had crept in among the sedge, and no doubt was lying with only
+his head, or part of it, above the water, his body concealed by the
+broad leaves of the _nymphae_, while the head itself could not be
+distinguished among the white flowers that lay thickly along the
+surface.
+
+The eagles now wheeled over the sedge, flapping the tops of the
+bulrushes with their broad wings, and screaming with disappointed rage.
+Keen as were their eyes they could not discover the hiding-place of
+their victim. No doubt they would have searched for it a long time, but
+the canoe--which they now appeared to notice for the first time--had
+floated near; and, becoming aware of their own danger, both mounted into
+the air again, and with a farewell scream flew off, and alighted at some
+distance down the river.
+
+"A swan for supper!" shouted Francois, as he poised his gun for the
+expected shot.
+
+The canoe was headed for the bulrushes near the point where the
+trumpeter had been last seen; and a few strokes of the paddles brought
+the little craft with a whizzing sound among the sedge. But the culms of
+the rushes were so tall, and grew so closely together, that the
+canoe-men, after entering, found to their chagrin they could not see six
+feet around them. They dared not stand up, for this is exceedingly
+dangerous in a birch canoe, where the greatest caution is necessary to
+keep the vessel from careening over. Moreover, the sedge was so thick,
+that it was with difficulty they could use their oars.
+
+They remained stationary for a time, surrounded by a wall of green
+bulrush. They soon perceived that that would never do, and resolved to
+push back into the open water. Meanwhile Marengo had been sent into the
+sedge, and was now heard plunging and sweltering about in search of the
+game. Marengo was not much of a water-dog by nature, but he had been
+trained to almost every kind of hunting, and his experience among the
+swamps of Louisiana had long since relieved him of all dread for the
+water. His masters therefore had no fear but that Marengo would "put up"
+the trumpeter.
+
+Marengo had been let loose a little too soon. Before the canoe could be
+cleared of the entangling sedge, the dog was heard to utter one of his
+loud growls, then followed a heavy plunge, there was a confused
+fluttering of wings, and the great white bird rose majestically into the
+air! Before either of the gunners could direct their aim, he was beyond
+the range of shot, and both prudently reserved their fire. Marengo
+having performed his part, swam back to the canoe, and was lifted over
+the gunwale.
+
+The swan, after clearing the sedge, rose almost vertically into the air.
+These birds usually fly at a great elevation--sometimes entirely beyond
+the reach of sight. Unlike the wild geese and ducks, they never alight
+upon land, but always upon the bosom of the water. It was evidently the
+intention of this one to go far from the scene of his late dangers,
+perhaps to the great lake Winnipeg itself.
+
+After attaining a height of several hundred yards, he flew forward in a
+horizontal course, and followed the direction of the stream. His flight
+was now regular, and his trumpet note could be heard at intervals, as,
+with outstretched neck, he glided along the heavens. He seemed to feel
+the pleasant sensations that every creature has after an escape from
+danger, and no doubt he fancied himself secure. But in this fancy he
+deceived himself. Better for him had he risen a few hundred yards
+higher, or else had uttered his self-gradulation in a more subdued tone;
+for it was heard and answered, and that response was the maniac laugh of
+the white-headed eagle.
+
+At the same instant two of these birds--those already introduced--were
+seen mounting into the air. They did not fly up vertically, as the swan
+had done, but in spiral curves, wheeling and crossing each other as they
+ascended. They were making for a point that would intersect the flight
+of the swan should he keep on in his horizontal course. This, however,
+he did not do. With an eye as quick as theirs, he saw that he was
+"headed;" and, stretching his long neck upward, he again pursued an
+almost vertical line.
+
+But he had to carry thirty pounds of flesh and bones, while the largest
+of the eagles--the female bird--with a still broader spread of wing, was
+a "light weight" of only seven. The result of this difference was soon
+apparent. Before the trumpeter had got two hundred yards higher, the
+female of the eagles was seen wheeling around him on the same level.
+The swan was now observed to double, fly downward, and then upward
+again, while his mournful note echoed back to the earth. But his efforts
+were in vain. After a series of contortions and manoeuvres, the eagle
+darted forward, with a quick toss threw herself back-downward, and,
+striking upward, planted her talons in the under part of the wing of her
+victim. The lacerated shaft fell uselessly down; and the great white
+bird, no longer capable of flight, came whistling through the air.
+
+[Illustration: THE TRUMPETER SWAN AND THE BALD EAGLE.]
+
+But it was not allowed to drop directly to the earth; it would have
+fallen on the bosom of the broad river, and that the eagles did not
+wish, as it would have given them some trouble to get the heavy carcass
+ashore. As soon as the male--who was lower in the air--saw that his
+partner had struck the bird, he discontinued his upward flight, and,
+poising himself on his spread tail, waited its descent. A single instant
+was sufficient. The white object passed him still fluttering; but the
+moment it was below his level he shot after it like an arrow, and,
+clutching it in his talons, with an outward stroke sent it whizzing in a
+diagonal direction. The next moment a crashing was heard among the
+twigs, and a dull sound announced that the swan had fallen upon the
+earth.
+
+The eagles were now seen sailing downward, and soon disappeared among
+the tops of the trees.
+
+The canoe soon reached the bank; and Francois, accompanied by Basil and
+Marengo, leaped ashore, and went in search of the birds. They found the
+swan quite dead and lying upon its back as the eagles had turned it. Its
+breast was torn open, and the crimson blood, with which they had been
+gorging themselves, was spread in broad flakes over its snowy plumage.
+The eagles themselves, scared by the dog Marengo, had taken flight
+before the boys could get within shot of them.
+
+As it was just the hour for a "noon halt" and a luncheon, the swan was
+carried to the bank of the river, where a crackling fire was soon
+kindled to roast him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+A SWAN-HUNT BY TORCHLIGHT
+
+
+A few days brought our travellers to the settlement of Red River, where
+they made but a very short stay; and, having procured a few articles
+which they stood in need of, they resumed their journey, and floated on
+towards Lake Winnipeg. The swans were seen in greater numbers than ever.
+They were not less shy however, and Francois, as before, in vain tried
+to get a shot at one.
+
+He was very desirous of bringing down one of these noble birds, partly
+because the taste he had had of their flesh had given him a liking for
+it; and partly because their shyness had greatly tantalized him. One is
+always more eager to kill shy game, both on account of the rarity of the
+thing, and the credit one gets for his expertness. But the voyageurs had
+now got within less than twenty miles of Lake Winnipeg, and Francois had
+not as yet shot a single swan. It was not at all likely the eagles would
+help him to another. So there would be no more roast swan for supper.
+
+Norman, seeing how eager Francois was to shoot one of these birds,
+resolved to aid him by his advice.
+
+"Cousin Frank," said he, one evening as they floated along, "you wish
+very much to get a shot at the swans?"
+
+"I do," replied Francois,--"I do; and if you can tell me how to
+accomplish that business, I'll make you a present of this knife." Here
+Francois held up a very handsome clasp-knife that he carried in his
+pouch.
+
+A knife in the fur countries is no insignificant affair. With a knife
+you may sometimes buy a horse, or a tent, or a whole carcass of beef,
+or, what is stranger still, a wife! To the hunter in these wild
+regions--perhaps a thousand miles from where knives are sold--such a
+thing is of very great value indeed; but the knife which Francois
+offered to his cousin was a particularly fine one, and the latter had
+once expressed a wish to become the owner of it. He was not slow,
+therefore, in accepting the conditions.
+
+"Well," rejoined he, "you must consent to travel a few miles by night,
+and I think I can promise you a shot at the trumpeters--perhaps
+several."
+
+"What say you, brothers?" asked Francois, appealing to Basil and Lucien;
+"shall we have the sport? Say yes."
+
+"Oh! I have no objection," said Lucien.
+
+"Nor I," added Basil. "On the contrary, I should like it above all
+things. I wish very much to know what plan our cousin shall adopt. I
+never heard of any mode of approaching these birds."
+
+"Very well, then," answered Norman, "I shall have the pleasure of
+instructing you in a way that is in use in these parts among the
+Indians, who hunt the swan for its skin and quills, which they trade to
+us at the post. We can manage it to-night, I think," continued he,
+looking up at the sky: "there is no moon, and the sky is thick. Yes, it
+will be dark enough."
+
+"Is it necessary the night should be a dark one?" asked Francois.
+
+"The darker the better," replied Norman. "To-night, if I am not
+mistaken, will be as black as pitch. But we need to make some
+preparations. It is near sundown, and we shall have just time to get
+ready for the business. Let us get ashore, then, as quickly as
+possible."
+
+"Oh! certainly--let us land," replied all three at once.
+
+The canoe was now turned to the shore; and when it had arrived within a
+few feet of the land it was brought to a stop. Its keel was not allowed
+to touch the bottom of the river, as that would have injured the little
+craft. The greatest precaution is always observed both in landing and
+embarking these vessels. The voyageurs first get out and wade to the
+shore, one or two remaining to hold the canoe in its place. The cargo,
+whatever it be, is then taken out and landed; and after that the canoe
+itself is lifted out of the water, and carried ashore, where it is set,
+bottom upward, to dry.
+
+The birch-bark canoe is so frail a structure, that, were it brought
+rudely in contact either with the bottom or the bank, it would be very
+much damaged, or might go to pieces altogether. Hence the care with
+which it is handled. It is dangerous, also, to stand upright in it, as
+it is so "crank" that it would easily turn over, and spill both
+canoe-men and cargo into the water. The voyageurs, therefore, when once
+they have got in, remain seated during the whole passage, shifting about
+as little as they can help. When landed for the night, the canoe is
+always taken out of the water as described. The bark is of a somewhat
+spongy nature; and if left in the water for a length of time, would
+become soaked and heavy, and would not run so well. When kept all night,
+bottom upward, it drips and becomes dryer and lighter. In the morning,
+at the commencement of the day's journey, it sits higher upon the water
+than in the afternoon and evening, and is at that time more easily
+paddled along.
+
+Our voyageurs, having got on shore, first kindled a fire to cook their
+supper. This they intended to despatch earlier than usual, so as to give
+them the early part of the night for their swan hunt, which they
+expected to finish before midnight. Lucien did the cooking, while
+Norman, assisted by Basil and Francois, made his preparations for the
+hunt. Francois, who was more interested in the result than any of them,
+watched every movement of his cousin. Nothing escaped him.
+
+Norman proceeded as follows:--
+
+He walked off into the woods, accompanied by Francois. After going about
+an hundred yards or so, he stopped at the foot of a certain tree. The
+tree was a birch--easily distinguished by its smooth, silvery bark. By
+means of his sharp hunting-knife he "girdled" this tree near the ground,
+and then higher up, so that the length between the two "girdlings," or
+circular cuttings, was about four feet. He then made a longitudinal
+incision by drawing the point of his knife from one circle to the other.
+This done he inserted the blade under the bark, and peeled it off, as he
+would have taken the skin from a buffalo. The tree was a foot in
+diameter, consequently the bark, when stripped off and spread flat, was
+about three feet in width; for you must remember that the circumference
+of a circle or a cylinder is always about three times the length of its
+diameter, and therefore a tree is three times as much "_round_" as it is
+"_through_."
+
+They now returned to the camp-fire, taking along with them the piece of
+bark that had been cut off. This was spread out, though not quite flat,
+still leaving it somewhat curved. The convex side, that which had lain
+towards the tree, was now blackened with pulverized charcoal, which
+Norman had directed Basil to prepare for the purpose; and to the bark at
+one end was fastened a stake or shaft. Nothing more remained but to fix
+this stake in the canoe, in an upright position near the bow, and in
+such a way that the bottom of the piece of bark would be upon a level
+with the seats, with its hollow side looking forward. It would thus form
+a screen, and prevent those in the canoe from being seen by any creature
+that might be ahead.
+
+When all this had been arranged, Norman shouldered the axe, and again
+walked off into the woods. This time his object was to obtain a quantity
+of "knots" of the pitch-pine (_Pinus rigida_), which he knew would most
+likely be found in such a situation. The tree was soon discovered, and
+pointed out to Francois, who accompanied him as before. Francois saw
+that it was a tree of about fifty feet in height, and a foot in diameter
+at its base. Its bark was thick, very dark in the colour, and full of
+cracks or fissures. Its leaves, or "needles," were about three inches
+long, and grew in threes, each three forming a little bunch, bound
+together at its base by a brownish sheath.
+
+These bunches, in botanical language, are termed "fasciles." The cones
+were somewhat shorter than the leaves, nearly the shape of eggs, and
+clustered together in threes and fours. Francois noticed that the tree
+was thickly branched, and therefore there are many knots in the wood.
+For this reason it is not much use as timber; but on account of the
+resin which it contains, it is the best species for firewood; and for
+that purpose it is used in all parts of the United States, where it
+grows. Most of the _pine-wood_ sold for fuel in the large cities of
+America is the wood of this species.
+
+Francois supposed that his companion was about to fell one of the trees.
+He was mistaken, however; Norman had no such intention; he had only
+stopped before one to examine it, and make sure that it was the species
+he was in search of. He was soon satisfied of this, and moved on,
+directing his eyes along the ground. Again he stopped; but this time it
+was by a tree that had already fallen--blown down, perhaps, by the wind.
+It was half decayed; but Francois could see that it was one of the same
+species--the pitch-pine.
+
+This was the very thing Norman wanted, and plying his axe, he soon
+knocked out a large quantity of the resinous knots. These he at length
+collected, and putting them into a bag, returned with Francois to the
+fire. He then announced that he had no further preparations to make.
+
+All four now sat down to supper, which consisted of dry meat, with
+biscuits and coffee; and, as their appetites were sharpened by their
+water journey, they made a hearty meal of it.
+
+As soon as they had finished eating, the canoe was launched and got
+ready. The screen of birch-bark was set up, by lashing its shaft to the
+bottom timbers, and also to one of the seats. Immediately in front of
+this, and out upon the bow, was placed the frying-pan; and this having
+been secured by being tied at the handle, was filled with dry
+pine-knots, ready to be kindled at a moment's notice. These arrangements
+being made, the hunters only awaited the darkness to set forth.
+
+In the progress of their hunt they would be carried still farther
+down-stream; but as that was the direction in which they were
+travelling, they would only be progressing on their journey, and thus
+"killing two birds with one stone." This was altogether a very pleasant
+consideration; and having stowed everything snugly in the canoe, they
+sat chatting agreeably and waiting for the arrival of night.
+
+Night came at length, and, as Norman had predicted, it was as "dark as
+pitch." Stepping gently into the canoe, and seating themselves in their
+respective places, they pushed out and commenced floating down-stream.
+Norman sat near the bow, in order to attend to his torch of pine-knots.
+Francois was next to him, holding his double-barrel, loaded with
+buckshot, which is the same size as that used for swans, and in England
+is even known as "swan-shot."
+
+Next came Basil with his rifle. He sat near Francois, just by the middle
+of the little vessel. Lucien, who was altogether a man of peace
+principles, and but little of a shot compared with either of his
+brothers, handled the oar--not to propel the canoe, but merely to guide
+it. In this way the party floated on in silence.
+
+Norman soon kindled his torch, which now cast its red glare over the
+surface of the river, extending its fiery radii even to the banks on
+both sides of the stream. The trees that overhung the water seemed
+tinged with vermilion, and the rippling wave sparkled like liquid gold.
+The light only extended over a semicircle. From the manner in which the
+torch was placed, its light did not fall upon the other half of the
+circle, and this, by contrast, appeared even darker than it would
+otherwise have done.
+
+The advantage of the plan which Norman had adopted was at once apparent
+to all. Ahead of the canoe the whole river was plainly seen, for a
+distance of several hundred yards. No object larger than a cork could
+have floated on its surface, without being visible to those in the
+vessel--much less the great white body of a trumpeter swan. Astern of
+the canoe, on the other hand, all was pitchy darkness, and any one
+looking at the vessel from a position ahead could have seen nothing but
+the bright torch and the black uniform surface behind it.
+
+As I have already stated, the convex side of the bark was _towards_ the
+blaze, and the pan containing the torch being placed close into the
+screen, none of the light could possibly fall upon the forms of those
+within the canoe. They were therefore invisible to any creature from the
+front, while they themselves could see everything before them.
+
+Two questions yet remained unanswered. First--would our hunters find any
+swans on the river? Second--if they should, would these birds allow
+themselves to be approached near enough to be shot at? The first
+question Norman, of course, could not answer. That was a matter beyond
+his knowledge or control. The swans might or might not appear, but it
+was to be hoped they would. It was likely enough. Many had been seen on
+the preceding day, and why not then? To the second question, the young
+Canadian gave a definite reply.
+
+He assured his cousins that, if met with, the birds would be easily
+approached in this manner; he had often hunted them so. They would
+either keep their place, and remain until the light came very near them,
+or they would move towards it (as he had many times known them to do),
+attracted by curiosity and the novelty of the spectacle. He had hunted
+deer in the same manner; he had shot, he said, hundreds of these animals
+upon the banks of rivers, where they had come down to the water to
+drink, and stood gazing at the light.
+
+His cousins could well credit his statements. They themselves had hunted
+deer by torchlight in the woods of Louisiana, where it is termed
+"fire-hunting." They had killed several in this way. The creatures as if
+held by some fascination, would stand with head erect looking at the
+torch carried by one of the party, while the other took sight between
+their glancing eyes and fired the deadly bullet. Remembering this, they
+could easily believe that the swans might act in a similar manner.
+
+It was not long until they were convinced of it by actual experience. As
+the canoe rounded a bend in the river, three large white objects
+appeared in the "reach" before them. A single glance satisfied all that
+they were swans, though in the deceptive glare of the torch, they
+appeared even larger than swans. Their long upright necks, however,
+convinced the party they could be nothing else, and the canoe was headed
+directly for them.
+
+As our hunters approached, one of the birds was heard to utter his
+strange trumpet note, and this he repeated at intervals as they drew
+nearer.
+
+"I have heard that they sing before death," muttered Francois to Basil,
+who sat nearest him. "If so, I hope that's the song itself;" and
+Francois laughed quietly at the joke he had perpetrated.
+
+Basil also laughed; and Lucien, who had overheard the remark, could not
+refrain himself from joining in the laughter.
+
+"I fear not," rejoined Basil; "there is hardly enough music in the note
+to call it a song. They may live to 'blow their own trumpet' a long
+while yet."
+
+This remark called forth a fresh chorus of laughter, in which all took
+part; but it was a very silent kind of laughter, that could not have
+been heard ten yards off: it might have been termed "laughing in a
+whisper."
+
+It soon ended, however, as matters now became serious: they were already
+within less than two hundred yards of the game, and the greatest caution
+had to be observed. The gunners had arranged the order of fire: Basil
+was to shoot first, taking steady aim with his rifle at any one of the
+birds; while Francois should fire as soon as he heard the report of his
+brother's gun, taking the remaining swans upon the wing, with one or
+both barrels, as he best might.
+
+At length Basil deemed himself near enough, and, levelling his piece,
+fired. The bird threw out its wings, and flattened down upon the water,
+almost without a struggle. The other two were rising into the air, when
+"crack! crack!" went the two barrels of Francois' piece, and one of the
+swans fell back with a broken wing, and fluttered over the surface of
+the stream. Basil's had been shot dead, and was taken up easily; but the
+wounded bird was only captured after a long chase with the canoe; and
+when overtaken, it struck so fiercely with its remaining wing, that one
+of the blows inflicted a painful wound on the wrist of Francois. Both,
+however, were at length got safely aboard, and proved to be a male and
+female of the largest dimensions.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+"CAST AWAY"
+
+
+Of course, the reports of the guns must have frightened any other swans
+that were near. It was not likely they would find any more before going
+some distance farther down the river; so, having stowed away in a safe
+place the two already killed, the hunters paddled rapidly onward.
+
+They had hardly gone half-a-mile farther, when another flock of swans
+was discovered. These were approached in a similar way, and no less than
+three were obtained--Francois making a remarkable shot, and killing with
+both barrels. A little farther down, one of the "hoopers" was killed;
+and still farther on, another trumpeter; making in all no less than
+seven swans that lay dead in the bottom of the canoe!
+
+These seven great birds almost filled the little craft to the gunwales,
+and you would think that our "torch-hunters" ought to have been content
+with such a spoil; but the hunter is hard to satisfy with game, and but
+too often inclined to "spill much more blood" than is necessary to his
+wants. Our voyageurs, instead of desisting, again set the canoe in
+motion, and continued the hunt.
+
+A short distance below the place where they had shot the last swan, as
+they were rounding a bend in the river, a loud rushing sounded in their
+ears, similar to that produced by a cascade or waterfall. On first
+hearing it, they were startled and somewhat alarmed. It might be a
+"fall," thought they. Norman could not tell: he had never travelled this
+route; he did not know whether there were falls in the Red River or not,
+but he believed not. In his voyage to the South, he had travelled by
+another route; that was, up the Winnipeg River, and through Rainy Lake
+and the Lake of the Woods to Lake Superior. This is the usual and
+well-known track followed by the _employes_ of the Hudson's Bay
+Company; and Norman had travelled it.
+
+In this uncertainty the canoe was brought to a stop, and our voyageurs
+remained listening. The noise made by the water was not very distant,
+and sounded like the roaring of "rapids," or the rush of a "fall." It
+was evidently one or the other; but, after listening to it for a
+considerable time, all came to the conclusion that the sound did not
+proceed from the Red River itself, but from some stream that emptied
+into it upon the right. With this belief they again put the canoe in
+motion, and glided slowly and cautiously onward.
+
+Their conjecture proved to be correct. As they approached nearer, they
+perceived that the noise appeared every moment more and more to their
+right; and presently they saw, below them, a rapid current sweeping into
+the Red River from the right bank. This was easily distinguished by the
+white froth and bubbles that were carried along upon its surface, and
+which had evidently been produced by some fall over which the water had
+lately passed. The hunters now rowed fearlessly forward, and in a few
+moments came opposite the _debouchure_ of the tributary stream, when a
+considerable cascade appeared to their view, not thirty yards from the
+Red River itself. The water foamed and dashed over a series of steps,
+and then swept rapidly on, in a frothy current. They had entered this
+current, and were now carried along with increased velocity, so that the
+oarsmen suspended operations, and drew their paddles within the canoe.
+
+A flock of swans now drew their attention. It was the largest flock they
+had yet seen, numbering nearly a score of these noble birds,--a sight,
+as Norman informed them, that was exceedingly rare even in the most
+favoured haunts of the swan. Rarely are more than six or seven seen
+together, and oftener only two or three. A grand _coup_ was determined
+upon. Norman took up his own gun, and even Lucien, who managed the stern
+oar, and guided the craft, also brought his piece--a very small
+rifle--close to his hand, so that he might have a shot as well as the
+others.
+
+The canoe was directed in such a manner that, by merely keeping its head
+down the stream, it would float to the spot where the swans were.
+
+In a short while they approached very near the great birds, and our
+hunters could see them sitting on the water, with upraised necks, gazing
+in wonder at the torch. Whether they sounded their strange note was not
+known, for the "sough" of the waterfall still echoed in the ears of the
+canoe-men, and they could not hear aught else.
+
+Basil and Norman fired first, and simultaneously; but the louder
+detonations of Francois' double-barrel, and even the tiny crack of
+Lucien's rifle, were heard almost the instant after. Three of the birds
+were killed by the volley, while a fourth, evidently "winged," was seen
+to dive, and flutter down-stream. The others mounted into the air, and
+disappeared in the darkness.
+
+During the time occupied in this manoeuvre, the canoe, no longer guided
+by Lucien's oar, had been caught by some eddy in the current, and swept
+round stern-foremost. In this position the light no longer shone upon
+the river ahead, but was thrown up-stream. All in a downward direction
+was buried in deep darkness. Before the voyageurs could bring the canoe
+back to its proper direction, a new sound fell upon their ears that
+caused some of them to utter a cry of terror. It was the noise of
+rushing water, but not that which they had already heard and passed. It
+was before them in the river itself. Perhaps it was a cataract, and
+_they were sweeping rapidly to its brink_!
+
+The voice of Norman was heard exclaiming, "Hold with your oars!--the
+rapids!--the rapids!" At the same time he himself was seen rising up and
+stretching forward for an oar. All was now consternation; and the
+movements of the party naturally consequent upon such a sudden panic
+shook the little craft until her gunwales lipped the water. At the same
+time she had swung round, until the light again showed the stream ahead,
+and a horrid sight it was.
+
+Far as the eye could see, was a reach of foaming rapids. Dark points of
+rocks, and huge black boulders, thickly scattered in the channel, jutted
+above the surface; and around and against these, the water frothed and
+hissed furiously. There was no cataract, it is true--there is none such
+in Red River--but for all purposes of destruction the rapids before them
+were equally dangerous and terrible to the eyes of our voyageurs. They
+no longer thought of the swans. The dead were permitted to float down
+unheeded, the wounded to make its escape. Their only thought was to stop
+the canoe before it should be carried upon the rapids.
+
+With this intent all had taken to the oars, but in spite of every
+exertion they soon found that the light craft had got within the
+influence of the strong current, and was sucked downward more rapidly
+than ever. Their backward strokes were to no purpose.
+
+In a few seconds the canoe had passed over the first stage of the
+rapids, and shot down with the velocity of an arrow. A huge boulder lay
+directly in the middle of the channel, and against this the current
+broke with fury, laving its sides in foaming masses. The canoe was
+hurried to this point; and as the light was again turned up-stream, none
+of the voyageurs could see this dangerous rock. But they could not have
+shunned it then. The boat had escaped from their control, and spun round
+at will. The rock once more came under the light, but just as the canoe,
+with a heavy crash, was driven against it.
+
+For some moments the vessel, pressed by the current against the rock,
+remained motionless, but her sides were stove in, and the water was
+rushing through. The quick eye of Basil--cool in all crises of extreme
+danger--perceived this at a glance. He saw that the canoe was a wreck,
+and nothing remained but to save themselves as they best might. Dropping
+the oar, and seizing his rifle, he called to his companions to leap to
+the rock; and all together immediately sprang over the gunwale. The dog
+Marengo followed after.
+
+The canoe, thus lightened, heeled round into the current, and swept on.
+The next moment she struck another rock, and was carried over on her
+beams. The water then rushed in--the white bodies of the swans, with the
+robes, blankets, and implements, rose on the wave; the blazing knots
+were spilled from the pan, and fell with a hissing sound; and a few
+seconds after they were extinguished, and all was darkness!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN
+
+
+The canoe was lost, and all it had contained, or nearly all. The
+voyageurs had saved only their guns, knives, and the powder-horns and
+pouches, that had been attached to their persons. One other thing had
+been saved--an axe which Basil had flung upon the rock as he stepped out
+of the sinking vessel. All the rest--robes, blankets, swans, cooking
+utensils, bags of provisions, such as coffee, flour, and dried
+meat--were lost--irrecoverably lost. These had either drifted off upon
+the surface, or been carried under water and hidden among the loose
+stones at the bottom. No matter where, they were lost; and our voyageurs
+now stood on a small naked rock in the middle of the stream, with
+nothing left but the clothes upon their backs, and the arms in their
+hands. Such was their condition.
+
+There was something so sudden and awful in the mishap that had befallen
+them, that for some minutes they stood upon the spot where they had
+settled without moving or addressing a word to one another. They gazed
+after the canoe. They knew that it was wrecked, although they could see
+nothing either of it or its contents. Thick darkness enveloped them,
+rendered more intense from the sudden extinction of the torchlight. They
+saw nothing but the foam flickering along the river; like the ghosts of
+the swans they had killed, and they heard only the roaring of the water,
+that sounded in their ears with a hoarse and melancholy wail.
+
+For a long time they stood impressed with the lamentable condition into
+which the accident had plunged them; and a lamentable condition it was,
+sure enough. They were on a small rock in the midst of a rapid river.
+They were in the midst of a great wilderness too, many long miles from a
+settlement. The nearest could only be reached by travelling through
+pathless forests, and over numerous and deep rivers. Impassable swamps,
+and lakes with marshy shores, lay on the route, and barred the direct
+course, and all this journey would have to be made on foot.
+
+But none of our young voyageurs were of that stamp to yield themselves
+to despair. One and all of them had experienced perils before--greater
+even than that in which they now stood. As soon, therefore, as they
+became fully satisfied that their little vessel was wrecked, and all its
+contents scattered, instead of despairing, their first thoughts were how
+to make the best of their situation.
+
+For that night, at least, they were helpless. They could not leave the
+rock. It was surrounded by rapids. Sharp, jagged points peeped out of
+the water, and between these the current rushed with impetuosity. In the
+darkness no human being could have crossed to either shore in safety. To
+attempt it would have been madness, and our voyageurs soon came to this
+conclusion. They had no other choice than to remain where they were
+until the morning; so, seating themselves upon the rock, they prepared
+to pass the night.
+
+They sat huddled close together. They could not lie down--there was not
+room enough for that. They kept awake most of the night, one or other of
+them, overcome by fatigue, occasionally nodding over in a sort of
+half-sleep, but awaking again after a few minutes' uncomfortable
+dreaming. They talked but little, as the noise of the rushing rapids
+rendered conversation painful. To be heard, they were under the
+necessity of shouting to one another, like passengers in an omnibus. It
+was cold, too. None of them had been much wetted in escaping from the
+canoe; but they had saved neither overcoat, blanket, nor buffalo-robe;
+and, although it was now late in the spring, the nights near Lake
+Winnipeg, even at that season, are chilly. They were above the latitude
+of 50 deg.; and although in England, which is on that parallel, it is not
+very cold of a spring night, it must be remembered that the line of
+equal temperature--in the language of meteorologists the "_isothermal
+line_,"--is of a much lower latitude in America than in Europe.
+
+Our voyageurs were chilled to the very bones, and of course glad to see
+the daylight glimmering through the tops of the trees that grew upon the
+banks of the river. As soon as day broke, they began to consider how
+they would reach those trees. Although swimming a river of that width
+would have been to any of the four a mere bagatelle, they saw that it
+was not to be so easy an affair. Had they been upon either bank, they
+could have crossed to the other without difficulty--as they would have
+chosen a place where the water was comparatively still. On the rock they
+had no choice, as the rapids extended on both sides above and below it.
+Between the boulders the current rushed so impetuously, that had they
+attempted to swim to either bank, they would have been carried downward,
+and perhaps dashed with violence against one or other of the sharp
+stones.
+
+As soon as it was light, they saw all this; not without feelings of
+apprehension and uneasiness. Their whole attention was now occupied with
+the one object--how they should get to the bank of the river.
+
+The right bank was the more distant; but the passage in that direction
+appeared the easier one. The current was not so swift, nor yet did it
+seem so deep. They thought they might ford it, and Basil made the
+attempt; but he soon got beyond his depth; and was obliged, after being
+carried off his feet, to swim up under the lee of the rock again.
+
+From the rock to the right bank was about an hundred yards' distance.
+Here and there, at irregular intervals, sharp, jagged stones rose above
+the surface, some of them projecting three feet or more out of the
+water, and looking very much like upright tombstones. Lucien had noticed
+these, and expressed the opinion that if they only had a rope, they
+might fling it over one of these stones, and then, holding it fast at
+the other end, might pass by that means from one to the other.
+
+The suggestion was a good one, but where was the rope to come from? All
+their ropes and cords--lassoes and all--had been swept away in the
+wreck. Not a string remained, except those that fastened their horns,
+flasks, and other accoutrements; and these were only small thongs, and
+would be of no use for such a purpose. It would require a rope strong
+enough to carry the weight of a man impelled by a rapid current--in
+fact, a weight equal to that of several men. They all set to thinking
+how this was to be obtained. Each looked at the other, and scanned the
+straps and thongs that were around their bodies.
+
+They were satisfied at a glance that these would not be sufficient to
+make such a rope as was wanted. They did not give up the hope of being
+able to obtain one. They were all of them accustomed to resort to
+strange expedients, and a sufficiently strange one now suggested itself.
+Basil and Norman seemed to have thought of it at the same time, for both
+at once unbuckled their straps, and commenced pulling off their buckskin
+hunting-shirts. The others said nothing, as they knew well what they
+were going to do with them--they knew they intended cutting them into
+strips, and then twisting a rope out of them.
+
+All four set to work together. Lucien and Francois held the shirts taut,
+while Basil and Norman handled the knives, and in a few minutes the rock
+was covered with strips of buckskin about two inches wide, by a yard or
+so in length. These were next joined and plaited together in such a
+manner that a rope was formed nearly forty feet long. An eye was made at
+one end, and through this the other end was reeved--so that a running
+noose was obtained, in the same manner as the Mexicans and Indians make
+their lassoes. The rope was now ready for use, and Basil was the very
+hand to use it; for Basil knew how to fling a lasso as well as either
+Mexican or Indian. He had practised it often, and had lassoed many a
+long-horned bull upon the prairies of Opelousas and the Attakapas. To
+Basil, therefore, the rope was given.
+
+He placed himself on the highest part of the rock, having first coiled
+the new-made lasso, and hung the coil lightly over his left arm. He then
+took the noose-end in his right hand, and commenced winding it around
+his head. His companions had laid themselves flat, so as not to be in
+the way of the noose as it circled about. After a few turns the rope was
+launched forth, and a loud "hurrah!" from Francois announced that the
+throw was successful.
+
+It was so in fact, as the noose was seen settling smoothly over the
+jutting-stone, taking full hold upon it. A pull from Basil fixed it; and
+in a few minutes it was made quite fast, without the slightest danger of
+its slipping off. The other end was then carried round a projecting
+point of the rock on which they stood, and knotted firmly, so that the
+rope was quite taut, and stretched in a nearly horizontal direction,
+about a foot above the surface of the water.
+
+The voyageurs now prepared to cross over. Their guns, pouches, and
+flasks were carefully secured, so that the water could not damage them.
+Then each took a piece of the buckskin thong, and fastened it round his
+waist, leaving enough to form a running loop. This loop was intended to
+embrace the rope, and run along it, as they drew themselves forward by
+their hands.
+
+Basil passed over first. He was the oldest, and, as he asserted, it was
+but right he should run the risk in testing the new-fashioned bridge, of
+which he was the architect. It worked admirably, and sustained the
+weight of his body, with the whole force of the current acting upon it.
+Of course he was swept far down, and the rope was stretched to its full
+tension, but he succeeded in handing himself along, until he was able to
+touch the second rock, and clamber upon it in safety. During the passage
+across he was watched by his companions with emotions of no ordinary
+character, but as soon as he had reached the opposite end of the rope
+all three uttered a loud and simultaneous cheer. Lucien passed over
+next, and after him Francois. Notwithstanding his danger, Francois
+laughed loudly all the time he was in the water, while his brothers were
+not without some fears for his safety. Marengo was next attached to the
+rope, and pulled safely over.
+
+Norman was the last to cross upon the buckskin bridge, but, like the
+others, he landed in safety; and the four, with the dog, now stood upon
+the little isolated boulder where there was just room enough to give
+them all a footing.
+
+A difficulty now presented itself, which they had not hitherto thought
+of. Another reach of rapid current was to be crossed, before they could
+safely trust themselves to enter the water. This they knew before, but
+they had also noticed that there was another jutting rock, upon which
+they might fling their rope. But the rope itself was now the difficulty.
+It was fast at both ends, and how were they to release it from the rock
+they had left? One of them could easily cross over again and untie it,
+but how was he to get back to the others? Here was a dilemma which had
+not presented itself before, and they now saw themselves no better off
+than ever. The rapid that remained to be crossed, was as dangerous as
+the one they had succeeded in passing. There was no hope that they could
+swim it in safety. They would certainly be swept with violence against
+the rocks below. There was no chance, then, of their going an inch
+farther--unless by some means similar to that they had just used, and
+the rope was no longer at their service.
+
+For some time they all stood silent, each considering the matter in his
+own way. How could they free the rope?
+
+"It cannot be done," said one.
+
+"Impossible," rejoined another. "We must make a second rope. Francois's
+shirt still remains, and our leggings--we can use them."
+
+This was the mode suggested by Francois and Norman, and Lucien seemed to
+assent to it. They had already commenced untying their leggings, when
+Basil uttered the ejaculation--
+
+"Stop!"
+
+"Well, what is it, brother?" asked Lucien.
+
+"I think I can free the rope at the other end. At all events, let me
+try. It will not cost much, either in time or trouble."
+
+"How do you mean to do it, brother?"
+
+"Sit close, all of you. Give me room--you shall see presently."
+
+As directed by Basil, they all cowered closely down, so as to occupy as
+little space as possible. Basil, having uncovered the lock of his
+rifle--which had been carefully bound up in a piece of deer's
+bladder--placed himself in a firm position, and appeared as if about to
+fire. Such was his intention--for in a few moments he was seen to raise
+the gun to his shoulder, and take aim. None of his companions uttered a
+word. They had already guessed the object of this movement, and sat
+silently awaiting the result.
+
+On the rock which they had left, the rope still bound fast passed around
+one of the angles, in such a way that, from the point where Basil stood,
+it offered a fair mark. It was at this Basil was aiming. His object was
+to cut the thong with his bullet. He could not do it with a single shot,
+as the thong was broader than the bullet, but he had calculated that he
+might effect his purpose with several. If he did not succeed in cutting
+it clean through, the ball flattening upon the rock would, perhaps, tear
+the rope in such a manner that, by pulling by the other end, they might
+detach it. Such were the calculations and hopes of Basil.
+
+A moment more and the crack of his rifle was heard. At the same instant
+the dust rose up from the point at which he had aimed, and several small
+fragments flew off into the water. Again was heard Francois's "hurrah,"
+for Francois, as well as the others, had seen that the rope had been hit
+at the right place, and now exhibited a mangled appearance.
+
+While Basil was reloading, Norman took aim and fired. Norman was a good
+shot, though perhaps not so good a one as Basil, for that was no easy
+matter, as there were few such marksmen to be found anywhere, not even
+among the professional trappers and hunters themselves. But Norman was a
+fair shot, and this time hit his mark. The thong was evidently better
+than half divided by the two bullets. Seeing this, Francois took hold of
+the other end, and gave it a strong jerk or two, but it was still too
+much for him, and he ceased pulling and waited the effect of Basil's
+second shot.
+
+The later had now reloaded, and, taking deliberate aim again, fired. The
+rope was still held taut upon the rock, for part of it dragged in the
+current, the force of which kept pressing it hard downward. Scarcely was
+the report heard, when the farther end of the thong flew from its
+fastening, and, swept by the running water, was seen falling into the
+lee of the boulder on which the party now stood. A third time was heard
+the voice of Francois uttering one of his customary "hurrahs." The rope
+was now dragged up, and made ready for further use. Basil again took
+hold of it; and, after coiling it as before, succeeded in throwing the
+noose over the third rock, where it settled and held fast. The other end
+was tied as before, and all passed safely to the new station. Here,
+however, their labour ended. They found that from this point to the
+shore the river was shallow, and fordable; and, leaving the rope where
+it was, all four took the water, and waded safely to the bank.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+DECOYING THE ANTELOPES
+
+
+For the present, then, our voyageurs had escaped. They were safe upon
+the river's bank; but when we consider the circumstances in which they
+were placed, we shall perceive that they were far from being pleasant
+ones. They were in the midst of a wilderness, without either horse or
+boat to carry them out of it. They had lost everything but their arms
+and their axe. The hunting-shirts of some of them, as we have seen, were
+destroyed, and they would now suffer from the severe cold that even in
+summer, as we have said, often reigns in these latitudes. Not a vessel
+was left them for cooking with, and not a morsel of meat or anything was
+left to be cooked. For their future subsistence they would have to
+depend upon their guns, which, with their ammunition, they had
+fortunately preserved.
+
+After reaching the shore, their first thoughts were about procuring
+something to eat. They had now been a long time without food, and all
+four were hungry enough. As if by one impulse, all cast their eyes
+around, and looked upward among the branches of the trees, to see if any
+animal could be discovered that might serve them for a meal. Bird or
+quadruped, it mattered not, so that it was large enough to give the four
+a breakfast. But neither one nor the other was to be seen, although the
+woods around had a promising appearance. The trees were large, and as
+there was much underwood, consisting of berry-bushes and plants with
+edible roots, our voyageurs did not doubt that there would be found game
+in abundance. It was agreed, then, that Lucien and Francois should
+remain on the spot and kindle a fire, while Basil and Norman went off in
+search of something to be cooked upon it.
+
+In less than an hour the latter returned, carrying an animal upon his
+shoulders, which both the boys recognised as an old acquaintance--the
+prong-horned antelope, so called from the single fork or prong upon its
+horns. Norman called it "a goat," and stated that this was its name
+among the fur-traders, while the Canadian voyageurs give it the title of
+"cabree." Lucien, However, knew the animal well. He knew it was not of
+the goat kind, but a true antelope, and the only animal of that genus
+found in North America. Its habitat is the prairie country, and at the
+present time it is not found farther east than the prairies extend, not
+farther north either, as it is not a creature that can bear extreme
+cold.
+
+In early times, however--that is nearly two centuries ago--it must have
+ranged nearly to the Atlantic shores, as Father Hennipen in his
+_Travels_ speaks of "goats" being killed in the neighbourhood of
+Niagara, meaning no other than the prong-horned antelopes. The true wild
+goat of America is a very different animal, and is only found in the
+remote regions of the Rocky Mountains.
+
+What Norman had shot, then, was an antelope; and the reason why it is
+called "cabree" by the voyageurs, and "goat" by the fur-traders, is
+partly from its colour resembling that of the common goat, but more from
+the fact, that along the upper part of its neck there is a standing
+mane, which does in truth give it somewhat the appearance of the
+European goat. Another point of resemblance lies in the fact, that the
+"prong-horns" emit the same disagreeable odour, which is a well-known
+characteristic of the goat species. This proceeds from two small
+glandular openings that lie at the angles of the jaws, and appear spots
+of a blackish-brown colour.
+
+Both Lucien and Francois had shot antelopes. They had decoyed them
+within range in their former expedition on the prairies, and had seen
+wolves do the same. The Indians usually hunt them in this manner, by
+holding up some bright-coloured flag, or other curious object, which
+rarely fails to bring them within shot; but Norman informed his cousins
+that the Indians of the Hudson's Bay Company care little about the
+antelope, and rarely think it worth hunting. Its skin is of little value
+to them, and they consider its flesh but indifferent eating. But the
+chief reason why they take so little notice of it is, because it is
+found in the same range, with the buffalo, the moose, and the elk; and,
+as all these animals are more valuable to the Indian hunter, he allows
+the antelope to go unmolested, unless when he is hard pressed with
+hunger, and none of the others are to be had.
+
+While skinning the antelope for breakfast, Norman amused his companions
+by relating how he had killed it. He said he had got near enough to
+shoot it by practising a "dodge." After travelling through the woods for
+some half-mile or so, he had come out into a country of "openings," and
+saw that there was a large prairie beyond. He saw that the woods
+extended no farther than about a mile from the banks of the river, and
+that the whole country beyond was without timber, except in scattered
+clumps. This is, in fact, true of the Red River country, particularly
+of its western part, from which the great prairies stretch westward even
+to the "foot-hills" of the Rocky Mountains.
+
+Well, then, after arriving at the openings, Norman espied a small herd
+of antelopes, about ten or a dozen in all. He would rather they had been
+something else, as elk or deer; for, like the Indians, he did not much
+relish the "goat's" meat. He was too hungry, however, to be nice, and so
+he set about trying to get within shot of the herd. There was no cover,
+and he knew he could not approach near enough without using some
+stratagem. He therefore laid himself flat upon his back, and raised his
+heels as high as he could into the air. These he kicked about in such a
+manner as soon to attract the attention of the antelopes, that, curious
+to make out what it was, commenced running round and round in circles,
+of which Norman himself was the centre.
+
+The circles gradually became smaller and smaller, until the hunter saw
+that his game was within range; when slyly rolling himself round on one
+shoulder, he took aim at a buck, and fired. The buck fell, and the rest
+of the herd bounded off like the wind. Norman feeling hungry himself,
+and knowing that his companions were suffering from the same cause, lost
+no time in looking for other game, but shouldering the "goat," carried
+it into camp.
+
+By this time Lucien and Francois had a fire kindled--a roaring fire of
+"pine-knots"--and both were standing by it, smoking all over in their
+wet leggings. They had got nearly dry when Norman returned, and they
+proceeded to assist in butchering the antelope. The skin was whipped off
+in a trice; and the venison, cut into steaks and ribs, was soon spitted
+and sputtering cheerily in the blaze of the pine-knots. Everything
+looked pleasant and promising, and it only wanted the presence of Basil
+to make them all feel quite happy again. Basil, however, did not make
+his appearance; and as they were all as hungry as wolves, they could not
+wait for him, but set upon the antelope-venison, and made each of them a
+hearty meal from it.
+
+As yet they had no apprehensions about Basil. They supposed he had not
+met with any game, and was still travelling about in search of it.
+Should he succeed in killing any, he would bring it in; and should he
+not, he would return in proper time without it. It was still early in
+the day.
+
+But several hours passed over and he did not come. It was an unusual
+length of time for him to be absent, especially in strange woods of
+which he knew nothing; moreover, he was in his shirt sleeves, and the
+rest of his clothing had been dripping wet when he set out. Under these
+circumstances would he remain so long, unless something unpleasant had
+happened to him?
+
+This question the three began to ask one another. They began to grow
+uneasy about their absent companion; and as the hours passed on without
+his appearing, their uneasiness increased to serious alarm. They at
+length resolved to go in search of him. They took different directions,
+so that there would be a better chance of finding him. Norman struck out
+into the woods, while Lucien and Francois, followed by the dog Marengo,
+kept down the bank--thinking that if Basil had got lost, he would make
+for the river to guide him, as night approached. All were to return to
+the camp at nightfall whether successful or not.
+
+After several hours spent in traversing the woods and openings, Norman
+came back. He had been unable to find any traces of their missing
+companion. The others had got back before him. They heard his story with
+sorrowing hearts, for neither had they fallen in with the track of
+living creature. Basil was lost, beyond a doubt. He would never have
+stayed so long, had not some accident happened to him. Perhaps he was
+dead--killed by some wild animal--a panther or a bear. Perhaps he had
+met with Indians, who had carried him off, or put him to death on the
+spot. Such were the painful conjectures of his companions.
+
+It was now night. All three sat mournfully over the fire, their looks
+and gestures betokening the deep dejection they felt. Although in need
+of repose, none of them attempted to go to sleep. At intervals they
+discussed the probability of his return, and then they would remain
+silent. Nothing could be done that night. They could only await the
+morning light, when they would renew their search, and scour the country
+in every direction.
+
+It was near midnight, and they were sitting silently around the fire,
+when Marengo started to his feet, and uttered three or four loud barks.
+The echoes of these had hardly died among the trees when a shrill
+whistle was heard at some distance off in the woods.
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted Francois, leaping to his feet at the instant; "that's
+Basil's whistle, I'll be bound. I'd know it a mile off. Hurrah!"
+
+Francois' "hurrah!" rang through the woods, and the next moment came
+back a loud "Hilloa!" which all recognised as the voice of Basil.
+
+"Hilloa!" shouted the three by the fire.
+
+"Hilloa, my boys! all right!" replied the voice; and a few seconds
+after, the tall upright form of Basil himself was seen advancing, under
+the glare of the pine-knots. A shout of congratulation was again raised;
+and all the party, preceded by Marengo, rushed out to meet the
+new-comer. They soon returned, bringing Basil up to the fire, when it
+was seen that he had not returned empty-handed. In one hand he carried a
+bag of grouse, or "prairie hens," while from the muzzle of his
+shouldered rifle there hung something that was at once recognised as a
+brace of buffalo tongues.
+
+"_Voila_!" cried Basil, flinging down the bag, "how are you off for
+supper? And here," continued he, pointing to the tongues, "here's a pair
+of tit-bits that'll make you lick your lips. Come! let us lose no time
+in the cooking, for I'm hungry enough to eat either of them raw."
+
+Basil's request was instantly complied with. The fire was raked up,
+spits were speedily procured, a tongue and one of the grouse were
+roasted; and although Lucien, Francois, and Norman, had already supped
+on the "goat's meat," they set to upon the new viands with fresh
+appetites. Basil was hungrier than any, for he had been all the while
+fasting. It was not because he was without meat, but because he knew
+that his comrades would be uneasy about him, and he would not stop to
+cook it. Of meat he had enough, since he had slain the two buffaloes to
+which the tongues had belonged; and these same buffaloes, he now
+informed them, had been the cause of his long absence.
+
+Of course, all were eager to know how the buffaloes could have delayed
+him; and therefore, while they were discussing their savoury supper,
+Basil narrated the details of his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+A "PARTRIDGE DANCE."
+
+
+"After leaving here," said Basil, "I struck off through the woods in a
+line that led from the river, in a diagonal direction. I hadn't walked
+more than three hundred yards, when I heard a drumming sound, which I at
+first took to be thunder; but, after listening a while, I knew it was
+not that, but the drumming of the ruffed grouse. As soon as I could
+ascertain the direction of the sound, I hurried on in that way; but for
+a long time I appeared to get no nearer it, so greatly does this sound
+deceive one. I should think I walked a full mile before I arrived at the
+place where the birds were, for there were many of them. I then had a
+full view of them, as they went through their singular performances.
+
+"There were, in all, about a score. They had selected a piece of open
+and level ground, and over this they were running in a circle, about
+twenty feet in diameter. They did not all run in the same direction, but
+met and crossed each other, although they never deviated much from the
+circumference of the circle, around which the grass was worn quite bare,
+and a ring upon the turf looked baked and black. When I first got near,
+they heard my foot among the leaves, and I saw that one and all of them
+stopped running, and squatted close down.
+
+"I halted, and hid myself behind a tree. After remaining quiet a minute
+or so, the birds began to stretch up their necks, and then all rose
+together to their feet, and commenced running round the ring as before.
+I knew they were performing what is called the 'Partridge Dance;' and as
+I had never witnessed it I held back awhile, and looked on. Even hungry
+as I was, and as I knew all of you to be, so odd were the movements of
+these creatures, that I could not resist watching them a while, before I
+sent my unwelcome messenger into their 'ball-room.'
+
+"Now and then an old cock would separate from the pack, and running out
+to some distance, would leap upon a rock that was there; then, after
+dropping his wings, flirting with his spread tail, erecting the ruff
+upon his neck, and throwing back his head, he would swell and strut upon
+the rock, exhibiting himself like a diminutive turkey-cock. After
+manoeuvring in this way for a few moments, he would commence flapping his
+wings in short quick strokes, which grew more rapid as he proceeded,
+until a 'booming' sound was produced, more like the rumble of distant
+thunder than anything I can think of.
+
+"This appeared to be a challenge to the others; and then a second would
+come out, and, after replying to it by putting himself through a similar
+series of attitudes, the two would attack each other, and fight with all
+the fury of a pair of game-cocks."
+
+"I could have watched their manoeuvres much longer," continued Basil,
+"but hunger got the better of me, and I made ready to fire. Those that
+were 'dancing' moved so quickly round the ring that I could not sight
+one of them. If I had had a shot gun, I might have covered several, but
+with the rifle I could not hope for more than a single bird; so, wanting
+to make sure of that, I waited until an old cock mounted the rock, and
+got to 'drumming.' Then I sighted him, and sent my bullet through his
+crop. I heard the loud whirr of the pack as they rose up from the ring;
+and, marking them, I saw that they all alighted only a couple of hundred
+yards off, upon a large spruce-tree.
+
+"Hoping they would sit there until I could get another shot, I loaded,
+as quickly as possible, and stepped forward. The course I took brought
+me past the one I had killed, which I picked up, and thrust hastily into
+my bag. Beyond this I had to pass over some logs that lay along the
+ground, with level spaces between them. What was my surprise in getting
+among these, to see two of the cocks down upon the grass, and fighting
+so desperately that they took no notice of my approach! At first I threw
+up my rifle, intending to fire, but seeing that the birds were within a
+few feet of me, I thought they might let me lay hold of them, which
+they, in fact, did; for the next moment I had 'grabbed' both of them,
+and cooled their bellicose spirits by wringing their heads off.
+
+"I now proceeded to the pack, that still kept the tree. When near
+enough, I sheltered myself behind another tree; and taking aim at one, I
+brought him tumbling to the ground. The others sat still. Of course, I
+shot the one upon the lowest branch: I knew that, so long as I did this,
+the others would sit until I might get the whole of them; but that if I
+shot one of the upper ones, its fluttering down through the branches
+would alarm the rest, and cause them to fly off. I loaded and fired, and
+loaded and fired, until half-a-dozen of the birds lay around the root of
+the tree.
+
+"I believe I could have killed the whole pack, but it just then occurred
+to me that I was wasting our precious ammunition, and that, considering
+the value of powder and shot to us just now, the birds were hardly worth
+a load a-piece; so I left off cracking at them. As I stepped forward to
+gather what I had killed, the rest whirred away into the woods.
+
+"On reaching the tree where they had perched, I was very much surprised
+to find a raw-hide rope neatly coiled up, and hanging from one of the
+lower branches. I knew that somebody must have placed it there, and I
+looked round to see what "sign" there was besides. My eye fell upon the
+cinders of an old fire near the foot of the tree; and I could tell that
+some Indians had made their camp by it. It must have been a good while
+ago, as the ashes were beaten into the ground by the rain, and,
+moreover, some young plants were springing up through them. I concluded,
+therefore, that whoever had camped there had hung the rope upon the
+tree, and on leaving the place had forgotten it.
+
+"I took the rope down to examine it: it was no other than a lasso, full
+fifty feet long, with an iron ring neatly whipped into the loop-end;
+and, on trying it with a pull, I saw it was in the best condition. Of
+course, I was not likely to leave such a prize behind me. I had grown,
+as you may all conceive, to have a very great regard for a rope,
+considering that one had just saved all our lives; so I resolved on
+bringing the lasso with me. In order to carry it the more conveniently,
+I coiled it, and then hung the coil across my shoulders like a belt. I
+next packed my game into the bag, which they filled chock up to the
+mouth, and was turning to come back to camp, when my eye fell upon an
+object that caused me suddenly to change my intention.
+
+"I was near the edge of the woods, and through the trunks I could see a
+large open space beyond, where there were no trees, or only one here and
+there. In the middle of this opening there was a cloud of dust, and in
+the thick of it I could see two great dark animals in motion. They were
+running about, and now and then coming together with a sudden rush; and
+every time they did so, I could hear a loud thump, like the stroke of a
+sledge-hammer. The sun was shining upon the yellow dust-cloud, and the
+animals appeared from this circumstance to be of immense size--much
+larger than they really were. Had I not known what kind of creatures
+were before me, I should have believed that the mammoths were still in
+existence. But I knew well what they were: I had seen many before,
+carrying on just such a game. I knew they were buffalo bulls, engaged in
+one of their terrible battles.
+
+"Here Basil's narrative was interrupted by a singular incident. Indeed,
+it had been interrupted more than once by strange noises that were heard
+at some distance off in the woods. These noises were not all alike: at
+one time they resembled the barking of a cur dog; at another, they might
+have been mistaken for the gurglings of a person who was being hanged;
+and then would follow a shriek so dreadful that for some time the woods
+would echo with its dismal sound! After the shriek a laugh would be
+heard, but a miserable "haw-haw-haw!" unlike the laugh of a sane person.
+
+"All these strange voices were calculated to inspire terror, and so have
+they many a time, with travellers not accustomed to the solitary woods
+of America. But our young voyageurs were not at all alarmed by them.
+They knew from what sort of a creature they proceeded; they knew they
+were the varying notes of the great horned-owl; and as they had seen and
+heard many a one before, they paid no heed to this individual.
+
+"While Basil was going on with his relation, the bird had been several
+times seen to glide past, and circle around upon his noiseless pinions.
+So easy was his flight, that the slightest inclining of his spread tail,
+or the bending of his broad wing, seemed sufficient to turn and carry
+him in any direction. Nothing could be more graceful than his flight,
+which was not unlike that of the eagle, while he was but little inferior
+in size to one of these noble birds.
+
+"What interrupted Basil was, that the owl had alighted upon a branch not
+twenty feet from where they were all sitting round the fire, by the
+blaze of which they now had a full view of this singular creature. The
+moment it alighted, it commenced uttering its hideous and unmusical
+cries, at the same time going through such a variety of contortions,
+both with its head and body, as to cause the whole party a fit of
+laughter. It was, in fact, an odd and interesting sight to witness its
+grotesque movements, as it turned first its body, and then its head
+around, without moving the shoulders, while its great honey-coloured
+eyes glared in the light of the fire. At the end of every attitude and
+utterance, it would snap its bill with such violence, that the cracking
+of the mandibles upon each other might have been heard to the distance
+of several hundred yards.
+
+"This was too much for Francois' patience to bear, and he immediately
+crept to his gun. He had got hold of the piece, and cocked it; but, just
+as he was about to take aim, the owl dropped silently down from the
+branch, and, gliding gently forward, thrust out its feathered leg, and
+lifted one of the grouse in its talons. The latter had been lying upon
+the top of a fallen tree not six feet from the fire! The owl, after
+clutching it, rose into the air; and the next moment would have been
+lost in darkness, but the crack of Francois' rifle put a sudden stop to
+its flight, and with the grouse still clinging to its claws it fell
+fluttering to the earth. Marengo jumped forward to seize it; but Marengo
+little knew the sort of creature he had to deal with."
+
+It happened to be only "winged," and as soon as the dog came near, it
+threw itself upon its back, and struck at him with its talons so
+wickedly, that he was fain to approach it with more caution. It cost
+Marengo a considerable fight before he succeeded in getting his jaws
+over it. During the contest it continually snapped its bill, while its
+great goggle eyes kept alternately and quickly opening and closing, and
+the feathers being erected all over its body, gave it the appearance of
+being twice its real size. Marengo at length succeeded in "crunching"
+it--although not until he was well scratched about the snout--and its
+useless carcass having been thrown upon the ground, the dog continued to
+worry and chew at it, while Basil went on with his narration.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.
+
+
+"As soon as I saw the buffaloes," continued Basil, "my first thought was
+to get near, and have a shot at them. _They_ were worth a charge of
+powder and lead, and I reflected that if I could kill but one of them,
+it would ensure us against hunger for a couple of weeks to come. So I
+hung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about approaching
+them. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there was no danger of
+their scenting me. But there was no cover near them--the ground was as
+level as a table, and there was not a score of trees upon as many acres.
+It was no use crawling up, and I did not attempt it, but walked straight
+forward, treading lightly as I went. In five minutes, I found myself
+within good shooting range. Neither of the bulls had noticed me. They
+were too busy with one another, and in all my life I never saw two
+creatures fighting in such earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, and
+the steam poured out of their nostrils incessantly."
+
+At times, they would back from each other like a pair of rams, and then
+rush together head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with the
+terrible collision. One would have fancied that they would break them at
+every fresh encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's skull
+before that time. I remember having fired a musket at one that stood
+fronting me not more than six feet distant, when, to my surprise, the
+bullet flattened and fell to the ground before the nose of the buffalo!
+The creature was not less astonished than myself, as up to that time it
+had not seen me.
+
+"Well," continued Basil after a pause, "I did not stop long to watch the
+battle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had seen
+such many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I paused just long
+enough to select the one that appeared to have the most fat upon his
+flanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed for the heart, and my
+aim was a true one, for the animal came to its knees along with the
+crack. Just at that moment the other was charging upon it, and, to my
+surprise, it continued to run on, until striking the wounded one full
+butt upon the forehead, it knocked the latter right over upon its side;
+where, after giving half-a-dozen kicks, it lay quite dead.
+
+"The remaining bull had dashed some paces beyond the spot, and now
+turned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagonist
+stretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much astonished as I
+was. At first, no doubt, he fancied himself the author of a grand
+_coup_, for it was plain that up to this time he had neither noticed my
+presence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing noise that both
+were making had drowned the latter; and the dust, together with the long
+shaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had prevented him from seeing
+anything more than his rival, with whom he was engaged.
+
+"Now that the other was no longer able to stand before him, and thinking
+it was himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his head and snorted
+in triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was thrown back from his
+eyes, and the dust having somewhat settled away, he sighted me, where I
+stood reloading my gun. I fancied he would take off before I could
+finish, and I made all the haste in my power--so much so that I dropped
+the box of caps at my feet. I had taken one out, however, and hurriedly
+adjusted it, thinking to myself, as I did so, that the box might lie
+where it was until I had finished the job.
+
+"I brought the piece to my shoulder, when, to my surprise, the bull,
+instead of running away, as I had expected, set his head, and uttering
+one of his terrible bellows, came rushing towards me. I fired, but the
+shot was a random one, and though it hit him in the snout, it did not in
+the least disable him. Instead of keeping him off, it only seemed to
+irritate him the more, and his fury was now at its height.
+
+"I had no time to load again. He was within a few feet of me when I
+fired, and it was with difficulty that, by leaping to one side, I
+avoided his horns; but I did so, and he passed me with such violence
+that I felt the ground shake under his heavy tread.
+
+"He wheeled immediately, and made at me a second time. I knew that if he
+once touched me I was gone. His horns were set, and his eyes glared with
+a terrible earnestness. I rushed towards the body of the buffalo that
+lay near, hoping that this might assist me in avoiding the onset. It did
+so, for, as he dashed forward over it, he became entangled among the
+limbs, and again charged without striking me. He turned, however, as
+quick as thought, and again rushed bellowing upon me. There was a tree
+near at hand. I had noticed it before, but I could not tell whether I
+should have time to reach it. I was now somewhat nearer it, and, fearing
+that I might not be able to dodge the furious brute any longer upon the
+ground, I struck out for the tree.
+
+"You may be sure I did my best at running. I heard the bull coming
+after, but before he could overtake me, I had got to the root of the
+tree. It was my intention, at first, only to take shelter behind the
+trunk; but when I had got there, I noticed that there were some low
+branches, and catching one of these I swung myself up among them.
+
+[Illustration: BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.]
+
+"The bull passed under me with a rush--almost touching my feet as I hung
+by the branch--but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and out of his
+reach.
+
+"My next thought was to load my gun, and fire at him from my perch,
+and, with this intention, I commenced loading. I had no fear but that he
+would give me an opportunity, for he kept round the tree, and at times
+attacked the trunk, butting and goring it with his horns, and all the
+while bellowing furiously. The tree was a small one, and it shook so,
+that I began to fear it might break down. I therefore made all the haste
+I could to get in the load, expecting soon to put an end to his attacks.
+
+"I succeeded at length in ramming down the bullet, and was just turning
+the gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box was still
+lying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden attack of the animal
+had prevented me from taking it up. My caps were all within that box,
+and my gun, loaded though it was, was as useless in my hands as a bar of
+iron. To get at the caps would be quite impossible. I dared not descend
+from the tree. The infuriated bull still kept pacing under it, now going
+round and round, and occasionally stopping for a moment and looking
+angrily up.
+
+"My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear that I
+might not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to be most
+pertinacious in vengeance. I could have shot him in the back, or the
+neck, or where I liked, if I had only one cap. He was within three feet
+of the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I could not get the gun
+to go off? After a while I thought of making some tinder paper, and then
+trying to 'touch off' the piece with it, but a far better plan at that
+moment came into my head. While I was fumbling about my bullet-pouch to
+get at my flint and steel, of course my fingers came into contact with
+the lasso, which was still hanging around my shoulders. It was this that
+suggested my plan, which was no other than to _lasso the bull, and tie
+him to the tree_!
+
+"I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope, and
+first made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end, and
+reeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while I leaned
+over and watched my opportunity. It was not long before a good one
+offered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, and
+passed round and round. It was no new thing for me to fling a lasso, and
+at the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the noose pass over
+the bison's head, and settle in a proper position behind his horns. I
+then gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and after that I ran the
+rope over a branch, and thus getting 'a purchase' upon it, I pulled it
+with all my might.
+
+"As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he began
+to plunge and 'rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously out from
+the tree. But he soon came to the end of his tether; and the quick jerk,
+which caused the tree itself to crack, brought him to his haunches,
+while the noose tightening on his throat was fast strangling him. But
+for the thick matted hair it would have done so, but this saved him, and
+he continued to sprawl and struggle at the end of the rope. The tree
+kept on cracking, and as I began to fear that it might give way and
+precipitate me to the ground, I thought it better to slip down. I ran
+direct to where I had dropped the caps; and, having got hold of the box,
+I soon had one upon my gun. I then stole cautiously back, and while the
+bison was hanging himself as fast as he could, I brought his struggles
+to a period by sending a bullet through his ribs.
+
+"As it was quite night when I had finished the business, of course I
+could not stay to butcher the bulls. I knew that you would be wondering
+what kept me, so I cut out the tongues, and coming by the place where I
+had left the grouse, brought them along. I left a 'scare-wolf' over both
+the bulls, however, and I guess we'll find them all right in the
+morning."
+
+Basil having finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh fuel
+was heaped on the embers, and a huge fire was built--one that would last
+until morning. This was necessary, as none of them had now either
+blankets or bedding. Basil himself and Norman were even in their
+shirt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for keeping warmth in
+their bodies would be to keep up a roaring fire all the night. This they
+did, and all four laying themselves close together, slept soundly
+enough.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THREE CURIOUS TREES.
+
+
+Next morning they were awake at an early hour. There was still enough of
+the tongues and grouse left, along with some ribs of the antelope, to
+breakfast the party; and then all four set out to bring the flesh of
+Basil's buffaloes into camp. This they accomplished, after making
+several journeys. It was their intention to dry the meat over the fire,
+so that it might keep for future use. For this purpose the flesh was
+removed from the bones, and after being cut into thin slices and strips,
+was hung up on poles at some distance from the blaze. Nothing more could
+be done, but wait until it became sufficiently parched by the heat.
+
+While this process was going on our voyageurs collected around the fire,
+and entered into a consultation about what was best to be done. At first
+they thought of going back to the Red River settlement, and obtaining
+another canoe, as well as a fresh stock of provisions and implements.
+But they all believed that getting back would be a toilsome and
+difficult matter. There was a large lake and several extensive marshes
+on the route, and these would have to be got round, making the journey a
+very long one indeed. It would take them days to perform it on foot, and
+nothing is more discouraging on a journey than to be forced by some
+accident to what is called "taking the back-track."
+
+All of them acknowledged this, but what else could they do? It is true
+there was a post of the Hudson's Bay Company at the northern end of Lake
+Winnipeg. This post was called Norway House. How were they to reach that
+afoot? To walk around the borders of the lake would be a distance of
+more than four hundred miles. There would be numerous rivers to cross,
+as well as swamps and pathless forests to be threaded. Such a journey
+would occupy a month or more, and at Norway House they would still be as
+it were only at the beginning of the great journey on which they had set
+out. Moreover, Norway House lay entirely out of their way. Cumberland
+House--another trading-post upon the River Saskatchewan--was the next
+point where they had intended to rest themselves, after leaving the Red
+River settlements. To reach Cumberland House _afoot_ would be equally
+difficult, as it, too, lay at the distance of hundreds of miles, with
+lakes, and rivers, and marshes, intervening. What, then, could they do?
+
+"Let us _not_ go back," cried Francois, ever ready with a bold advice:
+"let us make a boat, and keep on, say I."
+
+"Ha! Francois," rejoined Basil, "it's easy to say 'make a boat;' how is
+that to be done, I pray?"
+
+"Why, what's to hinder us to hew a log, and make a dug-out? We have
+still got the axe, and two hatchets left."
+
+Norman asked what Francois meant by a dug-out. The phrase was new to
+him.
+
+"A canoe," replied Francois, "hollowed out of a tree. They are sometimes
+called 'dug-outs' on the Mississippi, especially when they are roughly
+made. One of them, I think, would carry all four of us well enough.
+Don't you think so, Luce?"
+
+"Why, yes," answered the student; "a large one might: but I fear there
+are no trees about here of sufficient size. We are not among the great
+timber of the Mississippi bottom, you must remember."
+
+"How large a tree would it require?" asked Norman, who knew but little
+of this kind of craft.
+
+"Three feet in diameter, at least," replied Lucien; "and it should be of
+that thickness for a length of nearly twenty feet. A less one would not
+carry four of us."
+
+"Then I am sure enough," responded Norman, "that we won't find such
+timber here. I have seen no tree of that size either yesterday, or while
+we were out this morning."
+
+"Nor I," added Basil.
+
+"I don't believe there's one," said Lucien.
+
+"If we were in Louisiana," rejoined Francois, "I could find fifty
+canoe-trees by walking as many yards. Why I never saw such insignificant
+timber as this here."
+
+"You'll see smaller timber than this Cousin Frank, before we reach the
+end of our voyage."
+
+This remark was made by Norman, who knew that, as they proceeded
+northward, the trees would be found decreasing in size until they would
+appear like garden shrubbery.
+
+"But come," continued he, "if we can't build a craft to carry us from
+_one_ tree, perhaps we can do it out of _three_."
+
+"With three!" echoed Francois. "I should like to see a canoe made from
+three trees! Is it a raft you mean, Cousin Norman?"
+
+"No," responded the other; "a canoe, and one that will serve us for the
+rest of our voyage."
+
+All three--Basil, Lucien, and Francois--looked to their cousin for an
+explanation.
+
+"You would rather not go back up the river?" he inquired, glancing from
+one to the other.
+
+"We wish to go on--all of us," answered Basil, speaking for his brothers
+as well.
+
+"Very well," assented the young fur-trader; "I think it is better as you
+wish it. Out of these trees I can build a boat that will carry us. It
+will take us some days to do it, and some time to find the timber, but I
+am tolerably certain it is to be found in these woods. To do the job
+properly I want three kinds; two of them I can see from where I sit; the
+third I expect will be got in the hills we saw this morning."
+
+As Norman spoke he pointed to two trees that grew among many others not
+far from the spot. These trees were of very different kinds, as was
+easily told by their leaves and bark. The nearer and more conspicuous of
+them at once excited the curiosity of the three Southerners. Lucien
+recognised it from its botanical description. Even Basil and Francois,
+though they had never seen it, as it is not to be found in the hot clime
+of Louisiana, knew it from the accounts given of it by travellers. The
+tree was the celebrated "canoe-birch," or as Lucien named it,
+"paper-birch," celebrated as the tree out of whose bark those beautiful
+canoes are made that carry thousands of Indians over the interior lakes
+and rivers of North America; out of whose bark whole tribes of these
+people fashion their bowls, their pails, and their baskets; with which
+they cover their tents, and from which they even make their soup-kettles
+and boiling-pots! This, then, was the canoe birch-tree, so much talked
+of, and so valuable to the poor Indians who inhabit the cold regions
+where it grows.
+
+Our young Southerners contemplated the tree with feelings of interest
+and curiosity. They saw that it was about sixty feet high, and somewhat
+more than a foot in diameter. Its leaves were nearly cordate, or
+heart-shaped, and of a very dark-green colour; but that which rendered
+it most conspicuous among the other trees of the forest was the shining
+white or silver-coloured bark that covered its trunk, and its numerous
+slender branches. This bark is only white externally. When you have cut
+through the epidermis you find it of a reddish tinge, very thick, and
+capable of being divided into several layers. The wood of the tree makes
+excellent fuel, and is also often used for articles of furniture. It has
+a close, shining grain, and is strong enough for ordinary implements;
+but if exposed to the weather will decay rapidly.
+
+The "canoe-birch" is not the only species of these trees found in North
+America. The genus _Betula_ (so called from the Celtic word _batu_,
+which means birch) has at least half-a-dozen other known representatives
+in these parts. There is the "white birch," a worthless tree of some
+twenty feet in height, and less than six inches diameter. The bark of
+this species is useless, and its wood, which is soft and white, is unfit
+even for fuel. It grows, however, in the poorest soil. Next there is a
+species called the "cherry-birch," so named from the resemblance of its
+bark to the common cherry-tree. It is also called "sweet birch," because
+its young twigs, when crushed, give out a pleasant aromatic odour.
+Sometimes the name of "black birch," is given to this species. It is a
+tree of fifty or sixty feet in height, and its wood is much used in
+cabinet-work, as it is close-grained, of a beautiful reddish colour, and
+susceptible of a high polish.
+
+The information regarding the birches of America was given by Lucien to
+his brothers, not at that time, but shortly afterward, when the three
+were engaged in felling one of these trees. Just then other matters
+occupied them, and they had only glanced, first at the canoe-birch and
+then at the other tree which Norman had pointed out. The latter was of a
+different genus. It belonged to the order _Coniferae_, or cone-bearing
+trees, as was evident from the cone-shaped fruits that hung upon its
+branches, as well as from its needle-like evergreen leaves.
+
+The cone-bearing trees of America are divided by botanists into three
+great sub-orders--the _Pines_, the _Cypresses_ and the _Yews_. Each of
+these includes several genera. By the "pine tribe" is meant all those
+trees known commonly by the names pine, spruce, fir, and larch: while
+the _Cupressinae_, or cypress tribe, are the cypress proper, the cedars,
+the arbor-vitae, and the junipers. The yew tribe has fewer genera or
+species; but the trees in America known as yews and hemlocks--of which
+there are several varieties--belong to it.
+
+The pines cannot be termed trees of the tropics, yet do they grow in
+southern and warm countries. In the Carolinas, tar and turpentine,
+products of the pine, are two staple articles of exportation; and even
+under the equator itself, the high mountains are covered with
+pine-forests. But the pine is more especially the tree of a northern
+_sylva_. As you approach the Arctic circle, it becomes the
+characteristic tree. Then it appears in extensive forests, lending their
+picturesque shelter to the snowy desolation of the earth. One species of
+pine is the very last tree that disappears as the traveller, in
+approaching the pole, takes his leave of the limits of vegetation. This
+species is the "white spruce" the very one which, along with the
+birch-tree, had been pointed out by Norman to his companions.
+
+It was a tree not over thirty or forty feet high, with a trunk of less
+than a foot in thickness, and of a brownish colour. Its leaves or
+"needles" were about an inch in length, very slender and acute, and of a
+bluish green tint. The cones upon it, which at that season were young
+were of a pale green. When ripe, however, they become rusty-brown, and
+are nearly two inches in length.
+
+What use Norman would make of this tree in building his canoe, neither
+Basil nor Francois knew. Lucien only guessed at it. Francois asked the
+question, by saying that he supposed the "timbers" were to come out of
+it.
+
+"No," said Norman, "for that I want still another sort. If I can't find
+that sort, however, I can manage to do without it, but not so well."
+
+"What other sort?" demanded Francois.
+
+"I want some cedar-wood," replied the other.
+
+"Ah! that's for the timbers," said Francois; "I am sure of it. The
+cedar-wood is lighter than any other, and, I dare say, would answer
+admirably for ribs and other timbers."
+
+"You are right this time, Frank--it is considered the best for that
+purpose."
+
+"You think there are cedar-trees on the hills we saw this morning?" said
+Francois, addressing his Canadian cousin.
+
+"I think so. I noticed something like them."
+
+"And I, too, observed a dark foliage," said Lucien, "which looked like
+the cedar. If anywhere in this neighbourhood, we shall find them there.
+They usually grow upon rocky, sterile hills, such as those appear to
+be--that is their proper situation."
+
+"The question," remarked Basil, "ought to be settled at once. We have
+made up our mind to the building of a canoe, and I think we should lose
+no time in getting ready the materials. Suppose we all set out for the
+hills."
+
+"Agreed--agreed!" shouted the others with one voice; and then
+shouldering their guns, and taking the axe along, all four set out for
+the hills. On reaching these, the object of their search was at once
+discovered. The tops of all the hills--dry, barren ridges they
+were--were covered with a thick grove of the red cedar. The trees were
+easily distinguished by the numerous branches spreading horizontally,
+and thickly covered with short dark green needles, giving them that
+sombre, shady appearance, that makes them the favourite haunt of many
+species of owls. Their beautiful reddish wood was well known to all the
+party, as it is to almost every one in the civilized world. Everybody
+who has seen or used a black-lead pencil must know what the wood of the
+red cedar is like--for it is in this the black-lead is usually incased.
+In all parts of America, where this tree grows in plenty, it is employed
+for posts and fence-rails, as it is one of the most durable woods in
+existence. It is a great favourite also for kindling fires, as it
+catches quickly, and blazes up in a few seconds, so as to ignite the
+heavier logs of other timbers, such as the oak and the pine.
+
+"Now," said Norman, after examining a few of the cedar-trees, "we have
+here all that's wanted to make our canoe. We need lose no more time, but
+go to work at once."
+
+"Very well," replied the three brothers, "we are ready to assist
+you,--tell us what to do."
+
+"In the first place," said the other, "I think we had better change our
+camp to this spot, as I see all the different kinds of trees here, and
+much better ones than those near the river. There," continued he,
+pointing to a piece of moist ground in the valley,--"there are some
+splendid birches, and there beside them is plenty of the _epinette_" (so
+the voyageurs term the white spruce). "It will save us many journeys if
+we go back and bring our meat to this place at once."
+
+To this they all of course agreed, and started back to their first camp.
+They soon returned with the meat and other things, and having chosen a
+clean spot under a large-spreading cedar-tree, they kindled a new fire
+and made their camp by it--that is, they strung up the provisions, hung
+their horns and pouches upon the branches around, and rested their guns
+against the trees. They had no tent to pitch, but that is not necessary
+to constitute a camp. In the phraseology of the American hunter,
+wherever you kindle your fire or spend the night is a "camp."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE.
+
+
+Norman expected that they would be able to finish the canoe in about a
+week. Of course, the sooner the better, and no time was lost in setting
+about it. The ribs or "timbers" were the first thing to be fashioned,
+and a number of straight branches of cedar were cut, out of which they
+were to be made. These branches were cleared of twigs, and rendered of
+an equal thickness at both ends. They were then flattened with the
+knife; and, by means of a little sweating in the ashes, were bent so as
+to bear some resemblance in shape to the wooden ox-yokes commonly used
+in America, or indeed to the letter U.
+
+The ribs when thus bent were not all of the same width. On the contrary,
+those which were intended to be placed near the middle or gangway of the
+vessel, were about two feet across from side to side, while the space
+between the sides of the others was gradually less in each fresh pair,
+according as their position was to be near to the stem and stern. When
+the whole of them had been forced into the proper shape, they were
+placed, one inside the other after the manner of dishes, and then all
+were firmly lashed together, and left to dry. When the lashing should be
+removed, they would hold to the form thus given them, and would be ready
+for fastening to the kelson.
+
+While Norman was occupied with the timbers the others were not idle.
+Basil had cut down several of the largest and straightest birches, and
+Lucien employed himself in carefully removing the bark and cleansing it
+of nodules and other inequalities. The broad sheets were suspended by a
+smoke fire, so as completely to dry up the sap, and render it tough and
+elastic. Francois had his part to play, and that was to collect the
+resinous gum which was distilled in plenty from the trunks of the
+epinette or spruce-trees.
+
+This gum is a species of pitch, and is one of the most necessary
+materials in the making of a bark canoe. It is used for "paying" the
+seams, as well as any cracks that may show themselves in the bark
+itself; and without it, or some similar substance, it would be difficult
+to make one of these little vessels water-tight. But that is not the
+only thing for which the epinette is valued in canoe-building; far from
+it. This tree produces another indispensable material; its long fibrous
+roots when split, form the twine-like threads by which the pieces of
+bark are sewed to each other and fastened to the timbers. These threads
+are as strong as the best cords of hemp, and are known among the Indians
+by the name of "watap."
+
+In a country, therefore, where hemp and flax cannot be readily procured,
+the "watap" is of great value. You may say that deer are plenty, and
+that thongs of buckskin would serve the same purpose. This, however, is
+not the case. The buckskin would never do for such a use. The moment it
+becomes wet it is liable to stretch, so that the seams would open and
+the canoe get filled with water. The watap, wet or dry, does not yield,
+and has therefore been found to be the best thing of all others for this
+purpose.
+
+The only parts now wanted were the gunwale and the bottom. The former
+was easily obtained. Two long poles, each twenty feet in length, were
+bent somewhat like a pair of bows, and then placed with their convex
+sides towards each other, and firmly lashed together at the ends. This
+was the gunwale. The bottom was the most difficult part of all. For that
+a solid plank was required, and they had no saw. The axe and the
+hatchet, however, were called into requisition, and a log was soon hewn
+and thinned down to the proper dimensions. It was sharpened off at the
+ends, so as to run to a very acute angle, both at the stem and stern.
+
+When the bottom was considered sufficiently polished, and modelled to
+the right shape, the most difficult part of the undertaking was supposed
+to be accomplished. A few long poles were cut and trimmed flat. These
+were to be laid longitudinally between the ribs and the bark, somewhat
+after the fashion of laths in the roofing of a house. Their use was to
+prevent the bark from splitting. The materials were now all obtained
+complete, and, with a few days' smoking and drying, would be ready for
+putting together.
+
+While waiting for the timbers to dry, paddles were made, and Norman,
+with the help of the others, prepared what he jokingly called his
+"dock," and also his "ship-yard." This was neither more nor less than a
+long mound of earth--not unlike a new-made grave, only three times the
+length of one, or even longer. It was flat upon the top, and graded
+with earth so as to be quite level and free from inequalities.
+
+At length all the materials were considered quite ready for use, and
+Norman went to work to put them together.
+
+His first operation was to untie the bundle of timbers, and separate
+them. They were found to have taken the exact form into which they had
+been bent, and the thongs being no longer necessary to keep them in
+place, were removed. The timbers themselves were next placed upon the
+bottom or kelson, those with the widest bottoms being nearer to
+"midships," while those with the narrower bend were set towards the
+narrower ends of the plank. Thus placed, they were all firmly lashed
+with strong cords of watap, by means of holes pierced in the bottom
+plank.
+
+Fortunately Lucien happened to have a pocket-knife, in which there was a
+good awl or piercer, that enabled them to make these holes--else the
+matter would have been a much more difficult one, as an awl is one of
+the most essential tools in the construction of a bark canoe. Of course
+it took Norman a considerable time to set all the ribs in their proper
+places, and fasten them securely; but he was ably assisted by Francois,
+who waited upon him with much diligence, handing him now the awl, and
+then the watap, whenever he required them.
+
+Norman's next operation was the laying of his kelson "in dock." The
+timbers being attached to it, it was lifted up on the earthen mound,
+where it reached quite from end to end. Half-a-dozen large heavy stones
+were then placed upon it, so that, pressed down by these upon the even
+surface of the mould, it was rendered quite firm; and, moreover, was of
+such a height from the ground that the young shipwright could work upon
+it without too much bending and kneeling.
+
+The gunwale, already prepared, was next placed so as to touch the ends
+of the ribs all round, and these ends were adjusted to it with great
+nicety, and firmly joined. Strong cross-pieces were fixed, which were
+designed, not only to keep the gunwale from spreading or contracting,
+but afterwards to serve as seats.
+
+Of course the gunwale formed the complete mouth, or upper edge of the
+canoe. It was several feet longer than the bottom plank, and, when in
+place, projected beyond the ribs at both ends. From each end of the
+bottom plank, therefore, to the corresponding end of the gunwale, a
+straight piece of wood was stretched, and fastened. One of these pieces
+would form the stem or cutwater, while the other would become the stern
+of the craft. The long poles were next laid longitudinally upon the ribs
+outside, and lashed in their places; and this done, the skeleton was
+completed, ready for the bark.
+
+The latter had been already cut to the proper dimensions and shape. It
+consisted of oblong pieces--each piece being a regular parallelogram, as
+it had been stripped from the tree. These were laid upon the ribs
+longitudinally, and then sewed to the edge of the bottom plank, and also
+to the gunwale. The bark itself was in such broad pieces that two of
+them were sufficient to cover half a side, so that but one seam was
+required lengthwise, in addition to the fastenings at the top and
+bottom. Two lengths of the bark also reached cleverly from stem to
+stern, and thus required only one transverse seam on each side. There
+was an advantage in this arrangement, for where the birch-bark can only
+be obtained in small flakes, a great number of seams is a necessary
+consequence, and then it is extremely difficult to keep the canoe from
+leaking. Thanks to the fine birch-trees, that grew in abundance around,
+our boat-builders had procured the very best bark.
+
+The canoe was now completed all but the "paying," and that would not
+take long to do. The gum of the epinette had to be boiled, and mixed
+with a little grease, so as to form a species of wax. For this the fat
+already obtained from the buffaloes was the very thing; and a small tin
+cup which Basil had saved from the wreck (it had been strung to his
+bullet-pouch), enabled them to melt the gum, and apply it hot. In less
+than an hour the thing was done. Every crack and awl-hole was payed, and
+the canoe was pronounced "water-tight," and, as Francois added, with a
+laugh, "seaworthy."
+
+A small pond was near, at the bottom of the hill: Francois espied it.
+
+"Come, boys," cried he, "a launch! a launch!"
+
+This was agreed to by all. The great stones were taken out. Basil and
+Norman, going one to the stem the other to the stern, lifted the canoe
+from the "dock," and, raising it upon their shoulders, carried it down
+to the pond. The next moment it was pushed into the water, where it
+floated like a cork. A loud cheer was given, in which even Marengo
+joined; and a salute was then fired--a full broadside--from the four
+guns. Francois, to complete the thing, seized one of the paddles, and
+leaping into the canoe, shot the little craft out upon the bosom of the
+pond, cheering all the while like one frantic.
+
+After amusing himself for some minutes, he paddled back to the shore,
+when they all looked eagerly into the canoe, and perceived to their
+gratification that not as much as a drop of water had leaked during the
+"trip." Thanks and congratulations now greeted Norman from every side;
+and, taking their vessel from the water, the young voyageurs returned to
+their camp, to regale themselves with a grand dinner, which Lucien had
+cooked for the occasion.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+THE CHAIN OF LAKES
+
+
+Our young voyageurs now prepared to resume their journey. While Norman
+was engaged in building his canoe, with his assistant, Francois, the
+others had not been idle. Basil was, of course, the hunter of the party;
+and, in addition to the small game, such as hares, geese, and grouse, he
+had killed three caribou, of the large variety known as "woodland
+caribou." These are a species of the reindeer of which I have more to
+say hereafter. Lucien had attended to the drying of their flesh; and
+there was enough of it still left, as our voyageurs believed, to supply
+their wants until they should reach Cumberland House, where they would,
+of course, procure a fresh stock of provisions. The skins of the caribou
+had also been scraped and dressed by Lucien--who understood the process
+well--and these, with the skin of the antelope, were sufficient to make
+a pair of hunting-shirts for Basil and Norman, who, it will be
+remembered, had lost theirs by cutting them up.
+
+Next morning the canoe was launched upon the river--below the
+rapids--and the dried meat, with their other matters, snugly stowed in
+the stern. Then the young voyageurs got in, and, seating themselves in
+their places, seized hold of the paddles. The next moment the canoe shot
+out into the stream; and a triumphant cheer from the crew announced that
+they had recommenced their journey. They found to their delight that the
+little vessel behaved admirably--shooting through the water like an
+arrow, and leaking not water enough, as Francois expressed it, "to drown
+a mosquito."
+
+They had all taken their seats in the order which had been agreed upon
+for the day. Norman was "bowsman," and, of course, sat in the bow. This,
+among the regular Canadian voyageurs, is esteemed the post of honour,
+and the bowsman is usually styled "Captain" by the rest of the crew. It
+is also the post that requires the greatest amount of skill on the part
+of its occupant, particularly where there are rapids or shoals to be
+avoided. The post of "steersman" is also one of honour and importance;
+and both steersman and bowsman receive higher wages than the other
+voyageurs who pass under the name of "middlemen." The steersman sits in
+the stern, and that place was now occupied by Lucien, who had proved
+himself an excellent steersman. Basil and Francois were, of course, the
+"middlemen," and plied the paddles.
+
+This was the arrangement made for the day; but although on other days
+the programme was to be changed, so as to relieve Basil and Francois, on
+all occasions when there were rapids or other difficulties to be
+encountered they were to return to this order. Norman, of course,
+understood canoe navigation better than his Southern cousins; and
+therefore, by universal assent, he was acknowledged "the Captain," and
+Francois always addressed him as such. Lucien's claim to the post of
+second honour was admitted to be just, as he had proved himself capable
+of filling it to the satisfaction of all. Marengo had no post, but lay
+quietly upon the buffalo skin between Lucien's legs, and listened to the
+conversation without joining in it, or in any way interfering in the
+working of the vessel.
+
+In a few hours our voyageurs had passed through the low marshy country
+that lies around the mouth of the Red River, and the white expanse of
+the great Lake Winnipeg opened before them, stretching northward far
+beyond the range of their vision. Norman knew the lake, having crossed
+it before, but its aspect somewhat disappointed the Southern travellers.
+Instead of a vast dark lake which they had expected to see, they looked
+upon a whitish muddy sheet, that presented but few attractive points to
+the eye, either in the hue of its water or the scenery of its shores.
+
+These, so far as they could see them, were low, and apparently marshy;
+and this is, in fact, the character of the southern shores of Winnipeg.
+On its east and north, however, the country is of a different character.
+There the geological formation is what is termed _primitive_. The rocks
+consist of granite, sienite, gneiss, &c.; and, as is always the case
+where such rocks are found, the country is hilly and rugged. On the
+western shores a _secondary_ formation exists. This is _stratified
+limestone_--the same as that which forms the bed of many of the great
+prairies of America; and, indeed, the Lake Winnipeg lies between this
+secondary formation and the primitive, which bounds it on the east.
+Along its western shores extends the flat limestone country, partly
+wooded and partly prairie land, running from that point for hundreds of
+miles up to the very foot of the Rocky Mountains, where the primitive
+rocks again make their appearance in the rugged peaks of that stupendous
+chain.
+
+Lake Winnipeg is nearly three hundred miles in length, but it is very
+narrow--being in its widest reach not over fifty miles, and in many
+places only fifteen miles from shore to shore. It trends nearly due
+north and south, leaning a little north-west and south-east, and
+receives many large rivers, as the Red, the Saskatchewan, and the
+Winnipeg. The waters of these are again carried out of it by other
+rivers that run from the lake, and empty into the Hudson's Bay. There is
+a belief among the hunters and voyageurs that this lake has its tides
+like the ocean. Such, however, is not the case. There is at times a rise
+and overflow of its waters, but it is not periodical, and is supposed to
+be occasioned by strong winds forcing the waters towards a particular
+shore.
+
+Lake Winnipeg is remarkable, as being in the very centre of the North
+American continent, and may be called the centre of the _canoe
+navigation_. From this point it is possible to travel _by water_ to
+Hudson's Bay on the north-east, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to
+the Gulf of Mexico on the south, to the Pacific on the west, and to the
+Polar Sea on the north and north-west. Considering that some of these
+distances are upwards of three thousand miles, it will be perceived that
+Lake Winnipeg holds a singular position upon the continent. All the
+routes mentioned can be made without any great "portage," and even a
+choice of route is often to be had upon those different lines of
+communication.
+
+These were points of information communicated by Norman as the canoe was
+paddled along the shore; for Norman, although troubling himself but
+little about the causes of things, possessed a good practical knowledge
+of things as they actually were. He was tolerably well acquainted with
+the routes, their portages, and distances. Some of them he had travelled
+over in company with his father, and of others he had heard the accounts
+given by the voyageurs, traders, and trappers. Norman knew that Lake
+Winnipeg was muddy--he did not care to inquire the cause. He knew that
+there was a hilly country on its eastern and a low level land on its
+western shores, but it never occurred to him to speculate on this
+geological difference.
+
+It was the naturalist, Lucien, who threw out some hints on this part of
+the subject, and further added his opinion, that the lake came to be
+there in consequence of the wearing away of the rocks at the junction of
+the stratified with the primitive formation, thus creating an excavation
+in the surface, which in time became filled with water and formed the
+lake. This cause he also assigned for the existence of a remarkable
+"chain of lakes" that extends almost from the Arctic Sea to the
+frontiers of Canada. The most noted of these are Martin, Great Slave,
+Athabasca, Wollaston, Deer, Lake Winnipeg and the Lake of the Woods.
+
+Lucien further informed his companions, that where primitive rocks form
+the surface of a country, that surface will be found to exhibit great
+diversity of aspect. There will be numerous lakes and swamps, rugged
+steep hills with deep valleys between, short streams with many falls and
+rapids. These are the characteristics of a primitive surface. On the
+other hand, where secondary rocks prevail the surface is usually a
+series of plains, often high, dry, and treeless, as is the case upon the
+great American prairies.
+
+Upon such topics did Lucien instruct his companions, as they paddled
+their canoe around the edge of the lake. They had turned the head of
+their little vessel westward--as it was their design to keep along the
+western border of the lake until they should reach the mouth of the
+Saskatchewan. They kept at a short distance from the shore, usually
+steering from point to point, and in this way making their route as
+direct as possible. It would have been still more direct had they struck
+out into the open lake, and kept up its middle; but this would have been
+a dangerous course to pursue.
+
+There are often high winds upon Lake Winnipeg, that spring up suddenly;
+and at such times the waves, if not mountains high, at least arrive at
+the height of houses. Among such billows the little craft would have
+been in danger of being swamped, and our voyageurs of going to the
+bottom. They, therefore, wisely resolved not to risk such an accident,
+but to "hug the shore," though it made their voyage longer. Each night
+they would land at some convenient place, kindle their fire, cook their
+supper, and dry their canoe for the next day's journey.
+
+According to this arrangement, a little before sunset of the first day
+they came to land and made their camp. The canoe was unloaded, carefully
+lifted out of the water, and then set bottom upward to drip and dry. A
+fire was kindled, some of the dry meat cooked, and all four sat down and
+began to eat, as only hungry travellers can.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+WAPITI, WOLVES, AND WOLVERENE
+
+
+The spot where our voyageurs had landed was at the bottom of a small
+bay. The country back from the lake was level and clear of timber. Here
+and there, nearer the shore, however, its surface was prettily
+interspersed with small clumps of willows, that formed little copse-like
+thickets of deep green. Beside one of these thickets, within a hundred
+yards of the beach, the fire had been kindled, on a spot of ground that
+commanded a view of the plain for miles back.
+
+"Look yonder!" cried Francois, who had finished eating, and risen to his
+feet. "What are these, captain?" Francois pointed to some objects that
+appeared at a great distance off upon the plain.
+
+The "captain" rose up, placed his hand so as to shade his eyes from the
+sun, and, after looking for a second or two in the direction indicated,
+replied to the other's question by simply saying--
+
+"Wapiti."
+
+"I'm no wiser than before I asked the question," said Francois. "Pray,
+enlighten me as to what a wapiti may be!"
+
+"Why, red deer; or elk, if you like."
+
+"Oh! elk--now I understand you. I thought they were elk, but they're so
+far off I wasn't sure."
+
+Lucien at this moment rose up, and looking through a small telescope,
+which he carried, confirmed the statement of the "captain," and
+pronounced it to be a herd of elk.
+
+"Come, Luce," demanded Francois, "tell us what you know of the elk. It
+will pass the time. Norman says it's no use going after them out there
+in the open ground, as they'd shy off before one could get within shot.
+You see there is not a bush within half-a-mile of them."
+
+"If we wait," interrupted Norman, "I should not wonder but we may have
+them among the bushes before long. They appear to be grazing this way. I
+warrant you, they'll come to the lake to drink before nightfall."
+
+"Very well then: the philosopher can tell us all about them before
+that."
+
+Lucien, thus appealed to, began:--
+
+"There are few animals that have so many names as this. It is called in
+different districts, or by different authors, _elk_, _round-horned elk_,
+_American elk_, _stag_, _red deer_, _grey moose_, _le biche_, _wapiti_
+and _wewaskish_.
+
+"You may ask, Why so many names? I shall tell you. It is called 'elk'
+because it was supposed by the early colonists to be the same as the elk
+of Europe. Its name of 'grey moose' is a hunter appellation, to
+distinguish it from the real moose, which the same hunters know as the
+'black moose.' 'Round-horned elk' is also a hunter name. 'Wewaskish,' or
+'waskesse,' is an Indian name for the animal. 'Stag' comes from the
+European deer so called, because this species somewhat resembles the
+stag; and 'red deer' is a name used by the Hudson Bay traders. 'Le
+biche' is another synonyme of French authors.
+
+"Of all these names I think that of 'wapiti,' which our cousin has
+given, the best. The names of 'elk,' 'stag,' and 'red deer,' lead to
+confusion, as there are other species to which they properly belong, all
+of which are entirely different from the wapiti. I believe that this
+last name is now used by the best-informed naturalists.
+
+"In my opinion," continued Lucien, "the wapiti is the noblest of all the
+deer kind. It possesses the fine form of the European stag, while it is
+nearly a third larger and stronger. It has all the grace of limb and
+motion that belongs to the common deer, while its towering horns give it
+a most majestic and imposing appearance. Its colour during the summer is
+of a reddish brown, hence the name red deer; but, indeed, the reddish
+tint upon the wapiti is deeper and richer than that of its European
+cousin.
+
+"The wapiti, like other deer, brings forth its fawns in the spring. They
+are usually a male and female, for two is the number it produces. The
+males only have horns; and they must be several years old before the
+antlers become full and branching. They fall every year, but not until
+February or March, and then the new ones grow out in a month or six
+weeks. During the summer the horns remain soft and tender to the touch.
+They are covered at this time with a soft membrane, that looks like
+greyish velvet, and they are then said to be 'in the velvet.' There are
+nerves and blood-vessels running through this membrane, and a blow upon
+the horns at this season gives great pain to the animal. When the autumn
+arrives the velvet peels off, and they become as hard as bone.
+
+"They would need to be, for this is the 'rutting' season, and the bucks
+fight furious battles with each other, clashing their horns together, as
+if they would break them to pieces. Very often a pair of bucks, while
+thus contending, 'lock' their antlers, and being unable to draw them
+apart, remain head to head, until both die with hunger, or fall a prey
+to the prowling wolves. This is true not only of the elk, but also of
+the reindeer, the moose, and many other species of deer. Hundreds of
+pairs of horns have been found thus 'locked,' and the solitary hunter
+has often surprised the deer in this unpleasant predicament.
+
+"The wapiti utters a whistling sound, that can be heard far off, and
+often guides the hunter to the right spot. In the rutting season the
+bucks make other noises, which somewhat resemble the braying of an ass,
+and are equally disagreeable to listen to.
+
+"The wapiti travel about in small herds, rarely exceeding fifty, but
+often of only six or seven. Where they are not much hunted they are
+easily approached, but otherwise they are shy enough. The bucks, when
+wounded and brought to bay, become dangerous assailants; much more so
+than those of the common deer. Hunters have sometimes escaped with
+difficulty from their horns and hoofs, with the latter of which they can
+inflict very severe blows. They are hunted in the same way as other
+deer; but the Indians capture many of them in the water, when they
+discover them crossing lakes or rivers. They are excellent swimmers, and
+can make their way over the arm of a lake or across the widest river.
+
+"They feed upon grass, and sometimes on the young shoots of willows and
+poplar trees. They are especially fond of a species of wild rose which
+grows in the countries they frequent.
+
+"The wapiti at one time ranged over a large part of the continent of
+North America. Its range is now restricted by the spread of the
+settlements. It is still found in most of the Northern parts of the
+United States, but only in remote mountainous districts and even there
+it is a rare animal. In Canada it is more common; and it roams across
+the continent to the shores of the Pacific. It it not an animal of the
+tropical countries, as it is not found in Mexico proper. On the other
+hand, wapiti do not go farther north than about the fifty-seventh
+parallel of latitude, and then they are not in their favourite habitat,
+which is properly the temperate zone."
+
+Lucien was interrupted by an exclamation from Basil, who stood up
+looking out upon the prairie. They all saw that he had been observing
+the wapiti.
+
+"What is it?" cried they.
+
+"Look yonder!" replied Basil, pointing in the direction of the herd.
+"Something disturbs them. Give me your glass, Luce."
+
+Lucien handed the telescope to his brother, who, drawing it to the
+proper focus, pointed it towards the deer. The rest watched them, with
+the naked eye. They could see that there was some trouble among the
+animals. There were only six in the herd, and even at the distance our
+voyageurs could tell that they were all bucks, for it was the season
+when the does secrete themselves in the woods and thickets to bring
+forth their young. They were running to and fro upon the prairie, and
+doubling about as if playing, or rather as if some creature was chasing
+them. With the naked eye, however, nothing could be seen upon the ground
+but the bucks themselves, and all the others looked to Basil, who held
+the glass, for an explanation of their odd manoeuvres.
+
+"There are wolves at them," said Basil, after regarding them for a
+second or two.
+
+"That's odd," rejoined Norman. "Wolves don't often attack full-grown
+wapiti, except when wounded or crippled somehow. They must be precious
+hungry. What sort of wolves are they?"
+
+To you, boy reader, this question may seem strange. You, perhaps, think
+that a wolf is a wolf, and there is but one kind. Such, however, is not
+the exact truth. In America there are two distinct species or wolves,
+and of these two species there are many varieties, which differ so much
+in colour and other respects, that some authors have classed them as so
+many distinct species instead of considering them mere varieties.
+Whether they may be species or not is still a question among
+naturalists; but certain it is that _two_ well-defined species do exist,
+which differ in size, form, colour, and habits.
+
+These are the _large_ or _common wolf_, and the barking or prairie wolf.
+The first species is the American representative of the common wolf of
+Europe; and although an animal of similar nature and habits, it differs
+very much from the latter in form and appearance. It is, therefore, not
+the _same_, as hitherto supposed. This American wolf is found in greater
+or less numbers throughout the whole continent; but in the Northern
+regions it is very common, and is seen in at least five different
+varieties, known by the characteristic names of _black_, _pied_,
+_white_, _dusky_, and _grey_ wolves. Of these the grey is the most
+numerous kind; but as I shall have occasion to speak of the large wolves
+hearafter, I shall say no more of them at present, but direct your
+attention to the second and very different species, the _prairie
+wolves_.
+
+These are a full third smaller than the common kind. They are swifter,
+and go in larger packs. They bring forth their young in burrows on the
+open plain, and not among the woods, like the other species. They are
+the most cunning of American animals, not excepting their kindred the
+foxes. They cannot be trapped by any contrivance, but by singular
+manoeuvres often themselves decoy the over-curious antelope to approach
+too near them. When a gun is fired upon the prairies they may be seen
+starting up on all sides, and running for the spot in hopes of coming in
+for a share of the game. Should an animal--deer, antelope, or
+buffalo--be wounded, and escape the hunter, it is not likely to escape
+them also. They will set after it, and run it down if _the wound has
+been a mortal one_.
+
+On the other hand, if the wound has been only slight, and is not likely
+in the end to cripple the animal, the wolves will not stir from--the
+spot. This extraordinary sagacity often tells the hunter whether it is
+worth his while to follow the game he has shot at; but in any case he is
+likely to arrive late, if the wolves set out before him, as a dozen of
+them will devour the largest deer in a few minutes' time. The prairie
+wolves as well as the others follow the herds of buffaloes, and attack
+the gravid cows and calves when separated from the rest. Frequently they
+sustain a contest with the bulls, when the latter are old or wounded,
+but on such occasions many of them get killed before the old bull
+becomes their prey.
+
+They resemble the common grey wolf in colour, but there are varieties in
+this respect, though not so great as among the larger species. Their
+voice is entirely different, and consists of three distinct barks,
+ending in a prolonged howl. Hence the specific and usual name "barking
+wolf." They are found only in the Western or prairie half of the
+continent, and thence west to the Pacific. Their Northern range is
+limited to the fifty-fifth parallel of latitude--but they are met with
+southward throughout Mexico, where they are common enough, and known by
+the name of "coyote."
+
+Their skins are an article of trade with the Hudson's Bay Company. The
+fur is of about the same quality with that of other wolves, and consists
+of long hairs, with a thick wool at the base. In commerce they are
+termed "cased wolves," because their skins, on being removed, are not
+split open as with the large wolf-skins, but are stript off after the
+manner of rabbits, and then turned inside out, or "cased," as it is
+termed.
+
+"Prairie wolves!" said Basil, in answer to the question put by his
+cousin.
+
+"There must be something the matter with one of the bucks, then,"
+remarked Norman, "or else there's a good big pack of the wolves, and
+they expect to tire one down. I believe they sometimes do try it that
+way."
+
+"There appears to be a large pack," answered Basil, still looking
+through the glass; "fifty at least--See! they have separated one of the
+bucks from the herd--it's running this way!"
+
+Basil's companions had noticed this as soon as himself, and all four now
+leaped to their guns. The wapiti was plainly coming towards them, and
+they could now distinguish the wolves following upon his heels, strung
+out over the prairie like a pack of hounds. When first started, the buck
+was a full half-mile distant, but in less than a minute's time he came
+breasting forward until the boys could see his sparkling eyes and the
+play of his proud flanks. He was a noble animal to look at. His horns
+were full grown, but still "in the velvet," and as he ran with his snout
+thrown forward, his antlers lay along both sides of his neck until their
+tips touched his shoulders.
+
+He continued on in a direct line until he was within less than an
+hundred paces of the camp; but, perceiving the smoke of the fire, and
+the figures crouching around it, he swerved suddenly from his course,
+and darted into the thicket of willows, where he was for the moment
+hidden from view. The wolves--fifty of them at least--had followed him
+up to this point; and as he entered the thicket several had been close
+upon his heels. The boys expected to see the wolves rush in after
+him--as there appeared to be no impediment to their doing so--but, to
+the astonishment of all, the latter came to a sudden halt, and then went
+sneaking back--some of them even running off as if terrified!
+
+At first the hunters attributed this strange conduct to their own
+presence, and the smoke of the camp; but a moment's reflection convinced
+them that this could not be the reason of it, as they were all well
+acquainted with the nature of the prairie wolf, and had never witnessed
+a similar exhibition before.
+
+They had no time to think of the wolves just then. The buck was the main
+attraction, and, calling to each other to surround the thicket, all four
+started in different directions. In a couple of minutes they had placed
+themselves at nearly equal distances around the copse, and stood
+watching eagerly for the reappearance of the wapiti.
+
+The willows covered about an acre of ground, but they were tolerably
+think and full-leaved, and the buck could not be seen from any side.
+Wherever he was, he was evidently at a stand-still, for not a rustle
+could be heard among the leaves, nor were any of the tall stalks seen to
+move.
+
+Marengo was now sent in. This would soon start him, and all four stood
+with guns cocked and ready. But before the dog had made three lengths of
+himself into the thicket, a loud snort was heard, followed by a
+struggle and the stamping of hoofs, and the next moment the wapiti came
+crashing through the bushes. A shot was fired--it was the crack of
+Lucien's small rifle--but it had missed, for the buck was seen passing
+onward and outward. All ran round to the side he had taken, and had a
+full view of the animal as he bounded off. Instead of running free as
+before, he now leaped heavily forward, and what was their astonishment
+on seeing that he _carried another animal upon his back_!
+
+[Illustration: THE WAPITI AND THE WOLVERENE.]
+
+The hunters could hardly believe their eyes, but there it was, sure
+enough, a brown shaggy mass, lying flat along the shoulders of the
+wapiti, and clutching it with large spreading claws. Francois cried out,
+"A panther!" and Basil at first believed it to be a bear, but it was
+hardly large enough for that. Norman, however, who had lived more in
+those parts where the animal is found, knew it at once to be the dreaded
+"wolverene." Its head could not be seen, as that was hid behind the
+shoulder of the wapiti, whose throat it was engaged in tearing. But its
+short legs and broad paws, its bushy tail and long shaggy hair, together
+with its round-arching back and dark-brown colour, were all familiar
+marks to the young fur-trader; and he at once pronounced it a
+"wolverene."
+
+When first seen, both it and the wapiti were beyond the reach of their
+rifles; and the hunters, surprised by such an unexpected apparition, had
+suddenly halted. Francois and Basil were about to renew the pursuit, but
+were prevented by Norman, who counselled them to remain where they were.
+
+"They won't go far," said he; "let us watch them a bit. See! the buck
+takes the water!"
+
+The wapiti, on leaving the willows, had run straight out in the first
+direction that offered, which happened to be in a line parallel with the
+edge of the lake. His eye, however, soon caught sight of the water, and,
+doubling suddenly round, he made directly towards it, evidently with the
+intention of plunging in. He had hopes, no doubt, that by this means he
+might rid himself of the terrible creature that was clinging to his
+shoulders, and tearing his throat to pieces.
+
+A few bounds brought him to the shore. There was no beach at the spot.
+The bank--a limestone bluff--rose steeply from the water's edge to a
+height of eight feet, and the lake under it was several fathoms in
+depth. The buck did not hesitate, but sprang outward and downwards. A
+heavy plash followed, and for some seconds both wapiti and wolverene
+were lost under the water. They rose to the surface, just as the boys
+reached the bank, but they came up _separately_. The dip had proved a
+cooler to the fierce wolverene; and while the wapiti was seen to strike
+boldly out into the lake and swim off, the latter--evidently out of his
+element--kept plunging about clumsily, and struggling to get back to the
+shore.
+
+Their position upon the cliff above gave the hunters an excellent
+opportunity with their rifles, and both Basil and Norman sent their
+bullets into the wolverene's back. Francois also emptied his
+double-barrelled gun at the same object, and the shaggy brute sank dead
+to the bottom of the lake. Strange to say, not one of the party had
+thought of firing at the buck. This persecution by so many enemies had
+won for him their sympathy, and they would now have suffered him to go
+free, but the prospect of fresh venison for supper overcame their
+commiseration, and the moment the wolverene was despatched all set about
+securing the deer.
+
+Their guns were reloaded, and, scattering along the shore, they prepared
+to await his return. But the buck, seeing there was nothing but death in
+his rear, swam on, keeping almost in a direct line out into the lake. It
+was evident to all that he could not swim across the lake, as its
+farther shore was not even visible. He must either return to where they
+were, or drown; and knowing this to be his only alternative, they stood
+still and watched his motions. When he had got about half-a-mile from
+the shore, to the surprise of all, he was seen to rise higher and higher
+above the surface, and then all at once stop, with half of his body
+clear out of the water! He had come upon a shoal, and, knowing the
+advantage of it, seemed determined to remain there.
+
+Basil and Norman ran to the canoe, and in a few minutes the little craft
+was launched, and shooting through the water. The buck now saw that it
+was likely to be all up with him, and, instead of attempting to swim
+farther, he faced round, and set his antlers forward in a threatening
+attitude. But his pursuers did not give him the chance to make a rush.
+When within fifty yards or so, Norman, who used the paddles, stopped and
+steadied the canoe, and the next moment the crack of Basil's rifle
+echoed over the lake, and the wapiti fell upon the water, where, after
+struggling a moment, he lay dead.
+
+The canoe was paddled up, and his antlers being made fast to the stern,
+he was towed back to the shore, and carried into camp. What now
+surprised our voyageurs was, their finding that the wapiti had been
+wounded before encountering either the wolves, wolverene, or themselves.
+An arrow-head, with a short piece of the shaft, was sticking in one of
+his thighs. The Indians, then, had been after him, and very lately too,
+as the wound showed. It was not a mortal wound, had the arrow-head been
+removed; but of course, as it was, it would have proved his death in the
+long run. This explained why the wolves had assailed an animal, that
+otherwise, from his great size and strength, would have defied them.
+
+The wolverene, moreover, rarely attacks game so large as the wapiti; but
+the latter had, no doubt, chanced upon the lair of his fierce enemy, who
+could not resist such a tempting opportunity of getting a meal. The
+wolves had seen the wolverene as they approached the thicket, and that
+accounted for their strange behaviour in the pursuit. These creatures
+are as great cowards as they are tyrants, and their dread of a wolverene
+is equal to that with which they themselves often inspire the wounded
+deer.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A PAIR OF DEEP DIVERS.
+
+
+THE wapiti was carefully skinned, and the skin spread out to dry. Since
+their mishap our voyageurs had been very short of clothing. The three
+skins of the woodland caribou had made only a pair of jackets, instead
+of full hunting-shirts, and even these were pinched fits. For beds and
+bed-clothes they had nothing but the hides of buffaloes, and these,
+although good as far as they went, were only enough for two. Lucien, the
+most delicate of the party, appropriated one, as the others insisted
+upon his so doing. Francois had the other.
+
+As for Basil and Norman, they were forced each night to lie upon the
+naked earth, and but for the large fires which they kept blazing all the
+night, they would have suffered severely from cold. Indeed, they did
+suffer quite enough; for some of the nights were so cold, that it was
+impossible to sleep by the largest fire without one-half of their bodies
+feeling chilled. The usual practice with travellers in the West is to
+lie with their feet to the fire, while the head is at the greatest
+distance from it. This is considered the best mode, for so long as the
+feet are warm, the rest of the body will not suffer badly; but, on the
+contrary, if the feet are allowed to get cold, no matter what state the
+other parts be in, it is impossible to sleep with comfort.
+
+Of course our young voyageurs followed the well-known practice of the
+country, and lay with their feet to the fire in such a manner that, when
+all were placed, their bodies formed four radii of a circle, of which
+the fire was the centre. Marengo usually lay beside Basil, whom he
+looked upon as his proper master.
+
+Notwithstanding a bed of grass and leaves which they each night spread
+for themselves, they were sadly in want of blankets, and therefore the
+skin of the wapiti, which was a very fine one, would be a welcome
+addition to their stock of bedding. They resolved, therefore, to remain
+one day where they had killed it, so that the skin might be dried and
+receive a partial dressing. Moreover, they intended to "jerk" some of
+the meat--although elk-venison is not considered very palatable where
+other meat can be had. It is without juice, and resembles dry
+short-grained beef more than venison. For this reason it is looked upon
+by both Indians and white hunters as inferior to buffalo, moose,
+caribou, or even the common deer. One peculiarity of the flesh of this
+animal is, that the fat becomes hard the moment it is taken off the
+fire. It freezes upon the lips like suet, and clings around the teeth of
+a person eating it, which is not the case with that of other species of
+deer.
+
+The skin of the wapiti, however, is held in high esteem among the
+Indians. It is thinner than that of the moose, but makes a much better
+article of leather. When dressed in the Indian fashion--that is to say,
+soaked in a lather composed of the brains and fat of the animal itself,
+and then washed, dried, scraped, and smoked--it becomes as soft and
+pliable as a kid-glove, and will wash and dry without stiffening like
+chamois leather. That is a great advantage which it has, in the eyes of
+the Indians, over the skins of other species of deer, as the moose and
+caribou--for the leather made from these, after a wetting, becomes harsh
+and rigid and requires a great deal of rubbing to render it soft again.
+
+Lucien knew how to dress the elk-hide, and could make leather out of it
+as well as any Indian squaw in the country. But travelling as they were,
+there was not a good opportunity for that; so they were content to give
+it such a dressing as the circumstances might allow. It was spread out
+on a frame of willow-poles, and set up in front of the fire, to be
+scraped at intervals and cleared of the fatty matter, as well as the
+numerous parasites that at this season adhere to the skins of the
+wapiti.
+
+While Lucien was framing the skin, Basil and Norman occupied themselves
+in cutting the choice pieces of the meat into thin slices and hanging
+them up before the fire. This job being finished, all sat down to watch
+Lucien currying his hide.
+
+"Ho, boys!" cried Francois, starting up as if something had occurred to
+him; "what about the wolverene? It's a splendid skin--why not get it
+too?"
+
+"True enough," replied Norman, "we had forgotten that. But the beast's
+gone to the bottom--how can we get at him?"
+
+"Why, fish him up, to be sure," said Francois. "Let's splice one of
+these willow-poles to my ram rod, and I'll screw it into him, and draw
+him to the surface in a jiffy. Come!"
+
+"We must get the canoe round, then," said Norman. "The bank's too steep
+for us to reach him without it."
+
+"Of course," assented Francois, at the same time going towards the
+willows; "get you the canoe into the water, while I cut the sapling."
+
+"Stay!" cried Basil, "I'll show you a shorter method. Marengo!"
+
+As Basil said this, he rose to his feet, and walked down to the bluff
+where they had shot the wolverene. All of them followed him as well as
+Marengo, who bounded triumphantly from side to side, knowing he was
+wanted for some important enterprise.
+
+"Do you expect the dog to fetch him out?" inquired Norman.
+
+"No," replied Basil; "only to help."
+
+"How?"
+
+"Wait a moment--you shall see."
+
+Basil flung down his 'coon-skin cap, and stripped off his caribou
+jacket, then his striped cotton shirt, then his under-shirt of fawn
+skin, and, lastly, his trousers, leggings, and mocassins. He was now as
+naked as Adam.
+
+"I'll show you, cousin," said he, addressing himself to Norman, "how we
+take the water down there on the Mississippi."
+
+So saying, he stepped forward to the edge of the bluff; and having
+carefully noted the spot where the wolverene had gone down, turned to
+the dog, and simply said,--
+
+"Ho! Marengo! _Chez moi_!"
+
+The dog answered with a whimper, and a look of intelligence which showed
+that he understood his master's wish.
+
+Basil again pointed to the lake, raised his arms over his head, placing
+his palms close together, launched himself out into the air, and shot
+down head-foremost into the water.
+
+Marengo, uttering a loud bay, sprang after so quickly that the plunges
+were almost simultaneous, and both master and dog were for some time
+hidden from view. The latter rose first, but it was a long time before
+Basil came to the surface--so long that Norman and the others were
+beginning to feel uneasy, and to regard the water with some anxiety. At
+length, however, a spot was seen to bubble, several yards from where he
+had gone down, and the black head of Basil appeared above the surface.
+It was seen that he held something in his teeth, and was pushing a heavy
+body before him, which they saw was the wolverene.
+
+Marengo, who swam near, now seized hold of the object, and pulled it
+away from his master, who, calling to the dog to follow, struck out
+towards a point where the bank was low and shelving. In a few minutes
+Basil reached a landing-place, and shortly after Marengo arrived towing
+the wolverene, which was speedily pulled out upon the bank, and carried,
+or rather dragged, by Norman and Francois to the camp. Lucien brought
+Basil's clothes, and all four once more assembled around the blazing
+fire.
+
+There is not a more hideous-looking animal in America than the
+wolverene. His thick body and short stout legs, his shaggy coat and
+bushy tail, but, above all, his long curving claws and dog-like jaws,
+gave him a formidable appearance. His gait is low and skulking, and his
+look bold and vicious. He walks somewhat like a bear, and his tracks
+are often mistaken for those of that animal. Indians and hunters,
+however, know the difference well. His hind feet are plantigrade, that
+is, they rest upon the ground from heel to toe; and his back curves like
+the segment of a circle. He is fierce and extremely voracious--quite as
+much so as the "glutton," of which he is the American representative.
+
+No animal is more destructive to the small game, and he will also attack
+and devour the larger kinds when he can get hold of them; but as he is
+somewhat slow, he can only seize most of them by stratagem. It is a
+common belief that he lies in wait upon trees and rocks to seize the
+deer passing beneath. It has been also asserted that he places moss,
+such as these animals feed upon under his perch, in order to entice them
+within reach; and it has been still further asserted, that the arctic
+foxes assist him in his plans, by hunting the deer towards the spot
+where he lies in wait, thus acting as his jackals.
+
+These assertions have been made more particularly about his European
+cousin, the "glutton," about whom other stories are told equally
+strange--one of them, that he eats until scarce able to walk, and then
+draws his body through a narrow space between two trees, in order to
+relieve himself and get ready for a fresh meal. Buffon and others have
+given credence to these tales upon the authority of one "Olaus Magnus,"
+whose name, from the circumstance, might be translated "great fibber."
+There is no doubt, however, that the glutton is one of the most
+sagacious of animals, and so, too, is the wolverene. The latter gives
+proof of this by many of his habits; one in particular fully illustrates
+his cunning. It is this.
+
+The marten trappers of the Hudson Bay territory set their traps in the
+snow, often extending over a line of fifty miles. These traps are
+constructed out of pieces of wood found near the spot, and are baited
+with the heads of partridges, or pieces of venison, of which the marten
+is very fond. As soon as the marten seizes the bait, a trigger is
+touched, and a heavy piece of wood falling upon the animal, crushes or
+holds it fast. Now the wolverene _enters the trap from behind_, tears
+the back out of it before touching the bait, and thus avoids the falling
+log! Moreover, he will follow the tracks of the trapper from one to
+another, until he has destroyed the whole line.
+
+Should a marten happen to have been before him, and got caught in the
+trap, he rarely ever eats it, as he is not fond of its flesh. But he is
+not satisfied to leave it as he finds it. He usually digs it from under
+the log, tears it to pieces, and then buries it under the snow. The
+foxes, who are well aware of this habit, and who themselves greedily eat
+the marten, are frequently seen following him upon such excursions. They
+are not strong enough to take the log from off the trapped animal, but
+from their keen scent can soon find it where the other has buried it in
+the snow. In this way, instead of their being providers for the
+wolverene, the reverse is the true story. Notwithstanding, the wolverene
+will eat _them_ too, whenever he can get his claws upon them; but as
+they are much swifter than he, this seldom happens.
+
+The foxes, however, are themselves taken in traps, or more commonly shot
+by guns set for the purpose, with the bait attached by a string to the
+trigger. Often the wolverene, finding the foxes dead or wounded, makes a
+meal of them before the hunter comes along to examine his traps and
+guns. The wolverene kills many of the foxes while young, and sometimes
+on finding their burrow, widens it with his strong claws, and eats the
+whole family in their nests. Even young wolves sometimes become his
+prey. He lives, in fact, on very bad terms with both foxes and wolves,
+and often robs the latter of a fat deer which they may have just killed,
+and are preparing to dine upon. The beaver, however, is his favourite
+food, and but that these creatures can escape him by taking to the
+water--in which element he is not at all at home--he would soon
+exterminate their whole race. His great strength and acute scent enable
+him to overcome almost every wild creature of the forest or prairie. He
+is even said to be a full match for either the panther or the black
+bear.
+
+The wolverene lives in clefts of rock, or in hollow trees, where such
+are to be found; but he is equally an inhabitant of the forest and the
+prairie. He is found in fertile districts, as well as in the most remote
+deserts. His range is extensive, but he is properly a denizen of the
+cold and snowy regions. In the southern parts of the United States he is
+no longer known, though it is certain that he once lived there when
+those countries were inhabited by the beaver. North of latitude 40 deg. he
+ranges perhaps to the pole itself, as traces of him have been found as
+far as man has yet penetrated.
+
+He is a solitary creature, and, like most predatory animals, a nocturnal
+prowler. The female brings forth two, sometimes three and four, at a
+birth. The cubs are of a cream colour, and only when full grown acquire
+that dark brown hue, which in the extreme of winter often passes into
+black. The fur is not unlike that of the bear but is shorter-haired, and
+of less value than a bear-skin. Notwithstanding, it is an article of
+trade with the Hudson's Bay Company, who procure many thousands of the
+skins annually.
+
+The Canadian voyageurs call the wolverene "carcajou;" while among the
+Orkney and Scotch servants of the Hudson's Bay Company he is oftener
+known as the "quickhatch." It is supposed that both, these names are
+corruptions of the Cree word _okee-coo-haw-gew_ (the name of the
+wolverene among the Indians of that tribe). Many words from the same
+language have been adopted by both voyageurs and traders.
+
+Those points in the natural history of the wolverene, that might be
+called _scientific_, were imparted by Lucien, while Norman furnished the
+information about its habits. Norman knew the animal as one of the most
+common in the "trade"; and in addition to what we have recorded, also
+related many adventures and stories current among the voyageurs, in
+which this creature figures in quite as fanciful a manner as he does in
+the works either of Olaus Magnus, or Count de Buffon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+A GRAND SUNDAY DINNER.
+
+
+After remaining a day at their first camp on the lake, our voyageurs
+continued their journey. Their course lay a little to the west of north,
+as the edge of the lake trended in that direction. Their usual plan, as
+already stated, was to keep out in the lake far enough to shun the
+numerous indentations of the shore, yet not so far as to endanger their
+little craft when the wind was high. At night they always landed,
+either upon some point or on an island. Sometimes the wind blew "dead
+ahead," and then their day's journey would be only a few miles. When the
+wind was favourable they made good progress, using the skin of the
+wapiti for a sail. On one of these days they reckoned a distance of over
+forty miles from camp to camp.
+
+It was their custom always to lie by on Sunday, for our young voyageurs
+were Christians. They had done so on their former expedition across the
+Southern prairies, and they had found the practice to their advantage in
+a physical as well as a moral sense. They required the rest thus
+obtained; besides, a general cleaning up is necessary, at least, once
+every week. Sunday was also a day of feasting with them. They had more
+time to devote to culinary operations, and the _cuisine_ of that day was
+always the most varied of the week. Any extra delicacy obtained by the
+rifle on previous days, was usually reserved for the Sunday's dinner.
+
+On the first Sunday after entering Lake Winnipeg the "camp" chanced to
+be upon an island. It was a small island, of only a few acres in extent.
+It lay near the shore, and was well wooded over its whole surface with
+trees of many different kinds. Indeed, islands in a large lake usually
+have a great variety of trees, as the seeds of all those sorts that grow
+around the shores are carried thither by the waves, or in the crops of
+the numerous birds that flit over its waters. But as the island in
+question lay in a lake, whose shores exhibited such a varied geology, it
+was natural the vegetation of the island itself should be varied. And,
+in truth, it was so.
+
+Among the low bushes and shrubs there were rose and wild raspberry;
+there were apple and plum trees, and whole thickets of the "Pembina."
+There is, in fact, no part of the world where a greater variety of wild
+fruit has been found indigenous than upon the banks of the Red River of
+the North, and this variety extended to the little island where our
+voyageurs had encamped.
+
+The camp had been placed under a beautiful tree--the tacamahac, or
+balsam poplar. This is one of the finest trees of America, and one of
+those that extend farthest north into the cold countries. In favourable
+situations it attains a height of one hundred and fifty feet, with a
+proportionate thickness of trunk; but it is oftener only fifty or eighty
+feet high. Its leaves are oval, and, when young, of a rich yellowish
+colour, which changes to a bright green. The buds are very large,
+yellow, and covered with a varnish, which exhales a delightful
+fragrance, and gives to the tree its specific name.
+
+It was near sunset on the afternoon of Saturday, the travellers had just
+finished their repast, and were reclining around a fire of red cedar,
+whose delicate smoke curled up among the pale green leaves of the
+poplars. The fragrant smell of the burning wood, mixed with the aromatic
+odour of the balsam-tree, filled the air with a sweet perfume, and,
+almost without knowing why, our voyageurs felt a sense of pleasure
+stealing over them. The woods of the little island were not without
+their voices.
+
+The scream of the jay was heard, and his bright azure wing appeared now
+and then among the foliage. The scarlet plumage of the cardinal grosbeak
+flashed under the beams of the setting sun; and the trumpet-note of the
+ivory-billed woodpecker was heard near the centre of the island. An
+osprey was circling in the air, with his eye bent on the water below,
+watching for his finny prey; and a pair of bald eagles were winging
+their way towards the adjacent mainland. Half-a-dozen turkey vultures
+were wheeling above the beach, where some object, fish or carrion, had
+been thrown up by the waves.
+
+For some time the party remained silent, each contemplating the scene
+with feelings of pleasure. Francois, as usual, first broke the silence.
+
+"I say, cook, what's for dinner to-morrow?"
+
+It was to Lucien this speech was addressed. He was regarded as the
+_maitre de cuisine_.
+
+"Roast or boiled--which would you prefer?" asked the cook, with a
+significant smile.
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Francois; "boiled, indeed! a pretty boil we could
+have in a tin cup, holding less than a pint. I wish we _could_ have a
+boiled joint and a bowl of soup. I'd give something for it. I'm precious
+tired of this everlasting dry roast."
+
+"You shall have both," rejoined Lucien, "for to-morrow's dinner. I
+promise you both the soup and the joint."
+
+Again Francois laughed increduously.
+
+"Do you mean to make soup in your shoe, Luce?"
+
+"No; but I shall make it in this."
+
+And Lucien held up a vessel somewhat like a water-pail, which the day
+before he had himself made out of birch-bark.
+
+"Well," replied Francois, "I know you have got a vessel that holds
+water, but cold water ain't soup; and if you can boil water in that
+vessel, I'll believe you to be a conjuror. I know you can do some
+curious things with your chemical mixtures; but that you can't do, I'm
+sure. Why, man, the bottom would be burned out of your bucket before the
+water got blood-warm. Soup, indeed!"
+
+"Never mind, Frank, you shall see. You're only like the rest of
+mankind--incredulous about everything they can't comprehend. If you'll
+take your hook and line, and catch some fish, I promise to give you a
+dinner to-morrow, with all the regular courses--soup, fish, boiled,
+roast, and dessert, too! I'm satisfied I can do all that."
+
+"_Parbleu_! brother, you should have been cook to Lucullus. Well, I'll
+catch the fish for you."
+
+So saying, Francois took a fish-hook and line out of his pouch, and
+fixing a large grasshopper upon the hook, stepped forward to the edge of
+the water, and cast it in. The float was soon seen to bob and then sink,
+and Francois jerked his hook ashore with a small and very pretty fish
+upon it of a silver hue, with which the lake and the waters running into
+it abound. Lucien told him it was a fish of the genus _Hyodon_. He also
+advised him to bait with a worm, and let his bait sink to the bottom,
+and he might catch a sturgeon, which would be a larger fish.
+
+"How do you know there are sturgeon in the lake?" inquired Francois.
+
+"I am pretty sure of that," answered the naturalist; "the sturgeon is
+found all round the world in the northern temperate zone--both in its
+seas and fresh waters; although, when you go farther south into the
+warmer climate, no sturgeons exist. I am sure there are some here,
+perhaps more than one species. Sink your bait for the sturgeon is a
+toothless fish, and feeds upon soft substances at the bottom."
+
+Francois followed the advice of his brother, and in a few minutes he
+had a "nibble," and drew up and landed a very large fish, full three
+feet in length. Lucien at once pronounced it a sturgeon, but of a
+species he had not before seen. It was the _Acipenser carbonarius_, a
+curious sort of fish found in these waters. It did not look like a fish
+that would be pleasant eating; therefore Francois again took to bobbing
+for the silver fish which, though small, he knew to be excellent when
+broiled.
+
+"Come," said Basil, "I must furnish my quota to this famous dinner that
+is to be. Let me see what there is on the island in the way of game;"
+and shouldering his rifle, he walked off among the trees.
+
+"And I," said Norman, "am not going to eat the produce of other people's
+labour without contributing my share."
+
+So the young trader took up his gun and went off in a different
+direction.
+
+"Good!" exclaimed Lucien, "we are likely to have plenty of meat for the
+dinner. I must see about the vegetables;" and taking with him his
+new-made vessel, Lucien sauntered off along the shore of the islet.
+Francois alone remained by the camp and continued his fishing. Let us
+follow the plant-hunter, and learn a lesson of practical botany.
+
+Lucien had not gone far, when he came to what appeared to be a mere
+sedge growing in the water. The stalks or culms of this sedge were full
+eight feet high, with smooth leaves, an inch broad, nearly a yard in
+length, and of a light green colour. At the top of each stalk was a
+large panicle of seeds, somewhat resembling a head of oats. The plant
+itself was the famous wild rice so much prized by the Indians as an
+article of food, and also the favourite of many wild birds especially
+the reed-bird or rice-bunting. The grain of the zizania was not yet
+ripe, but the ears were tolerably well filled, and Lucien saw that it
+would do for his purpose. He therefore waded in, and stripped off into
+his vessel as much as he wanted.
+
+"I am safe for rice-soup, at all events," soliloquised he, "but I think
+I can do still better;" and he continued on around the shore, and
+shortly after struck into some heavy timber that grew in a damp, rich
+soil. He had walked about an hundred yards farther, when he was seen to
+stoop and examine some object on the ground.
+
+"It ought to be found here," he muttered to himself; "this is the very
+soil for it--yes, here we have it!"
+
+The object over which he was stooping was a plant, but its leaves
+appeared shrivelled, or rather quite withered away. The upper part of a
+bulbous root, however, was just visible above the surface. It was a bulb
+of the wild leek. The leaves, when young, are about six inches in
+length, of a flat shape and often three inches broad; but, strange to
+say, they shrivel or die off very early in the season--even before the
+plant flowers, and then it is difficult to find the bulb.
+
+Lucien, however, had sharp eyes for such things; and in a short while he
+had rooted out several bulbs as large as pigeons' eggs, and deposited
+them in his birchen vessel. He now turned to go back to camp, satisfied
+with what he had obtained. He had the rice to give consistency to his
+soup, and the leek roots to flavour it with. That would be enough.
+
+As he was walking over a piece of boggy ground his eye was attracted to
+a singular plant, whose tall stem rose high above the grass. It was full
+eight feet in height, and at its top there was an umbel of conspicuous
+white flowers. Its leaves were large, lobed, and toothed, and the stem
+itself was over an inch in diameter, with furrows running
+longitudinally. Lucien had never seen the plant before, although he had
+often heard accounts of it, and he at once recognised it from its
+botanical description. It was the celebrated "cow parsnip." Its stem was
+jointed and hollow, and Lucien had heard that the Indians called it in
+their language "flute stem," as they often used it to make their rude
+musical instruments from, and also a sort of whistle or "call," by which
+they were enabled to imitate and decoy several kinds of deer. But there
+was another use to which the plant was put, of which the naturalist was
+not aware. Norman who had been wandering about, came up at this moment,
+and seeing Lucien standing by the plant, uttered a joyful "Hulloh!"
+
+"Well," inquired Lucien, "what pleases you, coz?"
+
+"Why, the flute-stem, of course. You talked of making a soup. It will
+help you, I fancy."
+
+"How?" demanded Lucien.
+
+"Why, the young stems are good eating, and the roots, if you will; but
+the young shoots are better. Both Indians and voyageurs eat them in
+soup, and are fond of them. It's a famous thing, I assure you."
+
+"Let us gather some, then," said Lucien; and the cousins commenced
+cutting off such stems as were still young and tender. As soon as they
+had obtained enough, they took their way back to the camp. Basil had
+already arrived with a fine _prairie hen_ which he had shot, and Sandy
+had brought back a squirrel; so that, with Francois's fish, of which a
+sufficient number had been caught, Lucien was likely to be able to keep
+his promise about the dinner.
+
+Francois, however, could not yet comprehend how the soup was to be
+boiled in a wooden pot; and, indeed, Basil was unable to guess. Norman,
+however, knew well enough, for he had travelled through the country of
+the Assinoboil Indians, who take their name from this very thing. He had
+also witnessed the operation performed by Crees, Chippewas, and even
+voyageurs, where metal or earthen pots could not be obtained.
+
+On the next day the mystery was cleared up to Basil and Francois. Lucien
+first collected a number of stones--about as large as paving-stones. He
+chose such as were hard and smooth. These he flung into the cinders,
+where they soon became red-hot. The water and meat were now put into the
+bark pot, and then one stone after another,--each being taken out as it
+got cooled,--until the water came to a fierce boil. The rice and other
+ingredients were added at the proper time, and in a short while an
+excellent soup was made. So much, then, for the soup, and the boiled
+dishes with vegetables. The roast, of course, was easily made ready upon
+green-wood spits, and the "game" was cooked in a similar way. The fish
+were broiled upon the red cinders, and eaten, as is usual, after the
+soup. There were no puddings or pies, though, no doubt, Lucien could
+have made such had they been wanted.
+
+In their place there was an excellent service of fruit. There were
+strawberries and raspberries, one sort of which found wild in this
+region is of a most delicious flavour. There were gooseberries and
+currants; but the most delicious fruit, and that which Francois liked
+best, was a small berry of a dark blue colour, not unlike the
+huckleberry, but much sweeter and of higher flavour. It grows on a low
+bush or shrub with ovate leaves; and this bush when it blossoms is so
+covered with beautiful white flowers, that neither leaves nor branches
+can be seen. There are no less than four varieties of it known, two of
+which attain to the height of twenty feet or more. The French Canadians
+call it "le poire," but in most parts of America it is known as the
+"service-berry," although several other names are given to it in
+different districts. Lucien informed his companions, while they were
+crushing its sweet purplish fruit between their teeth, that its
+botanical name is _Amelanchier_.
+
+"Now," remarked Francois, "if we only had a cup of coffee and a glass of
+wine, we might say that we had dined in fashionable style."
+
+"I think," replied Lucien, "we are better without the wine, and as for
+the other I cannot give you that, but I fancy I can provide you with a
+cup of tea if you only allow me a little time."
+
+"Tea!" screamed Francois; "why, there's not a leaf of tea nearer than
+China; and for the sugar, not a grain within hundreds of miles!"
+
+"Come, Frank," said Lucien, "nature has not been so ungenerous here,
+even in such luxuries as tea and sugar. Look yonder! You see those large
+trees with the dark-coloured trunks. What are they?"
+
+"Sugar-maples," replied Francois.
+
+"Well," said Lucien, "I think even at this late season we might contrive
+to extract sap enough from them to sweeten a cup of tea. You may try,
+while I go in search of the tea-plant."
+
+"Upon my word, Luce, you are equal to a wholesale grocery. Very well.
+Come, Basil, we'll tap the maples; let the captain go with Luce."
+
+The boys, separating into pairs, walked off, in different directions.
+Lucien and his companion soon lighted upon the object of their search in
+the same wet bottom where they had procured the _Heracleum_. It was a
+branching shrub, not over two feet in height, with small leaves of a
+deep green colour above, but whitish and woolly underneath. It is a
+plant well known throughout most of the Hudson's Bay territory by the
+name of "Labrador tea-plant;" and is so called because the Canadian
+voyageurs, and other travellers through these northern districts, often
+drink it as tea. It is one of the _Ericaceae_, or heath tribe, of the
+genus _Ledum_--though it is not a true heath, as, strange to say, no
+true heath is found upon the continent of America.
+
+There are two kinds of it known,--the "narrow-leafed" and "broad-leafed"
+and the former makes the best tea. But the pretty white flowers of the
+plant are better for the purpose than the leaves of either variety; and
+these it was that were now gathered by Lucien and Norman. They require
+to be dried before the decoction is made; but this can be done in a
+short time over a fire; and so in a short time it was done, Norman
+having parched them upon heated stones.
+
+Meanwhile Basil and Francois had obtained the sugar-water, and Lucien
+having washed his soup-kettle clean, and once more made his boiling
+stones red-hot, prepared the beverage; and then it was served out in the
+tin cup, and all partook of it. Norman had drunk the Labrador tea
+before, and was rather fond of it, but his Southern cousins did not much
+relish it. Its peculiar flavour, which somewhat resembles rhubarb, was
+not at all to the liking of Francois. All, however, admitted that it
+produced a cheering effect upon their spirits; and, after drinking it,
+they felt in that peculiarly happy state of mind which one experiences
+after a cup of the real "Bohea."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE MARMOTS OF AMERICA.
+
+
+From such a luxurious dinner you may suppose that our young voyageurs
+lived in prime style. But it was not always so. They had their fasts as
+well as feasts. Sometimes for days they had nothing to eat but the
+jerked deer-meat. No bread--no beer--no coffee, nothing but water--dry
+venison and water. Of course, this is food enough for a hungry man; but
+it can hardly be called luxurious living. Now and then a wild duck, or a
+goose, or perhaps a young swan, was shot; and this change in their diet
+was very agreeable. Fish were caught only upon occasions, for often
+these capricious creatures refused Francois' bait, however temptingly
+offered.
+
+After three weeks' coasting the Lake, they reached the Saskatchewan, and
+turning up that stream, now travelled in a due westerly direction. At
+the Grand Rapids, near the mouth of this river, they were obliged to
+make a portage of no less than three miles, but the magnificent view of
+these "Rapids" fully repaid them for the toil they underwent in passing
+them.
+
+The Saskatchewan is one of the largest rivers in America, being full
+1600 miles in length, from its source in the Rocky Mountains to its
+_debouchure_, under the name of the "Nelson River," in Hudson's Bay. For
+some distance above Lake Winnipeg, the country upon its banks is well
+wooded. Farther up, the river runs through dry sandy prairies that
+extend westward to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. Many of these
+prairies may be properly called "deserts." They contain lakes as salt as
+the ocean itself, and vast tracts--hundreds of square miles in
+extent--where not a drop of water is to be met with. But the route of
+our voyageurs did not lie over these prairies. It was their intention,
+after reaching Cumberland House, to turn again in a northerly direction.
+
+One evening, when within two days' journey of the Fort, they had
+encamped upon the bank of the Saskatchewan. They had chosen a beautiful
+spot for their camp, where the country, swelling into rounded hills, was
+prettily interspersed with bushy copses of _Amelanchiers_, and _Rosa
+blanda_ whose pale red flowers were conspicuous among the green leaves,
+and filled the air with a sweet fragrance, that was wafted to our
+voyageurs upon the sunny breeze. The ground was covered with a grassy
+sward enamelled by the pink flowers of the _Cleome_, and the deeper red
+blossoms of the beautiful wind-flower.
+
+Upon that day our travellers had not succeeded in killing any game, and
+their dinner was likely to consist of nothing better than dry venison
+scorched over the coals. As they had been travelling all the morning
+against a sharp current, and, of course, had taken turn about at the
+paddles, they all felt fatigued, and none of them was inclined to go in
+search of game. They had flung themselves down around the fire, and were
+waiting until the venison should be broiled for dinner.
+
+The camp had been placed at the foot of a tolerably steep hill, that
+rose near the banks of the river. There was another and higher hill
+facing it, the whole front of which could be seen by our travellers as
+they sat around their fire. While glancing their eyes along its
+declivity, they noticed a number of small protuberances or mounds
+standing within a few feet of each other. Each of them was about a foot
+in height, and of the form of a truncated cone--that is, a cone with its
+top cut off, or beaten down.
+
+"What are they?" inquired Francois.
+
+"I fancy," answered Lucien, "they are marmot-houses."
+
+"They are," affirmed Norman; "there are plenty of them in this country."
+
+"Oh! marmots!" said Francois. "Prairie-dogs, you mean?--the same we met
+with on the Southern prairies?"
+
+"I think not," replied Norman: "I think the prairie-dogs are a different
+sort. Are they not, cousin Luce?"
+
+"Yes, yes," answered the naturalist; "these must be a different species.
+There are too few of them to be the houses of prairie-dogs. The 'dogs'
+live in large settlements, many hundreds of them in one place; besides,
+their domes are somewhat different in appearance from these. The mounds
+of the prairie-dogs have a hole in the top or on one side. These, you
+see, have not. The hole is in the ground beside them, and the hill is in
+front, made by the earth taken out of the burrow, just as you have seen
+it at the entrance of a rat's hole. They are marmots, I have no doubt,
+but of a different species from the prairie-dog marmots."
+
+"Are there not many kinds of marmots in America? I have heard so," said
+Francois.
+
+This question was of course addressed to Lucien.
+
+"Yes," answered he. "The _fauna_ of North America is peculiarly rich in
+species of these singular animals. There are thirteen kinds of them,
+well known to naturalists; and there are even some varieties in these
+thirteen kinds that might almost be considered distinct species. I have
+no doubt, moreover, there are yet other species which have not been
+described. Perhaps, altogether, there are not less than twenty different
+kinds of marmots in North America. As only one or two species are found
+in the settled territories of the United States, it was supposed, until
+lately, that there were no others. Latterly the naturalists of North
+America have been very active in their researches, and no genus of
+animals has rewarded them so well as the marmots--unless, perhaps, it
+may be the squirrels. Almost every year a new species of one or the
+other of these has been found--mostly inhabiting the vast wilderness
+territories that lie between the Mississippi and the Pacific Ocean.
+
+"These little animals seem to form a link between the squirrels and
+rabbits. On the side of the squirrels they very naturally join on, if I
+may use the expression, to the ground-squirrel, and some of them, differ
+but little in their habits from many of the latter. Other species,
+again, are more allied to the rabbits, and less like the squirrels; and
+there are two or three kinds that I should say--using a Yankee
+expression--have a 'sprinkling' of the rat in them. Some, as the
+ground-hog, or wood-chuck of the United States, are as large as rabbits,
+while others, as the leopard-marmot, are not bigger than Norway rats.
+
+"Some species have cheek-pouches, in which they can carry a large
+quantity of seeds, nuts, and roots, when they wish to hoard them up for
+future use. These are the spermophiles, and some species of these have
+more capacious pouches than others. Their food differs somewhat,
+perhaps according to the circumstances in which they may be placed. In
+all cases it is vegetable. Some, as the prairie-dogs, live upon grasses,
+while others subsist chiefly upon seeds, berries, and leaves.
+
+"It was long supposed that the marmots, like the squirrels, laid up
+stores against the winter. I believe this is not the case with any of
+the different species. I know for certain that most of them pass the
+winter in a state of torpidity, and of course require no provisions, as
+they eat nothing during that season. In this we observe one of those
+cases in which Nature so beautifully adapts a creature to its
+circumstances. In the countries where many of the marmots are found, so
+severe are the winters, and so barren the soil, that it would be
+impossible for these creatures to get a morsel of food for many long
+months.
+
+"During this period, therefore, Nature suspends her functions, by
+putting them into a deep, and, for aught we know to the contrary, a
+pleasant sleep. It is only when the snow melts, under the vernal sun,
+and the green blades of grass and the spring flowers array themselves on
+the surface of the earth, that the little marmots make their appearance
+again. Then the warm air, penetrating into their subterranean abodes,
+admonishes them to awake from their protracted slumber, and come forth
+to the enjoyment of their summer life. These animals may be said,
+therefore, to have no winter. Their life is altogether a season of
+summer and sunshine."
+
+"Some of the marmots," continued Lucien, "live in large communities, as
+the prairie dogs; others, in smaller tribes, while still other species
+lead a solitary life, going only in pairs, or at most in families.
+Nearly all of them are burrowing animals, though there are one or two
+species that are satisfied with a cleft in the rock, or a hole among
+loose stones for their nests. Some of them are tree-climbers, but it is
+supposed they only ascend trees in search of food, as they do not make
+their dwellings there. Many of the species are very prolific, the
+females bringing forth eight, and even ten young at a birth.
+
+"The marmots are extremely shy and watchful creatures. Before going to
+feed, they usually reconnoitre the ground from the tops of their little
+mounds. Some species do not have such mounds, and for this purpose
+ascend any little hillock that may be near. Nearly all have the curious
+habit of placing sentries to watch while the rest are feeding. These
+sentries station themselves on some commanding point, and when they see
+an enemy approaching give warning to the others by a peculiar cry. In
+several of the species this cry resembles the syllables 'seek-seek'
+repeated with a hiss. Others bark like 'toy-dogs,' while still other
+kinds utter a whistling noise, from which one species derives its
+trivial name of 'whistler' among the traders, and is the 'siffleur' of
+the Canadian voyageurs.
+
+"The 'whistler's' call of alarm can be heard at a great distance; and
+when uttered by the sentinel is repeated by all the others as far as the
+troop extends.
+
+"The marmots are eaten both by Indians and white hunters. Sometimes they
+are captured by pouring water into their burrows; but this method only
+succeeds in early spring, when the animals awake out of their torpid
+state, and the ground is still frozen hard enough to prevent the water
+from filtering away. They are sometimes shot with guns; but, unless
+killed upon the spot, they will escape to their burrows, and tumble in
+before the hunter can lay his hands upon them."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+THE BLAIREAU, THE "TAWNIES," AND THE "LEOPARDS."
+
+
+Perhaps Lucien would have carried his account of the marmots still
+farther--for he had not told half what he knew of their habits--but he
+was at that moment interrupted by the marmots themselves. Several of
+them appeared at the mouths of their holes; and, after looking out and
+reconnoitring for some moments, became bolder, and ran up to the tops of
+their mounds, and began to scatter along the little beaten paths that
+led from one to the other. In a short while as many as a dozen could be
+seen moving about, jerking their tails, and at intervals uttering their
+seek-seek.
+
+Our voyageurs saw that there were two kinds of them, entirely different
+in colour, size, and other respects. The larger ones were of a greyish
+yellow above, with an orange tint upon the throat and belly. These were
+the "tawny marmots," called sometimes "ground-squirrels," and by the
+voyageurs, "siffleurs," or "whistlers."
+
+The other species seen were the most beautiful of all the marmots. They
+were very little smaller than the tawny marmots; but their tails were
+larger and more slender, which rendered their appearance more graceful.
+Their chief beauty, however, lay in their colours and markings. They
+were striped from the nose to the rump with bands of yellow and
+chocolate colour, which alternated with each other, while the chocolate
+bands were themselves variegated by rows of yellow spots regularly
+placed. These markings gave the animals that peculiar appearance so well
+known as characterising the skin of the leopard, hence the name of these
+little creatures was "leopard marmots."
+
+It was plain from their actions that both kinds were "at home" among the
+mounds, and that both had their burrows there. This was the fact, and
+Norman told his companion that the two kinds are always found together,
+not living in the same houses, but only as neighbours in the same
+"settlement." The burrows of the "leopard" have much smaller entrances
+than those of their "tawny kin," and run down perpendicularly to a
+greater depth before branching off in a horizontal direction. A straight
+stick may be thrust down one of these full five feet before reaching an
+"elbow."
+
+The holes of the tawny marmots, on the contrary, branch off near the
+surface, and are not so deep under ground. This guides us to the
+explanation of a singular fact--which is, that the "tawnies" make their
+appearance three weeks earlier in spring than the "leopards," in
+consequence of the heat of the sun reaching them sooner, and waking them
+out of their torpid sleep.
+
+While these explanations were passing among the boys, the marmots had
+come out, to the number of a score, and were carrying on their gambols
+along the declivity of the hill. They were at too great a distance to
+heed the movements of the travellers by the camp fire. Besides, a
+considerable valley lay between them and the camp, which, as they
+believed, rendered their position secure. They were not at such a
+distance but that many of their movements could be clearly made out by
+the boys, who after a while noticed that several furious battles were
+being fought among them. It was not the "tawnies" against the others,
+but the males of each kind in single combats with one another.
+
+They fought like little cats, exhibiting the highest degree of boldness
+and fury; but it was noticed that in these conflicts the leopards were
+far more active and spiteful than their kinsmen. In observing them
+through his glass Lucien noticed that they frequently seized each other
+by the tails, and he further noticed that several of them had their
+tails much shorter than the rest. Norman said that these had been bitten
+off in their battles; and, moreover, that it was a rare thing to find
+among the males, or "bucks," as he called them, one that had a perfect
+tail!
+
+While these observations were being made, the attention of our party was
+attracted to a strange animal that was seen slowly crawling around the
+hill. It was a creature about as big as an ordinary setter dog, but much
+thicker in the body, shorter in the legs, and shaggier in the coat. Its
+head was flat, and its ears short and rounded. Its hair was long, rough,
+and of a mottled hoary grey colour, but dark-brown upon the legs and
+tail. The latter, though covered with long hair, was short, and carried
+upright; and upon the broad feet of the animal could be seen long and
+strong curving claws. Its snout was sharp as that of a greyhound--though
+not so prettily formed--and a white stripe, passing from its very tip
+over the crown, and bordered by two darker bands, gave a singular
+expression to the animal's countenance.
+
+It was altogether, both in form and feature, a strange and
+vicious-looking creature. Norman recognised it at once as the
+"blaireau," or American badger. The others had never seen such a
+creature before--as it is not an inhabitant of the South, nor of any
+part of the settled portion of the United States.
+
+The badger when first seen was creeping along with its belly almost
+dragging the ground, and its long snout projected horizontally in the
+direction of the marmot "village." It was evidently meditating a
+surprise of the inhabitants. Now and then it would stop, like a pointer
+dog when close to a partridge, reconnoitre a moment, and then go on
+again. Its design appeared to be to get between the marmots and their
+burrows, intercept some of them, and get a hold of them without the
+trouble of digging them up--although that would be no great affair to
+it, for so strong are its fore-arms and claws that in loose soil it can
+make its way under the ground as fast as a mole.
+
+Slowly and cautiously it stole along, its hind-feet resting all their
+length upon the ground, its hideous snout thrown forward, and its eyes
+glaring with a voracious and hungry expression. It had got within fifty
+paces of the marmots, and would, no doubt, have succeeded in cutting off
+the retreat of some of them, but at that moment a burrowing owl that had
+been perched upon one of the mounds, rose up, and commenced hovering in
+circles above the intruder. This drew the attention of the marmot
+sentries to their well-known enemy, and their warning cry was followed
+by a general scamper of both tawnies and leopards towards their
+respective burrows.
+
+The blaireau, seeing that further concealment was no longer of any use,
+raised himself higher upon his limbs, and sprang forward in pursuit. He
+was too late, however, as the marmots had all got into their holes, and
+their angry "seek-seek" was heard proceeding from various quarters out
+of the bowels of the earth. The blaireau only hesitated long enough to
+select one of the burrows into which he was sure a marmot had entered;
+and then, setting himself to his work, he commenced throwing out the
+mould like a terrier. In a few seconds he was half buried, and his
+hind-quarters and tail alone remained above ground.
+
+[Illustration: THE BLAIREAU AND THE MARMOTS]
+
+He would soon have disappeared entirely, but at that moment the boys,
+directed and headed by Norman, ran up the hill, and, seizing him by the
+tail, endeavoured to jerk him back. That, however, was a task which they
+could not accomplish, for first one and then another, and then Basil and
+Norman--who were both strong boys--pulled with all their might, and
+could not move him. Norman cautioned them against letting him go, as in
+a moment's time he would burrow beyond their reach. So they held on
+until Francois had got his gun ready. This the latter soon did, and a
+load of small shot was fired into the blaireau's hips, which, although
+it did not quite kill him, caused him to back out of the hole, and
+brought him into the clutches of Marengo.
+
+A desperate struggle ensued, which ended by the bloodhound doubling his
+vast black muzzle upon the throat of the blaireau, and choking him to
+death in less than a dozen seconds; and then his hide--the only part
+which was deemed of any value--was taken off and carried to the camp.
+The carcass was left upon the face of the hill, and the red shining
+object was soon espied by the buzzards and turkey vultures, so that in a
+few minutes' time several of these filthy birds were seen hovering
+around, and alighting upon the hill.
+
+But this was no new sight to our young voyageurs, and soon ceased to be
+noticed by them. Another bird, of a different kind, for a short time
+engaged their attention. It was a large hawk, which Lucien, as soon as
+he saw it, pronounced to be one of the kind known as buzzards. Of these
+there are several species in North America, but it is not to be supposed
+that there is any resemblance between them and the buzzards just
+mentioned as having alighted by the carcass of the blaireau. The latter,
+commonly called "turkey buzzards," are true vultures, and feed mostly,
+though not exclusively, on carrion; while the "hawk buzzards" have all
+the appearance and general habits of the rest of the falcon tribe.
+
+The one in question, Lucien said, was the "marsh-hawk," sometimes also
+called the "hen-harrier." Norman stated that it was known among the
+Indians of these parts as the "snake-bird," because it preys upon a
+species of small green snake that is common on the plains of the
+Saskatchewan, and of which it is fonder than of any other food.
+
+The voyageurs were not long in having evidence of the appropriateness of
+the Indian appellation; for these people, like other savages, have the
+good habit of giving names that express some quality or characteristic
+of the thing itself. The bird in question was on the wing, and from its
+movements evidently searching for game. It sailed in easy circlings near
+the surface, _quartering_ the ground like a pointer dog. It flew so
+lightly that its wings were not seen to move, and throughout all its
+wheelings and turnings it appeared to be carried onwards or upwards by
+the power of mere volition.
+
+Once or twice its course brought it directly over the camp, and Francois
+had got hold of his gun, with the intention of bringing it down, but on
+each occasion it perceived his motions; and, soaring up like a
+paper-kite until out of reach, it passed over the camp, and then sank
+down again upon the other side, and continued its "quarterings" as
+before. For nearly half-an-hour it went on manoevring in this way, when
+all at once it was seen to make a sudden turning in the air as it fixed
+its eyes upon some object in the grass.
+
+The next moment it glided diagonally towards the earth, and poising
+itself for a moment above the surface, rose again with a small
+green-coloured snake struggling in its talons. After ascending to some
+height, it directed its flight towards a clump of trees, and was soon
+lost to the view of our travellers.
+
+Lucien now pointed out to his companions a characteristic of the hawk
+and buzzard tribe, by which these birds can always be distinguished from
+the true falcon. That peculiarity lay in the manner of seizing their
+prey. The former skim forward upon it sideways--that is, in a horizontal
+or diagonal direction, and pick it up in passing; while the true
+falcons--as the merlin, the peregrine, the gerfalcon, and the great
+eagle-falcons--shoot down upon their prey _perpendicularly_ like an
+arrow, or a piece of falling lead.
+
+He pointed out, moreover, how the structure of the different kinds of
+preying birds, such as the size and form of the wings and tail, as well
+as other parts, were in each kind adapted to its peculiar mode of
+pursuing its prey; and then there arose a discussion as to whether this
+adaption should be considered a _cause_, or an _effect_. Lucien
+succeeded in convincing his companions that the structure was the effect
+and not the cause of the habit, for the young naturalist was a firm
+believer in the changing and progressive system of nature.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+AN ODD SORT OF DECOY-DUCK.
+
+
+Two days after the adventure with the blaireau, the young voyageurs
+arrived at Cumberland House--one of the most celebrated posts of the
+Hudson's Bay Company. The chief factor, who resided there, was a friend
+of Norman's father, and of course the youths were received with the
+warmest hospitality, and entertained during their stay in the best
+manner the place afforded. They did not make a long stay, however, as
+they wished to complete their journey before the winter should set in,
+when canoe-travelling would become impossible.
+
+During winter, not only the lakes, but the most rapid rivers of these
+Northern regions, become frozen up, and remain so for many months.
+Nearly the whole surface of the earth is buried under deep snow, and
+travelling can only be done with snow-shoes, or with sledges drawn by
+dogs. These are the modes practised by the Indians, the Esquimaux, and
+the few white traders and trappers who have occasion in winter to pass
+from one point to another of that icy and desolate region.
+
+Travelling under such circumstances is not only difficult and laborious,
+but is extremely perilous. Food cannot always be obtained--supplies fall
+short, or become exhausted--game is scarce, or cannot be found at all,
+as at that season many of the quadrupeds and most of the birds have
+forsaken the country, and migrated to the South--and whole parties of
+travellers--even Indians, who can eat anything living or dead, roast or
+raw--often perish from hunger.
+
+Our travellers were well acquainted with these facts; and being anxious,
+therefore, to get to the end of their journey before the winter should
+come down upon them, made all haste to proceed. Of course they obtained
+a new "outfit" at the Fort; but they took with them only such articles
+as were absolutely necessary, as they had many portages to make before
+they could reach the waters of the Mackenzie River. As it required two
+of the party to carry the canoe, with a few little things besides, all
+the baggage was comprised in such loads as the others could manage; and
+of course that was not a great deal, for Francois was but a lad, and
+Lucien was far from being in robust health. A light axe, a few cooking
+utensils, with a small stock of provisions, and of course their guns,
+formed the bulk of their loads.
+
+After leaving the Fort they kept for several days' journey up the
+Saskatchewan. They then took leave of that river, and ascended a small
+stream that emptied into it from the north. Making their first portage
+over a "divide," they reached another small stream that ran in quite a
+different direction, emptying itself into one of the branches of the
+Mississippi, or Churchill River. Following this in a north-westerly
+course, and making numerous other portages, they reached Lake La Crosse,
+and afterwards in succession, Lakes Clear, Buffalo, and Methy.
+
+A long "portage" from the last-mentioned lake brought them to the head
+of a stream known as the "Clear Water;" and launching their canoe upon
+this, they floated down to its mouth, and entered the main stream of the
+Elk, or Athabasca, one of the most beautiful rivers of America. They
+were now in reality upon the waters of the Mackenzie itself, for the
+Elk, after passing through the Athabasca takes from thence the name of
+Slave River, and having traversed Great Slave Lake, becomes the
+Mackenzie--under which name it continues on to the Arctic Ocean.
+
+Having got, therefore, upon the main head-water of the stream which they
+intended to traverse, they floated along in their canoe with light
+hearts and high hopes. It is true they had yet fifteen hundred miles to
+travel, but they believed that it was all down-hill work now; and as
+they had still nearly two months of summer before them, they doubted not
+being able to accomplish the voyage in good time.
+
+On they floated down stream, feasting their eyes as they went--for the
+scenery of the Elk valley is of a most picturesque and pleasing
+character; and the broad bosom of the stream itself, studded with wooded
+islands, looked to our travellers more like a continuation of lakes than
+a running river. Now they glided along without using an oar, borne
+onward by the current; then they would take a spell at the paddles,
+while the beautiful Canadian boat-song could be heard as it came from
+the tiny craft, and the appropriate chorus "Row, brothers, row!" echoed
+from the adjacent shores. No part of their journey was more pleasant
+than while descending the romantic Elk.
+
+They found plenty of fresh provisions, both in the stream itself and on
+its banks. They caught salmon in the water, and the silver-coloured
+hyodon, known among the voyageurs by the name of "Dore." They shot both
+ducks and geese, and roast-duck or goose had become an everyday dinner
+with them. Of the geese there were several species. There were
+"snow-geese," so called from their beautiful white plumage; and
+"laughing geese," that derive their name from the circumstance that
+their call resembles the laugh of a man.
+
+The Indians decoy these by striking their open hand repeatedly over the
+mouth while uttering the syllable "wah." They also saw the "Brent
+goose," a well-known species, and the "Canada goose," which is the _wild
+goose par excellence_. Another species resembling the latter, called the
+"barnacle goose," was seen by our travellers. Besides these, Lucien
+informed them that there were several other smaller kinds that inhabit
+the northern countries of America. These valuable birds are objects of
+great interest to the people of the fur countries for months in the
+year. Whole tribes of Indians look to them as a means of support.
+
+With regard to ducks, there was one species which our travellers had not
+yet met with, and for which they were every day upon the look-out. This
+was the far-famed "canvass-back," so justly celebrated among the
+epicures of America. None of them had ever eaten of it, as it is not
+known in Louisiana, but only upon the Atlantic coast of the United
+States. Norman, however, had heard of its existence in the Rocky
+Mountains--where it is said to breed--as well as in other parts of the
+fur countries, and they were in hopes that they might fall in with it
+upon the waters of the Athabasca.
+
+Lucien was, of course, well acquainted with its "biography," and could
+have recognised one at sight; and as they glided along he volunteered to
+give his companions some information, not only about this particular
+species, but about the whole genus of these interesting birds.
+
+"The canvass-back," began he, "is perhaps the most celebrated and
+highly-prized of all the ducks, on account of the exquisite flavour of
+its flesh--which is thought by some epicures to be superior to that of
+all other birds. It is not a large duck--rarely weighing over three
+pounds--and its plumage is far from equalling in beauty that of many
+other species. It has a red or chestnut-coloured head, a shining black
+breast, while the greater part of its body is of a greyish colour; but
+upon close examination this grey is found to be produced by a whitish
+ground minutely mottled with zig-zag black lines. I believe it is this
+mottling, combined with the colour, which somewhat resembles the
+appearance and texture of ship's canvass, that has given the bird its
+trivial name; but there is some obscurity about the origin of this.
+
+"Shooting the canvass-backs is a source of profit to hundreds of gunners
+who live around the Chesapeake Bay, as these birds command a high price
+in the markets of the American cities. Disputes have arisen between the
+fowlers of different States around the Bay about the right of shooting
+upon it; and vessels full of armed men--ready to make war upon one
+another--have gone out on this account. But the government of these
+States succeeded in settling the matter peacefully, and to the
+satisfaction of all parties."
+
+The canoe at this moment shot round a bend, and a long smooth expanse of
+the river appeared before the eyes of our voyageurs. They could see that
+upon one side another stream ran in, with a very sluggish current; and
+around the mouth of this, and for a good stretch below it, there
+appeared a green sedge-like water-grass, or rushes. Near the border of
+this sedge, and in a part of it that was thin, a flock of wild fowl was
+diving and feeding. They were small, and evidently ducks; but the
+distance was yet too great for the boys to make out to what species they
+belonged.
+
+A single large swan--a trumpeter--was upon the water, between the shore
+and the ducks, and was gradually making towards the latter. Francois
+immediately loaded one of his barrels with swan, or rather "buck" shot,
+and Basil looked to his rifle. The ducks were not thought of--the
+trumpeter was to be the game. Lucien took out his telescope, and
+commenced observing the flock. They had not intended to use any
+precaution in approaching the birds, as they were not extremely anxious
+about getting a shot, and were permitting the canoe to glide gently
+towards them.
+
+An exclamation from Lucien, however, caused them to change their
+tactics. He directed them suddenly to "hold water," and stop the canoe,
+at the same time telling them that the birds ahead were the very sort
+about which they had been conversing--the "canvass-backs." He had no
+doubt of it, judging from their colour, size, and peculiar movements.
+
+The announcement produced a new excitement. All four were desirous not
+only of shooting, but of _eating_, a canvass-back; and arrangements were
+set about to effect the former. It was known to all that the
+canvass-backs are among the shyest of water-fowl, so much so that it is
+difficult to approach them unless under cover. While feeding, it is
+said, they keep sentinels on the look-out. Whether this be true or not,
+it is certain that they never all dive together, some always remaining
+above water, and apparently watching while the others are under.
+
+A plan to get near them was necessary, and one was suggested by Norman,
+which was to tie bushes around the sides of the canoe, so as to hide
+both the vessel and those in it. This plan was at once adopted--the
+canoe was paddled up to the bank--thick bushes were cut, and tied along
+the gunwale; and then our voyageurs climbed in, and laying themselves as
+low as possible, commenced paddling gently downward in the direction of
+the ducks. The rifles were laid aside, as they could be of little
+service with such game. Francois' double-barrel was the arm upon which
+dependence was now placed; and Francois himself leaned forward in the
+bow in order to be ready, while the others attended to the guidance of
+the vessel. The buckshot had been drawn out, and a smaller kind
+substituted. The swan was no longer cared for or even thought of.
+
+In about a quarter of an hour's time, the canoe, gliding silently along
+the edge of the sedge--which was the wild celery--came near the place
+where the ducks were; and the boys, peeping through the leafy screen,
+could now see the birds plainly. They saw that they were not all
+canvass-backs, but that three distinct kinds of ducks were feeding
+together. One sort was the canvass-backs themselves, and a second kind
+very much resembled them, except that they were a size smaller. These
+were the "red-heads" or "pochards."
+
+The third species was different from either. They had also heads of a
+reddish colour, but of a brighter red, and marked by a white band that
+ran from the root of the bill over the crown. This mark enabled Lucien
+at once to tell the species. They were widgeons; but the most singular
+thing that was now observed by our voyageurs was the terms upon which
+these three kinds of birds lived with each other. It appeared that the
+widgeon obtained its food by a regular system of robbery and plunder
+perpetrated upon the community of the canvass-backs. The latter, as
+Lucien explained, feeds upon the roots of the valisneria; but for these
+it is obliged to dive to the depth of four or five feet, and also to
+spend some time at the bottom while plucking them up. Now the widgeon is
+as fond of the "celery" as the canvass-back, but the former is not a
+diver--in fact, never goes under water except when washing itself or in
+play, and it has therefore no means of procuring the desired roots.
+Mark, then, the plan that it takes to effect this end.
+
+Seated as near as is safe to the canvass-back, it waits until the latter
+makes his _somersault_ and goes down. It (the widgeon) then darts
+forward so as to be sufficiently close, and, pausing again, scans the
+surface with eager eye. It can tell where the other is at work, as the
+blades of the plant at which it is tugging are seen to move above the
+water. These at length disappear, pulled down as the plant is dragged
+from its root, and almost at the same instant the canvass-back comes up
+holding the root between his mandibles.
+
+But the widgeon is ready for him. He has calculated the exact spot where
+the other will rise; and, before the latter can open his eyes or get
+them clear of the water, the widgeon darts forward, snatches the
+luscious morsel from his bill, and makes off with it. Conflicts
+sometimes ensue; but the widgeon, knowing himself to be the lesser and
+weaker bird, never stands to give battle, but secures his prize through
+his superior agility. On the other hand, the canvass-back rarely
+attempts to follow him, as he knows that the other is swifter upon the
+water than he. He only looks after his lost root with an air of chagrin,
+and then, reflecting that there is "plenty more where it came from,"
+kicks up its heels, and once more plunges to the bottom.
+
+The red-head rarely interferes with either, as he is contented to feed
+upon the leaves and stalks, at all times floating in plenty upon the
+surface.
+
+As the canoe glided near, those on board watched these curious manoeuvres
+of the birds with feelings of interest. They saw, moreover, that the
+"trumpeter" had arrived among them, and the ducks seemed to take no
+notice of him. Lucien was struck with something unusual in the
+appearance of the swan. Its plumage seemed ruffled and on end, and it
+glided along in a stiff and unnatural manner. It moved its neck neither
+to one side nor the other, but held its head bent forward, until its
+bill almost touched the water, in the attitude that these birds adopt
+when feeding upon something near the surface. Lucien said nothing to his
+companions, as they were all silent, lest they might frighten the ducks;
+but Basil and Norman had also remarked the strange look and conduct of
+the trumpeter. Francois' eyes were bent only upon the ducks, and he did
+not heed the other.
+
+As they came closer, first Lucien, and then Basil and Norman, saw
+something else that puzzled them. Whenever the swan approached any of
+the ducks, these were observed to disappear under the water. At first,
+the boys thought that they merely dived to get out of his way, but it
+was not exactly in the same manner as the others were diving for the
+roots. Moreover, none of those that went down in the neighbourhood of
+the swan were seen to come up again!
+
+There was something very odd in all this, and the three boys, thinking
+so at the same time, were about to communicate their thoughts to one
+another, when the double crack of Francois' gun drove the thing, for a
+moment, out of their heads; and they all looked over the bushes to see
+how many canvass-backs had been killed. Several were seen dead or
+fluttering along the surface; but no one counted them, for a strange,
+and even terrible, object now presented itself to the astonished senses
+of all. If the conduct of the swan had been odd before, it was now
+doubly so.
+
+Instead of flying off after the shot, as all expected it would do, it
+was now seen to dance and plunge about on the water, uttering loud
+screams, that resembled the human voice far more than any other sounds!
+Then it rose as if pitched into the air, and fell on its back some
+distance off; while in its place was seen a dark, round object moving
+through the water, as if making for the bank, and uttering, as it went,
+the same hideous human-like screams!
+
+This dark object was no other than the poll of a human being; and the
+river shallowing towards the bank, it rose higher and higher above the
+water, until the boys could distinguish the glistening neck and naked
+shoulders of a red and brawny Indian! All was now explained. The Indian
+had been duck-hunting, and had used the stuffed skin of the swan as his
+disguise; and hence the puzzling motions of the bird. He had not noticed
+the canoe--concealed as it was--until the loud crack of Francois' gun
+had startled him from his work.
+
+This, and the heads and white faces of the boys peeping over the bushes,
+had frightened him, even more than he had them. Perhaps they were the
+first white faces he had ever seen. But, whether or not, sadly
+frightened he was; for, on reaching the bank, he did not stop, but ran
+off into the woods, howling and yelling as if Old Nick had been after
+him: and no doubt he believed that such was the case.
+
+The travellers picked up the swan-skin put of curiosity; and, in
+addition to the ducks which Francois had killed, they found nearly a
+score of these birds, which the Indian had dropped in his fright, and
+that had afterwards risen to the surface. These were strung together,
+and all had their necks broken.
+
+After getting them aboard, the canoe was cleared of the bushes; and the
+paddles being once more called into service, the little craft shot down
+stream like an arrow.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE SHRIKE AND THE HUMMING-BIRDS
+
+
+The picturesque scenery of the Elk appeared to be a favourite resort
+with the feathered creation. Here our voyageurs saw many kinds of birds;
+both those that migrate into the fur countries during summer, and those
+that make their home there in the cold, dark days of winter. Among the
+former were observed--the beautiful blue bird of Wilson which, on
+account of its gentle and innocent habits, is quite as much esteemed in
+America as the "robin" in England.
+
+Another favourite of the farmer and the homestead, the purple martin,
+was seen gracefully wheeling through the air; while, among the green
+leaves, fluttered many brilliant birds. The "cardinal grosbeak" with his
+bright scarlet wings; the blue jay, noisy and chattering; the rarer
+"crossbill" with its deep crimson colour; and many others, equally
+bright and beautiful, enlivened the woods, either with their voice or
+their gaudy plumage.
+
+There was one bird, however, that had neither "fine feathers" nor an
+agreeable voice, but that interested our travellers more than any of the
+others. Its voice was unpleasant to the ear, and sounded more like the
+grating of a rusty hinge than anything else they could think of. The
+bird itself was not larger than a thrush, of a light grey colour above,
+white underneath, and with blackish wings. Its bill resembled that of
+the hawks, but its legs were more like those of the woodpecker tribe;
+and it seemed, in fact, to be a cross between the two. It was neither
+the colour of the bird, nor its form, nor yet its song, that interested
+our travellers, but its singular habits; and these they had a fine
+opportunity of observing at one of their "noon camps," where they had
+halted to rest and refresh themselves during the hot mid-day hours. The
+place was on one of the little islets, which was covered with underwood,
+with here and there some larger trees. The underwood bushes were of
+various sorts; but close to the spot where they had landed was a large
+thicket of honeysuckle, whose flowers were in full bloom, and filled the
+air with their sweet perfume.
+
+While seated near these, Francois' quick eye detected the presence of
+some very small birds moving among the blossoms. They were at once
+pronounced to be humming-birds, and of that species known as the
+"ruby-throats" so called, because a flake of a beautiful vinous colour
+under the throat of the males exhibits, in the sun, all the glancing
+glories of the ruby. The back, or upper parts, are of a gilded green
+colour; and the little creature is the smallest bird that migrates into
+the fur countries, with one exception, and that is a bird of the same
+genus--the "cinnamon humming-bird." The latter, however, has been seen
+in the Northern regions, only on the western side of the Rocky
+Mountains; but then it has been observed even as far north as the bleak
+and inhospitable shores of Nootka Sound. Mexico, and the tropical
+countries of America, are the favourite home of the humming-birds; and
+it was, for a long time, supposed that the "ruby-throats" were the only
+ones that migrated farther north than the territory of Mexico itself. It
+is now known, that besides the "cinnamon humming-bird," two or three
+other species annually make an excursion into higher latitudes.
+
+The "ruby-throats" not only travel into the fur countries, but breed in
+numbers upon the Elk River, the very place where our travellers now
+observed them.
+
+As they sat watching these little creatures, for there were several of
+them skipping about and poising themselves opposite the flowers, the
+attention of all was attracted to the movements of a far different sort
+of bird. It was that one we have been speaking of. It was seated upon a
+tree, not far from the honeysuckles; but every now and then it would
+spring from its perch, dash forward, and after whirring about for some
+moments among the humming-birds fly back to the same tree.
+
+At first the boys watched these manoeuvres without having their curiosity
+excited. It was no new thing to see birds acting in this manner. The
+jays, and many other birds of the fly-catching kind have this habit, and
+nothing was thought of it at the moment. Lucien, however, who had
+watched the bird more narrowly, presently declared to the rest that it
+was catching the humming-birds, and preying upon them--that each time it
+made a dash among the honeysuckles, it carried off one in its claws, the
+smallness of the victim having prevented them at first from noticing
+this fact. They all now watched it more closely than before, and were
+soon satisfied of the truth of Lucien's assertion, as they saw it seize
+one of the ruby-throats in the very act of entering the corolla of a
+flower.
+
+This excited the indignation of Francois, who immediately took up his
+"double-barrel," and proceeded towards the tree where the bird, as
+before, had carried this last victim. The tree was a low one, of the
+locust or _pseud-acacia_ family, and covered all over with great thorny
+spikes, like all trees of that tribe. Francois paid no attention to
+this; but, keeping under shelter of the underwood, he crept forward
+until within shot. Then raising his gun, he took aim, and pulling
+trigger, brought the bird fluttering down through the branches. He
+stepped forward and picked it up--not that he cared for such unworthy
+game, but Lucien had called to him to do so, as the naturalist wished to
+make an examination of the creature.
+
+He was about turning to go back to camp, when he chanced to glance his
+eye up into the locust-tree. There it was riveted by a sight which
+caused him to cry out with astonishment. His cry brought the rest
+running up to the spot, and they were not less astonished than he, when
+they saw the cause of it. I have said that the branches of the tree were
+covered with long thorny spikes that pointed in every direction; but one
+branch in particular occupied their attention. Upon this there was about
+a dozen of these spikes pointing upward, and upon each spike _was
+impaled a ruby-throat_!
+
+The little creatures were dead, of course, but they were neither torn
+nor even much ruffled in their plumage. They were all placed back
+upwards, and as neatly spitted upon the thorns as if they had been put
+there by human hands. On looking more closely it was discovered that
+other creatures as well as the humming-birds, had been served in a
+similar manner. Several grasshoppers, spiders, and some coleopterous
+insects were found, and upon another branch two small meadow-mice had
+been treated to the same terrible death.
+
+To Basil, Norman, and Francois, the thing was quite inexplicable, but
+Lucien understood well enough what it meant. All these creatures, he
+informed them, were placed there by the bird which Francois had shot,
+and which was no other than the "shrike" or "butcher-bird"--a name by
+which it is more familiarly known, and which it receives from the very
+habit they had just observed. Why it follows such a practice Lucien
+could not tell, as naturalists are not agreed upon this point. Some have
+asserted that it spits the spiders and other insects for the purpose of
+attracting nearer the small birds upon which it preys; but this cannot
+be true, for it preys mostly upon birds that are not insect-eaters, as
+the finches: besides, it is itself as fond of eating grasshoppers as
+anything else, and consumes large quantities of these insects.
+
+The most probable explanation of the singular and apparently cruel habit
+of the butcher-bird is, that it merely places its victims upon the
+thorns, in order to keep them safe from ground-ants, rats, mice,
+raccoons, foxes, and other preying creatures--just as a good cook would
+hang up her meat or game in the larder to prevent the cats from carrying
+it off. The thorny tree thus becomes the storehouse of the shrike, where
+he hangs up his superfluous spoil for future use, just as the crows,
+magpies and jays, make their secret deposits in chinks of walls and the
+hollows of trees. It is no argument against this theory, that the
+shrike sometimes leaves these stores without returning to them. The fox,
+and dog, as well as many other preying creatures have the same habit.
+
+Wondering at what they had seen, the voyageurs returned to their camp,
+and once more embarked on their journey.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+THE FISH-HAWK.
+
+
+A few days after, another incident occurred to our voyageurs, which
+illustrated the habits of a very interesting bird, the "osprey," or
+fish-hawk, as it is more familiarly known in America.
+
+The osprey is a bird of the falcon tribe, and one of the largest of the
+genus--measuring two feet from bill to tail, with an immense spread of
+wing in proportion, being nearly six feet from tip to tip. It is of a
+dark brown colour above, that colour peculiar to most of the hawk tribe,
+while its lower parts are ashy white. Its legs and bill are blue, and
+its eyes of a yellow orange. It is found in nearly all parts of America,
+where there are waters containing fish, for on these it exclusively
+feeds. It is more common on the sea-coast than in the interior, although
+it also frequents the large lakes, and lives in the central parts of the
+continent during summer, when these are no longer frozen over. It is not
+often seen upon muddy rivers, as there it would stand no chance of
+espying its victims in the water. It is a migratory bird, seeking the
+South in winter, and especially the shores of the Great Mexican Gulf,
+where large numbers are often seen fishing together.
+
+In the spring season these birds move to the northward, and make their
+appearance along the Atlantic coast of the continent, where they diffuse
+joy into the hearts of the fishermen--because the latter know, on seeing
+them, that they may soon expect the large shoals of herring, shad, and
+other fish, for which they have been anxiously looking out. So great
+favourites are they with the fisherman, that they would not knowingly
+kill an osprey for a boat-load of fish, but regard these bold fishing
+birds in the light of "professional brethren." In this case the old
+adage that "two of a trade never agree" is clearly contradicted.
+
+The farmer often takes up his gun to fire at the osprey--mistaking it
+for the red-tailed buzzard or some other hawk, several species of which
+at a distance it resembles--but, on discovering his mistake, brings down
+his piece without pulling trigger, and lets the osprey fly off unharmed.
+This singular conduct on the part of the farmer arises from his
+knowledge of the fact, that the osprey will not only _not_ kill any of
+his ducks or hens, but that where he makes a settlement he will drive
+off from the premises all the hawks, buzzards, and kites, that would
+otherwise prey upon the poultry. With such protection, therefore, the
+osprey is one of the securest birds in America. He may breed in a tree
+over the farmer's or fisherman's door without the slightest danger of
+being disturbed in his incubation.
+
+I say _his_ incubation; but the male takes no part in this domestic
+duty, further than to supply his loved mate with plenty of fish while
+she does the hatching business. Of course, thus protected, the osprey is
+not a rare bird. On the contrary, fish-hawks are more numerous than
+perhaps any other species of the hawk tribe. Twenty or thirty nests may
+be seen near each other in the same piece of woods, and as many as three
+hundred have been counted on one little island. The nests are built upon
+large trees--not always at the tops, as those of rooks, but often in
+forks within twenty feet of the ground. They are composed of large
+sticks, with stalks of corn, weeds, pieces of wet turf, and then lined
+plentifully with dry sea-grass, or any other grass that may be most
+convenient.
+
+The whole nest is big enough to make a load for a cart, and would be
+heavy enough to give any horse a good pull. It can be seen, when the
+woods are open, to an immense distance, and the more easily, as the tree
+upon which it is built is always a "dead wood," and therefore without
+leaves to conceal it. Some say that the birds select a dead or decaying
+tree for their nest. It is more probable such is the effect and not the
+cause, of their building upon a particular tree. It is more likely that
+the tree is killed partly by the mass of rubbish thus piled upon it, and
+partly by the nature of the substances, such as sea-weed in the nest,
+the oil of the fish, the excrement of the birds themselves, and the dead
+fish that have been dropped about the root, and suffered to remain
+there; for when the osprey lets fall his finny prey, which he often
+does, he never condescends to pick it up again, but goes in search of
+another.
+
+Boys "a-nesting" might easily discover the nest of the osprey; but were
+they inclined to despoil it of its three or four eggs (which are about
+the size of a duck's, and blotched with Spanish brown), they would find
+that a less easy task, for the owners would be very likely to claw their
+eyes out, or else scratch the tender skin from their beardless cheeks:
+so that boys do not often trouble the nest of the osprey.
+
+A very curious anecdote is related of a negro having climbed up to
+plunder a nest of these birds. The negro's head was covered with a close
+nap of his own black wool, which is supposed by a certain stretch of
+fancy to have the peculiarity of "growing in at both ends." The negro,
+having no other protection than that which his thick fur afforded him,
+was assailed by both the owners of the nest, one of which, making a dash
+at the "darkie's" head, struck his talons so firmly into the wool, that
+he was unable to extricate them, and there stuck fast, until the
+astonished plunderer had reached the foot of the tree. We shall not
+answer for the truthfulness of this anecdote, although there is nothing
+improbable about it; for certain it is that these birds defend their
+nests with courage and fury, and we know of more than one instance of
+persons being severely wounded who made the attempt to rob them.
+
+The ospreys, as already stated, feed exclusively on fish. They are not
+known to prey upon birds or quadrupeds of any kind, even when deprived
+of their customary food, as they sometimes are for days on account of
+the lakes and rivers, in which they expected to find it being frozen
+over to a later season than usual. Other birds, as the purple grakles,
+often build among the sticks of the osprey's nest, and rear their young
+without being meddled with by this generous bird. This is an important
+point of difference between the osprey and other kinds of hawks; and
+there is a peculiarity of structure about the feet and legs of the
+osprey, that points to the nature of his food and his mode of procuring
+it. His legs are disproportionately long and strong. They are without
+feathers nearly to the knees. The feet and toes are also very long, and
+the soles are covered with thick, hard scales, like the teeth of a rasp,
+which enable the bird to hold securely his slippery prey. The claws,
+too, are long, and curved into semicircles, with points upon them almost
+as sharp as needles.
+
+I have stated that an incident occurred to our party that illustrated
+some of the habits of this interesting bird. It was upon the afternoon
+of a Saturday, after they had fixed their camp to remain for the
+following day. They had landed upon a point or promontory that ran out
+into the river, and from which they commanded a view of a fine stretch
+of water. Near where they had placed their tent was the nest of an
+osprey, in the forks of a large poplar. The tree, as usual, was dead,
+and the young were plainly visible over the edge of the nest. They
+appeared to be full-grown and feathered; but it is a peculiarity of the
+young ospreys that they will remain in the nest, and be fed by the
+parent birds, until long after they might be considered able to shift
+for themselves. It is even asserted that the latter become impatient at
+length, and drive the young ones out of the nest by beating them with
+their wings; but that for a considerable time afterwards they continue
+to feed them--most likely until the young birds learn to capture their
+finny prey for themselves.
+
+This Lucien gave as a popular statement, but did not vouch for its
+truth. It was not long, however, before both he and his companions
+witnessed its complete verification.
+
+The old birds, after the arrival of the voyageurs upon the promontory,
+had remained for some time around the nest, and at intervals had shot
+down to where the party was, uttering loud screams, and making the air
+whizz with the strokes of their wings. Seeing that there was no
+intention of disturbing them, they at length desisted from these
+demonstrations, and sat for a good while quietly upon the edge of their
+nest. Then first one, and shortly after the other, flew out, and
+commenced sailing in circles, at the height of an hundred feet or so
+above the water. Nothing could be more graceful than their flight. Now
+they would poise themselves a moment in the air, then turn their bodies
+as if on a pivot, and glide off in another direction.
+
+All these motions were carried on with the most perfect ease, and as if
+without the slightest aid from the wings. Again they would come to a
+pause, holding themselves fixed in mid-air by a gentle flapping, and
+appearing to scrutinise some object below. Perhaps it was a fish; but it
+was either too large a one, or not the species most relished, or maybe
+it had sunk to too great a depth to be easily taken. Again they sail
+around; one of them suddenly arrests its flight, and, like a stone
+projected from a sling, shoots down to the water. Before reaching the
+surface, however, the fish, whose quick eye has detected the coming
+enemy, has gone to the dark bottom and concealed himself; and the
+osprey, suddenly checking himself by his wings and the spread of his
+full tail, mounts again, and re-commences his curvilinear flight.
+
+After this had gone on for some time, one of the birds--the larger one,
+and therefore the female--was seen to leave off hunting and return to
+the nest. There she sat only for a few seconds, when, to the
+astonishment of the boys, she began to strike her wings against the
+young ones, as if she was endeavouring to force them from the nest. This
+was just what she designed doing. Perhaps her late unsuccessful attempt
+to get them a fish had led her to a train of reflections, and sharpened
+her determination to make them shift for themselves. However that may
+be, in a few moments she succeeded in driving them up to the edge, and
+then, by half pushing, and half beating them with her wings, one after
+the other--two of them there were--was seen to take wing, and soar away
+out over the lake.
+
+At this moment, the male shot down upon the water, and then rose again
+into the air, bearing a fish, head-foremost, in his talons. He flew
+directly towards one of the young, and meeting as it hovered in the air,
+turned suddenly over and held out the fish to it. The latter clutched it
+with as much ease as if it had been accustomed to the thing for years,
+and then turning away, carried the fish to a neighbouring tree, and
+commenced devouring it.
+
+The action had been perceived by the other youngster, who followed
+after, and alighted upon the same branch, with the intention of sharing
+in the meal. In a few minutes the best part of the fish was eaten up,
+and both, rising from the branch, flew back to their nest. There they
+were met by the parents, and welcomed with a loud squeaking, that was
+intended, no doubt, to congratulate them upon the success of their first
+"fly."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE OSPREY AND HIS TYRANT.
+
+
+After remaining for some time on the nest along with the others, the old
+male again resolved to "go a-fishing," and with this intent he shot out
+from the tree, and commenced wheeling above the water. The boys, having
+nothing better to engage them, sat watching his motions, while they
+freely conversed about his habits and other points in his natural
+history. Lucien informed them that the osprey is a bird common to both
+Continents, and that it is often seen upon the shores of the
+Mediterranean, pursuing the finny tribes there, just as it does in
+America. In some parts of Italy it is called the "leaden eagle," because
+its sudden heavy plunge upon the water is fancied to resemble the
+falling of a piece of lead.
+
+While they were discoursing, the osprey was seen to dip once or twice
+towards the surface of the water, and then suddenly check himself, and
+mount upward again. These manoeuvres were no doubt caused by the fish
+which he intended to "hook" having suddenly shifted their quarters. Most
+probably experience had taught them wisdom, and they knew the osprey as
+their most terrible enemy. But they were not to escape him at all times.
+As the boys watched the bird, he was seen to poise himself for an
+instant in the air, then suddenly closing his wings, he shot vertically
+downward.
+
+So rapid was his descent, that the eye could only trace it like a bolt
+of lightning. There was a sharp whizzing sound in the air--a plash was
+heard--then the smooth bosom of the water was seen to break, and the
+white spray rose several feet above the surface. For an instant the bird
+was no longer seen. He was underneath, and the place of his descent was
+marked by a patch of foam. Only a single moment was he out of sight. The
+next he emerged, and a few strokes of his broad wing carried him into
+the air, while a large fish was seen griped in his claws. As the
+voyageurs had before noticed, the fish was carried head-foremost, and
+this led them to the conclusion that in striking his prey beneath the
+water the osprey follows it and aims his blow from behind.
+
+After mounting a short distance the bird paused for a moment in the air,
+and gave himself a shake, precisely as a dog would do after coming out
+of water. He then directed his flight, now somewhat slow and heavy,
+toward the nest. On reaching the tree, however, there appeared to be
+some mismanagement. The fish caught among the branches as he flew
+inward. Perhaps the presence of the camp had distracted his attention,
+and rendered him less careful. At all events, the prey was seen to drop
+from his talons; and bounding from branch to branch, went tumbling down
+to the bottom of the tree.
+
+Nothing could be more opportune than this, for Francois had not been
+able to get a "nibble" during the whole day, and a fresh fish for dinner
+was very desirable to all. Francois and Basil had both started to their
+feet, in order to secure the fish before the osprey should pounce down
+and pick it up; but Lucien assured them that they need be in no hurry
+about that, as the bird would not touch it again after he had once let
+it fall. Hearing this, they took their time about it, and walked
+leisurely up to the tree, where they found the fish lying. After taking
+it up they were fain to escape from the spot, for the effluvium arising
+from a mass of other fish that lay in a decomposed state around the tree
+was more than any delicate pair of nostrils could endure.
+
+The one they had secured proved to be a very fine salmon of not less
+than six pounds weight, and therefore much heavier than the bird itself!
+The track of the osprey's talons was deeply marked; and by the direction
+in which the creature was scored, it was evident the bird had seized it
+from behind. The old hawks made a considerable noise while the fish was
+being carried away; but they soon gave up their squealing, and, once
+more hovering out over the river, sailed about with their eyes bent upon
+the water below.
+
+"What a number of fish they must kill!" said Francois. "They don't
+appear to have much difficulty about it. I should think they get as much
+as they can eat. See! there again! Another, I declare!"
+
+As Francois spoke the male osprey was seen to shoot down as before, and
+this time, although he appeared scarcely to dip his foot in the water,
+rose up with a fish in his talons.
+
+"They have sometimes others to provide for besides themselves," remarked
+Lucien. "For instance, the bald eagle----"
+
+Lucien was interrupted by a cackling scream, which was at once
+recognised as that of the very bird whose name had just escaped his
+lips. All eyes were instantly turned in the direction whence it
+came--which was from the opposite side of the river--and there, just in
+the act of launching itself from the top of a tall tree, was the great
+enemy of the osprey--the white-headed eagle himself!
+
+"Now a chase!" cried Francois, "yonder comes the big robber!"
+
+With some excitement of feeling, the whole party watched the movements
+of the birds. A few strokes of the eagle's wing brought him near; but
+the osprey had already heard his scream, and knowing it was no use
+carrying the fish to his nest, turned away from it, and rose spirally
+upward, in the hope of escaping in that direction. The eagle followed,
+beating the air with his broad pinions, as he soared after. Close behind
+him went the female osprey, uttering wild screams, flapping her wings
+against his very beak, and endeavouring to distract his attention from
+the chase. It was to no purpose, however, as the eagle full well knew
+her object, and disregarding her impotent attempts, kept on in steady
+flight after her mate. This continued until the birds had reached a high
+elevation, and the ospreys, from their less bulk, were nearly out of
+sight. But the voyageurs could see that the eagle was on the point of
+overtaking the one that carried the fish.
+
+[Illustration: THE OSPREY AND WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.]
+
+Presently, a glittering object dropped down from the heavens, and fell
+with a plunge upon the water. It was the fish, and almost at the same
+instant was heard the "whish!" of the eagle, as the great bird shot
+after it. Before reaching the surface, however, his white tail and wings
+were seen to spread suddenly, checking his downward course; and then,
+with a scream of disappointment, he flew off in a horizontal direction,
+and alit upon the same tree from which he had taken his departure. In a
+minute after the ospreys came shooting down, in a diagonal line, to
+their nest; and, having arrived there, a loud and apparently angry
+consultation was carried on for some time, in which the young birds bore
+as noisy a part as either of their parents.
+
+"It's a wonder," said Lucien, "the eagle missed the fish--he rarely
+does. The impetus which he can give his body enables him to overtake a
+falling object before it can reach the earth. Perhaps the female osprey
+was in his way, and hindered him.
+
+"But why did he not pick it up in the water?" demanded Francois.
+
+"Because it went to the bottom, and he could not reach it--that's
+clear."
+
+It was Basil who made answer, and the reason he assigned was the true
+one.
+
+"It's too bad," said Francois, "that the osprey, not half so big a bird,
+must support this great robber-tyrant by his industry."
+
+"It's no worse than among our own kind," interposed Basil. "See how the
+white man makes the black one work for him here in America. That,
+however, is the _few_ toiling for the _million_. In Europe the case is
+reversed. There, in every country, you see the million toiling for the
+few--toiling to support an oligarchy in luxurious case, or a monarch in
+barbaric splendour."
+
+"But why do they do so? the fools!" asked Francois, somewhat angrily.
+
+"Because they know no better. That oligarchy, and those monarchs, have
+taken precious care to educate and train them to the belief that such is
+the _natural_ state of man. They furnish them with school-books, which
+are filled with beautiful sophisms--all tending to inculcate principles
+of endurance of wrong, and reverence for their wrongers. They fill their
+rude throats with hurrah songs that paint false patriotism in glowing
+colours, making loyalty--no matter to whatsoever despot--the greatest of
+virtues, and revolution the greatest of crimes; they studiously divide
+their subjects into several creeds, and then, playing upon the worst of
+all passions--the passion of religious bigotry--easily prevent their
+misguided helots from uniting upon any point which would give them a
+real reform. Ah! it is a terrible game which the present rulers of
+Europe are playing!"
+
+It was Basil who gave utterance to these sentiments, for the young
+republican of Louisiana had already begun to think strongly on political
+subjects. No doubt Basil would one day be an M.C.
+
+"The bald eagles have been much blamed for their treatment of the
+ospreys, but," said Lucien, "perhaps they have more reason for levying
+their tax than at first appears. It has been asked: Why they do not
+capture the fish themselves? Now, I apprehend, that there is a _natural_
+reason why they do not. As you have seen, the fish are not always caught
+upon the surface. The osprey has often to plunge beneath the water in
+the pursuit, and Nature has gifted him with power to do so, which, if I
+am not mistaken, she has denied to the eagles. The latter are therefore
+compelled, in some measure, to depend upon the former for a supply. But
+the eagles sometimes do catch the fish themselves, when the water is
+sufficiently shallow, or when their prey comes near enough to the
+surface to enable them to seize it."
+
+"Do they ever kill the ospreys?" inquired Francois.
+
+"I think not," replied Lucien; "that would be 'killing the goose,' etc.
+They know the value of their tax-payers too well to get rid of them in
+that way. A band of ospreys, in a place where there happens to be many
+of them together, have been known to unite and drive the eagles off.
+That, I suppose, must be looked upon in the light of a successful
+_revolution_."
+
+The conversation was here interrupted by another incident. The ospreys
+had again gone out fishing, and, at this moment, one of them was seen to
+pounce down and take a fish from the water. It was a large fish, and, as
+the bird flew heavily upward, the eagle again left its perch, and gave
+chase. This time the osprey was overtaken before it had got two hundred
+yards into the air, and seeing it was no use attempting to carry off the
+prey, it opened its claws and let it drop.
+
+The eagle turned suddenly, poised himself a moment, and then shot after
+the falling fish. Before the latter had got near the ground, he overtook
+and secured it in his talons. Then, arresting his own flight by the
+sudden spread of his tail, he winged his way silently across the river,
+and disappeared among the trees upon the opposite side. The osprey,
+taking the thing as a matter of course, again descended to the proper
+elevation, and betook himself to his work. Perhaps he grinned a little,
+like many another royal taxpayer, but he knew the tax had to be paid all
+the same, and he said nothing.
+
+An incident soon after occurred that astonished and puzzled our party
+not a little. The female osprey, that all this time seemed to have had
+but poor success in her fishing, was now seen to descend with a rush,
+and plunge deeply into the wave. The spray rose in a little cloud over
+the spot, and all sat watching with eager eyes to witness the result.
+What was their astonishment when, after waiting many seconds, the bird
+still remained under water! Minutes passed, and still she did not come
+up. _She came up no more!_ The foam she had made in her descent floated
+away--the bosom of the water was smooth as glass--not a ripple disturbed
+its surface. They could have seen the smallest object for a hundred
+yards or more around the spot where she had disappeared.
+
+It was impossible she could have emerged without them seeing her. Where,
+then, had she gone? This, as I have said, puzzled the whole party; and
+formed a subject of conjecture and conversation for the rest of that
+day, and also upon the next. Even Lucien was unable to solve the
+mystery. It was a point in the natural history of the osprey unknown to
+him. Could she have drowned herself? Had some great fish, the "gar
+pike," or some such creature, got hold of and swallowed her? Had she
+dashed her head against a rock, or become entangled in weeds at the
+bottom of the river?
+
+All these questions were put, and various solutions of the problem were
+offered. The true one was not thought of, until accident revealed it.
+It was Saturday when the incident occurred. The party, of course,
+remained all next day at the place. They heard almost continually the
+cry of the bereaved bird, who most likely knew no more than they what
+had become of his mate. On Monday our travellers re-embarked and
+continued down-stream. About a mile below, as they were paddling along,
+their attention was drawn to a singular object floating upon the water.
+They brought the canoe alongside it.
+
+It was a large fish, a sturgeon, floating dead, with a bird beside it,
+also dead! On turning both over, what was their astonishment to see that
+the talons of the bird were firmly fixed in the back of the fish! It was
+the _female osprey_! This explained all. She had struck a fish too heavy
+for her strength, and being unable to clear her claws again, had been
+drawn under the water and had perished along with her victim!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER, XXII.
+
+THE VOYAGE INTERRUPTED.
+
+
+About ten days' rapid travelling down the Elk River brought our party
+into the Athabasca Lake--sometimes called the "Lake of the Hills." This
+is another of those great bodies of fresh water that lie between the
+primitive rocks of the "Barren Grounds," and the more fertile limestone
+deposit upon the west. It is nearly two hundred miles long from west to
+east, and it is only fifteen miles in breadth, but in some places it is
+so narrow and full of islands that it looks more like a broad river than
+a lake. Its shores and many of its islands are thickly wooded,
+particularly upon the southern and western edges; and the eye of the
+traveller is delighted with many a beautiful vista as he passes along.
+But our voyageurs took little heed of these things.
+
+A gloom had come over their spirits, for one of their party had taken
+ill, and was suffering from a painful and dangerous disease--an
+intermittent fever. It was Lucien--he that was beloved by all of them.
+He had been complaining for several days--even while admiring the fair
+scenery of the romantic Elk--but every day he had been getting worse,
+until, on their arrival at the lake, he declared himself no longer able
+to travel. It became necessary, therefore, to suspend their journey; and
+choosing a place for their camp, they made arrangements to remain until
+Lucien should recover. They built a small log-hut for the invalid, and
+did everything to make him as comfortable as possible. The best skins
+were spread for his couch; and cooling drinks were brewed for him from
+roots, fruits, and berries, in the way he had already taught his
+companions to prepare them.
+
+Every day Francois went forth with his gun, and returned with a pair of
+young pigeons, or a wood-partridge, or a brace of the beautiful ruffed
+grouse; and out of these he would make delicate soups, which he was the
+better able to do as they had procured salt, pepper, and other
+ingredients, at the Fort. They had also brought with them a stock of
+tea--the real China tea--and sugar; and as the quantity of both was but
+small, this luxurious beverage was made exclusively for Lucien, and was
+found by him exceedingly beneficial during his illness.
+
+To the great joy of all the invalid was at length restored to health,
+and the canoe being once more launched and freighted, they continued
+their journey.
+
+They coasted along the shores of the lake, and entered the Great Slave
+River, which runs from the Athabasca into the Great Slave Lake. They
+soon came to the mouth of another large river, called the Peace. This
+runs into the Great Slave a short distance below Lake Athabasca, and,
+strange to say, the sources of the Peace River lie upon the _western_
+side of the Rocky Mountains, so that this stream actually runs across
+the mountain-chain! It passes through the mountains in a succession of
+deep gorges, which are terrible to behold. On both sides dizzy cliffs
+and snow-capped peaks rise thousands of feet above its rocky bed, and
+the scenery is cold and desolate.
+
+Its head-waters interlock with those of several streams that run into
+the Pacific; so that, had our voyageurs wished to travel to the shores
+of that ocean, they might have done so in their birch-bark canoe nearly
+the whole of the way. But this was not their design at present, so they
+passed the _debouchure_ of the Peace, and kept on for the Great Slave
+Lake. They were still upon the same water as the Elk, for the Great
+Slave is only another name for that part of the river lying between the
+two lakes--Athabasca and Great Slave. Of course the river had now become
+much larger by the influx of the Peace, and they were travelling upon
+the bosom of a magnificent stream, with varied scenery upon its banks.
+
+They were not so happy, however, as when descending the Elk--not but
+that they were all in good health, for Lucien had grown quite strong
+again. No, it was not any want of health that rendered them less
+cheerful. It was the prospect before them--the prospect of coming
+winter, which they now felt certain would arrive before they had got to
+the end of their journey. The delay of nearly a month, occasioned by
+Lucien's illness, had deranged all their calculations; and they had no
+longer any hope of being able to finish their voyage in what remained of
+the short summer. The ice would soon make its appearance; the lakes and
+rivers would be frozen up; they could no longer navigate them in their
+canoe. To travel afoot would be a most laborious undertaking, as well as
+perilous in an extreme degree.
+
+In this way it is only possible to carry a very small quantity of
+provisions--for the traveller is compelled to load himself with
+skin-clothing in order to keep out the cold. The chances of procuring
+game by the way in that season are precarious, and not to be depended
+upon. Most of the birds and many of the quadrupeds migrate to more
+southern regions; and those that remain are shy and rare. Besides, great
+snow-storms are to be encountered, in which the traveller is in danger
+of getting "smoored." The earth is buried under a deep covering of snow,
+and to pass over this while soft is difficult, and at times quite
+impossible. All these circumstances were known to our young
+voyageurs--to Norman better than any of them--and of course the prospect
+was a cheerless one--much more so than those unacquainted with the
+winter of these dreary regions would be willing to believe.
+
+It was the month of August, near its end, when they reached the Great
+Slave Lake, in the latitude of 62 deg.. The days had now become very short,
+and their journeys grew short in proportion. They already experienced
+weather as cold as an English winter. There were slight frosts at
+night--though not yet enough to cover the water with ice--and the
+mid-day hours were hot, sometimes too hot to be comfortable. But this
+only caused them to feel the cold the more sensibly when evening set in;
+and all their robes and skins were necessary to keep them warm during
+the night.
+
+The Great Slave Lake, like the Athabasca, is very long and very narrow.
+It extends full 260 miles from east to west, but at its widest part is
+not over thirty, and in some places much less. Along its northern shores
+lies the edge of the "Barren Grounds," and there nothing meets the eye
+but bleak and naked hills of primitive rock. On its southern side the
+geology is entirely of a different character. There the limestone
+prevails, and scarcely anything that deserves the name of hill is to be
+seen. There are fine forests too, in which poplars, pines, and birches,
+are the principal trees. The lake is filled with islands, many of which
+are wholly or partially covered with timber of these kinds, and willows
+also are abundant.
+
+There are fish of several species in its waters--which are in many
+places of great depth--sixty fathoms deep--and in some of the islands,
+and around the wooded shores, game exists in abundance in the summer
+season. Even in winter it is not scarce, but then it is difficult to
+follow it on account of the deep snow. Many of the animals, too, at this
+season become torpid, and are of course hidden in caves and hollow
+trees, and even in the snow itself, where no one can find them.
+Notwithstanding all this, our voyageurs knew that it would be the best
+place for them to make their winter camp. They saw that to complete
+their journey during that season would be impossible. Even had it been a
+month earlier it would have been a difficult undertaking.
+
+In a few days winter would be upon them. They would have to stop
+somewhere. There was no place where they could so safely stay as by the
+lake. One thing they would have there, which might not be found so
+plenty elsewhere, that was wood for their fire; and this was an
+inducement to remain by the lake. Having made up their minds, therefore,
+to encamp on some part of it, they looked from day to day for a place
+that would be most suitable, still continuing their journey towards its
+western end. As yet no place appeared to their liking, and as the lake
+near its western point trends away towards the south, Norman proposed
+that they should follow the shore no longer, but strike across to a
+promontory on the northern shore of the lake, known as "Slave Point."
+
+This promontory is of the limestone formation, and as Norman had heard,
+is well wooded, and stocked with game. Even buffaloes are found there.
+It is, in fact, the farthest point to the north-east that these animals
+range, and this presents us with a curious fact. It is the farthest
+point that the limestone deposit extends in that direction. Beyond that,
+to the east and north, lie the primitive rocks of the Barren Grounds,
+into which the buffaloes never stray. Thus we observe the connexion that
+exists between the _fauna_ of a country and its geological character.
+
+Of course they all agreed to Norman's proposal. The canoe was,
+therefore, headed for the open waters; and, after a hard day's
+paddling--for there was a head-wind--the voyageurs landed upon a small
+wooded island, about half-way over the lake, where they encamped for
+the night, intending next day to cross the remaining part.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+FISHING UNDER THE ICE.
+
+
+On awaking next morning, to their great surprise, they saw that the
+_lake was frozen over_! They had almost anticipated as much, for the
+night was one of the coldest they had yet experienced--so cold that one
+and all of them had slept but badly. As yet the ice was thin, but so
+much the worse. It was thick enough to prevent them from using the
+canoe, but too thin to bear their weight, and they now saw that they
+were _prisoners upon the island_!
+
+It was not without some feelings of alarm that they made this discovery;
+but their fears were allayed by reflecting, that they could remain upon
+the island until the ice either thawed away or become strong enough to
+bear them, and then they could cross upon it to the northern shore. With
+this consolation, therefore, they set about making their temporary
+quarters upon the island as snug as circumstances would permit. Their
+apprehensions, however, began to return again, when several days had
+passed over, and the ice neither grew any thinner nor any thicker, but
+seemed to remain at a stand-still. In the early part of the morning it
+was almost strong enough to bear them; but during the day the sun melted
+it, until it was little better than a scum over the surface of the
+water.
+
+The alarm of our voyageurs increased. Their provisions were nearly out.
+There was no game on the islet--not so much as a bird--for they had
+beaten every bush, and found nothing. Once or twice they thought of
+launching their canoe and breaking a way for it through the ice. But
+they knew that this proceeding would be one of much labour as well as
+danger. The islet was full ten miles from the shore, and they would
+therefore have to break the ice for ten miles. Moreover, to stand up in
+a bark canoe, so as to get at the work, would be a difficult task. It
+could not be accomplished without endangering the equilibrium of the
+vessel, and indeed without upsetting it altogether. Even to lean forward
+in the bow would be a perilous experiment; and under these
+considerations the idea of breaking a way was abandoned.
+
+But their provisions were at length entirely exhausted, and what was to
+be done? The ice was still too weak to carry them. Near the shore it
+might have been strong enough, but farther out lay the danger. There
+they knew it was thinner, for it had not frozen over until a later
+period. It would have been madness to have risked it yet. On the other
+hand, they were starving, or likely to starve from hunger, by staying
+where they were. There was nothing eatable on the island. What was to be
+done? In the water were fish--they doubted not that--but how were they
+to catch them? They had tried them with hook and line, letting the hook
+through a hole in the ice; but at that late season the fish would not
+take a bait, and although they kept several continually set, and
+"looked" them most regularly and assiduously, not a "tail" was taken.
+
+They were about to adopt the desperate expedient, now more difficult
+than ever, of breaking their way through the ice, when, all at once, it
+occurred to Norman, that, if they could not coax the fish to take a
+bait, they might succeed better with a net, and capture them against
+their will. This idea would have been plausible enough, had there been a
+net; but there was no net on that islet, nor perhaps within an hundred
+miles of it. The absence of a net might have been an obstacle to those
+who are ever ready to despair; but such an obstacle never occurred to
+our courageous boys. They had two _parchment_ skins of the caribou which
+they had lately killed, and out of these Norman proposed to make a net.
+
+He would soon do it, he said, if the others would set to work and cut
+the deer-skins into thongs fine enough for the purpose. Two of them,
+therefore, Basil and Lucien, took out their knives, and went briskly to
+work; while Francois assisted Norman in twining the thongs, and
+afterwards held them, while the latter wove and knotted them into
+meshes. In a few hours both the skins were cut into fine strips, and
+worked up; and a net was produced nearly six yards in length by at least
+two in width. It was rude enough, to be sure, but perhaps it would do
+its work as well as if it had been twined out of silk. At all events, it
+was soon to have a trial--for the moment it was finished the sinkers
+were attached to it, and it was carried down to the edge of the water.
+
+The three "Southerners" had never seen a net set under ice--for in their
+country ice is an uncommon thing, and indeed never freezes of sufficient
+thickness to carry the weight of a man. They were therefore very curious
+to know how the thing was to be done. They could not conceive how the
+net was to be stretched under the ice, in such a manner as to catch the
+fish. Norman, however, knew all about it. He had seen the Indians, and
+had set many a one himself. It was no new thing for him, and he set
+about it at once.
+
+He first crept out upon the ice to the distance of about twenty or
+thirty yards from the shore. He proceeded cautiously, as the ice creaked
+under him. Having arrived at the place where he intended to set the net,
+he knelt down, and with his knife cut several holes in the ice, at the
+distance of about six feet from each other, and all in one line. He had
+already provided himself with a straight sapling of more than six feet
+in length, to one end of which he had attached a cord. The other end of
+this cord was tied to the net, at one of its corners. He now thrust the
+sapling through the first hole he had made, and then guided it so as to
+pass directly under the second.
+
+At this hole he took a fresh hold of the stick, and passed it along to
+the next, and so on to the last, where he pulled it out again, and of
+course along with it the string. The net was not drawn into the first
+hole, and by means of the cord already received through, was pulled out
+to its full length. The sinkers, of course, fell down in the water, and
+drew it into a vertical position. At both its upper corners the net was
+made fast above the ice, and was now "set." Nothing more could be done
+until the fish came into it of their own accord, when it could be drawn
+out upon the ice by means of the cord attached; and, of course, by the
+same means could easily be returned to its place, and set again.
+
+All of them now went back to the fire, and with hungry looks sat around
+it, waiting the result. They had made up their minds, should no fish be
+caught, to get once more into the canoe and attempt breaking their way
+to the shore. Summoning all their patience, therefore, they waited for
+nearly two hours, without examining the net. Then Norman and Basil
+crawled back upon the ice, to see what fortune had done for them. They
+approached the spot, and, with their hearts thumping against their ribs,
+untied the knot and commenced hauling out.
+
+"It certainly feels heavy," said Basil, as the net was being drawn.
+"Hurrah!" he shouted, "Something kicks, hurrah!" and with the second
+"hurrah!" a beautiful fish was pulled up through the hole, and landed
+upon the ice. A loud "hurrah" was uttered in response by Lucien and
+Francois--who, fearing the ice might not bear so many, had remained upon
+the shore. A yard or two more of the net was cleared, and a second fish
+still larger than the former was greeted with a general "hurrah!" The
+two fish were now taken out--as these were all that had been caught--and
+the net was once more carefully set. Basil and Norman came back to the
+shore--Norman to receive quite a shower of compliments from his
+companions.
+
+The fish--the largest of which weighed nearly five pounds--proved to be
+trout; and it was not long before their quality was put to the proof.
+All declared they had never eaten so fine trout in their lives; but when
+the condition of their appetites is taken into account, we may infer
+that there was, perhaps, a little exaggeration in this statement. If
+hunger really makes good sauce, our voyageurs had the best of sauce with
+their fish, as each of them was as hungry as a half-famished wolf.
+
+They felt quite relieved, as far as present appetite went, but they were
+still uneasy for the future. Should they not succeed in taking more
+fish--and it was by no means certain they should succeed--they would be
+no better off than ever. Their anxiety, however, was soon removed. Their
+second "haul" proved even more successful than the first--as five fish,
+weighing together not less than twenty pounds, were pulled up.
+
+This supply would enable them to hold out for a long time, but they had
+not much longer to remain on the islet. Upon that very night there was
+one of those severe frosts known only in high latitudes, and the ice
+upon the lake became nearly a foot in thickness. They had no longer any
+fear of its breaking under their weight; and taking their canoe with all
+their "traps," they set out to cross over upon the ice. In a few hours
+they reached the shore of the lake, near the end of the promontory,
+where they chose a spot, and encamped.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+AN ODD ALARM.
+
+
+The first thing our voyageurs did after choosing a suitable situation,
+was to build a log-hut. Being young backwoodsmen this was but a trifle
+to them. All four of them knew how to handle an axe with dexterity. The
+logs were soon cut and notched, and a small cabin was put up, and roofed
+with split clap-boards. With the stones that lay near the shore of the
+lake they built a chimney. It was but a rude structure, but it drew
+admirably. Clay was wanted to "chink" the cabin, but that could not be
+had, as the ground was hard frozen, and it was quite impossible to make
+either clay or mud.
+
+Even hot water poured out would freeze into ice in a few minutes. This
+was a serious want--for in such a cold climate even the smallest hole in
+the walls will keep a house uncomfortable, and to fill the interstices
+between the logs, so as to make them air-tight, some soft substance was
+necessary. Grass was suggested, and Lucien went off in search of it.
+After awhile he returned with an armful of half-withered grass, which
+all agreed would be the very thing; and a large quantity was soon
+collected, as it grew plentifully at a short distance from the cabin.
+
+They now set to work to stuff it into the chinks; when, to their
+astonishment, they found that this grass had a beautiful smell, quite as
+powerful and as pleasant as that of mint or thyme! When a small quantity
+of it was flung into the fire it filled the cabin with a fragrance as
+agreeable as the costliest perfumes. It was the "scented grass," which
+grows in great profusion in many parts of the Hudson's Bay territory,
+and out of which the Indians often make their beds, burning it also upon
+the fire to enjoy its aromatic perfume.
+
+For the first day or two, at their new abode, the travellers had lived
+altogether on fish. They had, of course, brought their net with them
+from the island, and had set it near the shore in the same way as
+before. They had captured as many as they wanted, and, strange to say,
+at one haul they found no less than five different species in the net!
+One kind, a white fish, the _Coregonus albus_ of naturalists, but which
+is named "tittameg" by the fur-traders, they caught in great plenty.
+This fish is found in nearly all the lakes and rivers of the Hudson's
+Bay territory, and is much prized both by whites and Indians for its
+delicate flavour. At some of the trading posts it often forms, for weeks
+together, the only food which the residents can obtain; and they are
+quite satisfied when they can get enough of it. The tittameg is not a
+large fish; the largest attain to the weight of about eight pounds.
+
+There was another and still smaller species, which, from its colour, the
+voyageurs call the "poisson bleu," or blue fish. It is the _Coregonus
+signifer_ of ichthyologists. It is a species of grayling, and frequents
+sharp-running water, where it will leap at the fly like a trout. Several
+kinds of trout also inhabit the Great Slave Lake, and some of these
+attain to the enormous weight of eighty pounds! A few were caught, but
+none of so gigantic proportions as this. Pike were also taken in the
+net, and a species of burbot. This last is one of the most voracious of
+the finny tribe, and preys upon all others that it is able to swallow.
+It devours whole quantities of cray-fish, until its stomach becomes
+crammed to such a degree as to distort the shape of its whole body. When
+this kind was drawn out, it was treated very rudely by the boys--because
+its flesh was known to be extremely unsavoury, and none of them cared to
+eat it. Marengo, however, had no such scruples, and he was wont to make
+several hearty meals each day upon the rejected burbot.
+
+A fish diet exclusively was not the thing; and as our party soon grew
+tired of it, the hunter Basil shouldered his rifle, and strode off into
+the woods in search of game. The others remained working upon the cabin,
+which was still far from being finished.
+
+Basil kept along the edge of the lake in an easterly direction. He had
+not gone more than a quarter of a mile, when he came upon a dry gravelly
+ridge, which was thickly covered with a species of pine-trees that
+resembled the Scotch fir. These trees were not over forty feet in
+height, with very thick trunks and long flexible branches. No other
+trees grew among them, for it is the nature of this pine--which was the
+"scrub" or grey pine--to monopolise the ground wherever it grows. As
+Basil passed on, he noticed that many of the trees were completely
+"barked," particularly on the branches; and small pieces of the bark lay
+scattered over the ground, as though it had been peeled off and gnawed
+by some animal. He was walking quietly on and thinking what creature
+could have made such a wreck, when he came to a place where the ground
+was covered with fine sand or dust.
+
+In this, to his astonishment, he observed what he supposed to be the
+tracks of human feet! They were not those of a man, but small tracks,
+resembling the footsteps of a child of three or four years of age. He
+was about stooping down to examine them more closely, when a voice
+sounded in his ears exactly like the cry of a child! This brought him
+suddenly to an erect attitude again, and he looked all round to discover
+who or what had uttered that strange cry. He could see no one--child or
+man--and strange, too, for he had a clear view through the tree-trunks
+for several hundred yards around. He was filled with curiosity, not
+unmixed with alarm; and, stepping forward a few paces, he was about to
+bend down and examine the tracks a second time, when the singular cry
+again startled him.
+
+This time it was louder than before, as if he was closer to whatever had
+uttered it, but Basil now perceived that it proceeded from above him.
+The creature from which it came was certainly not upon the ground, but
+high up among the tops of the trees. He looked up, and there, in the
+fork of one of the pines, he perceived a singular and hideous-looking
+animal--such as he had never before seen. It was of a brown colour,
+about the size of a terrier-dog, with thick shaggy hair, and clumped up
+in the fork of the tree--so that its head and feet were scarcely
+distinguishable.
+
+Its odd appearance, as well as the peculiar cry which it had uttered,
+would have alarmed many a one of less courage than our young hunter, and
+Basil was at first, as he afterwards confessed, "slightly flurried;" but
+a moment's reflection told him what the animal was--one of the most
+innocent and inoffensive of God's creatures--the Canada porcupine. It
+was this, then, that had barked the scrub pines--for they are its
+favourite food; and it was its track--which in reality very much
+resembles that of a child--that Basil had seen in the sand.
+
+The first thought of the young hunter was to throw up his rifle, and
+send a bullet through the ungainly animal; which, instead of making any
+effort to escape, remained almost motionless, uttering, at intervals,
+its child-like screams. Basil, however, reflected that the report of his
+rifle would frighten any large game that might chance to be near; and as
+the porcupine was hardly worth a shot, he concluded, upon reflection, it
+would be better to leave it alone. He knew--for he had heard Lucien say
+so--that he would find the porcupine at any time, were it a week, or
+even a month after--for these creatures remain sometimes a whole winter
+in the same grove. He resolved, therefore, should no other game turn up,
+to return for it; and, shouldering his rifle again, he continued his
+course through the woods.
+
+As he proceeded, the timber became thinner. The scrub-pines gave place
+to poplar-trees, with here and there an undergrowth of willows. The
+trees stood far apart, and the willows grew only in clumps or "islands,"
+so that the view was nearly open for many hundred yards around. Basil
+walked on with all the silence and watchfulness of a true "still"
+hunter--for, among backwoodsmen, this species of hunting is so called.
+He ascended a low hill, and keeping a tree in front of him, looked
+cautiously over its crest. Before him, and stretching from the bottom of
+the hill, was a level tract of considerable extent.
+
+It was bounded on one side by the edge of the lake, and on all the
+others by thin woods, similar to those through which the hunter had been
+for some time travelling. Here and there, over the plain, there stood
+trees, far apart from each other, and in nowise intercepting the view
+for a mile or more. The ground was clear of underwood, except along the
+immediate edge of the lake, which was fringed by a thicket of willows.
+
+As Basil looked over the hill, he espied a small group of animals near
+the interior border of the willows. He had never seen animals of the
+same species before, but the genus was easily told. The tall antlered
+horns, that rose upon the head of one of them, showed that they were
+deer of some kind; and the immense size of the creature that bore them,
+together with his ungainly form, his long legs, and ass-like ears, his
+huge head with its overhanging lip, his short neck with its standing
+mane, and, above all, the broad palmation of the horns themselves, left
+Basil without any doubt upon his mind that the animals before him were
+moose-deer--the largest, and perhaps the most awkward, of all the deer
+kind.
+
+The one with the antlers was the male or bull-moose. The others were the
+female and her two calves of the preceding year. The latter were still
+but half-grown, and, like the female, were without the "branching horns"
+that adorned the head of the old bull. They were all of a dark-brown
+colour--looking blackish in the distance--but the large one was darker
+than any of the others.
+
+Basil's heart beat high, for he had often heard of the great moose, but
+now saw it for the first time. In his own country it is not found, as it
+is peculiarly a creature of the cold regions, and ranges no farther to
+the south than the northern edge of the United States territory. To the
+north it is met with as far as timber grows--even to the shores of the
+Polar Sea! Naturalists are not certain, whether or not it be the same
+animal with the elk of Europe. Certainly the two are but little, if
+anything, different; but the name "elk" has been given in America to
+quite another and smaller species of deer--the wapiti.
+
+The moose takes its name from its Indian appellation, "moosoea," or
+"wood-eater;" and this name is very appropriate, as the animal lives
+mostly upon the leaves and twigs of trees. In fact, its structure--like
+that of the camelopard--is such that it finds great difficulty in
+reaching grass, or any other herbage, except where the latter chances to
+be very tall, or grows upon the declivity of a very steep hill. When it
+wishes to feed upon grass, the moose usually seeks it in such
+situations; and it may often be seen browsing up the side of a hill,
+with its legs spread widely on both sides of its neck. But its favourite
+food is found at a more convenient height, and consists of the young
+shoots of many species of trees. It prefers those of the poplar, the
+birch-tree, and willows, and one kind of these last, the red willow, is
+its particular favourite.
+
+The "striped" maple is also much relished by the moose--hence the name
+"moose-wood," by which this tree is known among the hunters. It loves
+also the common water-lilies, and in summer it may be seen wading out
+into lakes, and plucking up their succulent leaves. It takes to the
+water also for other purposes--to cool its body, and rid itself of
+several species of gnats and mosquitoes that at this season torment it
+exceedingly. At such times it is more easily approached; and the Indians
+hunt it in their canoes, and kill it in the water, both with spears and
+arrows. They never find the moose, however, in large numbers--for it is
+a solitary animal, and only associates in pairs during one part of the
+year, and in families at another season--as Basil now found it.
+
+In winter the Indians track it through the snow, following it upon
+snow-shoes. These give them the advantage of skimming along the surface,
+while the moose plunges through the deep rift, and is therefore impeded
+in its flight. Notwithstanding, it will frequently escape from the
+hunter, after a _chase of several days' duration_! Sometimes, in deep
+snow, a dozen or more of these animals will be found in one place, where
+they have got accidentally together. The snow will be trodden down until
+the place appears as if enclosed by a wall. This the hunters term a
+"moose-pound," and when found in such situations the moose are easily
+approached and surrounded--when a general _battue_ takes place, in which
+few or none of the animals are allowed to escape.
+
+I have said that Basil's heart beat high at the sight of the moose. He
+was very desirous of killing one--partly on account of the novelty of
+the thing, and partly because he and his companions at the camp were
+anxious for a change of diet. Moose-meat was the very thing; and he knew
+that if he could return to camp with a few pieces of this strung over
+his gun, he would receive a double welcome. He was well aware that the
+flesh of the moose was of the most savoury and delicate kind, and that
+the long pendulous upper lip is one of the "tit-bits" of the fur
+countries. Moreover, the fine hide would be an acceptable addition to
+their stock, as it is the best of all deer-skins for mocassins, as well
+as snow-shoes--articles which Basil knew would soon be needed. For these
+reasons he was unusually desirous of killing one of the moose.
+
+He knew it would be difficult to approach them. He had heard that they
+were shyest at that very season--the beginning of winter--and indeed
+such is the case. No deer is so difficult to get a shot at as a moose in
+early winter. In summer it is not so--as then the musquitoes torment
+these animals to such a degree that they pay less heed to other enemies,
+and the hunter can more easily approach them. In winter they are always
+on the alert. Their sense of smell--as well as of sight and hearing--is
+acute to an extreme degree, and they are cunning besides. They can scent
+an enemy a long distance off--if the wind be in their favour--and the
+snapping of a twig, or the slightest rustle of the leaves, is sufficient
+to start them off.
+
+In their journeyings through the snow, when they wish to rest
+themselves, they make a sort of _detour_, and, coming back, lie down
+near the track which they have already passed over. This gives them an
+opportunity of hearing any enemy that may be following upon their
+trail, and also of making off in a side-direction, while the latter will
+be looking steadfastly ahead for them.
+
+Basil had heard of all these tricks of the moose--for many an old
+moose-hunter had poured his tale into Basil's ear. He proceeded,
+therefore, with all due caution. He first buried his hand in his
+game-bag, and after a little groping brought out a downy feather which
+had chanced to be there. This he placed lightly upon the muzzle of his
+rifle, and having gently elevated the piece above his head, watched the
+feather. After a moment, the breeze carried it off, and Basil noted the
+direction it took. This is called, in hunter phrase, "tossing the
+feather," and gave Basil the exact direction of the wind--an important
+knowledge in the present case.
+
+To Basil's gratification he saw that it was blowing down the lake, and
+nearly towards himself. He was not exactly to leeward of the moose; but,
+what was better still, the willows that fringed the lake were, for he
+could see them bending from the deer, as the breeze blew freshly. He
+knew he could easily get among the willows; and as they were not quite
+leafless, and, moreover, were interspersed with tall reed grass, they
+formed a tolerable cover under which he might make his approach.
+
+Without losing time, then, he made for the willows, and placing them
+between himself and the game, commenced "approaching" along the shore of
+the lake.
+
+He had a full half-hour's creeping--at one time upon his hands and
+knees--at another crawling flat upon his breast like a gigantic lizard,
+and now and then, at favourable spots, walking in a bent attitude. A
+full half-hour was he, and much pain and patience did it cost him,
+before getting within shot. But Basil was a hunter, and knew both how to
+endure the pain and practise the patience--virtues that, in hunting as
+well as in many other occupations usually meet with their reward. And
+Basil was likely to meet with his, for on parting the leaves, and
+looking cautiously through, he saw that he had arrived at the right
+spot. Within fifty yards of him he saw the high shoulders of the
+bull-moose and his great flat antlers towering over the tops of the
+willows, among the leaves of which the snout of the animal was buried.
+He also caught a glimpse of parts of the other three beyond; but he
+thought only of the bull, and it was upon him that he kept his eyes
+fixed. Basil did not think of the quality of the meat, else he would
+have selected either the cow or one of the calves. Had it been buffaloes
+he would certainly have done so; but as he had never killed a moose, he
+was determined to slay the leader of the herd.
+
+Indeed, had he wished to shoot one of the others, it might not have been
+so easy, as they were farther off, and he could only see the tops of
+their shoulders over the willows. Neither did the bull offer a fair
+mark. He stood face to face with the hunter, and Basil fancied that a
+shot on the frontal bone might not kill him. He knew it would not kill a
+buffalo. There was only one other part at which he could aim--the
+fore-shoulder; and after waiting some moments for the animal to give him
+a fairer chance he took aim at this and fired. He heard a loud cracking
+of hoofs, as the cow and calves shambled off over the plain, but he saw
+that the bull was not with them. He was down behind the willows. No
+doubt he was dead.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+ENCOUNTER WITH A MOOSE.
+
+
+What was a rare thing for Basil to do, he rushed forward without
+reloading his gun. A few springs brought him into the open ground, and
+in presence of the game. To his astonishment, the bull was not dead, nor
+down neither, but only upon his knees--of course wounded. Basil saw the
+"crease" of the bullet along the neck of the animal as he drew near. It
+was only by a quick glance that he saw this, for as soon as the bull saw
+_him_ he rose to his full height--his eyes flashing like a tiger's--and
+settling his antlers in a forward position, sprang upon the hunter!
+Basil leaped aside to avoid the encounter; and in the first rush was
+successful, but the animal turned suddenly, and, coming up a second
+time, raised his fore-feet high in the air, and struck forward with his
+long-pointed hoofs.
+
+Basil attempted to defend himself with his rifle, but the piece was
+struck out of his hand in an instant. Once more avoiding the forward
+rush of the infuriated beast, the young hunter looked around for some
+object to save him. A tree fell under his eye, and he ran towards it
+with all his speed. The moose followed close upon his heels, and he had
+just time to reach the tree and get around its trunk, when the animal
+brushed past, tearing the bark with his sharp antlers. Basil now slipped
+round the trunk, and when the moose again turned himself the two were on
+opposite sides of the tree! The beast, however, rushed up, and struck
+the tree furiously first with his brow antlers, and then with his hoofs,
+uttering loud snorts, and at intervals a shrill whistling sound that was
+terrible to hear.
+
+The disappointment which the enraged animal felt, at seeing his enemy
+thus escape him, seemed to have added to his rage; and he now vented his
+spite upon the tree, until the trunk, to the height of six feet, was
+completely stripped of its bark. While this was going on, Basil remained
+behind the tree, "dodging" round as the moose manoeuvred, and taking care
+always to have the animal on the opposite side. To have got into a safer
+situation he would have climbed the tree; but it happened to be a
+poplar, without a branch for many feet from the ground, and of too great
+a girth to be "embraced." He could do nothing, therefore, but remain
+upon the ground, and keep the tree-trunk between himself and the bull.
+
+For nearly an hour this lasted, the moose now remaining at rest for a
+few minutes, and then making fresh onsets that seemed to abate nothing
+in their fury. His rage appeared to be implacable, and his vengeance as
+tenacious as that of a tiger or any other beast of prey. The wound which
+the hunter had given him was no doubt painful, and kept his resentment
+from cooling. Unfortunately, it was not a mortal wound, as Basil had
+every opportunity of seeing. The bullet had hit the fore-shoulder; but,
+after tearing along the skin, had glanced off without injuring the bone.
+It had only enraged the bull, without crippling him in the least degree.
+
+Basil began to dread the result. He was becoming faint with fatigue as
+well as hunger. When would he be relieved? When would the fierce brute
+feel inclined to leave him? These were questions which the hunter put to
+himself repeatedly, without being able to divine an answer. He had heard
+of hunters being killed by wounded moose. He had heard that these
+creatures will remain for days watching a person whom they may have
+"treed." He could not stand it for days. He would drop down with
+fatigue, and then the bull would gore and trample him at pleasure. Would
+they be able to trace him from the camp? They would not think of that
+before nightfall. They would not think of him as "lost" before that
+time; and then they could not follow his trail in the darkness, nor even
+in the light--for the ground was hard as a rock, and he had made no
+footmarks. Marengo might trace him. The dog had been left at the camp,
+as Basil preferred "still-hunting" without him. But in his present
+situation the hunter's apprehensions were stronger than his hopes. Even
+Marengo might be baffled in lifting the scent.
+
+The trail was an exceedingly devious one, for Basil had meandered round
+the sides of the hill in search of game. Deer or other animals might
+have since crossed it, which might mislead the hound. It would be cold
+at night, and much colder next morning. There were many chances that no
+relief might reach him from the camp. Impressed with this conviction,
+Basil began to feel serious alarm. Not despair, however--he was not the
+boy to despair. His mind only grew more alive to the necessity for
+action. He looked around to discover some means of escape. His gun lay
+not a hundred yards off. Could he only get hold of the piece, and return
+safely to the tree again, he could there load it and put an end to the
+scene at once. But to reach the gun was impossible. The moose would
+bound after and overtake him to a certainty. The idea of getting the gun
+was abandoned.
+
+In the opposite direction to that in which the gun lay, Basil perceived
+that there were other trees. The nearest was but a dozen yards from him;
+and others, again, grew at about the same distance from that one, and
+from each other. Basil now conceived the idea of escaping to the
+nearest, and from that to the next, and by this means getting back into
+the thick forest. Once there, he believed that he would be the better
+able to effect his escape, and perhaps reach the camp by dodging from
+tree to tree. He could beat the moose for a dozen yards--getting a
+little the start of him--and this he hoped to be able to do. Should he
+fail in his short race, however--should his foot slip--the alternative
+was fearful. _It was no other than death!_
+
+He knew that, but it did not change his resolution to make the attempt.
+He only waited for the animal to work round between him and the tree
+towards which he intended to run. You will wonder that he did not prefer
+to have the moose on the other side. But he did not, for this
+reason--had the bull been there, he could have sprung after him at the
+first start; whereas, when heading the other way, Basil believed he
+could brush close past, and gain an advantage, as the unwieldy brute,
+taken by surprise, would require some time in turning himself to give
+chase.
+
+The opportunity at length arrived; and, nerving himself for the race,
+the hunter sprang past the moose, brushing the very tips of its antlers.
+He ran without either stopping or even looking back, until he had
+reached the tree, and sheltered himself behind its trunk. The moose had
+followed, and arrived but the moment after, snorting and whistling
+furiously. Enraged at the _ruse_, it attacked this tree, as it had the
+other, with hoof and horns; and Basil nimbly evaded both by keeping on
+the opposite side, as before.
+
+In a few minutes he prepared himself for a second rush, and once more
+started. A third tree was reached in safety--and then a fourth, and a
+fifth, and many others, in a similar manner--the moose all the while
+following in hot pursuit. Basil had begun to hope that in this way he
+would get off, when, to his chagrin, he saw that an open space still
+intervened between him and the thick woods, upon which there were only a
+few trees, and those so small that not one of them would have sheltered
+him. This tract was full two hundred yards in width, and extended all
+along the edge of the thick forest. He dared not cross it. The moose
+would overtake him before he could get half the way; and he was obliged
+to give up the idea of making the attempt.
+
+As he stood behind the last tree he had reached, he saw that it
+branched, and the lowest branches grew but a little above his head. He
+could easily climb it, and at once resolved to do so. He would there be
+safe for the time, and could at least rest himself, for he was now weak
+with fatigue. He therefore stretched up his hands, and, laying hold of a
+branch, swung himself up into the tree. Then, climbing up a little
+higher, he sat down on one of the forks.
+
+The moose appeared as furious as ever; and ran round the tree, now
+striking it with his horns, and then rearing upon his hind-legs, and
+pouncing against the trunk with his hoofs. At times his snout was so
+close to Basil, that the latter could almost touch it; and he had even
+drawn his hunting-knife, and reached down with the intent of giving the
+creature a stab.
+
+This last action led to a train of thought, and Basil seemed suddenly to
+adopt some new resolution. Leaving the fork where he had perched
+himself, he climbed higher up the tree; and, selecting one of the
+longest and straightest branches, commenced cutting it off close to the
+trunk. This was soon effected; and then, drawing it along his knee, he
+trimmed off all the twigs and tops until the branch became a straight
+pole, like a spear-handle. Along one end of this he laid the handle of
+his knife; and with thongs, which he had already cut out of the strap of
+his bullet-pouch, he spliced the knife and pole together. This gave him
+a formidable weapon--for the knife was a "bowie," and had a long blade,
+with a point like a rapier. He was not slow in using it.
+
+Descending again to the lowermost limbs, he commenced making
+demonstrations, in order to bring the moose within reach. This he very
+soon succeeded in doing; and the animal ran forward and reared up
+against the tree. Before it could get upon its four legs again, Basil
+had thrust it in the neck, giving full force to the blow. The blood
+rushed forth in a thick stream, as the jugular vein had been cut by the
+keen blade; and the huge brute was seen to totter in its steps, and then
+fall with a dull heavy sound to the earth. In a few moments the hunter
+had the satisfaction of perceiving that it was quite dead.
+
+Basil now dropped out of the tree, and walking back to where his rifle
+lay, took up the piece and carefully reloaded it. He then returned to
+the moose, and opening the great jaws of the animal, gagged them with a
+stick. He next unspliced his knife, took off the gristly lips, and cut
+out the tongue. These he placed in his game-bag, and shouldering his
+rifle, was about to depart; when some new idea caused him to halt, put
+down his gun, and again unsheath his knife. Once more approaching the
+carcass, he made an incision near the kidneys; and having inserted his
+hand, drew forth what appeared to be a part of the intestines. It was
+the bladder. He then looked around as if in search of something.
+Presently his eye rested upon some tall reed-grass that was growing
+near. This was just what he wanted, and, pulling up one of the stems, he
+cut and fashioned it into a pipe.
+
+[Illustration: BASIL AND THE MOOSE BULL.]
+
+With this the moose-bladder was blown out to its full dimensions, and
+tied at the neck by a piece of thong. The other end of the thong was
+fastened to one of the branches of the tree above, so that the bladder
+dangled within a few feet of the carcass of the moose, dancing about
+with the lightest breath of wind. All these precautions Basil had taken
+to keep the wolves from devouring the moose--for it was his intention to
+return and butcher it, as soon as he could get help. When he had hung
+the bladder to his liking, he put up his knife again; and, once more
+shouldering his rifle, walked off.
+
+On reaching the camp--which he did shortly after--the tongue of the
+moose was broiled without delay, and, after making a delicious meal of
+it, the whole party went off for the remainder of the meat. They found
+it all quite safe; although, had it not been for the bladder, not much
+of it would have been there--as no less than a dozen great gaunt wolves
+were seen lurking about, and these would have eaten it up in the
+shortest possible time. The bladder, however, had kept them off; for,
+strange to say, these creatures, who are as cunning as foxes, and can
+hardly be trapped, can yet be deceived and frightened by such a simple
+thing as a bladder dangling from a branch.
+
+The moose proved to be one of the largest of his kind. His height was
+quite equal to that of a horse; and his horns, flattened out to the
+breadth of shovels, weighed over sixty pounds. His carcass was not less
+than fifteen hundred pounds weight; and our voyageurs had to make two
+journeys to convey the meat to their camp. On the last journey, Francois
+brought the porcupine as well--having found it on the very same tree
+where Basil had left it!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+LIFE IN A LOG-HUT.
+
+
+The log-hut was finished on the 1st of September, and not a day too
+soon; for on that very day the winter set in with full severity. A heavy
+fall of snow came down in the night; and next morning, when our
+voyageurs looked abroad, the ground was covered to the depth of a foot,
+or more; and the ice upon the lake was also white. Walking through the
+great wreaths now became very difficult; and the next thing to be done
+was the making of "snow-shoes."
+
+Snow-shoes are an invention of the Indians; and, in the winter of the
+Arctic regions of America, are an article almost as indispensable as
+clothing itself. Without them, travelling afoot would be impossible. In
+these countries, as already stated, the snow often covers the ground to
+the depth of many feet; and remains without any considerable diminution
+for six, and, in some years, eight or nine months. At times, it is
+frozen hard enough on the surface to bear a man without the snow-shoes;
+but oftener on account of thaws and fresh falls, it becomes quite soft,
+and at such times travelling over it is both difficult and dangerous. To
+avoid both the difficulty and the danger, the Indians make use of this
+very singular sort of foot-wear--called "snow-shoes" by the English, and
+"raquets" by the Canadian voyageurs.
+
+They are used by all the Indian tribes of the Hudson's Bay territory;
+and were it not for them these people would be confined to one place for
+months together, and could not follow the deer or other game. As almost
+all savages are improvident, and none more so than the North American
+Indians, were they prevented for a season from going out to hunt, whole
+tribes would starve. Indeed, many individuals of them perish with hunger
+as it is; and the life of all these Indians is nothing more than one
+continued struggle for food enough to sustain them. In summer they are
+often in the midst of plenty; slaughtering deer and buffalo by hundreds,
+taking out only the tongues, and recklessly leaving the flesh to the
+wolves! In winter the very same Indians may be seen without a pound of
+meat in their encampment--the lives of themselves and their families
+depending upon the success of a single day's hunt!
+
+But let us return to the snow-shoes. Let us see what they are, and learn
+how they are made.
+
+Any boy who has snared sparrows in snow-time, has, no doubt, done so by
+tying his snares upon a hoop netted across with twine or other small
+cord. Now, if he will conceive his hoop bent into an oblong
+shape--something like what the figure of a boat turned on its mouth
+would make in snow--and if he will also fancy the netting to consist of
+thongs of twisted deer-hide woven somewhat closely together, he will get
+a very good idea of an Indian snow-shoe. It is usually from three to
+four feet long, by about a foot wide at the middle part, from which it
+tapers gently to a point, both at the heel and toe.
+
+The frame, as I have said, is like the hoop of a boy's bird-snare. It is
+made of light, tough wood, and, of course, carefully bent and polished
+with the knife. The slender branches of the "scrub-pine" are esteemed
+excellent for this purpose, as their wood is light, flexible and tough
+in its fibres. This is also a favourite tree, where it grows, to make
+tent-poles, canoe-timbers, and other implements required by the Indians;
+and these people use so much of it for their arrows, that it has
+received from the Canadian voyageurs the name of _bois de fleche_
+(arrow-wood).
+
+Well, then, the frame of the snow-shoes being bent to its proper shape,
+two transverse bars are placed across near the middle, and several
+inches from each other. They are for the foot to rest upon, as well as
+to give strength to the whole structure. These being made fast, the
+netting is woven on, and extends over the whole frame, with the
+exception of a little space in front of the bars where the ball of the
+foot is to rest. This space is left free of netting, in order to allow
+play to the toes while walking. The mesh-work is made of thongs usually
+cut from the parchment-skin of a deer, and twisted. Sometimes twisted
+intestines are used, and the netting exactly resembles that seen in
+"racquets" for ball play.
+
+The snow-shoe, when finished, is simply fastened upon the foot by means
+of straps or thongs; and a pair of them thus placed, will present a
+surface to the snow of nearly six square feet--more, if required, by
+making them larger. But this is enough to sustain the heaviest man upon
+the softest snow, and an Indian thus "shod" will skim over the surface
+like a skater.
+
+The shoes used by all tribes of Indians are not alike in shape. There
+are fashions and fancies in this respect. Some are made--as among the
+Chippewa Indians--with one side of the frame nearly straight; and these,
+of course, will not do for either foot, but are "rights and lefts."
+Generally, however, the shape is such that the snow-shoe will fit either
+foot.
+
+The snow-shoes having now become a necessary thing, our young voyageurs
+set about making a complete set for the whole party--that is, no less
+than four pairs. Norman was the "shoemaker," and Norman knew how. He
+could splice the frames, and work in the netting, equal to an Indian
+squaw. Of course all the others assisted him. Lucien cut the moose-skin
+into fine regular strips; Basil waded off through the snow, and procured
+the frames from the wood of the scrub-pine trees where he had
+encountered the porcupine; and then he and Francois trimmed them with
+their knives, and sweated them in the hot ashes until they became dry,
+and ready for the hands of the "shoemaker."
+
+This work occupied them several days, and then each had a pair of shoes
+fitted to his size and weight.
+
+The next consideration was, to lay in a stock of meat. The moose had
+furnished them with enough for present use, but that would not last
+long, as there was no bread nor anything else to eat with it. Persons in
+their situation require a great deal of meat to sustain them, much more
+than those who live in great cities, who eat a variety of substances,
+and drink many kinds of drinks. The healthy voyageur is rarely without a
+keen appetite; and meat by itself is a food that speedily digests, and
+makes way for a fresh meal; so that the ration usually allowed to the
+_employes_ of the fur companies would appear large enough to supply the
+table of several families. For instance, in some parts of the Hudson's
+Bay territory, the voyageur is allowed eight pounds of buffalo-meat _per
+diem_! And yet it is all eaten by him, and sometimes deemed barely
+sufficient.
+
+A single deer, therefore, or even a buffalo, lasts a party of voyageurs
+for a very short time, since they have no other substance, such as bread
+or vegetables, to help it out. It was necessary, then, that our
+travellers should use all their diligence in laying up a stock of dried
+meat, before the winter became too cold for them to hunt. There was
+another consideration--their clothing. They all had clothing sufficient
+for such weather as they had yet experienced; but that would never do
+for the winter of the Great Slave Lake, and they knew it. Many deer must
+be killed, and many hides dressed, before they could make a full set of
+clothing for all, as well as a set of deer-skin blankets, which would be
+much needed.
+
+As soon as the snow-shoes were finished, therefore, Basil and Norman
+went out each day upon long hunting expeditions, from which they rarely
+returned before nightfall. Sometimes they brought with them a deer, of
+the caribou or reindeer species, and the "woodland" variety, which were
+in plenty at this place. They only carried to camp the best parts with
+the skin, as the flesh of the woodland caribou is not much esteemed. It
+is larger than the other kind--the "Barren Ground caribou," weighing
+about one hundred and fifty pounds; but both its venison and hide are of
+inferior quality to those of the latter species. Sometimes our hunters
+killed smaller game; and on several occasions they returned without
+having emptied their guns at all.
+
+But there was one day that made up for several--one grand day when they
+were extremely successful, and on which they killed a whole herd of
+moose, consisting of five individuals--the old bull, a spike buck--that
+is, a young buck, whose horns had not yet got antlers upon them--the
+cow, and two calves. These they had tracked and followed for a long
+distance, and had succeeded, at length, in running them into a valley
+where the snow was exceedingly deep, and where the moose became
+entangled. There had been a shower of rain the day before that had
+melted the surface of the snow; and this had again frozen into an icy
+crust, upon which the deer lacerated their ankles at every plunge,
+leaving a track of blood behind them as they ran.
+
+Under these circumstances they were easily trailed, and Basil and
+Norman, skimming along upon their snow-shoes, soon came up with them,
+and shot first one and then another, until the whole herd were stretched
+in the valley. They then butchered them, and hung the hides and quarters
+upon high branches, so as to secure them from wolves and wolverenes.
+When the job was finished, the whole place looked like a great
+slaughter-yard! Next day a rude sledge was constructed; and the
+voyageurs, returning in full force, transported the meat to camp. Huge
+fires were kindled outside the hut, and several days were spent in
+cutting up and drying the flesh. Had our travellers been certain that
+the frost would have continued all winter, this would not have been
+necessary--since the meat was already frozen as hard as a brick.
+
+But they knew that a sudden thaw would spoil it; and, as there was
+plenty of good firewood on the spot, they were not going to run the risk
+of losing it in that way.
+
+They had now enough provision to last them for months; and hunting
+became no longer necessary, except to obtain fresh meat--which was, of
+course, preferable to the dry stock. Hunting, also, gave them exercise
+and amusement--both of which were necessary to their health; for to
+remain idle and inactive in a situation such as that in which they were
+placed is the worst possible plan, and is sure to engender both sickness
+and _ennui_. Indeed, the last grew upon them, notwithstanding all the
+pains they took to prevent it. There were days on which the cold was so
+extreme, that they could not put their noses out of the door without the
+danger of having them frost-bitten--although each had now a complete
+suit of deer-skin clothing, made by Lucien, the "tailor" of the party.
+
+Upon such days they were fain to remain shut up in their hut; and,
+seated around their huge log-fire, they passed the time in cleaning
+their guns, mending their nets, stitching their clothes, and such-like
+employments. These days were far from being their dullest; for, what
+with the varied and scientific knowledge of Lucien, which he took
+pleasure in imparting to his companions--what with the practical
+experience of Norman amid scenes of Arctic life, and the many "voyageur
+tales" he could tell--what with Francois merry jokes and _bon mots_--and
+what with Basil's _talent for listening_--not the least important
+element in a good _conversazione_,--our _quartette_ of young voyageurs
+found their indoor days anything but dull.
+
+This was all well enough for a while. For a month or two they bore their
+odd kind of life cheerfully enough; but the prospect of nearly six
+months more of it began to appal them, when they reflected upon it; and
+they soon found themselves longing for a change. Hunting adventures,
+that at other times would have interested them, now occurred without
+creating any excitement; and the whole routine of their employments
+seemed monotonous. Nearly all of them were boys of an active character
+of mind; and most of them were old enough to reason about the value of
+time. Their idea of such a long isolation from civilized life, and,
+above all, the being debarred from following any useful pursuit, began
+to impress some of them forcibly. Others, as Francois, could not be
+contented for a very great stretch of time with any sort of life; so
+that all of them began to sigh for a change.
+
+One day, while conversing upon this theme, a bold proposal was made by
+Basil. It was, that they should "strike camp," and continue their
+journey. This proposal took the others by surprise, but they were all
+just in the frame of mind to entertain and discuss it; and a long
+consultation was held upon the point. Francois chimed in with the
+proposal at once; while Lucien, more cautious, did not exactly oppose,
+but rather offered the reasons that were against it, and pointed out the
+perils of the undertaking. Norman, of course, was appealed to--all of
+them looking to him as one whose advice, upon that question at least,
+was more valuable than their own.
+
+Norman admitted the dangers pointed out by Lucien, but believed that
+they might overcome them by a proper caution. On the whole, Norman
+approved of the plan, and it was at length adopted. Perhaps Norman's
+habitual prudence was to some extent influenced on this occasion by the
+very natural desire he had of returning to what he considered his home.
+He had now been absent nearly two years, and was desirous of once more
+seeing his father and his old companions at the Fort.
+
+There was another feeling that influenced nearly all of them: that was
+_ambition_. They knew that to make such a journey would be something of
+a feat, and they wished to have the credit of performing it. To minds
+like that of Basil, even the danger had something attractive in it. It
+was resolved then to break up the encampment, and continue their
+journey.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+TRAVELLING ON SNOW-SHOES.
+
+
+Once their resolution was taken, they lost but little time in making
+preparations to carry it out. Most of the articles required for such a
+journey were already in their hands. They had the proper
+dresses--snow-shoes, skin-blankets, and gloves. They had prepared for
+themselves sets of "snow spectacles." These were made out of red
+cedar-wood. Each pair consisted of two small thin pieces, that covered
+the eyes, joined together and fastened on by thongs of buckskin. In each
+piece an oblong slit served for the eye-hole, through which the eye
+looked without being dazzled by the snow. Without this, or some like
+contrivance, travelling in the Arctic regions is painful to the eyes,
+and the traveller often loses his sight. Indeed, one of the most common
+infirmities of both the Indians and Esquimaux of these parts is
+blindness or soreness of the eyes, caused by the reflexion of the
+sunbeams from the crystals of the frozen snow. Norman was aware of this,
+and had made the spectacles to guard against this peril.
+
+Out of their spare skins they had made a small tent. This was to be
+carried along by Marengo in a light sledge, which they had long since
+constructed, and taught the dog to draw. Nothing else remained but to
+pack their provisions in the smallest bulk possible, and this was done,
+according to the custom of the country, by making "pemmican." The dry
+meat was first pounded until it became a powder; it was then put into
+small skin bags, made for the purpose, and the hot melted fat was poured
+in and well mixed with it. This soon froze hard, and the mixture--that
+resembled "potted meat,"--was now ready for use, and would keep for an
+indefinite time without the least danger of spoiling. Buffalo-beef,
+moose-meat, or venison of any sort, thus prepared, is called
+"_pemmican_," and is more portable in this shape than any other. Besides
+no further cooking is required--an important consideration upon those
+vast prairie deserts, where firewood is seldom to be procured without
+the trouble of carrying it a great distance.
+
+Norman, who was the maker of the pemmican, had produced a superior
+article upon this occasion. Besides the pounded meat and fat, he had
+mixed another ingredient with it, which rendered it a most delicious
+food. This third ingredient was a small purple-coloured berry--of which
+we have already spoken--not unlike the whortleberry, but sweeter and of
+a higher flavour. It grows through most of the Northern regions of
+America; and in some places, as upon the Red River and the Elk, the
+bushes that produce it are seen in great plenty.
+
+Previous to the setting in of winter, our voyageurs had collected a
+large bagful upon the banks of the Elk, which they had dried and stored
+away--expecting to stand in need of them for this very purpose. They now
+came into use, and enabled Norman to make his pemmican of the very
+choicest quality. Five bags of it were put up, each weighing over thirty
+pounds. One of these was to be drawn upon the sledge, along with the
+tent, the axe, and a few other articles. The rest were to be carried by
+the voyageurs themselves--each shouldering one, which, along with their
+guns and accoutrements, would be load enough.
+
+These arrangements being at length complete, the party bid adieu to
+their log-hut--gave a parting look to their little canoe, which still
+rested by the door--and then, shouldering their guns and bags of
+pemmican, set out over the frozen surface of the snow.
+
+Of course before starting they had decided upon the route they were to
+take. This decision, however, had not been arrived at until after much
+discussion. Lucien advised that they should follow the shore of the lake
+until they should reach the Mackenzie River--which of course was now
+frozen up. Its channel, he argued, would then guide them; and, in case
+their provisions should run short, they would be more likely to find
+game upon its banks than elsewhere, as these were wooded almost to the
+sea--in consequence of its head-waters rising in southern latitudes, and
+carrying with them a warmer climate.
+
+There was plausibility in Lucien's argument, combined with much
+prudence. Norman, however, advised a contrary course. He said that they
+would have to make a considerable journey westward before reaching the
+place where the Mackenzie River flows out of the lake; and, moreover, he
+knew that the river itself was very crooked--in some places winding
+about in great curves, whose ends come near meeting each other. Should
+they keep the course of the river, Norman believed it would almost
+double their journey. A much shorter route, he said, would be obtained
+by striking across the country in a north-westerly direction, so as to
+reach the Mackenzie near where another great stream--the River of the
+Mountains--empties into it from the west. This would certainly be a more
+direct route, and they would avoid the windings of the river channel.
+
+Norman's reasoning prevailed. Basil and Francois readily agreed to his
+plan, and Lucien at length also gave his assent, but with some
+reluctance. Norman knew nothing whatever of the route he was advising
+them to take. His former journeys up and down the Mackenzie had been
+made in summer, and of course he had travelled by canoe, in company with
+the traders and voyageurs. He only knew that to strike across the
+country would be the shorter way. But "the shortest way is not always
+the nearest," says the proverb; and although Lucien remembered this
+prudent maxim, the others did not give it a thought. Before the end of
+their journey they received a practical lesson of its wisdom--a lesson
+they were not likely to forget. But they knew not what was before them,
+and they started off in high spirits.
+
+Their first three or four days' journeys were without any event worth
+being chronicled. They travelled full twenty miles each day. The
+Southerners had become quite skilful in the management of their
+snow-shoes, and they skimmed along upon the icy crust at the rate of
+three or four miles an hour.
+
+Marengo and his sledge gave them very little trouble. There was full
+sixty pounds weight upon it; but to the huge dog this was a mere
+bagatelle, and he pulled it after him without any great strain. His
+harness was neatly made of moose-skin, and consisted of a collar with a
+back strap and traces--the traces meeting behind, where they were
+attached to the head of the sledge. No head-gear was necessary, as
+Marengo needed not to be either led or driven. The sledge consisted of
+two or three light planks of smooth wood, laid alongside each other, and
+held together by transverse bands. In front it turned up with a circular
+sweep, so as not to "plough" the snow; and at the top of this curved
+part the traces were adjusted. The load was, of course, carefully packed
+and tied, so that the overturning of the vehicle did no damage whatever,
+and it could be easily righted again. Marengo required no one to guide
+him, but followed quietly in the tracks of the snow-shoes, and thus
+avoided the trees, rocks, and other inequalities. If a rabbit or other
+creature started up, Marengo knew better than to go galloping after it;
+he felt that he had a more important duty to perform than to throw away
+his time upon rabbit-hunting.
+
+Each night a spot was chosen for the camp by the side of some lake or
+stream, where wood could be obtained for their fire. Water was got by
+breaking a hole in the ice, and the little tent was always set up in a
+sheltered situation.
+
+Upon the fifth day after leaving the log-hut the woods began to grown
+thinner and more straggling; and towards night of the same day they
+found themselves travelling through a country, where the timber only
+grew here and there in small clumps, and the individual trees were small
+and stunted. Next day still less timber was seen upon their route; and
+when camping-time came, they were obliged to halt at a spot where
+nothing but willows could be procured for their fire. They had, in fact,
+arrived upon the edge of that vast wilderness, the Barren Grounds, which
+stretches in all its wild desolation along the Northern half of the
+American continent from the Great Slave Lake even to the shores of the
+Arctic Sea on the north, and to those of Hudson's Bay on the east.
+
+This territory bears an appropriate name, for, perhaps, upon the whole
+surface of the earth there is no tract more barren or desolate--not even
+the Saaera of Africa. Both are deserts of immense extent, equally
+difficult to cross, and equally dangerous to the traveller. On both the
+traveller often perishes, but from different causes. On the Saaera it is
+_thirst_ that kills; upon the Barren Grounds _hunger_ is more frequently
+the destroyer. In the latter there is but little to be feared on the
+score of water. That exists in great plenty; or where it is not found,
+snow supplies its place. But there is water everywhere. Hill succeeds
+hill, bleak, rocky, and bare. Everywhere granite, gneiss, or other
+primitive rocks, show themselves.
+
+No vegetation covers the steep declivities of the hills, except the moss
+and lichen upon the rocks, a few willows upon the banks of streams, the
+dwarf birch-tree or the scrub-pines, rising only to the height of a few
+inches, and often straggling over the earth like vines. Every hill has
+its valley, and every valley its lake--dark, and deep, and silent--in
+winter scarce to be distinguished under the snow-covered ice. The
+prospect in every direction exhibits a surface of rocks, or bleak hills,
+half covered with snow. The traveller looks around and sees no life. He
+listens and hears no sound. The world appears dead and wrapped in its
+cold winding-sheet!
+
+Amidst just such scenes did our voyageurs find themselves on the seventh
+day after parting from the lake. They had heard of the Barren
+Grounds--had heard many fearful stories of the sufferings of travellers
+who had attempted to cross them; but the description had fallen far
+short of the actual reality. None of them could believe in the
+difficulties to be encountered, and the desolateness of the scene they
+were to witness, until now that they found themselves in its midst; and,
+as they proceeded on their journey, getting farther and farther from the
+wooded region, their apprehensions, already aroused by the wild aspect
+of the country, grew stronger and stronger. They began to entertain
+serious fears, for they knew not how far the barren tract extended along
+their route.
+
+On calculation they found they had provisions enough to last them for a
+month. That in some measure restored their confidence; but even then,
+they could not help giving way to serious reflections. Should they get
+lost or retarded in their course by mountains, or other obstacles, it
+might take them longer than a month to reach some place where game was
+to be met with. Each day, as they advanced, they found the country more
+hilly and difficult. Precipices often bounded the valleys, lying
+directly across their track; and as these could not be scaled, it was
+necessary to make long _detours_ to pass them, so that some days they
+actually advanced less than five miles upon their journey.
+
+Notwithstanding these impediments, they might still have got over the
+Barren Grounds without further suffering than the fatigue and necessary
+exposure to cold; but at this time an incident occurred, that not only
+frustrated all their calculations, but placed them in imminent danger of
+perishing.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE BARREN GROUNDS
+
+
+The Barren Grounds are not entirely destitute of animal life. Even in
+winter--when they are almost covered with snow, and you would suppose
+that no living creature could procure subsistence upon them--even then
+they have their denizens; and, strange to say, there are many animals
+that choose them for their home. There is no part of the earth's surface
+so sterile but that some animated being can find a living upon it, and
+such a being Nature adapts to its peculiar situation. For instance,
+there are animals that prefer the very desert itself, and would not
+thrive were you to place them in a country of mild climate and fertile
+soil. In our own species this peculiarity is also found--as the
+Esquimaux would not be happy were you to transplant him from his icy hut
+amid the snows of the Arctic regions, and give him a palace under the
+genial skies of Italy.
+
+Among other creatures that remain all winter upon the Barren Grounds are
+the wolves. How they exist there is almost a question of the
+naturalists. It is true they prey upon other animals found at times in
+the same district; but wolves have been met with where not the slightest
+traces of other living creatures could be seen!
+
+There is no animal more generally distributed over the earth's surface
+than the wolf. He exists in nearly every country, and most likely has at
+one time existed in all. In America there are wolves in its three zones.
+They are met with from Cape Horn to the farthest point northward that
+man has reached. They are common in the tropical forests of Mexico and
+South America. They range over the great prairies of the temperate zones
+of both divisions of the continent, and in the colder regions of the
+Hudson's Bay territory they are among the best known of wild animals.
+They frequent the mountains, they gallop over the plains, they skulk
+through the valleys, they dwell everywhere--everywhere the wolf seems
+equally at home.
+
+In North America two very different kinds are known. One is the
+"prairie" or "barking" wolf, which we have already met with and
+described. The other species is the "common" or "large" wolf; but it is
+not decided among naturalists that there are not several distinct
+species of the latter. At all events, there are several _varieties_ of
+it--distinguished from each other in size, colour, and even to some
+extent in form. The habits of all, however, appear to be similar, and it
+is a question, whether any of these varieties be _permanent_ or only
+_accidental_. Some of them, it is well known, are accidental--as wolves
+differing in colour have been found in the same litter--but late
+explorers, of the countries around and beyond the Rocky Mountains, have
+discovered one or two kinds that appear to be specifically distinct from
+the common wolf of America--one of them, the "dusky wolf," being much
+larger.
+
+This last is said to resemble the wolf of Europe more than the other
+American wolves do--for there is a considerable difference between the
+wolves of the two continents. Those of the Northern regions of America
+have shorter ears, a broader snout and forehead, and are of a stouter
+make, than the European wolves. Their fur, too, is finer, denser, and
+longer; their tails more bushy and fox-like; and their feet broader. The
+European wolf, on the contrary, is characterized by a gaunt appearance,
+a pointed snout, long jaws, high ears, long legs, and feet very narrow.
+It is possible, nothwithstanding these points of difference, that both
+may be of the same species, the difference arising from a want of
+similitude in the circumstances by which they are surrounded.
+
+For instance, the dense wool of the Hudson's Bay wolf may be accounted
+for by the fact of its colder habitat, and its broader feet may be the
+result of its having to run much upon the surface of the snow. The
+writer of this little book believes that this peculiar adaptation of
+Nature--which may be observed in all her kingdoms--may explain the
+difference that exists between the wolves of the Northern parts of
+America and those of the South of Europe. He believes, moreover, that
+those of the Southern parts of the American continent approximate more
+nearly to the Pyrenean wolves, as he has seen in the tropical forest of
+Mexico some that possessed all that "gaunt" form and "sneaking" aspect
+that characterize the latter.
+
+It would be interesting to inquire whether the wolves of Siberia and
+Lapland, inhabitating a similar climate to that of the Northern parts of
+America, do not possess the same peculiarities as the North American
+kind--a point which naturalists have not yet considered, and which you,
+my boy reader, may some day find both amusement and instruction in
+determining for yourself.
+
+With regard to colour the wolves of both continents exhibit many
+varieties. In North America there are more than half-a-dozen colours of
+them, all receiving different names. There is the "grey wolf," the
+"white," the "brown," the "dusky," the "pied," and the "black." These
+trivial names will give a good enough idea of the colours of each kind,
+but there are even varieties in their markings. "Yellow" wolves, too,
+have been seen, and "red" ones, and some of a "cream colour." Of all
+these the grey wolf is the most common, and is _par excellence the
+wolf_; but there are districts in which individuals of other colours
+predominate. Wolves purely black are plenty in many parts, and white
+wolves are often seen in large packs.
+
+Even those of the same colour differ in size, and that to a considerable
+extent. And what is also strange, large wolves will be found in one
+district of country, while much smaller ones _of the same colour and
+species_ inhabit another. The largest in size of American wolves are
+about six feet in length, the tail included; and about three feet in
+height, measuring to the tips of the standing fur. The tail is usually
+about one-third of the whole length.
+
+The habits of the American wolf are pretty much like those of his
+European cousin. He is a beast of prey, devouring all the smaller
+animals he can lay hold of. He pursues and overtakes the deer, and often
+runs down the fox and makes a meal of it. He will kill and eat Indian
+dogs, although these are so near his own species that the one is often
+taken for the other. But this is not all, for he will even eat his own
+kind, on a pinch. He is as cunning as the fox himself, and as cowardly;
+but at times, when impelled by hunger, he becomes bolder, and has been
+known to attack man. Instances of this kind, however, are rare.
+
+The American wolves burrow, and, like the fox, have several entrances
+to their holes. A litter of young wolves numbers five puppies, but as
+many as eight are often produced at one birth.
+
+During their journey through the Barren Grounds our voyageurs had
+frequently observed wolves. They were mostly grey ones, and of great
+size, for they were travelling through a district where the very largest
+kind is found. At times they saw a party of five or six together; and
+these appeared to be following upon their trail--as each night, when
+they came barking about the camp, our travellers recognised some of them
+as having been seen before. They made no attempt to shoot any of
+them--partly because they did not want either their skins or flesh, and
+partly because their ammunition had been reduced to a small quantity,
+and they did not wish to spend it unnecessarily.
+
+The wolves, therefore, were allowed to approach very near the camp, and
+howl as much as they liked--which they usually did throughout the
+livelong night. What they found to allure them after our travellers, the
+latter could not make out; as they had not shot an animal of any kind
+since leaving the lake, and scarcely a scrap of anything was ever left
+behind them. Perhaps the wolves were _living upon hope_.
+
+One evening our travellers had made their camp on the side of a
+ridge--which they had just crossed--and under the shelter of some rough
+rocks. There was no wood in the neighbourhood wherewith to make a fire;
+but they had scraped the snow from the place over which their tent was
+pitched, and under it their skins were spread upon the ground. As the
+tent was a very small one, Marengo's sledge, with the utensils and
+pemmican bags, was always left outside close by the opening. Marengo
+himself slept there, and that was considered sufficient to secure all
+these things from wolves, or any other creatures that might be prowling
+about.
+
+On the evening in question, the sledge was in its usual place--the dog
+having been taken from it--and as our voyageurs had not yet had their
+supper, the pemmican bags were lying loosely about, one or two of them
+being open. There was a small rivulet at the foot of the ridge--some two
+hundred paces distant--and Basil and Francois had gone down to it to get
+water. One of them took the axe to break the ice with, while the other
+carried a vessel. On arriving near the bank of the rivulet, the
+attention of the boys was attracted to a singular appearance upon the
+snow. A fresh shower had fallen that morning, and the surface was still
+soft, and very smooth. Upon this they observed double lines of little
+dots, running in different directions, which, upon close inspection,
+appeared to be the tracks of some animal.
+
+At first, Basil and Francois could hardly believe them to be such, the
+tracks were so very small. They had never seen so small ones
+before--those of a mouse being quite double the size. But when they
+looked more closely at them, the boys could distinguish the marks of
+five little toes with claws upon them, which left no doubt upon their
+minds that some living creature, and that a very diminutive one, must
+have passed over the spot. Indeed, had the snow not been both
+fine-grained and soft, the feet of such a creature could not have made
+any impression upon it.
+
+The boys stopped and looked around, thinking they might see the animal
+itself. There was a wide circle of snow around them, and its surface
+was smooth and level; but not a speck upon it betrayed the presence of
+any creature.
+
+"Perhaps it was a bird," said Francois, "and has taken flight."
+
+"I think not," rejoined Basil. "They are not the tracks of a bird. It is
+some animal that has gone under the snow, I fancy."
+
+"But I see no hole," said Francois, "where even a beetle could have gone
+down. Let us look for one."
+
+At Francois' suggestion, they walked on following one of the dotted
+lines. Presently they came to a place, where a stalk of long grass stood
+up through the snow--its seedless panicle just appearing above the
+surface. Round this stalk a little hole had been formed--partly by the
+melting of the snow, and partly by the action of the wind upon the
+panicle--and into this hole the tracks led. It was evident that the
+animal, whatever it was, must have gone down the culm of the grass in
+making its descent from the surface of the snow!
+
+They now observed another track going _from_ the hole in an opposite
+direction, which showed that the creature had climbed up in the same
+way. Curious to know what it might have been, the boys hailed Lucien and
+Norman, telling them to come down. These, followed by Marengo, soon
+arrived upon the spot. When Lucien saw the tracks, he pronounced them at
+once to be those of the little shrew-mouse, the smallest of all the
+quadrupeds of America. Several of them had evidently been out upon the
+snow--as there were other dotted lines--and the tops of many stalks of
+grass were seen above the surface, each of which had formed a little
+hole around it, by which the mice were enabled to get up and down.
+
+Norman, who had seen these little animals before, cautioned his
+companions to remain quiet awhile, and perhaps some of them might come
+to the surface. They all stopped therefore, and stood some time without
+moving, or speaking to one another. Presently, a little head not much
+bigger than a pea was seen peeping up, and then a body followed, which
+in size did not exceed that of a large gooseberry! To this a tail was
+suspended, just one inch in length, of a square shape, and tapering from
+root to point, like that of any other mouse. The little creature was
+covered with a close smooth fur, of a clove-brown colour above, but more
+yellowish upon the belly and sides; and was certainly, as it sat upon
+the even surface of the snow, the most diminutive and oddest-looking
+quadruped that any of the party had ever beheld.
+
+They were just whispering to one another what means they should use to
+capture it, when Marengo, whom Basil had been holding quiet, all at once
+uttered a loud bay; and, springing out of the hands of his master,
+galloped off towards the camp. All of them looked after, wondering what
+had started the dog; but his strange behaviour was at once explained,
+and to their consternation. Around the tent, and close to its entrance,
+several large wolves were seen. They were leaping about hurriedly, and
+worrying some objects that lay upon the ground. What these objects were
+was too plain. They were _the bags of pemmican_! Part of their contents
+was seen strewed over the snow, and part was already in the stomachs of
+the wolves.
+
+The boys uttered a simultaneous shout, and ran forward. Marengo was by
+this time among the wolves, and had set fiercely upon one of them. Had
+his masters not been at hand, the fierce brutes would soon have settled
+the account with Marengo. But the former were now close by, and the
+wolves, seeing them, ran off; but, to the consternation of the boys,
+each of them carried off a bag of the pemmican in his mouth with as much
+lightness and speed as if nothing encumbered them!
+
+[Illustration: THE WOLVES AND THE PEMMICAN BAGS.]
+
+"We are lost!" cried Norman, in a voice of terror. "Our provisions are
+gone!--all gone!"
+
+It was true. The next moment the wolves disappeared over the summit of
+the ridge; and although each of the boys had seized his gun, and ran
+after, the pursuit proved an idle one. Not a wolf was overtaken.
+
+Scarce a scrap of the pemmican had been left--only some fragments that
+had been gnawed by the ravenous brutes, and scattered over the snow.
+That night our travellers went to bed supperless; and, what with hunger,
+and the depression of spirits caused by this incident, one and all of
+them kept awake nearly the whole of the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+THE ROCK-TRIPE.
+
+
+They left their skin-couch at an early hour, close after daybreak.
+Hunger and anxiety drove them out of their tent. Not a morsel of
+anything for breakfast! They looked abroad over the country, in order,
+if possible, to descry some living creature. None could be seen--nothing
+but the wilderness waste of snow, with here and there the side of a
+steep hill, or a rock showing cold and bleak. Even the wolves that had
+robbed them were no longer to be seen, as if these creatures knew that
+they had got all that was worth having, and had now taken themselves off
+to hunt for plunder elsewhere.
+
+The situation of our travellers was really one of extreme peril,
+although it may be difficult for you, young reader, to conceive why it
+should be so. They, however, knew it well. They knew that they might
+travel for days through that inhospitable region, without falling in
+with anything that would make a single meal for them. But less time than
+that would suffice to starve them all. Already they felt the pangs of
+hunger--for they had not eaten since their breakfast of the preceding
+day, the wolves having interrupted their preparations for dinner.
+
+It was of no use remaining where they were; so, striking their tent once
+more, they travelled forward. It was but poor consolation to them that
+they travelled much lighter than before. They had nothing to carry but
+their guns, and these they had got ready for work--so that their journey
+partook somewhat of the character of a hunting excursion. They did not
+even follow a direct course, but occasionally turned to one side or the
+other, wherever a clump of willows, or any other roughness on the
+ground, looked like it might be the shelter of game. But during that
+whole day--although they travelled from near sunrise to sunset--not a
+living thing was seen; and for the second night they went supperless to
+bed.
+
+A man will bear hunger for many days--some more, some less--without
+actually dying of it; but at no period will his sufferings be greater
+than during the third or fourth day. He will grow more feeble
+afterwards, but the pain which he endures will not be greater.
+
+On the third day the sufferings of our party were extreme. They began to
+chew pieces of their skin-tent and blankets; but although this took the
+sharp edge off their appetites, it added nothing to their strength; and
+they still craved for food, and grew feebler.
+
+To use a poetical phrase, Marengo now became the "cynosure of every
+eye." Marengo was not very fat. The sledge and short rations had thinned
+him down, and his ribs could be easily traced. Although the boys, and
+Basil in particular, would have suffered much before sacrificing him,
+yet starvation will reconcile a man to part with his best friend. In
+spite of their friendship for Marengo, his masters could not help
+scanning him from time to time with hungry looks. Marengo was an old
+dog, and, no doubt, as tough as a piece of tan-leather; but their
+appetites were made up for anything.
+
+It was near mid-day. They had started early, as on the day before. They
+were trudging wearily along, and making but little progress. Marengo was
+struggling with his sledge, feeble as any of the party. Basil saw that
+the eyes of his companions were from time to time bent upon the dog; and
+though none of them said anything, he understood the thoughts that were
+passing within them. He knew that none of them wished to propose it--as
+Basil was the real master of Marengo--but their glances were
+sufficiently intelligible to him. He looked at the downcast countenance
+of the once merry Francois--at the serious air of Norman--at the wan
+cheek and sunken eye of Lucien, whom Basil dearly loved. He hesitated no
+longer. His duty to his companions at once overcame his affection for
+his faithful dog.
+
+"We must kill _him_!" said he, suddenly stopping, and pointing to
+Marengo.
+
+The rest halted.
+
+"I fear there's no help for it," said Norman, turning his face in every
+direction, and sweeping the surface of the snow with hopeless glances.
+
+Francois also assented to the proposal.
+
+"Let us make a condition," suggested Lucien; "I for one could walk five
+miles farther." And as Lucien said this, he made an effort to stand
+erect, and look strong and brave; but Basil knew it was an effort of
+_generosity_.
+
+"No," said he,--"no, dear Luce. You are done up. We must kill the dog!"
+
+"Nonsense, Basil, you mistake," replied the other; "I assure you I am
+far from being done up. I could go much farther yet. Stay!" continued
+he, pointing ahead; "you see yonder rocks? They are about three miles
+off, I should think. They lie directly in our course. Well, now, let us
+agree to this condition. Let us give poor Marengo a chance for his life.
+If we find nothing before reaching those rocks, why then----"
+
+And Lucien, seeing Marengo gazing up in his face, left the sentence
+unfinished. The poor brute looked up at all of them as though he
+understood every word that they were saying; and his mute appeal, had it
+been necessary, would not have been thrown away. But it did not require
+that to get him the proposed respite. All agreed willingly with Lucien's
+proposition; and, shouldering their pieces, the party moved on.
+
+Lucien had purposely understated the distance to the rocks. It was five,
+instead of three miles; and some of them made it full ten, as they were
+determined Marengo should have the benefit of every chance. They
+deployed like skirmishers; and not a brake or brush that lay to the
+right or left of the path but was visited and beaten by one or other of
+them. Their diligence was to no purpose. After two hours' weary work,
+they arrived among the rocks, having seen not a trace of either
+quadruped or bird.
+
+"Come!" cried Lucien in his now feeble voice, still trying to look
+cheerful, "we must pass through them. There is a chance yet. Let him
+have fair play. The rocks were to be the limit, but it was not stated
+what part of them. Let us pass through to the other side--they do not
+extend far."
+
+Encouraged by the words of Lucien, the party entered among the rocks,
+moving on separate paths. They had gone only a few paces, when a shout
+from Norman caused the rest to look to him for an explanation. No animal
+was in sight. Had he seen any? No; but something that gratified him
+certainly, for his voice and manner expressed it.
+
+"What is it?" inquired the others, all speaking at the same time.
+
+"_Tripe de roche_!" answered he.
+
+"_Tripe de roche_?"
+
+"Yes," replied Norman, "look there!" and he pointed to one of the rocks
+directly ahead of them, at the same time moving forward to it. The
+others hastened up after. On reaching the rock, they saw what Norman had
+meant by the words _tripe de roche_ (rock-tripe). It was a black, hard,
+crumply substance, that nearly covered the surface of the rock, and was
+evidently of a vegetable nature. Lucien knew what it was as well as
+Norman, and joy had expressed itself upon his pale cheeks at the sight.
+As for Basil and Francois they only stood waiting an explanation, and
+wondering what value a quantity of "rock moss," as they deemed it, could
+be to persons in their condition.
+
+Lucien soon informed them that it was not a "moss," but a "lichen," and
+of that celebrated species which will sustain human life. It was the
+_Gyrophora_. Norman confirmed Lucien's statement, and furthermore
+affirmed, that not only the Indians and Esquimaux, but also parties of
+voyageurs, had often subsisted upon it for days, when they would
+otherwise have starved. There are many species,--not less than five or
+six. All of them possess nutritive properties, but only one is a
+palatable food--the _Gyrophora vellea_ of botanists. Unfortunately this
+was not the sort which our voyageurs had happened upon, as it grows only
+upon rocks shaded by woods, and is rarely met with in the open barrens.
+The one, however, which Norman had discovered was the "next best," and
+they were all glad at finding even that.
+
+The first thing to be thought of was to collect it, and all four set to
+peeling and scraping it from the rocks. The next thought was to make it
+ready for eating. Here a new difficulty stared them in the face. The
+_tripe de roche_ had to be boiled,--it could not be eaten else,--and
+where was the fire? where was the wood to make one? Not a stick was to
+be seen. They had not met with a tree during all that day's journey!
+
+They were now as badly off as ever. The _tripe de roche_ would be of no
+more use to them than so much dry grass. What could they do with it?
+
+In the midst of their suspense, one of them thought of the
+sledge.--Marengo's sledge. That would make a fire, but a very small one.
+It might do to cook a single meal. Even that was better than none.
+Marengo was not going to object to the arrangement. He looked quite
+willing to part with the sledge. But a few hours before, it came near
+being used to cook Marengo himself. He was not aware of that, perhaps,
+but no matter. All agreed that the sledge must be broken up, and
+converted into firewood.
+
+They were about taking it to pieces, and had already "unhitched"
+Marengo from it, when Basil, who had walked to the other side of the
+rocky jumble, cried back to them to desist. He had espied some willows
+at no great distance. Out of these a fire could be made. The sledge,
+therefore, was let alone for the present. Basil and Francois immediately
+started for the willows, while Norman and Lucien remained upon the spot
+to prepare the "tripe" for the pot.
+
+In a short time the former parties returned with two large bundles of
+willows, and the fire was kindled. The _tripe de roche_, with some
+snow--for there was no water near--was put into the pot, and the latter
+hung over the blaze.
+
+After boiling for nearly an hour, the lichen became reduced to a soft
+gummy pulp, and Norman thickened the mess to his taste by putting in
+more snow, or more of the "tripe," as it seemed to require it. The pot
+was then taken from the fire, and all four greedily ate of its contents.
+It was far from being palatable, and had a clammy "feel" in the mouth,
+something like sago; but none of the party was in any way either dainty
+or fastidious just at that time, and they soon consumed all that had
+been cooked. It did not satisfy the appetite, though it filled the
+stomach, and made their situation less painful to bear.
+
+Norman informed them that it was much better when cooked with a little
+meat, so as to make broth. This Norman's companions could easily credit,
+but where was the meat to come from? The Indians prefer the _tripe de
+roche_ when prepared along with the roe of fish, or when boiled in fish
+liquor.
+
+Our weary voyageurs resolved to remain among the rocks for that night at
+least; and with this intent they put up their little tent. They did not
+kindle any fire, as the willows were scarce, and there would be barely
+enough to make one or two more boilings of the rock-tripe. They spread
+their skins within the tent, and creeping in, kept one another as warm
+as they could until morning.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+THE POLAR HARE AND GREAT SNOWY OWL.
+
+
+Of course hunger kept them from sleeping late. They were up and out of
+the tent by an early hour. Their fire was re-kindled, and they were
+making preparations for a fresh pot of rock-tripe, when they were
+startled by the note of a well-known bird. On looking up, they beheld
+seated upon the point of a rock the creature itself, which was the
+"cinereous crow," or, as it is better known, the "whiskey Jack." The
+latter name it receives from the voyageurs, on account of the
+resemblance of its Indian appellation, "whiskae-shaw-neesh" to the words
+"whiskey John." Although sometimes called the "cinereous crow," the bird
+is a true jay.
+
+It is one of the most inelegant of the genus, being of a dull grey
+colour, and not particularly graceful in its form. Its plumage,
+moreover, does not consist of webbed feathers, but rather more resembles
+hair; nor does its voice make up for the plainness of its appearance, as
+is the case with some birds. On the contrary, the voice of "whiskey
+Jack" is plaintive and squeaking, though he is something of a mocker in
+his way, and frequently imitates the notes of other birds. He is one of
+those creatures that frequent the habitations of man, and there is not
+a fur post, or fort, in all the Hudson's Bay territory, where "whiskey
+Jack" is not familiarly known.
+
+He is far from being a favourite, however, as, like his near relative
+the magpie, he is a great thief, and will follow the marten-trapper all
+day while baiting his traps, perching upon a tree until the bait is set,
+and then pouncing down, and carrying it off. He frequently pilfers small
+articles from the forts and encampments, and is so bold as to enter the
+tents, and seize food out of any vessel that may contain it.
+Notwithstanding all this, he is a favourite with the traveller through
+these inhospitable regions. No matter how barren the spot where the
+voyageur may make his camp, his tent will hardly be pitched, before he
+receives a visit from "whiskey Jack," who comes, of course, to pick up
+any crumbs that may fall. His company, therefore, in a region where all
+other wild creatures shun the society of man, endears him to the lonely
+traveller.
+
+At many of their camps our voyageurs had met with this singular bird,
+and were always glad to receive him as a friend. They were now doubly
+delighted to see him, but this delight arose from no friendly feelings.
+Their guest was at once doomed to die. Francois had taken up his gun,
+and in the next moment would have brought him down, had he not been
+checked by Norman. Not that Norman intended to plead for his life, but
+Norman's eye had caught sight of another "whiskey Jack,"--which was
+hopping among the rocks at some distance--and fearing that Francois'
+shot might frighten it away, had hindered him from firing. It was
+Norman's design to get both.
+
+The second "whiskey Jack," or, perhaps, it was the "whiskey Jill," soon
+drew near; and both were now seen to hop from rock to rock, and then
+upon the top of the tent, and one of them actually settled upon the edge
+of the pot, as it hung over the fire, and quietly looking into it,
+appeared to scrutinize its contents!
+
+The boys could not think of any way of getting the birds, except by
+Francois' gun; and it was at length agreed that Francois should do his
+best. He was sure of one of them, at least; so telling the others to get
+behind him, he fired at the more distant one where it sat upon the tent,
+and took the other on the wing.
+
+Both shots were successful. The two jays fell, and were soon divested of
+their soft, silky, hair-like plumage, and dropped into the boiling pot.
+They did not weigh together more than about six or seven ounces; but
+even that was accounted something under present circumstances; and, with
+the _tripe de roche_, a much better breakfast was made than they had
+anticipated.
+
+No more of the lichen could be found. The rocks were all searched, but
+only a few patches--not enough for another full meal--could be obtained.
+The travellers had no other resource, therefore, but to continue on, and
+passing through the rocky ground, they once more embarked upon the
+wilderness of snow.
+
+During that whole day not a living creature gladdened their eyes. They
+saw nothing that was eatable--fish, flesh, fowl, or vegetable. Not even
+a bit of rock-tripe--in these parts the last resource of starving
+men--could be met with. They encamped in a plain, where not a tree
+stood--not even a rock to shelter them.
+
+Next morning a consultation was held. Marengo was again the subject of
+their thoughts and conversation. Should they kill him on the spot or go
+a little farther? That was the question. Lucien, as before, interposed
+in his favour. There was a high hill many miles off, and in their proper
+course. "Let us first reach yonder hill," proposed Lucien. "If nothing
+is found before that, then we must part with Marengo."
+
+The proposal was agreed to, and, striking their tent, they again set
+out.
+
+It was a toilsome long way to that hill--feeble and weary as they all
+were--but they reached it without having observed the slightest trace of
+animal life.
+
+"Up the hill!" cried Lucien, beckoning to the others, and cheering them
+with his weak voice, "Up the hill!"
+
+On they went, up the steep declivity--Marengo toiling on after them. The
+dog looked downcast and despairing. He really appeared to know the
+conditions that had been made for his life. His masters, as they crept
+upward, looked sharply before them. Every tuft that appeared above the
+snow was scrutinized, and every inch of the ground, as it came into
+view, was examined.
+
+At length they crossed the escarpment of the hill, and stood upon the
+summit. They gazed forward with disappointed feelings. The hill-top was
+a sort of table plain, of about three hundred yards in diameter. It was
+covered with snow, nearly a foot in depth. A few heads of withered grass
+were seen above the surface, but not enough to subdue the uniform white
+that prevailed all over. There was no creature upon it; that was
+evident. A bird as big as a sparrow, or a quadruped as large as a
+shrew-mouse, could have been seen upon any part of it. A single glance
+satisfied all of them that no living thing was there.
+
+They halted without proceeding farther. Some of them could not have gone
+another mile, and all of them were tottering in their tracks. Marengo
+had arrived upon the summit, and stood a little to one side, with the
+sledge behind him.
+
+"_You_ must do it!" said Basil, speaking to Norman in a hoarse voice,
+and turning his head away. Lucien and Francois stepped aside at the same
+time, and stood as if looking down the hill. The countenances of all
+three betokened extreme sorrow. There was a tear in Basil's eye that he
+was trying to wipe away with his sleeve.
+
+The sharp click of Norman's gun was heard behind them, and they were all
+waiting for the report, when, at that moment, a dark shadow passing over
+the white declivity arrested their attention! It was the shadow of a
+bird upon the wing. The simultaneous exclamation of all three stayed
+Norman's finger--already pressing upon the trigger--and the latter,
+turning round, saw that they were regarding some object in the air. It
+was a bird of great size--almost as large as an eagle, but with the
+plumage of a swan. It was white all over--both body and wings--white as
+the snow over which it was sailing. Norman knew the bird at a glance.
+Its thick short neck and large head--its broad-spreading wings, of milky
+whiteness, were not to be mistaken. It was the "great snowy owl" of the
+Arctic regions.
+
+Its appearance suddenly changed the aspect of affairs. Norman let the
+butt of his rifle fall to the ground, and stood, like the rest, watching
+the bird in its flight.
+
+The snowy owl is, perhaps, the most beautiful, as it is one of the most
+powerful birds of its genus--of which there are more than a dozen in
+North America. It is a bird of the Polar regions--even the most
+remote--and in the dead of winter it is found within the Arctic circle,
+on both Continents--although at the same season it also wanders farther
+south. It dwells upon the Barren Grounds as well as in wooded districts.
+In the former it squats upon the snow, where its peculiar colour often
+prevents it from being noticed by the passing hunter. Nature has
+furnished it with every protection from the cold. Its plumage is thick,
+closely matted, and downy, and it is feathered to the very eyes--so that
+its legs appear as large as those of a good-sized dog. The bill, too, is
+completely hidden under a mass of feathers that cover its face, and not
+even a point of its whole body is exposed.
+
+The owl is usually looked upon as a night-bird, and in Southern
+latitudes it is rarely seen by day; but the owls of the Northern regions
+differ from their congeners in this respect. They hunt by day, even
+during the bright hours of noon. Were it not so, how could they exist in
+the midst of an Arctic summer, when the days are months in duration?
+Here we have another example of the manner in which Nature trains her
+wild creatures to adapt themselves to their situation.
+
+At least a dozen species of owls frequent the territory of the Hudson's
+Bay Company--the largest of which is the cinereous owl, whose wings have
+a spread of nearly five feet. Some species migrate south on the approach
+of winter; while several, as the snowy owl, remain to prey upon the
+ptarmigan, the hares, and other small quadrupeds, who, like themselves,
+choose that dreary region for their winter home.
+
+Our travellers, as I have said, stood watching the owl as it soared
+silently through the heavens. Francois had thrown his gun across his
+left arm, in hopes he might get a shot at it; but the bird--a shy one at
+all times--kept away out of range; and, after circling once or twice
+over the hill, uttered a loud cry and flew off.
+
+Its cry resembled the moan of a human being in distress; and its effect
+upon the minds of our travellers, in the state they then were, was far
+from being pleasant. They watched the bird with despairing looks, until
+it was lost against the white background of a snow-covered hill.
+
+They had noticed that the owl appeared to be just taking flight when
+they first saw it. It must have risen up from the hill upon which they
+were; and they once more ran their eyes along the level summit, curious
+to know where it had been perched that they had not seen it. No doubt,
+reflected they, it had been near enough, but its colour had rendered it
+undistinguishable from the snow.
+
+"What a pity!" exclaimed Francois.
+
+While making these reflections, and sweeping their glances around, an
+object caught their eyes that caused some of them to ejaculate and
+suddenly raise their guns. This object was near the centre of the summit
+table, and at first sight appeared to be only a lump of snow; but upon
+closer inspection, two little round spots of a dark colour, and above
+these two elongated black marks, could be seen. Looking steadily, the
+eye at length traced the outlines of an animal, that sat in a crouching
+attitude. The round spots were its eyes, and the black marks above them
+were tips of a pair of very long ears. All the rest of its body was
+covered with a soft white fur, hardly to be distinguished from the snow
+upon which it rested.
+
+The form and colour of the animal, but more especially its long erect
+ears, made it easy for them to tell what it was. All of them saw it was
+a hare.
+
+"Hush!" continued Norman, as soon as he saw it, "keep still all of
+you--leave it to me."
+
+"What shall we do?" demanded Basil. "Can we not assist you?"
+
+"No," was the reply, uttered in a whisper, "stay where you are. Keep the
+dog quiet. I'll manage puss, if the owl hasn't scared her too badly.
+That scream has started her out of her form. I'm certain she wasn't that
+way before. Maybe she'll sit it out. Lucky the sun's high--don't move a
+step. Have the dog ready, but hold him tight, and keep a sharp look out
+if she bolts."
+
+After giving these instructions, that were all uttered quickly and in an
+under tone, Norman moved off, with his gun carried across his arm. He
+did not move in the direction of the hare, but rather as if he was going
+_from_ her. His course, however, bent gradually into a circle of which
+the hare was the centre--the diameter being the full breadth of the
+summit level, which was about three hundred yards. In this circle he
+walked round and round, keeping his eye fixed upon the crouching animal.
+When he had nearly completed one circumference, he began to shorten the
+diameter--so that the curve which he was now following was a spiral one,
+and gradually drawing nearer to the hare. The latter kept watching him
+as he moved--curiosity evidently mingling with her fears. Fortunately,
+as Norman had said, the sun was nearly in the vertex of the heavens, and
+his own body cast very little shadow upon the snow. Had it been
+otherwise, the hare would have been frightened at the moving shadow, and
+would have sprung out of her form, before he could have got within
+range.
+
+When he had made some four or five circuits, Norman moved slower and
+slower, and then stopped nearly opposite to where the others were. These
+stood watching him with beating hearts, for they knew that the life of
+Marengo, and perhaps their own as well, depended on the shot. Norman had
+chosen his place, so that in case the hare bolted, she might run towards
+them, and give them the chance of a flying shot. His gun was already at
+his shoulder--his finger rested on the trigger, and the boys were
+expecting the report, when again the shadow of a bird flitted over the
+snow, a loud human-like scream sounded in their ears, and the hare was
+seen to spring up, and stretch her long legs in flight. At the same
+instant the great snowy owl was observed wheeling above, and threatening
+to pounce upon the fleeing animal!
+
+The hare ran in a side direction, but it brought her as she passed
+within range of the party by the sledge. The owl kept above her as she
+ran. A dozen leaps was all the hare ever made. A loud crack was heard,
+and she was seen to spring up and fall back upon the snow, dead as a
+door-nail. Like an echo another crack followed--a wild scream rang
+through the air, and the great white owl fell fluttering to the earth.
+The reports were not of a rifle. They were the louder detonations of a
+shot gun. All eyes were turned towards Francois, who, like a little god,
+stood enveloped in a halo of blue smoke. Francois was the hero of the
+hour.
+
+Marengo rushed forward and seized the struggling owl, that snapped its
+bill at him like a watchman's rattle. But Marengo did not care for that;
+and seizing its head in his teeth, gave it a crunch that at once put an
+end to its flapping.
+
+Marengo was reprieved, and he seemed to know it, as he bounded over the
+snow, waving his tail, and barking like a young fool.
+
+They all ran up to the hare, which proved to be the "Polar hare" and one
+of the largest of its species--not less than fifteen pounds in weight.
+Its fur, soft and white like swan-down, was stained with red blood. It
+was not quite dead. Its little heart yet beat faintly, and the light of
+life was still shining from its beautiful honey-coloured eyes. Both it
+and the owl were taken up and carried to the sledge, which was once more
+attached to Marengo, as the party intended to go forward and halt under
+the shelter of the hill.
+
+"There must be some wood in this quarter," remarked Norman; "I never
+knew this sort of hare far from timber."
+
+"True," said Lucien, "the Polar hare feeds upon willows, arbutus, and
+the Labrador tea-plant. Some of these kinds must be near."
+
+While they were speaking, they had reached the brow of the hill, on the
+opposite side from where they had ascended. On looking into the valley
+below, to their great joy they beheld some clumps of willows, and
+good-sized trees of poplar, birch, and spruce-pine, and passing down the
+hill, the travellers soon stood in their midst. Presently was heard the
+chipping sound of an axe and crash of falling timber, and in a few
+moments after a column of smoke was seen soaring up out of the valley,
+and curling cheerfully towards the bright blue sky.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+THE JUMPING MOUSE AND THE ERMINE.
+
+
+Large as the hare was, she would have made but a meal for our four
+hungry voyageurs, had they eaten at will. By Lucien's advice, however,
+they restrained themselves, and half of her was left for supper, when
+the "cook" promised to make them hare-soup. The head, feet, and other
+spare bits, fell to Marengo's share. The owl, whose flesh was almost as
+white as its plumage, and, as Norman well knew, most delicate eating,
+was reserved for to-morrow's breakfast.
+
+They had pitched their tent with the intention of remaining at that
+place all night, and continuing their journey next day; but, as it still
+wanted several hours of sunset, and the strength of all was considerably
+recruited, they resolved to hunt about the neighbourhood as long as they
+had light. It was of great importance that they should procure more
+game. The owl would make but a spare breakfast, and after that where was
+the next meal to come from? They had had a temporary relief, and while
+their strength lasted, they must use every effort to procure a further
+supply. The valley in which their new camp was placed looked well for
+game.
+
+It was a sort of oaesis in the Barren Grounds. There was a lake and a
+considerable skirting of timber around it--consisting, as we have said,
+of willows, poplars, spruce-pine, and dwarf birch-trees. The Alpine
+arbutus, whose berries are the food of many species of animals, also
+grew upon the side of the hills; and the Labrador tea-plant was found
+upon the low ground around the lake. The leaves of this last is a
+favourite food of the Polar hare, and our voyageurs had no doubt but
+that there were many of these animals in the neighbourhood. Indeed, they
+had better evidence than conjecture, for they saw numerous hare-tracks
+in the snow. There were tracks of other animals too, for it is a
+well-known fact that where one kind exists, at least two or three others
+will be found in the same habitat--all being connected together by a
+"chain of destruction."
+
+A singular illustration of this was afforded to Lucien, who remained at
+the camp while the rest went out hunting. He had gathered some of the
+leaves of the Labrador tea, and was drying them over the coals,
+intending to cheer his comrades with a cup of this beverage after
+supper. The hare-soup was boiling, and the "cook" sat listening to the
+cheerful sounds that issued from the pot--now and then taking off the
+lid to examine its savoury contents, and give them a stir. He would then
+direct his attention to the tea-leaves that were parching in the
+frying-pan; and, having shifted them a little, felt himself at liberty
+to look about for a minute or two.
+
+On one of these occasions, while glancing up, his attention was
+attracted to an object which appeared upon the snow at a short distance
+from where he sat. A wreath of snow, that had formed under the shelter
+of the hill, extended all around its base, presenting a steep front in
+every direction. This front was only two or three feet in height; but
+the top surface of the wreath was many yards wide--in fact, it extended
+back until it became blended with the slope of the hill. It was smooth
+and nearly level, but the hill above was steep, and somewhat rough and
+rocky. The steep front of the wreath came down within half-a-dozen paces
+of the fire where Lucien was seated; and it was upon the top or
+scarpment of it that the object appeared that had drawn his attention.
+It was a small creature, but it was in motion, and thus had caught his
+eye.
+
+A single glance showed him that the little animal was a mouse, but of a
+somewhat singular species. It was about the size of the common mouse,
+but quite different in colour. The upper half of its body was of a light
+mahogany tint, while the lower half, including the legs and feet, were
+of a milky whiteness. It was, in fact, the "white-footed mouse" (_Mus
+leucopus_), one of the most beautiful of its kind.
+
+Here and there above the surface of the snow protruded the tops of
+arbutus-trees; and the little creature was passing from one of these to
+the other, in search, no doubt, of the berries that remain upon these
+trees all the winter. Sometimes it ran from point to point like any
+other mouse, but now and then it would rear itself on its hind-legs, and
+leap several feet at a single bound! In this it evidently assisted
+itself by pressing its tail--in which it possesses muscular
+power--against the snow. This peculiar mode of progression has obtained
+for it the name of the "jumping-mouse," and among the Indians
+"deer"-mouse, because its leap reminds them of the bounding spring of
+the deer. But there are still other species of "jumping-mice" in America
+that possess this power to a greater degree even than the _Mus
+leucopus_.
+
+Lucien watched its motions without attempting to interfere with it,
+until it had got nearly out of sight. He did not desire to do injury to
+the little creature, nor was he curious to obtain it, as he had already
+met with many specimens, and examined them to his satisfaction. He had
+ceased to think of it, and would, perhaps, never have thought of it
+again, but, upon turning his eyes in the opposite direction, he observed
+another animal upon the snow. This creature had a far different aspect
+from the mouse. Its body was nearly a foot in length, although not much
+thicker than that of the other! Its legs were short, but strong, and its
+forehead broad and arched convexly. It had a tail more than half the
+length of the body, hairy, and tapering like that of a cat. Its form was
+the well-known form of the weasel, and it was, in fact, a species of
+weasel.
+
+It was the celebrated _ermine_, celebrated for its soft and beautiful
+fur, so long prized as an ornament for the robes of the rich. It was
+white all over, with the exception of its tail; and that, for about an
+inch or so at the tip, was covered with black silky hair. On some parts
+of the body, too, the white was tinged with a primrose yellow; but this
+tinge is not found in all animals of this species, as some individuals
+are pure white. Of course it was now in its winter "robes"; but in the
+summer it changes to a colour that does not differ much from that of the
+common weasel.
+
+When Lucien first saw it, it was running along the top of the wreath,
+and coming from the same direction from which the mouse had come. Now
+and then it paused awhile, and then ran on again. Lucien observed that
+it kept its nose to the ground, and as it drew nearer he saw that it was
+following on the same path which the other had taken. To his
+astonishment he perceived that it was _trailing the mouse_! Whatever the
+latter had doubled or made a _detour_, the ermine followed the track;
+and where the mouse had given one of its long leaps, there the ermine
+would stop, and, after beating about until it struck the trail again,
+would resume its onward course at a gallop. Its manoeuvres were exactly
+like those of a hound upon the fresh trail of a fox!
+
+Lucien now looked abroad to discover the mouse. It was still in sight
+far off upon the snow, and, as Lucien could see, busily gnawing at the
+arbutus, quite unconscious that its _greatest_ enemy was so near. I say
+greatest enemy, for the _Mus leucopus_ is the _natural_ prey of the
+_Mustela erminea_.
+
+The mouse was soon made aware of the dangerous proximity, but not until
+the ermine had got within a few feet of it. When it perceived the latter
+it shrunk, at first, among the leaves of the arbutus; but seeing there
+would be no protection there--as the other was still springing forward
+to seize it--it leaped up, and endeavoured to escape by flight. Its
+flight appeared to be in alternate jumps and runs, but the chase was not
+a long one. The ermine was as active as a cat, and, after a few skips,
+its claws were struck into the mouse. There was a short, slender squeak,
+and then a "crunch," like the cracking of a hazel-nut. This last sound
+was produced by the teeth of the ermine breaking through the skull of
+its victim.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+THE ARCTIC FOX AND WHITE WOLF.
+
+
+Lucien turned round to get hold of his rifle, intending to punish the
+ermine, although the little creature, in doing what it did, had only
+obeyed a law of nature. But the boy had also another design in killing
+it: he wished to compare it with some ermines he had seen while
+travelling upon Lake Winnipeg, which, as he thought, were much
+larger--one that he had caught having measured more than a foot in
+length, without including the tail. He wished, also, to make some
+comparison between it and the common weasel; for in its _winter dress_,
+in the snowy regions, the latter very much resembles the ermine; and,
+indeed, the trappers make no distinction between them.
+
+With these ideas Lucien had grasped his gun, and was raising himself to
+creep a little nearer, when his eye was arrested by the motions of
+another creature coming along the top of the wreath. This last was a
+snow-white animal, with long, shaggy fur, sharp-pointed snout, erect
+ears, and bushy tail. Its aspect was fox-like, and its movements and
+attitudes had all that semblance of cunning and caution so
+characteristic of these animals. Well might it, for it _was_ a fox--the
+beautiful white fox of the Arctic regions.
+
+It is commonly supposed that there are but two or three kinds of foxes
+in America; and that these are only varieties of the European species.
+
+This is an erroneous idea, as there are nearly a dozen varieties
+existing in North America, although they may be referred to a less
+number of species. There is the Arctic fox, which is confined to the
+cold Northern regions, and which in winter is white.
+
+The "sooty-fox" is a variety of the "Arctic," distinguished from it only
+by its colour, which is of a uniform blackish brown.
+
+The "American fox" or, as it is commonly called, the "red fox," has been
+long supposed to be the same as the European red fox. This is erroneous.
+They differ in many points; and, what is somewhat curious, these points
+of difference are similar to those that exist between the European and
+American wolves, as already given.
+
+The "cross fox" is supposed by the Indians and some naturalists to be
+only a variety of the last. It derives its name from its having two dark
+stripes crossing each other upon the shoulders. Its fur from this
+circumstance, and perhaps because the animal is scarce, is more prized
+than that of the red variety. When a single skin of the latter is worth
+only fifteen shillings, one of the cross fox will bring as much as five
+guineas.
+
+Another variety of the red fox, and a much more rare one, is the
+"black," or "silver" fox. The skins of these command six times the price
+of any other furs found in America, with the exception of the sea-otter.
+The animal itself is so rare that only a few fall into the hands of the
+Hudson's Bay Company in a season; and Mr. Nicholay, the celebrated
+London furrier, asserts that a single skin will fetch from ten to forty
+guineas, according to quality. A remarkable cloak, or pelisse, belonging
+to the Emperor of Russia, and made out of the skins of silver-foxes, was
+exhibited in the Great London Exposition of 1851. It was made entirely
+from the neck-part of the skins--the only part of the silver-fox which
+is pure black. This cloak was valued at 3400_l._; though Mr. Nicholay
+considers this an exaggerated estimate, and states its true value to be
+not over 1000_l._ George the Fourth had a lining of black fox-skins
+worth 1000_l._
+
+The "grey fox" is a more southern species than any already described.
+Its proper home is the temperate zone covered by the United States;
+although it extends its range into the southern parts of Canada. In the
+United States it is the most common kind, although in that district
+there is also a "red fox," different from the _Vulpus fulvus_ already
+noticed; and which, no doubt, is the red fox of Europe, introduced by
+the early colonists of America.
+
+Still another species, the smallest and perhaps the most interesting of
+any, is the "kit fox." This little creature is an inhabitant of the
+prairies, where it makes its burrows far from any wood. It is extremely
+shy, and the swiftest animal in the prairie country--outrunning even the
+antelope!
+
+When Lucien saw the fox he thought no more of the ermine, but drew back
+and crouched down, in hopes he might get a shot at the larger animal. He
+knew well that the flesh of the Arctic fox is highly esteemed as food,
+particularly by persons situated as he and his companions were, and he
+hoped to be able to add it to their larder.
+
+When first seen it was coming towards him, though not in a direct line.
+It was engaged in hunting, and, with its nose to the snow, was running
+in zig-zag lines, "quartering" the ground like a pointer dog. Presently
+it struck the trail of the ermine, and with a yelp of satisfaction
+followed it. This of course brought it close past where Lucien was; but,
+notwithstanding his eagerness to fire, it moved so rapidly along the
+trail that he was unable to take sight upon it. It did not halt for a
+moment; and, as Lucien's gun was a rifle, he knew that a flying shot
+would be an uncertain one. In the belief, therefore, that the fox would
+stop soon--at all events when it came up with the ermine--he restrained
+himself from firing, and waited.
+
+It ran on, still keeping the track of the ermine. The latter, hitherto
+busy with his own prey, did not see the fox until it was itself seen,
+when, dropping the half-eaten mouse, it reared up on its hind-quarters
+like a squirrel or a monkey, at the same time spitting as spitefully as
+any other weasel could have done. In a moment, however, it changed its
+tactics--for the open jaws of the fox were within a few paces of it--and
+after making a short quick run along the surface, it threw up its
+hind-quarters, and plunged head-foremost into the snow! The fox sprang
+forward, and flinging his brush high in the air, shot after like an
+arrow!
+
+Both had now disappeared from Lucien's sight. For a moment the surface
+of the snow was disturbed above the spot where they had gone down, but
+the next moment all was still, and no evidence existed that a living
+creature had been there, except the tracks, and the break the two
+creatures had made in going down. Lucien ran forward until he was within
+a few yards of the place, and stood watching the hole, with his rifle
+ready--thinking that the fox, at least, would soon come up again.
+
+He had waited for nearly five minutes, looking steadily at this point,
+when his eye was attracted by a movement under the snow, at a
+considerable distance, quite fifty paces, from where he stood. The
+frozen crust was seen to upheave: and, the next moment, the head of the
+fox, and afterwards his whole body, appeared above the surface. Lucien
+saw that the ermine lay transversely between his jaws, and was quite
+dead! He was about to fire, but the fox, suddenly perceiving him, shot
+off like an arrow, carrying his prey along with him.
+
+He was soon out of reach, and Lucien, seeing that he had lost his
+chance, was about to return to the fire, when, all at once, the fox was
+observed to stop, turn suddenly in his tracks, and run off in a new
+direction! Lucien looked beyond to ascertain the cause of this strange
+manoeuvre. That was soon ascertained. Coming down from among the rocks
+was a large animal--five times the fox's size--but in other respects not
+unlike him. It was also of a snow-white colour, with long hair, bushy
+tail, and short erect ears, but its aspect was not to be mistaken. It
+was the great _white wolf_.
+
+When Lucien first saw this new-comer, the latter had just espied the
+fox, and was about stretching out into a gallop towards him. The fox,
+_watching backwards_ as he ran, had not seen the wolf, until the latter
+was within a few springs of him; and now when he had turned, and both
+were in full chase, there was not over twenty yards between them. The
+direction in which they ran would bring them near to Lucien; and so they
+came, and passed him--neither of them seeming to heed his presence. They
+had not got many yards farther, before Lucien perceived that the wolf
+was fast closing on the fox, and would soon capture him. Believing he
+would then stop, so as to offer him a fairer chance for a shot, Lucien
+followed. The wolf, however, had noticed him coming after, and although
+the next moment he closed his great jaws upon the fox, he did not pause
+for a single instant, but, lifting the latter clear up from the ground,
+ran on without the slightest apparent diminution of speed!
+
+Reynard was seen to struggle and kick, while he squeaked like a shot
+puppy; but his cries each moment grew feebler, and his struggles soon
+came to an end. The wolf held him transversely in his jaws--just as he
+himself but the moment before had carried the ermine.
+
+Lucien saw there was no use in following them, as the wolf ran on with
+his prey. With some disappointment, therefore, he was about to return to
+the fire, where, to add to his mortification, he knew he would find his
+tea-leaves parched to a cinder. He lingered a moment, however, with his
+eyes still fixed upon the departing wolf that was just about to
+disappear over the crest of a ridge. The fox was still in his jaws, but
+no longer struggling. Reynard looked limber and dead, as his legs swung
+loosely on both sides of the wolf's head Lucien at that moment saw the
+latter suddenly stop in his career, and then drop down upon the surface
+of the snow as if dead! He fell with his victim in his jaws, and lay
+half doubled up, and quite still.
+
+This strange action would have been a difficult thing for Lucien to
+explain, but, almost at the same instant in which he observed it, a puff
+of blue smoke shot up over the ridge, and quickly following was heard
+the sharp crack of a rifle. Then a head with its cap of raccoon skin
+appeared above the snow, and Lucien, recognising the face of Basil, ran
+forward to meet him.
+
+Both soon stood over the body of the dead wolf, wondering at what they
+saw; but Basil, far more than Lucien--for the latter already knew the
+circumstances of that strange scene of death. First there was the great
+gaunt body of the wolf stretched along the snow, and quite dead.
+Cross-ways in his mouth was the fox, just as he had been carried off;
+and across the jaws of the latter, lay the long worm-like body of the
+ermine, still retaining between its teeth the half-devoured remains of
+the white-footed mouse! A very chain of destroyers! These creatures died
+as they had lived, preying one upon the other! Of all four the little
+mouse alone was an innocent victim. The other three, though morally
+guilty by the laws of man, yet were only acting in obedience to the laws
+of Nature and necessity.
+
+Man himself obeys a similar law, as Basil had just shown. Philosophize
+as we will, we cannot comprehend why it is so--why Nature requires the
+sacrifice of one of her creatures for the sustenance of another. But
+although we cannot understand the cause, we must not condemn the fact as
+it exists; nor must we suppose, as some do, that the destruction of
+God's creatures for our necessities constitutes a crime. They who think
+so, and who, in consistency with their doctrines, confine themselves to
+what they term "vegetable" food, are at best but shallow reasoners. They
+have not studied Nature very closely, else would they know that every
+time they pluck up a parsnip, or draw their blade across the leaf of a
+lettuce, they cause pain and death!
+
+How much pain we cannot tell; but that the plant feels, as well as the
+animal, we can clearly _prove_. Probably it feels less, and it may be
+each kind of plant differs from others in the amount, according to its
+higher or lower organism. Probably its amount of pleasure--its
+capability of enjoyment--is in a direct proportion to the pain which it
+endures; and it is highly probable that this double line of ratios runs
+in an ascending scale throughout the vegetable kingdom, gradually
+joining on to what is more strictly termed the "animal." But these
+mysteries of life, my young friend, will be interesting studies for you
+when your mind becomes matured.
+
+Perhaps it may be your fortune to unravel some of them, for the benefit
+of your fellow-men. I feel satisfied that you will not only be a student
+of Nature, but one of her great teachers; you will far surpass the
+author of this little book in your knowledge of Nature's laws; but it
+will always be a happiness to him to reflect, that, when far advanced
+upon the highway of science, you will look back to him as one you had
+passed upon the road, and who _pointed you to the path_.
+
+Though Basil had shot the wolf, it was plain that it was not the first
+nor yet the second time he had discharged his rifle since leaving the
+camp. From his game-bag protruded the curving claws and wing-tips of a
+great bird. In one hand he carried a white hare--not the Polar hare--but
+a much smaller kind, also an inhabitant of these snowy regions; and over
+his shoulders was slung a fierce-looking creature, the great wild-cat or
+lynx of America. The bird in his bag was the golden eagle, one of the
+few feathered creatures that brave the fierce winter of a northern
+climate, and does not migrate, like its congeners, the "white-head" and
+the osprey, to more southern regions.
+
+Basil had returned alone--for the three, Basil, Norman, and Francois,
+had taken different directions at setting out. This they had done, in
+order to have as great a number of chances as possible of finding the
+game. Norman came in a few minutes after, bearing a whole deer upon his
+shoulders--a glad sight that was--and, a short interval having passed,
+Francois's "hurrah" sounded upon their ears, and Francois himself was
+seen coming up the valley loaded like a little donkey with two bunches
+of large snow-white birds.
+
+The camp now exhibited a cheering sight. Such a variety was never seen
+even in the larder of a palace kitchen. The ground was strewed with
+animals like a dead menagerie. There were no less than a dozen kinds
+upon it!
+
+The hare-soup was now quite ready, and was accordingly served up by
+Lucien in the best style. Lucien had dried a fresh "grist" of the tea
+leaves, and a cheering cup followed; and then the party all sat around
+their log-fire, while each of them detailed the history of his
+experience since parting with the others.
+
+Francois was the first to relate what had befallen him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE JERFALCON AND THE WHITE GROUSE.
+
+
+"Mine," began Francois, "was a bird adventure, as you all see--though
+what kind of birds I've shot, _I_ can't tell. One of them's a hawk, I'm
+sure; but it's a _white_ hawk, and that I never saw before. The rest, I
+suppose, are _white_ partridges. Everything appears to be white here.
+What are they, Luce?"
+
+"You are right about this first," answered Lucien, taking up one of the
+birds which Francois had brought back with him, and which was white all
+but a few spots of clove-brown upon its back. "This is a hawk, as you
+may tell, by its appearance, or rather I should say a 'falcon,' for you
+must know there is a difference."
+
+"What difference?" demanded Francois, with some eagerness of manner.
+
+"Why the principal difference is the formation of their beaks or bills.
+The bills of the true falcons are stronger, and have a notch in the
+lower mandible answering to a tooth in the upper one. Their nostrils,
+too, are differently formed. But another point of distinction is found
+in their habits. Both feed on warm-blooded animals, and neither will eat
+carrion. In this respect the hawks and falcons are alike. Both take
+their prey upon the wing; but herein lies the difference. The hawks
+capture it by skimming along horizontally or obliquely, and picking it
+up as they pass; whereas the true falcons 'pounce' down upon it from
+above, and in a line nearly vertical."
+
+"Then this must be a true falcon," interrupted Francois, "for I saw the
+gentleman do that very thing; and beautifully he did it, too."
+
+"It is a falcon," continued Lucien; "and of the many species of hawks
+which inhabit North America--over twenty in all--it is one of the
+boldest and handsomest. I don't wonder you never saw it before; for it
+is truly a bird of the Northern regions, and does not come so far south
+as the territory of the United States, much less into Louisiana. It is
+found in North Europe, Greenland, and Iceland, and has been seen as far
+north on both continents as human beings have travelled. It is known by
+the name of 'jerfalcon,' or 'gyrfalcon,' but its zoological name is
+_Falco Islandicus_."
+
+"The Indians here," interposed Norman, "call it by a name that means
+'winter bird,' or 'winterer'--I suppose, because it is one of the few
+that stay in these parts all the year round, and is therefore often
+noticed by them in winter time. The traders sometimes call it the
+'speckled partridge-hawk,' for there are some of them more spotted than
+this one is."
+
+"True," said Lucien; "the young ones are nearly of a brown colour, and
+they first become spotted or mottled after a year or two. They are
+several years old before they get the white plumage, and very few
+individuals are seen of a pure white all over, though there are some
+without a spot."
+
+"Yes," continued the naturalist, "it is the jerfalcon; and those other
+birds which you call 'white partridges,' are the very creatures upon
+which it preys. So you have killed both the tyrant and his victims. They
+are not partridges though, but grouse--that species known as 'willow
+grouse.'"
+
+And as Lucien said this, he began to handle the birds, which were of a
+beautiful white all over, with the exception of the tail feathers. These
+last were pitch-black.
+
+"Ho!" exclaimed Lucien, in some surprise, "you have two kinds here! Were
+they all together when you shot them?"
+
+"No," answered Francois; "one I shot along with the hawk out in the open
+ground. All the others I killed upon a tree in a piece of woods that I
+fell in with. There's no difference between them that I can see."
+
+"But I can," said Lucien, "although I acknowledge they all look very
+much alike. Both are feathered to the toes--both have the black feathers
+in the tail--and the bills of both are black; but if you observe
+closely, this kind--the willow-grouse--has the bill much stronger and
+less flattened. Besides, it is a larger bird than the other, which is
+'the rock-grouse.' Both are sometimes, though erroneously, called
+'ptarmigan;' but they are not the true ptarmigan--such as exist in North
+Europe--though these last are also to be met with in the Northern parts
+of America. The ptarmigan are somewhat larger than either of these
+kinds, but in other respects differ but little from them.
+
+"The habits of the 'rock' and 'willow' grouse are very similar. They are
+both birds of the snowy region, and are found as far north as has been
+explored. The willow-grouse in winter keep more among the trees, and are
+oftener met with in wooded countries; whereas the others like best to
+live in the open ground, and, from your statement, it appears you found
+each kind in its favourite haunt."
+
+"Just so," said Francois. "After leaving here, I kept down the valley,
+and was just crossing an open piece of high ground, when I espied the
+white hawk, or falcon as you call it, hovering in the air as I'd often
+seen hawks do. Well, I stopped and hid behind a rock, thinking I might
+have a chance to put a few drops into him. All at once he appeared to
+stand still in the air, and, then closing his wings, shot down like an
+arrow. Just then I heard a loud '_whur-r-r_,' and up started a whole
+covey of white partridges--grouse, I should say--the same as this you
+call the 'rock-grouse.' I saw that the hawk had missed the whole of
+them, and I marked them as they flew off.
+
+"They pitched about a hundred yards or so, and then went plunge under
+the snow--every one of them making a hole for itself just like where one
+had poked their foot in! I guess, boys, this looked funny enough. I
+thought I would be sure to get a shot at some of these grouse as they
+came out again; so I walked straight up to the holes they had made, and
+stood waiting. I still saw the hawk hovering in the air, about an
+hundred yards ahead of me.
+
+"I was considering whether I ought to go farther on, and tramp the birds
+out of the snow; for I believed, of course, they were still under the
+place where the holes were. All at once I noticed a movement on the
+crust of the snow right under where the hawk was flying, and then that
+individual shot down to the spot, and disappeared under the snow! At the
+same instant, the crust broke in several places, and up came the grouse
+one after another, and whirred off out of sight, without giving me any
+sort of a chance. The hawk, however, had not come up yet; and I ran
+forward, determined to take him as soon as he should make his
+appearance. When I had got within shooting distance, up he fluttered to
+the surface, and--what do you think?--he had one of the grouse
+struggling in his claws! I let him have the right barrel, and both he
+and grousy were knocked dead as a couple of door-nails!
+
+"I thought I might fall in with the others again; and kept on in the
+direction they had taken, which brought me at last to a piece of
+woodland consisting of birches and willow-trees. As I was walking along
+the edge of this, I noticed one of the willows, at some distance off,
+covered with great white things, that at first I took for flakes of
+snow; but then I thought it curious that none of the other trees had the
+same upon them. As I came a little nearer, I noticed one of the things
+moving, and then I saw they were birds, and very like the same I had
+just seen, and was then in search of. So I crept in among the trees;
+and, after some dodging, got within beautiful shooting distance, and
+gave them both barrels. There, you see the result!"
+
+Here Francois triumphantly pointed to the pile of birds, which in all,
+with the jerfalcon, counted four brace and a half.
+
+One was the rock-grouse, which the falcon had itself killed, and the
+others were willow-grouse, as Lucien had stated. Francois now remained
+silent, while Basil related his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+THE HARE, THE LYNX, AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.
+
+
+"Frank," began he, "has called his 'a bird adventure.' I might give mine
+somewhat of the same title, for there was a bird mixed up with it--the
+noblest of all birds--the eagle. But you shall hear it.
+
+"On leaving the camp, I went, as you all know, up the valley. After
+travelling for a quarter of a mile or so, I came upon a wide open
+bottom, where there were some scattered willows and clumps of dwarf
+birch-trees. As Luce had told me that such are the favourite food of the
+American hare, or, as we call it in Louisiana, 'rabbit,' I looked out
+for the sign of one, and, sure enough, I soon came upon a track, which I
+knew to be that of 'puss.' It was fresh enough, and I followed it. It
+kept me meandering about for a long while, till at last I saw that it
+took a straight course for some thick brushwood, with two or three low
+birches growing out of it.
+
+"As I made sure of finding the game there, I crept forward very quietly,
+holding Marengo in the leash. But the hare was not in the brush; and,
+after tramping all through it, I again noticed the track where she had
+gone out on the opposite side. I was about starting forth to follow it,
+when all at once an odd-looking creature made its appearance right
+before me. It was that fellow there!" And Basil pointed to the lynx. "I
+thought at first sight," continued he, "it was our Louisiana wild cat or
+bay lynx, as Luce calls it, for it is very like our cat; but I saw it
+was nearly twice as big, and more greyish in the fur. Well, when I first
+sighted the creature, it was about an hundred yards off.
+
+"It hadn't seen me, though, for it was not running away, but skulking
+along slowly--nearly crosswise to the course of the hare's track--and
+looking in a different direction to that in which I was. I was well
+screened behind the bushes, and that, no doubt, prevented it from
+noticing me. At first I thought of running forward, and setting Marengo
+after it. Then I determined on staying where I was, and watching it a
+while. Perhaps it may come to a stop, reflected I, and let me creep
+within shot. I remained, therefore, crouching among the bushes, and kept
+the dog at my feet.
+
+"As I continued to watch the cat, I saw that, instead of following a
+straight line, it was moving in a circle!
+
+"The diameter of this circle was not over an hundred yards; and in a
+very short while the animal had got once round the circumference, and
+came back to where I had first seen it. It did not stop there, but
+continued on, though not in its old tracks. It still walked in a circle,
+but a much smaller one than before. Both, however, had a common centre;
+and, as I noticed that the animal kept its eyes constantly turned
+towards the centre, I felt satisfied that in that place would be found
+the cause of its strange manoeuvring. I looked to the centre. At first I
+could see nothing--at least nothing that might be supposed to attract
+the cat. There was a very small bush of willows, but they were thin. I
+could see distinctly through them, and there was no creature there,
+either in the bush or around it. The snow lay white up to the roots of
+the willows, and I thought that a mouse could hardly have found shelter
+among them, without my seeing it from where I stood.
+
+"Still I could not explain the odd actions of the lynx, upon any other
+principle than that it was in the pursuit of game; and I looked again,
+and carefully examined every inch of the ground as my eyes passed over
+it. This time I discovered what the animal was after. Close into the
+willows appeared two little parallel streaks of a dark colour, just
+rising above the surface of the snow. I should not have noticed them had
+there not been two of them, and these slanting in the same direction.
+They had caught my eyes before, but I had taken them for the points of
+broken willows. I now saw that they were the ears of some animal, and I
+thought that once or twice they moved slightly while I was regarding
+them.
+
+"After looking at them steadily for a time, I made out the shape of a
+little head underneath. It was white, but there was a round dark spot in
+the middle, which I knew to be an eye. There was no body to be seen.
+That was under the snow, but it was plain enough that what I saw was the
+head of a hare. At first I supposed it to be a Polar hare--such as we
+had just killed--but the tracks I had followed were not those of the
+Polar hare. Then I remembered that the 'rabbit' of the United States
+also turns white in the winter of the Northern regions. This, then, must
+be the American rabbit, thought I.
+
+"Of course my reflections did not occupy all the time I have taken in
+describing them. Only a moment or so. All the while the lynx was moving
+round and round the circle, but still getting nearer to the hare that
+appeared eagerly to watch it. I remembered how Norman had manoeuvred to
+get within shot of the Polar hare; and I now saw the very same _ruse_
+being practised by a dumb creature, that is supposed to have no other
+guide than instinct. But I had seen the 'bay lynx' of Louisiana do some
+'dodges' as cunning as that,--such as claying his feet to make the
+hounds lose the scent, and, after running backwards and forwards upon a
+fallen log, leap into the tops of trees, and get off in that way."
+
+"Believing that his Northern cousin was just as artful as himself" (here
+Basil looked significantly at the "Captain,") "I did not so much wonder
+at the performance I now witnessed. Nevertheless, I felt a great
+curiosity to see it out. But for this curiosity I could have shot the
+lynx every time he passed me on the nearer edge of the circle. Round and
+round he went, then, until he was not twenty feet from the hare, that,
+strange to say, seemed to regard this the worst of her enemies more with
+wonder than fear. The lynx at length stopped suddenly, brought his four
+feet close together, arched his back like an angry cat, and then with
+one immense bound, sprang forward upon his victim.
+
+"The hare had only time to leap out of her form, and the second spring
+of the lynx brought him right upon the top of her. I could hear the
+child-like scream which the American rabbit always utters when thus
+seized; but the cloud of snow-spray raised above the spot prevented me
+for a while from seeing either lynx or hare. The scream was stifled in a
+moment, and when the snow-spray cleared off, I saw that the lynx held
+the hare under his paws, and that 'puss' was quite dead.
+
+"I was considering how I might best steal up within shooting distance,
+when, all at once, I heard another scream of a very different sort. At
+the same time a dark shadow passed over the snow. I looked up, and
+there, within fifty yards of the ground, a great big bird was wheeling
+about. I knew it to be an eagle from its shape; and at first I fancied
+it was a young one of the white-headed kind--for, as you are aware,
+these do not have either the white head or tail until they are several
+years old. Its immense size, however, showed that it could not be one of
+these. It must be the great _'golden' eagle_ of the Rocky Mountains,
+thought I.
+
+"When I first noticed it, I fancied that it had been after the rabbit;
+and, seeing the latter pounced upon by another preying creature, had
+uttered its scream at being thus disappointed of its prey. I expected,
+therefore, to see it fly off. To my astonishment it broke suddenly out
+of the circles in which it had been so gracefully wheeling, and, with
+another scream wilder than before, darted down towards the lynx!
+
+"The latter, on hearing the first cry of the eagle, had started, dropped
+his prey, and looked up. In the eagle he evidently recognised an
+antagonist, for his back suddenly became arched, his fur bristled up,
+his short tail moved quickly from side to side, and he stood with
+glaring eyes, and claws ready to receive the attack.
+
+"As the eagle came down, its legs and claws were thrown forward, and I
+could then tell it was not a bald eagle, nor the great "Washington
+eagle," nor yet a fishing eagle of any sort, which both of these are.
+The fishing eagles, as Lucien had told me, _have always naked legs_,
+while those of the true eagles are more feathered. So were his, but
+beyond the feathers I could see his great curved talons, as he struck
+forward at the lynx. He evidently touched and wounded the animal, but
+the wound only served to make it more angry: and I could hear it purring
+and spitting like a tom-cat, only far louder.
+
+"The eagle again mounted back into the air, but soon wheeled round and
+shot down a second time. This time the lynx sprang forward to meet it,
+and I could hear the concussion of their bodies as they came together. I
+think the eagle must have been crippled, so that it could not fly up
+again, for the fight from that time was carried on upon the ground. The
+lynx seemed anxious to grasp some part of his antagonist's body--and at
+times I thought he had succeeded--but then he was beaten off again by
+the bird, that fought furiously with wings, beak, and talons."
+
+[Illustration: THE LYNX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE.]
+
+"The lynx now appeared to be the attacking party, as I saw him
+repeatedly spring forward at the eagle, while the latter always received
+him upon its claws, lying with its back upon the snow. Both fur and
+feathers flew in every direction, and sometimes the combatants were so
+covered with the snow-spray that I could see neither of them.
+
+"I watched the conflict for several minutes, until it occurred to me,
+that my best time to get near enough for a shot was just while they were
+in the thick of it, and not likely to heed me. I therefore moved
+silently out of the bushes; and, keeping Marengo in the string, crept
+forward. I had but the one bullet to give them, and with that I could
+not shoot both; but I knew that the quadruped was eatable, and, as I was
+not sure about the bird, I very easily made choice, and shot the lynx.
+To my surprise the eagle did not fly off, and I now saw that one of its
+wings was disabled! He was still strong enough, however, to scratch
+Marengo severely before the latter could master him. As to the lynx, he
+had been roughly handled. His skin was torn in several places, and one
+of his eyes, as you see, regularly 'gouged out.'"
+
+Here Basil ended his narration; and after an interval, during which some
+fresh wood was chopped and thrown upon the fire, Norman, in turn,
+commenced relating what had befallen him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE "ALARM BIRD" AND THE CARIBOU.
+
+
+"There wasn't much 'adventure' in my day's sport," said he, "though I
+might call it a 'bird-adventure' too, for if it hadn't been for a bird I
+shouldn't have had it. I shot a deer--that's all. But maybe it would be
+curious for you to know how I came to find the animal, so I'll tell you.
+
+"The first thing I did after leaving here was to climb the hill
+yonder"--here Norman pointed to a long hill that sloped up from the
+opposite shore of the lake, and which was the direction he had taken, as
+Basil and Francois had gone right and left.
+
+I saw neither bird, beast, nor track, until I had reached the top of
+the hill. There I got a good view of the country ahead. I saw it was
+very rocky, without a stick of timber, and did not look very promising
+for game. "It's no use going that way," I says to myself; "I'll keep
+along the ridge, above where Frank's gone. He may drive some varmint out
+of the hollow, and I'll get a crack at it, as it comes over the hill.
+
+"I was about to turn to the left when I heard the skreek of a bird away
+ahead of me. I looked in that direction; and, sure enough, saw one
+wheeling about in the air, right above the rocky jumble with which the
+country was covered.
+
+"Now it's a mighty curious bird that I saw. It's a sort of an owl, but,
+I should say myself, there's a sprinkling of the hawk in it--for it's as
+much like the one as the other."
+
+"No doubt," interrupted Lucien, "it was one of the day owls of these
+Northern regions, some of which approach very near to the hawks, both in
+shape and habits. This peculiarity arises from the fact of the long
+summer day--of weeks in duration--within the Arctic circle, requiring
+them to hunt for their prey, just as hawks do; and therefore Nature has
+gifted them with certain peculiarities that make them resemble these
+birds. They want the very broad faces and large tufted heads of the true
+owls; besides the ears, which in the latter are remarkable for their
+size, and also for being operculated, or with lids, in the former are
+not much larger than in other birds of prey. The small hawk-owl which is
+altogether a Northern bird, is one of this kind."
+
+"Very well," continued Norman, "what you say may be very true, cousin
+Luce; I only know that the bird I am speaking about is a mighty curious
+little creature. It ain't bigger than a pigeon, and is of a mottled
+brown colour; but what I call it curious for is this:--Whenever it sees
+any creature passing from place to place, it mounts up into the air, and
+hovers above them, keeping up a constant screeching, like the squalling
+of a child--and that's anything but agreeable. It does so, not only in
+the neighbourhood of its nest--like the plover and some other birds--but
+it will sometimes follow a travelling party for hours together, and for
+miles across the country."
+
+From this circumstance the Indians of these parts call it the "alarm
+bird," or "bird of warning," because it often makes them aware of the
+approach either of their enemies or of strangers. Sometimes it alarms
+and startles the game, while the hunter is crawling up to it; and I have
+known it to bother myself for a while of a day, when I was after grouse.
+It's a great favourite with the Indians though--as it often guides them
+to deer, or musk-oxen, by its flying and screaming above where these
+animals are feeding.
+
+Just in the same way it guided me. I knew, from the movements of the
+bird, that there must be something among the rocks. I couldn't tell
+what, but I hoped it would turn out to be some creature that was
+eatable; so I changed my intention, and struck out for the place where
+it was.
+
+It was a good half mile from the hill, and it cost me considerable
+clambering over the rocks, before I reached the ground. I thought to get
+near enough to see what it was, without drawing the bird upon myself,
+and I crouched from hummock to hummock; but the sharp-eyed creature
+caught sight of me, and came screeching over my head. I kept on without
+noticing it; but as I was obliged to go round some large rocks, I lost
+the direction, and soon found myself wandering back into my own trail.
+
+I could do nothing, therefore, until the bird should leave me, and fly
+back to whatever had first set it a-going. In order that it might do so,
+I crept in under a big stone that jutted out, and lay quiet a bit,
+watching it. It soon flew off, and commenced wheeling about in the air,
+not more than three hundred yards from where I lay. This time I took
+good bearings, and then went on. I did not care for the bird to guide me
+any longer, for I observed there was an open spot ahead, and I was sure
+that there I could see something. And sure enough I did. On peeping
+round the end of a rock, I spied a herd of about fifty deer.
+
+They were reindeer, of course, as there are no others upon the 'Barren
+Grounds,' and I saw they were all does--for at this season the bucks
+keep altogether in the woods. Some of them were pawing the snow to get
+at the moss, while others were standing by the rocks, and tearing off
+the lichens with their teeth. It so happened that I had the wind of
+them, else they would have scented me and made off, for I was within a
+hundred yards of the nearest. I was not afraid of their taking fright,
+so long as they could only see part of my body--for these deer are so
+stupid, or rather so curious, that almost anything will draw them within
+shot.
+
+Knowing this, I practised a trick that had often helped me before; and
+that was to move the barrel of my gun, up and down, with the same sort
+of motion as the deer make with their horns, when rubbing their necks
+against a rock or tree. If I'd had a set of antlers, it would have been
+all the better; but the other answered well enough. It happened the
+animals were not very wild, as, likely, they hadn't been hunted for a
+good while. I bellowed at the same time,--for I know how to imitate
+their call--and, in less than a minute's time, I got several of them
+within range. Then I took aim, and knocked one over, and the rest ran
+off. "That," said Norman, "ended _my_ adventure--unless you call the
+carrying a good hundred pounds weight of deer-meat all the way back to
+camp part of it. If so, I can assure you that it was by far the most
+unpleasant part."
+
+Here Norman finished his narration, and a conversation was carried on
+upon the subject of reindeer, or, as these animals are termed, in
+America, "caribou."
+
+Lucien said that the reindeer is found in the Northern regions of Europe
+and Asia as well as in America, but that there were several varieties of
+them, and perhaps there were different species. Those of Lapland are
+most celebrated, because they not only draw sledges, but also furnish
+food, clothing, and many other commodities for their owners. In the
+north of Asia, the Tungusians have a much larger sort, which they ride
+upon; and the Koreki, who dwell upon the borders of Kamschatka, possess
+vast herds of reindeer--some rich individuals owing as many as ten or
+twenty thousand!
+
+It is not certain that the reindeer of America is exactly the same as
+either of the kinds mentioned; and indeed in America itself there are
+two very distinct kinds--perhaps a third. Two kinds are well known, that
+differ from each other in size, and also in habits. One is the "Barren
+Ground caribou," and the other, the "Woodland caribou." The former is
+one of the smallest of the deer kind--the bucks weighing little over one
+hundred pounds. As its name implies, it frequents the Barren Grounds,
+although in winter it also seeks the shelter of wooded tracts. Upon the
+Barren Grounds, and the desolate shores and islands of the Arctic Sea,
+it is the only kind of deer found, except at one or two points, as the
+mouth of the Mackenzie River--which happens to be a wooded country, and
+there the moose also is met with.
+
+Nature seems to have gifted the Barren Ground caribou with such tastes
+and habits, that a fertile country and a genial clime would not be a
+pleasant home for it. It seems adapted to the bleak, sterile countries
+in which it dwells, and where its favourite food--the mosses and
+lichens--is found. In the short summer of the Arctic regions, it ranges
+still farther north; and its traces have been found wherever the
+Northern navigators have gone. It must remain among the icy islands of
+the Arctic Sea until winter be considerably advanced, or until the sea
+is so frozen as to allow it to get back to the shores of the continent.
+
+The "Woodland caribou" is a larger variety--a Woodland doe being about
+as big as a Barren Ground buck--although the horns of the latter species
+are larger and more branching than those of the former. The Woodland
+kind are found around the shores of Hudson's Bay, and in other wooded
+tracts that lie in the southern parts of the fur countries--into which
+the Barren Ground caribou never penetrates. They also migrate annually,
+but, strange to say, their spring migrations are southward, while, at
+the same season, their cousins of the Barren Grounds are making their
+way northward to the shores of the Arctic Sea. This is a very singular
+difference in their habits, and along with their difference in bulk,
+form, &c., entitles them to be ranked as separate species of deer.
+
+The flesh of the Woodland caribou is not esteemed so good an article of
+food as that of the other; and, as it inhabits a district where many
+large animals are found, it is not considered of so much importance in
+the economy of human life. The "Barren Ground caribou," on the other
+hand, is an indispensable animal to various tribes of Indians, as well
+as to the Esquimaux. Without it, these people would be unable to dwell
+where they do; and although they have not domesticated it, and trained
+it to draught, like the Laplanders, it forms their main source of
+subsistence, and there is no part of its body which they do not turn to
+some useful purpose.
+
+Of its horns they form their fish-spears and hooks, and, previous to the
+introduction of iron by the Europeans, their ice-chisels and various
+other utensils. Their scraping or currying knives are made from the
+split shin-bones. The skins make their clothing, tent-covers, beds, and
+blankets. The raw hide, cleared of the hair and cut into thongs, serves
+for snares, bow-strings, net-lines, and every other sort of ropes. The
+finer thongs make netting for snow-shoes--an indispensable article to
+these people--and of these thongs fish-nets are also woven; while the
+tendons of the muscles, when split, serve for fine sewing-thread.
+Besides these uses, the flesh of the caribou is the food of many tribes,
+Indians and Esquimaux, for most of the year; and, indeed, it may be
+looked upon as their staple article of subsistence.
+
+There is hardly any part of it (even the horns, when soft) that is not
+eaten and relished by them. Were it not for the immense herds of these
+creatures that roam over the country, they would soon be
+exterminated--for they are easily approached, and the Indians have very
+little difficulty, during the summer season, in killing as many as they
+please.
+
+Norman next gave a description of the various modes of hunting the
+caribou practised by the Indians and Esquimaux; such as driving them
+into a pound, snaring them, decoying and shooting them with arrows, and
+also a singular way which the Esquimaux have of taking them in a
+pit-trap built in the snow.
+
+"The sides of the trap," said he, "are built of slabs of snow, cut as if
+to make a snow-house. An inclined plane of snow leads to the entrance of
+the pit, which is about five feet deep, and large enough within to hold
+several deer. The exterior of the trap is banked up on all sides with
+snow; but so steep are these sides left, that the deer can only get up
+by the inclined plane which leads to the entrance. A great slab of snow
+is then placed over the mouth of the pit, and revolves on two axles of
+wood. This slab will carry the deer until it has passed the line of the
+axles, when its weight overbalances one side, and the animal is
+precipitated into the pit. The slab then comes back into a horizontal
+position as before, and is ready to receive another deer. The animals
+are attracted by moss and lichens placed for them on the opposite side
+of the trap--in such a way that they cannot be reached without crossing
+the slab. In this sort of trap several deer are frequently caught during
+a single day."
+
+Norman knew another mode of hunting practised by the Esquimaux, and
+proposed that the party should proceed in search of the herd upon the
+following day; when, should they succeed in finding the deer, he would
+show them how the thing was done; and he had no doubt of their being
+able to make a good hunt of it. All agreed to this proposal, as it would
+be of great importance to them to kill a large number of these animals.
+It is true they had now provision enough to serve for several days--but
+there were perhaps months, not days, to be provided for. They believed
+that they could not be far from the wooded countries near the banks of
+the Mackenzie, as some kinds of the animal they had met with were only
+to be found near timber during the winter season. But what of that? Even
+on the banks of the great river itself they might not succeed in
+procuring game. They resolved, therefore, to track the herd of deer
+which Norman had seen; and for this purpose they agreed to make a stay
+of some days at their present camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+A BATTLE WITH WOLVES.
+
+
+Next morning they were up by early daybreak. The days were now only a
+few hours in length, for it was mid-winter, and they were but three or
+four degrees south of the Arctic circle. Of course they would require
+all the day for the intended hunt of the caribou, as they might have to
+follow the track of the herd for many miles before coming up with the
+animals. Lucien was to remain by the camp, as it would never do to leave
+the animals they had already killed without some guard. To have hung
+them on the trees, would have put them out of the reach of both wolves
+and foxes; but the lynx and wolverene are both tree-climbers, and could
+easily have got at them there.
+
+They had reason to believe there were wolverenes about; for these fierce
+and destructive beasts are found in every part of the fur
+countries--wherever there exist other animals upon which they can prey.
+Eagles, hawks, and owls, moreover, would have picked the partridges from
+the branches of the trees without difficulty. One proposed burying them
+in the snow; but Norman assured them that the Arctic foxes could scent
+them out, and dig them up in a few minutes. Then it was suggested to
+cover them under a pile of stones, as there were plenty of these lying
+about.
+
+To this Norman also objected, saying that the wolverene could pull off
+any stones they were able to pile upon them--as this creature in its
+fore-legs possesses more than the strength of a man. Besides, it was not
+unlikely that one of the great brown bears,--a species entirely
+different from either the black or grizzly bears, and which is only met
+with on the Barren Grounds--might come ranging that way; and he could
+soon toss over any stone-heap they might build. On the whole it was
+better that one of the four should remain by the camp; and Lucien, who
+cared less about hunting than any of them, willingly agreed to be the
+one.
+
+Their arrangements were soon completed, and the three hunters set out.
+They did not go straight towards the place where Norman had found the
+deer upon the preceding day, but took a cross-cut over the hills. This
+was by Norman's advice, who guided himself by the wind--which had not
+changed since the previous day. He knew that the caribou in feeding
+always travel _against_ the wind; and he expected therefore to find them
+somewhere in the direction from which it was blowing. Following a
+course, which angled with that of the wind, they kept on, expecting soon
+to strike the trail of the herd.
+
+Meanwhile Lucien, left to himself, was not idle. He had to prepare the
+flesh of the different animals, so as to render it fit to be carried
+along. Nothing was required farther than to skin and cut them up.
+Neither salting nor drying was necessary, for the flesh of one and all
+had got frozen as stiff as a stone, and in this way it would keep during
+the whole winter. The wolf was skinned with the others, but this was
+because his fine skin was wanted. His flesh was not intended to be
+eaten--although only a day or two before any one of the party would have
+been glad of such a meal.
+
+Not only the Indians, but the voyageurs and fur-traders, while
+journeying through these inhospitable wilds, are often but too delighted
+to get a dinner of wolf-meat. The ermine and the little mouse were the
+only other creatures of the collection that were deemed uneatable. As to
+the Arctic fox and the lynx, the flesh of both these creatures is highly
+esteemed, and is white and tender, almost as much so as the hares upon
+which they feed. The snowy owl too, the jerfalcon, and the eagle, were
+looked upon as part of the larder--the flesh of all being almost as good
+as that of the grouse.
+
+Had it been a fishing eagle--such as the bald-head--the case would have
+been different, for these last, on account of their peculiar food, taste
+rank and disagreeable. But there was no danger of their falling in with
+a fishing eagle at that place. These can only exist where there is
+_open_ water. Hence the cause of their annual migrations to the
+southward, when the lakes and rivers of the fur countries become covered
+with their winter ice.
+
+Though Lucien remained quietly at the camp he was not without adventures
+to keep him from wearying. While he was singeing his grouse his eye
+happened to fall upon the shadow of a bird passing over the snow. On
+looking up he saw a very large bird, nearly as big as an eagle, flying
+softly about in wide circles. It was of a mottled-brown colour; but its
+short neck and great round head told the naturalist at a glance that it
+was a bird of the owl genus. It was the largest of the kind that Lucien
+had ever seen, and was, in fact, the largest known in America--the
+"great cinereous owl." Now and then it would alight upon a rock or tree,
+at the distance of an hundred yards or so from the camp; where it would
+watch the operations of Lucien, evidently inclined to help him in
+dissecting some of the animals. Whenever he took up his gun and tried to
+approach within shot, it would rise into the air again, always keeping
+out of range. Lucien was provoked at this--for he wished, as a
+naturalist, to examine the bird, and for this purpose to kill it, of
+course; but the owl seemed determined that he should do no such thing.
+
+At length, however, Lucien resolved upon a plan to decoy the creature
+within shot. Taking up one of the grouse, he flung it out upon the snow
+some thirty yards from the fire. No sooner had he done so, than the owl,
+at sight of the tempting morsel, left aside both its shyness and
+prudence, and sailed gently forward; then, hovering for a moment over
+the ground, hooked the grouse upon its claws, and was about to carry it
+off, when a bullet from Lucien's rifle, just in the "nick of time," put
+a stop to its further flight, and dropped the creature dead upon the
+snow.
+
+Lucien picked it up and brought it to the camp, where he passed some
+time in making notes upon its size, colour, and other peculiarities. The
+owl measured exactly two feet in length from the point of the bill to
+the end of the tail; and its "alar spread," as naturalists term it, was
+full five feet in extent. It was of a clove-brown colour, beautifully
+mottled with white, and its bill and eyes were of a bright gamboge
+yellow. Like all of its tribe that winter in the Arctic wilds, it was
+feathered to the toes. Lucien reflected that this species lives more in
+the woods than the "great snowy owl," and, as he had heard, is never
+found far out on the Barren Grounds during winter. This fact, therefore,
+was a pleasant one to reflect upon, for it confirmed the testimony which
+the travellers had already obtained from several of the other creatures
+they had killed--that is to say, that they must be in the neighbourhood
+of some timbered country.
+
+Lucien had hardly finished his examination of the owl when he was called
+upon to witness another incident of a still more exciting nature. A
+hill, as already mentioned, or rather a ridge, rose up from the opposite
+shore of the lake by which the camp was pitched. The declivity of this
+hill fronted the lake, and sloped gradually back from the edge of the
+water. Its whole face was smooth and treeless, covered with a layer of
+pure snow. The camp commanded a full view of it up to its very crest.
+
+As Lucien was sitting quietly by the fire a singular sound, or rather
+continuation of sounds, fell upon his ear. It somewhat resembled the
+baying of hounds at a distance; and at first he was inclined to believe
+that it was Marengo on a view-hunt after the deer. On listening more
+attentively, however, he observed that the sounds came from more than
+one animal; and also, that they bore more resemblance to the howling of
+wolves than the deep-toned bay of a bloodhound. This, in fact, it was;
+for the next moment a caribou shot up over the crest of the hill, and
+was seen stretching at full gallop down the smooth declivity in the
+direction of the lake. Not twenty paces in its rear followed a string of
+howling animals, evidently in pursuit of it. There were a dozen of them
+in all, and they were running exactly like hounds upon the "view
+holloa." Lucien saw at a glance they were wolves. Most of them were
+dappled-grey and white, while some were of a pure white colour. Any one
+of them was nearly as large as the caribou itself; for in these
+parts--around Great Slave Lake--the wolf grows to his largest size.
+
+The caribou gained upon them as it bounded down the slope of the hill.
+It was evidently making for the lake, believing, no doubt, that the
+black ice upon its surface was water, and that in that element it would
+have the advantage of its pursuers, for the caribou is a splendid
+swimmer. Nearly all deer when hunted take to the water--to throw off the
+dogs, or escape from men--and to this habit the reindeer makes no
+exception.
+
+Down the hill swept the chase, Lucien having a full view both of
+pursuers and pursued. The deer ran boldly. It seemed to have gathered
+fresh confidence at sight of the lake, while the same object caused its
+pursuers a feeling of disappointment. They knew they were no match for a
+caribou in the water, as no doubt many a one had escaped them in that
+element. It is not likely, however, that they made reflections of this
+sort. There was but little time. From the moment of their appearance
+upon the crest of the hill till the chase arrived at the edge of the
+lake, was but a few seconds. On reaching the shore the caribou made no
+stop; but bounded forward in the same way as if it had been springing
+upon water. Most likely it expected to hear a plunge; but, instead of
+that, its hoofs came down upon the hard ice; and, by the impulse thus
+given, the animal shot out with the velocity of a skater.
+
+Strange to say, it still kept its feet; but, now seemingly overcome by
+surprise, and knowing the advantage its pursuers would have over it upon
+the slippery ice, it began to plunge and flounder, and once or twice
+came to its knees. The hungry pursuers appeared to recognise their
+advantage at once, for their howling opened with a fresh burst, and they
+quickened their pace. Their sharp claws enabled them to gallop over the
+ice at top speed; and one large brute that led the pack soon came up
+with the deer, sprang upon it, and bit it in the flank. This brought the
+deer upon its haunches, and at once put an end to the chase. The animal
+was hardly down upon the ice, when the foremost wolves coming up
+precipitated themselves upon its body, and began to devour it.
+
+It was about the middle of the lake where the caribou had been
+overtaken. At the time it first reached the ice, Lucien had laid hold of
+his rifle and run forward in order to meet the animal half-way, and, if
+possible, get a shot at it. Now that the creature was killed, he
+continued on with the design of driving off the wolves, and securing the
+carcass of the deer for himself. He kept along the ice until he was
+within less than twenty yards of the pack, when, seeing that the fierce
+brutes had torn the deer to pieces, and perceiving, moreover, that they
+exhibited no fear of himself, he began to think he might be in danger by
+advancing any nearer. Perhaps a shot from his rifle would scatter them,
+and without further reflection he raised the piece, and fired. One of
+the wolves kicked over upon the ice, and lay quite dead; but the others,
+to Lucien's great surprise, instead of being frightened off, immediately
+sprang upon their dead companion, and commenced tearing and devouring
+it, just as they had done the deer!
+
+The sight filled Lucien with alarm; which was increased at seeing
+several of the wolves--that had been beaten by the others from the
+quarry--commence making demonstrations towards himself! Lucien now
+trembled for his safety, and no wonder. He was near the middle of the
+lake upon slippery ice. To attempt running back to the camp would be
+hazardous; the wolves could overtake him before he had got half-way, and
+he felt certain that any signs of fear on his part would be the signal
+for the fierce brutes to assail him.
+
+For some moments he was irresolute how to act. He had commenced loading
+his gun, but his fingers were numbed with the cold, and it was a good
+while before he could get the piece ready for a second fire. He
+succeeded at length. He did not fire then, but resolved to keep the
+charge for a more desperate crisis. Could he but reach the camp there
+were trees near it, and one of these he might climb. This was his only
+hope, in case the wolves attacked him, and he knew it was. Instead of
+turning and running for this point, he began to back for it stealthily
+and with caution, keeping his front all the while towards the wolves,
+and his eyes fixed upon them.
+
+He had not got many yards, when he perceived to his horror, that the
+whole pack were in motion, and _coming after him_! It was a terrible
+sight, and Lucien seeing that by retreating he only drew them on,
+stopped and held his rifle in a threatening attitude. The wolves were
+now within twenty yards of him; but, instead of moving any longer
+directly towards him, they broke into two lines, swept past on opposite
+sides of him, and then circling round, met each other in his rear. _His
+retreat was cut off!_
+
+He now stood upon the ice with the fierce wolves forming a ring around
+him, whose diameter was not the six lengths of his gun, and every moment
+growing shorter and shorter. The prospect was appalling. It would have
+caused the stoutest heart to quail, and Lucien's was terrified. He
+shouted at the top of his voice. He fired his rifle at the nearest. The
+brute fell, but the others showed no symptoms of fear; they only grew
+more furious. Lucien clubbed his gun--the last resort in such cases--and
+laid around him with all his might; but he was in danger of slipping
+upon the ice, and his efforts were feeble.
+
+Once down he never would have risen again, for his fierce assailants
+would have sprung upon him like tigers. As it was, he felt but little
+hope. He believed himself lost. The teeth of the ferocious monsters
+gleamed under his eyes. He was growing weaker and weaker, yet still he
+battled on, and swept his gun around him with the energy of despair.
+
+Such a struggle could not have continued much longer. Lucien's fate
+would have been sealed in a very few minutes more, had not relief
+arrived in some shape or other. But it did come. A loud shout was heard
+upon the hill; and Lucien, glancing suddenly towards it, saw several
+forms rushing downward to the lake! It was the hunting party returned,
+and in a moment more they were crossing the ice to his rescue. Lucien
+gaining confidence fought with fresh vigour. The wolves busy in their
+attack had either not heard or were regardless of the new-comers; but
+the "crack, crack" of the guns--repeated no less than four times--and
+then the nearer reports of pistols, made a speedy impression upon the
+brutes, and in a short while half their number were seen tumbling and
+kicking upon the ice. The rest, uttering their hideous howls, took to
+flight, and soon disappeared from the valley; and Lucien, half dead with
+fatigue, staggered into the arms of his deliverers.
+
+No less than seven of the wolves were killed in the affray--two of which
+Lucien had shot himself. One or two were only wounded, but so badly,
+that they could not get away; and these were handed over to the tender
+mercies of Marengo, who amused himself for some time after by worrying
+them to death.
+
+The hunting party had made a good day of it. They had fallen in with the
+caribou, and had killed three of them. These they were bringing to camp,
+but had dropped them upon the hill, on perceiving the perilous position
+of Lucien. They now went back, and having carried the deer to their
+camping-place, were soon engaged in the pleasant occupation of eating a
+savoury dinner. Lucien soon recovered from his fright and fatigue, and
+amused his companions by giving an account of the adventures that had
+befallen him in their absence.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+END OF THE "VOYAGE."
+
+
+Our party remained several days at this place, until they had made a
+fresh stock of "pemmican" from the flesh of the caribou, several more of
+which they succeeded in killing; and then, arranging everything anew,
+and taking with them such skins as they wanted, they continued their
+journey.
+
+They had two days' hard travelling through a rocky mountainous country,
+where they could not find a stick of wood to cook their meals with, and
+were exposed to cold more than at any other place. Both Francois and
+Lucien had their faces frost-bitten; but they were cured by Norman, who
+prevented them from going near a fire until he had well rubbed the parts
+with soft snow.
+
+The rocks through which they passed were in many places covered with the
+_tripe de roche_ of several species; but our voyageurs cared nothing
+about it so long as their pemmican lasted, and of that each of them had
+nearly as much as he could carry.
+
+In the most dreary part of the mountains they chanced upon a herd of
+those curious animals, the musk-oxen, and shot one of them; but the meat
+tasted so rank, and smelt so strongly of musk, that the whole of it was
+left to the wolves, foxes, and other preying creatures of these parts.
+
+On the third day, after leaving their camp by the lake, a pleasant
+prospect opened before them. It was the valley of the Mackenzie,
+stretching to the west, and extending north and south as far as the eye
+could reach, covered with forests of pine and poplar, and other large
+trees. Of course the landscape was a winter one, as the river was bound
+up in ice, and the trees themselves were half-white with frozen snow;
+but after the dreary scenery of the barren grounds, even this appeared
+warm and summer-like. There was no longer any danger they should be
+without a good fire to cook their dinners, or warm themselves at, and a
+wooded country offers a better prospect of game.
+
+The sight, therefore, of a great forest was cheering; and our
+travellers, in high spirits, planted their tent upon the banks of the
+great Northern river. They had still many hundred miles to go before
+arriving at their destination; but they determined to continue their
+journey without much delay, following the river as a guide. No more
+"near cuts" were to be taken in future. They had learned, from their
+recent experience, that "the shortest way across is sometimes the
+longest way round," and they resolved to profit by the lesson. I hope,
+boy reader, you too will remember it.
+
+After reaching the Mackenzie the voyageurs halted one day, and upon the
+next commenced their journey down-stream. Sometimes they kept upon the
+bank, but at times, for a change, they travelled upon the ice of the
+river. There was no danger of its giving way under them, for it was
+more than a foot in thickness, and would have supported a loaded wagon
+and horses, without even cracking.
+
+They were now drawing near the Arctic circle, and the days grew shorter
+and shorter as they advanced. But this did not much interfere with their
+travelling. The long nights of the Polar regions are not like those of
+more Southern latitudes. They are sometimes so clear, that one may read
+the smallest print. What with the coruscations of the aurora borealis,
+and the cheerful gleaming of the Northern constellations, one may travel
+without difficulty throughout the livelong night. I am sure, my young
+friend, you have made good use of your globes, and need not be told that
+the length of both nights and days, as you approach the pole, depends
+upon two things--the latitude of the place, and the season of the year;
+and were you to spend a whole year _leaning against the pole itself,
+(!)_ you would _live but one day and one night_--each of them six months
+in length.
+
+But no doubt you know all these things without my telling you of them,
+and you are impatient to hear not about that, but whether the young
+voyageurs safely reached the end of their journey. That question I
+answer briefly at once--they did.
+
+Some distance below the point where they had struck the Mackenzie, they
+fell in with a winter encampment of Dog-rib Indians. Some of these
+people had been to the Fort to trade; and Norman being known to them, he
+and his Southern cousins were received with much hospitality. All their
+wants were provided for, as far as it lay in the power of these poor
+people to do; but the most valuable thing obtained from the Indians was
+a full set of dogs and dog-sledges for the whole party. These were
+furnished by the chief, upon the understanding that he should be paid
+for them on his next visit to the Fort.
+
+Although the reindeer of North America are not trained to the sledge by
+the Esquimaux and Indians, several kinds of dogs are; and a single pair
+of these faithful creatures will draw a full-grown man at a rate that
+exceeds almost every other mode of travelling--steam excepted. When our
+voyageurs, therefore, flung away their snow-shoes, and, wrapped in their
+skin cloaks, seated themselves snugly in their dog sledges, the five
+hundred miles that separated them from the Fort were soon reduced to
+nothing; and one afternoon, four small sledges, each carrying a "young
+voyageur," with a large bloodhound galloping in the rear, were seen
+driving up to the stockade fence surrounding the Fort.
+
+Before they had quite reached the gate, there was a general rush of
+trappers, traders, voyageurs, _coureurs-des-bois_ and other _employes_,
+to reach them; and the next moment they were lost in the midst of the
+people who crowded out of the Fort to welcome them. This was their hour
+of happiness and joy.
+
+To me there is an hour of regret, and I hope, boy reader, to you as
+well--the hour of our parting with the "YOUNG VOYAGEURS."
+
+
+
+
+THE FOREST EXILES,
+
+OR
+
+ADVENTURES AMID THE WILDS OF THE AMAZON.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE BIGGEST WOOD IN THE WORLD.
+
+
+Boy Reader, I am told that you are not tired of my company. Is this
+true?
+
+"Quite true, dear Captain,--quite true!"
+
+That is your reply. You speak sincerely? I believe you do.
+
+In return, believe _me_, when I tell you I am not tired of yours; and
+the best proof I can give is, that I have come once more to seek you. I
+have come to solicit the pleasure of your company,--not to an evening
+party, nor to a ball, nor to the Grand Opera, nor to the Crystal Palace,
+nor yet to the Zoological Gardens of Regent's Park,--no, but to the
+great zoological garden of Nature. I have come to ask you to accompany
+me on another "campaign,"--another "grand journey" through the fields of
+Science and Adventure. Will you go?
+
+"Most willingly--with you, dear Captain, anywhere."
+
+Come with me, then.
+
+Again we turn our faces westward; again we cross the blue and billowy
+Atlantic; again we seek the shores of the noble continent of America.
+
+"What! to America again?"
+
+Ha! that is a large continent, and you need not fear that I am going to
+take you over old ground. No, fear not that! New scenes, await us; a new
+_fauna_, a new _flora_,--I might almost say, a new earth and a new sky!
+
+You shall have variety, I promise you,--a perfect contrast to the scenes
+of our last journey.
+
+Then, you remember, we turned our faces to the cold and icy North,--now
+our path lies through the hot and sunny South. Then we lived in a
+log-hut, and closed every cranny to keep out the cold,--now, in our
+cottage of palms and cane, we shall be but too glad to let the breeze
+play through the open walls. Then we wrapped our bodies in thick
+furs,--now we shall be content with the lightest garments. Then we were
+bitten by the frost--now we shall be bitten by the sand-flies, and
+mosquitoes, and bats, and snakes, and scorpions, and spiders, and stung
+by wasps, and centipedes, and great red ants! Trust me, you shall have a
+change!
+
+Perhaps you do not contemplate _such_ a change with any very lively
+feelings of pleasure. Come! do not be alarmed at the snakes, and
+scorpions, and centipedes! We shall find a cure for every bite--an
+antidote for every bane.
+
+Our new journey shall have its pleasures and advantages. Remember how of
+old we shivered as we slept, coiled up in the corner of our dark log-hut
+and smothered in skins,--now we shall swing lightly in our netted
+hammocks under the gossamer leaves of the palm-tree, or the feathery
+frondage of the ferns. Then we gazed upon leaden skies, and at night
+looked upon the cold constellation of the Northern Bear;--now, we shall
+have over us an azure canopy, and shall nightly behold the sparkling
+glories of the Southern Cross, still shining as bright as when Paul and
+his little Virginia with loving eyes gazed upon it from their island
+home. In our last journey we toiled over bleak and barren wastes, across
+frozen lakes, and marshes, and rivers;--now we shall pass under the
+shadows of virgin forests, and float lightly upon the bosom of broad
+majestic streams, whose shores echo with the voices of living nature.
+
+Hitherto our travels have been upon the wide, open prairie, the
+trackless plain of sand, the frozen lake, the thin scattering woods of
+the North, or the treeless snow-clad "Barrens." Now we are about to
+enter a great forest,--a forest where the leaves never fade, where the
+flowers are always in bloom,--a forest where the woodman's axe has not
+yet echoed, where the colonist has hardly hewed out a single
+clearing,--a vast primeval forest,--the largest in the world.
+
+How large, do you ask? I can hardly tell you. Are you thinking of Epping
+or the New Forest? True, these are large woods, and have been larger at
+one time. But if you draw your ideas of a great forest from either of
+these you must prepare yourselves for a startling announcement--and that
+is, that the forest through which I am going to take you is _as big as
+all Europe_! There is one place where a straight line might be drawn
+across this forest that would measure the enormous length of two
+thousand six hundred miles! And there is a point in it from which a
+circle might be described, with a diameter of more than a thousand
+miles, and the whole area included within the vast circumference would
+be found covered with an unbroken forest!
+
+I need scarce tell you what forest I allude to, for there is none other
+in the world of such dimensions--none to compare with that vast,
+trackless forest that covers the valley of the mighty Amazon!
+
+And what shall we see in travelling through this tree-covered expanse?
+Many a strange form of life--both vegetable and animal. We shall see the
+giant "ceiba" tree, and the "zamang," and the "caoba," twined by huge
+parasites almost as thick as their own trunks, and looking as though
+they embraced but to crush them; the "juvia," with its globe-shaped
+fruits as large as the human head; the "cow-tree," with its abundant
+fountains of rich milk; the "seringa," with its valuable gum--the
+caoutchouc of commerce; the "cinchona," with its fever-killing bark; the
+curious "volador," with its winged seeds; the wild indigo, and the
+arnatto. We shall see palms of many species--some with trunks smooth and
+cylindrical, others covered with thorns, sharp and thickly set--some
+with broad entire leaves, others with fronds pinnate and feathery, and
+still others whose leaves are the shape of a fan--some rising like naked
+columns to the height of an hundred and fifty feet, while others
+scarcely attain to the standard of an ordinary man.
+
+On the water we shall see beautiful lilies--the snow-white _nymphs_, and
+the yellow _nuphars_. We shall see the _Victoria regia_ covering the
+pool with its massive wax-like flowers, and huge circular leaves of
+bronze green. We shall see tall flags like Saracen spears, and the dark
+green culms of gigantic rushes, and the golden _arundinaria_--the
+bamboo, and "cana brava,"--that rival the forest trees in height.
+
+Many a form of animal life we may behold. Basking in the sun, we may
+behold the yellow and spotted body of the jaguar--a beautiful but
+dreaded sight. Breaking through the thick underwood, or emerging slowly
+from the water, we may catch a glimpse of the sombre tapir, or the
+red-brown capivara. We may see the ocelot skulking through the deep
+shade, or the margay springing upon its winged prey.
+
+We may see the shaggy ant-bear tearing at the cones of sand-clay,
+and licking up the white termites; or we may behold the scaly
+armadillo crawling over the sun-parched earth, and rolling itself
+up at the approach of danger. We may see human-like forms,--the
+_quadrumana_--clinging among the high branches, and leaping from tree to
+tree, like birds upon the wing; we may see them of many shapes, sizes,
+and colours, from the great howling monkeys, with their long prehensive
+tails, down to the little saimiris and ouistitis not larger than
+squirrels.
+
+What beautiful birds, too!--for this forest is their favourite home.
+Upon the ground, the large curassows, and gurns, and the "gallo," with
+his plumage of bright red. Upon the trees, the macaws, and parrots, and
+toucans, and trogons. In the waters, the scarlet flamingoes, the ibises,
+and the tall herons; and in the air, the hawks, the zamuros, the
+king-vultures, and the eagles.
+
+We shall see much of the reptile world, both by land and water. Basking
+upon the bank, or floating along the stream, we may behold the great
+water lizards--the crocodile and caiman; or the unwieldly forms of the
+_cheloniae_--the turtles. Nimbly running along the tree-trunk, or up the
+slanting lliana, we may see the crested iguana, hideous to behold. On
+the branches that overhang the silent pool we may see the "water-boa,"
+of huge dimensions, watching for his prey--the peccary, the capivara,
+the paca, or the agouti; and in the dry forest we may meet with his
+congener the "stag-swallower," twined around a tree, and waiting for the
+roebuck or the little red-deer of the woods.
+
+We may see the mygale, or bird-catching spider, at the end of his strong
+net-trap, among the thick foliage; and the tarantula, at the bottom of
+his dark pit-fall, constructed in the ground. We may see the tent-like
+hills of the white ants, raised high above the surface, and the nests of
+many other kinds, hanging from high branches, and looking as though they
+had been constructed out of raw silk and pasteboard. We may see trees
+covered with these nests, and some with the nests of wasps, and still
+others with those of troupials and orioles--birds of the genus _icterus_
+and _cassicus_--hanging down like long cylindrical purses.
+
+All those, and many more strange sights, may be seen in the great forest
+of the Amazon valley; and some of them we _shall_ see--_voila_!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE REFUGEES.
+
+
+Upon a bright and lovely evening, many years ago, a party of travellers
+might have been seen climbing up that Cordillera of the Andes that lies
+to the eastward of the ancient city of Cuzco. It was a small and
+somewhat singular party of travellers; in fact, a travelling
+family,--father, mother, children, and one attendant. We shall say a
+word of each of them separately.
+
+The chief of the party was a tall and handsome man, of nearly forty
+years of age. His countenance bespoke him of Spanish race, and so he
+was. He was not a Spaniard, however, but a Spanish-American, or
+"Creole," for so Spaniards born in America are called to distinguish
+them from the natives of Old Spain.
+
+Remember--Creoles are _not_ people with negro or African blood in their
+veins. There is a misconception on this head in England, and elsewhere.
+The African races of America are either negroes, mulattoes, quadroons,
+quinteroons, or mestizoes; but the "Creoles" are of European blood,
+though born in America. Remember this. Don Pablo Romero--for that was
+the name of our traveller--was a Creole, a native of Cuzco, which, as
+you know, was the ancient capital of the Incas of Peru.
+
+Don Pablo, as already stated, was nearly forty years of age. Perhaps he
+looked older. His life had not been spent in idleness. Much study,
+combined with a good deal of suffering and care, had made many of those
+lines that rob the face of its youthful appearance. Still, although his
+look was serious, and just then sad, his eye was occasionally seen to
+brighten, and his light elastic step showed that he was full of vigour
+and manhood. He had a moustache, very full and black, but his whiskers
+were clean shaven, and his hair cut short, after the fashion of most
+people in Spanish America.
+
+He wore velvet pantaloons, trimmed at the bottoms with black stamped
+leather, and upon his feet were strong boots of a reddish yellow
+colour--that is, the natural colour of the tanned hide before it has
+been stained. A dark jacket, closely buttoned, covered the upper-part of
+his body, and a scarlet silk sash encircled his waist, the long fringed
+ends hanging down over the left hip. In this sash were stuck a Spanish
+knife and a pair of pistols, richly ornamented with silver mountings.
+
+But all these things were concealed from the view by a capacious poncho,
+which is a garment that in South America serves as a cloak by day and a
+blanket by night. It is nearly of the size and shape of an ordinary
+blanket, with a slit in the centre, through which the head is passed,
+leaving the ends to hang down. Instead of being of uniform colour,
+several bright colours are usually woven into the poncho, forming a
+variety of patterns. In Mexico a very similar garment--the serape--is
+almost universally worn. The poncho of Don Pablo was a costly one, woven
+by hand, and out of the finest wool of the vicuna, for that is the
+native country of this useful and curious animal.
+
+Such a poncho would cost 20_l._, and would not only keep out cold, but
+would turn rain like a "macintosh." Don Pablo's hat was also curious and
+costly. It was one of those known as "Panama," or "Guayaquil,"--hats so
+called because they are manufactured by Indian tribes who dwell upon the
+Pacific coast, and are made out of a rare sea-grass, which is found near
+the above-mentioned places. A good Guayaquil hat will cost 20_l._; and
+although, with its broad curling brim and low crown, it looks not much
+better than Leghorn or even fine straw, yet it is far superior to
+either, both as a protection against rain, or, what is of more
+importance in southern countries, against a hot tropical sun. The best
+of them will wear half a life-time. Don Pablo's "sombrero" was one of
+the very best and costliest; and this, combined with the style of his
+other habiliments, betokened that the wearer was one of the "ricos," or
+high class of his country.
+
+The costume of his wife, who was a dark and very beautiful Spanish
+woman, would have strengthened this idea. She wore a dress of black silk
+with velvet bodice and sleeves, tastefully embroidered. A mantilla of
+dark cloth covered her shoulders, and on her head was a low
+broad-brimmed hat, similar to those usually worn by men, for a bonnet is
+a thing unknown to the ladies of Spanish America. A single glance at the
+Dona Isidora would have satisfied any one that she was a lady of rank
+and refinement.
+
+There were two children, upon which, from time to time, she gazed
+tenderly. They were her only ones. They were a boy and girl, nearly of
+equal size and age. The boy was the elder, perhaps thirteen or more, a
+handsome lad, with swarth face, coal-black eyes, and curly full-flowing
+dark hair. The girl, too, who would be about twelve, was dark--that is
+to say, brunette in complexion. Her eyes were large, round, and dreamy,
+with long lashes that kept the sun from shining into them, and thus
+deepened their expression.
+
+Perhaps there are no children in the world so beautiful as those of the
+Spanish race. There is a smoothness of skin, a richness in colour, and a
+noble "hidalgo" expression in their round black eyes that is rare in
+other countries. Spanish women retain this expression to a good age. The
+men lose it earlier, because, as I believe, they are oftener of
+corrupted morals and habits; and these, long exercised, certainly stamp
+their lines upon the face. Those which are mean, and low, and vicious,
+produce a similar character of countenance, while those which are high,
+and holy, and virtuous, give it an aspect of beauty and nobility.
+
+Of all beautiful Spanish children none could have been more beautiful
+than our two little Creole Spaniards, Leon and Leona--for such were the
+names of the brother and sister.
+
+There yet remains one to be described, ere we complete the account of
+our travelling party. This one was a grown and tall man, quite as tall
+as Don Pablo himself, but thinner and more angular in his outlines. His
+coppery colour, his long straight black hair, his dark and wild piercing
+eye, with his somewhat odd attire, told you at once he was of a
+different race from any of the others. He was an Indian--a South
+American Indian; and although a descendant from the noble race of the
+Peruvian Incas, he was acting in the capacity of a servant or attendant
+to Don Pablo and his family.
+
+There was a familiarity, however, between the old Indian--for he was an
+old man--and Don Pablo, that bespoke the existence of some tie of a
+stronger nature than that which exists between master and servant. And
+such there was in reality. This Indian had been one of the patriots who
+had rallied around Tupac Amaru in his revolution against the Spaniards.
+He had been proscribed, captured, and sentenced to death. He would have
+been executed, but for the interference of Don Pablo, who had saved his
+life. Since then Guapo--such was the Indian's name--had remained not
+only the retainer, but the firm and faithful friend, of his benefactor.
+
+Guapo's feet were sandalled. His legs were naked up to the knees,
+showing many an old scar received from the cactus plants and the thorny
+bushes of acacia, so common in the mountain-valleys of Peru. A
+tunic-like skirt of woollen cloth,--that home-made sort called
+"bayeta,"--was fastened around his waist, and reached down to the knees;
+but the upper part of his body was quite bare, and you could see the
+naked breast and arms, corded with strong muscles, and covered with a
+skin of a dark copper colour. The upper part of his body was naked only
+when the sun was hot. At other times Guapo wore a species of poncho like
+his master, but that of the Indian was of common stuff--woven out of the
+coarse wool of the llama. His head was bare.
+
+[Illustration: THE FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.]
+
+Guapo's features were thin, sharp, and intelligent. His eye was keen and
+piercing; and the gait of the old man, as he strode along the rocky
+path, told that it would be many years before he would show any signs of
+feebleness or tottering.
+
+There were four animals that carried our travellers and their effects.
+One was a horse ridden by the boy Leon. The second was a saddle mule, on
+which rode Dona Isidora and Leona. The other two animals were not
+mounted. They were beasts of burden, with "yerguas," or pack-saddles,
+upon which were carried the few articles that belonged to the
+travellers. They were the camels of Peru--the far-famed llamas. Don
+Pablo, with his faithful retainer, travelled afoot.
+
+You will wonder that one apparently so rich, and on so distant a
+journey, was not provided with animals enough to carry his whole party.
+Another horse at least, or a mule, might have been expected in the
+cavalcade. It would not have been strange had Guapo only walked--as he
+was the arriero, or driver, of the llamas--but to see Don Pablo afoot
+and evidently tired, with neither horse nor mule to ride upon, was
+something that required explanation. There was another fact that
+required explanation. The countenance of Don Pablo wore an anxious
+expression, as if some danger impended; so did that of the lady, and the
+children were silent, with their little hearts full of fear. They knew
+not _what_ danger, but they knew that their father and mother were in
+trouble.
+
+The Indian, too, had a serious look; and at each angle of the mountain
+road he and Don Pablo would turn around, and with anxious eyes gaze back
+in the direction that led towards Cuzco. As yet they could distinguish
+the spires of the distant city, and the Catholic crosses, as they
+glistened under the evening sunbeam. Why did they look back with fear
+and distrust? Why? _Because Don Pablo was in flight, and feared
+pursuers!_ What? Had he committed some great crime? No. On the contrary,
+he was the _victim of a noble virtue_--the virtue of patriotism! For
+that had he been condemned, and was now in flight--flying to save not
+only his liberty but his life! yes, _his life;_ for had the sentinels on
+those distant towers but recognised him, he would soon have been
+followed and dragged back to an ignominious death.
+
+Young reader, I am writing of things that occurred before the
+Spanish-American colonies became free from the rule of Old Spain. You
+will remember that these countries were then governed by viceroys, who
+represented the King of Spain, but who in reality were quite as absolute
+as that monarch himself. The great viceroys of Mexico and Peru held
+court in grand state, and lived in the midst of barbaric pomp and
+luxury. The power of life and death was in their hands, and in many
+instances they used it in the most unjust and arbitrary manner. They
+were themselves, of course, natives of Old Spain--often the pampered
+favourites of that corrupt court.
+
+All the officials by which they were surrounded and served were, like
+themselves, natives of Spain, or "Gachupinos," (as the Creoles used to
+call them,) while the Creoles--no matter how rich, or learned, or
+accomplished in any way--were excluded from every office of honour and
+profit. They were treated by the Gachupinos with contempt and insult.
+Hence for long, long years before the great revolutions of Spanish
+America, a strong feeling of dislike existed between Creole Spaniards
+and Spaniards of Old Spain; and this feeling was quite independent of
+that which either had towards the Indians--the aborigines of America.
+This feeling brought about the revolution, which broke out in all the
+countries of Spanish America (including Mexico) and which, after fifteen
+years of cruel and sanguinary fighting, led to the independence of these
+countries.
+
+Some people will tell you that they gained nothing by this independence,
+as since that time so much war and anarchy have marked their history.
+There is scarcely any subject upon which mankind thinks more
+superficially, and judges more wrongly, than upon this very one. It is a
+mistake to suppose that a people enjoys either peace or prosperity,
+simply because it is quiet. There is quiet in Russia, but to its
+millions of serfs war continuous and eternal; and the same may be said
+of many other countries as well as Russia.
+
+To the poor slave, or even to the over-taxed subject, peace is no peace,
+but a constant and systematised struggle, often more pernicious in its
+effects than even the anarchy of open war. A war of this kind numbers
+its slain by millions, for the victims of famine are victims of
+_political crime_ on the part of a nation's rulers. I have no time now
+to talk of these things. Perhaps, boy reader, you and I may meet on this
+ground again, and at no very distant period.
+
+Well, it was not in the general rising that Don Pablo had been
+compromised, but previous to that. The influence of the European
+Revolution of 1798 was felt even in distant Spanish America, and several
+ebullitions occurred in different parts of that country at the same
+time. They were premature; they were crushed. Those who had taken part
+in them were hunted to the death. Death! death! was the war-cry of the
+Spanish hirelings, and bitterly did they execute their vengeance on all
+who were compromised. Don Pablo would have been a victim among others,
+had he not had timely warning and escaped; but as it was, all his
+property was taken by confiscation, and became the plunder of the
+rapacious tyrant.
+
+We are introduced to him just at the period of his escape. By the aid of
+the faithful Guapo he had hastily collected a few things, and with his
+wife and family fled in the night. Hence the incompleteness of his
+travelling equipage. He had taken one of the most unfrequented paths--a
+mere bridle-road--that led from Cuzco eastward over the Cordillera. His
+intent was to gain the eastern slope of the Andes mountains, where he
+might conceal himself for a time in the uninhabited woods of the Great
+_Montana_, and towards this point was he journeying. By a _ruse_ he had
+succeeded in putting the soldiers of the despot on a false track; but it
+was not certain that they might not yet fall into the true one. No
+wonder then, when he gazed back towards Cuzco, that his look was one of
+apprehension and anxiety.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE POISON-TREES.
+
+
+Following the rugged and winding path, the travellers had climbed to a
+height of many thousand feet above the ocean level. There was very
+little vegetation around them. Nothing that deserved the name of tree,
+if we except a few stunted specimens of quenoa trees, and here and there
+patches of the Ratanhia shrub, which covered the hill-sides. Both these
+are used by the mountain Indians as fuel, but the Ratanhia is also a
+favourite remedy against dysentery and blood-spitting. Its extract is
+even exported to European countries, and is to be found in the shop of
+the apothecary.
+
+Now and then a beautiful species of locust was seen with its bright red
+flowers. It was the "Sangre de Christo" of the Peruvian _flora_.
+
+Don Pablo Romero was a naturalist, and I may here tell you a pleasant
+and interesting fact--which is, that many of the earliest patriots and
+revolutionists of Spanish America were men who had distinguished
+themselves in natural science--in fact, were the "savans" of these
+countries. I call this a pleasant fact, and you may deem it a curious
+one too, because men of science are usually lovers of peace, and not
+accustomed to meddle either in war or politics.
+
+But the truth of the matter is this,--under the government of the
+viceroys all books, except those of a monkish religion, were jealously
+excluded from these countries. No political work whatever was permitted
+to be introduced; and the people were kept in the grossest ignorance of
+their natural rights. It was only into learned institutions that a
+glimmering of the light of freedom found its way, and it was amongst the
+professors of these institutions that the "rights of men" first began to
+be discussed. Many of these noble patriots were the first victims
+offered up on the altar of Spanish-American independence.
+
+Don Pablo, I have said, was a naturalist; and it was perhaps the first
+journey he had ever made without observing attentively the natural
+objects that presented themselves along his route. But his mind was busy
+with other cares; and he heeded neither the _fauna_ nor _flora_. He
+thought only of his loved wife and dear children, of the dangers to
+which he and they were exposed. He thought only of increasing the
+distance between them and his vengeful enemies. During that day they had
+made a toilsome journey of fifteen miles, up the mountain--a long
+journey for the llamas, who rarely travel more than ten or twelve; but
+the dumb brutes seemed to exert themselves as if they knew that danger
+threatened those who guided them.
+
+They belonged to Guapo, who had not been a mere servant, but a
+cultivator, and had held a small "chacra," or farm, under Don Pablo.
+Guapo's voice was well known to the creatures, and his "hist!" of
+encouragement urged them on. But fifteen miles was an unusual journey,
+and the animals began to show symptoms of fatigue. Their humming noise,
+which bears some resemblance to the tones of an Eolian harp, boomed loud
+at intervals as the creatures came to a stop; and then the voice of
+Guapo could be heard urging them forward.
+
+The road led up a defile, which was nothing more than the bed of a
+mountain-torrent, now dry. For a long distance there was no spot of
+level ground where our travellers could have encamped, even had they
+desired to stop. At length, however, the path led out of the
+torrent-bed, and they found themselves on a small ledge, or table,
+covered with low trees. These trees were of a peculiar kind, very common
+in all parts of the Andes, and known as _molle_ trees. They are more
+properly bushes than trees, being only about ten or twelve feet in
+height. They have long delicate pinnate leaves, very like those of the
+acacia, and, when in fruit, they are thickly covered with clusters of
+small bright red berries.
+
+These berries are used among some tribes of Indians for making a highly
+valuable and medicinal beer; but the wood of the tree is of more
+importance to the people of those parts as an article of fuel, because
+the tree grows where other wood is scarce. It is even considered by the
+sugar-refiners as the best for their purpose, since its ashes,
+possessing highly alkaline properties, are more efficient than any other
+in purifying the boiling juice of the sugar-cane. The leaves of this
+beautiful tree, when pressed, emit a strong aromatic smell; and a very
+curious property ascribed to it by the more ignorant people of the
+mountains will be illustrated by the dialogue which follows:--
+
+"Let us pass the night here," said Don Pablo, halting, and addressing
+himself to Guapo. "This level spot will serve us to encamp. We can sleep
+under the shade of the bushes."
+
+"What! _mi amo_! (my master) Here?" replied the Indian, with a gesture
+of surprise.
+
+"And why not here? Can any place be better? If we again enter the defile
+we may find no other level spot. See! the llamas will go no farther. We
+must remain therefore."
+
+"But, master," continued Guapo--"see!"
+
+"See what?"
+
+"The trees, master!"
+
+"Well, what of the trees? Their shade will serve to screen us from the
+night dew. We can sleep under them."
+
+"Impossible, master--_they are poison trees_!"
+
+"You are talking foolishly, Guapo. These are _molle_ trees."
+
+"I know it, senor; but they are poison. If we sleep under them we shall
+not awake in the morning--we shall awake no more."
+
+And Guapo, as he uttered these words, looked horrified.
+
+"This is nonsense; you are superstitious, old man. We must abide here.
+See, the llamas have lain down. They will not move hence, I warrant."
+
+Guapo turned to the llamas, and thinking that their movements might
+influence the decision of his master, began to urge them in his
+accustomed way. But it is a peculiarity of these creatures not to stir
+one step beyond what they consider a proper journey. Even when the load
+is above that which they are accustomed to carry--that is to say, 120
+lbs.--neither voice nor whip will move them. They may be goaded to
+death, but will not yield, and coaxing has a like effect. Both knew that
+they had done their day's work; and the voice, the gesticulations and
+blows of Guapo, were all in vain. Neither would obey him any longer. The
+Indian saw this, and reluctantly consented to remain; at the same time
+he continued to repeat his belief that they would all most certainly
+perish in the night. For himself, he expressed his intention to climb a
+ledge, and sleep upon the naked rocks; and he earnestly entreated the
+others to follow his example.
+
+Don Pablo listened to the admonitions of his retainer with incredulity,
+though not with any degree of disdain. He knew the devotedness of the
+old Indian, and therefore treated, what he considered a mere
+superstition, with a show of respect. But he felt an inclination to
+cure Guapo of the folly of such a belief; and was, on this account, the
+more inclined to put his original design into execution. To pass the
+night under the shade of the molle trees was, therefore, determined
+upon.
+
+All dismounted. The llamas were unloaded; their packs, or _yerguas_,
+taken off; the horse and mule were unsaddled; and all were permitted to
+browse over the little space which the ledge afforded. They were all
+trained animals. There was no fear of any of them straying.
+
+The next thing was to prepare supper. All were hungry, as none of the
+party had eaten since morning. In the hurry of flight, they had made no
+provision for an extended journey. A few pieces of _charqui_ (jerked or
+dried beef) had been brought along; and, in passing near a field of
+"oca," Guapo had gathered a bunch of the roots, and placed them on the
+back of his llama. This oca is a tuberous root, of an oval shape and
+pale red colour, but white inside. It resembles very much the Jerusalem
+artichoke, but it is longer and slimmer. Its taste is very agreeable and
+sweetish--somewhat like that of pumpkins, and it is equally good when
+roasted or boiled.
+
+There is another sort of tuberous root, called "ulluca" by the
+Peruvians, which is more glutinous and less pleasant to the taste. This
+kind is various in form, being either round, oblong, straight, or
+curved, and of a reddish, yellow colour outside, though green within. It
+is insipid when boiled with water, but excellent when dressed with
+Spanish peppers (_Capsicum_). Out of the _oca_, then, and _charqui_, the
+supper must be made; and for the purpose of cooking it, a fire must be
+kindled with the wood of the molle.
+
+For a long time there was a doubt about whether it would be safe to
+kindle this fire. The sun had not yet gone down, and the smoke might
+attract observation from the valley below. If the pursuers were on their
+track, it might be noticed; as upon this lonely route a fire would
+indicate nothing else than the camp of some one on a journey. But the
+stomachs of our travellers cried for food, and it was at length resolved
+to light the fire, but not until after sunset, when the smoke could be
+no longer seen, and the blaze would be hidden behind the thick bushes of
+molle.
+
+Don Pablo walked off from the camp, and wandered among the trees to see
+if he could find something that might contribute a little variety to
+their simple supper. A small, broom-like plant, that grew among the
+molle trees, soon attracted his attention. This was the _quinoa_ plant,
+which produces a seed, not unlike rice, though smaller in the grain,
+whence it has received in commerce the name "petty rice." The quinoa
+seeds, when boiled, are both pleasant and nutritious, but especially so
+when boiled in milk. Previous to the discovery of America, "quinoa" was
+an article of food, supplying the place of wheat. It was much used by
+the natives, and is still collected for food in many parts. Indeed, it
+has been introduced into some European countries, and cultivated with
+success. The leaves, when young, can be used as spinach, but the seeds
+are the most sought after for food.
+
+Don Pablo having called Leon to assist him, a quantity of the seeds were
+soon collected into a vessel, and carried to the place which they had
+chosen for their camp; and, as it was now dark enough, the fire was
+kindled and the cooking-pot got ready. The Dona Isidora, although a
+fine lady, was one of those who had all her life been accustomed to look
+after her household affairs; and this, it may be remarked, is a somewhat
+rare virtue among the Peruvian ladies, who are generally too much given
+to dress and idleness. It was not so, however, with the wife of Don
+Pablo. She knew how to look after the affairs of the _cuisine_, and
+could dress any of the peculiar dishes of the country with the best of
+cooks. In a short while, therefore, an excellent supper was ready, of
+which all ate heartily, and then, wrapping themselves up in their
+ponchos, lay down to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE SUPPER OF GUAPO.
+
+
+I have said all ate of the supper. This is not strictly true. One of the
+party did not touch it, and that was old Guapo. Why? Was he not hungry
+like the rest? Yes; as hungry as any of them. Why then did he not eat of
+the _charqui_ and ocas? Simply because Guapo had a supper of a very
+different kind, which he carried in his pouch, and which he liked much
+better than the charqui stew. What was it? It was "coca."
+
+"Chocolate," you will say, or, as some call it, "cocoa," which should be
+called, to name it properly, "cacao." No, I answer--it was not
+chocolate, nor cocoa, nor cacao neither.
+
+"It must have been cocoa-nuts then?" No; nor yet cocoa-nuts. The "coca,"
+upon which Guapo made his supper, and which contented his stomach
+perfectly for the night, was an article very different from either the
+cacao which makes chocolate, or the nut of the cocoa-palm. You are now
+impatient to hear what sort of thing it was, and I shall tell you at
+once.
+
+The coca is a small tree or shrub about six feet in height, which grows
+in the warmer valleys among the Andes mountains. Its botanical name is
+_Erythroxylon coca_. Its leaves are small and of a bright green colour,
+and its blossoms white. Its fruits are very small scarlet berries. It is
+a native plant, and, therefore, found in a wild state; but it is
+cultivated by the planters of these countries in fields regularly laid
+out, and hence called "cocales." This plant is raised from the seed, and
+when the young shoots have attained the height of about eighteen inches,
+they are transplanted and put down again at the distance of about a foot
+apart from each other.
+
+Now as these little bushes require a humid atmosphere, maize-plants are
+sown between the rows to protect them from the sun. In other places
+arbours of palm-leaves are constructed over the coca-plants. When no
+rain falls, they are watered every five or six days. After about two and
+a half years of this nursing, the coca-bush is ready for use, and it is
+the leaves alone that are valuable. These are gathered with great care,
+just as the Chinese gather the leaves of the tea-plant; and, as in
+China, women are principally employed in this labour. The leaves are
+said to be ripe, not when they have withered and turned brown, but at a
+period when they are full-grown and become brittle. When this period
+arrives, they are picked from the tree, and laid out on coarse woollen
+cloths to dry in the sun.
+
+When dried, they remain of a pale green colour; but should they get damp
+during the process, they become darker, and are then of inferior
+quality, and sell for a less price. When fully dried, they are carefully
+packed in bags and covered up with dry sand, and are thus ready for the
+market. Their price, on the spot where the crop is produced, is about
+one shilling English per pound. They are, therefore, full as costly to
+produce as tea itself, although the coca-bush will yield three crops of
+leaves in one year--that is, a crop every four months; and one hundred
+plants will produce about an arroba (25 lbs.) at a crop. The coca-plant
+will continue to give fresh leaves for a long period of years, unless
+attacked and destroyed by ants, which is not unfrequently the case.
+
+Now, why have I so minutely described the coca-bush? Because, that, in
+the economy of the life of those Indians who inhabit the countries of
+the Andes mountains, this curious plant plays a most important part.
+Scarcely one of these people is to be met with who is not an eater of
+cocoa--a "coquero." With them it is what the tea-tree is to the Chinese.
+Indeed, it is a curious fact, that in all parts of the world some
+stimulating vegetable is used by the human race. Tea in China; the
+betel-leaf, and the nut of the areca palm, among the Southern Asiatics;
+the poppy in the East; with tobacco, and many like things, in other
+countries.
+
+But the coca not only supplies the Indian with a solace to his cares, it
+forms the chief article of his food. With a supply of coca, an Indian
+will support himself five or six days without eating anything else. The
+poor miners, in the Peruvian mines, are all "coqueros;" and it is
+alleged that, without coca, they would be unable to undergo the painful
+toil to which their calling subjects them. When used to excess, the coca
+produces deleterious effects on the human system; but, if moderately
+taken, it is far more innocent in its results than either opium or
+tobacco.
+
+The coca-leaf is not eaten alone. A certain preparation is necessary,
+and another substance is mixed with it before it produces the proper
+effect. But let us watch the movements of Guapo, and we shall see how
+_he_ does it, for Guapo is a confirmed coquero.
+
+Guapo, true to his promise, does not sleep under the molle trees. He
+leaves the party, and, with a melancholy air, has climbed up and seated
+himself upon a projecting rock, where he intends to pass the night. His
+last glance at Don Pablo and his family was one of foreboding. He had
+again remonstrated with his master, but to no purpose. The latter only
+laughed at the earnestness of the old Indian, and told him to go to his
+perch and leave the party to themselves.
+
+It was still grey light when Guapo climbed up to the rock. Against the
+sky his tall, lank form could be traced in all its outlines. For some
+moments he sat in a serious and reflective mood--evidently busy with
+thoughts about the "poison-trees." His appetite, however, soon got the
+better of him; and he set to work to prepare his coca supper. It was a
+simple operation.
+
+Around Guapo's neck there hung a small pouch made of the skin of the
+chinchilla, which beautiful little animal is a native of these parts.
+This pouch contained a quantity of the dry leaves of the coca. Having
+taken out some half-dozen of these leaves, he put them into his mouth
+and commenced chewing them. In a short while, by the aid of tongue,
+teeth, and lips, they were formed into a little ball of pulp, that
+rolled about in his mouth. Another step in the process now became
+necessary. A small gourd, that hung around Guapo's neck by a thong, was
+laid hold of. This was corked with a wooden stopper, in which stopper a
+wire pin was fixed, long enough to reach down to the bottom of the
+gourd.
+
+After taking out the stopper, Guapo applied the lower part of the pin to
+his lips, and then, plunging it once more into the gourd, drew it out
+again. This time the pin came out, with a fine whitish powder adhering
+to the part that had been wetted. Now what was this powder? It was
+nothing else than lime that had been burned, and pulverised. Perhaps it
+was the ashes of the molle tree, of which we have already spoken, and
+which, as we have said, possess a highly alkaline property. The ashes of
+the musa, or plaintain, are sometimes used; but, after all, it is most
+likely that it was the molle ashes which Guapo carried, for these are
+most highly esteemed by the Indians of Southern Peru; and Guapo was a
+connoisseur in coca-eating.
+
+Whichever of the three it was--lime, molle, or musa--Guapo carried the
+pin to his mouth, and, without touching his lips (it would have burnt
+him if he had), he inserted it, so as to penetrate the ball of chewed
+cocoa-leaves that rested upon the tip of his tongue. This was stabbed
+repeatedly and adroitly by the pin, until all the powder remained in the
+coca-ball; and then the pin was withdrawn, wiped, and restored to its
+place, along with the stopper of the gourd.
+
+Guapo now remained quietly "ruminating" for a period of about forty
+minutes--for this is about the time required for chewing a mess of
+cocoa-leaves. Indeed, so exactly is this time observed, that the
+Indians, when travelling, measure distances by it; and one "coceada" is
+about equal to the time occupied in walking a couple of English miles.
+
+The coceada of our old Indian being finished, he drew his llama-wool
+poncho around him; and, leaning back against the rock, was soon buried
+in a profound slumber.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE PUNA.
+
+
+By early dawn Guapo was awake, but he did not immediately awake the
+others. It was still too dark to follow the mountain road. His first
+care was to have his coca breakfast, and to this he applied himself at
+once.
+
+Day was fairly broke when he had ended the process of mastication, and
+he bethought him of descending from the rock to arouse the sleepers. He
+knew they still slept, as no voice had yet issued from the grove of
+molles. The mule and horse were heard cropping the grass, and the llamas
+were now feeding upon an open spot,--the first they had eaten since
+their halt, as these creatures do not browse in the night.
+
+Guapo descended with fear in his heart. How it would have joyed him to
+hear the voice of his master, or of any of them! But, no. Not a sound
+proceeded from any one of the party. He stole nimbly along the ledge,
+making his way through the molle trees. At length he reached the spot.
+All asleep?--yes, all! "Are they dead?" thought Guapo, and his heart
+beat with anxiety. Indeed, they seemed so. The fatigue of travel had
+cast a sickly paleness over the faces of all, and one might easily have
+fancied they no longer lived. But they breathed. "Yes, they breathe!"
+ejaculated the old Indian, half aloud. "They live!"
+
+Guapo bent down, and seizing Don Pablo by the arm, shook him--at first
+gently, uttering, at the same time, some words to awake him. But neither
+the shaking nor the voice had any effect. Guapo shook more violently,
+and shouted louder. Still Don Pablo slept. None of the others
+moved--none of them heard him. It was strange, for the Indian knew that
+Don Pablo himself, as well as the others, were easily awaked on ordinary
+occasions. Guapo, becoming alarmed, now raised his voice to its loudest
+pitch, at the same time dragging Don Pablo's shoulder in a still more
+violent manner. This had the desired effect. The sleeper awoke but so
+slowly, and evidently with such exertion, that there was something
+mysterious in it.
+
+"What is it?" he inquired, with half-opened eyes. "Is it morning
+already?"
+
+"The sun is up. Rouse, my master! It is time we were on the road,"
+replied the Indian.
+
+"I feel very drowsy--I am heavy--I can scarce keep my eyes open. What
+can be the cause of this?"
+
+"The poison-trees, master," answered Guapo.
+
+The answer seemed to impress Don Pablo. He made a violent effort, and
+rose to his feet. When up he could scarcely stand. He felt as though he
+had swallowed a powerful opiate.
+
+"It must be so, good Guapo. Perhaps there is some truth in what you have
+said. O, heavens!" exclaimed he, suddenly recollecting himself,--"the
+others--my wife and children!"
+
+This thought had fully awakened Don Pablo; and Guapo and he proceeded at
+once to arouse the others, which they effected after much shouting and
+shaking. All were still heavy with sleep, and felt as did Don Pablo
+himself.
+
+"Surely there is some narcotic power in the aroma of these trees,"
+muttered Don Pablo. "Come, wife, let us be gone! We must remain under
+its influence no longer, else what Guapo has said may prove too true.
+Saddle up--we must eat our breakfasts farther on. To the road!--to the
+road!"
+
+Guapo soon had the horses ready, and all hurried from the spot, and were
+once more climbing up the mountain-path. Even the animals seemed to move
+slowly and lazily, as though they, too, had been under the influence of
+some soporific. But the pure cold air of the mountain soon produced its
+effect. All gradually recovered, and after cooking some _charqui_ and
+ocas in the ravine, and making their breakfast upon these, they again
+felt light and fresh, and pursued their journey with renewed vigour.
+
+The road kept on up the ravine, and in some places the banks rose almost
+perpendicularly from the bed of the dry torrent, presenting on both
+sides vast walls of black porphyry--for this is the principal rock
+composing the giant chain of the Andes. Above their heads screamed small
+parrots of rich plumage of the species _Conurus rupicola_, which make
+their nestling places, and dwell upon these rocky cliffs. This is a
+singular fact, as all other parrots known are dwellers among trees and
+are found in the forest at all times, except when on their passage from
+place to place.
+
+But even the squirrel, which is an animal peculiarly delighting in
+tree-life, has its representative in several species of
+ground-squirrels, that never ascend a tree; and, among the monkeys,
+there exists the troglodyte or cave-dwelling chimpanzee. No doubt
+squirrels or monkeys of any kind, transported to an open or treeless
+country, would soon habituate themselves to their new situation,--for
+Nature affords many illustrations of this power of adaptation on the
+part of her creatures.
+
+It was near sunset when our travellers reached the highest point of
+their route, nearly 14,000 feet above the level of the sea! Here they
+emerged upon an open plain which stretched far before them. Above this
+plain towered mountains of all shapes to a height of many thousand feet
+from the level of the plain itself. Some of these mountains carried
+their covering of eternal snow, which, as the evening sun glanced upon
+it, exhibited the most beautiful tints of rose, and purple, and gold.
+The plain looked bleak and barren, and the cold which our travellers now
+felt added to the desolateness of the scene. No trees were in sight. Dry
+yellow grass covered the ground, and the rocks stood out naked and
+shaggy. They had reached one of those elevated tables of the Andes known
+as the _Puna_.
+
+These singular tracts elevated above the level of cultivation are almost
+uninhabited. Their only inhabitants are a few poor Indians, who are
+employed by the rich proprietors of the lower valleys as shepherds; for
+upon these cold uplands thrive sheep, and cattle, and llamas, and flocks
+of the wool-bearing alpaco. Through this wild region, however, you may
+travel for days without encountering even a single one of the wretched
+and isolated inhabitants who watch over these flocks and herds.
+
+On reaching the Puna, our party had made their day's journey, and would
+have halted. The llamas already showed signs of giving out by stopping
+and uttering their strange booming note. But Guapo knew these
+parts--for, though a descendant of the Incas, he had originally come
+from the great forest beyond the eastern slope of the Andes, where many
+of the Peruvian Indians had retired after the cruel massacres of
+Pizarro. He now remembered, that not far from where they were, was a
+shepherd's hut, and that the shepherd himself was an old friend of his.
+That would be the place to stop for the night; and, by Guapo's advice,
+Don Pablo resolved to continue on to the hut.
+
+Guapo fell upon his knees before the llamas, and, after caressing and
+kissing them, and using a great variety of endearing expressions, he at
+last coaxed these animals to proceed. No other means would have availed,
+as beating would not make either llama budge an inch. The leader, who
+was a fine large animal and a great favourite with its master, at length
+stepped boldly out; and the other, encouraged by the sound of the small
+bells that tinkled around the head of the leader, followed after, and so
+the travellers moved on.
+
+"Come, papa!" cried Leon; "you are tired yourself--mount this horse--I
+can walk a bit:" at the same instant the boy flung himself from the back
+of the horse, and led him up to where his father stood. Then handing the
+bridle to the latter, he struck off along the plain, following Guapo and
+his llamas.
+
+The road skirted round the rocks, where the mountain came down to meet
+the plain. The walk was not a long one, for the hut of which Guapo spoke
+became visible at less than a quarter of a mile's distance. An
+odd-looking hut it was--more like an ill-built stack of bean-straw than
+a house. It had been built in the following manner:--
+
+First, a round ring of large stones had been laid, then a row of turf,
+then another tier of stones, and so on, until the circular wall had
+reached the height of about four or five feet, the diameter being not
+more than eight or nine. On the top of the wall a number of poles had
+been set, so as to meet above where they were tied together. These poles
+were nothing else than the long flower-stalks of the _maguey_ or
+American aloe, as no other wood of sufficient length grew in the
+vicinity. These poles served for rafters, and across them laths had been
+laid, and made fast. Over all this was placed a thatch of the long
+coarse Puna grass, which was tied in its place by grass ropes that were
+stretched from side to side over the top. This was the hut of Guapo's
+friend, and similar to all others that may be encountered in the wild
+region of the Puna. A door was left in the side, not over two feet high,
+so that it was necessary to crawl upon the hands and knees before any
+one could reach the interior.
+
+As our travellers approached, they saw that the entrance was closed by
+an ox-hide which covered the whole of the opening.
+
+Whether the shepherd was at home, was the next question; but as they got
+near to the house, Guapo suggested that Don Pablo should dismount and
+let Leon get upon horseback. This suggestion was made on account of the
+Puna dogs--of which creatures Guapo had a previous knowledge. These
+dogs, known by the name of Inca dogs, are, perhaps, the fiercest animals
+of their species.
+
+They are small, with pointed muzzles, tails curling upward, and long
+shaggy hair. They are half-wild, snappish, and surly, as it is possible
+for dogs to be. They attack strangers with fury, and it is as much as
+their masters can do to rescue even a friend from their attack. Even
+when wounded, and unable any longer to keep their feet, they will crawl
+along the ground and bite the legs of those who have wounded them. They
+are even more hostile to white people than to Indians, and it is
+sometimes dangerous to approach an Indian hut where three or four of
+these fierce creatures are kept, as they will jump up against the side
+of a horse, and bite the legs of the rider. Their masters often use the
+stick before they can get obedience from them. In every Indian hut
+several of these animals may be found, as they are extremely useful to
+the shepherds in guarding their flocks and for hunting.
+
+They are much employed throughout the Puna to hunt the "yutu," a species
+of partridge which inhabits the rushy grass. This bird is traced by the
+dogs, seized before it can take to flight, and killed by a single bite
+of its fierce pursuer. Considering the savage nature of the Inca dogs,
+Guapo showed great caution in approaching the hut of his friend. He
+first called loudly, but there was no reply. He then stole forward with
+his long knife, or "_machete_," in his hand; and having lifted the skin
+that covered the low doorway, peeped in. The hut was empty.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE WILD BULL OF THE PUNA.
+
+
+Guapo was not much troubled at this. He knew he could take the liberty
+of using his friend's roof for the night, even should the latter not
+return to grant it. He crawled in. Of course his friend was only
+temporarily absent--no doubt looking after his flocks of sheep and
+alpacos; and as he was a bachelor, there was no wife at home, but there
+were his furniture and utensils. Furniture! No--there was none. There
+never is in the hut of a Puna shepherd. Utensils! yes--there was an
+earthen "olla," or pot to cook soup in, another to boil or roast maize,
+a jar to hold water, a few split gourd-shells for plates, two or three
+others for cups--that was all.
+
+This was the catalogue of utensils. Two stones set a little apart formed
+the fireplace, in which the shepherd, when he makes a fire to cook with,
+makes it out of dry dung. A couple of dirty sheep-skins lay upon the
+ground. These were the bed. Nothing more was to be seen. Yes, there was
+one thing more, and this gladdened the eyes of Guapo. In a bag that hung
+against the wall, and on which he soon laid his hands, he felt
+something--a collection of hard round objects, about as big as large
+chestnuts. Guapo knew very well what these were. He knew they were
+"macas."
+
+What are _macas_? you will ask. Macas, then, are tuberous roots that
+grow in the elevated regions of the Puna, where neither ocas, ullucas,
+nor potatoes, will thrive. They are cultivated by the inhabitants, and
+in many parts constitute almost the only food of these wretched people.
+They have an agreeable and rather sweetish flavour, and, when boiled in
+milk, taste somewhat like boiled chestnuts. They can be preserved for
+more than a year by simply drying them in the sun, and then exposing
+them to the cold air, when they become hard and shrivelled. They thrive
+best in this high region, for although they will grow in the lower
+valleys, they are there very insipid and worthless. The Indians prepare
+them for food by boiling them into a soup, or syrup, which is taken with
+parched maize-corn.
+
+Guapo knew that he had got his hands upon a bag of dried macas, and
+although their owner was absent, he had already come to the
+determination to appropriate them for himself and party. His joy at the
+discovery had not subsided when another bag drew his attention, and this
+was the signal for another delightful surprise. His hand touched the new
+bag in a trice. There was a rattling sound within. Peas? No--maize.
+
+"Good!" ejaculated Guapo; "maize and macas! That with what is left of
+the charqui--we shall not fast to-night."
+
+Guapo now backed himself out of the hut, and joyfully announced the
+discoveries he had made. The travellers dismounted. The horse and mule
+were picketed on lassoes on the plain. The llamas were left to go at
+will. They would not stray far from their owner.
+
+It was piercing cold in this highland region. Dona Isidora and the
+children entered the hut, while Don Pablo and Guapo remained without for
+the purpose of collecting fuel. There was not a stick of wood, as no
+trees of any sort grew near. Both strayed off upon the plain to gather
+the _taquia_, or ordure of the cattle, though no cattle were in sight.
+Their tracks, however, were visible all around.
+
+While engaged thus, the old Indian suddenly raised himself from his
+stooping position with an exclamation that betokened alarm. What had
+startled him? A loud bellowing was heard--it was the bellowing of a
+bull. But what was there in that sound to alarm two full-grown men? Ah!
+you know not the bulls of the Puna.
+
+Coming around a promontory of rocks a large black bull was in sight. He
+was approaching them in full run, his head thrown down, his eyes glaring
+fiercely. At every spring he uttered a roar, which was terrific to hear.
+A more horrid object it would be difficult to conceive. You may suppose
+that an adventure with an enraged bull is one of an ordinary character,
+and may occur any day, even in the green meadow pastures of Old England.
+So it is, if the animal were only an English bull. But it is a far
+different affair with the bulls of the Puna.
+
+Throughout all Spanish America animals of this kind are of a fiercer
+nature than elsewhere. It is from them the bulls used in the celebrated
+fights are obtained; and, perhaps, the race has been made fiercer by the
+treatment they receive on such occasions--for many of those that exhibit
+in the arena are afterwards used to breed from. But, in general, the
+Spanish-American "vacqueros," or cattle-herds, treat the cattle under
+their charge with much cruelty, and this has the effect of rendering
+them savage. Even in herds of cattle where there are no bulls, there are
+cows so dangerous to approach, that the vacqueros never attempt driving
+them unless when well mounted.
+
+A Mexican or South American cattle-herd is, therefore, always a mounted
+man. There is a difference, too, among the bulls in different parts of
+these countries. On the Llanos of Venezuela they are not so fierce as
+those of the Puna, and they are more and less so in different parts of
+Mexico and the Pampas of Buenos Ayres.
+
+The Puna bulls are, perhaps, the fiercest and most dangerous of all.
+They are more than half wild. They scarcely ever see a human being, and
+they will attack one upon sight. To a mounted man there is little
+danger, unless by the stumbling or falling of his horse; but many a poor
+Indian, crossing these high plains afoot, has fallen a sacrifice to
+these vengeful brutes.
+
+Both Don Pablo and Guapo knew all this, and therefore were aware of
+their own danger. Neither had a weapon--not so much as a stick. They had
+laid aside their knives and other arms, which had been carried inside
+the hut. To reach the hut before the bull reached _them_ would be
+impossible; the brute was coming nearly from it--for he had issued from
+some shelter in the rocks not far off. They were full two hundred yards
+out upon the plain, and to run in the direction of the rocks would have
+been to run counter to the bull, and meet him face to face! Their danger
+was imminent. What was to be done?
+
+There was not much time left them for consideration. The furious animal
+was within thirty paces distance, roaring loudly, shaking his head and
+brandishing his long sharp horns. At this moment a happy thought
+occurred almost simultaneously to Don Pablo and the Indian. The evening,
+as we have already said, was piercing cold, and both, in going out to
+collect the fuel, had worn their ponchos.
+
+The trick of the matador with his red cloak suggested itself in this
+moment of peril. Both had seen it performed--Don Pablo often--and knew
+something of the "way." In a moment both had stripped the ponchos from
+their shoulders, and, placing themselves _a la matador_, awaited the
+onset of the bull. It was agreed that as soon as the bull was "hooded"
+by either, that both should run at all speed to the rocks, where they
+could easily climb out of reach of the animal.
+
+Don Pablo happened to be more in the way, and perhaps his more showy
+poncho attracted the brute; but whether or not, he was the first to
+receive the charge. With the adroitness of a practised matador he flung
+his poncho on the horns of the animal, and then both ran in the
+direction of the rocks. As they faced towards the hut, however, to the
+horror of Don Pablo he saw the Dona Isidora, with Leon and the little
+Leona, all outside, and even at some distance from the entrance!
+Attracted by the bellowing of the bull and the shouts of the men, they
+had rushed out of the hut.
+
+Don Pablo, in wild accents, shouted to them to make for the door; but,
+paralysed by terror, they were for some moments unable to move. At
+length Dona Isidora, recovering herself, ran for the entrance, pushing
+the children before her. But the low doorway was difficult of access;
+they were slow in getting under it; and they would have been too late,
+as the bull, after shaking off the poncho, had turned and made directly
+for the hut.
+
+"O God, preserve her!" cried Don Pablo, as he saw the enraged animal
+within a few paces of where his wife had knelt to enter the doorway.
+"She is lost! she is lost!"
+
+In fact, the bull was making directly towards her, and it seemed as if
+nothing could then have interposed to save her.
+
+At that moment the tramp of a horse in full gallop sounded on their
+ears. Don Pablo looked up. A strange horseman was near the spot--an
+Indian. Over his head a singular instrument was revolving. There were
+three thongs fastened at one end, while at the other end of each was a
+ball. These balls were whirling and gyrating in the air. The next moment
+both thongs and balls were seen to part from the hands of the rider, and
+wrap themselves around the legs of the bull. The latter made an awkward
+spring forward, and then fell upon the plain, where he lay kicking and
+helpless. The horseman uttered a yell of triumph, sprang from his horse,
+and running up to the prostrate animal, thrust the blade of his long
+machete into its throat. The red stream gushed forth, and in a few
+seconds the black monster lay motionless upon the plain.
+
+The new-comer quietly unwound the thongs--the _bolas_--from the legs of
+the dead bull, and then addressed himself to our travellers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE "VAQUERO."
+
+
+Who was this deliverer? No other than the vaquero--the friend of
+Guapo,--who now welcomed Guapo and his companions, telling them in the
+polite phraseology of all Spanish-Americans that his _house(!)_ was at
+their service. They were welcome to all it contained.
+
+The macas, and maize, and a fresh steak from the wild bull, enabled them
+to make a most excellent supper. In return for this hospitality, Don
+Pablo made the vaquero a handsome present out of his purse; but what
+gratified him still more was a supply of coca which his friend Guapo was
+enabled to bestow upon him, for his own stock had been exhausted for
+some days. Guapo, on leaving Cuzco, had spent his last _peseta_ in
+buying this luxury, and therefore was well provided for weeks to come.
+
+After they had had supper, he and his friend seated themselves on one
+side, and quietly chewed for a good half-hour, when at length Guapo, who
+knew he could trust the vaquero--because the latter, like himself, was
+one of the "patriotas"--communicated to him the object of their journey
+through that desolate region. The vaquero not only promised secrecy, but
+bound himself to put any party of pursuers completely off the trail.
+
+The vaquero, even in his remote mountain-home, had heard of Don Pablo,
+knew that he was a good patriot and friend of the Indians, and he would
+therefore have risked his life to serve such a man--for no people have
+proved more devoted to the friends of their race than these simple and
+faithful Indians of the Andes. How many instances of noble
+self-sacrifice--even of life itself--occurred during the painful history
+of their conquest by the cruel and sanguinary followers of Pizarro!
+
+The vaquero, therefore, did all in his power to make his guests
+comfortable for the night. His dogs--there were four of them--were not
+so hospitably inclined, for they did not seem to know friends from
+enemies. They had come up shortly after their master himself arrived,
+and had made a desperate attack upon everybody. The vaquero, however,
+assisted by Guapo--who, being an Indian, was less troubled with
+them--gave them a very rough handling with a large whip which he
+carried; and then, securing the whole of them, tied them together in a
+bunch, and left them at the back of the hut to snap and growl at each
+other, which they did throughout the livelong night. Supper over, all
+the travellers would have retired to rest; but the vaquero, having
+announced that he was going out to set snares for the chinchillas and
+viscachas, Leon could not rest, but asked permission to accompany him.
+This was granted both by Don Pablo and the vaquero himself.
+
+The chinchilla, and its near relative the viscacha, are two little
+animals of the rodent, or grass-eating kind, that inhabit the very
+highest mountains of Peru and Chili. They are nearly of the same size,
+and each about as big as a rabbit, which in habits they very much
+resemble. They have long tails, however, which the rabbit has not,
+though the latter beats them in the length of his ears. The colour of
+the chinchilla is known to everybody, since its soft, velvety fur is
+highly prized by ladies as an article of dress, and may be seen in every
+London fur-shop.
+
+The animal is of a beautiful marbled grey, white and black, with pure
+white feet. The fur of the viscacha is not so pretty, being of a
+brownish and white mixture. Its cheeks are black, with long, bristly
+moustaches, like those of a cat; while its head resembles that of the
+hare or rabbit. Both these innocent little creatures live upon the high
+declivities of the Andes, in holes and crevices among the rocks, where
+they remain concealed during the day, but steal out to feed twice in the
+twenty-four hours,--that is, during the evening twilight and in the
+early morning. The mode of capturing them is by snares made of
+horse-hair, which are set in front of their caves--just as we snare
+rabbits in a warren, except that for the rabbits we make use of light
+elastic wire, instead of the horse-hair.
+
+Leon was delighted with the excursion, as the vaquero showed him how to
+set the snares, and told him a great many curious stories of Puna life
+and habits. Some of these stories were about the great condor
+vulture--which the narrator, of course, described as a much bigger bird
+than it really is, for the condor, after all, is not so much bigger than
+the griffon vulture, or even the vulture of California. But you, young
+reader, have already had a full account of the vultures of America--the
+condor among the rest--therefore we shall not repeat what was said by
+the vaquero about this interesting bird.
+
+On the way to the place where the snares were to be set, they passed a
+lagoon, or marshy lake, in which were many kinds of birds peculiar to
+these high regions. Out on the open water they saw a wild goose of a
+very beautiful species. It is called the "Huachua" goose. Its plumage is
+of a snowy whiteness, all except the wings, which are bright green and
+violet, while the beak, legs, and feet, are scarlet. They also saw two
+species of ibis wading about in the marsh, and a gigantic water-hen
+almost as big as a turkey. This last is of a dark grey colour, with a
+red beak, at the base of which is a large yellow knob of the shape of a
+bean. On this account it is called by the Indians "bean nose."
+
+Upon the plain, near the border of the marsh, they noticed a beautiful
+plover, having plumage marked very much like that of the "huachua"
+goose, with green wings shining in the sun like polished metal. Another
+curious bird also sat upon the plain, or flew around their heads. This
+was a bird of prey of the species of jerfalcons (_Polyborus_). The
+vaquero called it the "Huarahua." He told Leon it preyed only on
+carrion, and never killed its own food; that it was very harmless and
+tame--which was evidently true, as, shortly after, one of them seated
+upon a stone allowed the Indian to approach and knock it over with a
+stick! Such a silly bird Leon had never seen.
+
+The vaquero was quite a naturalist in his way--that is, he knew all the
+animals of the Puna, and their habits, just as you will sometimes find a
+gamekeeper in our own country, or often a shepherd or farm-servant. He
+pointed out a rock-woodpecker, which he called a "pito" (_Colaptes
+rupicola_), that was fluttering about and flying from rock to rock. Like
+the cliff-parrots we have already mentioned, this rock-woodpecker was a
+curious phenomenon, for, as their very name implies, the woodpeckers are
+all tree-dwelling birds, yet here was one of the genus living among
+rocks where not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a plant, except the
+thorny cactuses and magueys, with which succulent vegetables the
+woodpecker has nothing to do. The "pito" is a small, brown, speckled
+bird, with yellow belly, and there were great numbers of them flying
+about.
+
+But the bird which most fixed the attention of Leon was a little bird
+about the size of a starling. Its plumage was rather pretty. It was
+brown, with black stripes on the back, and white-breasted. But it was
+not the plumage of the bird that interested Leon. It was what his
+companion told him of a singular habit which it had--that of repeating,
+at the end of every hour during the night, its melancholy and monotonous
+note. The Indians call this bird the "cock of the Inca," and they
+moreover regard it with a sort of superstitious reverence.
+
+Having placed his snares, the vaquero set out to return with his
+youthful companion. As they walked back along the mountain-foot, a fox
+stole out from the rocks and skulked towards the marshy lake, no doubt
+in search of prey. This fox was the _Canis Azarae_, a most troublesome
+species, found all through South America. He is the great pest of the
+Puna shepherds, as he is a fierce hunter, and kills many of the young
+lambs and alpacos.
+
+The vaquero was sorry he had not his dogs with him, as, from the route
+the fox had taken, he would have been certain to have captured him, and
+that would have been worth something, for the great sheep-owners give
+their shepherds a sheep for every old fox that they can kill, and for
+every young one a lamb. But the dogs, on this occasion, had been left
+behind, lest they should have bitten Leon, and the vaquero was compelled
+to let "Reynard" go his way. It was night when they returned to the hut,
+and then, after Leon had related the details of their excursion, all
+retired to rest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+LLAMAS, ALPACOS, VICUNAS, AND GUANACOS.
+
+
+Our travellers were stirring by early break of day. As they issued from
+the hut, a singular and interesting scene presented itself to their
+eyes. At one view--one _coup d'oeil_--they beheld the whole four species
+of the celebrated camel-sheep of the Andes; for there are four of
+them,--llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuna! This was a rare sight,
+indeed. They were all browsing upon the open plain: first, the llamas,
+near the hut; then a flock of tame alpacos, out upon the plain; thirdly,
+a herd of seven guanacos farther off; and still more distant, a larger
+herd of the shy vicunas. The guanacos and vicunas were of uniform
+colours,--that is, in each flock the colour of the individuals was the
+same; while among the llamas and alpacos there were many varieties of
+colour. The latter two kinds were tame,--in fact, they were under the
+charge of Guapo's friend the shepherd, whereas the herds of vicunas and
+guanacos consisted of wild animals.
+
+Perhaps no animal of South America has attracted so much attention as
+the llama, as it was the only beast of burden the Indians had trained to
+their use on the arrival of Europeans in that country. So many strange
+stories were told by the earlier Spanish travellers regarding this
+"camel-sheep," that it was natural that great interest should attach to
+it. These reported that the llama was used for riding. Such, however, is
+not the case. It is only trained to carry burdens; although an Indian
+boy may be sometimes seen on the back of a llama for mischief, or when
+crossing a stream and the lad does not wish to get his feet wet.
+
+The llama is three feet high from hoof to shoulder, though his long neck
+makes him look taller. His colour is generally brown, with black and
+yellow shades, sometimes speckled or spotted; and there are black and
+white llamas, but these are rare. His wool is long and coarse, though
+the females, which are smaller, have a finer and better wool. The latter
+are never used to carry burdens, but only kept for breeding. They are
+fed in flocks upon the Puna heights, and it was a flock of these that
+our travellers saw near the hut.
+
+The males are trained to carry burdens at the age of four years. A
+pack-saddle, called _yergua_, woven out of course wool, is fastened on
+the back, and upon this the goods are placed. The burden never exceeds
+120 or 130 pounds. Should a heavier one be put on, the llama, like the
+camel, quite understands that he is "over-weighted," and neither coaxing
+nor beating will induce him to move a step. He will lie down, or, if
+much vexed, spit angrily at his driver, and this spittle has a highly
+acrid property, and will cause blisters on the skin where it touches.
+Sometimes a llama, over vexed by ill-treatment, has been known, in
+despair, to dash his brains out against a rock.
+
+The llamas are used much in the mines of Peru, for carrying the ore.
+They frequently serve better than either asses or mules, as they can
+pass up and down declivities where neither ass nor mule can travel. They
+are sometimes taken in long trains from the mountains down to the coast
+region for salt and other goods; but on such occasions many of them die,
+as they cannot bear the warm climate of the lowlands. Their proper and
+native place is on the higher plains of the Andes.
+
+A string of llamas, when on a journey, is a very interesting spectacle.
+One of the largest is usually the leader. The rest follow in single
+file, at a slow, measured pace, their heads ornamented tastefully with
+ribands, while small bells, hanging around their necks, tinkle as they
+go. They throw their high heads from side to side, gazing around them,
+and when frightened at anything, will "break ranks," and scamper out of
+their path, to be collected again with some trouble.
+
+When resting, they utter a low, humming noise, which has been compared
+to the sound of an Eolian harp. They crouch down on their breast--where
+there is a callosity--when about to receive their burdens, and also
+sleep resting in the same attitude. A halt during the day is necessary,
+in order that they may be fed, as these animals will not eat by night.
+In consequence of this they make but short journeys--ten to fifteen
+miles--although they will travel for a long time, allowing them a day's
+rest out of every five or six. Like the camels of the East, they can go
+days without water, and Buffon knew one that went _eighteen months_
+without it! but Buffon is very poor authority. When one of them becomes
+wearied, and does not wish to proceed, it is exceedingly difficult to
+coax him onward.
+
+These animals were at one time very valuable. On the discovery of
+America a llama cost as much as eighteen or twenty dollars. But the
+introduction of mules and other beasts of burden has considerably
+cheapened them. At present they are sold for about four dollars in the
+mining districts, but can be bought where they are bred and reared for
+half that amount. In the days of the Incas their flesh was much used as
+food. It is still eaten; but for this purpose the common sheep is
+preferred, as the flesh of the llama is spongy and not very well
+flavoured. The wool is used for many sorts of coarse manufacture. So
+much for llamas. Now the "guanaco."
+
+This animal (whose name is sometimes written "huanaca," though the
+pronunciation is the same with "guanaco" or "guanaca") is larger than
+the llama, and for a long time was considered merely as the wild llama,
+or the llama _run wild_, in which you will perceive an essential
+distinction. It is neither, but an animal of specific difference. It
+exists in a wild state in the high mountains, though, with great care
+and trouble, it can be domesticated and trained to carry burdens as well
+as its congener the llama. In form it resembles the latter, but, as is
+the case with most wild animals, the guanacos are all alike in colour.
+The upper parts of the body are of a reddish brown, while underneath it
+is a dirty white. The lips are white, and the face a dark grey. The wool
+is shorter than that of the llama, and of the same length all over the
+body. The guanaco lives in herds of five or seven individuals, and these
+are very shy, fleeing to the most inaccessible cliffs when any one
+approaches them. Like the chamois of Switzerland and the "bighorn" of
+the Rocky Mountains, they can glide along steep ledges when neither men
+nor dogs can find footing.
+
+The "alpaco," or "paco," as it is sometimes called, is one of the most
+useful of the Peruvian sheep, and is more like the common sheep than the
+others. This arises from its bulkier shape, caused by its thick fleece
+of long wool. The latter is soft, fine, and often five inches in length;
+and, as is well known, has become an important article in the
+manufacture of cloth. Its colour is usually either white or black,
+though there are some of the alpacos speckled or spotted. Ponchos are
+woven out of alpaco-wool by the Indians of the Andes.
+
+The alpaco is a domesticated animal, like the llama, but it is not used
+for carrying burdens. It is kept in large flocks, and regularly shorn as
+sheep are. If one of the alpacos gets separated from the flock, it will
+lie down and suffer itself to be beaten to death, rather than go the way
+its driver wishes. You have, no doubt, sometimes seen a common sheep
+exhibit similar obstinacy.
+
+Of all the Peruvian sheep the vicuna is certainly the prettiest and most
+graceful. It has more the form of the deer or antelope than of the
+sheep, and its colour is so striking that it has obtained among the
+Peruvians the name of the animal itself, _color de vicuna_ (vicuna
+colour). It is of a reddish yellow, not unlike that of our domestic red
+cat, although the breast and under parts of the body are white. The
+flesh of the vicuna is excellent eating, and its wool is of more value
+than even that of the alpaco. Where a pound of the former sells for one
+dollar--which is the usual price--the pound of alpaco will fetch only a
+quarter of that sum. Hats and the finest fabrics can be woven from the
+fleece of the vicuna, and the Incas used to clothe themselves in rich
+stuffs manufactured from it. In the present day the "ricos," or rich
+proprietors of Peru, pride themselves in possessing ponchos of vicuna
+wool.
+
+The vicuna inhabits the high plains of the Andes, though, unlike the
+guanaco, it rarely ventures up the rocky cliffs, as its hoofs are only
+calculated for the soft turf of the plains. It roams about in larger
+herds than the other--eighteen or twenty in the herd--and these are
+usually females under the protection and guidance of one polygamous old
+male. While feeding, the latter keeps watch over the flock, usually
+posting himself at some distance, so that he may have a better
+opportunity of seeing and hearing any danger that may approach. When any
+is perceived, a shrill whistle from the leader and a quick stroke of his
+hoof on the turf warn the flock; and all draw closely together, each
+stretching out its head in the direction of the danger. They then take
+to flight, at first slowly, but afterwards with the swiftness of the
+roe; while the male, true to his trust, hangs in the rear, and halts at
+intervals, as if to cover the retreat of the herd.
+
+The llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuna, although different species, will
+breed with each other; and it is certain that some of their hybrids will
+again produce young. There exist, therefore, many intermediate
+varieties, or "mules," throughout the countries of the Andes, some of
+which have been mistaken for separate species.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+A VICUNA HUNT.
+
+
+The vicuna being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh and
+wool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. It is an
+animal most difficult to approach, and there is rarely any cover on
+these naked plains by which to approach it.
+
+The chief mode of capturing it is by the "chacu." This cannot be
+effected by a single hunter. A great number is required. Usually the
+whole population of one of the villages of the "Sierras" lower down
+turns out for this sport, or rather business, for it is an annual source
+of profit. Even the women go along, to cook and perform other offices,
+as the hunt of the _chacu_ sometimes lasts a week or more.
+
+A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons. They
+climb up to the _altos_, or high and secluded plains, where the vicuna
+dwells in greatest numbers. They carry with them immense coils of ropes,
+and a large quantity of coloured rags, together with bundles of stakes
+three or four feet in length. When a proper part of the plain has been
+chosen, they drive in the stakes four or five yards apart and running in
+the circumference of a circle, sometimes nearly a mile in diameter.
+
+A rope is then stretched from stake to stake, at the height of between
+two and three feet from the ground, and over this rope are hung the
+coloured rags provided for the occasion, and which keep fluttering in
+the wind. A sort of scare-crow fence is thus constructed in the form of
+a ring, except that on one side a space of about two hundred yards is
+left open to serve as an entrance for the game. The Indians then, most
+of them on horseback, make a grand detour, extending for miles over the
+country; and having got behind the herds of vicunas, drive them within
+the circle, and close up the entrance by completing the ring.
+
+The hunters then go inside, and using the _bolas_, or even seizing the
+animals by their hind-legs, soon capture the whole. Strange to say,
+these silly creatures make no attempt to break through the sham fence,
+nor even to leap over it. Not so with the guanacos, when so enclosed.
+The latter spring against the fence at once, and if, by chance, a party
+of guanacos be driven in along with the vicunas, they not only break
+open the rope enclosure and free themselves, but also the whole herd of
+their cousins, the vicunas. It is, therefore, not considered any gain to
+get a flock of guanacos into the trap.
+
+The hunt usually lasts several days, but during that time the enclosure
+of ropes is flitted from place to place, until no more vicunas can be
+found. Then the ropes, stakes, &c., are collected, and the produce of
+the hunt distributed among the hunters. But the Church levies its tax
+upon the "chacu," and the skins--worth a dollar each--have to be given
+up to the priest of the village. A good round sum this amounts to, as
+frequently four or five hundred vicunas are taken at a single _chacu_.
+
+A good hunter is sometimes able to "approach" the vicuna. Guapo's friend
+was esteemed one of the best in all the Puna. The sight of the herd out
+on the plain, with their graceful forms, and beautiful reddish-orange
+bodies, was too much for him, and he resolved to try his skill upon
+them. He said he had a plan of his own, which he intended to practise on
+this occasion.
+
+Don Pablo and his party--even Dona Isidora and the little Leona--were
+all outside the hut, although the morning air was raw and chill. But the
+domicile of the worthy vaquero was not empty, for all that. It was
+peopled by a very large colony of very small animals, and a night in
+their society had proved enough for the travellers. The chill air of the
+Puna was even more endurable than such company.
+
+The vaquero crawled back into the hut, and in a few minutes returned,
+but so metamorphosed, that had the party not seen him come out of the
+doorway they would have mistaken him for a llama! He was completely
+disguised in the skin of one of these animals. His face only was partly
+visible, and his eyes looked out of the breast. The head and neck of the
+skin, stuffed with some light substance, stood up and forward, after the
+manner of the living animal, and although the legs were a little clumsy,
+yet it would have required a more intelligent creature than the vicuna
+to have observed this defect.
+
+All hands, even the saturnine Guapo, laughed loudly at the counterfeit,
+and the vaquero himself was heard to chuckle through the long wool upon
+the breast. He did not lose time, however, but instantly prepared to set
+off. He needed no other preparation than to get hold of his
+_bolas_,--that was his favourite weapon. Before going farther, I shall
+tell you what sort of weapon it is.
+
+The bolas consist of three balls--hence the name--of lead or stone, two
+of them heavier than the third. Each ball is fastened to the end of a
+stout thong made of twisted sinews of the vicuna itself, and the other
+ends of the three thongs are joined together. In using them the hunter
+holds the lightest ball in his hand, and twirls the other two in circles
+around his head, until they have attained the proper velocity, when he
+takes aim and launches them forth.
+
+Through the air fly the thongs and balls, and all whirling round in
+circles, until they strike some object; and if that object be the legs
+of an animal, the thongs become immediately warped around them, until
+the animal is regularly hoppled, and in attempting to escape comes at
+once to the ground. Of course great practice is required before such an
+instrument can be used skilfully; and to the novice there is some danger
+of one of the balls hitting him a crack on the head, and knocking over
+himself instead of the game. But there was no danger of Guapo's friend
+the vaquero committing this blunder. He had been swinging the bolas
+around his head for more than forty years!
+
+Without more ado, then, he seized the weapon, and, having gathered it
+with his _fore-feet_ into a portable shape, he proceeded in the
+direction of the vicunas.
+
+The travellers remained by the hut, watching him with interest, but his
+movements were particularly interesting to Leon, who, like all boys, was
+naturally fond of such enterprises.
+
+The herd of vicunas was not more than three quarters of a mile off. For
+the first half of this distance the vaquero shambled along right
+speedily, but as he drew nearer to the animals he proceeded slower and
+with more caution.
+
+The pretty creatures were busily browsing, and had no fear. They knew
+they were well guarded by their faithful sentinel, in whom they had
+every confidence,--the lord and leader of the herd. Even from the hut,
+this one could be seen standing some distance apart from the rest. He
+was easily recognised by his greater bulk and prouder bearing.
+
+The false llama has passed near the guanacos, and they have taken no
+heed of him. This is a good omen, for the guanacos are quite as sharp
+and shy as their smaller cousins, and since he has succeeded in
+deceiving them, he will likely do the same for the vicunas. Already he
+approaches them. He does not make for the herd, but directly for the
+leader. Surely he is near enough; from the hut he seems close up to the
+creature. See! the vicuna tosses his head and strikes the ground with
+his hoof. Listen! it is his shrill whistle. The scattered herd suddenly
+start and flock together; but, look! the _llama_ stands erect on his
+hind-legs; the bolas whirl around his head--they are launched out. Ha!
+the vicuna is down!
+
+Where is the female drove? Have they scampered off and forsaken their
+lord? No! faithful as a loving wife, they run up to share his danger.
+With shrill cries they gather around him, moving to and fro. The llama
+is in their midst. See! he is dealing blows with some weapon--it is a
+knife! his victims fall around him--one at every blow; one by one they
+are falling. At last, at last, they are all down,--yes, the whole herd
+are stretched, dead or dying, upon the plain!
+
+The struggle is over; no sound is heard, save the hoof-stroke of the
+guanacos, llamas, and alpacos, that cover the plain in their wild
+flight.
+
+Leon could no longer restrain his curiosity; but ran off to the scene of
+the slaughter. There he counted no less than nineteen vicunas lying
+dead, each one stabbed in the ribs! The Indian assured him that it was
+not the first _battue_ of the kind he had made. A whole herd of vicunas
+is often taken in this way. When the male is wounded or killed, the
+females will not leave him; but, as if out of gratitude for the
+protection he has during life afforded them, they share his fate without
+making an effort to escape!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+CAPTURING A CONDOR.
+
+
+The vaquero with his horse soon dragged the vicunas to the hut. Guapo
+gave him a help with the mule, and in a few minutes they were all
+brought up. One of them was immediately skinned, and part of it prepared
+for breakfast, and our travellers ate heartily of it, as the cold Puna
+air had given an edge to their appetites.
+
+The new-killed animals, along with the red skin of the bull, which had
+been spread out on the ground at some distance from the hut, had already
+attracted the condors; and four or five of these great birds were now
+seen hovering in the air, evidently with the intention of alighting at
+the first opportunity.
+
+An idea seemed to enter the head of the vaquero, while his guests were
+still at breakfast, and he asked Leon if he would like to see a condor
+caught. Of course Leon replied in the affirmative. What boy wouldn't
+like to see a condor caught?
+
+The vaquero said he would gratify him with the sight, and without
+staying to finish his breakfast--indeed he had had his "coceada," and
+didn't care for any,--he started to his feet, and began to make
+preparations for the capture.
+
+How he was to catch one of these great birds, Leon had not the slightest
+idea. Perhaps with the "bolas," thought he. That would have done well
+enough if he could only get near them; but the condors were sufficiently
+shy not to let any man within reach either with bolas or guns. It is
+only when they have been feasting on carrion, and have gorged themselves
+to repletion, that they can be thus approached, and then they may be
+even knocked over with sticks.
+
+At other times the condor is a shy and wary bird. No wonder either that
+he is so, for, unlike most other vultures, he is hunted and killed at
+all times. The vultures of most countries are respected by the people,
+because they perform a valuable service in clearing away carrion; and in
+many parts these birds are protected by statute. There are laws in the
+Southern United States, and in several of the Spanish-American
+Republics, which impose fines and penalties for killing the black
+vultures. In some Oriental countries, too, similar laws exist. But no
+statute protects the condor. On the contrary, he is a proscribed bird,
+and there is a bounty on his head, because he does great damage to the
+proprietors of sheep, and llamas, and alpacos, killing and devouring the
+young of these animals. His large quills, moreover, are much prized in
+the South American cities, and the killing of a condor is worth
+something. All this will account for the shyness of this great bird,
+while other vultures are usually so tame that you may approach within a
+few paces of them.
+
+As yet the half-dozen condors hovering about kept well off from the hut;
+and Leon could not understand how any one of them was to be caught.
+
+The vaquero, however, had a good many "dodges," and after the _ruse_ he
+had just practised upon the vicunas, Leon suspected he would employ some
+similar artifice with the condors. Leon was right. It was by a stratagem
+the bird was to be taken.
+
+The vaquero laid hold of a long rope, and lifting the bull's hide upon
+his shoulders, asked Guapo to follow him with the two horses. When he
+had got out some four or five hundred yards from the hut, he simply
+spread himself flat upon the ground, and drew the skin over him, the
+fleshy side turned upward. There was a hollow in the ground about as big
+as his body--in fact, a trench he had himself made for a former
+occasion--and when lying in this on his back, his breast was about on a
+level with the surrounding turf.
+
+His object in asking Guapo to accompany him with the horses was simply a
+_ruse_ to deceive the condors, who from their high elevation were all
+the while looking down upon the plain. But the vaquero covered himself
+so adroitly with his red blanket, that even their keen eyes could
+scarcely have noticed him; and as Guapo afterwards left the ground with
+the led horses, the vultures supposed that nothing remained but the
+skin, which from its sanguinary colour to them appeared to be flesh.
+
+The birds had now nothing to fear from the propinquity of the hut. There
+the party were all seated quietly eating their breakfast, and apparently
+taking no notice of them. In a few minutes' time, therefore, they
+descended lower, and lower,--and then one of the very largest dropped
+upon the ground within a few feet of the hide. After surveying it for a
+moment, he appeared to see nothing suspicious about it, and hopped a
+little closer. Another at this moment came to the ground--which gave
+courage to the first--and this at length stalked boldly on the hide, and
+began to tear at it with his great beak.
+
+A movement was now perceived on the part of the vaquero--the hide
+"lumped" up, and at the same time the wings of the condor were seen to
+play and flap about as if he wanted to rise into the air, but could not.
+He was evidently held by the legs!
+
+The other bird had flown off at the first alarm, and the whole band were
+soon soaring far upward into the blue heavens.
+
+Leon now expected to see the vaquero uncover himself. Not so, however,
+as yet. That wily hunter had no such intention, and although he was now
+in a sitting posture, grasping the legs of the condor, yet his head and
+shoulders were still enveloped in the bull's hide. He knew better than
+to show his naked face to the giant vulture, that at a single "peck" of
+his powerful beak would have deprived him of an eye, or otherwise
+injured him severely. The vaquero was aware of all this, and therefore
+did not leave his hiding-place until he had firmly knotted one end of
+the long cord around the shank of the bird--then slipping out at one
+side, he ran off to some distance before stopping. The condor,
+apparently relieved of his disagreeable company, made a sudden effort
+and rose into the air, carrying the hide after him. Leon shouted out,
+for he thought the vulture had escaped; but the vaquero knew better, as
+he held the other end of the cord in his hand; and the bird, partly from
+the weight of the skin, and partly from a slight tug given by the
+hunter, soon came heavily to the ground again. The vaquero was now
+joined by Guapo; and, after some sharp manoeuvring, they succeeded
+between them in passing the string through the nostrils of the condor,
+by which means it was quietly conducted to the hut, and staked on the
+ground in the rear--to be disposed of whenever its captor should think
+fit.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE PERILS OF A PERUVIAN ROAD.
+
+
+It was as yet only an hour or so after daybreak--for the vicuna hunt had
+occupied but a very short time and the capture of the condor a still
+shorter. Don Pablo was anxious to be gone, as he knew he was not beyond
+the reach of pursuit. A pair of the vicunas were hastily prepared, and
+packed upon a llama for use upon their journey. Thus furnished, the
+party resumed their route.
+
+The vaquero did not accompany them. He had an office to perform of far
+more importance to their welfare and safety. As soon as they were gone
+he let loose his four snarling curs, and taking them out to where the
+pile of dead vicunas lay upon the plain, he left them there with
+instructions to guard the carcasses from foxes, condors, or whatever
+else might wish to make a meal off them. Then mounting, he rode off to
+the place where the road leading from Cuzco ascended upon the
+table-land, and having tied his horse to a bush, he climbed upon a
+projecting rock and sat down. From this point he commanded a view of the
+winding road to the distance of miles below him.
+
+No traveller--much less a party of soldiers--could approach without his
+seeing them, even many hours before they could get up to where he sat;
+and it was for that reason he had stationed himself there. Had Don Pablo
+been pursued, the faithful Indian would have galloped after and given
+him warning, long before his pursuers could have reached the plain.
+
+He sat until sunset--contenting himself with a few leaves of coca. No
+pursuer appeared in sight. He then mounted his horse, and rode back to
+his solitary hut.
+
+Let us follow our travellers.
+
+They crossed the table-plain during the day, and rested that night under
+the shelter of some overhanging rocks on the other side. They supped
+upon part of the vicunas, and felt more cheerful, as they widened the
+distance between themselves and danger. But in the morning they did not
+remain longer by their camp than was necessary to get breakfast.
+Half-an-hour after sunrise saw them once more on their route.
+
+Their road led through a pass in the mountains. At first it ascended,
+and then began to go downward. They had crossed the last ridge of the
+Andes, and were now descending the eastern slopes. Another day's
+journey, or two at most, would bring them to the borders of that wild
+forest, which stretches from the foot-hills of the Andes to the shores
+of the Atlantic Ocean--that forest with scarcely a civilised settlement
+throughout all its wide extent--where no roads exist--whose only paths
+are rivers--whose dark jungles are in places so impenetrable that the
+Indian cannot enter them, and even the fierce jaguar, embarrassed by the
+thick underwood, has to take to the tree-tops in pursuit of his prey.
+Another day's journey or so would bring them to the borders of the
+"Montana"--for such is the name which, by a strange misapplication of
+terms, has been given to this primeval wood. Yes, the Montana was before
+them, and although yet distant, it could now and then be seen as the
+road wound among the rocks, stretching far towards the sky like a green
+and misty ocean.
+
+In that almost boundless region there dwelt none but the aborigines of
+the soil--the wild Indians--and these only in sparse and distant bands.
+Even the Spaniards in their day of glory had failed to conquer it; and
+the Portuguese from the other side were not more successful.
+
+The Spanish colonists, on the Peruvian or western border of this immense
+forest, had never been able to penetrate it as colonists or settlers.
+Expeditions from time to time had passed along its rivers in search of
+the fabled gold country of _Manoa_, whose king each morning gave himself
+a coating of gold dust, and was hence called El Dorado (the gilded); but
+all these expeditions ended in mortification and defeat. The settlements
+never extended beyond the _sierras_, or foot-hill of the Andes, which
+stretch only a few days' journey (in some places but a score of leagues)
+from the populous cities on the mountain-heights.
+
+Even at this present time, if you travel thirty leagues eastward of the
+large town of Cuzco, in the direction taken by Don Pablo, you will pass
+the boundaries of civilisation, and enter a country unexplored and
+altogether unknown to the people of Cuzco themselves! About the
+"Montana" very little is known in the settlements of the Andes. Fierce
+tribes of Indians, the jaguar, the vampire bat, swarms of mosquitoes,
+and the hot atmosphere, have kept the settler, as well as the curious
+traveller, out of these wooded plains.
+
+Don Pablo had already passed the outskirts of civilisation. Any
+settlement he might find beyond would be the hut of some half-wild
+Indian. There was no fear of his encountering a white face upon the
+unfrequented path he had chosen, though had he gone by some other route
+he might have found white settlements extending farther to the eastward.
+As it was, the wilderness lay before him, and he would soon enter it.
+
+_And what was he to do in the wilderness?_ He knew not. He had never
+reflected on that. He only knew that behind him was a relentless foe
+thirsting for his life. To go back was to march to certain death. He had
+no thoughts of returning. That would have been madness. His property was
+already confiscated--his death decreed by the vengeful Viceroy, whose
+soldiers had orders to capture or slay, whenever they should find him.
+His only hope, then, was to escape beyond the borders of
+civilisation--to hide himself in the great Montana. Beyond this he had
+formed no plan. He had scarcely thought about the future. Forward, then,
+for the Montana!
+
+The road which our travellers followed was nothing more than a narrow
+path or "trail" formed by cattle, or by some party of Indians
+occasionally passing up from the lower valleys to the mountain-heights.
+It lay along the edge of a torrent that leaped and foamed over its rocky
+bed. The torrent was no doubt on its way to join the greatest of rivers,
+the mighty Amazon--the head-waters of which spring from all parts of the
+Andes, draining the slopes of these mountains through more than twenty
+degrees of latitude.
+
+Towards evening the little party were beginning to enter among the
+mountain spurs, or foot-hills. Here the travelling grew exceedingly
+difficult, the path sometimes running up a steep acclivity and then
+descending into deep ravines--so deep and dark that the sun's rays
+seemed hardly to enter them. The road was what Spanish-Americans term,
+"_Cuesta arriba, cuesta abajo_" (up hill, down hill).
+
+In no part of the world are such roads to be met with as among the Andes
+Mountains, both in South America and in their Mexican continuation
+through the northern division of the continent. This arises from the
+peculiar geological structure of these mountains. Vast clefts traverse
+them, yawning far into the earth. In South America these are called
+_quebradas_. You may stand on the edge of one of them and look sheer
+down a precipice two thousand feet! You may fancy a whole mountain
+scooped out and carried away, and yet you may have to reach the bottom
+of this yawning gulf by a road which seems cut out of the face of the
+cliff, or rather has been formed by a freak of Nature--for in these
+countries the hand of man has done but little for the roads.
+
+Sometimes the path traverses a ledge so narrow that scarce room is found
+for the feet of your trusty mule. Sometimes a hanging bridge has to be
+crossed, spanning a horrid chasm, at the bottom of which roars a foaming
+torrent--the bridge itself, composed of ropes and brambles, all the
+while swinging like a hammock under the tread of the affrighted
+traveller!
+
+He who journeys through the tame scenery of European countries can form
+but little idea of the wild and dangerous highways of the Andes. Even
+the passes of the Alps or Carpathians are safe in comparison. On the
+Peruvian road the lives of men and animals are often sacrificed. Mules
+slide from the narrow ledges, or break through the frail "soga" bridges,
+carrying their riders along with them, whirling through empty air to be
+plunged into foaming waters or dashed on sharp rocks below.
+
+These are accidents of continual occurrence; and yet, on account of the
+apathy of the Spano-Indian races that inhabit these countries, little is
+done for either roads or bridges. Every one is left to take care of
+himself, and get over them as he best may. It is only now and then that
+positive necessity prompts to a great effort, and then a road is
+repaired or a broken bridge patched with new ropes.
+
+But the road that was travelled by Don Pablo had seen no repairs--there
+were no bridges. It was, in fact, a mere pathway where the traveller
+scrambled over rocks, or plunged into the stream, and forded or swam
+across it as he best could. Sometimes it lay along the water's edge,
+keeping in the bottom of the ravine; at other places no space was left
+by the water, and then the path ascended and ran along some ledge
+perhaps for miles, at the end of which it would again descend to the bed
+of the stream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ENCOUNTER UPON A CLIFF.
+
+
+That night they encamped in the bottom of the ravine close to the
+water's edge. They found just enough of level ground to enable them to
+stretch themselves, but they were contented with that. There was nothing
+for the animals to eat except the succulent, but thorny, leaves of the
+_Cactus opuntia_, or the more fibrous blades of the wild agave. This
+evening there were no quinoa seeds to be had, for none of these trees
+grew near. Even the botanist, Don Pablo, could find no vegetable
+substance that was eatable, and they would have to sup upon the vicuna
+meat, without bread, potatoes, or other vegetables. Their stock of ocas,
+ullucas, and macas, was quite out. They had cooked the last of the macas
+for that morning's meal.
+
+Guapo here came to their relief. Guapo's experience went beyond the
+theoretical knowledge of the botanist. Guapo knew a vegetable which was
+good to eat--in fact, a most delicious vegetable when cooked with meat.
+This was no other than the fleshy heart of the wild maguey (_agave_),
+with part of the adhering roots. Among naked rocks, in the most barren
+parts of the desert wilderness, the wild agave may be found growing in
+luxuriance. Its thick, succulent blades, when split open, exude a cool
+liquid, that often gives considerable relief to the thirsty traveller;
+while the heart, or egg-shaped nucleus from which spring the sheathing
+leaves--and even parts of the leaves themselves--when cooked with any
+sort of meat, become an excellent and nourishing food.
+
+The Indians make this use of the aloe on the high plains of Northern
+Mexico, among the roving bands of the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche.
+These people cook them along with horse's flesh, for there the wild
+horse is the principal food of whole tribes. Their mode of cooking, both
+the flesh and the aloe, is by baking them together in little ovens of
+stones sunk in the ground, and then heated by fire until they are nearly
+red hot. The ashes are then cleared out, the meat and vegetables placed
+in the ovens, and then buried until both are sufficiently done. In fact,
+there is one tribe of the Apaches who have obtained the name of
+"Mezcaleros," from the fact of their eating the wild aloe, which in
+those countries goes under the name of "mezcal" plant.
+
+In many parts of the Andes, where the soil is barren, the wild maguey is
+almost the only vegetation to be seen, and in such places the Indians
+use it as food. It seems to be a gift of Nature to the desert, so that
+even there man may find something on which to subsist.
+
+Guapo with his knife had soon cleared off several large pieces of the
+maguey, and these, fried along with the vicuna meat, enabled the party
+to make a supper sufficiently palatable. A cup of pure water from the
+cold mountain stream, sweeter than all the wine in the world, washed it
+down; and they went to rest with hearts full of contentment and
+gratitude.
+
+They rose at an early hour, and, breakfasting as they had supped, once
+more took the road.
+
+After travelling a mile or two, the path gradually ascended along one of
+those narrow ledges that shelve out from the cliff, of which we have
+already spoken. They soon found themselves hundreds of feet above the
+bed of the torrent, yet still hundreds of feet above them rose the wall
+of dark porphyry, seamed, and scarred, and frowning. The ledge or path
+was of unequal breadth--here and there forming little tables or
+platforms. At other places, however, it was so narrow that those who
+were mounted could look over the brink of the precipice into the
+frothing water below--so narrow that no two animals could have passed
+each other. These terrible passes were sometimes more than an hundred
+yards in length, and not straight, but winding around buttresses of the
+rock, so that one end was not visible from the other.
+
+On frequented roads, where such places occur, it is usual for
+travellers, entering upon them, to shout, so that any one who chances to
+be coming from the opposite side, may have warning and halt. Sometimes
+this warning is neglected, and two trains of mules or llamas meet upon
+the ledge! Then there is a terrible scene--the drivers quarrel--one
+party has to submit--their animals have to be unloaded and dragged back
+by the heels to some wider part of the path, so that each party can get
+past in its turn!
+
+Near the highest part of the road, our travellers had entered upon one
+of these narrow ledges, and were proceeding along it with caution. The
+trusty mule, that carried Dona Isidora and Leona, was in front, the
+horse followed, and then the llamas. It is safer to ride than walk on
+such occasions, especially upon mules, for these animals are more
+sure-footed than the traveller himself. The horse that carried Leon,
+however, was as safe as any mule. He was one of the small
+Spanish-American breed, almost as sure-footed as a chamois.
+
+The torrent rushed and thundered beneath. It was fearful to listen and
+look downward; the heads of all were giddy, and their hearts full of
+fear. Guapo, alone accustomed to such dangers, was of steady nerve. He
+and Don Pablo afoot were in the rear.
+
+[Illustration: GUAPO'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULLS.]
+
+They had neared the highest point of the road, where a jutting rock hid
+all beyond from their view. They were already within a few paces of this
+rock, when the mule--which, as we have stated, was in the
+front--suddenly stopped, showing such symptoms of terror that Dona
+Isidora and the little Leona both shrieked!
+
+Of course all the rest came to a halt behind the terrified and trembling
+mule. Don Pablo, from behind, shouted out, inquiring the cause of the
+alarm; but before any answer could be given the cause became apparent to
+all. Around the rock suddenly appeared the head and horns of a fierce
+bull, and the next moment his whole body had come into view, while
+another pair of horns and another head were seen close behind him!
+
+It would be difficult to describe the feelings of our travellers at that
+moment. The bull came on with a determined and sullen look, until he
+stood nearly head to head with the mule. The smoke of his wide steaming
+nostrils was mingled with the breath of the terrified mule, and he held
+his head downward, and evidently with the intention of rushing forward
+upon the latter. Neither could have gone back, and of course the fierce
+bull would drive the mule into the abyss. The other bull stood close
+behind, ready to continue the work if the first one failed, and,
+perhaps, there were many others behind!
+
+The mule was sensible of her danger, and, planting her hoofs firmly on
+the hard rock, she clung closely to the precipice. But this would not
+have served her, had not a hand interposed in her behalf. Amidst the
+terrified cries of the children, the voice of Guapo was heard calling to
+Don Pablo,--"Your pistols, master! give me your pistols!"
+
+Something glided quickly among the legs of the animals. It was the lithe
+body of the Indian. In a second's time he appeared in front of the mule.
+The bull was just lowering his head to charge forward--his horns were
+set--the foam fell from his lips--and his eyes glanced fire out of their
+dark orbs. Before he could make the rush, there came the loud report of
+a pistol--a cloud of sulphury smoke--a short struggle on the cliff--and
+then a dead plunge in the torrent below!
+
+The smoke partially cleared away; then came another crack--another
+cloud--another short struggle--and another distant plash in the water!
+
+The smoke cleared away a second time. The two bulls were no longer to be
+seen!
+
+Guapo, in front of the mule, now ran forward upon the ledge, and looked
+around the buttress of rock. Then, turning suddenly, he waved his hand,
+and shouted back,--
+
+"No more, master; you may come on--the road is clear!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE LONE CROSS IN THE FOREST.
+
+
+After two more days of fatiguing travel, the road parted from the bank
+of the river, and ran along the ridge of a high mountain spur in a
+direction at right angles to that of the Andes themselves. This spur
+continued for several miles, and then ended abruptly. At the point where
+it ended, the path, which for the whole of the day had been scarcely
+traceable, also came to an end. They were now of course in a
+forest-covered country--in the _Ceja de la Montana_--that is, the forest
+that covers the foot-hills of the mountains. The forest of the plains,
+which were yet lower down, is known as the "Montana" proper.
+
+During that day they had found the road in several places choked up with
+underwood, and Guapo had to clear it with his _machete_--a sort of
+half-sword, half-knife, used throughout all Spanish America, partly to
+cut brushwood and partly as a weapon of defence. Where the ridge ended,
+however, what had once been a road was now entirely overgrown--vines and
+llianas of large size crossed the path. Evidently no one had passed for
+years. A road existed no longer; the luxuriant vegetation had effaced
+it.
+
+This is no unusual thing on the borders of the Montana. Many a
+settlement had existed there in former times, and had been abandoned. No
+doubt the road they had been following once led to some such settlement
+that had long since fallen into ruin.
+
+It is a melancholy fact that the Spanish-Americans--including the
+Mexican nation--have been retrograding for the last hundred years.
+Settlements which they have made, and even large cities built by them,
+are now deserted and in ruins; and extensive tracts of country, once
+occupied by them, have become uninhabited, and have gone back to a state
+of nature. Whole provinces, conquered and peopled by the followers of
+Cortez and Pizarro, have within the last fifty years been retaken from
+them _by the Indians_: and it would be very easy to prove, that had the
+descendants of the Spanish conquerors, been left to themselves, another
+half century would have seen them driven from that very continent which
+their forefathers so easily conquered and so cruelly kept. This
+re-conquest on the part of the Indian races was going on in a wholesale
+way in the northern provinces of Mexico. But it is now interrupted by
+the approach of another and stronger race from the East--the
+Anglo-American.
+
+To return to our travellers. Don Pablo was not surprised that the road
+had run out. He had been expecting this for miles back. What was to be
+done? Of course they must halt for that night at least. Indeed it was
+already near camping-time. The sun was low in the sky, and the animals
+were all much jaded. The llamas could not have gone much farther. They
+looked as if they should never go farther. The heat of the climate--it
+had been getting warmer every hour--was too much for them. These
+animals, whose native home is among the high cool mountain valleys, as
+already observed, cannot live in the low tropical plains. Even as they
+descended the Sierras they had shown symptoms of suffering from the heat
+during all that day. Their strength was now fairly exhausted.
+
+The party halted. A little open space was chosen for the camp. The
+animals were relieved of their burdens and tied to the trees, lest they
+might stray off and be lost in the thick woods. A fire was kindled, and
+part of the vicuna meat cooked for supper.
+
+It was not yet night when they had finished eating, and all were seated
+on the ground. The countenance of the father was clouded with a
+melancholy expression. Dona Isidora sat by his side and tried to cheer
+him, endeavouring to force a smile into her large black eyes. The little
+Leona, with her head resting on her mother's lap, overcome with the heat
+and fatigue, had fallen asleep. Leon, seeing the dejected look of his
+father, was silent and thoughtful. Guapo was busy with his llamas.
+
+"Come, dear husband!" said the lady, trying to assume a cheerful tone,
+"do not be so sad. We are now safe. Surely they will never pursue us
+here."
+
+"They may not," mechanically replied Don Pablo; "but what then? We have
+escaped death, for what purpose? Either to live like savages in these
+wild woods--perhaps to be killed by savages--perhaps to die of hunger!"
+
+"Do not say so, Don Pablo. I have never heard that the Indians of these
+parts were cruel. They will not injure poor harmless people such as we
+are. And as for starving, are not these luxuriant woods filled with
+roots and fruits that will sustain life a long while? You, too, know so
+well what they are! Dear husband, do not despond; God will not forsake
+us. He has enabled us to escape from our enemies, from fearful dangers
+on our journey. Fear not! He will not leave us to perish now."
+
+The cheering words of his beautiful wife had their effect upon Don
+Pablo. He embraced and kissed her in a transport of love and gratitude.
+He felt inspired with new hope. The vigour of mind and body, that for
+days had deserted him, now suddenly returned; and he sprang to his feet
+evidently with some newly-formed resolution.
+
+The country both before and behind them was shut out from their view by
+the thick foliage and underwood. A tall tree grew by the spot, with
+branches down to the level of a man's head. Don Pablo approached this
+tree, and seizing the branches drew himself up, and then climbed on
+towards its top. When he had reached a sufficient height, to overlook
+the surrounding woods, he stopped; and, resting himself upon one of the
+branches, looked abroad towards the east. All the rest stood watching
+him from below.
+
+He had been gazing but a few seconds when his face brightened up, and a
+smile of satisfaction was seen to play upon his countenance. He
+evidently saw something that pleased him. Isidora, impatient, called out
+to him from below; but Don Pablo waved his hand to her, as if
+admonishing her to be silent.
+
+"Have patience, love," he cried down. "I shall descend presently and
+tell you all. I have good news, but be patient."
+
+It required a good share of patience, for Don Pablo after this remained
+a full half-hour upon the tree. He was not all the time looking abroad,
+however. Part of it he sat upon his perch--his head leaning forward, and
+his eyes not appearing to be particularly engaged with anything. He was
+busy with his thoughts, and evidently meditating on some great project.
+Perhaps the going down of the sun admonished him, as much as the desire
+of satisfying his wife's curiosity, but just as the bright orb was
+sinking among the far tree-tops he descended.
+
+"Now, Don Pablo," said the fair Isidora, pretending to frown and look
+angry, "you have tried our patience, have you not? Come, then, no more
+mystery, but tell us all. What have you seen?"
+
+"Forgive me, wife; you shall know all."
+
+Both sat down upon the trunk of a dead tree that Guapo had felled, and
+was cutting up for firewood: not that it was at all cold, but they had
+now arrived in the country of the terrible _jaguar_, and it would be
+necessary to keep up a blazing fire throughout the night.
+
+"Your words were true, love," began Don Pablo. "God has not forsaken us.
+I have seen three things that have inspired me with fresh life and hope.
+
+"First, I looked out upon the Montana, which I expected to see
+stretching away to the horizon, like a green ocean. I saw this in fact;
+but, to my surprise, I saw more. I beheld a broad river winding like an
+immense serpent through the distant forest. It ran in a direction
+north-east, as far as the eye could reach. Even upon the horizon I could
+distinguish spots of its bright water glancing like silver under the
+rays of the setting sun. My heart leaped with joy, for I recognised a
+river whose existence has been doubted. It can be no other, thought I,
+than the _Madre de Dios_. I have often heard that there existed such a
+river in these parts, that runs on to the Amazon. A missionary is said
+to have visited it, but with the destruction of the missions the record
+has been lost. I have no doubt the river I have seen is the _Madre de
+Dios_ of that missionary."
+
+The thought of being so near the banks of this river suggested other
+thoughts. At once a design entered into my mind. "We can build a raft,"
+thought I, "launch it upon this noble river, and float down to the
+Amazon, and thence to the mouth of the great stream itself. There is a
+Portuguese settlement there--the town of Grand Para. There we shall be
+safe from our foes."
+
+Such were my first thoughts on beholding the new river. I reflected
+further. "Our fortune is gone," I reflected; "we have nothing in the
+wide world--what should we do at Para, even if we arrived there in
+safety? How could we attempt such a journey without provisions. It would
+be impossible."
+
+My hopes fell as quickly as they had sprung up.
+
+"I noticed your countenance change as you sat upon the tree."
+
+"True, you might easily have done so: the prospect of reaching Para,
+penniless, and becoming a beggar in the streets--the nearer prospect of
+starving in the wilderness of the Amazon--were before my mind."
+
+My eyes for awhile were bent mechanically upon the green ocean of
+tree-tops. All at once an object arrested them. It was a patch of bright
+rose-coloured foliage, easily distinguishable amid the green leaves that
+surrounded it. It was not down in the Montana--for that is a thousand
+feet below us. It was upon the side of the Sierra. My eyes glanced
+quickly around. I beheld other patches of similar foliage, some of them
+nearly an acre in breadth. My heart again leaped with joy. I knew well
+what these red spots of the forest were. They were clumps of _cinchona_
+trees--those trees that yield the celebrated febrifuge--the Peruvian
+bark!
+
+New ideas passed rapidly through my mind. "Our fortune is gone," thought
+I. "Here is a fortune in these valuable trees. Here is a mine that only
+requires to be worked. I shall turn _cascarillero_--I shall be a
+_bark-hunter_."
+
+"At first I thought that we might gather the bark, and send Guapo to
+sell it in the towns of the Sierra. Then the idea came into my mind that
+it might be possible to collect an immense quantity, store it up, build
+a great raft, float it down the rivers, and dispose of it in Para. I
+knew that in this way it would more than quadruple its price--for the
+traders of the Sierra purchase it from the poor cascarilleros, and have
+enormous profits upon it from the larger merchants.
+
+"But how to live while making this store? Yes, how to live even on the
+morrow? Could we support ourselves by hunting, or find sustenance from
+fruits and roots, as you have suggested? This was the most important
+question of all, for our present necessities far outweighed our future
+prospects.
+
+"The very thought of our necessity caused me once more to glance over
+the forest, and I continued to scan it on all sides. My eye was again
+arrested, and fixed upon a point where I saw there existed a different
+vegetation from any that could be seen elsewhere. There is a small
+valley about five hundred feet below us. It is a sort of table valley,
+and the stream along which we have been travelling runs through it,
+afterwards dashing over a fall to join the river below. In this valley I
+saw huge broad leaves of a brilliant yellowish green. I knew them at
+once to be the leaves of the great _musaceae_, either plantains or
+bananas. I thought, too, I could distinguish the form of the _yucca_
+plant. These are the certain signs of some settlement, or where one has
+existed. I fancy the latter is the correct idea, as I could distinguish
+neither house nor smoke. It may be some deserted Indian 'chacra,' or it
+may be the grounds of an old mission. In either case, we shall be likely
+to find those useful plants from which we may obtain food."
+
+"Oh, papa! mamma!" cried Leon, running up and interrupting the
+conversation. "See what is here among the trees! I declare it is a great
+cross!"
+
+Don Pablo and Isidora walked towards the spot. There, sure enough, was a
+large wooden cross planted in the ground, and leaning to one side. The
+wood was much decayed, but the inscription that had been deeply cut in
+the transverse beam was still legible. It was simply the Spanish
+phrase:--
+
+"BRAZOS DE DIOS" (The arm of God).
+
+Isidora took Don Pablo by the hand, and looking steadfastly in his face,
+pointed to the inscription.
+
+"It _is_ true," said she, "God protects us!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+THE DESERTED MISSION.
+
+
+That night all went to rest with hope in their hearts, though still not
+without some anxiety.
+
+If you reflect upon the situation in which they were placed, you will
+not wonder that they were anxious about the future. Their first care had
+been to fly into the wilderness, without thinking upon the necessities
+they might encounter there--without reflecting that they had made no
+provision of food to sustain them. It is true that in the great Montana
+there are many plants and trees whose roots and fruits can be eaten; but
+a traveller may go for days without finding one of these. Indeed, to
+pass through this great forest, in most places, is impossible, so
+completely are the creeping parasites matted and laced together. It is
+necessary to keep along the rivers in a canoe or raft, else you cannot
+get from place to place.
+
+You cannot even walk along the banks of many of these rivers, as the
+underwood hangs into the very water! For the same reason game is hard to
+be procured, and neither Don Pablo nor Guapo were provided with proper
+weapons to hunt with. Don Pablo's pistols were all the fire-arms they
+had, and Guapo had no other weapon than his machete. With their present
+means, then, there was very little chance of their killing any game,
+even should they have fallen in with it. But they saw none as yet,
+except some birds, such as parrots, macaws, and toucans, that fluttered
+among the leaves. No wonder, then, they were anxious about what they
+should find to eat, or whether they should find anything at all.
+
+Don Pablo considered the cross a good omen, or rather a good _sign_.
+Some missionary must have planted it in years gone by. No doubt a
+missionary station must have been near; and it was highly probable that
+what he had seen in the little valley below would turn out to be the
+very place where it had stood.
+
+As soon as it became day, therefore, Don Pablo again ascended the tree
+to take the bearings of the valley, so that they should proceed towards
+it. Guapo also climbed up, so that both might make sure of the route
+they ought to take--for in the tangled forests of South America it is no
+easy matter to reach any object, which you may have only seen at a
+distance from the top of a tree. Without a compass, the traveller soon
+loses his direction; and, after hours of vain exertion and devious
+wandering, often finds himself at the very place from which he had
+started.
+
+After carefully noting the direction of the valley, Don Pablo and Guapo
+came down from the tree; and while the former, assisted by Leon, packed
+and saddled the animals, Guapo was busy with his machete in clearing
+away the brushwood that obstructed the path. This did not turn out such
+a task after all. It was only at the brow of the ridge, where the
+undergrowth had choked up the way. A little farther down it was quite
+passable, and the party, animals and all, were soon winding down the
+Sierra towards the valley. Half-an-hour's travelling brought them to
+their destination; and then a shout of joy, coming simultaneously from
+all of them, announced their arrival upon the spot.
+
+What was it that caused them to utter this shout of joy? Before them
+towered the great _musaceae_--plantains and bananas. There were both:
+their broad yellow-green and wax-like leaves sheathing their succulent
+stems, and bending gracefully over to a length of twenty feet. But
+beautiful as were the leaves of these giant plants, more attractive
+still to the eyes of our travellers were the huge clusters of fruit-pods
+that hung from beneath them. Each of these would have weighed nearly an
+hundred-weight! There was food for hundreds. These plants grew by the
+water's edge, in a damp soil--their natural habitat. Their leaves
+drooped over the stream. Another plant, equally interesting, was seen
+farther back, in a dry place. There were many of these ten or fifteen
+feet high, and as thick as a man's wrist. This was the _yucca_ plant.
+All of them knew it. They knew that its roots produced the far-famed
+cassava. Cassava is bread. Hurrah! the staff of life was secure!
+
+But, more than this, there were fruits in abundance; there were mangoes
+and guavas, oranges and the celebrated cherimoya--the favourite of Peru.
+There were shaddocks and sweet limes; and see! yonder is a clump of
+sugar-canes, with their thin silken leaves and yellow tassels waving in
+the wind. Oh, look here! Here is a coffee-shrub, with its ripe, aromatic
+berries; and here is the cacao-tree. Coffee and chocolate--there was a
+choice of beverages! Ha! what have we here--this plant like an orange
+tree? It is a species of holly. As I live, it is the _yerba mate_, the
+"Paraguay tea." What shall we light upon next?
+
+And so the delighted travellers went on, over the ground, through the
+thick-tangled weeds and convolvuli, making new discoveries at every
+step. Even Guapo's favourite, the coca-shrub, was found growing among
+the rest, and the eyes of the old Indian sparkled at the sight of it.
+
+Don Pablo's first conjecture had been right. They had arrived at the
+ruin of some old missionary station, long since deserted. Some zealous
+monk had planted all these plants and trees; had for years, no doubt,
+tended them with care; had dreamt of establishing around this lonely
+spot a great hierarchy, and making the "wilderness blossom as the rose."
+An evil day had come--perhaps during the revolt of Juan Santos, or maybe
+in the later revolution of Tupac Amaru. The hand of the savage had been
+turned against the priest, who had fallen a victim, and his roof--the
+mission-house--had been given to the flames. Not a vestige of building
+was to be seen--neither stick nor stone--and had it not been for the
+curious variety of vegetation collected on the spot, this once
+cultivated and flourishing garden might have been taken for part of the
+primeval forest.
+
+It must have been a long time since the place was inhabited, for great
+trees and parasites had grown up in the midst of the cultivated plants.
+
+After the first transports of delight had to some extent subsided, a
+consultation was held as to future proceedings. They were not long in
+coming to a conclusion. It was resolved that a house should be built in
+the middle of this wild garden, which should be, for a time at least,
+their home.
+
+The poor llamas had made their last journey. They were to be killed.
+Guapo, although reluctant to part with his old favourites, knew that
+they could not live in the warm climate of the valley, and therefore
+consented. Their flesh, it is true, is none of the best, but it would
+taste the better that no other was to be had; and their wool and skins
+would be found useful. The llamas were killed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE GUACO AND THE CORAL SNAKE.
+
+
+It was Guapo himself that killed the llamas, and, having skinned them,
+he cut the flesh into thin strips, and hung it upon the branches to dry
+in the sun. This, of course, was necessary, as they had no salt to cure
+it with; but meat well dried under a hot sun will keep good for a long
+time. It is curious, that in all Spanish-American countries they
+preserve most of their meat in this way, whereas in North America, among
+the people of our own race, "jerked beef" (for that is the name we give
+it) is very rare.
+
+Now, in Spanish-America there are vast depositories of salt--both in
+mines and on plains, with salt lakes--called _salinas_; yet, for want of
+a proper commercial activity existing among these people, in many places
+the valuable article, salt, is both scarce and dear. In Mexico dried or
+"jerked" beef is called "tasajo." In Peru, as we have stated, it is
+"charqui;" but mutton cured in this way is distinguished by the name
+"chalona." Now as the llamas are a species of sheep, it was "chalona"
+that Guapo was making out of their mutton.
+
+The others were not idle; Don Pablo, assisted by Leon, was clearing a
+place on which they intended to build the house, while the Dona Isidora,
+with her soft slender fingers (for the first time in her life, perhaps),
+was acting as laundress, and the little Leona assisted her as much as
+she was able. Where did they get their soap, for they had not brought so
+much as a single cake along with them?
+
+But Don Pablo was too good a botanist not to know the nature of the
+trees that grew around, and the uses to which they could be applied.
+Near by grew a curious tree, which is known among the Indians as the
+_parapara_. It was the soap-berry of botanists and Don Pablo knew that
+the bark of the berries, when rubbed, produces a lather that will wash
+linen equal to the best "Castile." Dona Isidora was not long in making a
+trial of it, and found this to be true. The little round stones of the
+berries, when cleared of the pulp, are very pretty, and are much used by
+the missionaries in making rosaries. Leon found, dropping one of them on
+a stone, that it was as elastic as a ball of India rubber, for it
+rebounded several times the height of a man's head!
+
+In the evening they all rested from their various occupations, and
+seated themselves upon the new-cleared ground, upon the trunk of a tree
+that had been felled. They were one and all quite cheerful. They felt no
+more apprehension of pursuit. It would have been a very revengeful
+enemy, indeed, who would have followed them so far into the wilderness.
+They had no fear of that. Dona Isidora had just cooked a kettle of
+coffee--they had both pots and kettles, for these were some of the
+utensils with which Guapo, even in the hurry of flight, had taken the
+precaution to load his llamas.
+
+This coffee turned out to be of the finest quality. It was of a peculiar
+species, which has long been cultivated by the missionaries of Peru, and
+which yields a very high price. It used to be sent by the viceroys as a
+valued present to the kings of Spain. To sweeten the coffee some joints
+of sugar-cane had been crushed, and boiled in a rough manner; and for
+bread they had roasted plantains. During the repast they were all quite
+merry, and pleasant jokes were passed for the first time in many days.
+
+While thus engaged a singular sound fell upon their ears. It was like a
+voice repeating the word "Guaco!" They all listened. "Guaco--Guaco!"
+again came the voice.
+
+"Hola!" cried Leon, "Guapo--Guapo! there's some one calling you, Guapo.
+There again!--no--it's 'Guaco'--listen! Guaco--Guaco' What is it, I
+wonder?"
+
+"That's the snake-bird," quietly answered Guapo, who, it must be
+remembered, was a native of the Montana, and knew a great deal both
+about the birds and beasts of these regions.
+
+"The snake-bird?" exclaimed Leon, evidently interested in the name.
+
+"Yes, young master!" replied Guapo; "look! yonder it goes!"
+
+The eyes of all were instantly turned in the direction pointed out by
+Guapo. There sure enough was a bird, not much larger than a common
+pigeon, but which had all the appearance of a sparrow-hawk. It was
+"swallow-tailed," however, and this, with its peculiar form and the
+manner of its flight, showed that it was one of the kite-hawks. When
+first noticed, it was perched upon the top of a high tree, but it soon
+flew to another not so high, uttering as it went, the "Guaco--Guaco!" It
+then pitched itself to a still lower branch, and was evidently after
+something which none of the party could see. That something, however,
+soon became apparent. The ground had been cleared in a broad track down
+to the water's edge, and near the middle of the open space an object was
+observed in motion, making towards the weeds. That object was a snake.
+
+It was not a large one--not more than three feet in length--and its
+beautiful body, variegated with bands of black, red, and bright yellow,
+glistened as it moved. Its predominating colour was a fleshy red, or
+coral, from whence it has its name, for both Don Pablo and Guapo, as
+soon as they saw it, pronounced it the "coral snake." Beautiful as it
+appeared, all knew that it was one of the most poisonous of
+serpents--one of the most dreaded of South American reptiles.
+
+The first thought of Guapo and Leon was to spring up, seize upon some
+weapon, and kill the creature. Don Pablo, however, restrained them.
+
+"Stay where you are," said he; "be patient; we shall have a scene. Look
+at the hawk,--see!"
+
+As Don Pablo spoke, the guaco, which had hopped down to the lowest
+branches of a neighbouring tree, swooped suddenly at the snake,
+evidently aiming to clutch it around the neck. The latter, however, had
+been too quick, and coiling itself, like a flash of lightning darted its
+head out towards the bird in a threatening manner. Its eyes sparkled
+with rage, and their fiery glitter could be seen even at many yards
+distance.
+
+The bird diverged from its course, and after passing the snake, turned
+and swooped again from the opposite direction. But the reptile had
+shifted its body so as to meet the attack, and its threatening head once
+more was reared high above its coiled body. The guaco was foiled a
+second time.
+
+This second failure seemed to enrage the bird, as it turned at shorter
+intervals, and apparently losing all fear, fluttered over the reptile,
+striking both with beak and claws. The latter still kept in its coil,
+but its head moved hastily from side to side, so as always to "show
+front" to its active antagonist.
+
+After this play had continued for some time, the snake was seen to draw
+in its head farther than usual, and the hawk, evidently somewhat off his
+guard, deeming this a fair opportunity, pounced forward to seize it. But
+he was met half way. The head of the serpent shot forward like a rapier,
+and reached his breast. The hawk felt that he was wounded; and uttering
+a wild scream, he flew suddenly away.
+
+All eyes watched him as he flew off, expecting that he would fall--for
+the bite of the coral snake will kill even a man in a few minutes, and a
+bird or small animal in much less time. It is not correct to say that
+all of them expected to see him fall. Guapo, from experience, knew
+better, and even Don Pablo, as a naturalist, had heard a strange account
+of this singular bird, and was curious to witness the result. The hawk,
+therefore, was narrowly watched.
+
+It flew directly for a tree, up against the trunk of which, and clinging
+to its branches, grew a parasite or creeping plant. The latter was of
+the thickness of a willow rod, with long slender leaves, of a dark green
+colour. The bird did not alight upon the top of the tree, but on a
+branch where it could reach the leaves of the creeper, which it began
+immediately to pluck and devour. In a short while it had eaten as many
+as a dozen of these long leaves, when it again took to wing, and flew
+back in the direction of the snake.
+
+All had, for the moment, forgotten the snake, in their eagerness to
+watch the movements of the bird. To their astonishment the reptile was
+still in the same place, and coiled up as when last seen. This was
+easily explained, however, as snakes who defend themselves in that
+attitude usually remain coiled, until they are certain that their enemy
+has gone away and will not return to the attack.
+
+The contest was now renewed with redoubled fury. The bird fought with
+fresh courage, knowing that he had taken precautions against a fatal
+result, while the snake defended itself with the energy of despair. This
+time the battle was a short one. The guaco, using its wings, succeeded
+in striking its antagonist upon the upraised head, and quickly following
+up the blow, planted his talons so as to encircle the throat of his
+victim. The effect of his gripe was instantly apparent. The reptile
+unfolded itself, and the slender coral body was seen writhing and
+twisting along the ground. But it did not remain long upon the ground,
+for in a few moments the guaco rose into the air, and carried the
+struggling victim into the woods to devour it at his leisure.
+
+Now Guapo was exceedingly pleased at what had occurred. Why? It was not
+because such a scene was at all new to him. No; he had often witnessed
+such, and was no longer curious upon that head. It was something more
+than mere curiosity that moved Guapo. When the affair was over, he rose
+from his seat, and stalking off to the place where the bird had been
+seen to eat the leaves, he gathered a quantity of them, and then
+returned to the fire. Don Pablo recognised them as the leaves of a plant
+of the genus _Mikania_, and known popularly as the "vejuco de guaco."
+
+Guapo knew nothing of the scientific designation of the plant, but he
+had long ago been taught the valuable properties of its leaves as an
+antidote against the bite of the most poisonous snakes. He had known
+them to cure the bite of the cascabel (_rattle-snake_), and even of the
+small spotted viper, the most poisonous of all the American snakes.
+
+What, then, did Guapo with the leaves of the vejuco? First, he chopped
+them up as fine as he could, and then, tying them tightly in a piece of
+cotton cloth, he expressed from them a quantity of juice--enough for his
+purpose. That done, with the point of a knife he made small incisions
+between his toes, and also upon his breast and fingers. Into each of
+these incisions, even while the blood was flowing from them, he dropped
+the juice of the Mikania, and rubbed it in with fresh leaves of the
+plant itself; and then, with some tufts of the soft floss of the
+silk-cotton tree he covered the incisions, so as to stop the bleeding.
+He wound up this strange performance, by chewing some of the leaves, and
+swallowing about a spoonful of the juice. This made the "inoculation"
+complete, and Guapo, as he himself declared, was now invulnerable to the
+bite of the most venomous serpent!
+
+He offered to "inoculate" the others in the same way. They at first
+refused--Don Pablo among the rest--but after a day or two, when each of
+the party had met with several narrow escapes from vipers, coral snakes,
+and the much-dreaded "jararaca," Don Pablo thought it prudent that all
+should submit to the operation, and accordingly Guapo "doctored" the
+party without more ado.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE PALM-WOODS.
+
+
+It happened, that upon the opposite side of the stream there was a broad
+track covered with palm-trees, while not one was to be seen on that side
+where they intended building their house. As these are the most
+convenient trees for constructing a house to suit the hot climate of the
+Montana, it appeared necessary that they should use them. But how were
+they to get at them? The stream flowed between them and the camp; and
+although not a large river, yet at that place it was very wide and deep,
+for in the flat table valley it expanded to the dimensions of a little
+lake.
+
+Below, where it issued out of the valley, it ran for some distance in a
+deep cleft between rocky banks almost or quite perpendicular, and above
+the valley it came dashing through an impassable ravine. If they could
+only get over to cut the palms, they knew they could roll them to the
+bank, and float them across the stretch of still water. But how to get
+over required some consideration. Guapo could swim like a water-dog, but
+Don Pablo could not; and Leon, having been brought up as a town boy, had
+had but little practice, and consequently was but a poor swimmer. What,
+then, was to be done, as Guapo could not well manage the palms without
+help?
+
+After examining the stream, both above and below, no crossing place
+could be found, but just at the point where it ran out of the valley,
+the space between the high banks was very narrow. A good long plank
+would have reached across it--had they only had one--but that they had
+not. Now, upon the opposite bank there grew a tall tree. It was one of
+the beautiful silk-cotton trees already mentioned. It stood upon the
+very edge of the chasm. Both Don Pablo and Guapo saw at a glance that
+this tree could be felled, and made to fall across the stream, so as to
+form the very bridge they wanted.
+
+Not much time was lost about it. Guapo, tying his axe upon his
+shoulders, ran up the near side, until he was opposite the still running
+water; and then plunging in, swam across in a few seconds. He soon after
+appeared on the opposite bank, at the root of the bombax, which he
+attacked in such a manner that one who did not know what he was about
+might have fancied he was angry at it. In a few minutes a great notch
+appeared in the side of the tree, and Guapo continuing his sturdy blows,
+made the yellow chips fly out in showers. Of course the notch was cut on
+the side next the stream, so that the tree would fall in that direction.
+The beaver understands that much, and Guapo had considerably more
+intelligence than any beaver.
+
+In about half-an-hour the bombax began to creak and lean a little. Then
+Don Pablo threw over a lasso, which had been brought along. Guapo noosed
+one end over a high limb, and tying a stone to the other, pitched it
+back to Don Pablo, who hauled it taut. Then a few cuts of the axe broke
+the skin of the tree on the other side, Don Pablo pulled by the rope,
+and with a loud tear and a crash, and a vast deal of crackling among
+the branches, the great bombax settled into a horizontal position across
+the chasm. The bridge was built.
+
+After all, it was no slight adventure to cross it. The rounded trunk was
+anything but sure footing, and even had it been a flat plank, the depth
+of the chasm--nearly an hundred feet clear--and the white roaring
+torrent below, were enough to shake the stoutest nerves. All, however,
+got over in safety, and proceeded up to the palm-woods. I say all--but I
+mean only the male population of the new settlement. Dona Isidora and
+the little Leona remained by the camp, both of them busy scraping
+_yucca_ roots, to be manufactured into cassava, and then into bread.
+
+On arriving among the palm-trees, Don Pablo was struck with a singular
+fact. He observed (indeed, he had already noticed as much from the
+opposite side of the river) that instead of one species of palm, there
+were not less than a dozen kinds growing in this wood. This was a very
+unusual circumstance, as although two or three species are often found
+together, such a varied collection as were there could only have been
+made by human hands. Here, again, was recognised the work of the
+missionary monk, who had no doubt planted most of the species, having
+received them very likely from many distant stations of his
+fellow-labourers in other parts of the Amazon valley.
+
+Whether Franciscan, Jesuit, or Dominican (for all three have had their
+missions in this part of the world), the holy father who resided here,
+thought Don Pablo, must have been an ardent horticulturist. Whether or
+not he converted many Indians to his faith, he seemed to have exerted
+himself to provide for their temporal necessities, for there was hardly
+a useful plant or tree suitable to the climate that was not to be found
+growing near the spot. Such were the reflections of Don Pablo.
+
+"What a variety of beautiful palms!" said he, looking around upon these
+by far the fairest forms of the vegetable creation.
+
+Now, my boy reader, I have not the slightest doubt but that you, too,
+think the palms the fairest forms of the vegetable creation. I have not
+the shadow of a doubt that your heart beats joyfully at the very word
+"palm;" that you love to gaze at one of the stately trees, and that you
+would give all your pocket-money for an afternoon's ramble through a
+real palm-wood. Would you not? Yes. I am sure of it. Now I could tell
+you a great deal about palms if I _would_; and I would, too, if my space
+and time allowed me, but neither will, alas! Why, if I were only to give
+you even the shortest and dryest botanic description of all the
+different palms that are known to us, that mere dry catalogue would fill
+a book as big as this one!
+
+How many species do you think there are? Up to this time you have
+thought, perhaps, there was only one, and that was _the palm-tree
+itself_. Maybe you have heard of more, such as the sago-palm, the
+cocoa-nut palm, the date-palm, or the cabbage-palm; and you fancied
+there might be others--perhaps as many as a dozen! Now you will hardly
+credit me when I tell you that we know of no less than _six hundred
+species of palms_, all differing from each other! I may add, further,
+that it is my belief that there exist on the earth as many more--that
+is, the enormous number of twelve hundred.
+
+The reason why I entertain this belief is, that in all cases where
+similar guesses have been hazarded--whether with regard to plants, or
+birds, or _mammalia_--they have eventually proved far below the mark;
+and as the palm countries are the very regions of the earth least known
+and least explored by botanists, it is but reasonable to conclude that
+great numbers of species have never yet been described, nor even seen.
+Another fact which strengthens this probability is, that peculiar
+species of palms are sometimes found only in a limited district, and
+nowhere else in the same country. A small river even sometimes forms the
+boundary-line of a species; and although whole groves may be seen on the
+one side, not a tree of the same sort grows on the other. Some botanists
+even prognosticate that more than two thousand species of palms will yet
+become known.
+
+Of the six hundred species known, about half belong to the Old World,
+and half to America. In America they are chiefly found growing on the
+Continent--although several species are natives of the West India
+Islands--while on the Eastern hemisphere the greatest number of species
+belong to the islands.
+
+I might tell you a great deal of the importance of these noble trees to
+the human race, for they are as useful as they are beautiful. Almost
+every sort has its particular use in the economy of human life. Not only
+do they serve certain purposes in Africa, Asia, America, and Oceanica,
+but in all these divisions of the earth there are whole nations who
+_live almost exclusively_ upon one or another species of palm.
+
+A discovery has lately been made in regard to an African species, which
+it is to be hoped will have an important influence in doing away with
+the infamous slave traffic so long existing in that unhappy country. You
+have heard of _palm-oil_. Well, it is extracted from the nuts of a
+species of palm. The oil is no new discovery, but it is only lately that
+it has been found to be as quite as good for the manufacture of candles
+as either spermaceti or wax.
+
+The consequence has been a great increase in the traffic of this article
+on the western coast of Africa; and the native princes, finding that it
+is more profitable than slave-selling, have in many parts given up the
+last-named atrocious commerce, and have taken to gathering palm-oil. If
+a palm-tree can effect what has baffled the skill of the combined
+philanthropists and powers of Europe, then, indeed, we shall say, "All
+honour to the noble palms."
+
+But I might go on talking of palms until our little volume came to an
+end. I must, therefore, no longer speak generally of these beautiful
+trees, but confine myself to such species as came under the observation,
+and ministered to the wants, of the new settlers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+A HOUSE OF PALMS.
+
+
+The first species of palms that attracted the observation of Don Pablo
+and his party, was that known as the "patawa" palm. It belongs to the
+genus _Oenocarpus_. There are several species of this genus in South
+America, but none more beautiful than the "patawa." It is a palm with a
+straight smooth stem, and pinnate leaves--the stem being sixty feet in
+height, and about a foot in diameter. The stem becomes smooth only in
+old trees. In the young ones, and even in those that stand in a thick
+shady forest, it presents a very shaggy appearance, and is completely
+hidden by the bases of the old leaves that have decayed and fallen off.
+From the margins of these bases grow spinous processes of nearly three
+feet in length, which point upward. These are used by the Indians to
+make the arrows of their "blow-guns," of which more hereafter.
+
+From the fruits of this palm a most delicious drink is manufactured with
+very little trouble. The fruit itself is about the size of a plum, but
+of an oval shape and deep violet colour. It grows in large clusters just
+under the leaves. To make the drink, the fruits are thrown into a vessel
+of hot water, where they remain for a few minutes until the pulp becomes
+soft. The hot water is next poured off, and cold water is substituted.
+In this the fruits are crushed and rubbed with the hands until all the
+pulp is washed from the stones. The liquid is then strained so as to
+separate the stones and other substances, when it is ready for use, and
+a most luxurious beverage it is,--in its taste bearing some resemblance
+to filberts and cream.
+
+A palm called the "assai" has a small sloe-like fruit which produces a
+similar beverage--thick and creamy, and of a fine plum colour. In all
+the Portuguese settlements the "assai" is a favourite drink, and is
+taken along with cassava bread, as we use milk or coffee.
+
+It was not on account of its fruit, however, that Don Pablo rejoiced at
+beholding the "patawa" palms. Perhaps Leon thought more about the rich
+clusters of oval plums, but his father looked only to the straight
+smooth stems which were designed for corner-posts, beams, and the
+heavier woodwork of the house.
+
+In a few minutes Guapo was busy with his axe, and one after another fell
+the princely trunks of the "patawa" until enough were cut down for their
+purpose.
+
+Don Pablo next looked out for some palm of a more slender trunk for the
+rafters and joists.
+
+This was soon found in the "catinga," which is a species of the "assai
+palm, the one of which we have just spoken as producing the assai wine."
+The catinga was the very thing for the rafters. It is tall, nearly forty
+feet high, but quite slender. It is one of the smooth palms, with
+pinnate leaves, not unlike those of the "patawa." There is a peculiarity
+about its top,--that is, there is a column or sheath of several feet in
+length, out of which the leaves spring, and, at the lower end of this
+column, and not immediately at the root of the leaves, the fruit
+clusters grow. This sheathing column is of a red colour, which gives the
+tree a strange look.
+
+Another peculiarity of the catinga is that its roots grow out of the
+ground, and form a little cone from the top of which rises the stem. The
+fruits of this sort are smaller than the true assai, but a drink is also
+made from them which some people consider more delicious than that
+either of the assai or patawa. The rafters then were got from the
+catinga.
+
+Now for the thatch, that was the next consideration.
+
+"Master!" cried Guapo, pointing off into the woods. "Yonder's
+'bussu,'--very thing for thatch!"
+
+Guapo indicated a very singular-looking tree, with a thick, clumsy,
+crooked, and deeply ringed stem. It was not a bit like either of the
+palm-trees they had already cut down. Its trunk was not over ten or a
+dozen feet high, but then, such leaves! They were not pinnated like
+those already described, but what is termed "entire," that is, all in
+one piece, and thirty feet in length by full five in width! Fancy two or
+three dozen of these gigantic leaves standing up almost erect from the
+top of the thick trunk, and you may form some idea of the "bussu" palm.
+There are many palm-trees whose leaves are used for thatching houses,
+but of all others for that purpose the bussu is the best.
+
+These great fronds have a mid-rib, and from this, on both sides, run
+veins in a diagonal direction to the edge. When they are used for thatch
+the leaf is split up the mid-rib, and then each half is laid upon the
+rafters, not straight, but in such a way that the veins of the leaf will
+lie in a vertical direction, and thus serve as gutters to guide the
+rain-water down the roof. A very few leaves will thatch a house, and a
+covering of this kind, when properly laid on, will last for ten or
+twelve years. So much are the bussu-leaves prized for thatch, that the
+Indians, in parts where this palm does not grow, often make a canoe
+voyage of a week to procure them!
+
+The spathe which contains the flowers is also put to many uses. It is of
+a long spindle shape, of fibrous, cloth-like texture, and brown colour.
+The Indians use it as cloth. It makes an excellent bag, in which the
+native carries his paints or other articles; and a large one, stretched
+out, makes a very comfortable cap. Indeed, Guapo used the first spathe
+he laid his hands upon for this very purpose.
+
+There remained now to be found some palm-tree that would split easily,
+and make laths for the roof, as well as planks for the door, shelves,
+and benches. They soon discovered the very palm for these purposes. It
+was one of the genus _Iriartea_, and known as the "pashiuba" palm. It
+was a tree that differed from all the others in its aspect. It was a
+noble-looking tree, rising, with a smooth stem, to the height of seventy
+feet. At its top, there was a sheathing column swollen larger than the
+stem, and not unlike the sheathing column of the catinga already
+mentioned, except that that of the pashiuba was of a deep green colour.
+Its leaves, however, differed materially from those of the catinga. It
+is true, that, like them, they were pinnate, but the leaflets, instead
+of being slender and tapering, were of a triangular shape, notched along
+the edges, and not growing very regularly out from the mid-rib.
+
+Their general arrangement, as well as the form, therefore, gave the tree
+a different, and, perhaps, more beautiful aspect. But the most singular
+characteristic of the pashiuba was its roots. I have said that the roots
+of the catinga rose above the surface of the soil. So did they, but only
+to a limited height, forming a little cone. Now the roots of the
+pashiuba stood up to the height of ten or a dozen feet! Each root was
+nearly straight in itself, but there were a number of them, and they
+sloped upwards so as to make a sort of pyramid, out of the apex of which
+grew the stem. There were wide spaces between the roots--so wide that
+you could easily pass through, and a full-grown man might stand upright
+with his head under the very base of the stem. Fancy a man standing
+under the trunk of a tree that rose seventy feet above his head!
+
+There were young trees of the same species growing around, and these
+were miniature models of the older ones. Sometimes these lesser ones are
+supported on three roots, like the tripod of a surveyor's compass, and
+this gives them a somewhat ludicrous appearance. There are many species
+of this sort of palms, which are classed under the genus _Iriartea_. In
+most of them the fruit, which is small oval and red or yellow, is bitter
+and uneatable; but their wood is prized for many purposes. The wood of
+the species which Don Pablo had found is hard on the outside, but soft
+within, and splits readier into laths and planks than any other kind of
+palm.
+
+Guapo attacked the roots with his axe, and enough trunks were soon
+felled to make laths, doors, and all sorts of benches.
+
+The different kinds were now collected on the edge of the stream, and
+were tied together by a rope-like, creeping plant, called a "Sipo," so
+that they formed a rude raft. The leaves of the "bussu," with great
+clusters of the fruits of the catinga and patawa, were laid upon the
+raft; and then, Guapo, mounting himself on top of all, pushed out with
+his long pole, and ferried the whole across. The others walked round by
+the bridge, and were just in time to assist Guapo in mooring his
+somewhat unwieldy craft.
+
+Next day the framework of the house was put up, and on the day after the
+walls. These were made of bamboo-canes, plenty of which grew near the
+bottom of the valley. They grew wild, for the slopes of the Andes are
+the favourite soil of these gigantic grasses. They were set on end, side
+by side, and then tied to each other and to the beams of palm-trees. On
+the third day the "bussu" leaves were laid on, and the house was
+finished.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+TRACKING THE TAPIR.
+
+
+It has been already mentioned that the stream in front of the house was
+wider than at other parts, forming a sort of lake. There was a slow
+current down the middle, but at the sides the water was nearly stagnant,
+and there grew in some places bunches of flags interspersed with
+beautiful white lilies. Among these could be distinguished that gigantic
+_nympha_ so celebrated under the name of _Victoria regia_--for South
+America is the native country of this rare plant.
+
+Every night, as our party were resting from their labours, they heard
+strange noises proceeding from the water. There was plunging and
+plashing, and now and then a snorting sound like that sometimes uttered
+by frightened swine. Perhaps it would have puzzled any of them to tell
+whence these sounds proceeded, or what animal gave utterance to them,
+for there could be no doubt they were caused by an animal. Some of them
+guessed "alligators;" but that was not a correct guess, for although
+there are plenty of alligators in all the rivers of tropical America,
+there seemed to be none in that particular place.
+
+In truth, they might have remained long in the dark about what creature
+they thus heard sweltering about nightly, for they could neither see nor
+hear anything of it in the day; but Guapo, who knew every sound of the
+Montana, enlightened them at once. Guapo had been a keen _tapir-hunter_
+in his time, and understood all the habits of that strange animal. It
+was a tapir, then, which they had heard taking his regular nightly bath,
+and regaling himself on the roots of the flags and _nymphae_.
+
+Have you ever seen a tapir? Not a living one, I fancy; perhaps the skin
+of one in a museum. He is an interesting creature, for this reason--that
+he is the largest land animal indigenous to South America. The llama and
+guanaco stand higher because their legs are longer, and they are far
+inferior to the tapir in bulk and weight: while the bears of South
+America, of which there are two or three species, are small-sized bears,
+and therefore less than the tapir. In fact, no very large land animals
+were found indigenous in the southern division of the American
+continent. There were none of the _bovine_ tribe, as the buffalo and
+musk-ox of North America; and no large deer, as the elk and moose of the
+Northern latitudes. The deer of South America, of which there are
+several undescribed species, are all small animals. The tapir, then, in
+point of size takes precedence in the South-American _fauna_.
+
+His rounded body gives him some resemblance to a great hog, or a donkey
+with its hair shaved off; but, in fact, he is not very like either; he
+is more like a _tapir_ than anything else--that is, he is a creature
+_sui generis_. Perhaps, if you were to shave a large donkey, cut off
+most part of his ears and tail, shorten his limbs--and, if possible,
+make them stouter and clumsier--lengthen his upper jaw so that it should
+protrude over the under one into a prolonged curving snout, and then
+give him a coat of blackish-brown paint, you would get something not
+unlike a tapir.
+
+To complete the resemblance, however, you would have to continue the
+erect mane over the forehead, between the ears, and down to the level of
+the eyes, which would give that crested appearance that characterises
+the tapir. Instead of hoofs, moreover, you would give your donkey large
+toes--four upon the fore feet, and upon the hind ones three. A little
+silky hair upon the stumped tail, and a few thinly scattered hairs of a
+brown colour over the body, would make the likeness still more striking;
+and it would be necessary, too, that the donkey be one of the very
+biggest kind to be as big as a big tapir.
+
+The tapir is a harmless creature, and although it has a good set of
+teeth, it never uses them for the purpose of defending itself. When
+attacked by either men or fierce animals, it tries to escape by flight,
+and if that fails, submits to be killed; but there is no "fight" to be
+got out of a tapir.
+
+The tapir leads a very solitary life, being met with alone, or sometimes
+in the company of the female. The latter has but one young at a birth,
+which follows her until able to provide for itself; when they associate
+no longer together, but part company, each taking its own way.
+
+This animal is called amphibious, because it spends part of its time in
+the water; but, although it has been called the American representative
+of the rhinoceros and hippopotamus, it is not so much a water animal as
+either of these. It seeks its food in the river, or the marshes that
+border it, and can remain for several minutes under water; but for all
+that most of its time is passed on dry land. It sleeps during the day in
+some dry spot upon a bed of withered leaves, from whence it sallies
+every evening, and makes to the marshy banks of some well-known stream.
+It frequently leaves its lair during rain, and goes in search of food.
+Like hogs it is very fond of wallowing in a muddy place; but, unlike
+these slovenly animals, it does not return to its bed until it has
+plunged into the clear water, and thoroughly purified itself of the
+mud.
+
+One habit of the tapir--and an unfortunate one for itself--is that in
+going its rounds it always follows the old track. In this way a path is
+soon formed from its lair to its feeding-place, so conspicuous that a
+hunter might trail it upon the run. It is easy, therefore, to "waylay" a
+tapir. Guapo knew this well, and had already, while over among the
+palms, marked the track of the one that came nightly to the stream, and
+had settled it in his mind that that particular tapir had not many days
+to live. In fact, Leon coaxed him to fix the tapir-hunt for the next
+morning, which Guapo, with Don Pablo's permission, accordingly did.
+
+Guapo was anxious as any of them to kill the tapir, for, like many
+Indians, he was fond of its flesh, though that is by no means a
+palatable article of food. On the contrary, it is dry, and to most
+people tastes disagreeably. Guapo, however, liked it exceedingly; and,
+moreover, he wanted the tough skin for some purpose of his own. The wild
+Indians value the skin highly, as it is the best thing they can procure
+for "viches," or shields, to ward off the poisoned arrows of their
+enemies.
+
+Next morning, an hour or so after daybreak, Guapo started for the hunt,
+accompanied by Leon. Don Pablo remained at home with his wife and the
+little Leona. Now, had the tapir-hunter possessed a gun, or even a bow
+and arrows, his plan of proceedings would have been different, and he
+would no doubt have chosen a different hour for the hunt. He would have
+chosen the twilight of the evening or morning, and would have hid
+himself in the bushes, so as to command a view of the track which the
+tapir would be certain to take on his way to or from the water. He would
+then have simply shot the creature as it was going past; but this is not
+so easy a matter neither, for the tapir, fearful of enemies while on
+land, always travels at a trot. As Guapo had neither bow nor gun,
+nothing in fact but his _machete_, how was he to get near enough to use
+this weapon? Clumsy-looking as the tapir certainly is, he can shuffle
+over the ground faster than the fastest Indian.
+
+Guapo knew all this, but he also knew a stratagem by which the
+amphibious brute could be outwitted, and this stratagem he designed
+putting in practice. For the purpose he carried another weapon besides
+the _machete_. That weapon was a very pacific one--it was a _spade_!
+Fortunately he had one which he had brought with him from the mountains.
+
+Now what did Guapo mean to do with the spade? The tapir is not a
+burrowing animal, and therefore would not require to be "dug out." We
+shall presently see what use was made of the spade.
+
+After crossing the bridge, and getting well round among the palms, the
+hunter came upon a path well tracked into the mud. It was the path of
+the tapir,--that could be easily seen. There were the broad
+footmarks--some with three, and others with four toes--and there, too,
+were places where the animal had "wallowed." The tracks were quite
+fresh, and made, as Guapo said, not an hour before they had arrived on
+the spot.
+
+This was just what the tapir-hunter wanted; and, choosing a place where
+the track ran between two palm-trees, and could not well have gone round
+either of them, he halted, rested his _machete_ against a tree, and took
+a determined hold of the spade. Leon now began to see what use he
+intended to make of the spade. He was _going to dig a pit_!
+
+That was, in fact, the very thing he was going to do, and in less than
+an hour, with the help of Leon, it was done--the latter carrying away
+the earth upon "bussu" leaves as fast as Guapo shovelled it out. When
+the pit was sunk to what Guapo considered a sufficient depth, he came
+out of it; and then choosing some slender poles, with palm-leaves,
+branches, and grass, he covered it in such a manner that a fox himself
+would not have known it to be a pit-trap. But such it was--wide enough
+and deep enough, as Guapo deemed, to entrap the largest tapir.
+
+It now only remained to get the tapir into it, but therein lay the
+difficulty. Leon could not understand how this was to be managed. He
+knew that at night, as the animal was on its way to the water, it might
+step on the covering, and fall in. But Guapo had promised him that he
+should see the tapir trapped in an hour's time. Guapo had a plan of his
+own for bringing it that way, and he at once proceeded to put his plan
+into execution.
+
+They started along the trail going _from_ the water, and towards the
+lair of the beast. The hunter knew it would not be very distant--perhaps
+a quarter or half-a-mile, perhaps less. Before starting he cautioned
+Leon to keep close behind him, and not to make the least noise. So
+little as a whisper or the rustling of the brush, he alleged, might
+spoil all his plans. Guapo marched, or rather crouched, along; at first
+freely, but after some time his step grew more stealthy and cautious. He
+knew that he was getting near to his sleeping victim.
+
+After stopping and repeating his caution to his companion, he proceeded
+as before until they had got better than a quarter of a mile from the
+water. Here they began to ascend a gentle hill, where the ground was
+dry, and strewed with fallen trees. At some places the trail was
+difficult to make out, and Leon would soon have lost it had he been left
+to himself. But there was no fear of Guapo losing it. A hound could not
+have followed it more surely.
+
+Suddenly Guapo stopped--then went on a few steps--then stopped a second
+time, and made a sign for Leon to come up. Without speaking, he pointed
+to a little thicket of scrubby bushes, through the leaves of which they
+could just make out some large brown object perfectly at rest. That was
+the tapir himself--sound asleep.
+
+Guapo had already instructed his companion that when they should arrive
+near the den of the animal, they were to make a wide circuit
+around--Leon going one way, while he himself took the other. Both now
+drew back a little, and then parted--the hunter going to one side, and
+Leon in the opposite direction. After making their circuit, they met at
+some distance beyond the back of the den; and then Guapo, telling the
+other to follow him, and, without observing any further caution, walked
+straight towards where the tapir lay.
+
+The Indian knew by experience that the latter, when roused, would make
+directly along its accustomed trail to the water, for to the water it
+always flies when alarmed by an enemy. When they had got within a few
+paces of the den, a movement was seen among the leaves--then a crackling
+noise was heard, as the huge body of the animal broke through the
+bushes, and took to flight. He did not trot according to his usual gait,
+but went off in a gallop, with his head carried in a singular and
+awkward manner between his fore-legs! You have, no doubt, seen a donkey
+sometimes gallop in a similar style.
+
+Guapo bounded after, followed by Leon, who kept close at his heels. Of
+course the tapir was in sight only a few seconds, but the hunter knew
+that he would take the beaten track, and therefore was at no loss. They
+made no unnecessary noise--lest the tapir might be frightened from its
+path--but ran on in silence.
+
+They soon got back to the pit-fall, Guapo of course leading the way.
+
+"Hola!" cried the latter, when he came in sight of it, "hola, young
+master! he's in the trap!"
+
+Sure enough he was; and the next moment they stood upon the edge of the
+pit, and beheld the great brown body struggling and tumbling about at
+the bottom.
+
+Guapo did not pause a moment, but leaped in, _machete_ in hand. He had
+no fear of the animal biting him, for he knew it would not do so; but
+Guapo, in his hurry, had leaped carelessly, and his foot slipping, he
+fell over the smooth body of the tapir. The latter in its fright jumped
+upward, and the next moment Guapo was _undermost_ at the bottom of the
+pit!
+
+The animal had no design of trampling the hunter; but seeing that it
+could easily leap out--the pit being shallowed for it by Guapo's body
+and the fallen branches--it made a spring, and came out on the edge.
+Leon had got round upon the side next the river, but he chanced to be on
+the wrong side just then; for the heavy tapir dashing past, knocked
+against him, and sent him sprawling among the trees. Before he could
+recover himself, or Guapo climb out of the pit, a loud plunge in the
+water announced that the animal had escaped to an element where it might
+defy their pursuit.
+
+Both were quite crest-fallen and disappointed, but Guapo especially so.
+He had prided himself very much on his skill as a tapir-hunter, and his
+pride was mortified at the result. He seemed very much chagrined; and as
+he and Leon returned toward the house, he stopped at intervals and
+looked into the water. Then shaking his machete in a threatening manner,
+cried out,--
+
+"Dive away, old thick-skin! Dive deep as you will, I'll have your hide
+yet!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE POISONED ARROWS.
+
+
+The result of the tapir chase determined Guapo to have himself better
+armed. There was one weapon--and a very efficient one too--which he knew
+how both to make and use. That weapon was a "gravatana," or blow-gun,
+sometimes called "pocuna." He had had an eye to this weapon all along,
+and had already provided the materials necessary for making it. These
+materials were of a varied character, and had cost him some trouble in
+getting them together.
+
+First, then, for the blow-tube itself he had cut stems of a slender
+palm-tree, a species of _Iriartea_, but not that sort already described.
+It was the _Pashiuba miri_ of the Indians. This little palm grows to the
+height of from twelve to twenty feet, and is never thicker than a man's
+wrist. Its roots, like the others of its genus, rise above the ground,
+but only a few inches. The stems which Guapo had chosen were of
+different sizes. One was about the thickness of the handle of a
+garden-rake, while the other was not over the diameter of a
+walking-cane. Both were hollow in the heart, or rather they contained
+pith like the alder-tree, which when forced out left a smooth bore.
+
+Having cut these stems to a length of about ten feet, and pushed out the
+pith, Guapo inserted the smaller one into the bore of the larger, which
+fitted tightly all the way--for he had chosen it of the proper thickness
+to this end. The object of thus using two stems instead of one will not,
+at first, be understood. It was for the purpose of making the tube
+perfectly straight, as this is a most important consideration in the
+gravatana. The outer and stronger stem corrected any bend that there
+might be in the inner one, and they were carefully arranged so that the
+one should straighten the other.
+
+Had it not been perfectly straight, Guapo would have bound it to a post
+and made it so; but it happened to come quite right without further
+trouble. The tube of the lesser one was now cleaned out thoroughly, and
+polished by a little bunch of the roots of a tree-fern, until it was as
+smooth and hard as ebony. A mouthpiece of wood was placed at the smaller
+end of the table, and a sight was glued on the outside. This "sight" was
+the tooth of an animal,--one of the long curving incisors of a rodent
+animal called the "paca," which is found in most parts of tropical
+America. To make the instrument look neater, Guapo had procured the
+tough shining bark of a creeping plant, which he wound spirally around
+the outside from the mouthpiece to the muzzle; and then the gravatana
+was finished.
+
+There was yet much to be done before it could be used. Arrows were to be
+made, and a quiver in which to carry them, and poison to dip their
+points in--for the arrows of the blow-gun do not kill by the wound they
+inflict, but by the poison with which they are charged.
+
+The next thing, then, to which Guapo turned his attention was the
+manufacture of the arrows. These can be made of cane, reeds, and other
+kinds of wood; but the best materials for the purpose are the long
+spines of the patawa palm, of which I have already spoken. These spines
+grow out from the lower part of the leaf-petioles, and, in young trees
+and those much sheltered, remain upon the trunk, giving it a very shaggy
+appearance. They are often three feet in length, about as thick as large
+wire, rather flattish, and of a black colour. To make the arrows, Guapo
+cut them to the length of fifteen or eighteen inches, and then pointed
+them sharply at one end. About three inches from the points he notched
+them all, so that they would break in the wound rather than drop out
+again, in consequence of the struggles of the animal.
+
+About two or three inches from the thick end of the arrow Guapo wrapped
+lightly around the shaft some strands of the soft silky cotton, which he
+had procured from the pods of the great "ceiba," or silk-cotton tree,
+already mentioned. This he fastened on with a fibre of an aloe
+plant--one of the _bromelias_; and the cotton, when thus secured,
+assumed a conical or spindle shape, having its larger end towards the
+butt of the arrow. When inserted into the gravatana, the swell of the
+cotton filled the tube exactly,--not so tightly as to impede the
+passage of the arrow, nor so loosely as to allow of "windage" when blown
+upon through the mouthpiece.
+
+The arrows were now ready, with the exception of the poison for their
+tips; and this was the most important of all, for without it both
+blow-gun and arrows would have been useless weapons, indeed. But Guapo
+was just the man who knew how to make this poison, and that is more than
+could be said of every Indian, for it is only the "piaches" (priests, or
+"medicine-men") who understand the process. Nay, more, there are even
+some tribes where not an individual knows how the arrow-poison is made;
+and these have to procure it by barter from others, paying a high price,
+and sometimes going a great distance for it.
+
+This celebrated poison is known under different names, but those of
+"curare," "ticuna," and "wouraly," are the principal.
+
+It is one of the most deadly poisons yet discovered--as much so as the
+_upastiente_ of Java, or the bean of St. Ignatius--but it is perfectly
+harmless when swallowed, and, indeed, it is often taken by the Indians
+as an excellent stomachic. Should it get into the blood, however, by
+means of an arrow-wound, or a sore, no remedy has yet been discovered
+that will cure it. Death is certain, and a death similar to that caused
+by the bite of a venomous serpent. So say those who have suffered from
+it, but recovered on account of their having been only slightly wounded,
+or lightly inoculated with it. Let us see, then, how Guapo prepared this
+deadly mixture.
+
+He had gone out to the forest, and returned carrying a bundle of slender
+rods. They were pieces of a lliana, or creeping plant. It was the
+_bejuco de curare_, or "mavacure," as it is sometimes called. The leaves
+he had stripped off, and left behind as useless. Had he brought them
+with him, they would have been seen to be small leaves of an oblong-oval
+shape, sharp at the points, and of a whittish-green colour. Don Pablo
+knew the plant to be a species of _Strychnos_.
+
+Guapo with his knife first scraped all the bark, as well as the alburnum
+or white coating, from the rods, which last he flung away. The mixture
+of bark and alburnum was next placed upon a smooth stone, and mashed
+into a fibre of a yellowish colour. This done, it was gathered into a
+heap, and placed within a funnel, which had already been made out of a
+plantain-leaf. The funnel was a long narrow cone, and to strengthen it,
+it was set within another funnel made of the thick leaf of the "bussu"
+palm, and then both were supported by a framework of palm fibres.
+
+Underneath the apex was placed a small pan--which could afterwards be
+put over the fire--and then cold water was thrown into the funnel along
+with the bark. A yellowish liquid soon commenced to filter and drip into
+the pan, and this liquid was the _curare_, the arrow poison. It still
+required, however, to be concentrated by evaporation; and for this
+purpose the pan was transferred to a slow fire, where it was kept until
+the liquid became thickened by the heat.
+
+Another process was yet required before the curare was ready for the
+arrows. It was sufficiently concentrated and deadly, but still too thin
+to adhere properly to their tips, and for this purpose a mixture of some
+gummy juice was necessary. This Guapo soon prepared from the large
+leaves of a tree called the "kiracaguero," and poured it into the
+infusion; and then the curare turned from its yellow colour to black,
+and was ready for use. The change of colour was produced by the
+decomposition of a hydruret of carbon; the hydrogen was burned, and the
+carbon set free.
+
+Guapo now dipped a few of his arrows, and carefully deposited them in a
+large joint of bamboo, which served as a quiver. I say _carefully_, for
+had one of these arrows dropped with its poisoned point upon his naked
+foot, or wounded him elsewhere, he never would have prepared any more
+curare. But he handled them with care, and the remainder of the liquid
+he poured into a small gourd (similar to that in which he carried his
+coca-lime), which he closely corked up with a piece of the pith from a
+palm.
+
+Don Pablo, with Dona Isidora and the children, had watched with interest
+all this process. At first, they were afraid to go near, believing that
+the fumes of the liquid might be injurious. This was long believed to be
+the case, in consequence of the absurd tales spread abroad by the old
+missionaries, and even at a later period by the traveller La Condamine.
+These asserted, that when the Indians wished to make the curare poison,
+they selected for this purpose the old women of the tribe, whose lives
+were not deemed of any value; and that several of these always fell a
+sacrifice while "cooking" the curare!
+
+This silly story is now refuted; and Guapo not only assured his
+companions that there was no danger, but even tasted the curare from
+time to time while in the pan, in order to judge when it was
+sufficiently concentrated. This he could tell by its taste, as it grew
+more and more bitter as the evaporation proceeded. The arrow-poisons of
+South America are not all made from the creeping plant, the mavacure.
+Among some Indian tribes a root is used called "curare de raiz;" and
+with others the poison is produced by a mixture of several species of
+juices from the plant _Ambihuasca_, tobacco, red pepper, a bark called
+"barbasco," from a tree of the genus _Jacquinia_, and a plant of the
+name "sarnango." Of all these the juice of the _Ambihuasca_ is the most
+powerful ingredient, but the making of this species of poison is a most
+complicated process.
+
+Guapo was not long in having an opportunity to test his gravatana, and
+this was just what he desired, for the old Indian was not a little vain
+of his skill, and he wished to make a show of it in the eyes of his
+companions. His vanity, however, was the more pardonable, as he was in
+reality a first-rate shot, which he proved to the satisfaction of
+everybody within half-an-hour. The instrument had scarcely been finished
+and laid aside, when a loud screaming and chattering was heard in the
+air, and on looking up a flock of large birds was seen flying over the
+heavens. They were still high up, but all of a sudden they darted down
+together and alit on a tall tree that stood nearly alone.
+
+Here they continued their chattering, only in a lower and more
+confidential tone; and they could be seen, not hopping, but climbing
+about, sometimes with their backs and heads turned downward, and, in
+short, clinging to the branches in every imaginable way. These birds
+were all of one kind, each of them full eighteen inches in length, and
+of a uniform colour over the body, which was a purple, or deep
+indigo--their beaks only being white. In the sun their plumage glistened
+with a metallic lustre. They were, in fact, a rare species,--the _ana_,
+or _purple macaw_.
+
+Without saying a word, Guapo seized his gravatana and arrows, and stole
+off through the underwood towards the tree upon which the macaws had
+perched. In a few minutes he stood under it, screened from the view of
+the birds by the broad leaves of a plantain that happened to grow
+beneath. This cover was necessary, else the macaws, which are shy birds,
+might have uttered one of their wild, choral screams, and flown off.
+They did not, however, and Guapo had a fair chance at them. All his
+movements could be observed by the party at the house, as he was on that
+side of the plantain.
+
+He was seen to adjust an arrow into the tube, and then raise the
+gravatana to his lips. Strange to say, he did not hold it as we do a
+common gun,--that is, with the left hand advanced along the tube. On the
+contrary, both hands were held nearly together, at the lower end, and
+close to his mouth. Now, you will wonder how he could hold such a long
+tube steady in this way. It is, indeed, a very difficult thing, and much
+practice alone can accomplish it. As they watched him narrowly, his
+chest was seen to expand, his cheeks rose with a strong "puff," and some
+of them thought they could perceive the passage of the little arrow out
+of the tube.
+
+However this might be, they soon after saw something sticking in the
+side of one of the macaws, and could see the bird pecking at it with its
+great beak, and trying to pull it out. In this it appeared to have
+succeeded after a short while, for something fell from the tree. It was
+the shaft with its cotton "boss" that fell down. The point, broken off
+where it had been notched, was still in the body of the bird, and was
+infusing the deadly venom into its veins. In about two minutes' time the
+wounded bird seemed to grow giddy, and began to stagger. It then fell
+over, still clutching the branch with its strong, prehensile claws; but
+after hanging a moment, these too relaxed, and the body fell heavily to
+the ground. It was quite dead.
+
+Long before it came down Guapo had pushed a fresh arrow into the tube,
+and given a fresh puff through it, wounding a second of the macaws. Then
+another arrow was chosen, and another victim, until several had been
+shot, and the creatures upon the tree could be seen in all stages of
+dying. Some, on receiving the wound, uttered a cry and flew off, but the
+poison soon brought them down, and they invariably fell at no great
+distance from the tree.
+
+At length Guapo was seen to desist, and walk boldly out from his ambush.
+To the surprise of all, the remaining macaws, of which there were still
+six or seven upon the tree, showed no fear of him, nor did they attempt
+to fly away! This was explained, however, by their subsequent conduct;
+for in a few seconds more they were seen, one by one, falling to the
+ground, until not a single bird was left upon the tree. All of them had
+been killed by the arrows of the blow-gun!
+
+Leon now ran out to assist Guapo in gathering his game. There were no
+less than eight couple of them in all, and they were all quite
+dead--some of them shot in the thigh, some in the neck or wing, and
+others through the body. None of them had lived over two minutes after
+receiving the wound. Such is the quickness with which the "curare" does
+its work!
+
+As a hunting instrument for most species of game the South American
+Indian prefers the gravatana to any other; and with good reason. Had
+Guapo been armed with a rifle or fowling-piece, he would have shot one
+macaw, or perhaps a pair, and then the rest would have uttered a
+tantalising scream, and winged their way out of his reach. He might have
+missed the whole flock, too, for on a high tree, such as that on which
+they had alit, it is no easy matter to kill a macaw with a shot-gun. Now
+the gravatana throws its arrow to a height of from thirty to forty
+yards, and the least touch is sufficient to do the business. Its
+silence, moreover, enables the hunter to repeat the shot, until several
+head of game reward his skill. The Indians use it with most effect in a
+vertical or upward direction; and they are always surer to kill a bird
+with it when perched on a high tree, than when seated on a low shrub or
+on the ground.
+
+As we have observed that the curare can be taken inwardly without any
+danger, it will be evident to all that game killed by the poisoned
+arrows may be eaten with safety. Indeed, there are many epicures in
+South America who prefer it in this way; and when a chicken is wanted
+for the table, these people require that it should be killed by an arrow
+dipped in curare.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+THE MILK-TREE.
+
+
+Guapo kept his promise with the tapir, and on that very same day.
+Shortly after the macaws had been brought in, little Leona, who had been
+straying down by the water's edge, came running back to the house, and
+in breathless haste cried out, "Mamma, mamma! what a big hog!"
+
+"Where, my pet?" inquired her mother, with a degree of anxiety, for she
+fancied that the child might have seen some fierce beast of prey instead
+of a hog.
+
+"In the water," replied Leona; "among the great lillies."
+
+"It's the tapir," cried Leon. "Carrambo! it's our tapir!"
+
+Guapo was busy plucking his macaws, but at the word tapir he sprang to
+his feet, making the feathers fly in all directions.
+
+"Where, senorita?" he asked, addressing little Leona.
+
+"Down below," replied the child; "near the edge of the river."
+
+Guapo seized his gravatana, and crouched down towards the bank, with
+Leon at his heels. On nearing the water, he stopped; and, with his body
+half-bent, looked down stream. There, sure enough, was the huge brown
+beast standing with his body half out of the water, and pulling up the
+roots of the flags with his great teeth and long moveable snout. It was
+not likely he would return to his former den after the chase he had had;
+and fancying, no doubt, that all the danger lay upon the opposite shore,
+he had come to this side to browse awhile.
+
+Guapo cautioned Leon to remain where he was, while he himself, almost
+crawling upon his belly, proceeded along the bank. In a few minutes he
+was out of sight, and Leon, seeing nothing more of him, kept his eyes
+sharply fixed upon the tapir.
+
+The latter remained quietly feeding for about ten minutes, when the boy
+saw him give a little start. Perhaps, thought he, he has heard Guapo
+among the weeds--for the tapir has good ears--and that was what caused
+him to make the motion. The tapir stopped feeding for a moment, but then
+recommenced, though evidently not with as much eagerness as before.
+Presently he stopped a second time, and seemed undetermined as to
+whether he should not turn and take to the clear water. In this way he
+hesitated for several minutes; then, to the astonishment of Leon, his
+body began to rock from side to side, and the next moment, with a
+plunge, he fell heavily backward, making the waves undulate on all sides
+of him. The arrow had done its work--he was dead!
+
+A loud shout from Guapo echoed along the river, and the Indian was seen
+plunging forward to the dead tapir, which the next moment he had seized
+by the leg, and was dragging towards the bank. He was here met by the
+whole party, all of whom were anxious to see this rare and singular
+creature. Ropes were soon attached to the legs, and Guapo, assisted by
+Don Pablo and Leon, drew the huge carcass out upon the shore; and
+dragged it up to the house.
+
+Guapo at once skinned it, carefully preserving the hide to make soles
+for his sandals and other purposes; and that night all of them tried a
+"tapir-steak" for supper. All, however, Guapo alone excepted, preferred
+the flesh of the purple macaws, which, cooked as they were with onions
+and red pepper, were excellent eating, particularly for Spanish-American
+palates. Guapo had all the tapir to himself.
+
+The bamboo palm-house was now quite finished, and several articles of
+furniture too--for during the nights both Don Pablo and his trusty man
+Guapo had worked at many things. You will, no doubt, be asking where
+they procured lights,--will you not? I shall tell you. One of the
+loftiest and most beautiful of the palm-trees--_the wax-palm_--grew in
+these very parts, for the lower slopes of the Andes are its favourite
+habitat. Out of its trunk exudes wax, which has only to be scraped off
+and made into candles, that burn as well as those made of the wax of
+bees. Indeed, the missionaries, in their various religious ceremonies,
+have always made large use of these palm-candles.
+
+Another "wax-palm," called "Carnauba," is found in South America. In
+this one, the wax--of a pure white colour, and without any admixture of
+resin--collects upon the under-side of the leaves, and can be had in
+large quantities by merely stripping it off. But even, had neither of
+these palms been found, they needed not to have gone without lights, for
+the fruits of the "patawa," already described, when submitted to
+pressure, yield a pure liquid oil, without any disagreeable smell, and
+most excellent for burning in lamps. So, you see, there was no lack of
+light in the cheerful cottage.
+
+But there were two things, you will say, still wanting--one of them a
+necessary article, and the other almost so--and which could not possibly
+be procured in such a place. These two things were _salt_ and _milk_.
+Now there was neither a salt-mine, nor a lake, nor a drop of salt water,
+nor yet either cow, goat, or ass, within scores of miles of the place,
+and still they had both salt and milk!
+
+The milk they procured from a tree which grew in the woods close by, and
+a tree so singular and celebrated, that you have no doubt heard of it
+before now. It was the _palo de vaca_, or "cow-tree," called sometimes
+by an equally appropriate name _arbol del leche_, or "milk-tree." It is
+one of the noblest trees of the forest, rising, with its tall straight
+stem, to a great height, and adorned with large oblong pointed leaves,
+some of which are nearly a foot in length. It carries fruit which is
+eatable, about the size of a peach, and containing one or two stones;
+and the wood itself is valuable, being hard, fine-grained, and durable.
+
+But it is the sap which gives celebrity to the tree. This is neither
+more nor less than milk of a thick creamy kind, and most agreeable in
+flavour. Indeed, there are many persons who prefer it to the milk of
+cows, and it has been proved to be equally nutritious, the people
+fattening upon it in districts where it grows. It is collected, as the
+sugar-water is from the maple, simply by making a notch or incision in
+the bark, and placing a vessel underneath, into which the sap runs
+abundantly. It runs most freely at the hour of sunrise; and this is also
+true as regards the sap of the sugar-tree, and many other trees of that
+kind.
+
+Sometimes it is drunk pure as it flows from the tree; but there are some
+people who, not relishing it in its thick gummy state, dilute it with
+water, and strain it before using it. It is excellent for tea or coffee,
+quite equal to the best cream, and of a richer colour. When left to
+stand in an open vessel, a thick coagulum forms on the top, which the
+natives term cheese, and which they eat in a similar manner, and with
+equal relish. Another virtue of this extraordinary tree is that the
+cream, without any preparation, makes a glue for all purposes as good as
+that used by cabinet-makers, and, indeed, Don Pablo and Guapo had
+already availed themselves of it in this way.
+
+So much for the _palo de vaca_.
+
+It still remains for me to tell you where the _salt_ came from; and
+although the milk-tree was ever so welcome, yet the salt was a thing of
+still greater necessity. Indeed, the latter might be looked upon as an
+indispensable article in household economy. You, my young reader, know
+not what it is to be without salt. With whole sacks of this beautiful
+mineral within your reach, almost as cheap as sand, you cannot fancy the
+longing--the absolute craving--for it, which they feel who are for a
+period deprived of it.
+
+Even the wild animals will make long journeys in search of those
+salt-springs--or, as they are called, "licks"--which exist in many
+places in the wilderness of America. For salt, Don Pablo and his
+companions would have exchanged anything they had,--their sugar,
+plantains, cocoa, coffee, or even the cassava, which was their bread.
+They longed for salt, and knew not how they could get on without it. The
+only substitute was the "aji," or capsicum, of which several species
+grew around, and almost every dish they ate was strongly spiced with it.
+But still this was not salt, and they were not contented with it.
+
+It was now that they found a friend in Guapo. Guapo knew that among many
+of the Indian tribes the fruit of a certain species of palm was
+manufactured into salt; and he knew the palm, too, if he could only get
+his eyes upon it. Seeing his master and the rest so troubled upon this
+head, Guapo rose one morning early and stole off among the groves of
+palm, on the other side of the river. There, in a marshy place, with its
+roots even growing in the water, stood the very tree,--a small palm of
+about four inches in diameter and twenty to thirty feet high. It was
+thicker at the base than the top, and the top itself rose several feet
+above the tuft of pinnate, feathery fronds, ending in a pointed spike.
+It was the "jara" palm, of the genus _Leopoldinia_.
+
+It was the fruits upon which Guapo bent his eyes with earnestness. Each
+one was as large as a peach, of an oval shape, slightly flattened, and
+of a yellowish green colour. They grew in large clusters among the bases
+of the leaves; and Guapo was not long in ascending several trees--for
+the jara is a smooth-skinned palm, and can be climbed--and breaking off
+the spadices, and flinging them to the ground. He had soon collected a
+bag-full, with which he hurried back to the house.
+
+All wondered what Guapo meant to do with these fruits, for they tasted
+them and found them very bitter. Guapo soon showed them his intention.
+Having prepared a sort of furnace, he set the nuts on fire; and when
+they were thoroughly reduced to ashes, to the great joy and astonishment
+of all, these ashes, which were as white as flour, had the taste of
+salt! It is true it was not equal to "Turk's Island," nor yet to "Bay"
+salt, but it proved to be good enough for cooking purposes, and
+satisfied the craving which all had felt for this indispensable article.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE CANNIBAL FISH AND THE GYMNOTUS.
+
+
+About this time an incident occurred that was very near having a fatal
+termination for one of the party--Leon. The day was a very hot one, and
+as the cool water looked inviting, Leon could not resist the temptation
+of taking a bath. Having undressed himself, he plunged into the river
+nearly in front of where the house stood, and began splashing about
+quite delighted. The rest were not heeding him, as each was engaged with
+some occupation within the house.
+
+Leon at first kept wading about in a place that was not beyond his
+depth, but, by little and little, he took short swims, as he wished to
+practise, and become a good swimmer like Guapo. His father had not only
+given him permission, but had even advised him to do so. And it may be
+here remarked that all parents would do well to take the same course
+with their children and allow them to acquire this healthful and useful
+art. No one can deny that thousands of lives are annually sacrificed,
+because so few have taken the trouble to learn swimming.
+
+Well; Leon was determined to be a swimmer, and at each attempt he made a
+wider stretch into the deep water, swam around, and then back again to
+the bank.
+
+In one of these excursions, just as he had got farthest out, all at once
+he felt a sharp pain as if from the bite of some animal, and then
+another, and another, upon different parts of the body, as if several
+sets of teeth were attacking him at once!
+
+Leon screamed--who wouldn't have done so?--and his scream brought the
+whole household to the edge of the water in less than a score of
+seconds. All of them believed that he was either drowning or attacked by
+a crocodile. On arriving at the bank, however, they saw that he was
+still above water, and swimming boldly for the shore--no signs of a
+crocodile were to be seen!
+
+What was the matter?
+
+Of course that question was asked of him by them all in a breath. His
+reply was that "he could not tell--_something was biting him all
+over_!"
+
+The quick eye of the mother now caught sight of blood--around the
+swimmer the water was tinged with it--her piercing shriek rent the air.
+
+"O God! my child--my child! Save him--save him!"
+
+Both Don Pablo and Guapo dashed into the water and plunged forward to
+meet him. In the next moment he was raised in their arms, but the blood
+streamed down his body and limbs, apparently from a dozen wounds. As
+they lifted him out of the water they saw what had caused these wounds.
+A shoal of small fish, with ashy-green backs and bright orange bellies
+and fins, was seen below. With large open mouths they had followed their
+victim to the very surface, and now that he was lifted out of their
+reach, they shot forward and attacked the legs of his rescuers, causing
+Don Pablo and Guapo to dance up in the water, and make with all haste
+for the bank. As soon as they had reached it, they turned round and
+looked into the water. There were these blood-thirsty pursuers that had
+followed them up to the very bank, and now swam about darting from point
+to point, and ready for a fresh attack on any one that might enter the
+water!
+
+"They are the 'cannibal fish!'" said Guapo, in an angry tone, as he
+turned to attend to Leon. "I shall punish them yet for it. Trust me,
+young master, you shall be revenged!"
+
+Leon was now carried up to the house, and it was found that in all he
+had received nearly a dozen wounds! Some of them were on the calves of
+his legs, where the piece of flesh was actually taken out! Had he been
+farther out in the river, when first attacked, he might never have
+reached the shore alive, as the fierce creatures were gathering in far
+greater numbers when he was rescued, and would most undoubtedly have
+torn him to pieces and eaten him up!
+
+Such has been the fate of many persons who have fallen among the
+"cannibal fish" in the midst of wide rivers where they had no chance of
+escape. These ferocious little "caribes," or "caribitos," as they are
+called (for the word _carib_ signifies cannibal), lie at the bottom of
+rivers, and are not easily seen; but the moment an attack is made by one
+of them, and a drop of blood stains the water, the whole shoal rises to
+the surface, and woe to the creature that is assailed by their sharp
+triangular teeth!
+
+Of course the wounds of Leon, although painful, were not dangerous, but
+the chief danger lay in the loss of blood which was pouring from so many
+veins. But Guapo found ready to his hand the best thing in the world for
+stopping it. On some mimosa-trees, not far from the house, he had
+already observed--indeed, so had all of them--a very singular species of
+ants' nests of a yellowish brown colour. The ants themselves were of a
+beautiful emerald green. They were the _Formica spinicollis_. These
+nests were composed of a soft cotton-down, which the ants had collected
+from a species of _Melastoma_, a handsome shrub found growing in these
+regions; and this down Guapo knew to be the best for blood-stopping.
+
+Even Don Pablo had heard of its being used by the Indians for this
+purpose, and knew it by the name of "_yesca de hormigas_," or
+"touch-wood of ants." He had heard, moreover, that it was far superior
+even to the ants' nests of Cayenne, which form an article of commerce
+and are highly prized in the hospitals of Europe. Guapo, therefore, ran
+off and robbed the green ants of their nests, and speedily returned
+with the full of his hands of the soft "yesca." This was applied to the
+wounds, and in a few minutes the bleeding was effectually stopped, and
+Leon, although still suffering pain, had now only to be patient and get
+well.
+
+Strange to say, another incident occurred that very evening, which
+taught our party a further lesson of the danger of taking to the water
+without knowing more of its inhabitants. Just as they had finished
+supper, and were seated in front of their new house, the mule, that had
+been let loose, stepped into the river to drink and cool its flanks. It
+was standing in the water, which came up to its belly, and, having
+finished its drink, was quietly gazing around it. All at once, it was
+observed to give a violent plunge, and make with hot haste for the bank.
+It snorted and looked terrified, while its red nostrils were wide open,
+and its eyes appeared as if they would start from their sockets. At
+length it reached the bank, and, staggering forward, rolled over in the
+sand, as if it was going to die!
+
+What could all this mean? Had it, too, been attacked by the "caribes?"
+No; that was not likely, as the bite of these creatures upon the hard
+shanks of the mule could not have produced such an effect. They might
+have frightened it, but they could not have thrown it into "fits"--for
+it was evidently in some sort of a fit at that moment.
+
+It might have been a puzzle to our party not easily solved, had Guapo
+not been upon the spot. But Guapo had witnessed such an incident before.
+Just before the mule gave the first plunge Guapo's eyes had been
+wandering in that direction. He had noticed an odd-looking form glide
+near the mule and pass under the animal's belly. This creature was of a
+greenish-yellow colour, about five feet in length, and four or five
+inches thick. It resembled some kind of water-snake more than a fish,
+but Guapo knew it was not a snake, but an eel. It was the great
+_electric eel_--the "temblador," or "gymnotus."
+
+This explained the mystery. The gymnotus, having placed itself under the
+belly of the unsuspecting mule, was able to bring its body in contact at
+all points, and hence the powerful shock that had created such an
+effect.
+
+The mule, however, soon recovered, but from that time forward, no
+coaxing, nor leading, nor driving, nor whipping, nor pushing, would
+induce that same mule to go within twenty feet of the bank of that same
+piece of water.
+
+Guapo now bethought himself of the narrow escape he himself had had
+while swimming across to the palm-woods; and the appearance of the
+gymnotus only rendered him more determined to keep the promise he had
+made to Leon,--that is, that he would revenge him of the caribes.
+
+None of them could understand how Guapo was to get his revenge without
+catching the fish, and that would be difficult to do. Guapo, however,
+showed them how on the very next day.
+
+During that evening he had made an excursion into the wood, and returned
+home carrying with him a large bundle of roots.
+
+They were the roots of two species of plants--one of the genus
+_Piscidea_, the other a _Jacquinia_. Out of these, when properly pounded
+together, Guapo intended to make the celebrated "barbasco," or
+fish-poison, which is used by all the Indians of South America in
+capturing fish. Guapo knew that a sufficient quantity of the barbasco
+thrown into the water would kill either "temblador," caribe, or any fish
+that ever swam with fins.
+
+And so it proved. In the morning Guapo having prepared his barbasco,
+proceeded to the upper end of the lake-like opening of the river, and
+there flung his poison into the stream. The slow current through the
+valley greatly favoured him, and from the large quantity of roots he had
+used, the whole pool was soon infected with it. This was seen from the
+whitish tinge which the water assumed. The barbasco had scarcely time to
+sink to the bottom when small fish were seen coming to the surface, and
+turning "wrong side uppermost." Then larger ones appeared, and in a few
+minutes all the fish in that particular stretch of water, with several
+gymnoti, were seen floating on the surface quite dead. To the great joy
+of Guapo and Leon, who sat by the bank watching, hundreds of the little
+caribes, with their bronze gills quite open, and their yellow bellies
+turned up, were seen among the rest.
+
+But Guapo had not made this great slaughter purely out of revenge. He
+had another object. They were not too well off for meat, and a dish of
+fish would be welcome. Guapo and Don Pablo had already provided
+themselves with long-handled nets, and they soon scooped out several
+basketfuls of fish. Among others they netted numerous "caribes," for
+these little monsters, fierce as they are, are not surpassed for
+delicacy of flavour by any fish in the South American rivers. The
+gymnoti approached the bank, where Guapo fished them out, not to
+eat--although they are often eaten. There was not a spark of electricity
+in them now. The barbasco had cured them of that; any one might have
+handled them with safety, as there was not a charge left in their whole
+battery.
+
+The lake was quite cleared of all its dangerous denizens, and Leon might
+bathe with safety, as soon as he got well; and over the fish-dinner they
+could now laugh at the adventures both of Leon and the electrified mule.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+THE CINCHONA-TREES.
+
+
+In about two weeks from their arrival in the valley, the house, with a
+stable for the horse and mule, was completed, and all the necessary
+furniture as well. Had you entered the establishment about this time,
+you would have observed many odd articles and implements, most of them
+quite new. You would have seen boxes woven out of palm leaves, and bags
+made of the fibrous, cloth-like spathe of the "bussu," filled with the
+soft, silky cotton of the bombax, to be afterwards spun and woven for
+shirts and dresses.
+
+You would have seen baskets of various shapes and sizes woven out of the
+rind of the leaf-stalks of a singular palm called "Iu," which has no
+stem, but only leaves of ten feet long, growing directly out of the
+ground. You would have seen chairs made of split palms and bamboo, and a
+good-sized table, upon which, at meal-time, might be noticed a
+table-cloth, not of diaper, but, what served equally well, the broad
+smooth silken leaves of the plantain. There were cups, too, and plates,
+and bowls, and dishes, and bottles, of the light gourd-shell
+(_Crescentia cujete_), some of the bottles holding useful liquids, and
+corked with the elastic pith of a palm. Other vessels of a boat-shape
+might be noticed.
+
+There were large wooden vessels pointed at the ends like little canoes.
+They were nothing more than the spathes or flower-sheaths of one of the
+largest of palms, the "_Inaga_." This noble tree rises to the height of
+one hundred feet, and carries feathery fronds of more than fifty feet in
+length. The spathes are so large that they are used by the Indian women
+for cradles and baskets; and their wood is so hard, that hunters often
+cook meat in them, hanging them over the fire when filled with water!
+
+Many other singular implements might have been noticed in the new home.
+One, a cylinder of what appeared to be wood, covered thickly with
+spinous points, hung against the wall. That was a grater, used for the
+manioc, or yucca roots; and it was a grater of nature's own making, for
+it was nothing more than a piece of one of the air roots of the
+"pashiuba" palm, already described. Another curious object hung near
+this last. It was a sort of conical bag, woven out of palm-fibre, with a
+loop at the bottom, through which loop a strong pole was passed, that
+acted as a lever when the article was in use. This wicker-work bag was
+the "tipiti." Its use was to compress the grated pulp of the manioc
+roots, so as to separate the juice from it, and thus make "cassava." The
+roots of the yucca, or manioc plant, grow in bunches like potatoes.
+
+Some of them are oblong--the length of a man's arm--and more than twenty
+pounds in weight. When required for use, the bark is scraped off, and
+they are grated down. They are then put into the tipiti, already
+mentioned; and the bag is hung up to a strong pin, while the lever is
+passed through the loop at the bottom. Its short end goes under a firm
+notch, and then some one usually sits upon the long end until the pulp
+is squeezed sufficiently dry. The bag is so formed that its extension,
+by the force of the lever, causes its sides to close upon the pulp, and
+thus press out the juice. The pulp is next dried in an oven, and becomes
+the famous "cassava" or "farinha," which, throughout the greater part of
+South America, is the only bread that is used. The juice, of course,
+runs through the wicker-work of the _tipiti_ into a vessel below, and
+there produces a sediment, which is the well-known "tapioca."
+
+There are two kinds of the yucca or manioc-root,--the _yucca dulce_, and
+_yucca amarga_--the sweet and bitter. One may be eaten raw without
+danger. The other, which very closely resembles it, if eaten raw, would
+produce almost instant death, as its juice is one of the deadliest of
+vegetable poisons. Even while it is dripping from the tipiti into the
+vessel placed below, great care is always taken lest children or other
+animals should drink of it.
+
+There were no beds--such things are hardly to be found in any part of
+tropical America--at least not in the low hot countries. To sleep in a
+bed in these climates is far from being pleasant. The sleeper would be
+at the mercy of a thousand crawling things,--insects and reptiles.
+Hammocks, or "redes," as they are called, take the place of bedsteads;
+and five hammocks, of different dimensions, could be seen about the new
+house. Some were strung up within, others in the porch in front, for, in
+building his house, Don Pablo had fashioned it so that the roof
+protruded in front, and formed a shaded verandah--a pleasant place in
+which to enjoy the evenings. Guapo had made the hammocks, having woven
+the cords out of the epidermis of the leaf of a noble palm, called
+"tucum."
+
+Their home being now sufficiently comfortable, Don Pablo began to turn
+his attention to the object for which he had settled on that spot. He
+had already examined the cinchona-trees, and saw that they were of the
+finest species. They were, in fact, the same which have since become
+celebrated as producing the "Cuzconin," and known as _Cascarilla de
+Cuzco_ (Cuzco bark).
+
+Of the Peruvian-bark trees there are many species,--between twenty and
+thirty. Most of these are true cinchona-trees, but there are also many
+kinds of the genus _Exostemma_, whose bark is collected as a febrifuge,
+and passes in commerce under the name of _Peruvian bark_. All these are
+of different qualities and value. Some are utterly worthless, and, like
+many other kinds of "goods," form a sad commentary on the honesty of
+commerce.
+
+The species, which grew on the sides of the adjacent hills, Don Pablo
+recognised as one of the most valuable. It was a nearly-allied species
+to the tree of Loxa, which produces the best bark. It was a tall slender
+tree--when full grown, rising to the height of eighty feet; but there
+were some of every age and size. Its leaves were five inches long and
+about half that breadth, of a reddish colour, and with a glistening
+surface, which rendered them easily distinguished from the foliage of
+the other trees. Now it is a fortunate circumstance that the
+Peruvian-bark trees differ from all others in the colour of their
+leaves.
+
+Were this not the case, "bark-hunting" would be a very troublesome
+operation. The labour of finding the trees would not be repaid with
+double the price obtained for the bark. You may be thinking, my young
+friend, that a "cascarillero," or bark-hunter, has nothing to do but
+find a wood of these trees; and then the trouble of searching is over,
+and nothing remains but to go to work and fell them. So it would be, did
+the cinchona-trees grow together in large numbers, but they do not. Only
+a few--sometimes only a single tree--will be found in one place; and I
+may here remark that the same is true of most of the trees of the Great
+Montana of South America. This is a curious fact, because it is a
+different arrangement from that made by nature in the forests of North
+America.
+
+There a whole country will be covered with timber of a single, or at
+most two or three species; whereas, in South America, the forests are
+composed of an endless variety. Hence it has been found difficult to
+establish saw-mills in these forests, as no one timber can be
+conveniently furnished in sufficient quantity to make it worth while.
+Some of the palms, as the great _morichi_, form an exception to this
+rule. These are found in vast _palmares_, or palm-woods, extending over
+large tracts of country, and monopolising the soil to themselves.
+
+Don Pablo, having spent the whole of a day in examining the cinchonas,
+returned home quite satisfied with them, both as regarded their quantity
+and value. He saw, from a high tree which he had climbed, "_manchas_,"
+or spots of the glistening reddish leaves, nearly an acre in breadth.
+This was a fortune in itself. Could he only collect 100,000 lbs. of this
+bark, and convey it down stream to the mouth of the Amazon, it would
+there yield him the handsome sum of 40,000 or 50,000 dollars! How long
+before he could accomplish this task he had not yet calculated; but he
+resolved to set about it at once.
+
+[Illustration: GUAPO AND THE 'NIMBLE PETERS.']
+
+A large house had been already constructed for storing the bark, and in
+the dry hot climate of the high Montana, where they now were, Don Pablo
+knew it could be dried in the woods, where it was stripped from the
+trees.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+A PAIR OF SLOW GOERS.
+
+
+At length, all things being ready, Don Pablo and party set out for a
+day's work among the cinchonas. As it was the first day of
+bark-gathering all went along to enjoy the novelty of the thing. A
+"mancha" of the cinchona trees was not far off, so their journey would
+be a short one. For this reason, the horse and mule remained in the
+stable eating the fruits of the "murumuru" palm, of which all cattle are
+exceedingly fond. Even the hard undigested stones or nuts, after passing
+through the bodies of horses and cattle, are eagerly devoured by wild or
+tame hogs, and the zamuros, or black vultures, when hungered, take to
+the pulpy fruit of this thorny palm-tree.
+
+It was a very early hour when they set out, for Don Pablo and his people
+were no sluggards. Indeed, in that climate, the early morning hours are
+the pleasantest, and they had made it a rule to be always up at
+daybreak. They could thus afford to take a _siesta_ in their hammocks
+during the hot noontide,--a custom very common, and almost necessary, in
+tropical countries. Their road to the cinchonas led up the stream, on
+the same side with the house. After going a few hundred yards, they
+entered a grove of trees that had white trunks and leaves of a light
+silvery colour. The straight, slender stems of these trees, and the
+disposition of their branches,--leaning over at the tops,--gave them
+somewhat the appearance of palms. They were not palms, however, but
+"ambaiba" trees. So said Don Pablo, as they passed under their shade.
+
+"I shouldn't wonder," added he, "if we should see that strange animal
+the ai. The leaves of these trees are its favourite food, and it lives
+altogether among their branches."
+
+"You mean the 'nimble Peter,' do you not, papa?"
+
+This inquiry was put by Leon, who had read about the animal under this
+name, and had read many false stories of it, even in the works of the
+great Buffon.
+
+"Yes," replied Don Pablo; "it goes by that name sometimes, on account of
+its sluggish habits and slow motions. For the same reason the English
+call it 'sloth,' and it is known among naturalists as _bradypus_. There
+are two or three species, but all with very similar habits, though, as
+usual, the French classifiers have separated them into distinct genera."
+
+"Why, Buffon says," rejoined Leon, "that it is the most miserable
+creature in the world; that it can scarcely get from tree to tree; that
+some remain in the same tree all their lives, or, that when one has
+eaten all the leaves off a tree, it drops to the ground, to save itself
+the trouble of getting down by the trunk, and, that when on the ground
+it cannot move a yard in an hour. Is all this true?"
+
+"Totally untrue. It is true the ai does not move rapidly over the
+ground, but the ground is not its proper place no more than it is that
+of the orang-otang, or other tree-monkeys. Its conformation shows that
+nature intended it for an inhabitant of the trees, where it can move
+about with sufficient ease to procure its food. On the branches it is
+quite at home, or, rather, I should say, _under_ the branches, for,
+unlike the squirrels and monkeys, it travels along the under sides of
+the horizontal limbs, with its back downward. This it can do with ease,
+by means of its great curving claws, which are large enough to span the
+thickest boughs. In this position, with a long neck of _nine
+vertebrae_,--the only animal which has that number,--it can reach the
+leaves on all sides of it; and, when not feeding, this is its natural
+position of repose.
+
+"Its remaining during its whole life in one tree, or suffering itself to
+fall from the branches, are romances of the early Spanish voyagers, to
+which M. Buffon gave too much credit. The ai does not descend to the
+ground at all when it can help it, but passes from one tree to another
+by means of the outspreading branches. Sometimes, when these do not
+meet, it has cunning enough to wait for a windy day, and then, taking
+advantage of some branch blown nearer by the wind, it grasps it and
+passes to the next tree. As it requires no drink, and can live without
+any other food than the leaves of the _cecropia_, of course it remains
+on a single tree so long as it has plenty of leaves. See!" exclaimed Don
+Pablo, pointing up; "here are several trees stripped of their leaves!
+I'll warrant that was done by the ai."
+
+"_A-ee_!" echoed a voice in the most lugubrious tones.
+
+"I thought so," cried Don Pablo, laughing at the surprise which the
+voice had created among the rest of the party. "That's the very fellow
+himself,--this way,--here he is!"
+
+All of them ran under the tree to which Don Pablo pointed, and looked
+up. There, sure enough, was an animal about the size of a cat, of a dark
+hay colour, with a patch of dirty orange and black upon the back. This
+could be easily seen, for the creature was hanging along a horizontal
+branch with its back downward, and its huge curving claws, all in a
+bunch, were hooked over the branch. Its hair was thick and rough, and no
+tail was visible, but its small round head and flat face was almost as
+like the human face as is that of any monkey. Indeed, the others would
+have taken it for a monkey,--Guapo excepted,--had they not been already
+talking about it.
+
+"Oh, yonder's another!" cried Leon, pointing higher up in the tree; and,
+sure enough, there was, for the ai is usually found in company with its
+mate. The other was a copy of the one already observed, with some slight
+difference in size--no doubt it was the female one. Both had observed
+the approach of the party, and now uttered their melancholy
+"Ayee--a-ee!" that sounded anything but agreeable. In fact, so very
+disagreeable is the voice of this creature, that it has been considered
+its best weapon of defence. Beside the utterance of their cry, neither
+of them made any effort to escape or defend themselves.
+
+Don Pablo and the rest were about to pass on and leave the ais to their
+leaf diet, but Guapo had other notions on that subject. Ugly as these
+creatures were, Guapo intended to have one of them for his dinner. He,
+therefore, begged Don Pablo to stop a moment until he should get them
+down. How was this to be done? Would he climb up and drag them from the
+tree? That is not so easily accomplished, for the ais, with their
+crescent claws, can hold on with terrible force. Besides, they were out
+upon the slender branches, where it would have been difficult to get at
+them.
+
+But Guapo did not intend to climb. The tree was a slender one--he had
+his axe with him--and the next moment its keen blade was crashing
+through the bark of the ambaiba wood. A few minutes served to bring the
+tree down, and down it came, the ais screaming as it fell. Guapo now
+approached to seize them, but about this he used some caution. Both
+finding themselves without hope of escape, prepared for defence. Buffon
+asserts that they make none. That is not true, as was seen by all the
+party.
+
+Throwing themselves on their backs, they struck out with their fore-arms
+in a sort of mechanical manner. These with the long horny claws they
+kept playing in front of their bodies, striking alternately with them,
+and rapidly, as a dog will do when suddenly plunged into water. Guapo
+did not put his hands near them. He knew they would not bite, but he
+also knew that he might get a scratch with the sharp claws, and that he
+did not wish for. But Guapo had a way to take them, and that he now put
+in practice. Lopping a couple of branches from the tree, he held one out
+to each of the ais, and touched them with it on the breast.
+
+Each, as soon as it felt the branch, clutched it tightly between its
+powerful fore-arms and held on as if for life and death. It would have
+taken a stronger man than Guapo to have pulled either of the branches
+away again. The thing was now done. Giving his axe to Leon to carry for
+him, Guapo lifted an ai, still clinging to the branch, in each hand, and
+carried them off as if they had been a pair of water-pots. He did not
+wish to kill them until he got them home, alleging that they were better
+for eating when freshly butchered.
+
+The bark-hunters now continued their route, and shortly after entered a
+little glade or opening in the forest, about an acre in size. When they
+had reached the middle of this, Guapo threw his ais upon the ground and
+marched on.
+
+"Why do you leave them?" inquired the others.
+
+"No fear for them," replied Guapo; "they'll be there when we come back.
+If I carried them into the woods, they might steal off while we were at
+work, but it would take them six hours to get to the nearest tree." All
+laughed at this, and went on, leaving the ais to themselves. Before
+passing out from the glade, they stopped a moment to look at the great,
+conical nests of the termites, or white ants, several of which, like
+soldiers' tents, stood near the edge of the glade. It was yet early, the
+air was chilly, and the ants were not abroad; so that, after gazing for
+a while on these singular habitations, the bark-gatherers pursued their
+way, and were soon under the shadow of the cinchona trees.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+THE BARK-HUNTERS.
+
+
+In a few minutes the work began--that work which was to occupy them,
+perhaps, for several years. The first blow of Guapo's axe was the signal
+to begin the making of a fortune. It was followed by many others, until
+one of the cinchonas lay along the sward. Then Guapo attacked another,
+as near the root as was convenient for chopping.
+
+Don Pablo's part of the work now began. Armed with a sharp knife, he
+made circular incisions round the trunk, at the distance of several
+feet from each other, and a single longitudinal one intersecting all the
+others. The branches were also served in a similar way, and then the
+tree was left as it lay. In three or four days they would return to
+strip off the bark both from trunk and branches, and this would be
+spread out under the sun to dry. When light and dry it would be carried
+to the storehouse. So the work went merrily on. The trees were taken as
+they stood--the very young ones alone being left, as the bark of these
+is useless for commerce.
+
+The Dona Isidora sat upon a fallen trunk, and, conversing with her
+husband, watched the proceedings with interest. A new and happy future
+seemed at no great distance off. Little Leona stood beside Guapo,
+watching the yellow chips as they flew, and listening to some very fine
+stories with which Guapo was regaling her. Guapo loved little Leona. He
+would have risked his life for her, would Guapo, and Leona knew it.
+
+Leon was not particularly engaged on that day. When the bark was ready
+for peeling he intended to take a hand with the rest. He could then
+employ himself in spreading it, or could lead the mule in carrying it to
+the storehouse. Leon did not intend to be idle, but there happened to be
+no work for him just then; and after watching the bark-cutters for
+awhile, he sauntered back along the path, in order to have a little fun
+with the ais. Leon had no very great confidence that he would find them
+in the place where they had been left, and yet he believed in Guapo. But
+it was hard to understand that two animals, each endowed with a full set
+of legs and feet, should not be able to make their way for a distance of
+twenty paces, and escape! After the rough handling they had had, too! He
+would have a peep at them, anyhow, to see how they were coming on. So
+back he went.
+
+On getting near the glade their voices reached him. They were there,
+after all! He could hear them utter their pitiful "ay-ee--ay-ee!" and,
+as he thought, in a louder and more distressing tone than ever. What
+could be the matter? They had been silent for some time, he was sure,
+for such cries as they now uttered could have been heard easily where
+the rest were. What could be the meaning of this fresh outburst? Had
+some new enemy attacked them? It seemed like enough.
+
+Leon stole forward, and peeped into the glade. No--there was nothing
+near them! But what was the matter with the creatures? Instead of lying
+quietly, as they had done when left behind, they were now rolling and
+tumbling backward and forward, and pitching about, and dancing first on
+their feet and then on their heads, and cutting all sorts of strange
+capers! Could it be for their own amusement? No; their lamentable cries
+precluded that supposition; besides, their odd attitudes and contortions
+bespoke terror and pain!
+
+"Carrambo!" muttered Leon. "What's the matter with them?"
+
+They seemed inclined to escape towards the trees; but, after making a
+few lengths, they would fall to the ground, tumble about, and then,
+getting up again, head in the opposite direction!
+
+Leon was puzzled,--no wonder. He looked around for a solution of this
+queer conduct on the part of the ais. No explanation appeared. At length
+he bethought himself of going up to them. Perhaps, when nearer, he might
+learn what set them a-dancing.
+
+"Ha!" he ejaculated, struck with some sudden thought. "I know now;
+there's a snake at them."
+
+This conjecture--for it was only a conjecture--caused him to stop short.
+It might be some venomous snake, thought he. The grass was not long, and
+he could have seen a very large snake; but still a small coral snake, or
+the little poisonous viper, might have been there. He fancied he saw
+something moving; but to get a better view he passed slowly around the
+edge of the glade, until he was nearly on the opposite side to that
+where he had entered. He still kept at a good distance from the ais, but
+as yet discovered no snake.
+
+To his great surprise, the ais now lay stretched along the grass, their
+struggles appeared each moment to grow less violent, and their
+melancholy cries became weaker and weaker. Their contortions at length
+came to an end. A feeble effort to raise themselves alone could be
+perceived,--then a spasmodic motion of their long crooked limbs,--their
+cries became indistinct; and, after a while, both lay motionless and
+silent! Were they dead? Surely so, thought Leon.
+
+He stood gazing at them for some minutes. Not a motion of their bodies
+could be perceived. Surely they had no longer lived! But, then, what
+could have killed them? There was no snake to be seen; no animal of any
+kind except themselves! Had they been taken with some sudden
+disease,--some kind of convulsions that had ended fatally? This seemed
+the most probable thing, judging from the odd manner in which they had
+acted. Maybe they had eaten some sort of plant that had poisoned them!
+
+These conjectures passed rapidly through the mind of Leon. Of course, he
+resolved to satisfy himself as to the cause of their death, if dead they
+actually were. He began to draw nearer, making his advances with stealth
+and caution--as he was still apprehensive about the snake.
+
+After he had made a few paces in a forward direction, he began to
+perceive something moving around the bodies of the animals. Snakes? No.
+What then? A few paces nearer. See! the whole ground is in motion. The
+bodies of the ais, though dead, are covered with living, moving objects!
+Ha! _it is a "chacu" of the white ants_.
+
+Leon now comprehended the whole affair. The ground was literally alive
+with the terrible _termites_. They had made their foray, or "chacu," as
+it is called, from the neighbouring cones; they had attacked the
+helpless ais, and put them to death, with their poisonous stings!
+Already they were tearing them to pieces, and bearing them off to their
+dark caves! So thick were they on the bodies of the animals, that the
+latter had suddenly changed their colour, and now appeared to be nothing
+more than living heaps of crawling insects!
+
+It was a hideous sight to behold, and Leon felt his flesh creep as he
+looked upon it. Still he felt a curiosity to witness the result, and he
+stood watching the busy crowd that had gathered about the ais. He had
+heard strange accounts of these white ants; how that, in a few minutes,
+they will tear the carcasses of large animals to pieces, and carry them
+away to their dens; and he was determined to prove the truth of this by
+observation. He did not go any nearer, for he was not without some dread
+of these ugly creatures; but, happening to find himself beside a small
+tree, with low horizontal branches, he climbed up, and sat down upon one
+of the branches, resting his feet upon another. He was inclined to take
+the thing as easily as possible.
+
+His perch commanded a full view of the operations of the termites, and
+for a long time he sat watching them with interest. He could see that it
+was not the same set that were always on the carcasses of the ais. On
+the contrary, one host were always leaving the spot, while another took
+their places, and from the great conical houses fresh bands appeared to
+issue. In fact, two great parallel belts of them, like army columns,
+stretched from the "hills" to the ais, going in opposite directions.
+
+Those which travelled towards the cells presented a very different
+appearance to the others. These were loaded with pieces of torn flesh,
+or skin with tufts of hair adhering to it; and each ant carried a piece
+by far larger than its own body. Their bodies, in fact, were quite
+hidden under their disproportionate burdens. The others--those which
+were coming from the conical hills--were empty-handed, and presented the
+appearance of a whittish stream flowing along the surface of the ground!
+
+It was a most singular sight; and Leon sat watching the creatures until
+his head was giddy, and he felt as though the ground itself was in
+motion.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR.
+
+
+All at once the attention of the boy was called away from the crawling
+millions. A rustling among some dead leaves was heard. It appeared to
+proceed from the edge of the glade, not far from the ant-hills. The
+branches of the underwood were seen to move, and the next moment a
+slender cylindrical object, about a foot and a half in length, was
+protruded out from the leaves. Had there not been a pair of small eyes
+and ears near the farther end of this cylindrical object, no one would
+have taken it for the head and snout of an animal. But Leon saw the
+little sparkling black eyes, and he therefore conjectured that it was
+some such creature.
+
+The next moment the body came into view, and a singular creature it was.
+It was about the size of a very large Newfoundland dog, though of a
+different shape. It was covered all over with long brownish hair, part
+of which looked so coarse as to resemble dry grass or bristles. On each
+shoulder was a wide strip of black, bordered with whitish bands; and the
+tail, which was full three feet long, was clothed with a thick growth of
+coarse hair, several inches in length, that looked like strips of
+whalebone. This was carried aloft, and curving over the back. But the
+most curious feature of the animal was its snout.
+
+Talk of the nose of a grey hound. It would be a "pug" in comparison!
+That of this animal was full twice as long, and not half so thick, with
+a little mouth not over an inch in size, and without a single tooth! It
+was certainly the oddest snout Leon had ever seen. The legs, too, were
+remarkable. They were stout and thick, the hinder ones appearing much
+shorter than the fore-legs; but this was because the creature in its
+hind-feet was _plantigrade_, that is, it walked with the whole of its
+soles touching the surface, which only bears and a few other sorts of
+quadrupeds do.
+
+Its fore-feet, too, were oddly placed upon the ground. They had four
+long claws upon each, but these claws, instead of being spread out, as
+in the dog or cat, were all folded backward along the sole, and the
+creature, to avoid treading on them, actually walked on the sides of its
+feet! The claws were only used for scraping up the ground, and then it
+could bring them forward in a perpendicular position, like the blade of
+a hoe, or the teeth of a garden-rake. Of course, with feet furnished in
+such an out-of-the-way fashion, the animal moved but slowly over the
+ground. In fact it went very slowly, and with a stealthy pace.
+
+Although Leon had never seen the creature before, he had read about it,
+and had also seen pictures of it. He knew it, therefore, at a glance.
+That proboscis-looking snout was not to be mistaken. It could belong to
+no other creature than the _tamanoir_, or _great ant-eater_, by the
+people of South America called the _ant-bear_. It was, in fact, that
+very thing; but to Leon's astonishment, as soon as it got fairly out of
+the bushes, he noticed a singular-looking hunch upon its back, just over
+the shoulder. At first he could not make out what this was, as he had
+never heard of such a protuberance, besides, the tail half hid it from
+his view. All of a sudden the animal turned its head backwards, touched
+the hunch with its snout, gave itself a shake, and then the odd
+excrescence fell to the ground, and proved to be a young ant-eater, with
+bushy tail and long snout, the "very image of its mother." The large one
+was thus seen to be a female that had been carrying her infant upon her
+shoulders.
+
+It was close to one of the ant-hills where the old tamanoir placed her
+young upon the ground, and turning away from it, she approached the
+great cone. Erecting herself upon her hind-feet, she stood with the fore
+ones resting against the hill, apparently examining it, and considering
+in what part of it the shell or roof was thinnest and weakest. These
+cones, composed of agglutinated sand and earth, are frequently so
+stoutly put together that it requires a pick-axe or crowbar to break
+them open.
+
+But the ant-eater knew well that her fore-feet were armed with an
+implement equal to either pick or crow, and she would certainly have
+made a hole there and then, had she not noticed, on looking around to
+the other side, that the inhabitants of the hill were all abroad upon
+one of their forays. This seemed to bring about a sudden change in her
+determination, and, dropping her fore-feet to the ground, she once more
+threw up her great tail, and returned to where she had left her young
+one. Partly pushing it before her with her snout, and partly lifting it
+between her strong fore-arms, she succeeded in bringing the latter to
+the border of the path along which travelled the ants.
+
+Here she squatted down, and placed herself so that the point of her nose
+just touched the selvedge of the swarming hosts, having caused the
+youngster by her side to do the same. Then throwing out a long worm-like
+tongue, which glittered with a viscous coating, she drew it back again
+covered with ants. These passed into her mouth, and thence, of course,
+into her capacious stomach. The tongue, which was more than a foot in
+length, and nearly as thick as a quill, was again thrown out, and again
+drawn back, and this operation she continued, the tongue making about
+two "hauls" to every second of time! Now and then she stopped eating, in
+order to give some instructions to the little one that was seen closely
+imitating her, and with its more slender tongue dealing death among the
+_termites_.
+
+So very comic was the sight that Leon could not help laughing at it, as
+he sat upon his perch.
+
+An end, however, was put to his merriment, by the sudden appearance of
+another animal--one of a different character. It was a large cat-like
+creature, of a reddish-yellow, or tawny colour, long body and tail,
+round head, with whiskers, and bright gleaming eyes. Leon had seen that
+sort of animal before. He had seen it led in strings by Indians through
+the streets of Cuzco, and he at once recognised it. It was the
+_Puma_--the maneless lion of America.
+
+The specimens which Leon had seen with the Indians had been rendered
+tame and harmless. He knew that, but he had also been told that the
+animal in its wild state is a savage and dangerous beast. This is true
+of the puma in some districts, while in others the creature is cowardly,
+and will flee at the sight of man. In all cases, however, when the puma
+is brought to bay, it makes a desperate fight, and both dogs and men
+have been killed in the attack.
+
+Leon had not been frightened at the tamanoir. Even had it been a savage
+creature, he knew it could not climb a tree--though there are two
+smaller species of ant-bears in South America that can--and he therefore
+knew he was quite safe on his perch. But his feelings were very
+different when the red body of the puma came in sight. It could run up
+the smoothest trunk in the forest with as much ease and agility as a
+cat, and there would be no chance of escaping from it if it felt
+disposed to attack him. Of this the boy was fully conscious, and no
+wonder he was alarmed.
+
+His first thought was to leap down, and make for the cinchona-trees,
+where the others were; but the puma had entered the glade from that
+side, and it was therefore directly in his way: he would have run right
+in its teeth by going toward the cinchona-trees. He next thought of
+slipping quietly down, and getting into the woods behind him.
+Unfortunately, the tree on which he was stood out in the glade quite
+apart from any others, the puma would see him go off, and, of course,
+could overtake him in a dozen leaps. These thoughts passed through the
+boy's mind in a few seconds of time; and in a few seconds of time he was
+convinced that his best course would be to remain where he was, and keep
+quiet. Perhaps the puma would not notice him--as yet he had not.
+
+No doubt he would have done so, had there been nothing else on the spot
+to take off his attention; but just as he came into the open ground, his
+eyes fell upon the ant-eaters, where they lay squatted and licking up
+the termites. He had entered the glade in a sort of skulking trot, but
+the moment he saw the tamanoirs he halted, drew his body into a
+crouching attitude, and remained thus for some moments, while his long
+tail oscillated from side to side, as that of a cat when about to spring
+upon a mouse or a sparrow.
+
+Just at this moment the tamanoir, having turned round to address some
+conversation to her young companion, espied him, and sprang to her feet.
+She recognised in the puma--as in others of his race--a deadly enemy.
+With one sweep of her fore-arm she flung the young one behind her, until
+it rested against the wall of the ant-hill, and then, following in all
+haste, threw herself into an erect attitude in front of her young,
+covering it with her body.
+
+She was now standing firm upon her hind-feet--her back resting against
+the mud wall--but her long snout had entirely disappeared! That was held
+close along her breast, and entirely concealed by the shaggy tail, which
+for this purpose had been brought up in front. Her defence rested in her
+strong fore-arms, which, with the great claws standing at right angles,
+were now held out in a threatening manner. The young one, no doubt aware
+of some danger, had drawn itself into its smallest bulk, and was clewed
+up behind her.
+
+The puma dashed forward, open-mouthed, and began the attack. He looked
+as though he would carry everything by the first assault; but a sharp
+tear from the tamanoir's claws drew the blood from his cheek, and
+although it rendered him more furious, it seemed to increase his
+caution. In the two or three successive attempts he kept prudently out
+of reach of these terrible weapons. His adversary held her fore-legs
+wide open, as though she was desirous of getting the other to rush
+between them, that she might clutch him, after the manner of the bears.
+This was exactly what she wanted, and in this consists the chief mode of
+defence adopted by these animals. The puma, however, seemed to be up to
+her trick.
+
+This thrust-and-parry game continued for some minutes, and might have
+lasted longer, had it not been for the young tamanoir. This foolish
+little creature, who up to that moment was not very sure what the fuss
+was all about, had the imprudent curiosity to thrust out its slender
+snout. The puma espied it, and making a dart forward, seized the snout
+in his great teeth, and jerked the animal from under. It uttered a low
+squall, but the next moment its head was "crunched" between the muscular
+jaws of the puma.
+
+The old one now appeared to lose all fear and caution. Her tail fell
+down. Her long snout was unsheathed from under its protection, and she
+seemed undecided what to do. But she was not allowed much time to
+reflect. The puma, seeing the snout, the most vulnerable part,
+uncovered, launched himself forward like an arrow, and caught hold of it
+in his bristling fangs. Then having dragged his victim forward, he flung
+her upon her breast, and mounting rapidly on her back, proceeded to
+worry her at his pleasure.
+
+Although Leon pitied the poor tamanoir, yet he dared not interfere, and
+would have permitted the puma to finish his work, but at that moment a
+sharp pain, which he suddenly felt in his ankle, caused him to start
+upon his seat, and utter an involuntary scream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+ATTACK OF THE WHITE ANTS.
+
+
+Leon looked down to ascertain what had caused him such a sudden pain.
+The sight that met his eyes made his blood run cold. The ground below
+was alive and moving. A white stratum of ants covered it on all sides to
+the distance of several yards. _They were ascending the tree!_ Nay,
+more; a string of them had already crawled up; the trunk was crowded by
+others coming after; and several were upon his feet, and legs, and
+thighs! It was one of these that had stung him!
+
+The fate of the ais--which he had just witnessed--and the sight of the
+hideous host, caused him again to scream out. At the same time he had
+risen to his feet, and was pulling himself up among the upper branches.
+He soon reached the highest; but he had not been a moment there, when he
+reflected that it would be no security. The creatures were crawling
+upwards as fast as they could come.
+
+His next thought was to descend again, leap from the tree, and crushing
+the vermin under his feet, make for the bark-cutters. He had made up his
+mind to this course, and was already half-down, when _he remembered the
+puma_! In his alarm at the approach of the ants he had quite forgotten
+this enemy, and he now remembered that it was directly in the way of his
+intended escape. He turned his eyes in that direction. It was not there!
+The ant-bears were still upon the ground--the young one dead, and the
+mother struggling in her last agonies; but no puma!
+
+The boy began to hope that his cries had frightened him off. His hope
+was short-lived; for on glancing around the glade, he now beheld the
+fierce brute crouching among the grass, and evidently coming towards
+him! What was to be done? Would the puma attack him in the tree? Surely
+he would; but what better would he be on the ground? No better, but
+worse. At all events he had not time for much reflection, for before two
+seconds the fierce puma was close to the tree. Leon was helpless--he
+gave himself up for lost. He could only cry for help, and he raised his
+voice to its highest pitch.
+
+The puma did not spring up the tree at once, as Leon had expected. On
+the contrary, it crouched round and round with glaring eyes and wagging
+tail, as if calculating the mode of attack. Its lips were red--stained
+with the blood of the ant-eaters--and this added to the hideousness of
+its appearance. But it needed not that, for it was hideous enough at any
+time.
+
+Leon kept his eyes upon it, every moment expecting it to spring up the
+tree. All at once he saw it give a sudden start, and at the same instant
+he heard a hissing noise, as if something passed rapidly through the
+air. Ha! something sticking in the body of the puma! It is an arrow,--a
+poisoned arrow! The puma utters a fierce growl--it turns upon
+itself--the arrow is crushed between its teeth. Another "hist!"--another
+arrow! Hark! a well-known voice--well-known voices--the voices of Don
+Pablo and Guapo! See! they burst into the glade--Don Pablo with his axe,
+and Guapo with his unerring gravatana!
+
+The puma turns to flee. He has already reached the border of the wood;
+he staggers--the poison is doing its work. Hurrah! he is down; but the
+poison does not kill him, for the axe of Don Pablo is crashing through
+his skull. Hurrah! the monster is dead, and Leon is triumphantly borne
+off on the shoulders of the faithful Guapo!
+
+Don Pablo dragged the puma away, in order that they might get his fine
+skin. The ant-eaters, both of which were now dead, he left behind, as he
+saw that the termites were crawling thickly around them, and had already
+begun their work of devastation. Strange to say, as the party returned
+that way, going to dinner, not a vestige remained either of the ais or
+the ant-eaters, except a few bones and some portions of coarse hair. The
+rest of all these animals had been cleared off by the ants, and carried
+into the cells of their hollow cones!
+
+It was, no doubt, the noise of the bark-hunters that had started the
+ant-eaters abroad, for these creatures usually prowl only in the night.
+The same may have aroused the fierce puma from his lair, although he is
+not strictly a nocturnal hunter.
+
+A curious incident occurred as they approached the glade on their way
+home. The male tamanoir was roused from his nest among the dry leaves,
+and Guapo, instead of running upon him and killing the creature, warned
+them all to keep a little back, and he would show them some fun. Guapo
+now commenced shaking the leaves, so that they rattled as if rain was
+falling upon them. At this the ant-eater jerked up its broad tail, and
+appeared to shelter itself as with an umbrella! Guapo then went towards
+it, and commenced driving it before him just as if it had been a sheep
+or goat, and in this manner he took it all the way to the house. Of
+course Guapo took care not to irritate it; for, when that is done, the
+ant-eater will either turn out of his way or stop to defend itself.
+
+The tamanoir is not so defenceless a creature as might at first sight be
+imagined by considering his small toothless mouth and slow motions. His
+mode of defence is that which has been described, and which is quite
+sufficient against the tiger-cat, the ocelot, and all the smaller
+species of feline animals. No doubt the old female would have proved a
+match for the puma had she not been thrown off her guard by his seizing
+upon her young. It is even asserted that the great ant-bear sometimes
+hugs the jaguar to death; but this I believe to be a mistake, as the
+latter is far too powerful and active to be thus conquered. Doubtless
+the resemblance of the jaguar to some of the smaller spotted cats of
+these countries, leads to a great many misconceptions concerning the
+prowess of the _American tiger_.
+
+Besides the tamanoir there are two, or perhaps three, other species of
+_ant-bears_ in the forests of South America. These, however, are so
+different in habits and appearance, that they might properly be classed
+as a separate genus of animals. They are _tree-climbers_, which the
+tamanoir is not, spite of his great claws. They pursue the ants that
+build their nests upon the high branches, as well as the wasps and bees;
+and to befit them for this life, they are furnished with _naked
+prehensile tails_, like the opossums and monkeys. These are
+characteristics entirely distinct from those of the _Myrmecophaga
+jubata_, or _great_ ant-eater.
+
+One of these species is the _tamandua_, called by the Spano-Americans
+_Osso hormiguero_ (ant-bear). The tamandua is much less than the
+tamanoir, being only three and a half feet in length, while the latter
+is over seven. The former is of a stouter build, with neither so long a
+snout in proportion, nor such claws. The claws, moreover, are made for
+tree-climbing, and are not so much in the way when the animal walks on
+the ground. It is, therefore, a more active creature, and stands better
+upon its limbs. Its fur is short and silky, but the tail is nearly
+naked, and, as already stated, highly prehensile, although it does not
+sleep hanging by the tail as some other animals do.
+
+The tamandua is usually of a dull straw-colour, although it varies in
+this respect, so that several species have been supposed to exist. It
+spends most of its time upon the trees; and in addition to its ant-diet,
+it feeds upon wild honey, and bees too, whenever it can catch them. The
+female, like the tamanoir, produces only one young at a birth, and like
+the other species, carries it upon her back until it is able to provide
+for itself. The tamandua has sometimes been called _tridactyla_, or the
+"three-toed ant-eater," because it has only three claws upon each of
+its fore-feet, whereas the tamanoir is provided with four.
+
+Another species of "ant-bear," differing from both in size and in many
+of its habits, is the "little ant-eater." This one has only two claws on
+each fore-foot, hence its specific name. It is a very small
+creature--not larger than the common grey squirrel--with a prehensile
+tail like the tamandua. The tail, however, is not entirely naked--only
+on the under side near the point. It is not so good a walker as the
+three-toed kind, though more active on its feet than the tamanoir.
+Standing upon its hind-feet, and supporting itself also by the
+tail--which it has already thrown around some branch--the little
+ant-eater uses its fore-feet as hands to carry food to its mouth. It
+lives among the trees, and feeds upon wasps, bees, and especially the
+larvae of both; but it does not use the tongue to any great extent. It
+is, on this account, an essentially different sort of animal.
+
+The little ant-eater is usually of a bright yellow colour, brownish on
+the back; but there are many varieties in this respect, and some are of
+a snowy whiteness. Its fur is soft and silky, sometimes slightly curled
+or matted at the points, and the tail fur is annulated, or ringed, with
+the prevailing colours of the body.
+
+So much for the ant-bears of America.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+THE ANT-LION.
+
+
+Ants are disagreeable insects in any country, but especially so in warm
+tropical climates. Their ugly appearance, their destructive habits, but,
+above all, the pain of their sting, or rather bite--for ants do not
+sting as wasps, but bite with the jaws, and then infuse poison into the
+wound--all these render them very unpopular creatures. A superficial
+thinker would suppose that such troublesome insects could be of no use,
+and would question the propriety of Nature in having created them.
+
+But when we give the subject a little attention, we find that they were
+not created in vain. Were it not for these busy creatures, what would
+become of the vast quantities of decomposing substances found in some
+countries? What would be done with the decaying vegetation and the dead
+animal matter? Why, in many places, were it not consumed by these
+insects, and reorganised into new forms of life, it would produce
+pestilence and death; and surely these are far more disagreeable things
+than ants.
+
+Of ants there are many different kinds; but the greatest number of
+species belong to warm countries, where, indeed, they are most useful.
+Some of these species are so curious in their habits, that whole volumes
+have been written about them, and naturalists have spent a life-time in
+their study and observation. Their social and domestic economy is of the
+most singular character, more so than that of the bees; and I am afraid
+here to give a single trait of their lives, lest I should be led on to
+talk too much about them. I need only mention the wonderful nests or
+hills which some species build--those great cones of twenty feet in
+height, and so strong that wild bulls run up their sides and stand upon
+their tops without doing them the least injury!
+
+Others make their houses of cylindrical form, rising several feet from
+the surface. Others, again, prefer nesting in the trees, where they
+construct large cellular masses of many shapes, suspending them from the
+highest branches; while many species make their waxen dwellings in
+hollow trunks, or beneath the surface of the earth. There is not a
+species, however, whose habits, fully observed and described, would not
+strike you with astonishment. Indeed, it is difficult to believe all
+that is related about these insects by naturalists who have made them
+their study. One can hardly understand how such little creatures can be
+gifted with so much intelligence, or _instinct_, as some choose to call
+it.
+
+Man is not the only enemy of the ants. If he were so, it is to be feared
+that these small insignificant creatures would soon make the earth too
+hot for him. So prolific are they, that if left to themselves our whole
+planet would, in a short period, become a gigantic ants' nest!
+
+Nature has wisely provided against the over increase of the ant family.
+No living thing has a greater variety of enemies than they. In all the
+divisions of animated nature there are ant-destroyers--_ant-eaters_! To
+begin with the mammalia, man himself feeds upon them--for there are
+tribes of Indians in South America, the principal part of whose food
+consists of dried termites, which they bake into a kind of "paste!"
+There are quadrupeds that live exclusively on them, as the ant-bear,
+already described, and the _pangolins_, or scaly ant-eaters of the
+Eastern continent. There are birds, too, of many sorts that devour the
+ants; and there are even some who make them exclusively their food, as
+the genus _Myothera_, or "ant-catchers." Many kinds of reptiles, both
+snakes and lizards, are ant-eaters; and, what is strangest of all, there
+are _insects_ that prey upon them!
+
+No wonder, then, with such a variety of enemies that the ants are kept
+within proper limits, and are not allowed to overrun the earth.
+
+The observations just made are very similar to those that were addressed
+by Dona Isidora to the little Leona, one day when they were left alone.
+The others had gone about their usual occupation of bark-cutting, and
+these, of course, remained at home to take care of the house and cook
+the dinner. That was already hanging over a fire outside the house: for
+in these hot countries it is often more convenient to do the cooking
+out-of-doors.
+
+Dona Isidora, busy with some sewing, was seated under the shadow of the
+banana-trees, and the pretty little Leona was playing near her. Leona
+had been abusing the ants, partly on account of their having so
+frightened Leon, and partly because one of the red species had bitten
+herself the day before; and it was for this reason that her mother had
+entered into such explanations regarding these creatures, with a view of
+exculpating them from the bitter accusations urged against them by
+Leona. Talking about ants very naturally led them to cast their eyes to
+the ground to see if any of the creatures were near; and sure enough
+there were several of the red ones wandering about. Just then the eyes
+of Dona Isidora rested upon a very different insect, and she drew the
+attention of her daughter to it.
+
+It was an insect of considerable size, being full an inch in length,
+with an elongated oval body, and a small flat head. From the head
+protruded two great horny jaws, that bore some resemblance to a pair of
+calliper compasses. Its legs were short and very unfitted for motion.
+Indeed they were not of much use for that purpose, as it could make very
+little way on them, but crawled only sidewards, or backwards, with great
+apparent difficulty. The creature was of a greyish or sand colour; and
+in the sand, where it was seated, it might not have been observed at all
+had not the lady's eyes been directed upon the very spot. But Dona
+Isidora, who was a very good entomologist, recognised it; and, knowing
+that it was a very curious insect, on this account called the attention
+of her daughter to it.
+
+"What is it, mamma?" inquired the little Leona, bending forward to
+examine it.
+
+"The _ant-lion_."
+
+"The ant-lion! Why, mamma, it is an insect! How then can it be called
+lion?"
+
+"It is a name given it," replied the lady, "on account of its fierce
+habits, which, in that respect, assimilate it to its powerful
+namesake,--the king of the beasts; and, indeed, this little creature has
+more strength and ferocity in proportion to its size than even the lion
+himself."
+
+"But why the _ant_-lion, mamma?"
+
+"Because it preys principally on ants. I have said there are insect
+ant-eaters. This is one of them."
+
+"But how can such a slow creature as that get hold of them? Why, the
+ants could crawl out of its way in a moment!"
+
+"That is true. Nevertheless it manages to capture as many as it
+requires. Remember 'the race is not always to the swift.' It is by
+stratagem it succeeds in taking its prey--a very singular stratagem too.
+If you will sit back and not frighten it, I have no doubt it will soon
+give you an opportunity of seeing how it manages the matter."
+
+Leona took a seat by the side of her mother. They were both at just such
+a distance from the ant-lion that they could observe every movement it
+made; but for a considerable time it remained quiet; no doubt, because
+they had alarmed it. In the interval Dona Isidora imparted to her
+daughter some further information about its natural history.
+
+"The ant-lion," said she, "is not an insect in its perfect state, but
+only the _larva_ of one. The perfect insect is a very different
+creature, having wings and longer legs. It is one of the _neuropterous_
+tribe, or those with nerved wings. The wings of this species rest
+against each other, forming a covering over its body, like the roof upon
+a house. They are most beautifully reticulated like the finest
+lace-work, and variegated with dark spots, that give the insect a very
+elegant appearance. Its habits are quite different to those which it
+follows when a larva, or in that state when it is the ant-lion. It flies
+but little during the day, and is usually found quietly sitting amongst
+the leaves of plants, and seems to be one of the most pacific and
+harmless of insects. How very different with the larva--the very
+reverse--See!"
+
+Dona Isidora pointed to the ant-lion that was just then beginning to
+bestir itself, and both sat silent regarding it attentively.
+
+First, then, the little creature going backwards, and working with its
+callipers, traced a circle on the surface of the sand. This circle was
+between two and three inches in diameter. Having completed it, it now
+commenced to clear out all the sand within the circle. To accomplish
+this, it was seen to scrape up the sand with one of its fore-feet, and
+shovel a quantity of it upon its flat head; then, giving a sudden jerk
+of the neck, it pitched the sand several inches outside the traced
+circumference.
+
+This operation it repeated so often, and so adroitly, that in a very
+short time a round pit began to show itself in the surface of the
+ground. Whenever it encountered a stone, this was raised between its
+callipers and pitched out beyond the ring. Sometimes stones occurred
+that were too large to be thrown out in this way. These it managed to
+get upon its back, and, then crawling cautiously up the sides of the
+pit, it tumbled them upon the edge and rolled them away. Had it met with
+a stone so large as to render this impossible, it would have left the
+place, and chosen another spot of ground. Fortunately this was not the
+case, and they had an opportunity of watching the labour to its
+conclusion.
+
+For nearly an hour they sat watching it--of course not neglecting their
+other affairs--and, at the end of that time, the ant-lion had jerked out
+so much sand, that a little funnel-shaped pit was formed nearly as deep
+as it was wide. This was its trap, and it was now finished and ready for
+action.
+
+Having made all its arrangements, it had nothing more to do than remain
+at the bottom of the pit, and wait patiently until some unfortunate ant
+should chance to come that way and fall in; and where these insects were
+constantly wandering over the ground, such an accident would, sooner or
+later, be certain to take place.
+
+Lest the ant should peep into the pit, discover its hideous form below,
+and then retreat, this ant-lion had actually the cunning to bury its
+body in the sand, leaving only a small portion of its head to be seen.
+
+Both Dona Isidora and the little Leona remained watching with increased
+interest. They were very anxious to witness the result. They were not
+kept long in suspense. I have already stated that many ants were
+crawling about. There were dozens of them "quatering" the ground in
+every direction in search of their own prey; and they left not an inch
+of it unsearched. At last one was seen to approach the trap of the
+ant-lion. Curiosity brings it to the very edge of that terrible
+pit-fall. It protrudes its head and part of its body over the brink--it
+is not such a terrible gulf to look into--if it should slip down, it
+could easily crawl out again.
+
+Ha! it little knows the enemy that is ambushed there. It perceives
+something singular--an odd something--perhaps it might be something good
+to eat. It is half resolved to slide down and make a closer examination
+of this something. It is balancing on the brink, and would, no doubt,
+have gone down voluntarily, but that is no longer left to its own
+choice. The mysterious object at the bottom of the funnel suddenly
+springs up and shows itself--it is the ant-lion in all its hideous
+proportions; and before the little ant can draw itself away, the other
+has flung around it a shower of sand that brings it rolling down the
+side of the pit. Then the sharp callipers are closed upon the
+victim--all the moisture in his body is sucked out--and his remains, now
+a dry and shapeless mass, are rested for a moment upon the head of the
+destroyer, and then jerked far outside the pit!
+
+The ant-lion now dresses his trap, and, again burying himself in the
+sand, awaits another victim.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+THE TATOU-POYOU AND THE DEER CARCASS.
+
+
+Dona Isidora and Leona had watched all the manoeuvres of the ant-lion
+with great interest, and Leona, after the bite she had had, was not in
+any mood to sympathise with the ants. Indeed, she felt rather grateful
+to the ant-lion, ugly as he was, for killing them.
+
+Presently Leon returned from the woods, and was shown the trap in full
+operation; but Leon, upon this day, was full of adventures that had
+occurred upon the hills to himself, Guapo, and Don Pablo. In fact, he
+had hastened home before the others to tell his mamma of the odd
+incidents to which he had been a witness.
+
+That morning they had discovered a new _mancha_ of cinchona trees. When
+proceeding towards them they came upon the dead carcass of a deer. It
+was a large species, the _Cervus antisensis_, but, as it had evidently
+been dead several days, it was swollen out to twice its original size,
+as is always the case with carcasses of animals left exposed in a warm
+climate. It was odd that some preying animals had not eaten it up. A
+clump of tall trees, that shaded it, had, no doubt, concealed it from
+the sharp sight of the vultures, and these birds, contrary to what has
+so often been alleged, can find no dead body by the smell. Neither ants
+nor animals that prey upon carrion had chanced to come that way, and
+there lay the deer intact.
+
+So thought Don Pablo and Leon. Guapo, however, was of a different
+opinion, and, going up to the body, he struck it a blow with his axe. To
+the surprise of the others, instead of the dead sound which they
+expected to hear, a dry crash followed the blow, and a dark hole
+appeared where a piece of thin shell-like substance had fallen off.
+Another blow from Guapo's axe, and the whole side went in. Not a bit of
+carcass was there; there were bones--clean bones--and dry hard skin, but
+no flesh, not an atom of flesh!
+
+"Tatou-poyou!" quietly remarked Guapo.
+
+"What!" said Don Pablo, "an armadillo, you think?" recognising, in
+Guapo's words, the Indian name for one of the large species of
+armadillos.
+
+"Yes," replied Guapo. "All eaten by the tatou-poyou. See! there's his
+hole."
+
+Don Pablo and Leon bent over the sham carcass, and, sure enough, under
+where its body had been they could see a large hole in the ground.
+Outside the carcass, also, at the distance of several feet was another.
+
+"This is where he entered," said Guapo, pointing to the second. "He's
+not about here now," continued he, "no, no,--ate all the meat, and gone
+long ago."
+
+This was evident, as the hollow skeleton was quite dry, and had
+evidently been empty for a good while.
+
+Don Pablo was pleased at this incident, as it gave him an opportunity of
+verifying a curious habit of the armadillos. These creatures are among
+the finest burrowers in the world, and can bury themselves in the earth
+in a few seconds time; but, being badly toothed,--some of them
+altogether without teeth,--they can only feed upon very soft substances.
+Putrid flesh is with them a favourite "dish," and in order to get at
+the softest side of a carcass, they burrow under, and enter it from
+below, rarely leaving their horrid cave until they have thoroughly
+cleared it out.
+
+The bark-hunters now passed on, Don Pablo making many inquiries about
+the armadillos, and Guapo giving replies, while Leon listened with
+interest. Guapo knew a good deal about these curious creatures, for he
+had eaten many a dozen of them in his time, and as many different kinds
+of them too. Their feeding upon carrion had no effect on Guapo's
+stomach, and, indeed, white people in South America relish them as much
+as Indians. The white people, however, make a distinction in the
+species, as they suppose some kinds to be more disposed to a vegetable
+diet than others.
+
+There are some in the neighbourhood of the settlements, that
+_occasionally pay a visit to the graveyards or cemeteries_, and these
+kinds do not go down well. All of them will devour almost any sort of
+trash that is soft and pulpy, and they are more destructive to the ant
+than even the ant-eaters themselves. How so? Because, instead of making
+a nice little hole in the side of the ant-hill, as the tamanoirs do, and
+through this hole eating the ants themselves, the armadillos break down
+a large part of the structure and devour the _larvae_. Now the ants love
+these _larvae_ more than their own lives, and when these are destroyed,
+they yield themselves up to despair, refuse to patch up the building,
+the rain gets in, and the colony is ruined and breaks up.
+
+It does not follow, however, that the flesh of the armadillo should be
+"queer" because the animal itself eats queer substances. Among
+carnivorous creatures the very opposite is sometimes the truth; and some
+animals--as the tapir, for instance--that feed exclusively on sweet and
+succulent vegetables, produce a most bitter flesh for themselves. About
+this there is no standing law either way.
+
+The flesh of the armadillo is excellent eating, not unlike young pork,
+and, when "roasted in the shell" (the Indian mode of cooking it), it is
+quite equal, if not superior, to a baked "pig," a dish very much eaten
+in our own country.
+
+Guapo did not call them armadillos--he had several Indian names for
+different kinds of them. "Armadillo" is the Spanish name, and signifies
+the "little armed one," the diminutive of "armado" or "armed." This name
+is peculiarly appropriate to these animals, as the hard bony casing
+which covers the whole upper parts of their bodies, bears an exceeding
+resemblance to the suits of plate armour worn in the days of Cortez and
+chivalry.
+
+On the head there is the helmet, the back is shielded by a corslet, and
+even the limbs are covered with greaves. Of course, this armour is
+arranged differently in the different species, and there is more or less
+hair upon all, between the joinings of the plates.
+
+These points were not touched upon by Guapo, but others of equal
+interest were. He went on to say that he knew many different kinds of
+them;--some not bigger than a rat, and some as large as a full-grown
+sheep; some that were slow in their paces, and others that could outrun
+a man; some that were flat, and could squat so close as hardly to be
+seen against the ground,--(these were _tatou-poyous_, the sort that had
+hollowed out the deer); and some again that were high-backed and nearly
+globe-shaped. Such was Guapo's account of these curious animals which
+are found only in the warmer regions of North and South America.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+AN ARMADILLO HUNT.
+
+
+Conversing in this way, the bark-hunters, at length, reached the
+cinchona-trees, and then all talk about armadillos was at an end. They
+went lustily to their work--which was of more importance--and, under
+Guapo's axe, several of the cinchonas soon "bit the dust."
+
+There was a spot of open ground just a little to one side of where these
+trees stood. They had noticed, on coming up, a flock of zamuros, or
+black vultures, out upon this ground, clustered around some object. It
+was the carcass of another deer. The first blow of the axe startled the
+birds, and they flapped a short way off. They soon returned, however,
+not being shy birds, but the contrary.
+
+There was nothing in all this to create surprise, except, perhaps, the
+dead deer. What had been killing these animals? Not a beast of prey, for
+that would have devoured them, unless, indeed, it might be the puma,
+that often kills more than he can eat.
+
+The thought had occurred to Don Pablo that they might have died from the
+poisoned arrows of an Indian. This thought somewhat disquieted him, for
+he knew not what kind of Indians they might be,--they might be friendly
+or hostile;--if the latter, not only would all his plans be frustrated,
+but the lives of himself and party would be in danger. Guapo could not
+assure him on this head; he had been so long absent from the Great
+Montana that he was ignorant of the places where the tribes of these
+parts might now be located. These tribes often change their homes.
+
+He knew that the Chunchos sometimes roamed so far up, and they were the
+most dangerous of all the Indians of the Montana,--haters of the whites,
+fierce and revengeful. It was they who several times destroyed the
+settlements and mission stations. If Chunchos were in the woods they
+might look out for trouble. Guapo did not think there were any Indians
+near. He would have seen some traces of them before now, and he had
+observed none since their arrival. This assurance of the knowing Indian
+quite restored Don Pablo's confidence, and they talked no longer on the
+subject. After a while, their attention was again called to the
+vultures. These filthy creatures had returned to the deer, and were
+busily gorging themselves, when, all at once, they were seen to rise up
+as if affrighted. They did not fly far,--only a few feet,--and stood
+with outstretched necks looking towards the carrion, as if whatever had
+frightened them was there.
+
+The bark-hunters could perceive nothing. It was the body of a small
+deer, already half eaten, and no object bigger than a man's hand could
+have been concealed behind it. The zamuros, however, _had_ seen
+something strange--else they would hardly have acted as they did--and,
+with this conviction, the bark-hunters stopped their work to observe
+them.
+
+After a while the birds seemed to take fresh courage, hopped back to the
+carrion, and recommenced tearing at it. In another moment they again
+started and flew back, but, this time, not so far as before, and then
+they all returned again, and, after feeding another short while, started
+back a third time.
+
+This was all very mysterious, but Guapo, guessing what was the matter,
+solved the mystery by crying out,--
+
+"_Tatou-poyou_!"
+
+"Where?" inquired Don Pablo.
+
+"Yonder, master, yonder in the body of the beast."
+
+Don Pablo looked, and, sure enough, he could see something moving; it
+was the head and shoulders of an armadillo. It had burrowed and come up
+through the body of the deer, thus meeting the vultures half-way! No
+doubt, it was the mysterious mode by which it had entered on the stage
+that had frightened them.
+
+They soon, however, got over their affright, and returned to their
+repast.
+
+The armadillo--a very large one--had, by this time, crept out into the
+open air, and went on eating.
+
+For a while the zamuros took no heed of him, deeming, perhaps, that,
+although he had come in by the back-door, he might have as good a right
+upon the premises as themselves. Their pacific attitude, however, was
+but of short duration; something occurred to ruffle their temper--some
+silent affront, no doubt, for the bark-hunters heard nothing. Perhaps
+the _tatou_ had run against the legs of one, and scraped it with the
+sharp edge of his corslet. Whether this was the cause or no, a scuffle
+commenced, and the beast in armour was attacked by all the vultures at
+once.
+
+Of course he did not attack in turn, he had no means; he acted
+altogether on the defensive; and this he was enabled to do by simply
+drawing in his legs and flattening himself upon the ground. He was then
+proof, not only against the beaks and weak talons of a vulture, but he
+might have defied the royal eagle himself.
+
+After flapping him with their wings, and pecking him with their filthy
+beaks, and clawing him with their talons, the zamuros saw it was all to
+no purpose, and desisted. If they could not damage him, however, they
+could prevent him from eating any more of the deer; for the moment he
+stretched out his neck, several vultures sprang at him afresh, and would
+have wounded him in the tender parts of his throat had he not quickly
+drawn in his head again. Seeing that his feast was at an end--at least
+above ground--he suddenly raised his hind-quarters, and in a brace of
+seconds buried himself in the earth. The vultures pecked him behind as
+he disappeared, but the odd manner of his exit, like that of his
+_entree_, seemed to mystify them, and several of them stood for some
+moments in neck-stretched wonder.
+
+This scene had scarcely ended when a pair of fresh armadillos were
+espied, coming from the farther edge of the opening, and, in fact, from
+the edge of a precipice, for the river flowed close by, and its channel
+was at that point shut in by cliffs. These two were large fellows, and
+were making speedily towards the carrion, in order to get up before it
+was all gone. Guapo could stand it no longer. Guapo had tasted roast
+armadillo, and longed for more. In an instant, therefore, axe in hand,
+he was off to intercept the new-comers. Don Pablo and Leon followed to
+see the sport and assist in the capture.
+
+The armadillos, although not afraid of the vultures, seeing the hunters
+approach, turned tail and made for the precipice. Guapo took after one,
+while Don Pablo and Leon pursued the other. Guapo soon overhauled his
+one, but, before he could lay his hands upon it, it had already half
+buried itself in the dry ground. Guapo, however, seized the tail and
+held on; and, although not able to drag it out, he was resolved it
+should get no deeper.
+
+[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.]
+
+The one pursued by Don Pablo had got close to the edge of the precipice,
+before either he or Leon could come up with it. There it stood for a
+moment, as if in doubt what plan to pursue. Don Pablo and Leon were
+congratulating themselves that they had fairly "cornered" it, for the
+cliff was a clear fall of fifty feet, and, of course, it could get no
+farther in that direction, while they approached it from two sides so
+as to cut off its retreat. They approached it with caution, as they were
+now near the edge, and it would not do to move too rashly. Both were
+bent forward with their arms outstretched to clutch their prey; they
+felt confident it was already in their grasp. Judge their astonishment,
+then, at seeing the creature suddenly clew itself into a round ball, and
+roll over the cliff!
+
+They looked below. They saw it upon the ground; they saw it open out
+again, apparently unharmed, for, the next moment, it scuttled off and
+hid itself among the rocks by the edge of the water!
+
+They turned toward Guapo, who was still holding his one by the tail, and
+calling for help. Although it was but half buried, all three of them
+could not have dragged it forth by the tail. That member would have
+pulled out before the animal could have been dislodged; and such is not
+an unfrequent occurrence to the hunters of the armadillo. Don Pablo,
+however, took hold of the tail and held fast until Guapo loosened the
+earth with his axe, and then the creature was more easily "extracted." A
+blow on its head from Guapo made all right, and it was afterwards
+carried safely to the house, and "roasted in the shell."
+
+That was a great day among the "armadillos."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+THE OCELOT.
+
+
+During the whole summer, Don Pablo, Guapo, and Leon, continued
+bark-gathering. Every day they went out into the woods, excepting Sunday
+of course. That was kept as a day of rest; for, although far from
+civilised society, there was not the less necessity for their being
+Christians. God dwells in the wilderness as well as in the walled city,
+and worship to Him is as pleasing under the shadow of the forest leaves,
+as with sounding organ beneath the vaulted dome of the grand cathedral.
+
+During week-days, while the others were abroad, Dona Isidora and the
+little Leona were not idle at home; yet their whole time was not taken
+up by the mere concerns of the _cuisine_. They had an industry of their
+own, and, in fact, one that promised to be almost as profitable in its
+results as the bark-gathering. This was neither more nor less than
+preparing _vanilla_.
+
+Some days after arriving in the valley, while exploring a wood that lay
+at the back of the cultivated ground, Don Pablo discovered that every
+tree carried a creeper or parasite of a peculiar kind. It was a small
+creeper not unlike ivy, and was covered with flowers of a
+greenish-yellow colour, mixed with white. Don Pablo at once recognised
+in this parasitical plant one of the many species of lianas that produce
+the delicious and perfumed vanilla. It was, in fact, the finest of the
+kind--that which, among the French, is called _leq_ vanilla; and, from
+the fact that every tree had a number of these parasites, and no other
+climbing vines, Don Pablo came to the conclusion that they had been
+planted by the missionaries. It is thus that vanilla is usually
+cultivated, by being set in slips at the root of some tree which may
+afterwards sustain it.
+
+In the course of the summer, these vanilla vines exhibited a different
+appearance. Instead of flowers, long bean-like capsules made their
+appearance. These capsules or pods were nearly a foot in length, though
+not much thicker than a swan's quill. They were a little flattish,
+wrinkled, and of a yellow colour, and contained inside, instead of
+beans, a pulpy substance, surrounding a vast quantity of small seeds,
+like grains of sand. These seeds are the perfumed vanilla so much
+prized, and which often yield the enormous price of fifty dollars a
+pound! To preserve these, therefore, was the work of Dona Isidora and
+Leona; and they understood perfectly how to do it.
+
+First, they gathered the pods before they were quite ripe. These they
+strung upon a thread, taking care to pass the thread through that end
+nearest the footstalk. The whole were next plunged for an instant into
+boiling water, which gave them a blanched appearance. The thread was
+then stretched from tree to tree, and the pods, hanging like a string of
+candles, were then exposed to the sun for several hours. Next day, they
+were lightly smeared with an oiled feather, and then wrapped in oiled
+cotton of the _Bombax ceiba_, to prevent the valves from opening.
+
+When they had remained in this state for a few days, the string was
+taken out, and passed through the other ends, so that they should hang
+in an inverted position. This was to permit the discharge of a viscid
+liquid from the footstalk end; and in order to assist this discharge,
+the pods were several times lightly pressed between the fingers. They
+now became dry and wrinkled. They had also shrunk to less than half
+their original size, and changed their colour to a reddish-brown.
+Another delicate touch of the oil-feather, and the vanilla was ready for
+the market. Nothing remained but to pack them in small cases, which had
+already been prepared from the leaf of a species of palm-tree.
+
+In such a way did the lady Isidora and her daughter pass their time; and
+before the summer was out they had added largely to the stock of wealth
+of our exiles.
+
+Although these two always remained by the house, they were not without
+_their_ adventures as well, one of which I shall describe. It occurred
+while they were getting in their crop of vanilla. Leona was in the porch
+in front, busy among the vanilla-beans. She had a large needle and a
+thread of palm-leaf fibre, with which she was stringing the long pods,
+while her mother was inside the house packing some that had been already
+dried.
+
+Leona rested for a moment, and was looking over the water, when, all at
+once, she exclaimed,
+
+"Maman--Maman! come out and see! oh! what a beautiful cat!"
+
+The exclamation caused Dona Isidora to start, and with a feeling of
+uneasiness. The cause of her uneasiness was the word "cat." She feared
+that what the innocent child had taken for a "beautiful cat" might prove
+to be the dreaded jaguar. She ran at once out of the door, and looked in
+the direction pointed out by Leona. There, sure enough, on the other
+side of the water, was a spotted creature, looking in the distance, very
+much like a cat; but Dona Isidora saw at a glance that it was a far
+larger animal.
+
+Was it the jaguar? It was like one, in its colour and markings. It was
+of a yellowish colour, and covered all over with black spots, which gave
+it the semblance of the jaguar. Still Dona Isidora thought that it was
+not so large as these animals usually are; and this, to some extent,
+restored her confidence. When first seen, it was close down to the
+water's edge, as if it had come there to drink; and Dona Isidora was in
+hopes that, after satisfying its thirst, it would go away again. What
+was her consternation to see it make a forward spring, and, plunging
+into the water, swim directly for the house!
+
+Terrified, she seized Leona by the hand, and retreated inside. She shut
+the door, and bolted it. If it were a jaguar, what protection would that
+be? Such a creature could dash itself through the frail bamboo wall, or
+tear the door to pieces with his great claws in a moment. "If it be a
+jaguar," thought she, "we are lost!"
+
+Dona Isidora was a woman of courage. She was determined to defend the
+lives of herself and daughter to the last. She looked around the house
+for a weapon. The pistols of Don Pablo were hanging against the wall.
+She knew they were loaded. She took them down, and looked to the flints
+and priming, and then stationed herself at a place where she could see
+out through the interstices of the bamboos. The little Leona kept by her
+side, though she knew, that in a struggle with a ferocious jaguar, she
+could give no help.
+
+By this time the animal had crossed the river, and she could see it
+spring out on the bank, and come on towards the house. In a few seconds
+it was close to the porch, where it halted to reconnoitre. Dona Isidora
+saw it very plainly, and would now have had a very good chance to fire
+at it; but she did not wish to begin the combat. Perhaps it might go
+away again, without attempting to enter the house. In order not to draw
+its attention, she stood perfectly quiet, having cautioned Leona to do
+the same.
+
+It was not a large animal, though its aspect was fierce enough to
+terrify any one. Its tiger-like eyes, and white teeth, which it showed
+at intervals, were anything but pleasant to look upon. Its size,
+however, was not so formidable; and Dona Isidora had understood the
+jaguar to be a large animal; but there is also a smaller species of
+jaguar. This might be the one.
+
+After halting a moment, the creature turned to one side, and then
+proceeded at a skulking trot around the house. Now and then it stopped
+and looked toward the building, as if searching for some aperture by
+which it might get in. Dona Isidora followed it round on the inside. The
+walls were so open that she could mark all its movements; and, with a
+pistol in each hand, she was ready for the attack, determined to fire
+the moment it might threaten to spring against the bamboos.
+
+On one side of the house, at a few paces distance, stood the mule. The
+horse had been taken to the woods, and the mule was left alone. This
+animal was tied to a tree, which shaded her from the sun. As soon as the
+fierce creature got well round the house, it came in full view of the
+mule, which now claimed its attention. The latter, on seeing it, had
+started, and sprung round upon her halter, as if badly terrified by the
+apparition.
+
+Whether the beast of prey had ever before seen a mule was a question.
+Most likely it had not; for, half-innocently, and half as if with the
+intention of making an attack, it went skulking up until it was close to
+the heels of the latter. It could not have placed itself in a better
+position to be well kicked; and well kicked it was, for, just at that
+moment, the mule let fling with both her heels, and struck it upon the
+ribs. A loud "thump" was heard by those within the house, and Dona
+Isidora, still watching through the canes, had the satisfaction to see
+the spotted creature take to its heels, and gallop off as if a kettle
+had been tied to its tail! It made no stop, not even to look back; but
+having reached the edge of the water, plunged in, and swam over to the
+opposite shore. They could see it climb out on the other side, and then,
+with a cowed and conquered look, it trotted off, and disappeared among
+the palm-trees.
+
+Dona Isidora knew that it was gone for good; and having now no further
+fear went on with her work as before. She first, however, carried out a
+large measure of the _murumuru_ nuts, and gave them to the mule, patting
+the creature upon the nose, and thanking her for the important service
+she had rendered.
+
+When Don Pablo and the rest returned, the adventure was, of course,
+related; but from the description given of the animal, neither Don Pablo
+nor Guapo believed it could have been the jaguar. It was too small for
+that. Besides a jaguar would not have been cowed and driven off by a
+mule. He would more likely have killed the mule, and dragged its body
+off with him across the river, or perhaps have broken into the house,
+and done worse.
+
+The animal was, no doubt, the "ocelot," which is also spotted, or rather
+marked with the eye-like rosettes which distinguish the skin of the
+jaguar. Indeed, there are quite a number of animals of the cat genus in
+the forests of the Montana; some spotted like the leopard, others
+striped as the tiger, and still others of uniform colour all over the
+body. They are, of course, all preying animals, but none of them will
+attack man, except the jaguar and the puma. Some of the others, when
+brought to bay, will fight desperately, as would the common wild cat
+under like circumstances; but the largest of them will leave man alone,
+if unmolested themselves. Not so with the jaguar, who will attack either
+man or beast, and put them to death, unless he be himself overpowered.
+
+The jaguar, or, as he is sometimes called, "ounce," and by most
+Spanish-Americans "tiger," is the largest and most ferocious of all the
+American _Felidae_. He stands third in rank as to these qualities--the
+lion and tiger of the Eastern continent taking precedence of him.
+Specimens of the jaguar have been seen equal in size to the Asiatic
+tiger; but the average size of the American animal is much less. He is
+strong enough, however, to drag a dead horse or ox to his den--often to
+a distance of a quarter of a mile--and this feat has been repeatedly
+observed.
+
+The jaguar is found throughout all the tropical countries of Spanish
+America, and is oftener called tiger than jaguar. This is a misapplied
+name; for although he bears a considerable likeness to the tiger, both
+in shape and habits, yet the markings of his skin are quite different.
+The tiger is striated or striped, while the black on the jaguar is in
+beautiful eye-like rosettes. The leopard is more like the jaguar than
+any other creature; and the panther and cheetah of the Eastern continent
+also resemble him. The markings of the jaguar, when closely examined,
+differ from all of these. The spots on the animals of the old world are
+simple spots or black rings, while those of the American species are
+rings with a single spot in the middle, forming _ocellae_, or eyes. Each,
+in fact, resembles a rosette.
+
+Jaguars are not always of the same colour. Some have skins of an orange
+yellow, and these are the most beautiful. Others are lighter-coloured;
+and individuals have been killed that were nearly white. But there is a
+"black jaguar," which is thought to be of a different species. It is
+larger and fiercer than the other, and is found in the very hottest
+parts of the Great Montana. Its skin is not quite jet-black, but of a
+deep maroon brown; and upon close inspection, the spots upon it can be
+seen of a pure black. This species is more dreaded by the inhabitants of
+those countries than the other; and it is said always to attack man
+wherever it may encounter him.
+
+In the forests of South America, the jaguar reigns with undisputed sway.
+All the other beasts fear, and fly from him. His roar produces terror
+and confusion among the animated creation, and causes them to fly in
+every direction. It is never heard by the Indian without some feeling of
+fear,--and no wonder; for a year does not pass without a number of these
+people falling victims to the savage ferocity of this animal.
+
+There are those, however, among them who can deal single-handed with the
+jaguar,--regular "jaguar-hunters" by profession,--who do not fear to
+attack the fierce brute in his own haunts. They do not trust to
+fire-arms, but to a sharp spear. Upon this they receive his attack,
+transfixing the animal with unerring aim as he advances. Should they
+fail in their first thrust, their situation is one of peril; yet all
+hope is not lost. On their left arm they carry a sort of sheep-skin
+shield. This is held forward, and usually seized by the jaguar; and
+while he is busy with it, the hunter gains time for a second effort,
+which rarely fails to accomplish his purpose.
+
+The jaguars are killed for many reasons. Their beautiful skins sell for
+several dollars; besides, in many places a price is set upon their
+heads, on account of their destructive habits. Thousands are destroyed
+every year. For all this, they do not seem to diminish in numbers. The
+introduction of the large mammalia into America has provided them with
+increased resources; and in many places, where there are herds of
+half-wild cattle, the number of the jaguars is said to be greater than
+formerly. It is difficult for one, living in a country where such fierce
+animals are unknown, to believe that they may have an influence over man
+to such an extent as to prevent his settling in a particular place; yet
+such is the fact. In many parts of South America, not only plantations,
+but whole villages, have been abandoned solely from fear of the jaguars!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+A FAMILY OF JAGUARS.
+
+
+As yet none of the exiles had seen any tracks or indications of the
+terrible jaguar, and Don Pablo began to believe that there were none in
+that district of country. He was not allowed to remain much longer in
+this belief, for an incident occurred shortly after proving that at
+least one pair of these fierce animals was not far off.
+
+It was near the end of the summer, and the cinchona-trees on the side of
+the river on which stood the house had been all cut down and "barked."
+It became necessary, therefore, to cross the stream in search of others.
+Indeed, numerous "manchas" had been seen on the other side, and to these
+the "cascarilleros" now turned their attention. They, of course,
+reached them by crossing the tree-bridge, and then keeping up the stream
+on the farther side.
+
+For several days they had been at work in this new direction, and were
+getting bark in by the hundred-weight.
+
+One day Guapo and Leon had gone by themselves--Guapo to fell the trees
+as usual, and Leon who was now an expert bark-peeler, to use the
+scalping-knife. Don Pablo had remained at home, busy with work in the
+great magazine, for there was much to do there in the packing and
+storing.
+
+An hour or two after, Guapo was seen to return alone. He had broken the
+handle of his axe, and having, several spare ones at the house, he had
+returned to get one. Leon had remained in the woods.
+
+Now Leon had finished his operations on such trees as Guapo had already
+cut down, and not finding a good seat near, had walked towards the
+precipice which was farther up the hill, and sat down upon one of the
+loose rocks at its base. Here he amused himself by watching the parrots
+and toucans that were fluttering through the trees over his head.
+
+He noticed that just by his side there was a large hole or cave in the
+cliff. He could see to the further end of it from where he sat, but
+curiosity prompted him to step up to its mouth, and gave it a closer
+examination. On doing so, he heard a noise, not unlike the mew of a cat.
+It evidently came from the cave, and only increased his curiosity to
+look inside. He put his head to the entrance, and there, in a sort of
+nest, upon the bottom of the cave, he perceived two creatures, exactly
+like two spotted kittens, only larger. They were about half as big as
+full-grown cats.
+
+"Two beauties!" said Leon to himself; "they are the kittens of some wild
+cat--that's plain. Now we want a cat very much at home. If these were
+brought up in the house, why shouldn't they do? I'll warrant they'd be
+tame enough. I know mamma wants a cat. I've heard her say so. I'll give
+her an agreeable surprise by taking this pair home.--The beauties!"
+
+Without another word Leon climbed up, and taking hold of the two spotted
+animals, returned with them out of the cave. They were evidently very
+young creatures, yet for all that they growled, and spat, and attempted
+to scratch his hands; but Leon was not a boy to be frightened at
+trifles, and after getting one under each arm, he set off in triumph,
+intending to carry them direct to the house.
+
+Guapo was in front of the house busy in new-hafting his axe. Don Pablo
+was at his work in the store-room. Dona Isidora and the little Leona
+were occupied with some affair in the porch. All were engaged one way or
+other. Just then a voice sounded upon their ears, causing them all to
+stop their work, and look abroad. It even brought Don Pablo out of the
+storehouse. It was the voice of Leon, who shouted from the other side of
+the lake, where they all saw him standing, with a strange object under
+each arm.
+
+"Hola!" cried he. "Look, mamma! See what I've got! I've brought you a
+couple of cats--beauties, ain't they?" And as he said this, he held the
+two yellow bodies out before him.
+
+Don Pablo turned pale, and even the coppery cheek of Guapo blanched at
+the sight. Though at some distance, both knew at a glance what they
+were. Cats, indeed! _They were the cubs of the jaguar!_
+
+"My God!" cried Don Pablo, hoarse with affright. "My God! the boy will
+be lost!" and as he spoke he swept the upper edge of the lake with an
+anxious glance.
+
+"Run, little master!" shouted Guapo. "Run for your life; make for the
+bridge--for the bridge!"
+
+Leon seemed astonished. He knew by the words of Guapo, and the earnest
+gestures of the rest, that there was some danger:--but of what? Why was
+he to run? He could not comprehend it. He hesitated, and might have
+stayed longer on the spot, had not his father, seeing his indecision,
+shouted out to him in a loud voice--
+
+"Run, boy! run! The jaguars are after you!"
+
+This speech enabled Leon to comprehend his situation for the first time,
+and he immediately started off towards the bridge, running as fast as he
+was able.
+
+Don Pablo had not seen the jaguars when he spoke, but his words were
+prophetic, and that prophecy was speedily verified. They had hardly been
+uttered when two yellow bodies, dashing out of the brushwood, appeared
+near the upper end of the lake. There was no mistaking what they were.
+Their orange flanks and ocellated sides were sufficiently
+characteristic. _They were jaguars!_
+
+A few springs brought them to the edge of the water, and they were seen
+to take the track over which Leon had just passed. They were following
+by the scent--sometimes pausing--sometimes one passing the other--and
+their waving tails and quick energetic movements showed that they were
+furious and excited to the highest degree. Now they disappeared behind
+the palm-trunks, and the next moment their shining bodies shot out again
+like flashes of light.
+
+Dona Isidora and the little Leona screamed with affright. Don Pablo
+shouted words of encouragement in a hoarse voice. Guapo seized his
+axe--which fortunately he had finished hafting--and ran towards the
+bridge, along the water's edge. Don Pablo followed with his pistols,
+which he had hastily got his hands upon.
+
+For a short moment there was silence on both sides of the river. Guapo
+was opposite Leon, both running. The stream narrowed as it approached
+the ravine, and Leon and Guapo could see each other, and hear every word
+distinctly. Guapo now cried out,--
+
+"Drop one! young master--_only one_!"
+
+Leon heard, and, being a sharp boy, understood what was meant. Up to
+this moment he had not thought of parting with his "cats"--in fact, it
+was because he had _not_ thought of it. Now, however, at the voice of
+Guapo, he flung one of them to the ground, without stopping to see where
+it fell. He ran on, and in a few seconds again heard Guapo cry out--
+
+"_Now the other!_"
+
+Leon let the second slip from his grasp, and kept on for the bridge.
+
+It was well he had dropped the cubs, else he would never have reached
+that bridge. When the first one fell the jaguars were not twenty paces
+behind him. They were almost in sight, but by good fortune the weeds and
+underwood hid the pursued from the pursuers.
+
+On reaching their young, the first that had been dropped, both stopped,
+and appeared to lick and caress it. They remained by it but a moment.
+One parted sooner than the other--the female it was, no doubt, in search
+of her second offspring. Shortly after the other started also, and both
+were again seen springing along the trail in pursuit. A few stretches
+brought them to where the second cub lay, and here they again halted,
+caressing this one as they had done the other.
+
+Don Pablo and Dona Isidora, who saw all this from the other side, were
+in hopes that having recovered their young, the jaguars might give over
+their chase, and carry them off. But they were mistaken in this. The
+American tiger is of a very different nature. Once enraged, he will seek
+revenge with relentless pertinacity. It so proved. After delaying a
+moment with the second cub. Both left it, and sprang forward upon the
+trail, which they knew had been taken by whoever had robbed them.
+
+By this time Leon had gained the bridge--had crossed it--and was lifted
+from its nearer end by Guapo. The latter scarce spoke a word--only
+telling Leon to hurry towards the house. For himself he had other work
+to do than run. The bridge he knew would be no protection. The jaguars
+would cross over it like squirrels, and then----
+
+Guapo reflected no further, but bending over the thick branch, attacked
+it with his axe. His design was apparent at once. He was going to cut it
+from the cliff!
+
+He plied the axe with all his might. Every muscle in his body was at
+play. Blow succeeded blow. The branch was already creaking, when, to his
+horror, the foremost of the jaguars appeared in sight on the opposite
+side! He was not discouraged. Again fell the axe--again and again; the
+jaguar is upon the bank; it has sprung upon the root of the tree! It
+pauses a moment--another blow of the axe--the jaguar bounds upon the
+trunk--its claws rattle along the bark--it is midway over the chasm!
+Another blow--the branch crackles--there is a crash--it parts from the
+cliff--it is gone! Both tree and jaguar gone--down--down to the sharp
+rocks of the foaming torrent!
+
+A loud yell from the Indian announced his triumph. But it was not yet
+complete. It was the female jaguar--the smaller one that had fallen. The
+male still remained--where was he? Already upon the opposite brink of
+the chasm!
+
+He had dashed forward, just in time to see his mate disappearing into
+the gulf below. He saw, and seemed to comprehend all that had passed.
+His eyes glared with redoubled fury. There was vengeance in his look,
+and determination in his attitude.
+
+For a moment he surveyed the wide gulf that separated him from his
+enemies. He seemed to measure the distance at a glance. His heart was
+bold with rage and despair. He had lost his companion--his faithful
+partner--his wife. Life was nothing now--he resolved upon revenge or
+death!
+
+He was seen to run a few paces back from the edge of the chasm, and then
+turning suddenly, set his body for the spring.
+
+It would have been beautiful to have beheld the play of his glistening
+flanks at that moment had one been out of danger; but Guapo was not, and
+he had no pleasure in the sight. Guapo stood upon the opposite brink,
+axe in hand, ready to receive him.
+
+The Indian had not long to wait. With one desperate bound the jaguar
+launched his body into the air, and, like lightning, passed to the
+opposite bank. His fore-feet only reached it, and his claws firmly
+grasped the rock. The rest of his body hung over, clutching the cliff!
+
+In a moment he would have sprung up, and then woe to his antagonist! but
+he was not allowed that moment, for he had scarcely touched the rock
+when the Indian leaped forward and struck at his head with the axe. The
+blow was not well aimed, and although it stunned the jaguar, he still
+clung to the cliff. In setting himself for a second blow, Guapo came too
+near, and the next moment the great claws of the tiger were buried in
+his foot!
+
+It is difficult to tell what might have been the result. It would, no
+doubt, have been different. Guapo would have been dragged over, and that
+was certain death; but at this moment a hand was protruded between
+Guapo's legs--the muzzle of a pistol was seen close to the head of the
+jaguar--a loud crack rang through the ravine, and when the smoke cleared
+away the jaguar was seen no more!
+
+Guapo, with his foot badly lacerated, was drawn back from the cliff into
+the arms of Don Pablo.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+THE RAFT.
+
+
+This was the most exciting day that had been passed since their arrival
+in the Montana; and considering the result it was well that the
+occurrence had taken place. It had rid them of a pair of bad
+neighbours--there would soon have been four--that some time or other
+would have endangered the lives of some of the party. It was the opinion
+of Guapo that they need not, at least for a while, have any fear of
+jaguars. It was not likely there was another pair in that district;
+although, from the roaming disposition of this animal, fresh ones might
+soon make their appearance; and it was deemed best always to act as
+though some were already in the neighbourhood.
+
+The cubs were disposed of. It was not deemed advisable to bring them up
+as "cats." After what had occurred that was voted, even by Leon, a
+dangerous experiment--too dangerous to be attempted. They were still on
+the other side of the river, and the bridge was now gone. If left to
+themselves, no doubt they would have perished, as they were very young
+things. Perhaps some carnivorous creature--wolf, coati, eagle, or
+vulture--would have devoured them, or they might have been eaten up by
+the ants. But this was not to be their fate. Guapo swam across, and
+strangled them. Then tying them together, he suspended the pair over his
+shoulders, and brought them with him to be exhibited as a curiosity.
+Moreover Guapo had a design upon their skins.
+
+It was not long after that a pleasanter pet than either of them was
+found, and this was a beautiful little saimiri monkey, about the size of
+a squirrel, which Guapo and Leon captured one day in the woods. They
+heard a noise as they were passing along, and going up to the spot, saw
+on the branch of a low tree nearly a dozen little monkeys all rolled up
+together in a heap with their tails wrapped round each other as if to
+keep themselves warm.
+
+Nearly another dozen were running about, whining and apparently trying
+to get in among the rest. Guapo and Leon made a sudden rush upon them,
+and were able to capture three or four before the creatures could free
+themselves; but only one lived, and that became a great pet and
+favourite. It was a beautiful little creature--a true saimiri, or
+squirrel-monkey, called the "titi." Its silky fur was of a rich
+olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed fear or joy--now
+filling with tears, and now brightening again--just like those of a
+child.
+
+During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour without
+interruption, and on account of the great plenty of the cinchona-trees,
+and their proximity to the house, they were enabled to accumulate a very
+large store. They worked like bees.
+
+Although this forest life was not without its pleasures and excitements,
+yet it began to grow very irksome both to Don Pablo and Dona Isidora.
+Life in the wilderness, with its rude cares and rude enjoyments, may be
+very pleasant for a while to those who seek it as amateurs, or to that
+class who as colonists intend to make it a permanent thing. But neither
+Don Pablo nor his wife had ever thought of colonisation. With them their
+present industry was the result of accident and necessity. Their tastes
+and longings were very different. They longed to return to civilised
+life; and though the very misfortune which had driven them forth into
+the wilderness had also guided them to an opportunity of making a
+fortune, it is probable they would have passed it by, had they not known
+that, penniless as they were, they would have fared still worse in any
+city to which they might have gone.
+
+But before the first year was out, they yearned very much to return to
+civilisation, and this desire was very natural. But there were other
+reasons that influenced them besides the mere _ennui_ of the wilderness.
+The lives of themselves and their children were constantly in danger
+from jaguars, pumas, and poisonous reptiles. Even man himself might at
+any moment appear as their destroyer. As yet no Indian--not even a trace
+of one--had been seen. But this was not strange.
+
+In the tangled and impenetrable forests of the Great Montana two tribes
+of Indians may reside for years within less than a league's distance of
+each other, without either being aware of the other's existence!
+Scarcely any intercourse is carried on, or excursions made, except by
+the rivers--for they are the only roads--and where two of these run
+parallel, although they may be only at a short distance from each other,
+people residing on one may never think of crossing to the other.
+
+Notwithstanding that no Indians had yet appeared to disturb them, there
+was no certainty that these might not arrive any day, and treat them as
+enemies. On this account, Don Pablo and Dona Isidora were never without
+a feeling of uneasiness.
+
+After mutual deliberation, therefore, they resolved not to prolong their
+stay beyond the early part of spring, when they would carry out their
+original design of building a _balza_ raft, and commit themselves to the
+great river, which, according to all appearance, and to Guapo's
+confident belief, flowed directly to the Amazon. Guapo had never either
+descended or ascended it himself, and on their first arrival was not so
+sure about its course; but after having gone down to its banks, and
+examined its waters, his recollections revived, and he remembered many
+accounts which he had heard of it from Indians of his own tribe. He had
+no doubt but it was the same which, under the name of the "Purus,"
+falls into the Amazon between the mouths of the Madeira and the Coary.
+
+Upon this stream, therefore, in a few months they would embark. But
+these intervening months were not spent in idleness. Although the season
+for bark-gathering was past, another source of industry presented
+itself. The bottom lands of the great river were found to be covered
+with a network of underwood, and among this underwood the principal
+plant was a well-known briar, _Smilax officinalis_. This is the creeping
+plant that yields the celebrated "sarsaparilla;" and Don Pablo, having
+made an analysis of some roots, discovered it to be the most valuable
+species--for it is to be remembered, that, like the cinchona, a whole
+genus, or rather several genera, furnish the article of commerce.
+
+The briar which produces the sarsaparilla is a tall creeping plant,
+which throws out a large number of long wrinkled roots of a uniform
+thickness, and about the size of a goose-quill. Nothing is required
+further than digging and dragging these roots out of the ground, drying
+them a while, and then binding them in bundles with a small "sipo," or
+tough forest creeper. These bundles are made up, so as to render the
+roots convenient for packing and transport.
+
+During several months this branch of industry occupied Don Pablo, Guapo,
+and Leon; so that when the time drew nigh for their departure, what with
+the cinchona-bark, the sarsaparilla, and the vanilla-beans, there was
+not an empty inch in the large storehouse.
+
+Guapo had not been all the time with them. For several days Gruapo was
+not to be seen at the house, nor anywhere around it. Where had Guapo
+been all this time? I will tell you; Guapo _had been to the mountains_!
+
+Yes, Don Pablo had sent him on an important mission, which he had
+performed with secrecy and despatch. Don Pablo, before braving the
+dangers of the vast journey he had projected, had still a lingering hope
+that something might have happened--some change in the government of
+Peru--perhaps a new Viceroy--that might enable him to return with safety
+to his native land. To ascertain if such had taken place, Guapo had made
+his journey to the mountains.
+
+He went no farther than the Puna--no farther than the hut of his friend
+the vaquero--who, by a previous understanding with Guapo, had kept
+himself informed about political matters.
+
+There was no hope; the same Council, the same Viceroy, the same price
+upon the head of Don Pablo--who, however, was believed to have escaped
+in an American ship, and to have taken refuge in the great Republic of
+the North.
+
+With this news Guapo returned, and now the preparations for the river
+voyage were set about in earnest. A balza raft was built out of large
+trunks of the _Bombax ceiba_, which, being light wood, was the best for
+the purpose. Of course these trunks had been cut long ago with a view to
+using them in this way. A commodious cabin, or "toldo," was constructed
+on the raft, built of palm and bamboos, and thatched with the broad
+leaves of the bussu. A light canoe was also hollowed out, as a sort of
+tender to the raft, and a couple of very large canoes for the purpose of
+giving buoyancy to it, were lashed one upon each side. The "merchandise"
+was carefully "stowed" and covered with "tarpaulins" of palm-leaves, and
+the stores laid in with every providential care and calculation.
+
+You will be wondering what was done with the horse and mule,--those
+creatures who had served the exiles so faithfully and so well? Were they
+left behind to become a prey to the jaguars and the large blood-sucking
+bats, that kill so many animals in these parts? No--they were not to be
+left to such a fate. One of them--the mule--had been already disposed
+of. It was a valuable beast, and partly on that account, and partly from
+gratitude felt towards it for the well-timed kick it had given the
+ocelot, it was to be spared. Guapo had taken both the mule and the horse
+on his mountain journey, and presented the former to his friend the
+vaquero.
+
+But the horse was still on hand. What was to be done with him? Leave him
+behind? That would be certain death, for no horse, that was not cared
+for, could exist in the Montana ten days without being eaten up by the
+fierce creatures that inhabit it. The bats would surely have destroyed
+him. Well, what was done? He could not be carried on the raft. But he
+was, though,--_in a way._
+
+Guapo was resolved that the bats should not have him, nor the jaguars
+neither. He was in fine condition--fat as a pig. The fruit of the
+murumuru had agreed with him. He was just in the condition in which an
+Indian thinks a horse "good for killing," and _Guapo killed him_! Yes,
+Guapo killed him! It is true it was a sort of a Virginius tragedy, and
+Guapo had great difficulty in nerving himself for the task. But the
+blow-gun was at length levelled, and the _curare_ did its work. Then
+Guapo skinned him, and cut him into strips, and dried him into
+"charqui," and carried him on board the raft. That was the closing
+scene.
+
+All left the house together, carrying with them the remains of their
+hastily-created _penates_. On reaching the end of the valley, they
+turned and threw back a last glance at a home that had to them been a
+happy one; and then, continuing their journey, they were soon upon the
+balza. The only living creature that accompanied them from their valley
+home was the pretty saimiri, carried on the shoulder of the little
+Leona.
+
+The cable of piassaba-palm was carefully taken in and coiled, the raft
+was pushed out, and the next moment floated lightly upon the broad bosom
+of the river.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE GUARDIAN BROTHER.
+
+
+The current of the river flowed at the rate of about four miles an hour,
+and at this speed they travelled. They had nothing to do but guide the
+raft in the middle part of the stream. This was effected by means of a
+large stern-oar fixed upon a pivot, and which served the purpose of a
+rudder. One was required to look after this oar, and Don Pablo and Guapo
+took turns at it. It was not a very troublesome task, except where some
+bend had to be got round, or some eddy was to be cleared, when both had
+to work at it together. At other times the balza floated straight on,
+without requiring the least effort on the part of the crew; and then
+they would all sit down and chat pleasantly, and view the changing
+scenery of the forest-covered shores.
+
+Sometimes tall palms lined the banks, and sometimes great forest trees
+netted together by thick parasites that crept from one to the other,
+and twined around the trunks like monster serpents. Sometimes the shores
+were one unbroken thicket of underwood, where it would have been almost
+impossible to make a landing had they wished it. At other places there
+were sand-bars, and even little islets with scarce any vegetation upon
+them; and they also passed many other islets and large islands thickly
+wooded. The country generally appeared to be flat, though at one or two
+places they saw hills that ran in to the banks of the river.
+
+Of course the change of scenery, and the many fresh vistas continually
+opening before them, rendered their voyage both cheerful and
+interesting. The many beautiful birds too, and new kinds of trees and
+animals which they saw, were a constant source of varied enjoyment, and
+furnished them with themes of conversation.
+
+During the first day they made a journey of full forty miles. Having
+brought their balza close to the shore, and secured it to a tree, they
+encamped for the night. There was no opening of any extent, but for some
+distance the ground was clear of underwood, and the trunks of great old
+trees rose like columns losing themselves amidst the thick foliage
+overhead. A dark forest only could be seen, and, as night drew on, the
+horrid cries of the alouattes, or howling monkeys, mingling with the
+voices of other nocturnal animals, filled the woods. They had no fear of
+monkeys, but now and then they thought they could distinguish the cry of
+the jaguar, and of him they had fear enough. Indeed the jaguar possesses
+the power of imitating the cry of the other animals of the forest, and
+often uses it to draw them within reach of him.
+
+In addition to the fire upon which they had cooked their supper, as soon
+as night had fairly set in, they kindled others, forming a sort of
+semicircle, the chord of which was the bank of the river itself. Within
+this semicircle the hammocks were stretched from tree to tree; and, as
+all were fatigued with the day's exertions, they climbed into them at an
+early hour, and were soon asleep. One alone sat up to keep watch. As
+they thought they had heard the jaguar, this was deemed best; for they
+knew that fire will not always frighten off that fierce animal. As the
+neighbourhood looked suspicious, and also as it was their first
+encampment, they, like all travellers at setting out, of course were
+more timid and cautious.
+
+To Leon was assigned the first watch; for Leon was a courageous boy, and
+it was not the first time he had taken his turn in this way. He was to
+sit up for about two hours, and then wake Guapo, who would keep the
+midnight watch; after which Don Pablo's turn would come, and that would
+terminate in the morning at daybreak. Leon was instructed to rouse the
+others in case any danger might threaten the camp.
+
+Leon from choice had seated himself by the head of the hammock in which
+slept the little Leona; in order, no doubt, to be nearer her, as she was
+the most helpless of the party, and therefore required more immediate
+protection. He had both the pistols by him--ready to his hand and
+loaded--and in case of danger he knew very well how to use them.
+
+He had been seated for about half-an-hour, now casting his eyes up to
+the red and wrinkled trunks of the trees, and then gazing into the dark
+vistas of the surrounding forest, or at other times looking out upon the
+glistening surface of the river. Many a strange sound fell upon his
+ear. Sometimes the whole forest appeared to be alive with voices--the
+voices of beasts and birds, reptiles, and insects--for the tree-frogs
+and ciendas were as noisy as the larger creatures. At other times a
+perfect stillness reigned, so that he could distinctly hear the tiny hum
+of the mosquito; and then, all at once, would fall upon his ear the
+melancholy wailing of the night-hawk--the "_alma perdida_," or "lost
+soul"--for such is the poetical and fanciful name given by the Spanish
+Americans to this nocturnal bird.
+
+While thus engaged Leon began to feel very drowsy. The heavy day's work,
+in which he had borne part, had fatigued him as well as the others; and,
+in spite of the odd voices that from time to time fell upon his ear, he
+could have lain down upon the bare ground and slept without a feeling of
+fear. Snakes or scorpions, or biting lizards or spiders, would not have
+kept him from going to sleep at that moment. It is astonishing how the
+desire of sleep makes one indifferent to all these things, which at
+other times we so much dread. Leon did not fear them a bit, but kept
+himself awake from a feeling of pride and honour. He reflected that it
+would never do to be unfaithful to the important trust confided to him.
+No; that would never do. He rubbed his eyes, and rose up, and approached
+the bank, and dipped his hands in the water, and came back to his former
+place, and sat down again. Spite of all his efforts, however, he felt
+very heavy. Oh! when would the two hours pass that he might rouse Guapo?
+
+"Car-r-ambo! I nev-er was so s-s-sleepy. _Vamos_! Leon! you mustn't give
+in!"
+
+And striking himself a lively slap on the chest, he straightened his
+back, and sat upright for a while.
+
+He was just beginning to get bowed about the shoulders again, and to nod
+a little, when he was startled by a short sharp exclamation uttered by
+the little Leona. He looked up to her hammock. He could perceive it had
+moved slightly, but it was at rest again, and its occupant was evidently
+asleep.
+
+"Poor little sis! she is dreaming," he muttered half aloud. "Perhaps
+some horrid dream of jaguars or serpents. I have half a mind to awake
+her. But, no, she sleeps too soundly; I might disturb them all;" and
+with these reflections Leon remained upon his seat.
+
+Once more his head was beginning to bob, when the voice of Leona again
+startled him, and he looked up as before. The hammock moved slightly,
+but there was no appearance of anything wrong. From where he sat he
+could not see well into it, but the outlines of the child's body were
+easily discernible through the elastic netting; and at the farther end
+he could just perceive one of her little feet, where it had escaped from
+the covering, and rested partly over the edge.
+
+As he continued to gaze upon the delicate member, thinking whether he
+had not better cover it against the mosquitoes, all at once his eye was
+attracted by something red--a crooked red line that traversed from the
+toe downward along the side of the foot. It was red and glittering--it
+was _a stream of blood_!
+
+His first feeling was one of horror. His next was a resolve to spring to
+his feet and rouse the camp, but this impulse was checked by one of
+greater prudence. Whatever enemy had done it, thought he, must still be
+about the hammock; to make a noise would, perhaps, only irritate it, and
+cause it to inflict some still more terrible wound. He would remain
+quiet, until he had got his eyes upon the creature, when he could spring
+upon it, or fire his pistol before it could do further harm.
+
+With these ideas, quickly conceived, he rose silently to his feet, and
+standing, or rather crouching forward, bent his eyes over the hammock.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+THE VAMPIRE.
+
+
+Leon's head was close to that of the sleeper, whose sweet breath he
+felt, and whose little bosom rose and fell in gentle undulation. He
+scanned the inside of the hammock from head to foot. He gazed anxiously
+into every fold of the cover. Not an object could he see that should not
+have been there--no terrible creature--no serpent--for it was this last
+that was in his mind. But something must have been there. What could
+have caused the stream of blood, that now being closer he could more
+plainly see trickling over the soft blue veins? Some creature must have
+done it!
+
+"Oh! if it be the small viper," thought he, "or the coral snake, or the
+deadly macaurel! If these----".
+
+His thoughts at this moment were interrupted. A light flapping of wings
+sounded in his ear--so light, that it appeared to be made by the soft
+pinions of the owl, or some nocturnal bird. It was not by the wings of a
+bird that that sound was produced, but by the wings of a hideous
+creature. Leon was conscious, from the continued flapping, that
+something was playing through the air, and that it occasionally
+approached close to his head. He gazed upward and around him, and at
+length he could distinguish a dark form passing between him and the
+light; but it glided into the darkness again, and he could see it no
+more.
+
+Was it a bird? It looked like one--it might have been an owl--it was
+full as large as one; but yet, from the glance he had had of it, it
+appeared to be black or very dark, and he had never heard of owls of
+that colour. Moreover, it had not the look nor flight of an owl. Was it
+a bird at all? or whatever it was, was it the cause of the blood? This
+did not appear likely to Leon, who still had his thoughts bent upon the
+snakes.
+
+While he was revolving these questions in his mind, he again turned and
+looked toward the foot of the hammock. The sight caused him a thrill of
+horror. There was the hideous creature, which, he had just seen, right
+over the bleeding foot. It was not perched, but suspended in the air on
+its moving wings, with its long snout protruded forward and pressed
+against the toe of the sleeper! Its sharp white teeth were visible in
+both jaws, and its small vicious eyes glistened under the light of the
+fires. The red hair covering its body and large membranous wings added
+to the hideousness of its aspect, and a more hideous creature could not
+have been conceived. _It was the vampire_,--the blood-sucking
+_phyllostoma_!
+
+A short cry escaped from the lips of Leon. It was not a cry of pain, but
+the contrary. The sight of the great bat, hideous as the creature was,
+relieved him. He had all along been under the painful impression that
+some venomous serpent had caused the blood to flow, and now he had no
+further fear on that score. He knew that there was no poison in the
+wound inflicted by the phyllostoma--only the loss of a little blood; and
+this quieted his anxieties at once. He resolved, however, to punish the
+intruder; and not caring to rouse the camp by firing, he stole a little
+closer, and aimed a blow with the butt of his pistol.
+
+[Illustration: THE VAMPIRE BAT.]
+
+The blow was well aimed, and brought the bat to the ground, but its
+shrill screeching awoke everybody, and in a few moments the camp was in
+complete confusion. The sight of the blood on the foot of the little
+Leona quite terrified Dona Isidora and the rest; but when the cause was
+explained, all felt reassured and thankful that the thing was no worse.
+The little foot was bound up in a rag; and although, for two or three
+days after, it was not without pain, yet no bad effects came of it.
+
+The "blood-sucking" bats do not cause death either to man, or any other
+animal, by a single attack. All the blood they can draw out amounts to
+only a few ounces, although after their departure, the blood continues
+to run from the open wound. It is by repeating their attacks night after
+night that the strength of an animal becomes exhausted, and it dies from
+sheer loss of blood and consequent faintness. With animals this is far
+from being a rare occurrence. Hundreds of horses and cattle are killed
+every year in the South American pastures. These creatures suffer,
+perhaps, without knowing from what cause, for the phyllostoma performs
+its cupping operation without causing the least pain--at all events the
+sleeper is very rarely awakened by it.
+
+It is easy to understand how it sucks the blood of its victim, for its
+snout and the leafy appendage around its mouth--from whence it derives
+the name "phyllostoma"--are admirably adapted to that end. But how does
+it make the puncture to "let" the blood? That is as yet a mystery among
+naturalists, as it also is among the people who are habitually its
+victims. Even Guapo could not explain the process. The large teeth--of
+which it has got quite a mouthful--seem altogether unfitted to make a
+hole such as is found where the "phyllostoma" has been at work. Their
+bite, moreover, would awake the soundest sleeper.
+
+Besides these, it has neither fangs, nor stings, nor proboscis, that
+would serve the purpose. How then does its reach the blood? Many
+theories have been offered; some assert that it rubs the skin with its
+snout until its brings it to bleeding: others say that it sets the sharp
+point of one of its large tusks against the part, and then by plying its
+wings wheels round and round, as upon a pivot, until the point has
+penetrated--that during this operation the motion of the wings fans and
+cools the sleeping victim, so that no pain is felt. It may be a long
+while before this curious question is solved, on account of the
+difficulty of observing a creature whose habits are nocturnal, and most
+of whose deeds are "done in the dark."
+
+People have denied the existence of such a creature as the blood-sucking
+bat--even naturalists have gone so far. They can allege no better
+grounds for their incredulity than that the thing has an air of the
+fabulous and horrible about it. But this is not philosophy. Incredulity
+is the characteristic of the half-educated. It may be carried too far,
+and the fables of the vulgar have often a stratum of truth at the
+bottom. There is one thing that is almost intolerable, and that is the
+conceit of the "closet-naturalist," who sneers at everything as untrue
+that seems to show the least _design_ on the part of the brute
+creation--who denies everything that appears at all singular or
+fanciful, and simply because it appears so. With the truthful
+observations that have been made upon the curious domestic economy of
+such little creatures as bees, and wasps, and ants, we ought to be
+cautious how we reject statements about the habits of other animals,
+however strange they may appear.
+
+Who doubts that a mosquito will perch itself upon the skin of a human
+being, pierce it with its proboscis, and suck away until it is gorged
+with blood! Why does it appear strange that a bat should do the same?
+
+Now your closet-naturalist will believe that the bat _does_ suck the
+blood of cattle and horses, but denies that it will attack man! This is
+sheer nonsense. What difference to the vampire, whether its victim be a
+biped or quadruped? Is it fear of the former that would prevent it from
+attacking him? Perhaps it may never have seen a human being before:
+besides, it attacks its victim while asleep, and is rarely ever caught
+or punished in the act. Where these creatures are much hunted or
+persecuted by man, they may learn to fear him, and their original habits
+may become changed, but that is quite another thing.
+
+As nature has formed them, the blood-sucking bats will make their attack
+indifferently, either upon man or large quadrupeds. There are a thousand
+proofs to be had in all the tropical regions of America. Every year
+animals are killed by the _phyllostoma hastatum_, not in hundreds, but
+in thousands. It is recorded that on one extensive cattle-farm several
+hundred head were killed in the short period of six months by the bats;
+and the vaqueros, who received a bounty upon every bat they should
+capture, in one year succeeded in destroying the enormous number of
+_seven thousand_! Indeed, "bat-hunting" is followed by some as a
+profession, so eager are the owners of the cattle-farms to get rid of
+these pests.
+
+Many tribes of Indians and travellers suffer great annoyance from the
+vampire-bats. Some persons never go to sleep without covering themselves
+with blankets, although the heat be ever so oppressive. Any part left
+naked will be attacked by the "phyllostoma", but they seem to have a
+preference for the tip of the great toe--perhaps because they have found
+that part more habitually exposed. Sometimes one sleeper is "cupped" by
+them, while another will not be molested; and this, I may observe, is
+true also of the mosquitoes. There may be some difference as to the
+state of the blood of two individuals, that leads to this fastidious
+preference. Some are far more subject to their attack than others--so
+much so that they require to adopt every precaution to save themselves
+from being bled to death. Cayenne pepper rubbed over the skin is used to
+keep them off, and also to cure the wound they have made; but even this
+sometimes proves ineffective.
+
+Of course there are many species of bats in South America besides the
+vampire; in fact, there is no class of mammalia more numerous in genera
+and species, and no part of the world where greater numbers are found
+than in the tropical regions of America. Some are insect-eaters, while
+others live entirely on vegetable substances; but all have the same
+unsightly and repulsive appearance. The odour of some kinds is extremely
+fetid and disagreeable.
+
+Notwithstanding this, they are eaten by many tribes of Indians, and even
+the French Creoles of Guiana have their "bat-soup," which they relish
+highly. The proverb "_De gustibus non disputandum est_," seems to be
+true for all time. The Spanish Americans have it in the phrase "_Cada
+uno a su gusto_;" "_Chacun a son gout_," say the French; and on hearing
+these tales about "ant-paste," and "roast monkey," and "armidillo done
+in the shell," and "bat-soup," you, boy reader, will not fail to exclaim
+"Every one to his liking."
+
+The vampire appeared to be to Guapo's liking. It was now his turn to
+keep watch, and as the rest of them got into their hammocks, and lay
+awake for a while, they saw him take up the bat, spit it upon a forked
+stick, and commence broiling it over the fire. Of course _he ate it_!
+
+When morning came, and they had got up, what was their astonishment to
+see no less than fourteen bats lying side by side! They were dead, of
+course: Guapo had killed them all during his watch. They had appeared at
+one period of the night in alarming numbers, and Guapo had done battle
+manfully without awaking anybody.
+
+Another curious tableau came under their notice shortly after. Just as
+they were about to embark, a singular looking tree was observed growing
+near the bank of the river. At first they thought the tree was covered
+with birds'-nests, or pieces of some kind of moss. Indeed, it looked
+more like a tree hung over with rags than anything else. Curiosity led
+them to approach it. What was their astonishment to find that the nests,
+moss, or rags, were neither more or less than a vast assemblage of bats
+suspended, and asleep! They were hanging in all possible positions; some
+with their heads down, some by the claws upon either wing, and some by
+both, while a great many had merely hooked over the branch the little
+horny curvature of their tails. Some hung down along the trunk,
+suspended by a crack in the bark, while others were far out upon the
+branches.
+
+It was certainly the oddest "roost" that any of the party (Guapo,
+perhaps, excepted) had ever witnessed; and, after gazing at it for some
+time, they turned away without disturbing the sleepers, and getting on
+board once more, floated adown the stream swiftly and silently.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE MARIMONDAS.
+
+
+That day they made good progress, having dropped down the river a
+distance of fifty miles at least. They might even have gone farther, but
+a good camping-place offered, and they did not like to pass it, as they
+might not find another so convenient. It was a muddy bank, or rather a
+promontory that ran out into the river, and was entirely without trees,
+or any other vegetation, as it was annually overflowed, and formed, in
+fact, part of the bed of the river. At this time the mud was quite dry
+and smooth, and appeared as if it had been paddled and beaten down by
+the feet of animals and birds. This was, in fact, the case, for the
+point was a favourite resting-place for the "chiguires," or "capivaras,"
+on their passage to and from the water. There were tracks of tapirs,
+too, and peccaries, and many sorts of wading birds, that had been there
+while the mud was still soft.
+
+There were no trees to which to hang their hammocks, but the ground was
+smooth and dry, and they could sleep well enough upon it. They would not
+be troubled with the bats, as these creatures keep mostly in the dark
+shadowy places of the forest; and snakes would not likely be found out
+on the bare ground. They thought they would there be safer from jaguars,
+too. In fact, it was from these considerations that they had chosen the
+place for their camp. They could go to the woods for an armful or two of
+sticks to cook supper with, and that would suffice.
+
+The balza was brought close in on the upper side of the promontory, so
+as to be out of the current; and then all landed and made their
+preparations for passing the night. Guapo marched off with his axe to
+get some firewood, and Leon accompanied him to assist in carrying it.
+They had not far to go--only a hundred yards or so, for up at the end of
+the promontory the forest began, and there were both large trees and
+underwood.
+
+As they walked forward one species of trees caught their attention. They
+were palm-trees, but of a sort they had not yet met with. They were very
+tall, with a thick, globe-shaped head of pinnate, plume-like leaves. But
+what rendered these trees peculiar was the stem. It was slender in
+proportion to the height of the tree, and was thickly covered with long
+needle-shaped spines, not growing irregularly, but set in bands, or
+rings, around the tree. This new palm was the "pupunha," or
+"peach-palm," as it is called, from the resemblance which its fruits
+bear to peaches. It is also named "pirijao" in other parts of South
+America, and it belongs to the genus "_Gullielma_."
+
+At the tops of these trees, under the great globe of leaves, Guapo and
+Leon perceived the nuts. They were hanging in clusters, as grapes grow;
+but the fruits were as large as apricots, of an oval, triangular shape,
+and of a beautiful reddish yellow colour. That they were delicious
+eating, either roasted or boiled, Guapo well knew; and he was determined
+that some of them should be served at supper. But how were they to be
+reached? No man could climb such a tree as they grew upon! The needles
+would have torn the flesh from any one who should have attempted it.
+
+Guapo knew this. He knew, moreover, that the Indians, who are very fond
+of the fruit of this tree,--so much so that they plant large _palmares_
+of it around their villages--have a way of climbing it to get at the
+ripe clusters. They tie cross pieces of wood from one tree to the other,
+and thus make a sort of step-ladder, by which they ascend to the fruit.
+It is true, they might easily cut down the trees, as the trunks are not
+very thick; but that would be killing the goose that gave the golden
+eggs.
+
+Guapo, however, had no farther interest in this wild orchard than to
+make it serve his turn for that one night; so, laying his axe to one of
+the "pupunhas," he soon levelled its majestic stem to the ground.
+Nothing more remained than to lop off the clusters, any one of which was
+as much as Leon could lift from the ground. Guapo found the wood hard
+enough even in its green state, but when old it becomes black, and is
+then so hard that it will turn the edge of an axe. There is, perhaps, no
+wood in all South America harder than that of the pirijao palm.
+
+It is with the needle-like spines of this species that many tribes of
+Indians puncture their skins in tattooing themselves, and other uses are
+made by them of different parts of this noble tree. The macaws, parrots,
+and other fruit-eating birds, are fonder of the nuts of the pupunha than
+perhaps any other species; and so, too, would be the fruit-eating
+quadrupeds if they could get at them. But the thorny trunk renders them
+quite inaccessible to all creatures without wings, excepting man
+himself. No; there is one other exception, and that is a creature
+closely allied to man, I mean the _monkey_.
+
+Notwithstanding the thorny stem, which even man cannot scale without a
+contrivance; notwithstanding the apparently inaccessible
+clusters--inaccessible from their great height--there is a species of
+monkey that manages now and then to get a meal of them. How do these
+monkeys manage it? Not by climbing the stem, for the thorns are too
+sharp even for them. How then? Do the nuts fall to the ground and allow
+the monkeys to gather them? No. This is not the case. How then? We shall
+see!
+
+Guapo and Leon had returned to the camp, taking with them the pupunha
+fruit and the firewood. A fire was kindled, the cooking-pot hung over it
+on a tripod, and they all sat around to wait for its boiling.
+
+While thus seated, an unusual noise reached their ears coming from the
+woods. There were parrots and macaws among the palms making noise
+enough, and fluttering about, but it was not these. The noise that had
+arrested the attention of our travellers was a mixture of screaming, and
+chattering, and howling, and barking, as if there were fifty sorts of
+creatures at the making of it. The bushes, too, were heard "switching
+about," and now and then a dead branch would crack, as if snapped
+suddenly. To a stranger in these woods such a blending of sounds would
+have appeared very mysterious and inexplicable. Not so to our party.
+They knew it was only a troop of monkeys passing along upon one of their
+journeys. From their peculiar cries, Guapo knew what kind of monkeys
+they were.
+
+"_Marimondas_," he said.
+
+The marimondas are not true "howlers," although they are of the same
+tribe as the "howling monkeys." They belong to the genus _Ateles_, so
+called because they want the thumb, and are therefore _imperfect_ or
+_unfinished_ as regards the hands. But what the ateles want in hands is
+supplied by another member--the tail, and this they have to all
+perfection. It is to them a fifth hand, and apparently more useful than
+the other four. It assists them very materially in travelling through
+the tree-tops. They use it to bring objects nearer them. They use it to
+suspend themselves in a state of repose, and thus suspended, they
+sleep--nay more, thus suspended they often die! Of all the monkey tribe
+the ateles are those that have most prehensile power in their tails.
+
+There are several species of them known--the coaita, the white-faced,
+the black cayou, the beelzebub, the chamek, the black-handed, and the
+marimonda. The habits of all are very similar, though the species differ
+in size and colour.
+
+The marimonda is one of the largest of South American monkeys, being
+about three feet standing upon its hind-legs, with a tail of immense
+length, thick and strong near the root, and tapering to a point. On its
+under side, for the last foot or so from the end, there is no hair, but
+a callous skin, and this is the part used for holding on to the
+branches. The marimonda is far from being a handsome monkey. Its long,
+thin arms and thumbless hands give it an attenuated appearance, which is
+not relieved by the immense disproportioned tail. It is reddish, or of a
+parched coffee colour, on the upper part of the body, which becomes
+blanched on the throat, belly, and insides of the thighs. Its colour, in
+fact, is somewhat of the hue of the half-blood Indian and Negro,--hence
+the marimonda is known in some parts of Spanish America by the name of
+"mono zambo," or "zambo" monkey--a "zambo" being the descendant of
+Indian and Negro parents.
+
+The noise made by the marimondas which had been heard by our party
+seemed to proceed from the bank of the river, some distance above the
+promontory; but it was evidently growing louder every minute, and they
+judged that the monkeys were approaching.
+
+In a few minutes they appeared in sight, passing along the upper part of
+a grove of trees that stood close to the water. Our travellers had now
+an excellent view of them, and they sat watching them with interest.
+Their mode of progression was extremely curious. They never came to the
+ground, but where the branches interlocked they ran from one to the
+other with the lightning speed of squirrels, or, indeed, like birds upon
+the wing.
+
+Sometimes, however, the boughs stood far apart. Then the marimonda,
+running out as far as the branch would bear him, would wrap a few inches
+of his tail around it and spring off into the air. In the spring he
+would give himself such an impetus as would cause the branch to revolve,
+and his body following this circular motion, with the long thin arms
+thrown out in front, he would grasp the first branch that he could
+reach. This, of course, would land him on a new tree, and over that he
+would soon spring to the next.
+
+Among the troop several females were perceived with their young. The
+latter were carried on the backs of the mothers, where they held on by
+means of their own little tails, feeling perfectly secure. Sometimes the
+mothers would dismount them, and cause them to swing themselves from
+branch to branch, going before to show them the way. This was witnessed
+repeatedly. In other places, where the intervening space was too wide
+for the females with their young to pass over, the males could be seen
+bending down a branch of the opposite tree, so as to bring it nearer,
+and assist them in crossing. All these movements were performed amidst a
+constant gabble of conversation, and shouting, and chattering, and the
+noise of branches springing back to their places.
+
+The grove through which the troop was passing ended just by the edge of
+the promontory. The palm-trees succeeded, with some trees of large size
+that grew over them.
+
+The marimondas at length reached the margin of the grove, and then they
+were all seen to stop, most of them throwing themselves, heads down, and
+hanging only by their tails. This is the position in which they find
+themselves best prepared for any immediate action; and it is into this
+attitude they throw themselves when suddenly alarmed. They remained so
+for some minutes; and from the chattering carried on among them, it was
+evident that they were engaged in deliberation. A loud and general
+scream proclaimed the result; and all of them, at one and the same
+instant, dropped down to the ground, and were seen crossing over among
+the palm-trees.
+
+They had to pass over a piece of open ground with only some weeds upon
+it; but their helplessness on the ground was at once apparent. They
+could not place their palms on the surface, but doubled them up and
+walked, as it were, on the backs of their hands in the most awkward
+manner. Every now and again, they flung out their great tails, in hopes
+of grasping something that would help them along; and even a large weed
+was a welcome support to them. On the ground they were evidently "out of
+their element." In fact, the _ateles_ rarely descend from the trees,
+which are their natural _habitat_.
+
+At length they reached the palms; and, seated in various attitudes,
+looked up at the tempting fruit, all the while chattering away. How were
+they to reach it? Not a tree that was not covered with long needles--not
+a bunch of the luscious fruit that was not far above the height of the
+tallest marimonda! How were they to get at it?--that was the question.
+It might have been a puzzling question to so many boys--to the monkeys
+it was not; for in less than a score of seconds they had settled it in
+their minds how the pupunhas were to be plucked.
+
+Rising high over the palms grew a large tree, with long out-reaching
+branches. It was the "zamang" tree--a species of _mimosa_, and one of
+the most beautiful trees of South America. Its trunk rose full seventy
+feet without a branch; and then it spread out in every direction in
+numerous horizontal limbs, that forked and forked again until they
+became slender boughs. These branches were clad with the delicate
+pinnate leaves that characterise the family of the mimosas.
+
+Many of the pupunha palms grew under the shadow of this zamang, but not
+the tallest ones. These were farther out. There were some, however,
+whose tufted crowns reached within a few yards of the lower limbs of the
+mimosa.
+
+The monkeys, after a short consultation, were seen scampering up the
+zamang. Only some of the old and strong ones went--the rest remained
+watching below.
+
+From the earnestness of their looks it was evident they felt a lively
+interest in the result. So, too, did the party of travellers; for these
+watched so closely, that the pot was in danger of boiling over.
+
+The marimondas, having climbed the trunk, ran out upon the lowermost
+limbs, until they were directly above the palms. Then one or two were
+seen to drop off, and hang down by their tails. But, although, with
+their fore-arms at full stretch, they hung nearly five feet from the
+branch, they could not even touch the highest fronds of the palms, much
+less the fruit-clusters that were ten or twelve feet farther down. They
+made repeated attempts; suspending themselves over the very tallest
+palms, but all to no purpose.
+
+One would have supposed they would have given it up as a bad job. So
+thought Dona Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona. Don Pablo knew better
+by his reading, and Guapo by his experience. When they saw that no one
+of them could reach the nuts, several were seen to get together on one
+of the branches. After a moment one dropped down head-foremost as
+before, and hung at his full length. Another ran down the body of this
+one, and taking a turn of his tail round his neck and fore-arm, skipped
+off and also hung head downwards. A third joined himself on to the
+second in a similar manner, and then a fourth. The fore-arms of the
+fourth rested upon the fruit-cluster of the pupunha!
+
+The chain was now long enough for the purpose. In a few minutes the last
+monkey on the chain, with his teeth and hands, had separated the
+footstalk of the spathes, and the great clusters--two of them there
+were--fell heavily to the bottom of the tree. The marimondas on the
+ground ran forward; and, in the midst of loud rejoicings began to pull
+off the "peaches" and devour them.
+
+But the monkeys above did not cease their labours. There were many
+mouths to feed, and they wanted more nuts. Without changing their
+position, they, by means of their arms and legs, threw themselves into a
+vibrating motion, and by this means the last on the string soon seized
+upon another pupunha, and also detached its fruit. In this way they
+continued, until they had stripped every tree within their reach; when,
+judging they had got enough, the lowermost monkey _climbed back upon
+himself_, then up his companions to the branch, and in the same style
+was followed by the other three in succession. As soon as they were
+clear of one another, the whole party came down by the trunk to the
+ground, and joined their comrades below in the luxurious repast.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+THE MONKEY MOTHER.
+
+
+Now you will, perhaps, imagine that Guapo, having sat so quiet during
+all this scene, had no desire for a bit of roast-monkey to supper. In
+that fancy, then, you would be quite astray from the truth. Guapo had a
+_strong_ desire to eat roast marimonda that very night; and, had he not
+been held back by Don Pablo, he would never have allowed the monkeys to
+get quietly out of the zamang--for it being an isolated tree, it would
+have afforded him a capital opportunity of "treeing" them. His blow-gun
+had been causing his fingers to itch all the time; and as soon as Don
+Pablo and the rest were satisfied with observing the monkeys, Guapo set
+out, blow-gun, in hand, followed by Leon.
+
+There was no cover by which he might approach the group; and, therefore,
+no course was left for him but to run up as quickly forward as possible,
+and take his chance of getting a shot as they made off.
+
+This course he pursued; but, before he was within anything like fair
+range, the monkeys, uttering their shrill screams, scampered over the
+open ground, much faster than before, and took to the grove, from which
+they had approached the spot.
+
+Guapo followed at a slashing pace, and was soon under the trees, Leon at
+his heels. Here they were met by a shower of sticks, pieces of bark,
+half-eaten "peaches," and something that was far less pleasant to their
+olfactory nerves! All these came from the tops of the trees--the very
+tallest ones--to which the monkeys had retreated, and where they were
+now hidden among the llianas and leaves.
+
+You may fancy that it is easy to pursue a troop of monkeys in a forest.
+But it is not easy--in most cases it is not _possible_. The tangled
+underwood below puts a stop to the chase at once, as the monkeys can
+make their way through the branches above much quicker than the hunter
+can through the creeping plants below.
+
+The pursuit would have been all up with Guapo, for the marimondas had
+soon got some way beyond the edge of the grove; but just as he was
+turning to sulk back, his keen Indian eye caught sight of one that was
+far behind the rest--so far, indeed, that it seemed determined to seek
+its safety rather by hiding than by flight. It had got under cover of a
+bunch of leaves, and there it lay quiet, uttering neither sound nor
+syllable. Guapo could just see a little bit of its side, and at this in
+an instant the gravatana was pointed. Guapo's chest and cheeks were seen
+to swell out to their fullest extent, and off went the arrow. A shriek
+followed--the monkey was hit--beyond a doubt. Guapo coolly waited the
+result.
+
+A movement was visible among the leaves; the marimonda was seen to turn
+and double about, and pluck something from its side; and then the broken
+arrow came glancing among the twigs, and fell to the ground. The monkey
+was now perceived to be twisting and writhing upon the branches, and its
+wild death-screams was answered by the voices of the others farther off.
+
+At length its body was seen more distinctly; it no longer thought of
+concealment; but lay out along the limb; and the next moment it dropped
+off. It did not fall to the ground, though. It had no design of
+gratifying its cruel destroyer to that extent. No; it merely dropped to
+the end of its tail, which, lapped over the branch, held it suspended. A
+few convulsive vibrations followed, and it hung down dead!
+
+Guapo was thinking in what way he might get it down, for he knew that
+unless he could reach it by some means, it would hang there until the
+weather rotted it off, or until some preying bird or the tree-ants had
+eaten it. He thought of his axe--the tree was not a very thick one, and
+it was a soft-wood tree. It would be worth the labour of cutting it
+down.
+
+He was about turning away to get the axe, when his eye was attracted by
+the motion of some object near the monkey.
+
+"Another!" he muttered, and sure enough, another,--a little
+tiny-creature,--ran out from among the leaves, and climbed down the tail
+and body of the one already shot, threw it arms around her neck and
+whined piteously. It was the young one--Guapo had shot the mother!
+
+The sight filled Leon with pity and grief; but Guapo knew nothing of
+these sentiments. He had already inserted another arrow into his
+gravatana, and was raising his tube to bend it, when, all at once, there
+was a loud rustling among the leaves above--a large marimonda that had
+returned from the band was seen springing out upon the branch--he was
+the husband and father!
+
+He did not pause a moment. Instinct or quick perception taught him that
+the female was dead: his object was to save the young one.
+
+He threw his long tail down, and grasped the little creature in its firm
+hold, jerked it upward; and then mounting it on his back, bore it off
+among the branches!
+
+All this passed so quickly, that Guapo had not time to deliver his
+second arrow. Guapo saw them no more.
+
+The Indian, however, was not to be cheated out of his supper of
+roasted-monkey. He walked quietly back for his axe; and bringing it up,
+soon felled the tree, and took the marimond mother with him to the camp.
+
+His next affair was to skin it, which he did by stripping the pelt from
+the head, arms, legs, and all; so that after being skinned, the creature
+bore a most hideous resemblance to a child!
+
+The process of cooking came next, and this Guapo made more tedious than
+it might have been, as he was resolved to dress the marimonda after the
+manner practised by the Indians, and which by them is esteemed the best.
+He first built a little stage out of split laths of the pupunha palm.
+For this a hard wood that will resist fire a long time is necessary, and
+the pupunha was just the thing.
+
+Under this stage Guapo kindled a fire of dry wood, and upon the laths he
+placed his monkey in a sitting posture, with its arms crossed in front,
+and its head resting upon them. The fire was then blown upon, until it
+became a bright blaze, which completely enveloped the half-upright form
+of the monkey. There was plenty of smoke; but this is nothing in the
+eyes of a South American Indian, many of whom prefer the "smoky flavour"
+in a roast monkey.
+
+Guapo had now no more to do, but wait patiently until the body should be
+reduced to a black and charred mass, for this is the condition in which
+it is eaten by these strange people. When thus cooked, the flesh becomes
+so dry that it will keep for months without spoiling.
+
+The white people who live in the _monkey countries_ eat roast monkey as
+well as the Indians. Many of them, in fact, grow very fond of it. They
+usually dress it, however, in a different manner. They take off the head
+and hands before bringing it to the table; so that the "child-like"
+appearance is less perceptible.
+
+Some species of monkeys are more delicate food than others, and there
+are some kinds that _white_ monkey-eaters will not touch.
+
+As for the Indians, it seems with them to be "all fish," &c.; and they
+devour all kinds indifferently, whether they be "howlers," or "ateles,"
+or "capuchins," or "ouistitis," or "sajous," or "sakis," or whatever
+sort. In fact, among many Indian tribes, monkey stands in the same place
+that mutton does in England; and they consider it their staple article
+of flesh meat. Indeed, in these parts, no other animal is so common as
+the monkey; and, with the exception of birds and fish, they have little
+chance of getting any other species of animal food. The best "Southdown"
+would, perhaps, be as distasteful to them as monkey meat would be to
+you; so here again we are met by that same eternal proverb,--_Chacun a
+son gout._
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.
+
+
+Guapo sat by the fire patiently awaiting the "doing" of the marimonda.
+The rest had eaten their supper, and were seated some distance apart.
+They were looking out upon the broad river, and watching the movements
+of the various birds. They could see tall scarlet flamingoes on the
+farther shore, and smaller birds of the ibis kind. They could see the
+"tiger crane," so called from its colour and spots resembling the
+markings of the jaguar. Among some tall canes on the banks the
+"ciganos," or gipsy birds, fluttered about with their great crest,
+looking like so many pheasants, but far inferior to these creatures in
+their flesh. In fact, the flesh of the "cigano" is so bitter and
+disagreeable that even _Indians will not eat it_.
+
+Sitting upon a naked branch that projected over the water they noticed
+the solitary sky-blue king-fisher. Over the water swept the great harpy
+eagle--also a fisher like his white-headed cousin of the North; and now
+and then flocks of muscovy ducks made the air resound with their strong
+broad wings. They saw also the "boat-bill," or "crab-eater," a curious
+wading bird of the heron kind, with a large bill shaped like two boats
+laid with their concave sides against each other. This, like the
+king-fisher, sat solitarily upon a projecting stump, now and then
+dashing into the shallow water, and scooping up the small fishes, frogs,
+and crustacea with its huge mandibles.
+
+Another curious bird was observed, which had something of the appearance
+of the water-hen--to which kind it is also assimilated in its habits. It
+was the "faithful jacana" or "chuza," as it is called in some places.
+There are several species of "jacana" in South America, and also some
+species in the tropical countries of the East. That known as the
+"faithful jacana" has a body about the size of a common fowl; but its
+legs and neck are longer, so that when standing it is a foot and a half
+in height. The body is of a brownish colour; and there is a crest of
+twelve black feathers on the nape of the neck, three inches in length.
+At the bend of the wings there are horny spurs, half an inch long, with
+which the bird can defend itself when attacked. It is, however, a
+pacific bird, and only uses them in defence.
+
+The most singular character of the jacana is its long toes and claws.
+There are four upon each foot: three in front, and one directed
+backwards, and when standing these cover a base nearly as large as the
+body of the bird; and, indeed, upon ordinary ground they interfere with
+the freedom of its walking. But these spreading feet were not designed
+for ordinary ground. They were given it to enable it to pass lightly
+over the leaves of water-lilies, and other yielding surfaces, through
+which a narrow-footed bird would at once sink. Of course, as nature
+designed them for this purpose, they answer admirably, and the jacana
+skims along the surface of lily-covered ponds or streams without
+sinking. From the leaves it picks up such insects and larvae as lodge
+there, and which form its principal food.
+
+The jacana utters a singular cry when alarmed. It remains silent during
+the whole day, and also at night, unless disturbed by the approach of
+some danger, when it utters its "alarm cry." So quick is its ear, that
+it can detect the least noise or rustling caused by any one approaching.
+For this reason some tribes of Indians have tamed the jacana, and use it
+as a sentinel or "watch-dog," to apprise them of the approach of their
+enemies during the darkness of the night. Another use is also made of it
+by the Spanish-Americans. It is tamed and allowed to go about along with
+the domestic poultry. When these are attacked by hawks or other birds of
+prey, the jacana defends them with its sharp wing-spurs, and generally
+succeeds in beating off the enemy. It never deserts the flock, but
+accompanies it in all its movements, and will defend its charge with
+great fury and courage.
+
+Besides the water-birds which were noticed by our travellers, many kinds
+were seen by them upon the shore and fluttering among the trees. There
+were parrots in flocks, and macaws in pairs--for these birds usually go
+in twos--there were trogons, and great billed toucans, and their kindred
+the aracaris; and there, too, were "umbrella-chatterers," of which there
+is a species quite white; and upon a fruit-covered tree, not far off,
+they saw a flock of the snow-white "bell-birds" (_Casmarhynchos_).
+These are about as large as blackbirds, with broad bills, from the base
+of which grows a fleshy tubercle that hangs down to the length of nearly
+three inches, like that of the turkey-cock. The name of "bell-birds" is
+given to them on account of the clear, bell-like ring of their note,
+which they utter about the middle of the day, when most other creatures
+of the tropical world are in silence or asleep.
+
+Of course Don Pablo as a naturalist was interested in all those birds,
+and observed their habits and movements with attention. There was none
+of them about which he had not some strange story to tell, and in this
+way he was beguiling the after-supper hour. It was too early for them to
+go to rest--indeed it was not quite sunset; and Guapo for one had not
+yet had his supper, although that meal was now very near at hand. The
+marimonda was becoming charred and black, and would soon be ready for
+mastication.
+
+Guapo sat by the fire, now and again raking up the cinders with a long
+pole which he held in his hand, while his eyes from time to time rested
+on the marimonda that was directly in front of him, _vis-a-vis_.
+
+At length the monkey appeared to him to be "done to a turn," and with
+his _machete_ in one hand, and a forked stick in the other, he was just
+bending forward to lift it off the fire, when, to his horror, the ground
+was felt to move beneath him, causing him to stagger, and almost
+throwing him from his feet! Before he could recover himself, the surface
+again heaved up, and a loud report was heard, like the explosion of some
+terrible engine. Then another upheaval--another report--the ground
+opened into a long fissure--the staging of palms, and the half-burned
+cinders, and the charred monkey, were flung in all directions, and Guapo
+himself went sprawling upon his back!
+
+Was it an earthquake? So thought the others, who were now on their feet
+running about in great consternation--the females screaming loudly. So,
+too, thought Guapo for the moment.
+
+Their belief in its being an earthquake, however, was of short duration.
+The shocks continued; the dried mud flew about in large pieces, and the
+burnt wood and splinters were showered in the air. The smoke of these
+covered the spot, and prevented a clear view; but through the smoke the
+terrified spectators could perceive that some large body was in
+motion--apparently struggling for life! In another moment it broke
+through the bending stratum of mud, causing a long rift, and there was
+displayed before their eyes the hideous form of a gigantic crocodile!
+
+Though not quite so terrible as an earthquake, it was a fearful monster
+to behold. It was one of the largest, being nearly twenty feet in
+length, with a body thicker than that of a man. Its immense jaws were of
+themselves several feet long, and its huge tusks, plainly seen, gave it
+a most frightful appearance. Its mouth was thrown open, as though it
+gasped for air, and a loud bellowing proceeded from its throat that
+sounded like a cross between the grunting of a hog and the lowing of a
+bull.
+
+The air was filled with a strong musky odour, which emanated from the
+body of the animal; and, what with the noise made by the crocodile
+itself, the screams and shouts of the party, the yelling of the various
+birds--for they, too, had taken up the cue--there was for some moments
+an utter impossibility of any voice being heard above the rest. It was,
+indeed, a scene of confusion. Don Pablo and his companions were running
+to and fro--Guapo was tumbling about where he had fallen--and the great
+lizard was writhing and flapping his tail, so that pots, pans,
+half-burnt faggots, and even Guapo's monkey, were being knocked about in
+every direction.
+
+Of course such a violent scene could not be of long duration. It must
+end one way or the other. Guapo, who soon came to himself, now that he
+saw what it was that had pitched him over, had already conceived a plan
+for terminating it. He ran for his axe, which fortunately lay out of the
+range of the crocodile's tail, and having laid his hands upon it, he
+approached in a stealthy manner with the intention of striking a blow.
+
+He directed himself towards the root of the reptile's tail, for he knew
+that that was the only place where a blow of the axe would cripple it;
+but, just as he was getting within reach, the crocodile suddenly shifted
+himself round, making his tail fly like a piece of sprung whalebone.
+Guapo leaped hastily back--as hastily, I will make bold to say, as any
+Indian of his years could have done, but not quick enough to clear
+himself quite. He wanted about eight inches; but in this case inches
+were as good as miles for the crocodile's purpose, for about eight
+inches of the tip of his tail came "smack" across Guapo's naked shins,
+and sent the old Indian head over heels.
+
+It was just an accident that Guapo's shanks were not broken like sticks
+of sealing-wax; and had the blow been directed with the crocodile's full
+force, such would have been the unhappy result. As it was they were only
+"scratched," and Guapo, leaping to his feet, ran to recover his axe, for
+that weapon had flown several yards out of his hands at the blow.
+
+By the time he laid hold of it, however, the _saurian_, was no longer on
+dry ground. His newly-opened eyes--opened, perhaps, for the first time
+for months--caught sight of the water close by, and crawling forward a
+step or two, he launched his ugly, mud-bedaubed carcass into the welcome
+element. The next moment he had dived, and was out of sight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS.
+
+
+Guapo was in no humour for enjoying the conversation of that evening.
+The crocodile had "choused" him out of his favourite supper. The monkey
+was literally knocked to "smithereens," and the pieces that still
+adhered together were daubed all over with mud. It wasn't fit meat--even
+for an Indian--and Guapo had to content himself with a dried plantain
+and a stew of jerked horse-flesh.
+
+Of course Don Pablo and the rest examined with curiosity the great hole
+in the mud that had contained the crocodile. There it had lain during
+months of the dry season in a state of torpidity, and would, no doubt,
+have remained still longer, but that it was aroused by the big fire that
+Guapo had built over it. The irritation produced by this had been the
+cause of its sudden resurrection, for the crocodiles that thus bury
+themselves usually come out after the beginning of the heavy rains.
+
+It was a true long-snouted crocodile, as Don Pablo had observed in the
+short opportunity he had had; and not an alligator--for it must be here
+remarked, that the true crocodile is found in many parts of Spanish
+America, and also in many of the West Indian Islands. For a long time it
+was believed that only alligators existed in America, and that the
+crocodiles were confined to the Eastern Continent. It is now known that
+at least one species of crocodile is an American animal, and several
+distinct species of alligators are inhabitants of the New World.
+
+There is the alligator of the Mississippi--which is the "caiman" or
+"cayman" of the Spanish Americans; there is the spectacled alligator, a
+southern species, so called from a pair of rings around its eyes having
+a resemblance to spectacles; and there is a still smaller species called
+the "bava," which is found in Lake Valencia, and in many South American
+rivers. The last kind is much hunted by the Indians, who, although they
+eat parts of all these creatures, are fonder of the flesh of the bava
+than of any of the others.
+
+They had not intended to keep watch this night, as the naked promontory
+seemed to be a safe place to sleep upon; but now, after their adventure
+with the crocodile, they changed their minds, and they resolved to mount
+guard as before. The monster might easily crawl out of the water again,
+and, judging from the size of his mouth, it is not improbable to suppose
+that he might have swallowed one of the smaller individuals of the party
+at a single effort. Lest he might return to use either his teeth or his
+tail, the watch was set as on other nights--Leon taking the first turn,
+Guapo the second, and Don Pablo sitting it out till daybreak. The night
+passed through, however, without any unusual disturbance; and although
+an occasional plunge was heard in the water close by, no more was seen
+of the crocodile until morning.
+
+I have said _until_ morning--for he was seen then. Yes! indeed. That
+beauty was not going to let them off without giving them another peep at
+him--not he.
+
+They were awake and up before day; and as the fire had been kept burning
+all night, they had now nothing more to do than rake up the embers, and
+hang on the coffee-kettle. It was not yet bright day when breakfast was
+already cooked, and they sat down to eat it.
+
+While engaged in this operation, they noticed a string of flamingoes on
+the muddy promontory, at the end where it joined the land. They were
+ranged in line, like soldiers, some of them balanced on one long thin
+leg, as these birds do. They appeared in the grey light to be unusually
+tall; but when it became a little clearer, our travellers could perceive
+that they were not upon the ground, but standing upon an old log. This,
+of course, made them look taller. They were just in the very track by
+which Guapo and Leon had passed to get the wood the evening before. Now,
+neither Guapo nor Leon remembered any log. They were certain there was
+none there, else they would have cut it up for firewood, that was a sure
+thing; and it was very mysterious who could have rolled a log there
+during the night!
+
+While discussing this point it became clearer; and, to the astonishment
+of all, what they had taken to be an old log turned out to be nothing
+else than their old friend the crocodile! I have said to the
+astonishment of all--that is not strictly correct. Guapo saw nothing to
+astonish him in that sight. He had witnessed a similar one many a time,
+and so does every one who travels either on the Amazon or the Orinoco.
+
+These flamingoes were perfectly safe, so far as the crocodile was
+concerned, and they knew it. As long as they kept out of the reach of
+his jaws and tail, he could not hurt them. Although he could bend
+himself to either side, so as to "kiss" the tip of his own tail, he
+could not reach any part of his back, exert himself as he might. This
+the flamingoes and other birds well know, and these creatures being fond
+of a place to perch upon, often avail themselves of the long serrated
+back of the crocodile, or the caiman.
+
+As the day became brighter the flamingoes sat still--not appearing to be
+alarmed by the movements at the camp, which was about an hundred yards
+distant from their perch. It was likely they had never been frightened
+by the hunter, for these birds in districts where they are hunted are
+exceedingly shy. All at once, however, as if by a given signal, the
+whole flock rose together, and flew off with loud screams. The
+crocodile, too, was seen to move, but it was not this which had scared
+them off. It was after they had gone that he had stirred himself; and
+even, had it not been so, they would not have regarded his movements, as
+these birds are often seen perched upon a _crawling_ crocodile!
+
+No. Something else had affrighted them, and that was a noise in the
+bushes beyond, which was now distinctly heard at the camp. There was a
+rustling of leaves and a crackling of branches, as if more than one
+creature made the noise. So it appeared, for the next moment nearly a
+score of animals dashed out of the bushes, and ran on towards the water.
+
+These creatures were odd enough to fix the attention of the party at the
+camp. They were about the size of small hogs--very much of the same
+build--and covered with a thin sandy bristly hair, just like some hogs
+are. They were not "pig-headed," however. Their heads were exactly like
+those of the grey rabbit, and instead of hoofs they were toed and
+clawed. This gave them altogether a lighter appearance than hogs, and
+yet they did not run as fast, although when first noticed they appeared
+to be doing their best.
+
+Our travellers knew them at once, for they were animals that are common
+upon the rivers in all the warm parts of South America. They were
+"_capivaras_," or "chiguires," as they are also called. These creatures
+are peculiar to the American continent. They are, in fact, "guinea-pigs"
+on a large scale, and bear the greatest resemblance to those well-known
+animals, except in size and colour; for the capivaras are of uniform
+sandy brown.
+
+They are of the same genus as the guinea-pigs, though the systematizers
+have put them into a separate one, and have also made a third genus to
+suit another animal of very similar shape and habits. This is the
+"moco," which is between the guinea-pig and capivara in size, and of a
+greyish olive colour. All three are natives of South America, and in
+their wild state are found only there, though from the absurd name
+"guinea-pig," you may be led to think that this little creature came
+originally from Africa.
+
+The three are all "rodent" animals, and the capivara is the largest
+"rodent" that is known. It, moreover, is amphibious, quite as much so as
+the tapir, and is found only near the banks of rivers. It is more at
+home in the water than on dry land, or perhaps it has more numerous
+enemies on land; though, poor, persecuted creature! it is not without
+some in either element, as will be seen by what follows.
+
+The drove of the capivaras counted nearly a score, and they were making
+for the water as fast as their legs could carry them. The crocodile lay
+directly across their path, but their black eyes, large and prominent,
+seemed to be occupied with something behind; and they had run up almost
+against the body of the reptile before they saw it. Uttering a sort of
+squeak they made a half-pause. Some sprang up and leaped over--others
+attempted to go round. All succeeded except one; but the crocodile, on
+seeing their approach--no doubt it was for this he had been in wait all
+the morning--had thrown himself into the form of a half-moon; and as
+they passed he let fly at them. His powerful tail came "flap" against
+the nearest, and it was pitched several yards, where, after a kick or
+two, it lay upon its side as dead as a herring, a door-nail, or even
+Julius Caesar--take your choice.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+FIGHT OF THE JAGUAR AND CROCODILE.
+
+
+The chiguires that escaped past the crocodile, the next instant plunged
+into the river, and disappeared under the water. They would come to the
+surface for breath in ten or twelve minutes, but at such a distance off
+that they needed no longer fear pursuit from the same enemy.
+
+Our travellers took no notice of them from the moment they were fairly
+out of the bushes. They saw that the crocodile had knocked one of them
+over; but the eyes of Guapo and Don Pablo were directed upon a different
+place--the point at which the chiguires had sallied out of the
+underwood. These knew that the animals had not issued forth in their
+natural way, as if they were going to the stream to drink, or in search
+of food. No--quite different. Their bristles were erect--they were
+excited--they were terrified--beyond a doubt they were pursued!
+
+Who or what was their pursuer? It might be an ocelot, or the yaguarundi,
+or some one of the smaller cats; for many of these prey on the
+defenceless capivara. It _might_ be one of these, thought Don Pablo and
+Guapo; but what if it was not? What else could it be? What else? _The
+jaguar!_
+
+It _was_ the jaguar? As they stood gazing with looks full of
+apprehension, the leaves of the underwood were seen to move, and then a
+beautiful but terrible object, the spotted head of a jaguar, was thrust
+forth. It remained a moment as if reconnoitring, and then the whole
+body, bright and glistening, glided clear of the leaves, and stood
+boldly out in front of the underwood. Here it halted another
+moment--only a moment. The crocodile had turned itself, and was about
+closing its jaws upon the body of the chiguire, when the jaguar seeing
+this, uttered a loud scream, and making one bound forward, seized the
+dead animal almost at the same instant.
+
+They were now face to face,--the great lizard and the great cat; and
+their common prey was between them. Each had a firm hold with his
+powerful jaws, and each appeared determined to keep what he had got. The
+yellow eyes of the jaguar seemed to flash fire, and the black sunken
+orbs of the saurian glared with a lurid and deadly light. It was a
+terrible picture to look upon.
+
+For some seconds both remained apparently gazing into each other's eyes,
+and firmly holding the prey between them. The tail of the jaguar
+vibrated in sudden angry jerks, while that of the crocodile lay bent
+into a semicircle, as if ready to be sprung at a moment's notice.
+
+This inaction did not last long. The fury of the jaguar was evidently on
+the increase. He was indignant that he, the king of the American forest,
+should thus meet with opposition to his will; and, indeed, the crocodile
+was about the only creature in all the wide Montana that dare oppose him
+in open fight. But he was determined to conquer even this enemy, and for
+that purpose he prepared himself.
+
+Still holding on to the capivara, and watching his opportunity, he
+sprang suddenly forward, throwing one of his great paws far in advance.
+His object was to _claw the eye_ of his adversary; for he well knew that
+the latter was vulnerable neither upon its long snout, nor its gaunt
+jaws, nor even upon the tough scaly skin of its throat. Its eyes alone
+could be injured, and these were the objects of the jaguar's attack.
+
+The thrust was a failure. The crocodile had anticipated such a manoeuvre,
+and suddenly raising himself on his fore-legs, threw up one of his great
+scaly hands and warded off the blow. The jaguar fearing to be clutched
+between the strong fore-arms of the saurian, drew back to his former
+position.
+
+This manoeuvre, and its counter-manoeuvre, were repeated several times,
+and although each time the struggle lasted a little longer than before,
+and there was a good deal of lashing of tails and tearing of teeth, and
+scratching of claws, still neither of the combatants seemed to gain any
+great advantage. Both were now at the height of their fury, and a third
+enemy approaching the spot would not have been heeded by either.
+
+From the first the head of the crocodile had been turned to the water,
+from which he was not distant over ten feet. He had, in fact, been
+carrying his prey towards it when he was interrupted by the attack of
+the jaguar; and now at every fresh opportunity he was pushing on, bit by
+bit, in that direction. He knew that in his own proper element he would
+be more than a match for his spotted assailant, and no doubt he might
+have escaped from the contest by surrendering his prey. Had he been a
+smaller crocodile he would have been only too glad to have done so; but
+trusting to his size and strength, and perhaps not a little to the
+justice of his cause, he was determined not to go without taking the
+capivara along with him.
+
+The jaguar, on the other hand, was just as determined he should not. He,
+too, had some rights. The capivara would not have been killed so easily,
+had he not frightened it from behind; besides, the crocodile was out of
+his element. He was poaching on the domain of the forest monarch.
+
+Bit by bit, the crocodile was gaining ground--at each fresh pause in the
+struggle he was forging forward, pushing the chiguire before him, and of
+course causing his antagonist to make ground backwards.
+
+The jaguar at length felt his hind-feet in the water; and this seemed
+to act upon him like a shock of electricity. All at once he let go his
+hold of the capivara, ran a few feet forward, and then flattening his
+body along the ground, prepared himself for a mighty spring. Before a
+second had passed, he launched his body high into the air, and descended
+upon the back of the crocodile just over his fore-shoulders! He did not
+settle there, but ran nimbly down the back of the saurian towards its
+hinder part, and its claws could be heard rattling against its scaly
+skin.
+
+In a moment more he was seen close-squatted along the crocodile's body,
+and with his teeth tearing fiercely at the root of its tail. He knew
+that after the eyes this was the most vulnerable part of his antagonist,
+and if he had been allowed but a few minutes' time, he would soon have
+disabled the crocodile; for to have seriously wounded the root of his
+tail, would have been to have destroyed his essential weapon of offence.
+
+The jaguar would have succeeded had the encounter occurred only a dozen
+yards farther from the water. But the crocodile was close to the river's
+edge, and perceiving the advantage against him, and that there was no
+hope of dismounting his adversary, he dropped the capivara, and crawling
+forward, plunged into the water. When fairly launched, he shot out from
+the shore like an arrow, carrying the jaguar along, and the next moment
+he had dived to the depth of the stream. The water was lashed into foam
+by the blows of his feet and tail; but in the midst of the froth, the
+yellow body of the jaguar was seen rising to the surface, and after
+turning once or twice, as if searching for his hated enemy, the creature
+headed for the bank and climbed out. He stood for a moment looking back
+into the stream. He appeared less cowed than angry and disappointed. He
+seemed to vow a future revenge; and then seizing the half-torn carcass
+of the capivara, he threw it lightly over his shoulder and trotted off
+into the thicket.
+
+Our travellers had not watched this scene either closely or
+continuously. They had been too busy all the time. From its commencement
+they had been doing all in their power to get away from the spot; for
+they dreaded lest the jaguar might either first overpower the crocodile
+and then attack them, or being beaten off by the latter, might take it
+into his head to revenge himself by killing whatever he could. With
+these apprehensions, therefore, they had hastily carried everything
+aboard, and drawing in their cable, pushed the balza from the shore.
+When the fight came to an end, they had got fairly into the current, and
+just as the jaguar disappeared, the raft was gliding swiftly down the
+broad and rippling stream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.
+
+
+For several days they voyaged down-stream, without any occurrence of
+particular interest. Once or twice they saw Indians upon the shore; but
+these, instead of putting off in their canoes, seemed frightened at so
+large a craft, and remained by their "maloccas," or great
+village-houses, in each of which several families live together. Not
+caring to have any dealings with them, our travellers were only too glad
+to get past without molestation; and, therefore, when they passed any
+place where they thought they observed the signs of Indians on the bank,
+they kept on for hours after, without stopping.
+
+A curious incident occurred one evening as they were bringing the balza
+to her moorings, which compelled them to drop a little farther
+down-stream, and, in fact, almost obliged them to float all night, which
+would have been a dangerous matter, as the current at the place happened
+to be sharp and rapid.
+
+They had been on the look-out for some time for a good camping-place, as
+it was their usual hour to stop. No opening, however, appeared for
+several miles. The banks on both sides were thickly-wooded to the
+river's edge, and the branches of the trees even drooped into the water.
+At length they came in sight of a natural raft that had been formed by
+driftwood in a bend of the stream; and as the logs lay thickly together,
+and even piled upon each other, it appeared an excellent place to encamp
+on. It was, at all events, better than to attempt to penetrate the thick
+jungles which met them everywhere else; and so the balza was directed
+towards the raft, and soon floated alongside it.
+
+They had already got ashore on the raft, which was dry and firm, and
+would have served their purpose well enough; when, all at once, Guapo
+was heard uttering one of those exclamations, which showed that all was
+not right. The rest looked towards him for an explanation. He was
+standing by the edge of the floating timber, just where the balza
+touched it, with his arms stretched out in an attitude that betokened
+trouble. They all ran up. They saw what was the matter at a glance.
+Thousands of red ants were climbing from the raft to the balza!
+Thousands,--nay, it would be nearer the truth to say millions!
+
+At one glance Don Pablo saw that it would be a terrible calamity, should
+these creatures gain a lodgment on the balza. Not only were they the
+dreaded stinging ants, but in a short time nothing on board would be
+left. In a few hours they would have eaten all his stores,--his bark,
+his vanilla, and his roots. Already quite a number had got upon the
+canoe, and were crossing it toward the body of the balza.
+
+Without saying another word, he ordered all to get on board as quickly
+as possible, each taking some utensil that had already been carried on
+shore. He and Guapo flew to the poles; and, having hastily unfastened
+and drawn in the cable, they pushed the balza out into the stream. Then
+while Guapo managed the great oar, Don Pablo, assisted by Leon and by
+Dona Isidora, went to work with scoops and pails, dashing water upon the
+ants; until every one of them had disappeared, drowned in the canoe or
+washed off into the river. Fortunate for them, they had observed this
+strange enemy in time. Had they not done so--in other words, had they
+gone to sleep, leaving the balza where it was during the night--they
+would have awakened in the morning to find their stores completely
+destroyed, their labour of a year brought to nothing in the space of a
+single night. This is no uncommon occurrence to the merchant or the
+colonist of tropical America.
+
+They had made a narrow escape, but a fortunate one. They were not
+without their troubles, however. No open ground could be found for miles
+below; and, as it was growing dark, they approached the thickly-wooded
+bank; and, after a good deal of scratching among the branches, at length
+succeeded in making the cable fast to a tree. The balza then swung
+round, and floated at the end of the cable, half of it being buried
+under the long hanging branches.
+
+They spent their night on board, for it was no use attempting to get
+on shore through the underwood; and even if they had, they could not
+have encamped very comfortably in a thicket. On the other hand, the
+balza did not afford the best accommodation for sleeping. The little
+"toldo," or cabin, was not large enough to swing a hammock in. It would
+only contain a few persons seated close together; and it had been built
+more for the purpose of keeping the sun off during the hot hours of the
+day than for sleeping in. The rest of the balza was occupied with the
+freight; and this was so arranged with sloping sides, thatched with the
+bussu-leaves, that there was no level place where one could repose upon
+it. The night, therefore, was passed without very much sleep having been
+obtained by any one of the party. Of course, the moment the first
+streaks of day began to appear along the Eastern sky, they were all
+awake and ready to leave their disagreeable anchorage.
+
+As they were making preparations to untie the cable, they noticed that
+just below where the balza lay, a horizontal limb stretched far out over
+the river. It was the lowermost limb of a large zamang-tree, that stood
+on the bank close to the edge of the water. It was not near the surface,
+but a good many feet above. Still it was not certain that it was high
+enough for the roof of the toldo to clear it. That was an important
+question; for although the current was not very rapid just there, it was
+sufficiently so to carry the balza under this branch before they could
+push it out into the stream. Once the cable was let go, they must
+inevitably pass under the limb of the zamang; and if that caught the
+toldo, it would sweep off the frail roof like so much spider's-web. This
+would be a serious damage; and one to be avoided, if possible.
+
+Don Pablo and Guapo went to the end of the balza nearest the branch, and
+stood for some time surveying it. It was about eight or ten yards
+distant; but in the gray dawn they could not judge correctly of its
+height, and they waited till it grew a little clearer. At length they
+came to the conclusion that the branch was high enough. The long
+pendulous leaves--characteristic of this great _mimosa_ and the drooping
+branchlets hung down much below the main shaft; but these, even if they
+touched the roof, would do no injury. It was, therefore, determined to
+let go the cable.
+
+It was now clear day, for they had been delayed a good while; but at
+length all was ready, and Guapo untied the cable, and drew the end on
+board. The balza began to move; slowly at first, for the current under
+the bushes was very slight.
+
+All at once the attention of the voyagers was called to the strange
+conduct of the pet monkey. That little creature was running to and fro,
+first upon the roof of the toldo, then down again, all the while
+uttering the most piercing shrieks as if something was biting off its
+tail! It was observed to look forward and upward toward the branch of
+the zamang, as if the object it dreaded was in that quarter. The eyes of
+all were suddenly bent in the same direction. What was their horror on
+beholding, stretched along the branch, the hideous body of an enormous
+serpent! Only part of it could be seen; the hinder half and the tail
+were hidden among the bromelias and vines that in huge masses clustered
+around the trunk of the zamang, and the head was among the leaflets of
+the mimosa; but what they saw was enough to convince them that it was a
+snake of the largest size--the great "_water boa_"--the _anaconda_!
+
+[Illustration: ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.]
+
+That part of the body in sight was full as thick as a man's thigh, and
+covered with black spots or blotches upon a ground of dingy yellow. It
+was seen to glisten as the animal moved, for the latter was in motion,
+crawling along the branch _outward_! The next moment its head appeared
+under the pendulous leaves; and its long forking tongue, protruding
+several inches from its mouth, seemed to feel the air in front of it.
+This tongue kept playing backwards and forwards, and its viscid covering
+glittered under the sunbeam, adding to the hideous appearance of the
+monster.
+
+To escape from passing within its reach would be impossible. The balza
+was gliding directly under it! It could launch itself aboard at will. It
+could seize upon any one of the party without coming from the branch. It
+could coil its body around them, and crush them with the constricting
+power of its muscles. It could do all this; for it had crushed before
+now the tapir, the roebuck, perhaps even the jaguar himself.
+
+All on board the boat knew its dangerous power too well; and, of course,
+terror was visible in every countenance.
+
+Don Pablo seized the axe, and Guapo laid hold of his _machete_. Dona
+Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona, were standing--fortunately they
+were--by the door of the toldo; and, in obedience to the cries and
+hurried gestures of Don Pablo and the Indian, they rushed in and flung
+themselves down. They had scarcely disappeared inside, when the forward
+part of the balza upon which stood Don Pablo and Guapo, came close to
+the branch, and the head of the serpent was on a level with their own.
+Both aimed their blows almost at the same instant; but their footing was
+unsteady, the boa drew back at the moment, and both missed their aim.
+The next moment the current had carried them out of reach, and they had
+no opportunity of striking a second blow.
+
+The moment they had passed the hideous head again dropped down, and hung
+directly over, as if waiting. It was a moment of intense anxiety to Don
+Pablo. His wife and children! Would it select one as its victim, and
+leave the others? or----
+
+He had but little time for reflection. Already the head of the snake was
+within three feet of the toldo door. Its eyes were glaring--it was about
+to dart down.
+
+"Oh, God, have mercy!" exclaimed Don Pablo, falling upon his knees. "Oh,
+God!"
+
+At that moment a loud scream was heard. It came from the toldo; and, at
+the same instant, the saimiri was seen leaping out from the door. Along
+with the rest, it had taken shelter within; but just as the head of the
+snake came in sight, a fresh panic seemed to seize upon it; and, as if
+under the influence of fascination, it leaped screaming in the direction
+of the terrible object. It was met half way. The wide jaws closed upon
+it, its shrieks were stifled, and the next moment its silken body, along
+with the head of the anaconda, disappeared among the leaves of the
+mimosa. Another moment passed, and the balza swept clear of the branch,
+and floated triumphantly into the open water.
+
+Don Pablo sprang to his feet, ran into the toldo, and, after embracing
+his wife and children, knelt down and offered thanks to God for their
+almost miraculous deliverance.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES.
+
+
+Of course the escape from danger so imminent, after the first moments
+were over, produced a sort of reaction in the feelings of all and they
+were now rather joyous than otherwise. But with all there was a mixture
+of regret when they thought of the fate of little "titi." It had been
+their only pet, and had grown to be such a favourite that its loss was
+now mourned by every one, and its absence caused them to feel as though
+one of the company had been left behind. Several times during that day
+poor "titi" was the subject of conversation; indeed, they could hardly
+talk about anything else. Little Leona was quite inconsolable; for the
+pretty creature had loved Leona, and used to perch on her shoulder by
+the hour, and draw her silken ringlets through its tiny hand, and place
+its dainty little nose against the rich velvet of her cheek, and play
+off all sorts of antics with her ears. Many an hour did "titi" and
+Leona spend together. No wonder that the creature was missed.
+
+During the whole of that day they travelled through a country covered
+with dense forest. The river was a full half-mile wide, but sometimes
+there were islands, and then the current became narrowed on each side,
+so that in passing, the balza almost touched the trees on one side or
+the other. They saw many kinds of trees growing together, and rarely a
+large tract covered with any one species of timber, for this, as already
+remarked, is a peculiarity of the Amazon forest.
+
+Many new and curious trees were noticed, of which Don Pablo gave short
+botanical descriptions to the others, partly to instruct them, and
+partly to while away the hours. Guapo, at the rudder, listened to these
+learned lectures, and sometimes added some information of his own about
+the properties of the trees, and the uses to which they were put by the
+Indians. This is what is termed the popular part of the science of
+botany, and, perhaps, it is more important than the mere classification
+of genera and species, which is usually all the information that you get
+from the learned and systematic botanists.
+
+Among the trees passed to-day was one called the "volador." This is a
+large forest tree, with lobed leaves, of a heart-shape. But it is the
+seeds which are curious, and which give to the tree the odd name of
+"volador," or "flier." These seeds have each a pair of membranaceous and
+striated wings, which, when the seeds fall, are turned to meet the air
+at an angle of 45 deg.; and thus a rotatory motion is produced, and the
+falling seeds turn round and round like little fly-wheels. It is
+altogether a curious sight when a large volador is shaken in calm
+weather, to see the hundreds of seeds whirling and wheeling towards the
+ground, which they take a considerable time in reaching. The volador is
+not confined to South America, I have seen it in Mexico, and other parts
+of North America.
+
+Another singular tree noticed was a tree of the barberry family known
+among the Spanish-Americans as _barba de tigre_, or "tiger's beard."
+This name it derives from the fact of its trunk--which is very large and
+high--being thickly set all over with sharp, branching thorns, that are
+fancied to resemble the whiskers of the jaguar, or South American
+"tiger."
+
+A third remarkable tree (or bush) observed was the _Bixa orellana_,
+which yields the well-known _arnatto_ dye. This bush is ten or twelve
+feet in height, and its seeds grow in a burr-like pericarp. These seeds
+are covered with a reddish pulp, which produces the dye. The mode of
+making it is simple. The Indian women throw the seeds into a vessel of
+hot water, and stir them violently for about an hour, until they have
+taken off the pulp. The water is then poured off, and the deposit,
+separated from the seeds, is mixed with oil of turtle-eggs, or crocodile
+fat, and kneaded into cakes of three or four ounces weight.
+
+It is then "anoto," sometimes written "arnatto," sometimes "arnotto,"
+sometimes "onoto," and sometimes "anato." The first is the proper
+spelling. In Brazil it is called "urucu," whence the French name
+"rocou;" and the Peruvians have still another designation for it,
+"achote." Of course each tribe of Indians calls it by a separate name.
+The botanic name, _Bixa_, is the ancient name by which it was known to
+the Indians of Hayti, for it is found in most parts of tropical America
+growing wild, although it is also cultivated. It is an article in great
+demand among all the Indians of South America, who use it for painting
+their bodies, and dyeing the cotton cloth of which they make their
+garments.
+
+But these people are very skilful in drawing pigments from plants and
+trees of many kinds; in fact, their practical chemistry, so far as it
+relates to dyes and poisons, is quite surprising, and from time to time
+Guapo pointed out trees that were used by them, for such purposes.
+
+One was a climbing plant, whose tendrils reached to the tops of the
+highest trees. It had beautiful violet-coloured flowers, an inch long,
+and Don Pablo saw that it was a species of _bignonia_. Guapo called it
+"chica." When in fruit it carries a pod two feet in length, full of
+winged seeds. But Guapo said it was not from the seeds that the dye was
+obtained, but from the leaves, which turn red when macerated in water.
+The colouring matter comes out of the leaves in the form of a light
+powder, and is then shaped into cakes, which sell among the Indians for
+the value of a dollar each. This colour has a tinge of lake in it, and
+is prized even more highly than the anoto. Indeed, red dyes among all
+savage nations seem to hold a higher value than those of any other
+colour.
+
+Another dye-tree was the "huitoc." This one is a slender tree, about
+twenty feet high, with broad leaves shooting out from the stem, and nuts
+growing at their bases, after the manner of the bread-fruit. These nuts
+resemble black walnuts, and are of a russet colour outside; but the pulp
+inside, which produces the huitoc, is of a dark blue, or purple tint.
+
+The "wild indigo tree," was also seen growing in the woods, with a leaf
+narrow at the base, and broad at the extremity. With these and many
+other dyes the Indians of the Montana paint their bodies in fantastic
+modes. So much are they addicted to these customs, that, among the
+Indians who labour at the missions, some have been known to work nearly
+a month to procure paint enough to give their body a single coat, and
+the missionaries have made a merchandise of this gigantic folly. But the
+paint is not always to be looked upon in the light of a mere folly, or
+vanity. Sometimes it is used to keep off the "zancudos," or mosquitoes,
+so numerous and annoying in these regions.
+
+Another singular tree was observed, which Guapo called the "marima," or
+"shirt-tree." The use of this he explained. The tree stands fifty or
+sixty feet high, with a diameter of from two to three. When they find
+them of this size, the Indians cut them down, and then separate the
+trunk into pieces of about three feet long. From these pieces they strip
+the bark, but without making any longitudinal incision, so that the
+piece of bark when taken off is a hollow cylinder. It is thin and
+fibrous, of a red colour, and looks like a piece of coarsely-woven
+sack-cloth. With this the shirt is made, simply by cutting two holes in
+the sides to admit the arms, and the body being passed into it, it is
+worn in time of rain. Hence the saying of the old missionaries, that in
+the "forests of America garments were found ready-made on the trees."
+
+Many other trees were noticed valuable for their fruits, or leaves, or
+bark, or roots, or their wood. There was the well-known "seringa," or
+India-rubber tree; the great courbaril, the "dragon's-blood" tree, not
+that celebrated tree of the East but one of a different genus from whose
+white bark flows a red blood-like juice.
+
+They saw, also, a species of cinnamon-tree though not the cinnamon of
+commerce; the large tree that bears the Brazilian nut-meg (the Puxiri);
+and that one, also, a large forest tree, that bears the nuts known as
+"Tonka beans," and which are used in the flavouring of snuff.
+
+But of all the trees which our travellers saw on that day, none made
+such a impression upon them as the "juvia," or Brazil-nut tree. This
+tree is not one with a thick trunk; in fact, the largest ones are not
+three feet in diameter, but it rises to a height of 120 feet. Its trunk
+is branchless for more than half that height, and the branches then
+spread out and droop, like the fronds of the palm. They are naked near
+their bases, but loaded towards the top with tufts of silvery green
+leaves, each two feet in length. The tree does not blossom until its
+fifteenth year, and then it bears violet-coloured flowers; although
+there is another species, the "sapucaya," which has yellow ones. But it
+is neither the trunk, nor the branches, nor the leaves, nor yet the
+flowers of this tree, that render it such an object of curiosity. It is
+the great woody and spherical pericarps that contain the nuts or fruits
+that are wonderful. These are often as large as the head of a child, and
+as hard as the shell of the cocoa-nut! Inside is found a large
+number--twenty or more--of those triangular-shaped nuts which you may
+buy at any Italian warehouse under the name of "Brazil-nuts."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+THE FOREST FESTIVAL.
+
+
+In consequence of their having rested but poorly on the preceding night,
+it was determined that they should land at an early hour; and this they
+did, choosing an open place on the shore. It was a very pretty spot, and
+they could see that the woods in the background were comparatively open,
+as though there were some meadows or prairies between.
+
+These openings, however, had been caused by fire. There had been a
+growth of cane. It had been burned off and as yet was not grown up
+again, though the young reeds were making their appearance like a field
+of green wheat. Some places, and especially near the river, the ground
+was still bare. This change in the landscape was quite agreeable to our
+travellers; so much so, that they resolved to exercise their limbs by
+taking a short stroll; and, having finished their late dinner they set
+out. They all went together, leaving the balza and camp to take care of
+themselves.
+
+After walking a few hundred yards their ears were assailed by a confused
+noise, as if all the animals in the forest had met and were holding a
+_conversazione_. Some low bushes prevented them from seeing what it
+meant, but on pushing their way through, they saw whence and from what
+sort of creatures the noise proceeded.
+
+Standing out in the open ground was a large and tall juvia-tree. Its
+spreading branches were loaded with great globes as big as human
+heads--each one, of course, full of delicious nuts. These were now ripe,
+and some of them had already fallen to the ground.
+
+Upon the ground an odd scene presented itself to the eyes of our
+travellers. Between birds and animals assembled there, there were not
+less than a dozen kinds, all as busy as they could be.
+
+First, then, there were animals of the rodent kind. These were pacas,
+agoutis and capivaras. The pacas were creatures a little larger than
+hares, and not unlike them, except that their ears were shorter. They
+were whitish on the under parts, but above were of a dark brown colour,
+with rows of white spots along each side. They had whiskers like the
+cat, consisting of long white bristles; and their tails, like those of
+hares, were scarcely visible. The agoutis bore a considerable
+resemblance to the pacas. Like these, they are also rodent animals, but
+less in size; and instead of being spotted, they are of a nearly uniform
+dark colour mixed with reddish brown.
+
+Both pacas and agoutis are found in most parts of tropical America.
+There are several species of each, and with the chinchillas and
+viscachas already described, they occupy the place in those regions that
+the hares and rabbits do in northern climates. Indeed, European settlers
+usually know them by the names of hare or rabbit, and hunt them in the
+same way. The flesh of most species is very good eating, and they are
+therefore much sought after both by the natives and colonists.
+
+Along with these, near the juvia-tree, were several capivaras, already
+noticed. But still more singular creatures on the ground were the
+monkeys. Of these there were different kinds; but that which first drew
+the attention of our party was the great Capuchin monkey. This creature
+is not less than three feet in height and of a reddish maroon colour.
+Its body is entirely different from the "ateles" monkeys, being stouter
+and covered with a fuller coat of hair; and its tail is large and bushy,
+without any prehensile power. It is, in fact, less of a tree monkey than
+the _ateles_, although it also lives among the branches. The most
+striking peculiarities of the Capuchin are its head and face. In these
+it bears a stronger resemblance to the human being than any other monkey
+in America.
+
+The top of its head is covered with a crop of coarse hair, that lies
+somewhat after the fashion of human hair; but, what most contributes to
+the human expression is a large full beard and whiskers reaching down to
+the breast, and arranged exactly after the fashion of the huge beards
+worn by Orientals and some Frenchmen. There were only two of these
+Capuchins on the ground--a male and female, for this species does not
+associate in bands. The female one was easily distinguished by her
+smaller size, and her beard was considerably less than that of the male.
+The beards seemed to be objects of special attention with
+both--especially the male, as every now and then he was observed to
+stroke it down with his hand, just as a dandy may be seen doing with his
+moustache or his well-brushed whiskers.
+
+Another peculiar habit of the Capuchins was noticed. There was a little
+pool of water close by. Every now and then they ran to this pool and
+took a drink from it. But in drinking they did not apply their lips to
+the pool or lap like a dog. No; they lifted the water in the hollow of
+their hands--hence their specific name of _chiropotes_, or
+"hand-drinking monkeys." They raised the water to their lips with great
+care, taking pains not to let a drop of it fall on their precious
+beards. From this habit of going so often to quench their thirst, the
+Capuchin monkeys have in some parts got the name of "hard-drinking
+monkeys."
+
+Apart from these was a troop of monkeys of a very different species.
+They were nearly of the same size, but more of the shape of the
+"ateles;" and their long tails, naked underneath and curling downward
+near the points, showed that, like them too, they possessed prehensile
+power in that member. Such was the fact, for they were "howling
+monkeys;" and some species of these can use the tail almost as adroitly
+as the "ateles" themselves. Those that our travellers saw were the
+"guaribas," nearly black in colour, but with their hands covered with
+yellow hair, whence their name among the naturalists of "yellow-handed
+howler."
+
+They were seated in a ring when first observed, and one--apparently the
+chief of the band--was haranguing the rest; but so rapid were his
+articulations, and so changeable the tones of his voice, that any one
+would have thought the whole party were chattering together. This, in
+effect, did occur at intervals, and then you might have heard them to
+the distance of more than a mile. These creatures are enabled to produce
+this vast volume of voice in consequence of a hollow bony structure at
+the root of the tongue, which acts as a drum, and which gives them the
+appearance of a swelling, or goitre, in the throat. This is common to
+all the howling monkeys as well as the guaribas.
+
+Besides the howlers there were other species--there were tamarins, and
+ouistitis, and the black coaitas of the genus "ateles," all assembled
+around the juvia-tree. There were parrots, and macaws, and other
+nut-eating birds. High above in the air soared the great eagle watching
+his opportunity to swoop down on the pacas or agoutis, his natural prey.
+It was altogether a singular assemblage of wild animals--a zoological
+garden of the wilderness.
+
+Our party, concealed by bushes, looked on for some time. They noticed
+that not one of all the living things was _under_ the tree. On the
+contrary, they formed--monkeys, cavies, parrots, and all--a sort of ring
+around it, but at such a distance that none of the branches were above
+them! Why was this? Guapo knew the reason well, and before leaving their
+place of observation the others had an explanation of it.
+
+While they stood gazing, one of the great globes was seen to fall from
+the tree above. The loud report as it struck the earth could have been
+heard a long way off. It caused the whole assemblage of living creatures
+to start. The macaws flapped their wings, the monkeys ran outward and
+then stopped, and a simultaneous cry from the voices of both birds and
+beasts echoed on all sides; and then there was a general chattering and
+screaming, as though the fall of the great pericarp had given pleasure
+to all parties.
+
+It was very evident from this circumstance why both beasts and birds
+kept so far out from the tree. One of these fruits coming down like a
+nine-pound shot would have crushed any of them to atoms. Indeed, so
+heavy are they, that one of them falling from a height of fifty or sixty
+feet will dash out the brains of a man; and the Indians who gather them
+go under the trees with great wooden helmets that cover both the head
+and shoulders! It would be no boy's play to "go a nutting" in a wood of
+juvia-trees.
+
+But how did the monkeys and birds get at the nuts? Neither of these
+could break open the outer shell. This is full half an inch thick, and
+so hard that it can scarcely be cut with a saw. How could either monkeys
+or birds open it?--that was the question put to Guapo.
+
+"Watch them," said Guapo.
+
+All kept their eyes bent attentively on what was going on; and to their
+astonishment they observed that neither the monkeys nor the birds had
+anything to do with the opening of the shells. That was entirely the
+work of the rodent animals, the pacas, cavies, and agoutis. These with
+their fine cutting teeth laid open the thick pericarps, and whenever one
+was seen to have succeeded, and the triangular nuts were scattered upon
+the ground, then there was a general rush, and macaws, parrots, and
+monkeys scrambled for a share.
+
+The monkeys, however, did their part of the work. Whenever a fruit fell
+from the tree, one or two of them, deputed by the others, were seen to
+run in and roll it out, all the while exhibiting symptoms of great
+terror. They would then lift it in their hands, several of them
+together, and dash it repeatedly upon a stone. Sometimes, when the shell
+was not a strong one, they succeeded in breaking it in this way; but
+oftener they were not able, and then it was left to the rodent animals,
+who were watched at their operations, and usually robbed of the fruits
+of their labour. Such were the singular incidents witnessed at this
+festival of juvia-nuts.
+
+But the scene was brought to a sudden termination. A cry was heard that
+rose far above all the other noises--a cry more terrible than the
+screams of the parrots, or the shrieks of the howling monkeys--it was
+the cry of the jaguar! It came from a piece of wood close to the
+juvia-trees, and the branches were heard to crackle as the dreaded
+utterer advanced.
+
+In a moment the ground was cleared of every creature. Even the winged
+birds had flew up from the spot, and perched upon the branches; the
+cavies took to the water; the pacas and agouties to their burrows; and
+the monkeys to the tops of the adjacent trees; and nothing remained on
+the ground but the empty shells of the juvias.
+
+Our party did not stay to notice the change. They, too, had been warned
+by the roar of the tiger, and hastily leaving the spot, returned to
+their place of encampment. On reaching it, they kindled a large circle
+of fire to keep them in safety during the night. They saw no more of the
+jaguar, although at intervals through the midnight hours, they were
+awakened by his loud and savage cry, resounding through the openings of
+the forest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+ACRES OF EGGS.
+
+
+The next evening our travellers encamped on a sand-bar, or rather a
+great bank of sand, that ran for miles along one side of the river. Of
+course they had nothing to hang their hammocks to, but that was a matter
+of no importance, for the sand was dry and soft, and of itself would
+make a comfortable bed, as pleasant to sleep on as a hair-mattress. They
+only wanted wood enough to cook with, and to keep up their fire during
+the night--so as to frighten off the wild beasts.
+
+This night they kept watch as usual, Leon taking the first turn. In
+fact, they found that they must do so every night--as in each of the
+camps where they had slept some danger had threatened; and they thought
+it would be imprudent for all to go to sleep at the same time. The
+heaviest part of the sentinel's duty fell to Guapo's share; but Guapo
+had long accustomed himself to go without sleep, and did not mind it;
+moreover Don Pablo took longer spells at the stern-oar during the day,
+and allowed Guapo many a "cat-nap."
+
+Leon seated himself upon a pile of sand that he had gathered up, and did
+his best to keep awake, but in about an hour after the rest were asleep
+he felt very drowsy--in fact, quite as much so as on the night of the
+adventure with the vampire. He used pretty much the same means to keep
+himself awake, but not with so good success, for on this occasion he
+fell into a nap that lasted nearly half-an-hour, and might have
+continued still longer, had he not slid down the sand-hill and tumbled
+over on his side. This awoke him; and feeling vexed with himself, he
+rubbed his eyes as if he was going to push them deeper into their
+sockets.
+
+When this operation was finished, he looked about to see if any creature
+had ventured near. He first looked towards the woods--for of course that
+was the direction from which the tigers would come, and these were the
+only creatures he feared; but he had scarcely turned himself when he
+perceived a pair of eyes glancing at him from the other side of the
+fire. Close to them another pair, then another and another, until having
+looked on every side, he saw himself surrounded by a complete circle of
+glancing eyes! It is true they were small ones, and some of the heads
+which he could see by the blaze, were small--they were not jaguars, but
+they had an ugly look--they looked like the heads of serpents! Was it
+possible that an hundred serpents could have surrounded the camp?
+
+Brought suddenly to his feet, Leon stood for some moments uncertain how
+to act. He fully believed they were snakes--anacondas, or water-snakes
+no doubt--that had just crept out of the river; and he felt that a
+movement on his part would bring on their united and simultaneous attack
+upon the sleeping party. Partly influenced by this fear, and again
+exhibiting that coolness and prudence which we have already noticed as a
+trait of his character, he remained for some moments silent and
+motionless.
+
+Having already risen to his feet, his eyes were now above the level of
+the blaze, and, as they got the sleep well scared out of them, he could
+see things more distinctly. He now saw that the snake-like heads were
+attached to large oval-shaped bodies, and that, besides the half
+hundred or so that had gathered around the fires, there were whole
+droves of the same upon the sandy beach beyond. The white surface was
+literally covered as far as he could see on all sides of him with black
+moving masses; and where the rays of the moon fell upon the beach, there
+was a broad belt that glistened and sparkled as though she shone upon
+pieces of glass kept constantly in motion!
+
+A singular sight it was; and to Leon, who had never heard of such
+before, a most fearful one. For the life of him he could not make out
+what it all meant, or by what sort of odd creatures they were
+surrounded. He had but an indistinct view of them, but he could see that
+their bodies were not larger than those of a small sheep, and from the
+way in which they glistened under the moon he was sure they were
+water-animals, and had come out of the river!
+
+He did not stay to speculate any longer upon them. He resolved to wake
+Guapo; but in doing so the whole party were aroused, and started to
+their feet in some alarm and confusion. The noise and movement had its
+effect on the nocturnal visitors; for before Leon could explain himself,
+those immediately around the fires and for some distance beyond rushed
+to the edge, and were heard plunging by hundreds into the water.
+
+Guapo's ear caught the sounds, and his eye now ranging along the sandy
+shore, took in at a glance the whole thing.
+
+"Carapas," he said laconically.
+
+"Carapas?" inquired Leon.
+
+"Oh!" said Don Pablo, who understood him. "Turtles is it?"
+
+"Yes, master," replied Guapo. "This is, I suppose, one of their great
+hatching-places. They are going to lay their eggs somewhere in the sand
+above. They do so every year."
+
+There was no danger from the turtles, as Guapo assured everybody, but
+the fright had chased away sleep, and they all lay awake for some time
+listening to Guapo's account of these singular creatures, which we shall
+translate into our own phraseology.
+
+These large turtles, which in other parts of South America are called
+"arraus," or simply "tortugas," assemble every year in large armies,
+from all parts of the river. Each one of these armies chooses for itself
+a place to breed--some sandy island, or great sand-bank. This they
+approach very cautiously--lying near it for some days, and reconnoitring
+it with only their heads above the water. They then crawl ashore at
+night in vast multitudes--just as the party saw them--and each turtle,
+with the strong crooked claws of her hind feet, digs a hole for herself
+in the sand. These holes are three feet in diameter and two deep. In
+this she deposits her eggs--from seventy to one hundred and twenty of
+them--each egg being white, hard-shelled, and between the size of a
+pigeon's and pullet's. She then covers the whole with sand, levelling it
+over the top so that it may look like the rest of the surface, and so
+that the precious treasure may not be found by vultures, jaguars, and
+other predatory creatures. When this is done the labour of the turtle is
+at an end.
+
+The great army again betakes itself to the water, and scatters in every
+direction. The sun acting upon the hot sand does the rest; and in less
+than six weeks the young turtles, about an inch in diameter, crawl out
+of the sand, and at once make for the water. They are afterwards seen in
+pools and lakes, where the water is shallow, far from the place where
+they have been hatched; and it is well known that the first years of
+their life are not spent in the bed of the great river. How they find
+these pools, or whether the mothers distinguish their own young and
+conduct them thither, as the crocodiles and alligators do, is a mystery.
+With these last the thing is more easy, as the crocodile mothers deposit
+their eggs in separate places, and each returns for her young when they
+are hatched, calls them by her voice, and guides them to the pool where
+they are to remain until partly grown.
+
+But among the thousands of little turtles hatched at one place and time,
+and that seek the water altogether, how would it be possible for the
+turtle mother to distinguish her own young? Yet an old female turtle is
+frequently seen swimming about with as many as a hundred little ones
+after her! Now are these her own, or are they a collection picked up out
+of the general progeny? That is an undetermined question. It would seem
+impossible that each turtle mother should know her own young, yet amidst
+this apparent confusion there may be some maternal instinct that guides
+her to distinguish her own offspring from all the rest. Who can say?
+
+It is not often, however, that the turtle is permitted to have offspring
+at all. These creatures are annually robbed of their eggs in millions.
+They have many enemies, but man is the chief. When a turtle hatching
+place is discovered, the Indians assemble, and as soon as all the eggs
+have been deposited, they uncover and collect them. They eat them--but
+that is not the principal use to which they are put. It is for the
+making of oil, or "tortoise-butter," they are collected.
+
+The eggs are thrown into a large trough or canoe, where they are broken
+up with a wooden spade and stirred about for awhile. They then remain
+exposed to the sun, until the oily part collects on the surface, which
+is then skimmed off and well boiled. The "tortoise-butter" is now made,
+and after being poured into earthen jars or bottles, it is ready for
+market. The oil is clear, of a pale yellow colour, and some regard it as
+equal to the best olive oil, both for lamps and for cooking. Sometimes,
+however, it has a putrid smell, because many of the eggs are already
+half hatched before the gathering takes place.
+
+What would be the result were these eggs not gathered by the Indians?
+Perhaps in the different rivers of South America more than an hundred
+millions of them are deposited every year! In the Orinoco alone, in
+three principal hatching places, it has been calculated that at least
+thirty three millions are annually destroyed for the making of
+tortoise-butter! Fancy, then, one hundred millions of animals, each of
+which grows to the weight of fifty or sixty pounds, being produced every
+year, and then the increase in production which these would make if left
+to themselves! Why the rivers would be crowded; and it would be true
+what old Father Gumilla once asserted, that "It would be as difficult to
+count the grains of sand on the shores of the Orinoco, as to count the
+immense number of tortoises that inhabit its margins and waters. Were it
+not for the vast consumption of tortoises and their eggs, the river,
+despite its great magnitude, would be unnavigable, for vessels would be
+impeded by the enormous multitude of the tortoises."
+
+But nature has provided against this "over-population" of the turtles
+by giving them a great many enemies. The jaguars, the ocelots, the
+crocodiles, the cranes, and the vultures, all prey upon them; and,
+perhaps, if man were to leave them alone, the result would be, not such
+a great increase in the number of the turtles, but that the creatures
+who prey upon them would come in for a larger share.
+
+The "carapa," or arrau turtle, is, when full grown, forty or fifty
+pounds in weight. It is of a dark green colour above and orange beneath,
+with yellow feet. There are many other species of fresh-water turtles in
+the rivers of South America, but these breed separately, each female
+choosing her own place, and making her deposit alone. Indeed, some of
+the smaller species, as the "terekay," are more esteemed both for their
+flesh and eggs; but as a large quantity of these eggs is never found
+together, they are not collected as an article of trade, but only to be
+roasted and eaten. The white does not coagulate in roasting or boiling,
+and only the yolk is eaten, but that is esteemed quite as palatable as
+the eggs of the common fowl.
+
+The flesh of all kinds is eaten by the Indians, who fry it in pots, and
+then pour it with its own oil into other vessels and permit it to cool.
+When thus prepared, it will keep for a long time, and can be taken out
+when required for use.
+
+Most of the above particulars were communicated by Guapo; and when he
+had finished talking, all the others went to sleep, leaving Guapo to his
+midnight vigil.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO VERY SCALY CREATURES.
+
+
+When they awoke in the morning they found Guapo busy over the fire. He
+had already been at the turtles' nests, and had collected a large
+basketful of the eggs, some of which he was cooking for breakfast. In
+addition to the eggs, moreover, half-a-dozen large turtles lay upon
+their backs close by. The flesh of these Guapo intended to scoop out and
+fry down, so as to be carried away as a sort of stock of preserved
+meat;--and a very excellent idea it was. He had caught them during his
+watch as they came out of the water.
+
+All the turtles had gone off, although this is not always the case; for
+frequently numbers that have not finished covering their eggs during the
+night may be seen hard at work in the morning, and so intent on it, that
+they do not heed the presence of their worst enemies. These the Indians
+denominate "mad tortoises."
+
+This morning, however, no "mad tortoises" were to be seen; but when our
+travellers cast their eyes along the beach they saw quite a number that
+appeared to be turned upon their backs just like those that Guapo had
+capsized. They were at some distance from the camp, but curiosity
+prompted our travellers to walk along the beach and examine them. Sure
+enough there were nearly a dozen large tortoises regularly laid on their
+backs, and unable to stir; but, besides these, there were several
+tortoise-shells out of which the flesh had been freshly scooped, and
+these were as neatly cleaned out as if the work had been done by an
+anatomist. All this would have been a mystery but for the experience of
+Guapo; but Guapo knew it was the jaguar that had turned the tortoises
+on their backs, and that had cleaned out and eaten the flesh from the
+empty shells!
+
+Now, it is no easy thing for a man, provided with the necessary
+implements, to separate the flesh of a tortoise from its shell, and yet
+the jaguar, with his paw, can in a few minutes perform this operation
+most adroitly, as our travellers had full proof. All that they saw had
+been done that same night; and it gave them no very pleasant feeling to
+know that the jaguar had been at work so near them.
+
+This animal, as Guapo said, in attacking the turtles, first turns them
+over, so as to prevent their escape--for the "carapas" are of those
+tortoises that once upon their backs on level ground cannot right
+themselves again. He then proceeds to tear out the flesh, and eats it at
+his leisure. Oftentimes he capsizes a far greater number than he can
+eat, and even returns to the spot to have a second meal of them; but
+frequently the Indians wandering along the river, find the tortoises he
+has turned over, and of course make an easy capture of them.
+
+Guapo, upon this occasion, took advantage of the jaguar's skill, and
+carried to the camp all that the latter had left. It was Guapo's design
+to make a large quantity of "turtle sausage-meat," so that they might
+have a supply for many days, as by this time even Guapo himself was
+getting tired of the horse-flesh "charqui."
+
+They were about returning to camp, when their attention was drawn to two
+dark objects upon the sand-beach a little farther on. These objects were
+in motion, and at first they believed they were a pair of "mad
+tortoises" that had not yet returned to the water, although they were
+close to its edge.
+
+Led on by curiosity our party approached them, and saw that one only was
+a tortoise, and one of the largest kind, being nearly three feet in
+diameter. The other animal was a small caiman or alligator.
+
+As our travellers drew near they saw that these two creatures were
+engaged in a fierce and deadly combat. Now, it is a curious fact that
+the larger alligators and crocodiles are among the most destructive
+enemies which the turtles have, eating thousands of the latter while
+they are still tiny little creatures and unable to defend themselves;
+and, on the other hand, that the turtles prey extensively on the young
+of both alligators and crocodiles, eating them whenever they can catch
+them! I say this is a curious fact in natural history, and it seems a
+sort of retaliatory principle established between these two kinds of
+reptiles, as if they ate one another's offspring _en revanche_.
+
+There is no feeling of revenge, however, in the matter. It is merely an
+instinct of appetite by which both kinds will eat almost any small fry
+they come across. In fact, the alligators and crocodiles not only eat
+the young of the turtles, but their own young as well. That is, the _old
+males_ do; and it has been stated, that the males of some species of
+tortoises have a similar unnatural appetite.
+
+The turtle of which we are speaking is one of the most carnivorous of
+the whole race, and one of the fiercest in its nature too; so much so,
+that it has earned the name of the "fierce tortoise." It will eat fish
+and small crustacea, and almost any living thing it finds in the water,
+which is not too large for it. It is extremely expert in catching its
+prey. It lies concealed at the bottom among the roots of flags and
+nymphae; and when any small fish chances to pass it, by means of its long
+neck darts out its head and seizes upon its unsuspecting victim. Once
+the bill of the "fierce turtle" has closed upon any object its hold is
+secure. You may cut its head off, but otherwise it cannot be forced to
+let go, until it has either captured its prey or taken the piece with
+it. It will "nip" a stout walking-cane between its mandibles, as if it
+was no more than a rush.
+
+A very good story is told of a thief and a tortoise. The thief was
+prowling about the larder of an hotel in search of plunder, when he came
+upon a large market-basket filled with provisions. He immediately
+inserted his hand to secure the contents, when he felt himself suddenly
+seized by the fingers, and bitten so severely, that he was fain to draw
+back his hand in the most hasty manner possible. But along with the hand
+he drew out a "snapping" turtle. To get rid of the "ugly customer" was
+his next care; but, in spite of all his efforts, the turtle held on,
+determined to have the finger. The scuffle, and the shouts which pain
+compelled the thief to give utterance to, awoke the landlord and the
+rest of the household; and before the thief could disengage himself and
+escape, he was secured and given into custody.
+
+Well, it was just a tortoise of this species, a "snapping turtle," and
+one of the largest size, that our travellers now saw doing battle with
+the caiman. The caiman was not one of large size, else the turtle would
+have fled from it, not that even the largest caimans are feared by the
+full-grown _carapas_. No; the strong plate-armour of the latter protects
+them both from the teeth and tail of this antagonist. The jaguar, with
+his pliable paws and sharp subtle claws, is to them a more dreaded
+assailant than the crocodile or caiman.
+
+The one in question was some six or seven feet long, and altogether not
+much heavier than the turtle itself. It was not for the purpose of
+eating each other they fought. No--their strife was evidently on other
+grounds. No doubt the caiman had been attempting to plunder the new-laid
+eggs of the tortoise, and the latter had detected him in the act. At all
+events, the struggle must have been going on for some time, for the sand
+was torn up, and scored, in many places, by the sharp claws of both.
+
+The battle appeared to be still at its height when our party arrived on
+the spot. Neither tortoise nor caiman paid any attention to their
+presence, but fought on pertinaciously. The aim of the caiman appeared
+to be to get the head of the tortoise in his mouth; but whenever he
+attempted this, the latter suddenly drew his head within the shell, and
+repeatedly disappointed him. The tortoise, on its part, rose at
+intervals upon its hind-feet, and making a dash forward, would dart
+forth its long neck, and clutch at the softer parts of its antagonist's
+body just under the throat. Several times it had succeeded in this
+manoeuvre, and each time it had brought the piece with it, so that the
+caiman was already somewhat mangled. Another manoeuvre of the tortoise
+was to seize the tail of its antagonist. Instinct seemed to teach it
+that this was a vulnerable part, and for the purpose of reaching the
+tail, it constantly kept crawling and edging round towards it.
+
+Now, there is no movement so difficult for a reptile of the crocodile
+kind as to turn its body on dry land. The peculiar formation of the
+vertebrae, both of its neck and spine, renders this movement difficult;
+and in "changing front," the reptile is forced to describe a full circle
+with its unwieldy body--in fact to turn "all of a piece." The tortoise,
+therefore, had the advantage, and, after several efforts, he at length
+succeeded in outflanking his antagonist, and getting right round to his
+rear. He lost no time, but, raising himself to his full height and
+making a dart forward, seized the tail and held on. He had caught by the
+very tip, and it was seen that his horny mandibles had taken a proper
+hold.
+
+Now commenced a somewhat ludicrous scene. The caiman, though but a small
+one, with the immense muscular power which he possessed in his tail, if
+not able to detach his antagonist, was able to give him a sound shaking,
+and the turtle was seen vibrating from side to side, dragged along the
+sand. He held his broad yellow feet spread out on all sides, so as to
+preserve his equilibrium, for he well knew that to lose that would be to
+lose his life. Should he get turned on his back it would be all over
+with him; but he carefully guarded against such a fatal catastrope. Of
+course there were intervals when the caiman became tired, and remained
+still for a moment; and at each of these intervals the tortoise renewed
+his hold, and, in fact, as our party now perceived, was slowly, though
+surely, _eating the tail_!
+
+When this had continued a short while, the great saurian seemed to
+despair. The pain, no doubt, caused him to weep "crocodile's tears,"
+though none were seen, but his eyes glared with a lurid light, and he
+began to look around for some means of escape from his painful position.
+His eye fell upon the water. That promised something, although he knew
+full well the turtle was as much at home there as he. At all events, his
+situation could not be a worse one, and with this, or some such
+reflection, he made a "dash" for the water. He was but a few feet from
+it, but it cost him a good deal of pulling and dragging, and clawing the
+sand, before he could get into it. In fact, the tortoise knew that its
+position could not be benefited by the change, and would have preferred
+fighting it out on dry land, and to do this he set _his_ claws as firmly
+as possible, and pulled the tail in the opposite direction!
+
+The strength of the caiman at length prevailed. He got his body into the
+water, and, with a few strokes of his webbed feet, jerked the turtle
+after, and both were now fairly launched. Once in the river, the caiman
+seemed to gain fresh vigour. His tail vibrated violently and rapidly,
+throwing the tortoise from side to side until the foam floated around
+them, and then both suddenly sank to the bottom.
+
+Whether they continued "attached," or became "separated" there, or
+whether the turtle killed the lizard, or the lizard the turtle, or "each
+did kill the other," no one ever knew, as it is highly probable that no
+human eye ever saw either of them again.
+
+At all events, no one of _our_ party saw any more of them; and, having
+watched the surface for some time, they turned in their steps and walked
+back to the camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+A PAIR OF VALIANT VULTURES.
+
+
+They had got into a part of the river that seemed to be a favourite
+resort with turtles and crocodiles, and creatures of that description.
+At different times they saw turtles of different kinds; among others,
+the "painted turtle," a beautiful species that derives its name from the
+fine colouring of its shell, which appears as if it had been painted in
+enamel. Of crocodiles, too, they saw three or four distinct species, and
+not unfrequently, the largest of all, the great black crocodile (_Jacare
+nigra_). This was sometimes seen of the enormous length of over twenty
+feet! Terrible-looking as these crocodiles are, they are not masters of
+every creature upon the river. There are even birds that can sorely vex
+them, and compel them to take to the water to save themselves from a
+fearful calamity--blindness.
+
+One day, while descending the river, our travellers were witness to an
+illustration of this.
+
+They were passing a wide sand-bank that shelved back from the river,
+with a scarcely perceptible slope, when they saw, at a distance of about
+two hundred yards from the water's edge, a crocodile making for the
+river. He looked as though he had just awoke from his torpid sleep, for
+his body was caked all over with dry mud, and he seemed both hungry and
+thirsty. It was like enough he was coming from some inland pond, where
+the water had dried up, and he was now on his way to the river.
+
+All at once two dark shadows were seen passing over the white surface of
+the sand-bank. In the heaven two large birds were wheeling about,
+crossing each other in their courses, and holding their long necks
+downwards, as if the crocodile was the object of their regard.
+
+The latter, on seeing them, paused; and lowered his body into a squatted
+or crouching attitude, as if in the birds he recognised an enemy. And
+yet what could such a large creature fear from a pair of
+"king-vultures?" for king vultures they were, as was easily seen by
+their red-orange heads and cream-coloured plumage. What could a
+crocodile, full ten feet long, fear from these, even had they been
+eagles, or the great condor himself? No matter; he was evidently
+frightened at them; and each time that they drew near in their flight,
+he stopped and flattened his body against the sand, as if that might
+conceal him. As soon as they flew off again to a more distant point of
+their aerial circle, he would once more elevate himself on his arms, and
+make all haste toward the water.
+
+He had got within about an hundred yards of the river, when the birds
+made a sudden turn in the sky, and swooping down, alighted upon the sand
+directly before the snout of the crocodile. The latter stopped again,
+and kept his eyes fixed upon them. They did not leave him long to rest;
+for one of them, making a few hops towards him, came so close, that it
+might have been supposed the crocodile could have seized it in his jaws.
+This, in fact, he attempted to do; but the wary bird threw up its broad
+wings, and flapped to one side out of his reach.
+
+Meanwhile, the other had hopped close up to his opposite shoulder; and
+while the crocodile was engaged with the first one, this made a dash
+forward, aiming its great open beak at the eye of the reptile. The
+crocodile parried the thrust by a sudden turn of his head; but he had
+scarcely got round, when the second vulture, watching its opportunity,
+rushed forward at the other eye. It must have succeeded in pecking it,
+for the great lizard roared out with the pain; and rushing forward a
+bit, writhed and lashed the sand with his tail.
+
+The vultures paid no attention to these demonstrations, but only kept
+out of the way of the teeth and claws of their antagonist; and then,
+when he became still again, both returned to the attack as before. One
+after the other was seen dashing repeatedly forward--using both legs and
+wings to effect their object, and each time darting out their great
+beaks towards the eyes of the reptile. The head of the latter kept
+continuously moving from side to side; but move where it would, the
+beaks of the vultures were ready to meet it, and to pierce into the
+sockets of those deep lurid eyes.
+
+This terrible contest lasted all the time the balza was floating by. It
+was a slow current at this place, and our travellers were a long time in
+passing, so that they had a good opportunity of witnessing the strange
+spectacle. Long after they had glided past, they saw that the conflict
+continued. They could still perceive the black body of the reptile upon
+the white sand-bank, writhing and struggling, while the flapping wings
+of the vultures showed that they still kept up their terrible attack.
+But the head of the crocodile was no longer directed towards the water.
+
+At the first onset the reptile had used every effort to retreat in that
+direction. He knew that his only safety lay in getting into the river,
+and sinking beyond the reach of his adversaries. At every interval
+between their assaults, he had been seen to crawl forward, stopping only
+when compelled to defend himself. Now, however, his head was seen turned
+from the water; sometimes he lay parallel with the stream; and sometimes
+he appeared to be heading back for the woods, while his struggles and
+contortions betrayed the agony he was undergoing. But his turning in
+this way was easily accounted for. He knew not in what direction lay the
+river. He could no longer see. His eyes were mutilated by the beaks of
+the birds. _He was blind!_
+
+Guapo said the vultures would not leave him until they had made a meal
+of his eyes, and that was all they wanted. He would then remain on
+shore, perhaps without finding his way back to the water, and most
+likely be attacked by jaguars, or other preying creatures, who could
+conquer him the easier now that he was deprived of his sight!
+
+As the balza glided on, Guapo told our travellers many strange stories
+of crocodiles. He stated, what is well known to be true, that in the
+rivers of South America many people are every year killed by these
+ravenous creatures; in fact, far more than have ever fallen victims to
+the salt-sea sharks. In some places they are much fiercer than in
+others; but this may arise from different species being the inhabitants
+of these different places. There is the true crocodile, with long sharp
+snout, and large external tusks; and the caiman, with a snout broader
+and more pike-shaped; and the former is a much more courageous and
+man-eating creature. Both are often found in the same river; but they do
+not associate together, but keep in distinct bands or societies; and
+they are often mistaken for each other.
+
+This may account for the difference of opinion that exists in regard to
+the fierceness of these reptiles--many asserting that they are utterly
+harmless, and will not attack man under any circumstances; while others,
+who have witnessed their attacks, of course bearing testimony to the
+contrary. There are many places in South America, where the natives
+will fearlessly enter a lake or river known to be full of crocodiles,
+and drive these creatures aside with a piece of a stick; but there are
+other districts where nothing will tempt an Indian to swim across a
+river infested with these reptiles. In the Amazon districts, in every
+Indian village, several people may be seen who have been maimed by
+crocodiles. No wonder that among author-travellers there should be such
+a difference of opinion.
+
+Guapo stated, that when an Indian has been seized by a crocodile in its
+great jaws, he has only one chance of escape, and that is, by thrusting
+his fingers into the eyes of the reptile. This will invariably cause it
+to let go its hold, and generally frighten it, so as to enable the
+person to escape. It, of course, requires great presence of mind to
+effect this, as the person who has been seized will himself be in great
+pain from the tearing teeth of the monster, and, perhaps, will have been
+drawn under the water, before he can gather his senses. But it has often
+occurred that Indians, and even women, have escaped in this way.
+
+The eyes of the crocodile are its most tender parts,--in fact, the only
+parts that can be made to feel pain. A crocodile may be disabled by
+cutting at the root of its tail, but it can only be frightened by an
+attack upon the eyes; and this appears to be a well-known fact, not only
+to the Indians, but to all its other enemies among the birds and
+quadrupeds.
+
+The young crocodiles are often attacked, and have their eyes pecked out,
+by the small gallinazo or "zamuro" vultures just in the same way that we
+have seen one of a larger size become the victim of the more powerful
+king vultures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+THE "GAPO."
+
+
+After many days of rafting our travellers arrived in a most singular
+country. They were now approaching the mighty Amazon, and the river upon
+which they had hitherto been travelling appeared to divide into many
+branches, where it formed _deltas_ with the Amazon. Every day, and
+sometimes two or three times in the day, they passed places where the
+river forked, as though each branch passed round an island, but our
+travellers perceived that these branches did not meet again; and they
+conjectured that they all fell into the Amazon by separate embouchures.
+They were often puzzled to know which one to take, as the main river was
+not always broadest, and they might get into one that was not navigable
+below. A curious region it was through which they passed; for, in fact,
+they were now travelling in the country of the "Gapo."
+
+What is the "Gapo?" you will ask. The "Gapo," then, is the name given to
+vast tracts of country upon the Amazon and some of its tributary
+streams, that are annually inundated, and remain under water for several
+months in the year. It extends for hundreds of miles along the Amazon
+itself, and up many of the rivers, its tributaries also, for hundreds of
+miles.
+
+But the whole country does not become one clear sheet of water, as is
+the case with floods in other parts of the world. On the contrary, high
+as is the flood, the tree-tops and their branches rise still higher,
+and we have in the "Gapo" the extraordinary spectacle of a flooded
+forest, thousands of square miles in extent!
+
+In this forest the trees do not perish, but retain life and verdure. In
+fact, the trees of this part are peculiar, most of them differing in
+kind from the trees of any other region. There are species of palms
+growing in the "Gapo" that are found nowhere else; and there are animals
+and birds, too, that remain in this region during the whole season of
+flood. It has been further asserted that there are tribes of "Gapo"
+Indians, who live in the middle of the inundation, making their
+dwellings upon the trees, and who can pass from branch to branch and
+tree to tree almost as nimbly as monkeys.
+
+This may or may not be true. It would not be a new thing, if true, for
+it is well known that the Guarano Indians, at the mouth of the Orinoco,
+dwell among the tops of the murichi palms during many months of the
+season of flood. These people build platforms on the palms, and upon
+these erect roofs, and sling their hammocks, and, with little fireplaces
+of mud, are enabled to cook their provisions upon them. But they have
+canoes, in which they are able to go from place to place, and capture
+fish, upon which they principally subsist. The murichi palm furnishes
+them with all the other necessaries of life.
+
+This singular tree is one of the noblest of the palms. It rises to a
+height of more than one hundred feet, and grows in immense _palmares_,
+or palm-woods, often covering the bank of the river for miles. It is one
+of those called "fan-palm"--that is, the leaves, instead of being
+pinnate or feathery, have long naked stalks, at the end of which the
+leaflets spread out circularly, forming a shape like a fan. One of the
+murichi leaves is a grand sight. The leaf-stalk, or petiole, is a foot
+thick where it sprouts from the trunk; and before it reaches the
+leaflets it is a solid beam of ten or twelve feet long, while the
+circular fan or leaf itself is nine or ten in diameter! A single leaf of
+the murichi palm is a full load for a man.
+
+With a score of such leaves,--shining and ever verdant as they are,--at
+the top of its column-like trunk, what a majestic tree is the murichi
+palm!
+
+But it is not more beautiful than useful. Its leaves, fruit, and stem,
+are all put to some use in the domestic economy of the Indians. The
+leaf-stalk, when dried, is light and elastic, like the quill of a
+bird--owing to the thin, hard, outer covering and soft internal pith.
+Out of the outer rind, when split off, the Indian makes baskets and
+window-blinds. The pithy part is separated into laths, about half an
+inch thick, with which window-shutters, boxes, bird-cages, partitions,
+and even entire walls, are constructed.
+
+The epidermis of the leaves furnishes the strings for hammocks and all
+kinds of cordage. From the fruits a favourite beverage is produced, and
+these fruits are also pleasant eating, somewhat resembling apples. They
+are in appearance like pine-cones, of a red colour outside and yellow
+pulp. The trunk itself furnishes a pith or marrow that can be used as
+sago; and out of the wood the Indian cuts his buoyant canoe! In short,
+there are tribes of Indians that not only live, in a literal sense, _on_
+the murichi palms, but that almost subsist on them.
+
+Although the flood had, to a considerable extent, subsided, the river in
+most places was still beyond its banks; and this made it difficult for
+our travellers to find a place for their night-camps. Several nights
+they were obliged to sleep, as they best could, on the balza,--the
+latter being secured to a tree. Sometimes, by pushing some distance up
+the mouth of an "igaripe," or creek, they were able to find dry ground,
+on which to encamp. During their passage through this labyrinth of
+rivers, they travelled but very slowly, and their provisions were fast
+running out. There was no chance for increasing their stock, as they
+could not find either wild-hogs (peccaries) or capivaras. These
+creatures, although they can swim well enough, would only be found upon
+the banks of the river, when it returned within its proper channel.
+
+Now and then Guapo brought down a parrot, a macaw, or an aracari, with
+his blow-gun; but these were only temporary supplies. They had often
+heard howling monkeys in the trees, but had not been able to see them;
+and none of the party would have refused to eat roast-monkey now, as
+they had all tried it and found it quite palatable. Guapo, blow-gun in
+hand, was continually peering up among the tree-tops in search of
+monkeys or other game. He was, at length, rewarded for his vigilance.
+
+One night they had pushed the balza up an "igaripe" for a hundred yards
+or so, where a dry bank gave them an opportunity of landing. The creek
+itself was not much wider than the balza, and tall trees stood upon both
+banks. In one or two places the thorny "jacitara" palm--which is a sort
+of climbing plant, often hanging over the branches of other
+trees--nearly reached across the stream. These curious palms had even to
+be cautiously pushed to one side as the balza passed,--for the arrowy
+claws upon them, if once hooked into the clothes of passengers, would
+either have dragged the latter from off the raft, or have torn out the
+piece of cloth.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVII.
+
+THE ARAGUATOES.
+
+
+Our party had passed several of these jacitaras, made the balza fast,
+landed, and were just cooking their scanty supper, when they heard a
+band of howling monkeys afar off in the woods. There was nothing unusual
+in this; for these creatures are heard at all times among the forests of
+the Amazon, especially at sunrise and before sunset, or whenever there
+is any appearance of the approach of a rain-storm.
+
+Our travellers would not have noticed their voices on this occasion, but
+that they seemed to be approaching in that direction; and as they were
+coming along the bank of the main river, Guapo concluded that on
+arriving at the "igaripe" they would turn up it and pass near where the
+balza was, and thus he might have them within reach of his gravatana. It
+was certain they were coming down the river side--of course upon the
+tree-tops, and would, no doubt, turn up as Guapo expected, for the trees
+on the opposite side of the igaripe stood too far apart even for monkeys
+to spring across.
+
+After waiting for half-an-hour or so, the hideous howling of the monkeys
+could be heard at no great distance, and they were taking the desired
+route. In fact, in a few minutes after, the troop appeared upon some
+tall trees that stood on the edge of the creek, not fifty yards from
+where the balza was moored. They were large animals, of that lanky and
+slender shape that characterises the prehensile-tailed monkeys; but
+these were different from the _ateles_ already mentioned. They were
+true howlers, as they had already proved by the cries they had been
+uttering for the half-hour past.
+
+There are several species of howling monkeys, as we have already stated.
+Those that had arrived on the igaripe Guapo pronounced to be
+_araguatoes_. Their bodies are of a reddish-brown colour on the body and
+shoulders, lighter underneath, and their naked wrinkled faces are of a
+bluish black, and with very much of the expression of an old man. Their
+hair is full and bushy, and gives them some resemblance to a bear,
+whence their occasional name of "bear-ape," and also their zoological
+designation, _Simia ursina_. The araguato is full three feet without the
+tail, and that powerful member is much longer.
+
+When the band made its appearance on the igaripe, they were seen to come
+to a halt, all of them gathering into a great tree that stood by the
+water's edge. This tree rose higher than the rest, and the most of the
+monkeys having climbed among the top branches, were visible from the
+balza. There were about fifty in the troop, and one that seemed larger
+than any of the others appeared to act as leader. Many of them were
+females, and there were not a few that had young ones, which they
+carried upon their backs just as the Indian mothers and those of other
+savage nations carry their children.
+
+Most of the little monkeys lay along the backs of their mothers,
+clasping them around the neck with their fore-arms, while their hind
+ones girdled the middle of the body. But it was in their tails the
+little fellows seemed to place most reliance. The top parts of these
+were firmly lapped around the thick base of the tails of the old ones,
+and thus not only secured their seat, but made it quite impossible for
+them to drop off. No force could have shaken them from this hold,
+without dragging out their tails or tearing their bodies to pieces,
+indeed, it was necessary they should be thus firmly seated, as the
+exertions of the mothers,--their quick motions and long springing leaps
+from tree to tree--would otherwise have been impossible.
+
+On reaching the bank of the igaripe, the araguatoes were evidently at
+fault. Their intention had been to proceed down along the main river,
+and the creek now interfered. Its water lay directly across their
+course, and how were they to get over it? Swim it, you may, say. Ha!
+little do you know the dread these creatures have of water. Yes; strange
+to say, although many species of them pass their lives upon trees that
+overhang water, or even grow out of it, they are as much afraid of the
+water beneath them as if it were fire. A cat is not half so dainty about
+wetting her feet as some monkeys are; and besides a cat can swim, which
+the monkeys cannot--at best so badly that in a few minutes they would
+drown.
+
+Strange, is it not, that among animals, those that approach nearest to
+man, like him are not gifted by nature with the power of swimming? It is
+evident, then, that that is an art left to be discovered by the
+intellect of man. To fall into the water would be a sad mishap for a
+monkey, not only on account of the ducking, but of the danger. There is
+not much likelihood of an araguato falling in. Even though one branch
+may have broken and failed it, in the great concave sphere which it can
+so quickly trace around it by means of its five long members, it is sure
+of finding a second. No; the araguatoes might spend a life-time in the
+flooded forest without even wetting a hair farther than what is wetted
+by the rain.
+
+From their movements, it was evident the igaripe had puzzled them; and a
+consultation was called among the branches of the tall tree already
+mentioned. Upon one of the very highest sat the large old fellow who was
+evidently leader of the band. His harangue was loud and long,
+accompanied by many gestures of his hands, head, and tail. It was, no
+doubt, exceedingly eloquent. Similar speeches delivered by other old
+araguato chiefs, have been compared to the creaking of an ungreased
+bullock-cart, mingled with the rumbling of the wheels!
+
+Our party thought the comparison a just one. The old chief finished at
+length. Up to this point not one of the others had said a word. They all
+sat silent, observing perfect decorum; indeed, much greater than is
+observed in the great British Parliament or the Congress of America.
+Occasionally one of the children might utter a slight squeak, or throw
+out its hand to catch a mosquito; but in such cases a slap from the paw
+of the mother, or a rough shaking, soon reduced it to quiet.
+
+When the chief had ended speaking, however, no debate in either Congress
+or Parliament could have equalled the noise that then arose. Every
+araguato seemed to have something to say, and all spoke at the same
+time. If the speech of the old one was like the creaking of a
+bullock-cart, the voices of all combined might appropriately be compared
+to a whole string of these vehicles, with half the quantity of grease
+and a double allowance of wheels!
+
+Once more the chief, by a sign, commanded silence, and the rest became
+mute and motionless as before.
+
+This time the speech of the leader appeared to refer to the business in
+hand--in short, to the crossing of the igaripe. He was seen repeatedly
+pointing in that direction, as he spoke, and the rest followed his
+motions with their eyes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVIII.
+
+BRIDGING AN IGARIPE.
+
+
+The tree upon which the araguatoes were assembled stood near the edge of
+the water, but there was another still nearer. This was also a tall tree
+free of branches for a great way up. On the opposite bank of the igaripe
+was a very similar tree, and the long horizontal branches of the two
+were separated from each other by a space of about twenty feet. It was
+with these two trees that the attention of the araguatoes appeared to be
+occupied; and our travellers could tell by their looks and gestures that
+they were conversing about, and calculating, the distance between their
+upper branches. For what purpose?
+
+Surely they do not expect to be able to make a crossing between them? No
+creature without wings could pass from one to the other! Such were the
+questions and doubts expressed by Leon, and indeed by all except Guapo,
+but Guapo had seen araguatoes before, and knew some of their tricks.
+Guapo, therefore, boldly pronounced that it was their intention to cross
+the igaripe by these two trees. He was about to explain the manner in
+which they would accomplish it, when the movement commenced, and
+rendered his explanation quite unnecessary.
+
+At a commanding cry from the chief, several of the largest and strongest
+monkeys swung themselves into the tree that stood on the edge of the
+water. Here, after a moment's reconnoissance, they were seen to get upon
+a horizontal limb--one that projected diagonally over the igaripe. There
+were no limbs immediately underneath it on the same side of the tree;
+and for this very reason had they selected it. Having advanced until
+they were near its top, the foremost of the monkeys let himself down
+upon his tail, and hung head downward. Another slipped down the body of
+the first, and clutched him around the neck and fore-arms with his
+strong tail, with his head down also. A third succeeded the second, and
+a fourth the third, and so on until a string of monkeys dangled from the
+limb.
+
+A motion was now produced by the monkeys striking other branches with
+their feet, until the long string oscillated back and forwards like the
+pendulum of a clock. This oscillation was gradually increased, until the
+monkey at the lower end was swung up among the branches of the tree on
+the opposite side of the igaripe. After touching them once or twice, he
+discovered that he was within reach; and the next time when he had
+reached the highest point of the oscillating curve, he threw out his
+long thin fore-arms, and firmly clutching the branches, held fast.
+
+The oscillation now ceased. The living chain stretched across the
+igaripe from tree to tree, and, curving slightly, hung like a
+suspension-bridge! A loud screaming, and gabbling, and chattering, and
+howling, proceeded from the band of araguatoes, who, up to this time,
+had watched the manoeuvres of their comrades in silence--all except the
+old chief, who occasionally had given directions both with voice and
+gestures. But the general gabble that succeeded was, no doubt, an
+expression of the satisfaction of all that the _bridge was built_.
+
+The troop now proceeded to cross over, one or two old ones going first,
+perhaps to try the strength of the bridge. Then went the mothers
+carrying their young on their backs, and after them the rest of the
+band.
+
+It was quite an amusing scene to witness, and the behaviour of the
+monkeys would have caused any one to laugh. Even Guapo could not
+restrain his mirth at seeing those who formed the bridge biting the
+others that passed over them, both on the legs and tails, until the
+latter screamed again!
+
+The old chief stood at the near end and directed the crossing. Like a
+brave officer, he was the last to pass over. When all the others had
+preceded him, he crossed after, carrying himself in a stately and
+dignified manner. None dared to bite at _his_ legs. They knew better
+than play off their tricks on _him_, and he crossed quietly and without
+any molestation.
+
+Now the string still remained suspended between the trees. How were the
+monkeys that formed it to get themselves free again? Of course the one
+that had clutched the branch with his arms might easily let go, but that
+would bring them back to the same side from which they had started, and
+would separate them from the rest of the band. Those constituting the
+bridge would, therefore, be as far from crossing as ever!
+
+There seemed to be a difficulty here--that is, to some of our
+travellers. To the monkeys themselves there was none. They knew well
+enough what they were about, and they would have got over the apparent
+difficulty in the following manner:--The one at the tail end of the
+bridge would simply have let go his hold, and the whole string would
+then have swung over and hung from the tree on the opposite bank, into
+which they could have climbed at their leisure. I say they _would_ have
+done so had nothing interfered to prevent them from completing the
+manoeuvre. But an obstacle intervened which brought the affair to a very
+different termination.
+
+Guapo had been seated along with the rest, gravatana in hand. He showed
+great forbearance in not having used the gravatana long before, for he
+was all the while quite within reach of the araguatoes; but this
+forbearance on his part was not of his own freewill. Don Pablo had, in
+fact, hindered him, in order that he and the others, should have an
+opportunity of witnessing the singular manoeuvres of the monkeys. Before
+the scene was quite over, however, the Indian begged Don Pablo to let
+him shoot, reminding him how much they stood in need of a little
+"monkey-meat." This had the effect Guapo desired; the consent was given,
+and the gravatana was pointed diagonally upwards. Once more Guapo's
+cheeks were distended--once more came the strong, quick puff--and away
+went the arrow. The next moment it was seen sticking in the neck of one
+of the monkeys.
+
+Now, the one which Guapo had aimed at and hit was that which had grasped
+the tree on the opposite side with its arms. Why did he chose this more
+than any other? Was it because it was nearer, or more exposed to view?
+Neither of these was the reason. It was, that had he shot any of the
+others in the string--they being supported by their tails--it would not
+have fallen; the tail, as we have already seen, still retaining its
+prehensile power even to death. But that one which held on to the tree
+by its fore-arms would in a second or two be compelled from weakness to
+let go, and the whole chain would drop back on the near side of the
+igaripe. This was just what Guapo desired, and he waited for the result.
+It was necessary only to wait half-a-dozen seconds. The monkey was
+evidently growing weak under the influence of the _curare_, and was
+struggling to retain its hold. In a moment it must let go.
+
+The araguato at the "tail-end" of the bridge, not knowing what had
+happened, and thinking all was right for swinging himself across,
+slipped his tail from the branch just at the very same instant that the
+wounded one let go, and the whole chain fell "souse" into the water!
+Then the screaming and howling from those on shore, the plunging and
+splashing of the monkeys in the stream, mingled with the shouts of Leon,
+Guapo, and the others, created a scene of noise and confusion that
+lasted for several minutes. In the midst of it, Guapo threw himself into
+the canoe, and with a single stroke of his paddle shot right down among
+the drowning monkeys. One or two escaped to the bank, and made off;
+several went to the bottom;, but three, including the wounded one, fell
+into the clutches of the hunter.
+
+Of course roast-monkey was added to the supper; but none of the
+travellers slept very well after it, as the araguatoes, lamenting their
+lost companions, kept up a most dismal wailing throughout the whole of
+the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIX.
+
+THE MANATI.
+
+
+The araguatoes, with dried plantains and cassava, were the food of our
+travellers for several days after. On the evening of the third day they
+had a change. Guapo succeeded in capturing a very large turtle, which
+served for relish at several meals. His mode of taking the turtle was
+somewhat curious, and deserves to be described.
+
+The balza had been brought to the bank, and they were just mooring it,
+when something out on the water attracted the attention of Leon and
+Leona. It was a small, darkish object, and would not have been observed
+but for the ripple that it made on the smooth surface of the river, and
+by this they could tell that it was in motion.
+
+"A water-snake!" said Leon.
+
+"Oh!" ejaculated the little Leona, "I hope not, brother Leon."
+
+"On second thoughts," replied Leon, "I don't think it is a snake."
+
+Of course the object was a good distance off, else Leon and Leona would
+not have talked so coolly about it. But their words had reached the ear
+of Dona Isidora, and drawn her attention to what they were talking
+about.
+
+"No; it is not a snake," said she. "I fancy it is a turtle."
+
+Guapo up to this had been busy with Don Pablo in getting the balza made
+fast. The word "turtle," however, caught his ear at once, and he looked
+up, and then out on the river in the direction where Leon and Leona were
+pointing. As soon as his eye rested upon the moving object he replied to
+the remark of Dona Isidora.
+
+"Yes, my mistress," said he, "it is a turtle, and a big one too. Please
+all keep quiet--I think I can get him."
+
+How Guapo was to get the turtle was a mystery to all. The latter was
+about thirty paces distant, but it would be difficult, if not
+impossible, to hit his small snout--the only part above water--with the
+arrow of the blow-gun. Moreover, they thought that the arrow would not
+penetrate the hard, bony substance, so as to stick there and infuse its
+poison into the wound.
+
+These conjectures were true enough, but his gravatana was not the weapon
+which Guapo was about to use. He had other weapons as well--a fish-spear
+or harpoon, and a regular bow and arrows, which he had made during his
+leisure hours in the valley.
+
+The latter was the weapon with which the tortoise was to be killed.
+
+Taking the bow, and adjusting an arrow to the string, Guapo stepped
+forward to the water's edge. All watched him, uttering their hopes of
+his success. It was still not clear with them how the turtle was to be
+killed by an arrow shot from a bow any more than by one sent from a
+blow-gun. Would it not glance from the shell even should he succeed in
+hitting it under water! Surely it would!
+
+As they stood whispering their conjectures to one another, they observed
+Guapo, to their great astonishment, _pointing his arrow upward_, and
+making as if he was going to discharge it in the air! This he, in fact,
+_did_ do a moment after; and they would have been puzzled by his
+apparently strange conduct, had they not observed, in the next instant,
+that the arrow, after flying high up, came down again head-foremost and
+stuck upright in the back of the turtle!
+
+The turtle dived at once, and all of them expected to see the upright
+arrow carried under water. What was their surprise as well as chagrin to
+see that it had fallen out, and was floating on the surface! Of course
+the wound had only been a slight one, and the turtle would escape, and
+be none the worse for it.
+
+But Guapo shared neither their surprise nor chagrin. Guapo felt sure
+that the turtle was his, and said nothing; but, jumping into the canoe,
+began to paddle himself out to where the creature had been last seen.
+What could he be after? thought they.
+
+As they watched him, they saw that he made for the floating arrow. "Oh!"
+said they, "he is gone to recover it."
+
+That seemed probable enough, but, to their astonishment, as he
+approached the weapon it took a start, and ran away from him! Something
+below dragged it along the water. That was clear, and they began to
+comprehend the mystery. The _head_ of the arrow was still sticking in
+the shell of the turtle. It was only the shaft that floated, and that
+was attached to the head by a string! The latter had been but loosely
+put on, so that the pressure of the water, as the turtle dived, should
+separate it from the shaft, leaving the shaft with its cord to act as a
+buoy, and discover the situation of the turtle.
+
+Guapo, in his swift canoe, soon laid hold of the shaft, and after a
+little careful manoeuvring, succeeded in landing his turtle high and dry
+upon the bank. A splendid prize it proved. It was a "jurara"
+tortoise--the "tataruga," or great turtle of the Portuguese, and its
+shell was full three feet in diameter.
+
+Guapo's mode of capturing the "jurara" is the same as that generally
+practised by the Indians of the Amazon, although strong nets and the
+hook are also used. The arrow is always discharged upwards, and the
+range calculated with such skill, that it falls vertically on the shell
+of the turtle, and penetrates deep enough to stick, and detach itself
+from the shaft. This mode of shooting is necessary, else the jurara
+could not be killed by an arrow, because it never shows more than the
+tip of its snout above water, and any arrow hitting it in a direct
+course would glance harmlessly from its shell. A good bowman among the
+Indians will rarely miss shooting in this way,--long practice and native
+skill enabling him to guess within an inch of where his weapon will
+fall.
+
+In the towns of the Lower Amazon, where turtles are brought to market, a
+small square hole may be observed in the shells of these creatures. That
+is the mark of the arrow-head.
+
+Guapo lost no time in turning his turtle inside out, and converting part
+of it into a savoury supper, while the remainder was fried into
+sausage-meat, and put away for the following day.
+
+But on that following day a much larger stock of sausage-meat was
+procured from a very different animal, and that was a "cow."
+
+"How?" you exclaim,--"a cow in the wild forests of the Amazon! Why, you
+have said that no cattle--either cows or horses--can exist there without
+man to protect them, else they would be devoured by pumas, jaguars, and
+bats. Perhaps they had arrived at some settlement where cows were kept?"
+
+Not a bit of it; your conjecture, my young friend, is quite astray.
+There was not a civilised settlement for many hundreds of miles from
+where Guapo got his cow--nor a cow neither, of the sort you are thinking
+of. But there are more kinds of cows than one; and, perhaps, you may
+have heard of a creature called the "fish-cow?" Well, that is the sort
+of cow I am speaking of. Some term it the "sea-cow," but this is an
+improper name for it, since it also inhabits fresh-water rivers
+throughout all tropical America. It is known as the _Manati_, and the
+Portuguese call it "_peixe boi_," which is only "fish-cow" done into
+Portuguese.
+
+It is a curious creature the fish-cow, and I shall offer you a short
+description of it. It is usually about seven feet in length, and five
+round the thickest part of the body, which latter is quite smooth, and
+tapers off into a horizontal flat tail, semicircular in shape. There are
+no hind-limbs upon the animal, but just behind the head are two powerful
+fins of an oval shape. There is no neck to be perceived; and the head,
+which is not very large, terminates in a large mouth and fleshy lips,
+which are not unlike those of a cow: hence its name of "cow-fish." There
+are stiff bristles on the upper lip, and a few thinly scattered hairs
+over the rest of the body. Behind the oval fins are two _mammae_, or
+breasts, from which, when pressed, flows a stream of beautiful white
+milk. Both eyes and ears are very small in proportion to the size of the
+animal, but, nevertheless, it has full use of these organs, and is not
+easily approached by its enemy.
+
+The colour of the skin is a dusky lead, with some flesh-coloured marks
+on the belly, and the skin itself is an inch thick at its thickest part,
+on the back. Beneath the skin is a layer of fat, of great, thickness,
+which makes excellent oil when boiled. As we have said, the manati has
+no appearance of hind-limbs. Its fore-limbs, however, are highly
+developed for a water animal. The bones in them correspond to those in
+the human arm, having five fingers with the joints distinct, yet so
+enclosed in an inflexible sheath that not a joint can be moved.
+
+The cow-fish feeds on grass, coming in to the borders of the lakes and
+rivers to procure it. It can swim very rapidly by means of its flat tail
+and strong fins, and is not so easily captured as might be supposed. All
+the art of the hunter is required to effect its destruction. The harpoon
+is the weapon usually employed, though sometimes they are caught in
+strong nets stretched across the mouths of rivers or the narrow arms of
+lakes. The flesh of the manati is much esteemed, and tastes somewhat
+between beef and pork, altogether different from "fish." Fried in its
+own oil, and poured into pots or jars, it can be preserved for many
+months.
+
+As already stated, on the day after Guapo shot the turtle--in fact, the
+next morning--just as they were going to shove off, some of the party,
+in gazing from the edge of the balza, noticed a queer-looking animal in
+the clear water below. It was no other than a "fish-cow;" and, as they
+continued to examine it more attentively, they were astonished to
+observe that, with its short paddle-like limbs, it hugged two miniature
+models of itself close to its two breasts. These were the "calves" in
+the act of suckling, for such is the mode in which the manati nourishes
+her young.
+
+All the others would have watched this spectacle for a while, interested
+in the maternal and filial traits thus exhibited by a subaqueous
+creature, but while they stood looking into the water, something
+glanced before their eyes, and glided with a plunge to the bottom. It
+was the harpoon of Guapo.
+
+Blood rose to the surface immediately, and there was a considerable
+splashing as the strong manati made its attempt to escape; but the head
+of the harpoon was deeply buried in its flesh, and, with the attached
+cord, Guapo soon hauled the animal ashore. It was as much as he and Don
+Pablo could do to drag it on dry land; but the knife soon took it to
+pieces; and then several hours were spent in making it fit for
+preservation. Its fat and flesh yielded enough to fill every spare
+vessel our travellers had got; and, when all were filled, the balza was
+pushed off, and they continued their voyage without any fear of short
+rations for some time to come.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER L.
+
+THE CLOSING CHAPTER.
+
+
+After many days of difficult navigation the balza floated upon the broad
+and mighty Amazon, whose yellowish-olive flood flowed yet fifteen
+hundred miles farther to the Atlantic Ocean.
+
+The current was in most places over four miles an hour, and the
+navigation smooth and easy--so that our travellers rarely made less than
+fifty miles a-day. There was considerable monotony in the landscape, on
+account of the absence of mountains, as the Amazon, through most of its
+course, runs through a level plain. The numerous bends and sudden
+windings of the stream, however, continually opening out into new and
+charming vistas, and the ever-changing variety of vegetation, formed
+sources of delight to the travellers.
+
+Almost every day they passed the mouth of some tributary river--many of
+these appearing as large as the Amazon itself. Our travellers were
+struck with a peculiarity in relation to these rivers--that is, their
+variety of colour. Some were whitish, with a tinge of olive, like the
+Amazon itself; others were blue and transparent; while a third kind had
+waters as black as ink. Of the latter class is the great river of the
+Rio Negro--which by means of a tributary (the Cassiquiare) joins the
+Amazon with the Orinoco.
+
+Indeed, the rivers of the Amazon valley have been classed into _white_,
+_blue_, and _black_. _Red_ rivers, such as are common in the northern
+division of the American continent, do not exist in the valley of the
+Amazon.
+
+There appears to be no other explanation for this difference in the
+colour of rivers, except by supposing that they take their hue from the
+nature of the soil through which these channels run.
+
+But the _white_ rivers, as the Amazon itself, do not appear to be of
+this hue merely because they are "muddy." On the contrary, they derive
+their colour, or most of it, from some impalpable substance held in a
+state of irreducible solution. This is proved from the fact, that even
+when these waters enter a reservoir, and the earthy matter is allowed to
+settle, they still retain the same tinge of yellowish olive. There are
+some white rivers, as the Rio Branco, whose waters are almost as white
+as milk itself!
+
+The _blue_ rivers of the Amazon valley are those with clear transparent
+waters, and the courses of these lie through rocky countries where there
+is little or no alluvium to render them turbid.
+
+The _black_ streams are the most remarkable of all. These, when deep,
+look like rivers of ink; and when the bottom can be seen, which is
+usually a sandy one, the sand has the appearance of gold. Even when
+lifted in a vessel, the water retains its inky tinge, and resembles that
+which may be found in the pools of peat-bogs. It is a general
+supposition in South America that the black-water rivers get their
+colour from the extract of sarsaparilla roots growing on their banks. It
+is possible the sarsaparilla roots may have something to do with it, in
+common with both the roots and leaves of many other vegetables. No other
+explanation has yet been found to account for the dark colour of these
+rivers, except the decay of vegetable substances carried in their
+current; and it is a fact that all the black-water streams run through
+the most thickly wooded regions.
+
+A curious fact may be mentioned of the black rivers; that is, that
+mosquitoes--the plague of tropical America--are not found on their
+banks. This is not only a curious, but an important fact, and might be
+sufficient to determine any one on the choice of a settlement. You may
+deem a mosquito a very small thing, and its presence a trifling
+annoyance. Let me tell you that settlements have been broken up and
+deserted on account of the persecution experienced from these little
+insects! They are the real "wild beasts" of South America, far more to
+be dreaded than pumas, or crocodiles, or snakes, or even the fierce
+jaguar himself.
+
+Day after day our travellers kept on their course, meeting with many
+incidents and adventures--too many to be recorded in this little volume.
+After passing the mouth of the Rio Negro, they began to get a peep now
+and then of high land, and even mountains, in the distance; for the
+valley of the Amazon, on approaching its mouth, assumes a different
+character from what it has farther up-stream. These mountains bend
+towards it both from the Brazilian country on the south, and from Guiana
+on the north, and these are often visible from the bosom of the stream
+itself.
+
+It was about a month from their entering the main stream of the Amazon,
+and a little more than two from the first launching of their vessel,
+when the balza was brought alongside the wharf of Grand Para, and Don
+Pablo and his party stepped on shore at this Brazilian town. Here, of
+course, Don Pablo was a free man--free to go where he pleased--free to
+dispose of his cargo as he thought best. But he did _not_ dispose of it
+at Grand Para.
+
+A better plan presented itself. He was enabled to freight part of a
+vessel starting for New York, and thither he went, taking his family and
+cargo along with him. In New York he obtained a large price for his
+bark, roots, and beans; in fact, when all were disposed of, he found
+himself nearly twenty thousand dollars to the good. With this to live
+upon, he determined to remain in the great Republic of the North until
+such time as his own dear Peru might be freed from the Spanish
+oppressor.
+
+Ten years was the period of his exile. At the end of that time the
+Spanish-American provinces struck almost simultaneously for liberty; and
+in the ten years' struggle that followed, not only Don Pablo, but
+Leon--now a young man--bore a conspicuous part. Both fought by the side
+of Bolivar at the great battle of Junin, which crowned the patriot army
+with victory.
+
+At the close of the War of Independence, Don Pablo was a general of
+division, while Leon had reached the grade of a colonel. But as soon as
+the fighting was over, both resigned their military rank, as they were
+men who did not believe in soldiering as a _mere profession_. In fact,
+they regarded it as an unbecoming profession in time of peace, and in
+this view _I_ quite agree with them.
+
+Don Pablo returned to his studies; but Leon organised an expedition of
+_cascarilleros_, and returned to the Montana, where for many years he
+employed himself in "bark-hunting." Through this he became one of the
+richest of Peruvian "ricos."
+
+Guapo, who at this time did not look a year older than when first
+introduced, was as tough and sinewy as ever, and was at the head of the
+cascarilleros; and many a _coceada_ did Guapo afterwards enjoy with his
+mountain friend the "vaquero" while passing backward and forward between
+Cuzco and the Montana.
+
+Dona Isidora lived for a long period an ornament to her sex, and the
+little Leona had _her_ day as the "belle of Cuzco."
+
+But Leon and Leona both got married at length; and were you to visit
+Cuzco at the present time, you might see several little Leons and
+Leonas, with round black eyes, and dark waving hair--all of them
+descendants from our family of--
+
+"FOREST EXILES."
+
+
+
+
+THE BUSH-BOYS,
+
+OR
+
+ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE BOERS.
+
+
+Hendrik Von Bloom was a _boer_.
+
+When I called Hendrik Von Bloom a boer, I did not mean him any
+disrespect. Quite the contrary.
+
+All the same it may be well to explain that Mynheer Hendrik had not
+always been a boer. He could boast of a somewhat higher condition--that
+is, he could boast of a better education than the mere Cape farmer
+usually possesses, as well as some experience in wielding the sword. He
+was not a native of the colony, but of Holland; and he had found his way
+to the Cape, not as a poor adventurer seeking his fortune, but as an
+officer in a Dutch regiment then stationed there.
+
+His soldier-service in the colony was not of long duration. A certain
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--the daughter of a rich boer--had
+taken a liking to the young lieutenant; and he in his turn became vastly
+fond of her. The consequence was, that they got married. Gertrude's
+father dying shortly after, the large farm, with its full stock of
+horses, and Hottentots, broad-tailed sheep, and long-horned oxen, became
+hers. This was an inducement for her soldier-husband to lay down the
+sword and turn "vee-boer," or stock farmer, which he consequently did.
+
+These incidents occurred many years previous to the English becoming
+masters of the Cape colony. When that event came to pass, Hendrik Von
+Bloom was already a man of influence in the colony and "field-cornet" of
+his district, which lay in the beautiful county of Graaf Reinet. He was
+then a widower, the father of a small family. The wife whom he had
+fondly loved,--the cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--no longer
+lived.
+
+History will tell you how the Dutch colonists, discontented with English
+rule, rebelled against it. The ex-lieutenant and field-cornet was one of
+the most prominent among these rebels. History will also tell you how
+the rebellion was put down; and how several of those compromised were
+brought to execution. Von Bloom escaped by flight; but his fine property
+in the Graaf Reinet was confiscated and given to another.
+
+Many years after we find him living in a remote district beyond the
+great Orange River, leading the life of a "trek-boer,"--that is, a
+nomade farmer, who has no fixed or permanent abode, but moves with his
+flocks from place to place, wherever good pastures and water may tempt
+him.
+
+From about this time dates my knowledge of the field-cornet and his
+family. Of his history previous to this I have stated all I know, but
+for a period of many years after I am more minutely acquainted with it.
+Most of its details I received from the lips of his own son. I was
+greatly interested, and indeed instructed, by them. They were my first
+lessons in African zoology.
+
+Believing, boy reader, that they might also instruct and interest you, I
+here lay them before you. You are not to regard them as merely fanciful.
+The descriptions of the wild creatures that play their parts in this
+little history, as well as the acts, habits, and instincts assigned to
+them, you may regard as true to Nature. Young Von Bloom was a student of
+Nature, and you may depend upon the fidelity of his descriptions.
+
+Disgusted with politics, the field-cornet now dwelt on the remote
+frontier--in fact, beyond the frontier, for the nearest settlement was
+an hundred miles off. His "kraal" was in a district bordering the great
+Kalihari desert--the Saaera of Southern Africa. The region around, for
+hundreds of miles, was uninhabited, for the thinly-scattered, half-human
+Bushmen who dwelt within its limits, hardly deserved the name of
+inhabitants any more than the wild beasts that howled around them.
+
+I have said that Von Bloom now followed the occupation of a "trek-boer."
+Farming in the Cape colony consists principally in the rearing of
+horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and these animals form the wealth of
+the boer. But the stock of our field-cornet was now a very small one.
+The proscription had swept away all his wealth, and he had not been
+fortunate in his first essays as a nomade grazier. The emancipation law,
+passed by the British Government, extended not only to the Negroes of
+the West India Islands, but also to the Hottentots of the Cape; and the
+result of it was that the servants of Mynheer Von Bloom had deserted
+him. His cattle, no longer properly cared for, had strayed off. Some of
+them fell a prey to wild beasts--some died of the _murrain_. His horses,
+too, were decimated by that mysterious disease of Southern Africa, the
+"horse-sickness;" while his sheep and goats were continually being
+attacked and diminished in numbers by the earth-wolf, the wild hound,
+and the hyena. A series of losses had he suffered until his horses,
+oxen, sheep, and goats, scarce counted altogether an hundred head. A
+very small stock for a vee-boer, or South African grazier.
+
+Withal our field-cornet was not unhappy. He looked around upon his three
+brave sons--Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. He looked upon his cherry-cheeked,
+flaxen-haired daughter, Gertrude, the very type and image of what her
+mother had been. From these he drew the hope of a happier future.
+
+His two eldest boys were already helps to him in his daily occupations;
+the youngest would soon be so likewise. In Gertrude,--or "Trueey," as she
+was endearingly styled,--he would soon have a capital housekeeper. He
+was not unhappy therefore; and if an occasional sigh escaped him, it was
+when the face of little Trueey recalled the memory of that Gertrude who
+was now in heaven.
+
+But Hendrik Von Bloom was not the man to despair. Disappointments had
+not succeeded in causing his spirits to droop. He only applied himself
+more ardently to the task of once more building up his fortune.
+
+For himself he had no ambition to be rich. He would have been contented
+with the simple life he was leading, and would have cared but little to
+increase his wealth. But other considerations weighed upon his
+mind--the future of his little family. He could not suffer his children
+to grow up in the midst of the wild plains without education.
+
+No; they must one day return to the abodes of men, to act their part in
+the drama of social and civilised life. This was his design.
+
+But how was this design to be accomplished? Though his so called act of
+treason had been pardoned, and he was now free to return within the
+limits of the colony, he was ill prepared for such a purpose. His poor
+wasted stock would not suffice to set him up within the settlements. It
+would scarce keep him a month. To return would be to return a beggar!
+
+Reflections of this kind sometimes gave him anxiety. But they also added
+energy to his disposition, and rendered him more eager to overcome the
+obstacles before him.
+
+During the present year he had been very industrious. In order that his
+cattle should be provided for in the season of winter he had planted a
+large quantity of maize and buckwheat, and now the crops of both were in
+the most prosperous condition. His garden, too, smiled, and promised a
+profusion of fruits, and melons, and kitchen vegetables. In short, the
+little homestead where he had fixed himself for a time, was a miniature
+oaesis; and he rejoiced day after day, as his eyes rested upon the
+ripening aspect around him. Once more he began to dream of
+prosperity--once more to hope that his evil fortunes had come to an end.
+
+Alas! It was a false hope. A series of trials yet awaited him--a series
+of misfortunes that deprived him of almost everything he possessed, and
+completely changed his mode of existence.
+
+Perhaps these occurrences could hardly be termed misfortunes, since in
+the end they led to a happy result.
+
+But you may judge for yourself, boy reader, after you have heard the
+"history and adventures" of the "trek-boer" and his family.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE KRAAL.
+
+
+The ex-field-cornet was seated in front of his _kraal_--for such is the
+name of a South African homestead. From his lips protruded a large pipe,
+with its huge bowl of _meerschaum_. Every boer is a smoker.
+
+Notwithstanding the many losses and crosses of his past life, there was
+contentment in his eye. He was gratified by the prosperous appearance of
+his crops. The maize was now "in the milk," and the ears, folded within
+the papyrus-like husks, looked full and large. It was delightful to hear
+the rustling of the long green blades, and see the bright golden tassels
+waving in the breeze. The heart of the farmer was glad as his eye
+glanced over his promising crop of "mealies."
+
+But there was another promising crop that still more gladdened his
+heart--his fine children. There they are--all around him.
+
+Hans--the oldest--steady, sober Hans, at work in the well-stocked
+garden; while the diminutive but sprightly imp Jan, the youngest, is
+looking on, and occasionally helping his brother. Hendrik--the dashing
+Hendrik, with bright face and light curling hair--is busy among the
+horses, in the "horse-kraal;" and Trueey--the beautiful, cherry-cheeked,
+flaxen-haired Trueey--is engaged with her pet--a fawn of the springbok
+gazelle--whose bright eyes rival her own in their expression of
+innocence and loveliness.
+
+Yes, the heart of the field-cornet is glad as he glances from one to the
+other of these his children--and with reason. They are all fair to look
+upon,--all give promise of goodness. If their father feels an occasional
+pang, it is, as we have already said, when his eye rests upon the
+cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude.
+
+But time has long since subdued that grief to a gentle melancholy. Its
+pang is short-lived, and the face of the field-cornet soon lightens up
+again as he looks around upon his dear children, so full of hope and
+promise.
+
+Hans and Hendrik are already strong enough to assist him in his
+occupations,--in fact, with the exception of "Swartboy," they are the
+only help he has.
+
+Who is Swartboy?
+
+Look into the horse-kraal, and you will there see Swartboy engaged,
+along with his young master Hendrik, in saddling a pair of horses. You
+may notice that Swartboy appears to be about thirty years old, and he is
+full that; but if you were to apply a measuring rule to him, you would
+find him not much over four feet in height! He is stoutly built,
+however, and would measure better in a horizontal direction. You may
+notice that he is of a yellow complexion, although his name might lead
+you to fancy he was black--for "Swartboy" means "black-boy."
+
+You may observe that his nose is flat and sunk below the level of his
+cheeks; that his cheeks are prominent, his lips very thick, his nostrils
+wide, his face beardless, and his head almost hairless--for the small
+kinky wool-knots thinly scattered over his skull can scarcely be
+designated hair. You may notice, moreover, that his head is monstrously
+large, with ears in proportion, and that the eyes are set obliquely, and
+have a Chinese expression. You may notice about Swartboy all those
+characteristics that distinguish the "Hottentots" of South Africa.
+
+Yet Swartboy is not a Hottentot--though he is of the same race. He is a
+Bushman.
+
+How came this wild Bushman into the service of the ex-field-cornet Von
+Bloom? About that there is a little romantic history. Thus:--
+
+Among the savage tribes of Southern Africa there exists a very cruel
+custom,--that of abandoning their aged or infirm, and often their sick
+or wounded, to die in the desert. Children leave their parents behind
+them, and the wounded are often forsaken by their comrades with no other
+provision made for them beyond a day's food and a cup of water!
+
+The Bushman Swartboy had been the victim of this custom. He had been
+upon a hunting excursion with some of his own kindred, and had been
+sadly mangled by a lion. His comrades, not expecting him to live, left
+him on the plain to die; and most certainly would he have perished had
+it not been for our field-cornet. The latter, as he was "trekking" over
+the plains, found the wounded Bushman, lifted him into his wagon,
+carried him on to his camp, dressed his wounds, and nursed him till he
+became well. That is how Swartboy came to be in the service of the
+field-cornet.
+
+Though gratitude is not a characteristic of his race, Swartboy was not
+ungrateful. When all the other servants ran away, he remained faithful
+to his master; and since that time had been a most efficient and useful
+hand. In fact, he was now the only one left, with the exception of the
+girl, Totty--who was, of course, a Hottentot; and much about the same
+height, size, and colour, as Swartboy himself.
+
+We have said that Swartboy and the young Hendrik were saddling a pair of
+horses. As soon as they had finished that job, they mounted them, and
+riding out of the kraal, took their way straight across the plain. They
+were followed by a couple of strong, rough-looking dogs.
+
+Their purpose was to drive home the oxen and the other horses that were
+feeding a good distance off. This they were in the habit of doing every
+evening at the same hour,--for in South Africa it is necessary to shut
+up all kinds of live stock at night, to protect them from beasts of
+prey. For this purpose are built several enclosures with high
+walls,--"kraals," as they are called,--a word of the same signification
+as the Spanish "corral," and I fancy introduced into Africa by the
+Portuguese--since it is not a native term.
+
+These kraals are important structures about the homestead of a boer,
+almost as much so as his own dwelling-house, which of itself also bears
+the name of "kraal."
+
+As young Hendrik and Swartboy rode off for the horses and cattle, Hans,
+leaving his work in the garden, proceeded to collect the sheep and drive
+them home. These browsed in a different direction; but, as they were
+near, he went afoot, taking little Jan along with him.
+
+Trueey having tied her pet to a post, had gone inside the house to help
+Totty in preparing the supper. Thus the field-cornet was left to himself
+and his pipe, which he still continued to smoke.
+
+He sat in perfect silence, though he could scarce restrain from giving
+expression to the satisfaction he felt at seeing his family thus
+industriously employed. Though pleased with all his children, it must be
+confessed he had some little partiality for the dashing Hendrik, who
+bore his own name, and who reminded him more of his own youth than any
+of the others. He was proud of Hendrik's gallant horsemanship, and his
+eyes followed him over the plain until the riders were nearly a mile
+off, and already mixing among the cattle.
+
+At this moment an object came under the eyes of Von Bloom, that at once
+arrested his attention. It was a curious appearance along the lower part
+of the sky, in the direction in which Hendrik and Swartboy had gone, but
+apparently beyond them. It resembled a dun-coloured mist or smoke, as if
+the plain at a great distance was on fire!
+
+Could that be so? Had some one fired the _karoo_ bushes? Or was it a
+cloud of dust?
+
+The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet it had
+that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not be the dust
+raised by a great herd of antelopes,--a migration of the springboks, for
+instance? It extended for miles along the horizon, but Von Bloom knew
+that these creatures often travel in flocks of greater extent than
+miles. Still he could not think it was that.
+
+He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to account
+for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against the blue
+sky--now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread
+conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the west, and
+already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had passed over the sun's
+disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell upon the plain. Was it
+the forerunner of some terrible storm?--of an earthquake?
+
+Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not like an
+ordinary cloud,--it was not like a cloud of dust,--it was not like
+smoke. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No wonder that
+he became anxious and apprehensive.
+
+All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon the
+plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted. Then
+the two riders disappeared under its dun shadow!
+
+Von Bloom rose to his feet, now seriously alarmed. What could it mean?
+
+The exclamation to which he gave utterance brought little Trueey and
+Totty from the house; and Hans with Jan had now got back with the sheep
+and goats. All saw the singular phenomenon, but none of them could tell
+what it was. All were in a state of alarm.
+
+As they stood gazing, with hearts full of fear, the two riders appeared
+coming out of the cloud, and then they were seen to gallop forward over
+the plain in the direction of the house. They came on at full speed, but
+long before they had got near, the voice of Swartboy could be heard
+crying out,--
+
+"Baas Von Bloom! _da springaans are comin'!--da springaan!--da
+springaan!_"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE SPRING-HAAN.
+
+
+"Ah _the springaan_!" cried Von Bloom, recognising the Dutch name for
+the far-famed migratory locust.
+
+The mystery was explained. The singular cloud that was spreading itself
+over the plain was neither more nor less than a flight of locusts!
+
+It was a sight that none of them, except Swartboy, had ever witnessed
+before. His master had often seen locusts in small quantities, and of
+several species,--for there are many kinds of these singular insects in
+South Africa. But that which now appeared was a true migratory locust
+(_Gryllus devastatorius_); and upon one of its great migrations--an
+event of rarer occurrence than travellers would have you believe.
+
+Swartboy knew them well; and, although he announced their approach in a
+state of great excitement, it was not the excitement of terror.
+
+Quite the contrary. His great thick lips were compressed athwart his
+face in a grotesque expression of joy. The instincts of his wild race
+were busy within him. To them a flight of locusts is not an object of
+dread, but a source of rejoicing--their coming as welcome as a take of
+shrimps to a Leigh fisherman, or harvest to the husband-man.
+
+The dogs, too, barked and howled with joy, and frisked about as if they
+were going out upon a hunt. On perceiving the cloud, their instinct
+enabled them easily to recognise the locusts. They regarded them with
+feelings similar to those that stirred Swartboy--for both dogs and
+Bushmen eat the insects with avidity!
+
+At the announcement that it was only locusts, all at once recovered from
+their alarm. Little Trueey and Jan laughed, clapped their hands, and
+waited with curiosity until they should come nearer. All had heard
+enough of locusts to know that they were only grasshoppers that neither
+bit nor stung any one, and therefore no one was afraid of them.
+
+Even Von Bloom himself was at first very little concerned about them.
+After his feelings of apprehension, the announcement that it was a
+flight of locusts was a relief, and for a while he did not dwell upon
+the nature of such a phenomenon, but only regarded it with feelings of
+curiosity.
+
+Of a sudden his thoughts took a new direction. His eye rested upon his
+fields of maize and buckwheat, upon his garden of melons, and fruits,
+and vegetables: a new alarm seized upon him; the memory of many stories
+which he had heard in relation to these destructive creatures rushed
+into his mind, and as the whole truth developed itself, he turned pale,
+and uttered new exclamations of alarm.
+
+The children changed countenance as well. They saw that their father
+suffered; though they knew not why. They gathered inquiringly around
+him.
+
+"Alas! alas! Lost! lost!" exclaimed he; "yes, all our crop--our labour
+of the year--gone, gone! O my dear children!"
+
+"How lost, father?--how gone?" exclaimed several of them in a breath.
+
+"See the springaan! they will eat up our crop--all--all!"
+
+"'Tis true, indeed," said Hans, who being a great student had often read
+accounts of the devastations committed by the locusts.
+
+The joyous countenances of all once more wore a sad expression, and it
+was no longer with curiosity that they gazed upon the distant cloud,
+that so suddenly had clouded their joy.
+
+Von Bloom had good cause for dread. Should the swarm come on, and settle
+upon his fields, farewell to his prospects of a harvest. They would
+strip the verdure from his whole farm in a twinkling. They would leave
+neither seed, nor leaf, nor stalk behind them.
+
+All stood watching the flight with painful emotions. The swarm was still
+a full half-mile distant. They appeared to be coming no nearer,--good!
+
+A ray of hope entered the mind of the field-cornet. He took off his
+broad felt hat, and held it up to the full stretch of his arm. The wind
+was blowing from the north, and the swarm was directly to the west of
+the kraal. The cloud of locusts had approached from the north, as they
+almost invariably do in the southern parts of Africa.
+
+"Yes," said Hendrik, who having been in their midst could tell what way
+they were drifting, "they came down upon us from a northerly direction.
+When we headed our horses homewards, we soon galloped out from them, and
+they did not appear to fly after us; I am sure they were passing
+southwards."
+
+Von Bloom entertained hopes that as none appeared due north of the
+kraal, the swarm might pass on without extending to the borders of his
+farm. He knew that they usually followed the direction of the wind.
+Unless the wind changed they would not swerve from their course.
+
+He continued to observe them anxiously. He saw that the selvedge of the
+cloud came no nearer. His hopes rose. His countenance grew brighter. The
+children noticed this and were glad, but said nothing. All stood
+silently watching.
+
+An odd sight it was. There was not only the misty swarm of the insects
+to gaze upon. The air above them was filled with birds--strange birds
+and of many kinds. On slow, silent wing soared the brown "oricou," the
+largest of Africa's vultures; and along with him the yellow "chasse
+fiente," the vulture of Kolbe. There swept the bearded "lamvanger," on
+broad extended wings. There shrieked the great "Caffre eagle," and side
+by side with him the short-tailed and singular "bateleur." There, too
+were hawks of different sizes and colours, and kites cutting through the
+air, and crows and ravens, and many species of _insectivora_.
+
+But far more numerous than all the rest could be seen the little
+_springhaan-vogel_, a speckled bird of nearly the size and form of a
+swallow. Myriads of these darkened the air above--hundreds of them
+continually shooting down among the insects, and soaring up again each
+with a victim in its beak. "Locust-vultures" are these creatures named,
+though not vultures in kind. They feed exclusively on these insects, and
+are never seen where the locusts are not. They follow them through all
+their migrations, building their nests, and rearing their young, in the
+midst of their prey!
+
+It was, indeed, a curious sight to look upon, that swarm of winged
+insects, and their numerous and varied enemies; and all stood gazing
+upon it with feelings of wonder. Still the living cloud approached no
+nearer, and the hopes of Von Bloom continued to rise.
+
+The swarm kept extending to the south--in fact, it now stretched along
+the whole western horizon; and all noticed that it was gradually getting
+lower down--that is, its top edge was sinking in the heavens. Were the
+locusts passing off to the west? No.
+
+"Da am goin roost for da nacht--now we'll get 'em in bag-full," said
+Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular locust-eater,
+as fond of them as either eagle or kite,--aye, as the "springhaan-vogel"
+itself.
+
+It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling down on
+the plain.
+
+"Can't fly without sun," continued the Bushman. "Too cold now. Dey go
+dead till da mornin."
+
+And so it was. The sun had set. The cool breeze weakened the wings of
+the insect travellers; and they were compelled to make halt for the
+night upon the trees, bushes, and grass.
+
+In a few minutes the dark mist that had hid the blue rim of the sky, was
+seen no more; but the distant plain looked as if a fire had swept over
+it. It was thickly covered with the bodies of the insects, that gave it
+a blackened appearance as far as the eye could reach.
+
+The attendant birds, perceiving the approach of night, screamed for
+awhile, and then scattered away through the heavens. Some perched upon
+the rocks, while others went to roost among the low thickets of mimosa;
+and now for a short interval both earth and air were silent.
+
+Von Bloom now bethought him of his cattle. Their forms were seen afar
+off in the midst of the locust-covered plain.
+
+"Let 'em feed um little while, baas," suggested Swartboy.
+
+"On what?" inquired his master. "Don't you see the grass is covered!"
+
+"On de springhaan demself, baas," replied the Bushman; "good for fatten
+big ox--better dan grass--ya, better dan _mealies_."
+
+But it was too late to leave the cattle longer out upon the plain. The
+lions would soon be abroad--the sooner because of the locusts, for the
+king of the beasts does not disdain to fill his royal stomach with these
+insects--when he can find them.
+
+Von Bloom saw the necessity of bringing his cattle at once to their
+kraal.
+
+A third horse was saddled, which the field-cornet himself mounted, and
+rode off, followed by Hendrik and Swartboy.
+
+On approaching the locusts they beheld a singular sight. The ground was
+covered with these reddish-brown creatures, in some spots to the depth
+of several inches. What bushes there were were clustered with them,--all
+over the leaves and branches, as if swarms of bees had settled upon
+them. Not a leaf or blade of grass that was not covered with their
+bodies!
+
+They moved not, but remained silent, as if torpid or asleep. The cold of
+the evening had deprived them of the power of flight.
+
+What was strangest of all to the eyes of Von Bloom and Hendrik, was the
+conduct of their own horses and cattle. These were some distance out in
+the midst of the sleeping host; but instead of being alarmed at their
+odd situation, they were greedily gathering up the insects in mouthfuls,
+and crunching them as though they had been corn!
+
+It was with some difficulty that they could be driven off; but the roar
+of a lion, that was just then heard over the plain, and the repeated
+application of Swartboy's _jambok_, rendered them more tractable, and at
+length they suffered themselves to be driven home, and lodged within
+their kraals.
+
+Swartboy had provided himself with a bag, which he carried back full of
+locusts.
+
+It was observed that in collecting the insects into the bag, he acted
+with some caution, handling them very gingerly, as if he was afraid of
+them. It was not them he feared, but snakes which, upon such occasions
+are very plenteous, and very much to be dreaded--as the Bushman from
+experience well knew.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS.
+
+
+It was a night of anxiety in the kraal of the field-cornet. Should the
+wind veer round to the west, to a certainty the locusts would cover his
+land in the morning, and the result would be the total destruction of
+his crops. Perhaps worse than that. Perhaps the whole vegetation
+around--for fifty miles or more--might be destroyed; and then how would
+his cattle be fed? It would be no easy matter even to save their lives.
+They might perish before he could drive them to any other pasturage!
+
+Such a thing was by no means uncommon or improbable. In the history of
+the Cape colony many a boer had lost his flocks in this very way. No
+wonder there was anxiety that night in the kraal of the field-cornet.
+
+At intervals Von Bloom went out to ascertain whether there was any
+change in the wind. Up to a late hour he could perceive none. A gentle
+breeze still blew from the north--from the great Kalihari
+desert--whence, no doubt, the locusts had come. The moon was bright, and
+her light gleamed over the host of insects that darkly covered the
+plain. The roar of the lion could be heard mingling with the shrill
+scream of the jackal and the maniac laugh of the hyena. All these
+beasts, and many more, were enjoying a plenteous repast.
+
+Perceiving no change in the wind, Von Bloom became less uneasy, and they
+all conversed freely about the locusts. Swartboy took a leading part in
+this conversation, as he was better acquainted with the subject than any
+of them. It was far from being the first flight of locusts Swartboy had
+seen, and many a bushel of them had he eaten. It was natural to suppose,
+therefore, that he knew a good deal about them.
+
+He knew not whence they came. That was a point about which Swartboy had
+never troubled himself. The learned Hans offered an explanation of their
+origin.
+
+"They come from the desert," said he. "The eggs from which they are
+produced, are deposited in the sands or dust; where they lie until rain
+falls, and causes the herbage to spring up. Then the locusts are
+hatched, and in their first stage are supported upon this herbage. When
+it becomes exhausted, they are compelled to go in search of food. Hence
+these 'migrations,' as they are called."
+
+This explanation seemed clear enough.
+
+"Now I have heard," said Hendrik, "of farmers kindling fires around
+their crops to keep off the locusts. I can't see how fires would keep
+them off--not even if a regular fence of fire were made all round a
+field. These creatures have wings, and could easily fly over the fires."
+
+"The fires," replied Hans, "are kindled, in order that the smoke may
+prevent them from alighting; but the locusts to which these accounts
+usually refer are without wings, called _voetgangers_ (foot-goers). They
+are, in fact, the _larvae_ of these locusts, before they have obtained
+their wings. These have also their migrations, that are often more
+destructive than those of the perfect insects, such as we see here. They
+proceed over the ground by crawling and leaping like grasshoppers; for,
+indeed, they are grasshoppers--a species of them. They keep on in one
+direction, as if they were guided by instinct to follow a particular
+course. Nothing can interrupt them in their onward march unless the sea
+or some broad and rapid river. Small streams they can swim across; and
+large ones, too, where they run sluggishly; walls and houses they can
+climb--even the chimneys--going straight over them; and the moment they
+have reached the other side of any obstacle, they continue straight
+onward in the old direction.
+
+"In attempting to cross broad rapid rivers, they are drowned in
+countless myriads, and swept off to the sea. When it is only a small
+migration, the farmers sometimes keep them off by means of fires, as you
+have heard. On the contrary, when large numbers appear, even the fires
+are of no avail."
+
+"But how is that, brother?" inquired Hendrik. "I can understand how
+fires would stop the kind you speak of, since you say they are without
+wings. But since they are so, how do they get through the fires? Jump
+them?"
+
+"No, not so," replied Hans. "The fires are built too wide and large for
+that."
+
+"How then, brother?" asked Hendrik. "I'm puzzled."
+
+"So am I," said little Jan.
+
+"And I," added Trueey.
+
+"Well, then," continued Hans, "millions of the insects crawl into the
+fires and put them out!"
+
+"Ho!" cried all in astonishment. "How? Are they not burned?"
+
+"Of course," replied Hans. "They are scorched and killed--myriads of
+them quite burned up. But their bodies crowded thickly on the fires
+choke them out. The foremost ranks of the great host thus become
+victims, and the others pass safely across upon the holocaust thus made.
+So you see, even fires cannot stop the course of the locusts when they
+are in great numbers.
+
+"In many parts of Africa, where the natives cultivate the soil, as soon
+as they discover a migration of these insects, and perceive that they
+are heading in the direction of their fields and gardens, quite a panic
+is produced among them. They know that they will lose their crops to a
+certainty, and hence dread a visitation of locusts as they would an
+earthquake, or some other great calamity."
+
+"We can well understand their feelings upon such an occasion," remarked
+Hendrik, with a significant look.
+
+"The flying locusts," continued Hans, "seem less to follow a particular
+direction than their larvae. The former seem to be guided by the wind.
+Frequently this carries them all into the sea, where they perish in vast
+numbers. On some parts of the coast their dead bodies have been found
+washed back to land in quantities incredible. At one place the sea threw
+them upon the beach, until they lay piled up in a ridge four feet in
+height, and fifty miles in length! It has been asserted by several
+well-known travellers that the effluvium from this mass tainted the air
+to such an extent that it was perceived one hundred and fifty miles
+inland!"
+
+"Heigh!" exclaimed little Jan. "I didn't think anybody had so good a
+nose."
+
+At little Jan's remark there was a general laugh. Von Bloom did not join
+in their merriment. He was in too serious a mood just then.
+
+"Papa," inquired little Trueey, perceiving that her father did not laugh,
+and thinking to draw him into the conversation,--"Papa! were these the
+kind of locusts eaten by John the Baptist when in the desert? His food,
+the Bible says, was 'locusts and wild honey.'"
+
+"I believe these are the same," replied the father.
+
+"I think, papa," modestly rejoined Hans, "they are not exactly the same,
+but a kindred species. The locust of Scripture was the true _Gryllus
+migratorius_, and different from those of South Africa, though very
+similar in its habits. But," continued he, "some writers dispute that
+point altogether. The Abyssinians say that it was beans of the
+locust-tree, and not insects, that were the food of St. John."
+
+"What is your own opinion, Hans?" inquired Hendrik, who had a great
+belief in his brother's book-knowledge.
+
+"Why, I think," replied Hans, "there need be no question about it. It is
+only torturing the meaning of a word to suppose that St. John ate the
+locust fruit, and not the insect. I am decidedly of opinion that the
+latter is meant in Scripture; and what makes me think so is, that these
+two kinds of food, 'locusts and wild honey,' are often coupled together,
+as forming at the present time the subsistence of many tribes who are
+denizens of the desert. Besides, we have good evidence that both were
+used as food by desert-dwelling people in the days of Scripture. It is,
+therefore, but natural to suppose that St. John, when in the desert, was
+forced to partake of this food; just as many a traveller of modern times
+has eaten of it when crossing the deserts that surround us here in South
+Africa.
+
+"I have read a great many books about locusts," continued Hans; "and now
+that the Bible has been mentioned, I must say for my part, I know no
+account given of these insects so truthful and beautiful as that in the
+Bible itself. Shall I read it, papa?"
+
+"By all means, my boy," said the field-cornet, rather pleased at the
+request which his son had made, and at the tenor of the conversation.
+
+Little Trueey ran into the inner room and brought out an immense volume
+bound in gemsbok skin, with a couple of brass clasps upon it to keep it
+closed. This was the family Bible; and here let me observe, that a
+similar book may be found in the house of nearly every boer, for these
+Dutch colonists are a Protestant and Bible-loving people--so much so,
+that they think nothing of going a hundred miles, four times in the
+year, to attend the _nacht-maal_, or sacramental supper! What do you
+think of that?
+
+Hans opened the volume, and turned at once to the book of the prophet
+Joel. From the readiness with which he found the passage, it was
+evident he was well acquainted with the book he held in his hands.
+
+He read as follows:
+
+     "A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of
+     thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great
+     people and a strong: there hath not been ever the like, neither
+     shall be any more after it, even to the years of many
+     generations. A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a
+     flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and
+     behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape
+     them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and
+     as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the
+     tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of
+     fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle
+     array. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall
+     tremble; the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall
+     withdraw their shining. How do the beasts groan! the herds of
+     cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the
+     flocks of sheep are made desolate."
+
+Even the rude Swartboy could perceive the poetic beauty of this
+description.
+
+But Swartboy had much to say about the locusts, as well as the inspired
+Joel.
+
+Thus spoke Swartboy:--
+
+"Bushman no fear da springhaan. Bushman hab no garden--no maize--no
+buckwheat--no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman eat locust
+himself--he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat dem dar springhaan.
+Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho! den for dem springhaan!"
+
+These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are eaten by
+almost every species of animal known in South Africa. Not only do the
+_carnivora_ greedily devour them, but also animals and birds of the game
+kind--such as antelopes, partridges, guinea-fowls, bustards, and,
+strange to say, the giant of all--the huge elephant--will travel for
+miles to overtake a migration of locusts! Domestic fowls, sheep, horses,
+and dogs, devour them with equal greediness. Still another strange
+fact--the locusts eat one another! If any one of them gets hurt, so as
+to impede his progress, the others immediately turn upon him and eat him
+up!
+
+The Bushmen and other native races of Africa submit the locusts to a
+process of cookery before eating them; and during the whole evening
+Swartboy had been engaged in preparing the bagful which he had
+collected. He "cooked" them thus:--
+
+He first boiled, or rather steamed them, for only a small quantity of
+water was put into the pot. This process lasted two hours. They were
+then taken out, and allowed to dry; and after that shaken about in a
+pan, until all the legs and wings were broken off from the bodies. A
+winnowing process--Swartboy's thick lips acting as a fan--was next gone
+through; and the legs and wings were thus got rid of. The locusts were
+then ready for eating.
+
+A little salt only was required to render them more palatable, when all
+present made trial of, and some of the children even liked them. By
+many, locusts prepared in this way are considered quite equal to
+shrimps!
+
+Sometimes they are pounded when quite dry into a sort of meal, and with
+water added to them, are made into a kind of stirabout.
+
+When well dried, they will keep for a long time; and they frequently
+form the only store of food which the poorer natives have to depend upon
+for a whole season.
+
+Among many tribes--particularly among those who are not
+agricultural--the coming of the locusts is a source of rejoicing. These
+people turn out with sacks, and often with pack-oxen to collect and
+bring them to the villages; and on such occasions vast heaps of them are
+accumulated and stored, in the same way as grain!
+
+Conversing of these things the night passed on until it was time for
+going to bed. The field-cornet went out once again to observe the wind;
+and then the door of the little kraal was closed, and the family retired
+to rest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE LOCUST-FLIGHT.
+
+
+The field-cornet slept but little. Anxiety kept him awake. He turned and
+tossed, and thought of the locusts. He napped at intervals, and dreamt
+about locusts, and crickets, and grasshoppers, and all manner of great
+long-legged, goggle-eyed insects. He was glad when the first ray of
+light penetrated through the little window of his chamber.
+
+He sprang to his feet; and, scarce staying to dress himself, rushed out
+into the open air. It was still dark, but he did not require to see the
+wind. He did not need to toss a feather or hold up his hat. The truth
+was too plain. A strong breeze was blowing--it was blowing _from the
+west_!
+
+Half distracted, he ran farther out to assure himself. He ran until
+clear of the walls that enclosed the kraals and garden.
+
+He halted and felt the air. Alas! his first impression was correct. The
+breeze blew directly from the west--directly from the locusts. He could
+perceive the effluvium borne from the hateful insects: there was no
+longer cause to doubt.
+
+Groaning in spirit, Von Bloom returned to his house. He had no longer
+any hope of escaping the terrible visitation.
+
+His first directions were to collect all the loose pieces of linen or
+clothing in the house, and pack them within the family chests. What!
+would the locusts be likely to eat them?
+
+Indeed, yes--for these voracious creatures are not fastidious. No
+particular vegetable seems to be chosen by them. The leaves of the
+bitter tobacco plant appear to be as much to their liking as the sweet
+and succulent blades of maize! Pieces of linen, cotton, and even
+flannel, are devoured by them, as though they were the tender shoots of
+plants. Stones, iron, and hard wood, are about the only objects that
+escape their fierce masticators.
+
+Von Bloom had heard this, Hans had read of it, and Swartboy confirmed it
+from his own experience.
+
+Consequently, everything that was at all destructible was carefully
+stowed away; and then breakfast was cooked and eaten in silence.
+
+There was a gloom over the faces of all, because he who was the head of
+all was silent and dejected. What a change within a few hours! But the
+evening before the field-cornet and his little family were in the full
+enjoyment of happiness.
+
+There was still one hope, though a slight one. Might it yet rain? Or
+might the day turn out cold?
+
+In either case Swartboy said the locusts could not take wing--for they
+cannot fly in cold or rainy weather. In the event of a cold or wet day
+they would have to remain as they were, and perhaps the wind might
+change round again before they resumed their flight. Oh, for a torrent
+of rain, or a cold cloudy day!
+
+Vain wish! vain hope! In half-an-hour after the sun rose up in African
+splendour, and his hot rays, slanting down upon the sleeping host,
+warmed them into life and activity. They commenced to crawl, to hop
+about, and then, as if by one impulse, myriads rose into the air. The
+breeze impelled them in the direction in which it was blowing,--in the
+direction of the devoted maize fields.
+
+In less than five minutes, from the time they had taken wing, they were
+over the kraal, and dropping in tens of thousands upon the surrounding
+fields. Slow was their flight, and gentle their descent, and to the eyes
+of those beneath they presented the appearance of a shower of _black_
+snow, falling in large feathery flakes. In a few moments the ground was
+completely covered, until every stalk of maize, every plant and bush,
+carried its hundreds. On the outer plains too, as far as eye could see,
+the pasture was strewed thickly; and as the great flight had now passed
+to the eastward of the house, the sun's disk was again hidden by them as
+if by an eclipse!
+
+They seemed to move in a kind of _echelon_, the bands in the rear
+constantly flying to the front, and then halting to feed, until in turn
+these were headed by others that had advanced over them in a similar
+manner.
+
+The noise produced by their wings was not the least curious phenomenon;
+and resembled a steady breeze playing among the leaves of the forest, or
+the sound of a water-wheel.
+
+For two hours this passage continued. During most of that time, Von
+Bloom and his people had remained within the house, with closed doors
+and windows. This they did to avoid the unpleasant shower, as the
+creatures impelled by the breeze, often strike the cheek so forcibly as
+to cause a feeling of pain. Moreover, they did not like treading upon
+the unwelcome intruders, and crushing them under their feet, which they
+must have done, had they moved about outside where the ground was
+thickly covered.
+
+Many of the insects even crawled inside, through the chinks of the door
+and windows, and greedily devoured any vegetable substance which
+happened to be lying about the floor.
+
+At the end of two hours Von Bloom looked forth. The thickest of the
+flight had passed. The sun was again shining; but upon what was he
+shining? No longer upon green fields and a flowery garden. No. Around
+the house, on every side, north, south, east, and west, the eye rested
+only on black desolation. Not a blade of grass, not a leaf could be
+seen--even the very bark was stripped from the trees, that now stood as
+if withered by the hand of God! Had fire swept the surface, it could not
+have left it more naked and desolate. There was no garden, there were no
+fields of maize or buckwheat, there was no longer a farm--the kraal
+stood in the midst of a desert!
+
+Words cannot depict the emotions of the field-cornet at that moment. The
+pen cannot describe his painful feelings.
+
+Such a change in two hours! He could scarce credit his senses--he could
+scarce believe in its reality. He knew that the locusts would eat up his
+maize, and his wheat, and the vegetables of his garden; but his fancy
+had fallen far short of the extreme desolation that had actually been
+produced. The whole landscape was metamorphosed--grass was out of the
+question--trees, whose delicate foliage had played in the soft breeze
+but two short hours before, now stood leafless, scathed by worse than
+winter. The very ground seemed altered in shape! He would not have known
+it as his own farm. Most certainly had the owner been absent during the
+period of the locust-flight, and approached without any information of
+what had been passing, he would not have recognised the place of his own
+habitation!
+
+With the phlegm peculiar to his race, the field-cornet sat down, and
+remained for a long time without speech or movement.
+
+His children gathered near, and looked on--their young hearts painfully
+throbbing. They could not fully appreciate the difficult circumstances
+in which this occurrence had placed them; nor did their father himself
+at first. He thought only of the loss he had sustained, in the
+destruction of his fine crops; and this of itself, when we consider his
+isolated situation, and the hopelessness of restoring them, was enough
+to cause him very great chagrin.
+
+"Gone! all gone!" he exclaimed, in a sorrowing voice. "Oh!
+Fortune--Fortune--again art thou cruel!"
+
+"Papa! do not grieve," said a soft voice; "we are all alive yet, we are
+here by your side;" and with the words a little white hand was laid upon
+his shoulder. It was the hand of the beautiful Trueey.
+
+It seemed as if an angel had smiled upon him. He lifted the child in
+his arms, and in a paroxysm of fondness pressed her to his heart. That
+heart felt relieved.
+
+"Bring me the Book," said he, addressing one of the boys.
+
+[Illustration: THE SHOWER OF LOCUSTS.]
+
+The Bible was brought--its massive covers were opened--a verse was
+chosen--and the song of praise rose up in the midst of the desert.
+
+The Book was closed; and for some minutes all knelt in prayer.
+
+When Von Bloom again stood upon his feet, and looked around him, the
+desert seemed once more to "rejoice and blossom as the rose."
+
+Upon the human heart such is the magic influence of resignation and
+humility.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+"INSPANN AND TREK!"
+
+With all his confidence in the protection of a Supreme Being, Von Bloom
+knew that he was not to leave everything to the Divine hand. That was
+not the religion he had been taught; and he at once set about taking
+measures to extricate himself from the unpleasant position in which he
+was placed.
+
+Unpleasant position! Ha! It was more than unpleasant, as the
+field-cornet began to perceive. It was a position of peril!
+
+The more Von Bloom reflected, the more was he convinced of this. There
+they were, in the middle of a black naked plain, that without a green
+spot extended beyond the limits of vision. How much farther he could not
+guess; but he knew that the devastations of the migratory locust
+sometimes cover an area of thousands of miles! It was certain that the
+one that had just swept past was on a very extensive scale.
+
+It was evident he could no longer remain by his kraal. His horses, and
+cattle, and sheep, could not live without food; and should these perish,
+upon what were he and his family to subsist? He must leave the kraal. He
+must go in search of pasture, without loss of time,--at once. Already
+the animals, shut up beyond their usual hour, were uttering their varied
+cries, impatient to be let out. They would soon hunger; and it was hard
+to say when food could be procured for them.
+
+There was no time to be lost. Every hour was of great importance,--even
+minutes must not be wasted in dubious hesitation.
+
+The field-cornet spent but a few minutes in consideration. Whether
+should he mount one of his best horses, and ride off alone in search of
+pasture? or whether would it not be better to "inspann" his wagon, and
+take everything along with him at once?
+
+He soon decided in favour of the latter course. In any case he would
+have been compelled to move from his present location,--to leave the
+kraal altogether.
+
+He might as well take everything at once. Should he go out alone, it
+might cost him a long time to find grass and water--for both would be
+necessary--and, meantime, his stock would be suffering.
+
+These and other considerations decided him at once to "inspann" and
+"trek" away, with his wagon, his horses, his cattle, his sheep, his
+"household goods," and his whole family circle.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" was the command: and Swartboy, who was proud of the
+reputation he had earned as a wagon-driver, was now seen waving his
+bamboo whip like a great fishing-rod.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" echoed Swartboy, tying upon his twenty-feet lash a
+new cracker, which he had twisted out of the skin of the hartebeest
+antelope.
+
+"Inspann and trek!" he repeated, making his vast whip crack like a
+pistol; "yes, baas, I'll inspann;" and, having satisfied himself that
+his "voor-slag" was properly adjusted, Swartboy rested the bamboo handle
+against the side of the house, and proceeded to the kraal to collect the
+yoke-oxen.
+
+A large wagon, of a sort that is the pride and property of every Cape
+farmer, stood to one side of the house. It was a vehicle of the first
+class,--a regular "cap-tent" wagon,--that had been made for the
+field-cornet in his better days, and in which he had been used to drive
+his wife and children to the "nacht-maal," and upon _vrolykheids_
+(parties of pleasure). In those days a team of eight fine horses used to
+draw it along at a rattling rate. Alas! oxen had now to take their
+place; for Von Bloom had but five horses in his whole stud, and these
+were required for the saddle.
+
+But the wagon was almost as good as ever it had been,--almost as good as
+when it used to be the envy of the field-cornet's neighbours, the boers
+of Graaf Reinet. Nothing was broken. Everything was in its
+place,--"voor-kist," and "achter-kist," and side-chests. There was the
+snow-white cap, with its "fore-clap" and "after-clap," and its inside
+pockets, all complete; and the wheels neatly carved, and the well-planed
+boxing and "disselboom," and the strong "trektow" of buffalo-hide.
+Nothing was wanting that ought to be found about a wagon. It was, in
+fact, the best part of the field-cornet's property that remained to
+him,--for it was equal in value to all the oxen, cattle, and sheep, upon
+his establishment.
+
+While Swartboy, assisted by Hendrik, was catching up the twelve
+yoke-oxen, and attaching them to the disselboom and trektow of the
+wagon, the "baas" himself, aided by Hans, Totty, and also by Trueey and
+little Jan, was loading up the furniture and implements. This was not a
+difficult task. The _Penates_ of the little kraal were not numerous, and
+were all soon packed either inside or around the roomy vehicle.
+
+In about an hour's time the wagon was loaded up, the oxen were
+inspanned, the horses saddled, and everything was ready for "trekking."
+
+And now arose the question, _whither_?
+
+Up to this time Von Bloom had only thought of getting away from the
+spot--of escaping beyond the naked waste that surrounded him.
+
+It now became necessary to determine the direction in which they were to
+travel--a most important consideration.
+
+Important, indeed, as a little reflection showed. They might go in the
+direction in which the locusts had gone, or that in which they had come?
+On either route they might travel for scores of miles without meeting
+with a mouthful of grass for the hungry animals; and in such a case
+these would break down and perish.
+
+Or the travellers might move in some other direction, and find grass,
+but not water. Without water, not only would they have to fear for the
+cattle, but for themselves--for their own lives. How important then it
+was, which way they turned their faces!
+
+At first the field-cornet bethought him of heading towards the
+settlements. The nearest water in that direction was almost fifty miles
+off. It lay to the eastward of the kraal. The locusts had just gone that
+way. They would by this time have laid waste the whole country--perhaps
+to the water or beyond it!
+
+It would be a great risk going in that direction.
+
+Northward lay the Kalihari desert. It would be hopeless to steer north.
+Von Bloom knew of no oaesis in the desert. Besides the locusts had come
+from the north. They were drifting southward when first seen; and from
+the time they had been observed passing in this last direction, they had
+no doubt ere this wasted the plains far to the south.
+
+The thoughts of the field-cornet were now turned to the west. It is true
+the swarm had last approached from the west; but Von Bloom fancied that
+they had first come down from the north, and that the sudden veering
+round of the wind had caused them to change direction. He thought that
+by trekking westward he would soon get beyond the ground they had laid
+bare.
+
+He knew something of the plains to the west--not much indeed, but he
+knew that at about forty miles distance there was a spring with good
+pasturage around it, upon whose water he could depend. He had once
+visited it, while on a search for some of his cattle, that had wandered
+thus far. Indeed, it then appeared to him a better situation for cattle
+than the one he held, and he had often thought of moving to it. Its
+great distance from any civilized settlement was the reason why he had
+not done so. Although he was already far beyond the frontier, he still
+kept up a sort of communication with the settlements, whereas at the
+more distant point such a communication would be extremely difficult.
+
+Now that other considerations weighed with him, his thoughts once more
+returned to this spring; and after spending a few minutes more in
+earnest deliberation, he decided upon "trekking" westward.
+
+Swartboy was ordered to head round, and strike to the west. The Bushman
+promptly leaped to his seat upon the voor-kist, cracked his mighty whip,
+straightened out his long team, and moved off over the plain.
+
+Hans and Hendrik were already in their saddles; and having cleared the
+kraals of all their live stock, with the assistance of the dogs, drove
+the lowing and bleating animals before them.
+
+Trueey and little Jan sat beside Swartboy on the fore-chest of the wagon;
+and the round full eyes of the pretty springbok could be seen peeping
+curiously out from under the cap-tent.
+
+Casting a last look upon his desolate kraal, the field-cornet turned his
+horse's head, and rode after the wagon.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+WATER! WATER!
+
+
+On moved the little caravan, but not in silence. Swartboy's voice and
+whip made an almost continual noise. The latter could be plainly heard
+more than a mile over the plain, like repeated discharges of a musket.
+Hendrik, too, did a good deal in the way of shouting; and even the
+usually quiet Hans was under the necessity of using his voice to urge
+the flock forward in the right direction.
+
+Occasionally both the boys were called upon to give Swartboy a help with
+the leading oxen when those became obstinate or restive, and would turn
+out of the track. At such times either Hans or Hendrik would gallop up,
+set the heads of the animals right again, and ply the "jamboks" upon
+their sides.
+
+This "jambok" is a severe chastener to an obstinate ox. It is an elastic
+whip made of rhinoceros or hippopotamus skin,--hippopotamus is the
+best,--near six feet long, and tapering regularly from butt to tip.
+
+Whenever the led oxen misbehaved, and Swartboy could not reach them with
+his long "voor-slag," Hendrik was ever ready to tickle them with his
+tough jambok; and, by this means, frighten them into good behaviour.
+Indeed, one of the boys was obliged to be at their head nearly all the
+time.
+
+A leader is used to accompany most teams of oxen in South Africa. But
+those of the field-cornet had been accustomed to draw the wagon without
+one, ever since the Hottentot servants ran away; and Swartboy had driven
+many miles with no other help than his long whip. But the strange look
+of everything, since the locusts passed, had made the oxen shy and wild;
+besides the insects had obliterated every track or path which oxen would
+have followed. The whole surface was alike,--there was neither trace nor
+mark. Even Von Bloom himself could with difficulty recognise the
+features of the country, and had to guide himself by the sun in the sky.
+
+Hendrik stayed mostly by the head of the leading oxen. Hans had no
+difficulty in driving the flock when once fairly started. A sense of
+fear kept all together, and as there was no herbage upon any side to
+tempt them to stray, they moved regularly on.
+
+Von Bloom rode in front to guide the caravan. Neither he nor any of them
+had made any change in their costume, but travelled in their everyday
+dress. The field-cornet himself was habited after the manner of most
+boers, in wide leathern trousers, termed in that country "crackers;" a
+large roomy jacket of green cloth, with ample outside pockets; a
+fawn-skin waistcoat; a huge white felt hat, with the broadest of brims;
+and upon his feet a pair of brogans of African unstained leather, known
+among the boers as "feldt-schoenen" (country shoes). Over his saddle lay
+a "kaross," or robe of leopard-skins, and upon his shoulder he carried
+his "roer"--a large smooth-bore gun, about six feet in length, with an
+old-fashioned flint-lock,--quite a load of itself.
+
+This is the gun in which the boer puts all his trust; and although an
+American backwoodsman would at first sight be disposed to laugh at such
+a weapon, a little knowledge of the boer's country would change his
+opinion of the "roer." His own weapon--the small-bore rifle, with a
+bullet less than a pea--would be almost useless among the large game
+that inhabits the country of the boer. Upon the "karoos" of Africa there
+are crack shots and sterling hunters, as well as in the backwoods or on
+the prairies of America.
+
+Curving round under the field-cornet's left arm, and resting against his
+side, was an immense powder-horn--of such size as could only be produced
+upon the head of an African ox. It was from the country of the
+Bechuanas, though nearly all Cape oxen grow horns of vast dimensions. Of
+course it was used to carry the field-cornet's powder, and, if full, it
+must have contained half-a-dozen pounds at least! A leopard-skin pouch
+hanging under his right arm, a hunting-knife stuck in his waist-belt,
+and a large meerschaum pipe through the band of his hat, completed the
+equipments of the trek-boer, Von Bloom.
+
+Hans and Hendrik were very similarly attired, armed, and equipped. Of
+course their trousers were of dressed sheep-skin, wide--like the
+trousers of all young boers--and they also wore jackets and
+"feldt-schoenen," and broad-brimmed white hats. Hans carried a light
+fowling-piece, while Hendrik's gun was a stout rifle of the kind known
+as a "yaeger" an excellent gun for large game. In this piece Hendrik had
+great pride, and had learnt to drive a nail with it at nearly a hundred
+paces. Hendrik was _par excellence_ the marksman of the party. Each of
+the boys also carried a large crescent-shaped powder-horn, with a pouch
+for bullets; and over the saddle of each was strapped the robe or
+kaross, differing only from their father's in that his was of the rarer
+leopard-skin, while theirs were a commoner sort, one of antelope, and
+the other of jackal-skin.
+
+Little Jan also wore wide trousers, jacket, "feldt-schoenen," and
+broad-brimmed beaver,--in fact, Jan, although scarce a yard high, was,
+in point of costume, a type of his father,--a diminutive type of the
+boer. Trueey was habited in a skirt of blue woollen stuff, with a neat
+bodice elaborately stitched and embroidered after the Dutch fashion, and
+over her fair locks she wore a light sun-hat of straw with a ribbon and
+strings. Totty was very plainly attired in strong homespun, without any
+head-dress. As for Swartboy, a pair of old leathern "crackers" and a
+striped shirt were all the clothing he carried, beside his sheep-skin
+kaross. Such were the costumes of our travellers.
+
+For full twenty miles the plain was wasted bare. Not a bite could the
+beasts obtain, and water there was none. The sun during the day shone
+brightly,--too brightly, for his beams were as hot as within the
+tropics. The travellers could scarce have borne them had it not been
+that a stiff breeze was blowing all day long. But this unfortunately
+blew directly in their faces, and the dry karoos are never without dust.
+The constant hopping of the locusts with their millions of tiny feet had
+loosened the crust of earth: and now the dust rose freely upon the wind.
+Clouds of it enveloped the little caravan, and rendered their forward
+movement both difficult and disagreeable. Long before night their
+clothes were covered, their mouths filled, and their eyes sore.
+
+But all that was nothing. Long before night a far greater grievance was
+felt,--the want of water!
+
+In their hurry to escape from the desolate scene at the kraal, Von Bloom
+had not thought of bringing a supply in the wagon--a sad oversight, in a
+country like South Africa, where springs are so rare, and running
+streams so uncertain. A sad oversight indeed, as they now learnt--for
+long before night they were all crying out for water--all were equally
+suffering from the pangs of thirst.
+
+Von Bloom thirsted, but he did not think of himself, except that he
+suffered from self-accusation. He blamed himself for neglecting to bring
+a needful supply of water. He was the cause of the sufferings of all the
+rest. He felt sad and humbled on account of his thoughtless negligence.
+
+He could promise them no relief--at least none until they should reach
+the spring. He knew of no water nearer.
+
+It would be impossible to reach the spring that night. It was late when
+they started. Oxen travel slowly. Half the distance would be as much as
+they could make by sundown.
+
+To reach the water they would have to travel all night; but they could
+not do that for many reasons. The oxen would require to rest--the more
+so that they were hungered; and now Von Bloom thought, when too late, of
+another neglect he had committed--that was, in not collecting, during
+the flight of the locusts, a sufficient quantity of them to have given
+his cattle a feed.
+
+This plan is often adopted under similar circumstances; but the
+field-cornet had not thought of it: and as but few locusts fell in the
+trails where the animals had been confined, they had therefore been
+without food since the previous day. The oxen in particular showed
+symptoms of weakness, and drew the wagon sluggishly; so that Swartboy's
+voice and long whip were kept in constant action.
+
+But there were other reasons why they would have to halt when night came
+on. The field-cornet was not so sure of the direction. He would not be
+able to follow it by night, as there was not the semblance of a track to
+guide him. Besides it would be dangerous to travel by night, for then
+the nocturnal robber of Africa--the fierce lion--is abroad.
+
+They would be under the necessity, therefore, of halting for the night,
+water or no water.
+
+It wanted yet half-an-hour of sundown when Von Bloom had arrived at this
+decision. He only kept on a little farther in hopes of reaching a spot
+where there was grass. They were now more than twenty miles from their
+starting-point, and still the black "spoor" of the locusts covered the
+plain. Still no grass to be seen, still the bushes bare of their leaves,
+and barked!
+
+The field-cornet began to think that he was trekking right in the way
+the locusts had come. Westward he was heading for certain; he knew that.
+But he was not yet certain that the flight had not advanced from the
+west instead of the north. If so, they might go for days before coming
+upon a patch of grass!
+
+These thoughts troubled him, and with anxious eyes he swept the plain in
+front, as well as to the right and left.
+
+A shout from the keen-eyed Bushman produced a joyful effect. He saw
+grass in front. He saw some bushes with leaves! They were still a mile
+off, but the oxen, as if the announcement had been understood by them,
+moved more briskly forward.
+
+Another mile passed over, and they came upon grass, sure enough. It was
+a very scanty pasture, though--a few scattered blades growing over the
+reddish surface, but in no place a mouthful for an ox. There was just
+enough to tantalize the poor brutes without filling their stomachs. It
+assured Von Bloom, however, that they had now got beyond the track of
+the locusts; and he kept on a little farther in hopes that the pasture
+might get better.
+
+It did not, however. The country through which they advanced was a wild,
+sterile plain--almost as destitute of vegetation as that over which they
+had hitherto been travelling. It no longer owed its nakedness to the
+locusts, but to the absence of water.
+
+They had no more time to search for pasture. The sun was already below
+the horizon when they halted to "outspan."
+
+A "kraal" should have been built for the cattle, and another for the
+sheep and goats. There were bushes enough to have constructed them, but
+who of that tired party had the heart to cut them down and drag them to
+the spot?
+
+It was labour enough--the slaughtering a sheep for supper, and
+collecting sufficient wood to cook it. No kraal was made. The horses
+were tied around the wagon. The oxen, cattle, and sheep and goats, were
+left free to go where they pleased. As there was no pasture near to
+tempt them, it was hoped that, after the fatigue of their long journey,
+they would not stray far from the camp-fire, which was kept burning
+throughout the night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+THE FATE OF THE HERD.
+
+
+But they did stray.
+
+When day broke, and the travellers looked around them, not a head of the
+oxen or cattle was to be seen. Yes, there was one, and one only--the
+milch-cow. Totty, after milking her on the previous night, had left her
+tied to a bush where she still remained. All the rest were gone, and the
+sheep and goats as well.
+
+Whither had they strayed?
+
+The horses were mounted, and search was made. The sheep and goats were
+found among some bushes not far off; but it soon appeared that the other
+animals had gone clean away.
+
+Their spoor was traced for a mile or two. It led back on the very track
+they had come; and no doubt any longer existed that they had returned to
+the kraal.
+
+To overtake them before reaching that point, would be difficult, if at
+all possible. Their tracks showed that they had gone off early in the
+night, and had travelled at a rapid rate--so that by this time they had
+most likely arrived at their old home.
+
+This was a sad discovery. To have followed them on the thirsting and
+hungry horses would have been a useless work; yet without the yoke-oxen
+how was the wagon to be taken forward to the spring?
+
+It appeared to be a sad dilemma they were in; but after a short
+consultation the thoughtful Hans suggested a solution of it.
+
+"Can we not attach the horses to the wagon?" inquired he. "The five
+could surely draw it on to the spring?"
+
+"What! and leave the cattle behind?" said Hendrik. "If we do not go
+after them, they will be all lost, and then----"
+
+"We could go for them afterwards," replied Hans; "but it is not better
+first to push forward to the spring; and, after resting the horses a
+while, return then for the oxen? They will have reached the kraal by
+this time. There they will be sure of water anyhow, and that will keep
+them alive till we get there."
+
+The course suggested by Hans seemed feasible enough. At all events, it
+was the best plan they could pursue; so they at once set about putting
+it in execution. The horses were attached to the wagon in the best way
+they could think of. Fortunately some old horse-harness formed part of
+the contents of the vehicle, and these were brought out and fitted on,
+as well as could be done.
+
+Two horses were made fast to the disselboom as "wheelers;" two others to
+the trektow cut to the proper length; and the fifth horse was placed in
+front as a leader.
+
+When all was ready, Swartboy again mounted the voor-kist, gathered up
+his reins, cracked his whip, and set his team in motion. To the delight
+of every one, the huge heavy-laden wagon moved off as freely as if a
+full team had been inspanned.
+
+Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Hans, cheered as it passed them; and setting the
+milch-cow and the flock of sheep and goats in motion, moved briskly
+after. Little Jan and Trueey still rode in the wagon; but the others now
+travelled afoot, partly because they had the flock to drive, and partly
+that they might not increase the load upon the horses.
+
+They all suffered greatly from thirst, but they would have suffered
+still more had it not been for that valuable creature that trotted along
+behind the wagon--the cow--"old Graaf," as she was called. She had
+yielded several pints of milk, both the night before and that morning;
+and this well-timed supply had given considerable relief to the
+travellers.
+
+The horses behaved beautifully. Notwithstanding that their harness was
+both incomplete and ill-fitted, they pulled the wagon along after them
+as if not a strap or buckle had been wanting. They appeared to know that
+their kind master was in a dilemma, and were determined to draw him out
+of it. Perhaps, too, they smelt the spring-water before them. At all
+events, before they had been many hours in harness, they were drawing
+the wagon through a pretty little valley covered with green,
+meadow-looking sward; and in five minutes more were standing halted near
+a cool crystal spring.
+
+In a short time all had drunk heartily, and were refreshed. The horses
+were turned out upon the grass, and the other animals browsed over the
+meadow. A good fire was made near the spring, and a quarter of mutton
+cooked--upon which the travellers dined--and then all sat waiting for
+the horses to fill themselves.
+
+The field-cornet, seated upon one of the wagon-chests, smoked his great
+pipe. He could have been contented, but for one thing--the absence of
+his cattle.
+
+He had arrived at a beautiful pasture-ground--a sort of oaesis in the
+wild plains, where there were wood, water, and grass,--everything that
+the heart of a "vee-boer" could desire. It did not appear to be a large
+tract, but enough to have sustained many hundred head of cattle--enough
+for a very fine "stock farm." It would have answered his purpose
+admirably; and had he succeeded in bringing on his oxen and cattle, he
+would at that moment have felt happy enough. But without them what
+availed the fine pasturage? What could he do there without them to stock
+it? They were his wealth--at least, he had hoped in time that their
+increase would become wealth. They were all of excellent breeds; and,
+with the exception of his twelve yoke-oxen, and one or two long-horned
+Bechuana bulls, all the others were fine young cows calculated soon to
+produce a large herd.
+
+Of course his anxiety about these animals rendered it impossible for him
+to enjoy a moment's peace of mind, until he should start back in search
+of them. He had only taken out his pipe to pass the time, while the
+horses were gathering a bite of grass. As soon as their strength should
+be recruited a little, it was his design to take three of the strongest
+of them, and with Hendrik and Swartboy, ride back to the old kraal.
+
+As soon, therefore, as the horses were ready for the road again, they
+were caught and saddled up; and Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Swartboy,
+mounted and set out, while Hans remained in charge of the camp.
+
+They rode at a brisk rate, determined to travel all night, and, if
+possible, reach the kraal before morning. At the last point on the route
+where there was grass, they off-saddled, and allowed their horses to
+rest and refresh themselves. They had brought with them some slices of
+the roast mutton, and this time they had not forgotten to fill their
+gourd-canteens with water--so that they should not again suffer from
+thirst. After an hour's halt they continued their journey.
+
+It was quite night when they arrived at the spot where the oxen had
+deserted them; but a clear moon was in the sky, and they were able to
+follow back the wheel-tracks of the wagon, that were quite conspicuous
+under the moonlight. Now and then to be satisfied, Von Bloom requested
+Swartboy to examine the spoor, and see whether the cattle had still kept
+the back-track. To answer this gave no great trouble to the Bushman. He
+would drop from his horse, and bending over the ground, would reply in
+an instant. In every case the answer was in the affirmative. The animals
+had certainly gone back to their old home.
+
+Von Bloom believed they would be sure to find them there, but should
+they find them _alive_? That was the question that rendered him anxious.
+
+The creatures could obtain water by the spring, but food--where? Not a
+bite would they find anywhere, and would not hunger have destroyed them
+all before this?
+
+Day was breaking when they came in sight of the old homestead. It
+presented a very odd appearance. Not one of the three would have
+recognised it. After the invasion of the locusts it showed a very
+altered look, but now there was something else that added to the
+singularity of its appearance. A row of strange objects seemed to be
+placed upon the roof ridge, and along the walls of the kraals. What were
+these strange objects, for they certainly did not belong to the
+buildings? This question was put by Von Bloom, partly to himself, but
+loud enough for the others to hear him.
+
+"_Da vogels_!" (the vultures), replied Swartboy.
+
+Sure enough, it was a string of vultures that appeared along the walls.
+
+The sight of these filthy birds was more than ominous. It filled Von
+Bloom with apprehension. What could they be doing there? There must be
+carrion near?
+
+The party rode forward. The day was now up, and the vultures had grown
+busy. They flapped their shadowy wings, rose from the walls, and
+alighted at different points around the house.
+
+"Surely there must be carrion," muttered Von Bloom.
+
+There was carrion, and plenty of it. As the horsemen drew near the
+vultures rose into the air, and a score of half-devoured carcasses could
+be seen upon the ground. The long curving horns that appeared beside
+each carcass, rendered it easy to tell to what sort of animals they
+belonged. In the torn and mutilated fragments, Von Bloom recognised the
+remains of his lost herd!
+
+Not one was left alive. There could be seen the remains of all of them,
+both cows and oxen, lying near the enclosures and on the adjacent
+plain--each where it had fallen.
+
+But how had they fallen? That was the mystery.
+
+Surely they could not have perished of hunger, and so suddenly? They
+could not have died of thirst, for there was the spring bubbling up
+just beside where they lay? The vultures had not killed them! What then?
+
+Von Bloom did not ask many questions. He was not left long in doubt. As
+he and his companions rode over the ground, the mystery was explained.
+The tracks of lions, hyenas, and jackals, made everything clear enough.
+A large troop of these animals had been upon the ground. The scarcity of
+game, caused by the migration of the locusts, had no doubt rendered them
+more than usually ravenous, and in consequence the cattle became their
+prey.
+
+Where were they now? The morning light, and the sight of the house
+perhaps, had driven them off. But their spoor was quite fresh. They were
+near at hand, and would be certain to return again upon the following
+night.
+
+Von Bloom felt a strong desire to be revenged upon the hideous brutes;
+and, under other circumstances, would have remained to get a shot at
+them. But just then that would have been both imprudent and unprofitable
+work. It would be as much as their horses could accomplish, to get back
+to camp that night; so, without even entering the old house, they
+watered their animals, refilled their calabashes at the spring, and with
+heavy hearts once more rode away from the kraal.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+A LION COUCHANT.
+
+
+They had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared before
+them that caused all three to draw bridle suddenly and simultaneously.
+That object was a lion!
+
+He was couched upon the plain directly in the path they intended to
+take--the very same path by which they had come!
+
+How was it they had not seen him before? He was under the lee of a low
+bush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and its thin
+naked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as a lion. His
+tawny hide shone conspicuously through them.
+
+The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed towards the
+kraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on seeing them
+approach; and had skulked around the walls, and then run to their rear.
+He had executed this manoeuvre to avoid an encounter--for a lion reasons
+as a man does, though not to the same extent. Seeing the horsemen come
+that way, his reasoning powers were strong enough to tell him that they
+were not likely to return by the same path. It was more natural they
+should continue on. A man, ignorant of all the preceding events
+connected with their journey, would have reasoned much in the same way.
+If you have been at all observant, you have seen other animals--such as
+dogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on this
+occasion.
+
+Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through the
+mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter with
+the three travellers.
+
+Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out of
+six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the
+courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to be
+a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_,
+denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest
+times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
+knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many
+virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere
+assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!
+
+How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their
+opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in a
+certain sense.
+
+The fact is, some lions are cowardly while others are brave.
+
+The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this
+little volume we have no room. I think, however, boy reader, I can
+satisfy you with an analogy.
+
+Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which
+are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs of your
+acquaintance! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of them
+noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others mean,
+sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. Now, you are satisfied
+that my statement about the lions may be true.
+
+There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
+His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of
+the day--but, above all, the sort of hunters that belong to the district
+he inhabits.
+
+This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the
+intellect of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural
+that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character
+of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
+old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this subject
+when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that the
+alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but it
+has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter has
+tamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eats
+Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded in
+some parts even more than the lion!
+
+It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some
+districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where
+they have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boer with his long
+loud-cracking "roer."
+
+Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of the
+Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender "assegai" of
+the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.
+
+Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave
+one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or
+"schwart-fore life," as the boers term it; and these are esteemed the
+fiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there is
+considerable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded as
+possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of
+this. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellow
+variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for the
+swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years of
+age.
+
+Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloom
+did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been taken
+off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate an attack;
+and that had the horsemen chosen to make a detour, and ride peacefully
+away, they might have continued their journey without ever seeing or
+hearing of him again.
+
+But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious
+oxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least. The
+Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and fiercest
+of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.
+
+Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced on
+horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here he
+drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck his
+loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.
+
+You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as the
+lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safer
+too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse; but when the
+mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that will
+stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddle
+under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet was
+not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roer
+athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel steady against it,
+he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights.
+
+During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between him
+and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed to
+conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visible
+through the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen with his muzzle and
+whiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen.
+
+No--he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or two
+shakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still, however, as lions
+usually do, until more nearly approached. The hunter, as already stated,
+was full fifty yards from him.
+
+Excepting the motion of his tail, he made no other until Von Bloom
+pulled trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several feet into the
+air. The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing his bullet to
+glance off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw the fur fly
+from the side of the lion where it struck him.
+
+It was but a wound; and not deadly, as soon appeared.
+
+With long bounds the angry brute came on--lashing his tail, and showing
+his fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have doubled his
+size. He looked as large as a bull!
+
+In a few seconds' time he had crossed the distance that separated him
+from the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot. The moment
+he had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained horse, and
+rode off towards the others.
+
+All three were for a short while together--Hendrik holding his yaeger
+cocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and arrows. But the
+lion dashed forward before either could fire; and they were obliged to
+spur and gallop out of his way.
+
+Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik took the
+other; and the game was now between the two parties--both of which had
+pulled up at some distance off.
+
+The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first at
+one, then at the other--as if uncertain which to pursue.
+
+His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression. His whole
+fierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect--his tail lashed his
+flanks--his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set trenchant
+teeth--their white spikes contrasting with the red blood that clotted
+his cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added horror to his
+appearance.
+
+But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik at
+this moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired; while
+at the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through the air.
+
+Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the shaft of the
+latter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh.
+
+The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most determined
+courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or one
+of the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping his
+mop-like tail to a level with the line of his back, he broke away; and,
+trotting sulkily forward, sprang in at the door of the kraal!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THE LION IN THE TRAP.
+
+
+There was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual a
+place; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover within
+convenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would have
+afforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts, would have
+been difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have overtaken him, had
+he attempted to run off. He was aware that the house was uninhabited. He
+had been prowling around it all the night--perhaps within it--and
+therefore knew what sort of a place it was.
+
+The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would protect
+him from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for these to
+approach near would be his advantage and their danger.
+
+An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There was a
+large window in one end of the house. Of course it was not glazed--it
+never had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts. A strong
+wooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on its hinges,
+but in the hurried "flitting," the window had been left open. The door
+also had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in at the latter, a
+string of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring out through the
+former, and ran with all their might across the plain. They were
+jackals!
+
+As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had either been chased into
+the house by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had been
+overlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had been
+making a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously disturbed.
+
+The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the door,
+caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window; and the
+appearance of the horsemen without had still further frightened these
+cowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the kraal at top speed, and
+never halted until they were out of sight!
+
+The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone was
+suddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the same
+moment.
+
+Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine dogs, to assist in driving
+back the cattle.
+
+During the short halt the party had made by the spring, these had
+fastened upon a half-eaten carcass behind the walls; and, being
+extremely hungry, had stuck to it, even after the horsemen had ridden
+off. Neither of the dogs had seen the lion, until the moment when the
+savage brute charged forward, and was making for the kraal. The shots,
+the growling of the lion, and the loud wings of the vultures as they
+flew off affrighted, told the dogs that something was going on in front,
+at which they ought to be present; and, forsaking their pleasant meal,
+both came bounding over the walls.
+
+They reached the open space in front, just as the lion leaped into the
+door; and without hesitation the brave noble animals rushed on, and
+followed him inside the house.
+
+For some moments there was heard a confused chorus of noises--the
+barking and worrying of the dogs, the growling and roaring of the lion.
+Then a dull sound followed as of some heavy object dashed against the
+wall. Then came a mournful howl--another, another--a noise like the
+crackling of bones--the "purr" of the great brute with its loud rough
+bass--and then a deep silence. The struggle was over. This was evident,
+as the dogs no longer gave tongue. Most likely they were killed.
+
+The hunters remained watching the door with feelings of intense anxiety.
+The laugh had died upon their lips, as they listened to those hideous
+sounds, the signs of the fearful combat. They called their dogs by name.
+They hoped to see them issue forth, even if wounded. But no. The dogs
+came not forth--they never came forth--they were dead!
+
+A long-continued silence followed the noise of the conflict. Von Bloom
+could no longer doubt that his favourite and only dogs had been killed.
+
+Excited by this new misfortune he almost lost prudence. He was about to
+rush forward to the door, where he might deliver his fire close to the
+hated enemy, when a bright idea came into the brain of Swartboy; and the
+Bushman was heard calling out,--
+
+"Baas! baas! we shut him up! we close da skellum up!"
+
+There was good sense in this suggestion--there was plausibility in it.
+Von Bloom saw this; and, desisting from his previous intention, he
+determined to adopt Swartboy's plan.
+
+But how was it to be executed? The door still hung upon its hinges, as
+also the window-shutter. If they could only get hold of these, and shut
+them fast, they would have the lion secure, and might destroy him at
+their leisure.
+
+But how to shut either door or window in safety? That was the difficulty
+that now presented itself.
+
+Should they approach either, the lion would be certain to see them from
+within; and, enraged as he now was, would be sure to spring upon them.
+Even if they approached on horseback to effect their purpose, they would
+not be much safer. The horses would not stand quiet while they stretched
+out to lay hold of latch or handle. All three of the animals were
+already dancing with excitement. They knew the lion was inside, an
+occasional growl announced his presence there--they would not approach
+either door or window with sufficient coolness; and their stamping and
+snorting would have the effect of bringing the angry beast out upon
+them.
+
+It was clear, then, that to shut either door or window would be an
+operation of great danger. So long as the horsemen were in open ground,
+and at some distance from the lion, they had no cause to fear; but
+should they approach near and get entangled among the walls, some one of
+them would be most likely to fall a victim to the ferocious brute.
+
+Low as may be the standard of a Bushman's intellect, there is a species
+peculiar to him in which he appears to excel. In all matters of
+hunter-craft, his intelligence, or instinct you might almost call it, is
+quite a match for the more highly-developed mind of the Caucasian. This
+arises, no doubt, from the keen and frequent exercise of those
+particular faculties,--keen and frequent, because his very existence
+often depends on their successful employment.
+
+Huge ill-shapen head that Swartboy carried on his shoulders, there was
+an ample stock of brains in it; and a life of keen endeavour to keep his
+stomach supplied had taught him their exercise. At that moment
+Swartboy's brains came to the relief of the party.
+
+"Baas!" he said, endeavouring to restrain the impatience of his master,
+"vyacht um bige, mein baas! Leave it to da ole Bushy to close da door.
+He do it."
+
+"How?" inquired Von Bloom.
+
+"Vyacht um bige, mein baas! no long to wait,--you see."
+
+All three had ridden up together within less than an hundred yards of
+the kraal. Von Bloom and Hendrik sat silent, and watched the proceedings
+of the Bushman.
+
+The latter drew from his pocket a clue of small cord, and, having
+carefully uncoiled it, attached one end to an arrow. He then rode up to
+within thirty yards of the house, and dismounted--not directly opposite
+the entrance, but a little to one side--so that the face of the wooden
+door, which was fortunately but three-quarters open, was thus fair
+before him. Keeping the bridle over his arm, he now bent his bow, and
+sent the arrow into the woodwork of the door. There it was, sticking
+near the edge, and just under the latch!
+
+As soon as Swartboy delivered the shaft, he had leaped back into his
+saddle--to be ready for retreat in case the lion should charge out. He
+still, however, kept hold of the string, one end of which was attached
+to the arrow.
+
+The "thud" of the arrow, as it struck the door, had drawn the attention
+of the lion. Of course, none of them saw him, but his angry growl told
+them that it was so. He did not show himself, however, and was again
+silent.
+
+Swartboy now drew the string taut,--first felt it with a steady pull;
+and then, satisfied of its strength, gave it a stronger jerk, and
+brought the door to. The latch acted beautifully, and the door remained
+shut even after the strain was taken off the cord.
+
+To have opened the door now the lion must have had the sagacity to lift
+the latch, or else must have broken through the thick, strong
+planks--neither of which things was to be feared.
+
+But the window still remained open, and through it the lion could easily
+leap out. Swartboy, of course, designed closing it in the same manner as
+he had done the door.
+
+But now arose a particular danger. He had only one piece of cord. That
+was attached to the arrow that still stuck fast. How was he to detach
+and get possession of it?
+
+There appeared to be no other way but by going up to the door and
+cutting it from the shaft. In this lay the danger; for, should the lion
+perceive him and rush out by the window, it would be all over with the
+Bushman.
+
+Like most of his race, Swartboy was more cunning than brave--though he
+was far from being a coward. Still he was by no means inclined at that
+moment to go up to the door of the kraal.
+
+The angry growls from within would have made a stouter heart than
+Swartboy's quail with fear.
+
+In this dilemma Hendrik came to his relief. Hendrik had conceived a way
+of getting possession of the string, without going near the door!
+
+Calling to Swartboy to be on his guard, he rode within thirty yards of
+the entrance--but on the other side from where Swartboy was--and there
+halted. At the place there stood a post with several forks upon it, that
+had been used as a bridle-post.
+
+Hendrik dismounted, hooked his rein over one of these forks; rested his
+yaeger across another; and then, sighting the shaft of the arrow, pulled
+trigger. The rifle cracked, the broken stick was seen to fly out from
+the door, and the string was set free!
+
+All were ready to gallop off; but the lion, although he growled fiercely
+on hearing the shot, still lay close.
+
+Swartboy now drew in the string; and, having adjusted it to a fresh
+arrow, moved round so as to command a view of the window. In a few
+minutes the shaft had cut through the air and stuck deep into the
+yielding wood, and then the shutter swung round on its hinges, and was
+drawn close.
+
+All three now dismounted, ran silently and rapidly up, and secured both
+door and shutter with strong rheins of raw hide.
+
+"Hurrah! the lion was caged."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE DEATH OF THE LION.
+
+
+Yes, the fierce brute was fairly in the trap. The three hunters breathed
+freely.
+
+But how was the affair to end? Both door and window-shutter fitted
+strongly and closely; and, although it was possible to glance through
+the chinks, nothing could be seen inside--since, both being shut, it was
+quite dark within.
+
+Even could the lion have been seen, there was no hole through which to
+thrust the muzzle of a gun and fire at him. He was just as safe as his
+captors; and, so long as the door remained closed, they could do him no
+more harm than he could them.
+
+They might leave him shut up, and let him starve. He could live for a
+while upon what the jackals had left, with the carcasses of the two
+dogs, but that would not sustain him long, and in the end he would have
+to give up and miserably perish. After all, this did not seem so certain
+to Von Bloom and his companions. Finding that he was caged in earnest,
+the brute might attack the door, and with his sharp claws and teeth
+manage to cut his way through.
+
+But the angry field-cornet had not the slightest intention of leaving
+the lion such a chance. He was determined to destroy the beast before
+leaving the ground; and he now set to thinking how this could be
+accomplished in the speediest and most effectual manner.
+
+At first he thought of cutting a hole in the door with his knife, large
+enough to see through and admit the barrel of his roer. Should he not
+succeed in getting a view of the beast through that one, he would make
+another in the window-shutter. The two being on adjacent sides of the
+house, would give him the command of the whole interior--for the former
+dwelling of the field-cornet comprised only a single apartment. During
+his residence there, there had been two, thanks to a partition of
+zebra-skins; but these had been removed, and all was now in one room.
+
+At first Von Bloom could think of no other plan to get at the enemy, and
+yet this one did not quite please him. It was safe enough, and, if
+carried out, could only end in the death of the lion.
+
+A hole in both door and window-shutter would enable them to fire at the
+brute as many bullets as they pleased, while they would be quite secure
+from his attack. But the time that would be required to cut these
+holes--that was why the plan did not please the field-cornet. He and his
+party had no time to spare; their horses were weak with hunger, and a
+long journey lay before them ere a morsel could be obtained. No,--the
+time could not be spared for making a breach. Some more expeditious mode
+of attack must be devised.
+
+"Father," said Hendrik, "suppose we set the house on fire?"
+
+Good. The suggestion was a good one. Von Bloom cast his eyes up to the
+roof--a sloping structure with long eaves. It consisted of heavy beams
+of dry wood with rafters and laths, and all covered over with a thatch
+of rushes, a foot in thickness. It would make a tremendous blaze, and
+the smoke would be likely enough to suffocate the lion even before the
+blaze could get at him.
+
+The suggestion of Hendrik was adopted. They prepared to fire the house.
+
+There was still a large quantity of rubbish,--the collected firewood
+which the locusts had not devoured. This would enable them to carry out
+their purpose; and all three immediately set about hauling it up, and
+piling it against the door.
+
+One might almost have fancied that the lion had fathomed their design;
+for, although he had been for a long while quite silent, he now
+commenced a fresh spell of roaring. Perhaps the noise of the logs,
+striking against the door outside, had set him at it; and, finding
+himself thus shut up and baited, he had grown impatient. What he had
+sought as a shelter had been turned into a trap, and he was now anxious
+to get out of it.
+
+This was evident by the demonstrations he began to make. They could hear
+him rushing about--passing from door to window--striking both with his
+huge paws, and causing them to shake upon their hinges--all the while
+uttering the most fiendish roars.
+
+Though not without some apprehensions, the three continued their work.
+They had their horses at hand, ready to be mounted in case the lion
+might make his way through the fire. In fact, they intended to take to
+their saddles--as soon as the fire should be fairly under way--and watch
+the conflagration from a safe distance.
+
+They had dragged up all the bush and dry wood, and had piled them in
+front of the door. Swartboy had taken out his flint and steel, and was
+about to strike, when a loud scratching was heard from the inside,
+unlike anything that had yet reached their ears. It was the rattling of
+the lion's claws against the wall, but it had an odd sound as if the
+animal was struggling violently; at the same time his voice seemed
+hoarse and smothered, and appeared to come from a distance.
+
+[Illustration: THE LION IN A FIX.]
+
+What was the brute doing?
+
+They stood for a moment, looking anxiously in each other's faces.
+
+The scratching continued--the hoarse growling at intervals--but this
+ended at length; and then came a snort, followed by a roar so loud and
+clear, that all three started in affright. They could not believe that
+walls were between them and their dangerous enemy!
+
+Again echoed that horrid cry. Great Heaven! It proceeded no longer from
+the inside--it came from above them!
+
+Was the lion upon the roof?
+
+All three rushed backward a step or two, and looked up. A sight was
+before them that rendered them almost speechless with surprise and
+terror.
+
+Above the funnel of the chimney appeared the head of the lion; his
+glaring yellow eyes and white teeth showing more fearful from contrast
+with the black soot that begrimed him. He was dragging his body up. One
+foot was already above the capstone; and with this and his teeth he was
+widening the aperture around him.
+
+It was a terrible sight to behold--at least to those below.
+
+As already stated they were alarmed; and would have taken to their
+horses, had they not perceived that the animal was stuck fast!
+
+It was evident that this was the case, but it was equally evident that
+in a few moments he would succeed in clearing himself from the chimney.
+His teeth and claws were hard at work, and the stones and mortar were
+flying in all directions. The funnel would soon be down below his broad
+chest, and then----
+
+Von Bloom did not stay to think what then. He and Hendrik, guns in hand,
+ran up near the bottom of the wall. The chimney was but a score of feet
+in height; the long roer was pointed upward, reaching nearly half that
+distance. The yaeger was also aimed. Both cracked together. The lion's
+eyes suddenly closed, his head shook convulsively, his paw dropped loose
+over the capstone, his jaws fell open, and blood trickled down his
+tongue. In a few moments he was dead!
+
+This was apparent to every one. But Swartboy was not satisfied, until he
+had discharged about a score of his arrows at the head of the animal,
+causing it to assume the appearance of a porcupine.
+
+So tightly had the huge beast wedged himself, that even after death he
+still remained in his singular situation.
+
+Under other circumstances he would have been dragged down for the sake
+of his skin. But there was no time to spare for skinning him; and
+without further delay, Von Bloom and his companions mounted their horses
+and rode off.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED
+
+
+Our travellers would have talked much about lions, but for the condition
+of their horses. This made them feel uneasy. With the exception of a few
+hours grazing, the poor brutes had been without food since the
+appearance of the locusts. Horses do not travel well upon soft grass,
+and of course they were now suffering severely.
+
+It would be far in the night before the horsemen could reach the
+camp--although they were pushing on as fast as the horses could travel.
+
+It was quite dark, when they arrived at the spot where they had halted
+the previous evening. In fact, it was very dark. Neither moon nor stars
+were to be seen in the sky; and thick black clouds covered the whole
+canopy of the heavens. It looked as though a rain-storm might be
+expected--still no rain had as yet fallen.
+
+It was the intention of the travellers to halt at this place, and let
+their horses graze a while. With this view they all dismounted; but,
+after trying one or two places, they could find no grass!
+
+This appeared strange, as they had certainly observed grass at that very
+spot the day before. Now there was none!
+
+The horses put their noses to the ground, but raised them up again,
+snorting as they did so, and evidently disappointed. They were hungry
+enough to have eaten grass had there been any, for they eagerly snatched
+at the leaves of the bushes as they passed along!
+
+Had the locusts been there also? No. The mimosa-bushes still retained
+their delicate foliage, which would not have been the case had the
+locusts visited the spot.
+
+Our travellers were astonished that there was no grass. Surely there was
+some the day before? Had they got upon a new track?
+
+The darkness prevented them from having a view of the ground; yet Von
+Bloom could not be mistaken about the route--having travelled it four
+times already. Though he could not see the surface, every now and again
+he caught a glimpse of some tree or bush, which he had marked in his
+former journeys, and these assured him they were still upon the right
+track.
+
+Surprised at the absence of grass where they had so lately observed it,
+they would have examined the surface more carefully; but they were
+anxious to push on to the spring, and at length gave up the idea of
+halting. The water in their gourds had been used up long before this;
+and both they and their horses were once more suffering from thirst.
+
+Besides, Von Bloom was not without some anxiety about the children at
+the wagon. He had been separated from them now a full day and a half,
+and many a change might take place--many a danger might arise in that
+time. In fact, he began to blame himself for having left them alone. It
+would have been better to have let his cattle perish. So thought he now.
+A presentiment that all was not right was gradually forming in his mind;
+and he grew more anxious to proceed as he reflected.
+
+They rode on in silence. It was only on Hendrik expressing a doubt about
+the way, that the conversation recommenced. Swartboy also thought they
+were taking a wrong course.
+
+At first Von Bloom assured them they were right; but after going a
+little farther, he admitted that he was in doubt; and then, after
+another half-mile's travelling, he declared that he had lost the track.
+He could no longer recognise any one of the marks or bearings he had
+taken.
+
+The proper thing to be done under these circumstances was to leave the
+horses to themselves; and this all three well knew. But the animals were
+suffering the pangs of hunger, and when left to themselves, would not
+journey forward, but rushed up to the mimosa-bushes, and eagerly
+commenced devouring their leaves.
+
+The consequence was, that their riders were obliged to keep them going
+with whip and spur; and in that way there was no certainty of the horses
+taking the right direction.
+
+After several hours' advancing, all the while in a state of suspense,
+and as yet no appearance of either wagon or camp-fire, the travellers
+resolved upon coming to a halt. It was of no use going forward. They
+believed they could not be far from the camp; but they were now as
+likely to be riding from as towards it; and they concluded at length,
+that it would be wiser to remain where they were until the day broke.
+
+They all dismounted therefore, and fastened their horses to the
+bushes--so that the animals could browse upon the leaves till
+morning--which could not now be very far off. They rolled themselves up
+in their karosses, and lay down upon the earth.
+
+Hendrik and Swartboy were soon asleep. Von Bloom would have slept too,
+for he was tired enough; but the heart of the father was too full of
+anxiety to allow repose to his eyes, and he lay awake watching for the
+dawn.
+
+It came at length, and at the first light his eyes swept the surface of
+the surrounding country. The party had by chance halted on an eminence
+that commanded a good view for miles on each side, but the field-cornet
+had not glanced half around the circle, when an object came before his
+eyes that brought gladness to his heart. It was the white tent of the
+wagon!
+
+The joyful exclamation he uttered awoke the sleepers, who immediately
+sprang to their feet; and all three stood gazing at the welcome sight.
+
+As they continued to gaze, their joy gradually gave place to feelings of
+surprise. Was it their wagon, after all?
+
+It certainly looked like theirs; but it was a full half-mile off, and at
+such a distance one wagon would look just like another. But what led
+them to doubt its being theirs? It was the appearance of the place in
+which they saw it. Surely it was not the same place in which they had
+outspanned!
+
+Theirs had been left in an oblong valley between two gentle ridges--in
+such a valley was this one standing. Near a pool formed by a
+spring--here, too, was the same, for they could perceive the water
+shining. But in all other respects the situation was different. The
+surface of the valley in which their wagon had been left was covered,
+both sides and bottom, with a verdant carpet of grass; whereas the one
+now before their eyes was brown and bare! Not a blade of grass was to be
+seen--the trees seeming to be the only things that had any verdure. Even
+the low bushes appeared to be destitute of leaves! The scene had no
+resemblance whatever to that where they had outspanned. It must be the
+camp of some other travellers, thought they.
+
+They had fully arrived at this conclusion, when Swartboy, whose eyes had
+been rolling about everywhere, now rested upon the ground at his feet.
+After a moment's observation--which the increasing light now enabled him
+to make--he turned suddenly to the others, and directed their attention
+to the surface of the plain. This they saw was covered with tracks, as
+if a thousand hoofs had passed over it. In fact, it presented the
+appearance of a vast sheep-pen; so vast, that as far as their sight
+extended, they beheld the same tracked and trampled appearance!
+
+What could this mean? Hendrik did not know. Von Bloom was in doubt.
+Swartboy could tell at the first glance. It was no new sight to him.
+
+"All right, baas," he said, looking up in his master's face. "Da's da
+ole wagon!--da same spring an vley--da same place--dar hab been um
+trek-boken!"
+
+"A trek-boken!" cried Von Bloom and Hendrik, in a breath.
+
+"Ya, baas--a mighty big one too; das da spoor of dem antelope--See!"
+
+Von Bloom now comprehended all. The bareness of the country, the absence
+of the leaves on the lower bushes, the millions of small hoof-tracks,
+all were now explained. A migration of the springbok antelope, a
+"trek-boken," had swept over the spot. That it was that had caused such
+a mighty change. The wagon they saw was theirs, after all.
+
+They lost no time, but, catching their horses, bridled them, and rode
+rapidly down the hill.
+
+Though somewhat relieved at seeing the wagon, Von Bloom was still
+apprehensive.
+
+As they approached, they perceived the two horses standing beside it,
+and tied to the wheels, the cow also was there--but neither goats nor
+sheep were in the neighbourhood.
+
+There was a fire burning in the rear of the hind-wheels, and a dark mass
+underneath the wagon, but no human form could be observed.
+
+The hearts of the horsemen beat loudly as they advanced. Their eyes were
+bent earnestly upon the wagon. They felt keen anxiety.
+
+They had got within three hundred yards, and still no one stirred--no
+human form made its appearance. Von Bloom and Hendrik now suffered
+intensely.
+
+At this moment the two horses by the wagon neighed loudly; the dark mass
+under the wagon moved, rolled outward, rose up, and stood erect. Totty
+was recognised!
+
+And now the "after-clap" of the wagon was hurriedly drawn aside, and
+three young faces were seen peeping forth.
+
+A shout of joy burst from the horsemen, and the next moment little Jan
+and Trueey leaped out from the cap-tent into the arms of their
+father--while the mutual congratulations of Hans and Hendrik, Swartboy
+and Totty, produced for some moments a scene of joyful confusion quite
+indescribable.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE TREK-BOKEN.
+
+
+Those who remained by the camp had had their adventures too; and their
+tale was by no means a merry one, for it disclosed the unpleasant fact,
+that the sheep and goats were all lost. The flock had been carried off,
+in a most singular manner; and there was but little hope of their ever
+being seen again.
+
+Hans began his tale:--
+
+"Nothing unusual occurred on the day you left us. I was busy all the
+afternoon in cutting 'wait-a-bit' thorns for a kraal. Totty helped me to
+drag them up, while Jan and Trueey looked after the flock. The animals
+did not stray out of the valley here, as the grass was good, and they
+had had enough of trotting lately.
+
+"Well--Totty and I got the kraal, as you see, all ready. So, when night
+came, we drove the flock in; and, after milking the cow and getting our
+supper, we all went to bed. We were precious tired, and all of us slept
+soundly throughout the night without being disturbed. Both jackals and
+hyenas came around, but we knew they would not break into that kraal."
+
+Hans pointed to the circular enclosure of thorn-bushes, that had been
+well constructed.
+
+He then proceeded with his narration:--
+
+"In the morning we found everything right. Totty again milked the cow;
+and we had breakfast. The flock was let out upon the grass, and so were
+the cow and the two horses.
+
+"Just about mid-day I began to think what we were to have for dinner,
+for the breakfast had cleared up everything. I did not like to kill
+another sheep, if it could be helped. So bidding Jan and Trueey stay
+close by the wagon, and leaving Totty to look after the flock, I took my
+gun and started off in search of game. I took no horse, for I thought I
+saw springboks out on the plain; and I would stalk them better afoot.
+
+"Sure enough, there were springboks. When I got out of the valley here,
+and had a better view, I saw what astonished me, I can assure you.
+
+"I could scarce credit my eyes. The whole plain, towards the west,
+appeared to be one vast crowd of animals; and by their bright yellow
+sides, and the snow-white hair on their rumps, I knew they were
+springboks. They were all in motion, some browsing along, while hundreds
+of them were constantly bounding up into the air full ten feet high, and
+leaping on top of each other. I assure you all it was one of the
+strangest sights I ever beheld, and one of the pleasantest too; for I
+knew that the creatures that covered the plain, instead of being fierce
+wild beasts, were nothing but graceful and beautiful little gazelles.
+
+"My first thought was to get near them, and have a shot; and I was about
+to start off over the plain, when I perceived that the antelopes were
+coming towards me. I saw that they were approaching with considerable
+rapidity; and if I only remained where I was, they would save me the
+trouble of stalking in upon them. I lay down behind a bush and waited.
+
+"I had not very long to wait. In less than a quarter of an hour the
+foremost of the herd drew near, and in five minutes more a score of them
+were within shot.
+
+"I did not fire for some time. I knew they would come still nearer; and
+I lay watching the motions of those pretty creatures. I took notice of
+their light handsome forms, their smooth slender limbs, their
+cinnamon-coloured backs, and white bellies, with the band of chestnut
+along each side. I looked at the lyre-shaped horns of the bucks, and
+above all, at the singular flaps on their croup, that unfolded each time
+that they leaped up, displaying a profusion of long silky hair, as white
+as snow itself.
+
+"All these points I noticed, and at length, tired of admiring them, I
+singled out a fine-looking doe--for I was thinking of my dinner, and
+knew that doe-venison was the most palatable.
+
+"After aiming carefully, I fired. The doe fell, but, to my astonishment,
+and others did not fly off. A few of the foremost only galloped back a
+bit, or bounded up into the air; but they again set to browsing quite
+unconcerned, and the main body advanced as before!
+
+"I loaded as quickly as I could, and brought down another,--this time a
+buck--but as before without frightening the rest!
+
+"I proceeded to load for the third time; but, before I had finished, the
+front ranks had passed on both sides of me, and I found myself in the
+midst of the herd!
+
+"I saw no need for covering myself any longer behind the bush, but rose
+to my knees, and, firing at the nearest, brought it down also. Its
+comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands!
+
+"I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet.
+
+"Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange
+conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance,
+they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their course.
+They seemed possessed by some species of infatuation. I remembered
+hearing that such was their way when upon one of their migrations, or
+"trek-bokens." This, then, thought I, must be a "trek-boken."
+
+"I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew thicker
+and thicker around me, until at length they became so crowded, that I
+began to feel very singularly situated. Not that I was afraid of the
+creatures, as they made no demonstration of using their horns upon me.
+On the contrary, they did all they could to get out of my way. But the
+nearest only were alarmed; and, as my presence in no way terrified those
+that were an hundred yards off, the latter made no attempt to give
+ground. Of course the nearest ones could only get a few paces from me,
+by pushing the others closer, or springing up over their backs--so that
+with the ones thus constantly bounding up into the air there was all the
+time a ring around me two deep!
+
+"I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation,
+or how long I might have kept my place. Perhaps I might have loaded and
+fired away for some time, but just at the moment the sheep came into my
+mind.
+
+"They'll be carried away, thought I. I had heard that such a thing was
+common enough.
+
+"I saw that the antelopes were heading towards the valley--the foremost
+were already into it, and would soon be on the spot, where I had just
+seen our little flock feeding!
+
+"In hopes of yet heading the springboks, and driving the sheep into the
+kraal, before the former crowded on them, I started towards the valley.
+But, to my chagrin, I could get no faster than the herd was going!
+
+"As I approached the creatures, to make my way through their mass, they
+leaped about and sprang over one another, but could not for their lives
+open a way for me as fast as I wanted one. I was so near some of them
+that I could have knocked them down with my gun!
+
+"I commenced hallooing, and, brandishing the gun about, I was making a
+lane more rapidly, when I perceived in front what appeared to be a large
+open space. I pushed forward for this, but the nearer I came to its
+border the more densely I found the creatures packed. I could only see
+that it was an open space by leaping up. I did not know what was causing
+it. I did not stay to reflect. I only wished to get forward as rapidly
+as possible, thinking about our flock.
+
+"I continued to clear my way, and at length found myself in the position
+I had coveted; while the lane I had made, in getting there, closed
+instantaneously behind me. I was about to rush on and take advantage of
+the bit of clear ground, when, what should I see in the centre, and
+directly before me, but a great yellow lion!
+
+"That accounted for the break in the herd. Had I known what had been
+causing it, I should have fought my way in any other direction but that;
+but there was I, out in the open ground, the lion not ten paces from me,
+and a fence of springboks two deep around both of us!
+
+"I need not say I was frightened, and badly too. I did not for some
+moments know how to act. My gun was still loaded--for, after thinking of
+saving our little flock, I did not care to empty it at the antelopes. I
+could get one, thought I, at any time when I had secured the sheep in
+the kraal. The piece, therefore, was loaded and with bullets.
+
+"Should I take aim at the lion, and fire? I asked myself this question,
+and was just on the point of deciding in the affirmative, when I
+reflected that it would be imprudent. I observed that the lion, whose
+back was turned to me, had either not seen, or as yet took no notice of
+me. Should I only wound him--and from the position he was in I was not
+likely to do more,--how then? I would most likely be torn to pieces.
+
+"These were my reflections, all of which scarce occupied a second of
+time. I was about to "back out" or back in among the springboks, and
+make my way in some other direction, and had even got near the edge,
+when, in looking over my shoulder, I saw the lion suddenly halt and turn
+round. I halted too, knowing that to be the safest plan; and, as I did
+so, I glanced back at the lion's eyes.
+
+"To my relief, I saw they were not upon me. He seemed to have taken some
+fancy in his head. His appetite, perhaps, had returned; for the next
+moment he ran a few yards, and then, rising with a terrific bound,
+launched himself far into the herd, and came down right upon the back of
+one of the antelopes! The others sprang right and left, and a new space
+was soon opened around him.
+
+"He was now nearer than ever to where I stood, and I could see him
+distinctly crouched over his victim. His claws held its quivering body,
+and his long teeth grasped the poor creature by the neck. But, with the
+exception of his tail, he was making not the slightest motion, and that
+vibrated gently from side to side, just as a kitten that had caught a
+tiny mouse. I could see, too, that his eyes were close shut, as though
+he were asleep!
+
+"Now I had heard that under such circumstances the lion may be
+approached without much danger. Not that I wished to go any nearer--for
+I was near enough for my gun--but it was this recollection, I believe,
+that put me in the notion of firing. At all events, something whispered
+me I would succeed, and I could not resist trying.
+
+"The broad blind jaw of the brute was fair before me. I took aim, and
+pulled trigger; but, instead of waiting to see the effect of my shot, I
+ran right off in an opposite direction.
+
+"I did not halt till I had put several acres of antelopes between myself
+and the place where I had last stood; and then I made the best of my way
+to the wagon.
+
+"Long before I had reached it, I could see that Jan, and Trueey, and
+Totty, were safe under the tent. That gave me pleasure, but I also saw
+that the sheep and goats had got mixed up with the springboks, and were
+moving off with them as if they belonged to the same species! I fear
+they are all lost."
+
+"And the lion?" inquired Hendrik.
+
+"Yonder he lies!" answered Hans, modestly pointing to a yellow mass out
+upon the plain, over which the vultures were already beginning to hover.
+"Yonder he lies, you could hardly have done it better yourself, brother
+Hendrik."
+
+As Hans said this, he smiled in such a manner as to show, that he had no
+idea of making a boast of his achievements.
+
+Hendrik was loud in acknowledging that it was a most splendid feat, and
+also in regretting that he had not been on the ground to witness the
+wonderful migration of the springboks.
+
+But there was no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party were
+in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The cow and
+horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had been left
+by the antelopes. Upon what were they to be fed?
+
+To follow the spoor of the migratory springboks with the hope of
+recovering their flock would be quite useless. Swartboy assured them of
+this. The poor animals might be carried hundreds of miles before they
+could separate themselves from the great herd, or bring their
+involuntary journey to an end!
+
+The horses could travel but little farther. There was nought to feed
+them on but the leaves of the mimosas, and this was but poor food for
+hungry horses. It would be fortunate if they could be kept alive until
+they should reach some pasture; and where now was pasture to be found?
+Locusts and antelopes between them seemed to have turned all Africa into
+a desert!
+
+The field-cornet soon formed his resolution. He would remain there for
+the night, and early on the morrow set out in search of some other
+spring.
+
+Fortunately Hans had not neglected to secure a brace of the springboks;
+and their fat venison now came into general use. A roast of that, and a
+drink of cool water from the spring, soon refreshed the three wearied
+travellers.
+
+The horses were let loose among the mimosa-trees, and allowed to shift
+for themselves; and although under ordinary circumstances they would
+have "turned up their noses" at such food as mimosa-leaves, they now
+turned them up in a different sense, and cleared the thorny branches
+like so many giraffes.
+
+Some naturalist as the "Buffon" school has stated that neither wolf,
+fox, hyena, nor jackal, will eat the carcass of a lion,--that their fear
+of the royal despot continues even after his death.
+
+The field-cornet and his family had proof of the want of truth in this
+assertion. Before many hours both jackals and hyenas attacked the
+carcass of the king of beasts, and in a very short while there was not a
+morsel of him there but his bones. Even his tawny skin was swallowed by
+these ravenous creatures, and many of the bones broken by the strong
+jaws of the hyenas. The respect which these brutes entertain for the
+lion ends with his life. When dead, he is eaten by them with as much
+audacity as if he were the meanest of animals.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+SPOORING FOR A SPRING.
+
+
+Von Bloom was in the saddle at an early hour. Swartboy accompanied him,
+while all the others remained by the wagon to await his return. They
+took with them the two horses that had remained by the wagon, as these
+were fresher than the others.
+
+They rode nearly due westward. They were induced to take this direction
+by observing that the springboks had come from the north. By heading
+westward they believed they would sooner get beyond the wasted
+territory.
+
+To their great satisfaction an hour's travelling carried them clear of
+the track of the antelope migration! and although they found no water,
+there was excellent grass.
+
+The field-cornet now sent Swartboy back for the other horses and the
+cow, pointing out a place where he should bring them to graze, while he
+himself continued on in search of water.
+
+After travelling some miles farther, Von Bloom perceived to the north of
+him a long line of cliff rising directly up from the plain, and running
+westward as far as he could see. Thinking that water would be more
+likely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head towards
+them. As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed with the
+beautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes. He passed through
+grassy plains of different sizes, separated from each other by copses of
+the delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming large thickets, while
+others consisted of only a few low bushes. Towering high over the
+mimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a species Von Bloom
+had never seen before. They stood thinly upon the ground; but each, with
+its vast leafy head, seemed a little forest of itself.
+
+The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, which
+contrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond--the latter
+stepping up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet in
+height, and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house.
+
+The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller--such a
+fine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that most
+of the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo. The whole
+of it to the north for hundreds of miles was a famous desert--the desert
+of Kalihari--and these cliffs were a part of its southern border. The
+"vee-boer" would have been rejoiced at such a sight under other
+circumstances. But what to him now were all these fine pastures--now
+that he was no longer able to stock them?
+
+Notwithstanding the beauty of the scene, his reflections were painful.
+
+But he did not give way to despair. His present troubles were
+sufficiently grievous to prevent him from dwelling much on the future.
+His first care was to find a place where his horses might be recruited;
+for without them he could no longer move anywhere--without them he would
+be helpless indeed.
+
+Water was the desired object. If water could not be found, all this
+beautiful park through which he was passing would be as valueless to him
+as the brown desert.
+
+Surely so lovely a landscape could not exist without that most essential
+element!
+
+So thought the field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove his
+eyes wandered over the ground in search of it.
+
+"Ho!" he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridges
+whirred up from his path. "A good sign that: they are seldom far from
+water."
+
+Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens,
+running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water was
+nigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall _cameel-doorn_ tree, he
+next observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot.
+
+"Now," muttered he to himself, "I must be very near to some spring or
+pool."
+
+He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon the
+crest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight of the
+birds.
+
+Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerly
+direction, and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Both
+appeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain, about
+five hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apart
+from any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yet
+seen.
+
+As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed several
+pairs of parrots alighting upon it. These after chattering a while among
+its branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its base.
+
+"Surely," thought Von Bloom, "there must be water there. I shall ride
+forward and see."
+
+But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. The
+animal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as his
+head was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward with
+outstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along.
+
+The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up the
+bridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinking
+from the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within a
+dozen yards of the tree.
+
+The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but he
+thought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon the
+grass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in quite
+as good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal his
+liberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree.
+
+As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of nature
+that towered majestically above him. It was one of the largest trees he
+had ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the "nwana" tree, a species
+of _ficus_, with large sycamore-shaped leaves that grew thickly over its
+magnificent head. Its trunk was full twenty feet in diameter, rising to
+more than that height without a branch, and then spreading off into
+numerous limbs that stretched far out in a horizontal direction. Through
+the thick foliage Von Bloom could perceive shining egg-shaped fruits as
+large as cocoa-nuts; and upon these the parrots and several other kinds
+of birds appeared to be feeding.
+
+Other trees of the same species stood out upon the plain at long
+distances apart; and though they were all taller than the surrounding
+timber, none were so large or conspicuous as the one that grew by the
+spring.
+
+The field-cornet, as he enjoyed the cool shade which its umbrageous
+frondage afforded, could not help thinking what an admirable spot it
+would be to build a kraal. The inmates of a dwelling placed beneath its
+friendly shelter, need never dread the fierce rays of the African sun;
+even the rain could scarce penetrate its leafy canopy. In fact, its
+dense foliage almost constituted a roof of itself.
+
+Had his cattle still remained to him, no doubt the vee-boer would have
+resolved at once to make this spot his future home. But, tempting as it
+was, what now could he do in such a place? To him it would be only a
+wilderness. There was no species of industry he could follow in such a
+remote quarter. True, he might sustain himself and his family by
+hunting. He saw that game was plenteous all around. But that would be
+but a sorry existence, with no promise for the future. What would his
+children do hereafter? Were they to grow up with no other end than to
+become poor hunters--no better than the wild Bushmen? No! no! no! To
+make a home there would be out of the question. A few days to recruit
+his wearied horses, and then he would make a struggle and trek back to
+the settlements.
+
+But what after he had got back? He knew not what then. His future was
+gloomy and uncertain.
+
+After indulging in such reflections for an hour or more, he bethought
+him that it was time to return to the camp; and having caught and
+bridled his horse, he mounted and set forth.
+
+The animal, refreshed by the sweet grass and cool water, carried him
+briskly along; and in less than two hours he came up with Swartboy and
+Hendrik where they were pasturing the horses.
+
+These were taken back to the wagon and harnessed in; and then the great
+vehicle once more "treked" across the plains.
+
+Before the sun had set, the long white cap-tent was gleaming under the
+leafy screen of the gigantic "nwana."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE TERRIBLE TSETSE.
+
+
+The verdant carpet that stretched away around them--the green leaves
+upon the trees--the flowers by the fountain--the crystal water in its
+bed--the black bold rocks towering up at a distance--all combined to
+make a lovely picture. The eyes of the wayfarers were glad as they
+beheld it; and while the wagon was outspanning, every one gave utterance
+to their delightful emotions.
+
+The place seemed to please every one. Hans loved its quiet and sylvan
+beauty. It was just such a place as he would choose to ramble in, book in
+hand, and dream away many a pleasant hour. Hendrik liked it much,
+because he had already observed what he termed "extensive spoor" about
+the spot: in other words, he had noticed the tracks of many of Africa's
+largest wild animals.
+
+Little Trueey was delighted to see so many beautiful flowers. There were
+bright scarlet geraniums, and starlike sweet-scented jessamines, and the
+gorgeous belladonna lily, with its large blossoms of rose-colour and
+white; and there were not only plants in flower, but bushes, and even
+trees, covered with gaudy and sweetly-perfumed blossoms. There was the
+"sugar-bush," the most beautiful of its family, with its large
+cup-shaped corollas of pink, white, and green; and there, too, was the
+"silver-tree" whose soft silvery leaves playing in the breeze, looked
+like a huge mass of silken flowers; and there were the mimosas covered
+with blossoms of golden yellow that filled the air with their strong and
+agreeable perfume.
+
+Rare forms of vegetation were around or near at hand: the arborescent
+aloes, with their tall flower-spikes of coral red, and euphorbias of
+many shapes; and _zamia_, with its palm-like fronds; and the soft-leaved
+_Strelitzia reginae_. All these were observed in the neighbourhood of
+this new-discovered fountain.
+
+But what received little Trueey's admiration more than any other was the
+beautiful blue water-lily, which is certainly one of the loveliest of
+Africa's flowers. Close by the spring, but a little farther in the
+direction of the plain, was a vley, or pool--in fact, it might have been
+termed a small lake--and upon the quiet bosom of its water the sky-blue
+corollas lay sleeping in all their gorgeous beauty.
+
+Trueey, leading her little pet on a string, had gone down on the bank to
+look at them. She thought she could never cease gazing at such pretty
+things.
+
+"I hope papa will stay here a long time," she said to her companion,
+little Jan.
+
+"And I hope so too. Oh! Trueey, what a fine tree yon is! Look! nuts as
+big as my head, I declare. Bless me, sis! how are we to knock some of
+them down?"
+
+And so the children conversed, both delighted with the new scenes around
+them.
+
+Although all the young people were inclined to be happy, yet they were
+checked in their expression of it, by observing that there was a cloud
+on the brow of their father. He had seated himself under the great tree,
+but his eyes were upon the ground, as though he were busy with painful
+reflections. All of them noticed this.
+
+His reflections were, indeed, painful--they could not well have been
+otherwise. There was but one course left for him--to return to the
+settlements, and begin life anew. But how to begin it? What could he do?
+His property all gone, he could only serve some of his richer
+neighbours; and for one accustomed all his life to independence, this
+would be hard indeed.
+
+He looked towards his five horses, now eagerly cropping the luxuriant
+grass that grew under the shadow of the cliffs. When would they be ready
+to trek back again? In three or four days he might start. Fine animals,
+most of them were--they would carry the wagon lightly enough.
+
+So ran the reflections of the field-cornet. He little thought at the
+moment that those horses would never draw wagon more, nor any other
+vehicle. He little thought that those five noble brutes were doomed!
+
+Yet so it was. In less than a week from that time, the jackals and
+hyenas were quarrelling over their bones. Even at that very moment while
+he watched them browsing, the poison was entering their veins, and their
+death-wounds were being inflicted. Alas! alas! another blow awaited Von
+Bloom.
+
+The field-cornet had noticed, now and again, that the horses seemed
+uneasy as they fed. At times they started suddenly, whisked their long
+tails, and rubbed their heads against the bushes.
+
+"Some fly is troubling them," thought he, and had no more uneasiness
+about the matter.
+
+It was just that--just a fly that was troubling them. Had Von Bloom
+known what that fly was, he would have felt a very different concern
+about his horses. Had he known the nature of that little fly, he would
+have rushed up with all his boys, caught the horses in the greatest
+hurry, and led them far away from those dark cliffs. But he knew not the
+"tsetse" fly.
+
+It still wanted some minutes of sunset, and the horses were permitted to
+browse freely, but Von Bloom observed that they were every moment
+getting more excited--now striking their hoofs upon the turf,--now
+running a length or two--and at intervals snorting angrily. At the
+distance they were off--a quarter of a mile or so--Von Bloom could see
+nothing of what was disturbing them; but their odd behaviour at length
+induced him to walk up to where they were. Hans and Hendrik went along
+with him.
+
+When they arrived near the spot, they were astonished at what they then
+beheld. Each horse seemed to be encompassed by a swarm of bees!
+
+They saw, however, they were not bees, but insects somewhat smaller, of
+a brown colour, resembling gad-flies, and exceedingly active in their
+flight. Thousands of them hovered above each horse, and hundreds could
+be seen lighting upon the heads, necks, bodies, and legs of the
+animals,--in fact, all over them. They were evidently either biting or
+stinging them. No wonder the poor brutes were annoyed.
+
+Von Bloom suggested that they should drive the horses farther out into
+the plain, where these flies did not seem to haunt. He was only
+concerned about the annoyance which the horses received from them.
+Hendrik also pitied their sufferings; but Hans, alone of all the three,
+guessed at the truth. He had read of a fatal insect that frequented some
+districts in the interior of South Africa, and the first sight of these
+flies aroused his suspicions that it might be they.
+
+He communicated his thoughts to the others, who at once shared his
+alarm.
+
+"Call Swartboy hither!" said Von Bloom.
+
+The Bushman was called, and soon made his appearance, coming up from the
+spring. He had for the last hour been engaged in unpacking the wagon,
+and had taken no notice of the horses or the interest they were
+exciting.
+
+As soon, however, as he got near, and saw the winged swarm whirring
+around the horses, his small eyes opened to their widest extent, his
+thick lips fell, and his whole face yielded itself to an expression of
+amazement and alarm.
+
+"What is it, Swart?" inquired his master.
+
+"Mein baas! mein baas! der duyvel um da--dar skellum is da 'tsetse!'"
+
+"And what if it be the tsetse?"
+
+"Mein Gott!--all dead--dead--ebery horse!"
+
+Swartboy then proceeded to explain, with a loud and continuous
+"clicking," that the fly which they saw was fatal in its bite, that the
+horses would surely die--sooner or later, according to the number of
+stings they had already received; but, from the swarm of insects around
+them, the Bushman had no doubt they had been badly stung, and a single
+week would see all five of the horses dead.
+
+"Wait, mein baas--morrow show."
+
+And to-morrow did show; for before twelve o'clock on the next day, the
+horses were swollen all over their bodies and about their heads. Their
+eyes were quite closed up; they refused any longer to eat, but staggered
+blindly among the luxuriant grass, every now and then expressing the
+pain they felt by a low melancholy whimpering. It was plain to every one
+they were going to die.
+
+Von Bloom tried bleeding, and various other remedies; but to no purpose.
+There is no cure for the bite of the tsetse fly!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS.
+
+
+Great, indeed, was now the affliction of the field-cornet. Fortune
+seemed to be adverse in everything. Step by step he had been sinking for
+years, every year becoming poorer in worldly wealth. He had now reached
+the lowest point--poverty itself. He owned nothing whatever. His horses
+might be regarded as dead. The cow had escaped from the tsetse by
+avoiding the cliffs, and keeping out upon the plain; and this animal now
+constituted his whole live stock,--his whole property! True, he still had
+his fine wagon; but of what use would that be without either oxen or
+horses? a wagon without a team! Better a team without a wagon.
+
+What could he do? How was he to escape from the position he was placed
+in? To say the least, it was an awkward one--nearly two hundred miles
+from any civilised settlement, and no means of getting there,--no means
+except by walking; and how were his children to walk two hundred miles?
+Impossible!
+
+Across desert tracts, exposed not only to terrible fatigue, but to
+hunger, thirst, and fierce carnivorous animals. It appeared impossible
+that they could accomplish such a task.
+
+And what else was there to be done? asked the field-cornet of himself.
+Were they to remain there all their lives, subsisting precariously on
+game and roots? Were his children to become "Bush-boys,"--himself a
+Bushman?
+
+With these reflections passing through his mind, no wonder that Von
+Bloom felt deeply afflicted.
+
+"Merciful Heaven!" he exclaimed, as he sat with his head between his
+hands, "what will become of me and mine?"
+
+Poor Von Bloom! he had reached the lowest point of his fortunes.
+
+He had, in reality, reached the lowest point; for on that very
+day,--even within that very hour--an incident occurred, that not only
+gave relief to his afflicted spirit, but that promised to lay the
+foundation of future wealth and prosperity. In one hour from that time
+the prospects of the field-cornet had undergone a complete change,--in
+one hour from that time he was a happy man, and all around him were as
+happy as he!
+
+You are impatient to hear how this change was effected? What little
+fairy had sprung out of the spring, or come down from the cliffs, to
+befriend the good field-cornet in his hour of misery? You are impatient
+to hear! Then you shall hear.
+
+The sun was just going down. They were all seated under the great tree,
+and near a fire, upon which they had cooked their supper. There was no
+talking, no cheerful conversation,--for the children saw that their
+father was in trouble, and that kept them silent. Not a word passed
+between them, or only an occasional whisper.
+
+It was at this moment that Von Bloom gave utterance to his sad thoughts
+in words as above.
+
+As if seeking for an answer, his eyes were raised to heaven, and then
+wandered around the plain. All at once they became fixed upon a singular
+object, that appeared at some distance off, and was just emerging from
+the bushes.
+
+It was an animal of some kind, and from its vast size Von Bloom and the
+others at first took it to be an elephant. None of them, except
+Swartboy, were accustomed to elephants in their wild state,--for,
+although these animals once inhabited the most southerly portion of
+Africa, they have long since deserted the settled districts, and are now
+only to be found far beyond the frontier of the colony. But they knew
+that there were elephants in these parts--as they had already observed
+their tracks--and all now supposed the huge creature that was
+approaching must be one.
+
+Not all, Swartboy was an exception. As soon as his eyes fell upon the
+animal he cried out,--
+
+"Chukuroo--a chukuroo!"
+
+"A rhinoster, is it?" said Von Bloom, knowing that "chuckuroo" was the
+native name for the rhinoceros, or "rhinoster," as he called it in
+Dutch.
+
+"Ya, baas," replied Swartboy; "and one o' da big karles--da, 'kobaoba,'
+da long-horn white rhinoster."
+
+What Swartboy meant by this was that the animal in question was a large
+species of rhinoceros, known among the natives as the "kobaoba."
+
+Now I dare say, young reader, you have been all your life under the
+impression that there was but one species of rhinoceros in the
+world--that is _the_ rhinoceros. Is it not so? Yes.
+
+Well, permit me to inform you, that you have been under a wrong
+impression. There are quite a number of distinct species of this very
+singular animal. At least eight distinct kinds I know of; and I do not
+hesitate to say that when the central parts of Africa have been fully
+explored, as well as South Asia and the Asiatic islands, nearly half as
+many more will be found to exist.
+
+In South Africa four distinct species are well known; one in North
+Africa differs from all these; while the large Indian rhinoceros bears
+but slight resemblance to any of them. A distinct species from any is
+the rhinoceros of Sumatra, an inhabitant of that island; and still
+another is the Java rhinoceros, found in the island of Java. Thus we
+have no less than eight kinds, all specifically differing from one
+another.
+
+The natives of South Africa are acquainted with four distinct species of
+rhinoceros, to which they give distinct names; and it may be remarked
+that this observation of species by native hunters is far more to be
+depended upon than the speculations of mere closet-naturalists, who draw
+their deductions from a tubercle, or the tooth, or a stuffed skin.
+Gordon Cumming, for example, the most distinguished of all African
+hunters has done more to increase the knowledge of African zoology than
+a whole college full of "speculating" _savans_.
+
+This same Gordon Cumming has written a most interesting account of his
+hunting experiences, tells you that there are four kinds of rhinoceros
+in Southern Africa; and no man is likely to know better than he.
+
+These four kinds are known among the natives as the "borele," the
+"keitloa," the "muchocho," and "kobaoba." The two first are "black
+rhinoceroses,"--that is, the general colour of their skin is dark--while
+the "muchocho" and "kobaoba" are white varieties, having the skin of a
+dingy whitish hue. The black rhinoceroses are much smaller--scarce half
+the size of the others, and they differ from them in the length and set
+of their horns, as well as in other particulars.
+
+In the form and length of their neck, the set of their ears, and other
+respects, the black rhinoceroses differ materially from the white ones.
+In fact, their habits are quite unlike. The former feed chiefly on the
+leaves and twigs of thorns, such as the _Acacia horrida_, or
+"wait-a-bits," while the latter live upon grass. The former are of
+fiercer disposition--will attack man or any other animal on sight; and
+even sometimes seem to grow angry with the bushes, charging upon them
+and breaking them to pieces!
+
+The white rhinoceroses, although fierce enough when wounded or provoked,
+are usually of pacific disposition, and will permit the hunter to pass
+without molestation.
+
+These become very fat, and make excellent eating. The flesh of no
+African animal is esteemed superior to the calf of the white rhinoceros,
+whereas the black varieties never grow fat, and their flesh is tough and
+unpalatable.
+
+The hide is also used for different purposes, among others for making
+the whips known as "jamboks," though hippopotamus-hide is superior.
+
+The skin of the African rhinoceros, as already stated, is without the
+plaits, folds, and scutellae, that characterise its Asiatic congener, yet
+it is far from being a soft one. It is so thick and difficult to pierce,
+that a bullet of ordinary lead will sometimes flatten upon it. To ensure
+its penetrating, the lead must be hardened with solder.
+
+The rhinoceros, though not a water animal, like the hippopotamus, is
+nevertheless fond of that element, and is rarely found at a great
+distance from it. All four kinds love to lie and wallow in mud, just as
+hogs in a summer's day; and they are usually seen coated all over with
+this substance. During the day they may be observed lying down or
+standing under the shade of some thick mimosa-tree, either asleep or in
+a state of easy indolence; and it is during the night that they wander
+about in search of food and water.
+
+If approached from the lee side they can easily be got at, as their
+small sparkling eyes do not serve them well. On the contrary, if the
+hunter go to windward, they will scent him at a great distance, as their
+sense of smell is most acute. If their eyes were only as keen as their
+nostrils, it would be a dangerous game to attack them, for they can run
+with sufficient rapidity to overtake a horse in the first charge.
+
+In charging and running, the black variety far excels the white. They
+are easily avoided, however, by the hunter springing quickly to one
+side, and letting them rush blindly on.
+
+The black rhinoceros is about six feet high at the shoulder, and full
+thirteen in length; while the white kinds are far larger. The white
+rhinoceros is full seven feet high, and fourteen in length!
+
+No wonder that an animal of these extraordinary dimensions was at first
+sight taken for the elephant. In fact, the kobaoba rhinoceros is the
+quadruped next to the elephant in size; and with his great muzzle--full
+eighteen inches broad--his long clumsy head, his vast ponderous body,
+this animal impresses one with an idea of strength and massive grandeur
+as great, and some say greater than the elephant himself. He looks,
+indeed, like a caricature of the elephant. It was not such a bad
+mistake, then, when our people by the wagon took the "kobaoba" for the
+"mighty elephant."
+
+Swartboy, however, set them all right by declaring that the animal they
+saw was the white rhinoceros.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+A HEAVY COMBAT.
+
+
+When they first saw the kobaoba, he was, as stated, just coming out of
+the thicket. Without halting, he headed in the direction of the vley
+already mentioned; and kept on towards it, his object evidently being to
+reach the water.
+
+This little lake, of course, owed its existence to the spring--though it
+was full two hundred yards from the latter--and about the same from the
+great tree. It was nearly circular in shape, and about one hundred yards
+in diameter, so that its superficial area would thus be a little over
+two English acres. It merited, then, the name of "lake;" and by that
+name the young people already called it.
+
+On its upper side--that in the direction of the spring--its shore was
+high, and in one or two places rocky, and these rocks ran back to the
+spring along the channel of a little rivulet. On the west or outer side
+of the lake the land lay lower, and the water at one or two points
+lipped up nearly to the level of the plain. For this reason it was, that
+upon that side, the bank was paddled all over with tracks of animals
+that had been to drink. Hendrik the hunter had observed among them the
+footprints of many kinds he knew nothing about.
+
+It was for the lower end of the lake the kobaoba was making--no doubt
+with him an old and favourite drinking place.
+
+There was a point where the water was easier of access than elsewhere--a
+little to one side of where the wash or waste-stream of the lake ran
+out. It was a sort of cove with bright sandy beach, and approachable
+from the plain by a miniature gorge, hollowed out, no doubt, by the long
+usage of those animals who came to drink at the vley. By entering this
+cove, the tallest animals might get deep water and good bottom, so that
+they could drink without much straining or stooping. The kobaoba came on
+in a direct line for the lake; and as he drew near, they could see him
+heading for the gorge that led into the little cove. It proved he had
+been there before.
+
+Next moment he passed through the gap, and stood knee-deep in the water.
+
+After swallowing several copious draughts--now sneezing, and then
+wheezing--he plunged his broad snout, horn and all, into the water,
+tossed it till it foamed, and then lying down in it, commenced wallowing
+like a hog.
+
+The place was shallow, and most of his huge body was above the
+surface--though there was deep enough water in the lake to have given
+him a bath had he desired it.
+
+The first thought of Von Bloom, as well as of Hendrik, was how to
+"circumvent" the rhinoceros, and of course destroy him. Not that they
+simply wished his destruction; but Swartboy had already represented what
+fine food the species was, and there was no stock of provision in camp.
+Hendrik had another object in wishing the death of the creature. He
+wanted a new loading-rod for his rifle; and he had gazed covetously at
+the kobaoba's long horn.
+
+But it was easier to desire the death of the rhinoceros than to
+accomplish it. They had no horses--at least, none that could be
+mounted--and to attack the animal on foot, would be a game as dangerous
+as idle. He would be like enough to impale one of them on his great
+spike, or else trample them brutally under his huge feet. If he did not
+do one or the other, he would easily make his escape--as any kind of
+rhinoceros can outrun a man.
+
+How were they to manage him then?
+
+Perhaps they might get near--fire at him from an ambush, and with a
+lucky shot stretch him out. A single bullet sometimes kills the
+rhinoceros--but only when correctly placed, so as to penetrate the
+heart, or some other of the "vitals."
+
+This was, probably, the best plan. They might easily get near enough.
+There was some bush cover close to the spot. It was probable the old
+kobaoba would not perceive them, if they approached from leeward,
+particularly as he seemed in the full tide of enjoyment at that moment.
+
+They were about to attempt the approach, and had got to their feet for
+that purpose, when a sudden fit seemed to have attacked Swartboy. The
+latter commenced jumping over the ground, at the same time muttering in
+a low voice,--
+
+"Da klow! da klow!"
+
+A stranger would have fancied Swartboy in a fit, but Von Bloom knew that
+by "Da klow! da klow!" the Bushman meant "The elephant! the elephant!"
+and therefore looked in the direction in which Swartboy was pointing.
+
+Sure enough, upon the western plain, looming up against the yellow sky,
+was a dark mass, that upon examination presented the outlines of an
+elephant. Its rounded back was easily distinguished over the low bushes;
+and its broad hanging ears were moving as it marched. All saw at a
+glance that it was coming towards the lake, and almost in the same track
+that the rhinoceros had taken.
+
+Of course this new apparition quite disarranged the plans of the
+hunters. At sight of the mighty elephant, they scarce any longer gave a
+thought to the kobaoba. Not that they had formed any very great hopes of
+being able to kill the gigantic animal, yet some such thought was
+running through their minds. They had determined to try, at all events.
+
+Before they could agree upon any plan, however, the elephant had got up
+to the edge of the lake. Though moving only at a slow walk, with his
+immense strides he soon measured off a large quantity of ground, and
+advanced much more rapidly than one would have supposed. The hunters had
+scarce time to exchange thoughts, before the huge creature was up within
+a few yards of the water.
+
+Here he halted, pointed his proboscis in different directions, stood
+quite silent, and seemed to listen.
+
+There was no noise to disturb him--even the kobaoba for the moment was
+quiet.
+
+After standing a minute or so, the huge creature moved forward again,
+and entered the gorge already described.
+
+They at the camp had now a full view of him, at less than three hundred
+yards distant. An immense mass he seemed. His body quite filled the
+gorge from side to side, and his long yellow tusks projecting more than
+two yards from his jaws, curved gracefully upward. He was an "old bull,"
+as Swartboy whispered.
+
+Up to this time the rhinoceros had not had the slightest intimation of
+the elephant's approach; for the tread of the latter--big beast as he
+is--is as silent as a cat's. It is true that a loud rumbling noise like
+distant thunder proceeded from his inside as he moved along; but the
+kobaoba was in too high a caper just then to have heard or noticed any
+sound that was not very near and distinct.
+
+The huge body of the elephant coming suddenly into "his sunshine," and
+flinging its dark shadow over the vley, was distinct enough, and caused
+the kobaoba to get to his feet with an agility quite surprising for a
+creature of his build.
+
+At the same time a noise, something between a grunt and a whistle
+escaped him, as the water was ejected from his nostrils.
+
+The elephant also uttered his peculiar salute, in a trumpet note, that
+echoed from the cliffs; and halted in his tracks as soon as he saw the
+rhinoceros.
+
+No doubt both were surprised at the rencontre; as both stood for some
+seconds eyeing each other with apparent astonishment.
+
+This, however, soon gave place to a different feeling. Symptoms of anger
+began to show themselves. It was evident that bad blood was brewing
+between them.
+
+There was, in fact, a little dilemma. The elephant could not get
+comfortably at the water unless the rhinoceros left the cove; and the
+rhinoceros could not well get out of the cove, so long as the elephant
+blocked up the gorge with his immense thick limbs.
+
+It is true, the kobaoba might have sneaked through among the other's
+legs, or he might have swum off and landed at some other point, and in
+either way have left the coast clear.
+
+But of all animals in the world a rhinoceros is, perhaps, the most
+unaccommodating. He is, also, one of the most fearless, dreading neither
+man nor beast--not even the boasted lion, whom he often chases like a
+cat. Hence the old kobaoba had no intention of yielding ground to the
+elephant; and from his attitude, it was plain that he neither intended
+to sneak off under the other's belly, nor swim a single stroke for him.
+No--not a stroke.
+
+It remained to be seen how the point of honour was to be decided. The
+attitude of affairs had become so interesting, that every one by the
+camp was gazing with fixed eyes upon the two great bulls--for the
+rhinoceros was also a "bull" and of the largest size known of his kind.
+
+For several minutes they stood eyeing each other. The elephant, although
+much the larger, knew his antagonist well. He had met his "sort" before,
+and knew better than to despise his powers. Perhaps, ere now, he had had
+a touch of that long spit-like excrescence that stood out from the
+kobaoba's snout.
+
+At all events, he did not rush upon his adversary at once--as he would
+have done on some poor antelope that might have crossed him in the same
+way.
+
+[Illustration: A DEADLY ENCOUNTER.]
+
+His patience, however, became exhausted. His ancient dignity was
+insulted--his rule disputed--he wished to have his bath and his
+drink--he could bear the insolence of the rhinoceros no longer.
+
+With a bellow that made the rocks ring again, he charged forward; placed
+his tusks firmly under the shoulder of his adversary,--gave a mighty
+"lift," and turned the rhinoceros over in the water!
+
+For a moment the latter plunged, and blowed, and snorted, his head half
+under water; but in a second's time he was on his feet again, and
+charging in turn. The spectators could see that he aimed right at the
+elephant's ribs with his horn, and that the latter did all he could to
+keep head towards him.
+
+Again the elephant flung the kobaoba, and again the latter rose and
+charged madly upon his huge antagonist; and so both fought until the
+water around them was white with foam.
+
+The contest was carried on in the water, until the elephant, seeming to
+think his adversary had an advantage there, backed himself into the
+gorge, and stood waiting with his head towards the lake. In this
+position the sides of the gorge did not protect him, as perhaps he
+fancied. They were too low, and his broad flanks rose far above them.
+They only kept him from turning round, and this interfered with the
+freedom of his movements.
+
+It could scarce have been design in the rhinoceros to act as he now did,
+though it appeared so to those who were watching. As the elephant took
+up his position in the gorge, the kobaoba clambered out upon the bank;
+and then, wheeling suddenly, with head to the ground and long horn
+projected horizontally, the latter rushed upon his antagonist and struck
+him right among the ribs. The spectators saw that the horn penetrated,
+and the loud scream that came from the elephant, with the quick motions
+of his trunk and tail, told plainly that he had received a severe wound.
+Instead of standing any longer in the gorge he rushed forward, and did
+not stop until he was knee-deep in the lake. Drawing the water up into
+his trunk, he raised it on high, and pointing it backwards, he
+discharged large volumes over his body, and upon the spot where he had
+received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn.
+
+He then ran out of the lake, and charged about in search of the
+rhinoceros; but long-horn was no longer to be found!
+
+Having escaped from the cove without compromising his dignity, and
+perhaps believing that he had gained the victory, the rhinoceros, as
+soon as he delivered the thrust, had galloped off and disappeared among
+the bushes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT.
+
+
+The battle between these two large quadrupeds did not continue for more
+than ten minutes. During that time the hunters made no advance towards
+attacking either of them--so much absorbed were they in watching the
+novel contest. It was only after the rhinoceros had retreated, and the
+elephant returned to the water, that they once more began to deliberate
+on some plan of assaulting this mightiest of African animals. Hans now
+laid hold of his gun and joined them.
+
+The elephant, after looking about for his enemy, had got back, and was
+standing knee-deep in the lake. He appeared restless and highly excited.
+His tail was continually in motion, and at intervals he uttered a
+piercing melancholy scream--far different to the usual trumpet-like
+bellow of his voice. He lifted his huge limbs, and then plunged them
+back again to the bottom, until the foam gathered upon the water with
+his continued churning.
+
+But the oddest of his actions was the manner in which he employed his
+long tubular trunk. With this he sucked up vast volumes of water, and
+then pointing it backwards ejected the fluid over his back and
+shoulders, as if from an immense syringe. This shower-bath he kept
+repeating time after time, though it was evident he was not at his ease.
+
+They all knew he was angry. Swartboy said it would be exceedingly
+dangerous to be seen by him at that moment, without having a horse to
+gallop out of his way. On this account every one of them had concealed
+themselves behind the trunk of the nwana-tree, Von Bloom peeping past
+one side, and Hendrik the other, in order to watch his movements.
+
+Notwithstanding the danger, they at length resolved to attack him. They
+believed that if they did not do so soon, he would walk off, and leave
+them supperless--for they had hoped to sup upon a slice of his trunk.
+Time, therefore, had grown precious, and they resolved to attack him
+without further ado.
+
+They intended to creep as near as was safe. All three would fire
+together, and then lie close in the bushes until they saw the effect of
+their shots.
+
+Without farther parley, Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, leaving the tree,
+crept through the bushes towards the western end of the lake. It was not
+a continuous thicket, but only an assemblage of copses and clumps, so
+that they required to steal very cautiously from one to the other. Von
+Bloom led the way, while the boys kept in his tracks, following him
+closely.
+
+After some five minutes spent in this way, they got under cover of a
+little clump near the water's edge, and near enough to the gigantic
+game. Upon their hands and knees they now approached the verge of the
+underwood; and, having parted the leaves, looked through. The mighty
+quadruped was right under their eyes, within twenty yards of them!
+
+He was still busy plunging about, and blowing volumes of water over his
+body. He gave no sign that he had any suspicion of their presence. They
+could take time, therefore, in choosing a part of his huge body at which
+to aim their pieces.
+
+When first seen from their new position, he was standing stern towards
+them. Von Bloom did not think it a good time to fire, as they could not
+give him a deadly wound in that situation. They waited, therefore, until
+he might turn his side, before they should deliver their volley. They
+kept their eyes all the while steadily fixed on him.
+
+He ceased at length to "churn" with his feet, and no longer raised water
+in his trunk; and now the hunters perceived that the lake was red for a
+space around him! It was his blood that had reddened it.
+
+They no longer doubted that he had been wounded by the rhinoceros; but
+whether the wound was a bad one they could not tell. It was in his side,
+and as yet they could only see his broad stern from the position in
+which he still continued to stand. But they waited with confidence--as
+they knew that in turning to get out of the water, he would have to
+present his side towards them.
+
+For several minutes he kept the same position; but they noticed that his
+tail no longer switched about, and that his attitude was loose and
+drooping. Now and then he turned his proboscis to the spot where he had
+received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn. It was evident that the wound
+was distressing him, and this became more apparent by the loud painful
+breathing the creature uttered through his trunk.
+
+The three began to grow impatient. Hendrik asked leave to creep round to
+another point, and give him a shot that would turn him round.
+
+Just at that moment the elephant made a motion, as though he was about
+to come out of the water.
+
+He had got fairly round--his head and fore-part were over dry land--the
+three guns were pointed--the eyes of the three hunters were about to
+glance through the sights of their pieces, when all at once he was seen
+to rock and stagger,--and then roll over! With a loud plash, his vast
+body subsided into the water, sending great waves to every corner of the
+lake.
+
+The hunters uncocked their guns, and, springing from their ambush,
+rushed forward to the bank. They saw at a glance that the elephant was
+dead. They saw the wound upon his side,--the hole made by the horn of
+the rhinoceros. It was not very large, but the terrible weapon had
+penetrated far into his body, into his very vitals. No wonder, then, at
+the result it had produced--the death of the mightiest of quadrupeds.
+
+As soon as it became known that the elephant was dead, everybody was
+seen rushing forward to the spot. Little Trueey and Jan were called from
+their hiding-place--for they had both been hidden in the wagon--and
+Totty, too, went down with the rest. Swartboy was one of the first upon
+the spot, carrying an axe and a large knife--for Swartboy had designs
+upon the carcass--while Hans and Hendrik both threw off their jackets to
+assist in the butchering operations.
+
+And what during this time was Von Bloom about? Ha! That is a more
+important question than you think for. That was an important hour--the
+hour of a great crisis in the life of the field-cornet.
+
+He was standing with folded arms on the bank of the lake, directly over
+the spot where the elephant had fallen. He appeared to be wrapt in
+silent meditation, his eyes bent upon the huge carcass of the animal.
+No, not on the carcass. A close observer would have perceived that his
+eyes did not wander over that mountain of thick skin and flesh, but were
+resting upon a particular spot.
+
+Was it the wound in the animal's side? And was Von Bloom meditating how
+the thrust had caused the death of such a huge creature?
+
+Neither one nor the other. His thoughts were upon a very different theme
+from either.
+
+The elephant had fallen so that his head was clear of the water, and
+rested upon a little bank of sand; along which, his soft and limber
+trunk lay extended to its full length. Curving like a pair of gigantic
+scimeters from its base, were the yellow enamelled tusks; those ivory
+arms that for years,--aye centuries, perhaps,--had served him to root up
+the trees of the forest, and rout his antagonists in many a dread
+encounter. Precious and beautiful trophies were they, but alas! their
+world-wide fame had cost no less than life to many thousands of his
+race.
+
+Shining in all their magnificence lay these mated crescents, gently
+curved and softly rounded. It was upon these that the eyes of the
+field-cornet were bent!
+
+Aye, and bent too with an eagerness unusual in his glance. His lips were
+compressed, his chest was visibly heaving. Oh! there was a world of
+thoughts passing through the mind of Von Bloom at that moment.
+
+Were they painful thoughts? The expression of his face told the
+contrary. The cloud that all that day sat perched upon his brow had
+vanished. Not a trace of it remained, but in its place could be seen the
+lines of hope and joy, and these feelings at length found expression in
+words.
+
+"It is the hand of Heaven!" he exclaimed aloud. "A fortune--a fortune!"
+
+"What is it, papa?" inquired little Trueey, who was near him; "what were
+you speaking about, dear papa?"
+
+And then all the others gathered around him, noticing his excited
+manner, and pleased at seeing him look so happy.
+
+"What is it, papa?" asked all together, while Swartboy and Totty stood
+eager as the rest to hear the answer.
+
+In the pleasant excitement of his thoughts, the fond father could no
+longer conceal from his children the secret of his new-born happiness.
+He would gratify them by disclosing it.
+
+Pointing to the long crescents he said,--
+
+"You see those beautiful tusks?"
+
+Yes, of course, they all did.
+
+"Well, do you know their value?"
+
+No. They knew they were worth something. They knew that it was from
+elephants' tusks that ivory was obtained, or, more properly, that
+elephants' tusks were ivory itself; and that it was used in the
+manufacture of hundreds of articles. In fact, little Trueey had a
+beautiful fan made out of it, which had been her mother's; and Jan had
+a knife with an ivory handle. Ivory was a very beautiful material, and
+cost very dear, they knew. All this they knew, but the value of the two
+tusks they could not guess at. They said so.
+
+"Well, my children," said Von Bloom, "as near as I can estimate them,
+they are worth twenty pounds each of English money."
+
+"Oh! oh! Such a grand sum!" cried all in a breath.
+
+"Yes," continued the field-cornet; "I should think each tusk is one
+hundred pounds in weight, and as ivory at present sells for four
+shillings and sixpence the pound weight, these two would yield between
+forty and fifty pounds of sterling money."
+
+"Why, it would buy a full span of best oxen!" cried Hans.
+
+"Four good horses!" said Hendrik.
+
+"A whole flock of sheep!" added little Jan.
+
+"But whom can we sell them to?" asked Hendrik, after a pause. "We are
+away from the settlements. Who is to give us either oxen, or horses, or
+sheep, for them? It would not be worth while to carry two tusks all the
+way----"
+
+"Not two, Hendrik," said his father interrupting him; "but twenty it
+might,--aye, twice twenty, or three times that number. Now, do you
+understand what makes me so gay?"
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Hendrik, as well as the others, who now began to
+perceive what their father was so joyed about, "you think we can obtain
+more tusks in these parts?"
+
+"Precisely so. I think there are many elephants here. I feel certain of
+it from the quantity of their spoor I have already noticed. We have our
+guns, and fortunately, plenty of ammunition. We are all pretty fair
+shots--why can we not obtain more of these valuable trophies?"
+
+"But we shall," continued Von Bloom. "I know we shall, because I
+recognise the hand of God in sending us this wealth in the midst of our
+misery--after we had lost everything. More will come by the guiding of
+the same hand. So be of good cheer, my children! We shall not want--we
+shall yet have plenty--we may be rich!"
+
+It was not that any of those young creatures cared much about being
+rich, but because they saw their father so happy, that they broke out
+into something more than a murmur of applause. It was, in fact, a cheer,
+in which both Totty and Swartboy joined. It rang over the little lake,
+and caused the birds about settling to roost to wonder what was going
+on. There was no happier group in all Africa than stood at that moment
+upon the shore of that lonely little vley.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+TURNED HUNTERS.
+
+
+The field-cornet, then, had resolved upon turning hunter by
+profession--a hunter of elephants; and it was a pleasant reflection to
+think, that this occupation promised, not only exciting sport, but great
+profit. He knew that it was not so easy a matter to succeed in killing
+such large and valuable game as elephants. He did not suppose that in a
+few weeks or months he would obtain any great quantities of their ivory
+spoils; but he had made up his mind to spend even years in the pursuit.
+For years he should lead the life of a Bushman--for years his sons would
+be "Bush-boys," and he hoped that in time his patience and toil would be
+amply rewarded.
+
+That night around the camp-fire all were very happy and very merry. The
+elephant had been left where he lay, to be cut up on the morrow. Only
+his trunk had been taken off--part of which was cooked for supper.
+
+Although all the flesh of the elephant is eatable, the trunk is esteemed
+one of the delicate bits. It tastes not unlike ox-tongue; and all of
+them liked it exceedingly. To Swartboy, who had made many a meal upon
+"de ole klow," it was a highly-relished feast.
+
+They had plenty of fine milk, too. The cow, now upon the best of
+pasture, doubled her yield; and the quantity of this, the most delicious
+of all drinks, was sufficient to give every one a large allowance.
+
+While enjoying their new-fashioned dish of roast elephant-trunk, the
+conversation naturally turned upon these animals.
+
+Everybody knows the appearance of the elephant, therefore a description
+of him is quite superfluous. But everybody does not know that there are
+two distinct kinds of this gigantic quadruped--the African and Asiatic.
+
+Until a late period they were thought to be of the same species. Now
+they are acknowledged to be, not only distinct, but very different in
+many respects. The Asiatic, or, as it is more frequently called, the
+"Indian" elephant is the larger of the two; but it is possible that
+domestication may have produced a larger kind, as is the rule with many
+animals. The African species exists only in a wild state; and it would
+appear that individuals of this kind have been measured having the
+dimensions of the largest of the wild Asiatic elephants.
+
+The most remarkable points of difference between the two are found in
+the ears and tusks. The ears of the African elephant are of enormous
+proportions, meeting each other above the shoulders, and hanging down
+below the breast. Those of the Indian elephant are scarce one-third the
+size. In his grand tusks the former has far the advantage--these in some
+individuals weighing nearly two hundred pounds each--while the tusks of
+the latter rarely reach the weight of one hundred. To this, however,
+there are some exceptions. Of course a two hundred pound tusk is one of
+the very largest, and far above the average even of African elephants.
+In this species the females are also provided with tusks--though not of
+such size as in the males--whereas the female of the Indian elephant has
+either no tusks at all, or they are so small as to be scarcely
+perceptible outside the skin of the lips.
+
+In Africa the elephant exists only in a state of nature. None of the
+nations upon this little-known continent tame or train him to any
+purpose. He is only prized among them for his precious teeth, and his
+flesh as well. Some have asserted that this species is more fierce than
+its Indian congener, and could not be domesticated. This is altogether a
+mistake. The reason why the African elephant is not trained, is simply
+that none of the modern nations of Africa have yet reached a high enough
+point of civilisation to avail themselves of the services of this
+valuable animal.
+
+The African elephant may be domesticated and trained to the "howdah," or
+castle, as easily as his Indian cousin. The trial has been made; but
+that it can be done no better proof is required than that at one period
+it was done, and upon a large scale. The elephants of the Carthaginian
+army were of this species.
+
+The African elephant at present inhabits the central and southern parts
+of Africa. Abyssinia on the east, and Senegal on the west, are his
+northern limits, and but a few years ago he roamed southward to the very
+Cape of Good Hope. The activity of the Dutch ivory-hunters, with their
+enormous long guns, has driven him from that quarter; and he is no
+longer to be found to the south of the Orange River.
+
+Swartboy spoke of a variety well known among the Hottentot hunters as
+the "koes-cops." This kind, he said, differed from the ordinary ones by
+its altogether wanting the tusks, and being of a far more vicious
+disposition. Its encounter is more dreaded; but as it possesses no
+trophies to make it worth the trouble and danger of killing, the hunters
+usually give it a wide berth.
+
+Such was the conversation that night around the camp-fire. Much of the
+information here given was furnished by Hans, who of course had gathered
+it from books; but the Bushman contributed his quota--perhaps of a far
+more reliable character.
+
+All were destined ere long to make practical acquaintance with the
+haunts and habits of this huge quadruped, that to them had now become
+the most interesting of all the animal creation.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+JERKING AN ELEPHANT.
+
+
+Next day was one of severe, but joyful labour. It was spent in "curing"
+the elephant, not in a medical sense, but in the language of the
+provision-store.
+
+Although not equal to either beef or mutton, or even pork, the flesh of
+the elephant is sufficiently palatable to be eaten. There is no reason
+why it should not be, for the animal is a clean feeder, and lives
+altogether on vegetable substances--the leaves and tender shoots of
+trees, with several species of bulbous roots, which he well knows how to
+extract from the ground with his tusks and trunk. It does not follow
+from this that his beef should be well tasted--since we see that the
+hog, one of the most unclean of feeders, yields most delicious "pork;"
+while another of the same family (_pachydermata_) that subsists only on
+sweet succulent roots, produces a flesh both insipid and bitter. I
+allude to the South American tapir. The quality of the food, therefore,
+is no criterion of the quality of the flesh.
+
+It is true that the beef of the elephant was not what Von Bloom and most
+of his family would have chosen for their regular diet. Had they been
+sure of procuring a supply of antelope-venison, the great carcass might
+have gone, not to the "dogs," but to their kindred the hyenas. But they
+were not sure of getting even a single antelope, and therefore decided
+upon "curing" the elephant. It would be a safe stock to have on hand,
+and need not interfere with their eating venison, or any other dainty
+that might turn up.
+
+The first thing done was to cut out the tusks. This proved a tough job,
+and occupied full two hours. Fortunately there was a good axe on hand.
+But for this and Swartboy's knowledge, double the time might have been
+wasted in the operation.
+
+The ivory having been extracted and put away in a safe place, the
+"cutting up" then commenced in earnest. Von Bloom and Swartboy were the
+"baas-butchers," while Hans and Hendrik played the part of "swabs." As
+the carcass lay half under water, they would have had some difficulty in
+dealing with the under part. But this they did not design to touch. The
+upper half would be amply sufficient to provision them a long while; and
+so they set about removing the skin from that side that was uppermost.
+
+The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into
+sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under skin, of
+tough and pliant nature. Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would
+have saved this for making them--as it is used for such purposes by the
+Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in the wagon, and
+this skin was thrown away.
+
+They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large
+sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with
+the axe. This trouble they would not have taken--as they did not want
+the ribs--but they cut them away for another reason, namely, to enable
+them to get at the valuable fat, which lies in enormous quantities
+around the intestines. Of course for all cooking purposes, the fat would
+be to them invaluable, and indeed almost necessary to render the flesh
+itself eatable.
+
+It is no easy matter to get at the fat in the inside of an elephant, as
+the whole of the intestines have first to be removed. But Swartboy was
+not to be deterred by a little trouble; so climbing into the interior of
+the huge carcass, he commenced cutting and delving, and every now and
+then passing a multitude of "inwards" out to the others, who carried
+them off out of the way.
+
+After a long spell of this work, the fat was secured, and carefully
+packed in a piece of clean under-skin; and then the "butchering" was
+finished.
+
+Of course the four feet, which along with the trunk are considered the
+"tit-bits," had already been separated at the fetlock joint; and stood
+out upon the bank, for the future consideration of Swartboy.
+
+The next thing to be done was to "cure" the meat. They had a stock of
+salt--that precious, though, as lately discovered, not indispensable
+article. But the quantity--stowed away in a dry corner of the wagon--was
+small, and would have gone but a short way in curing an elephant.
+
+They had no idea of using it for such a purpose. Flesh can be preserved
+without salt; and not only Swartboy, but Von Bloom himself, knew how to
+preserve it. In all countries where salt is scarce, the process of
+"jerking" meat is well understood, and consists simply in cutting it
+into thin strips and hanging it out in the sun. A few days of bright
+warm sunshine will "jerk" it sufficiently; and meat thus dried will keep
+good for months. A slow fire will answer the purpose nearly as well; and
+in the absence of sunshine, the fire is often resorted to.
+
+Sun-dried meat in South Africa is called "biltongue." The Spaniards of
+Mexico name it "tasajo," while those of Peru style it "charqui." In
+English it is "jerked" meat.
+
+Several hours were spent in cutting the elephant-beef into strips, and
+then a number of forked poles were set up, others were laid horizontally
+over the forks, and upon these the meat was suspended, and hung down in
+numberless festoons.
+
+Before the sun went down, the neighbourhood of the camp presented a rare
+appearance. It looked somewhat like the enclosure of a yarn-bleacher,
+except that the hanging strips, instead of being white, were of a
+beautiful clear ruby colour.
+
+But the work was not yet completed. The feet remained to be "preserved,"
+and the mode of curing these was entirely different. That was a secret
+known only by Swartboy, and in the execution of it the Bushman played
+first fiddle, with the important air of a _chef de cuisine_.
+
+He proceeded as follows:--
+
+He first dug a hole in the ground, about two feet deep, and a little
+more in diameter--just large enough to admit one of the feet, which was
+nearly two feet diameter at the base. The earth which came out of this
+hole Swartboy placed in the form of a loose embankment around the edge.
+
+By his direction the boys had already collected upon the spot a large
+quantity of dried branches and logs. These Swartboy now built over the
+hole, into a pyramid of ten feet high, and then set the pile on fire. He
+next proceeded to make three other pits precisely similar, and built
+over each a fire like the first, until four large fires were burning
+upon the ground.
+
+The fires being now fairly under way, he could only wait until each had
+burned down. This would carry the process into the night, and so it
+turned out; but Swartboy had a foresight of this. He knew he would get
+through with the more important portion of his work before bedtime.
+
+When the first fire had burned quite to red cinders, Swartboy's hardest
+turn of duty began. With a shovel he lifted the cinders out of the hole,
+until it was empty; but he was more than an hour in performing this
+apparently simple labour. The difficulty arose from the intense heat he
+had to encounter, which drove him back after every few moments' work; so
+that he was compelled to retreat at intervals in order to cool himself.
+
+The "baas," as well as Hendrik and Hans, took turns with him, until all
+four were perspiring as if they had been shut up for half-an-hour in a
+baker's oven.
+
+When the hole was thoroughly scooped clean of coals, Swartboy, assisted
+by Von Bloom, lifted one of the huge feet; and, carrying it as near as
+they dare go on account of the scorching heat, they heaved it in upon
+its base.
+
+The sandy earth which had been originally removed, and which was now as
+hot as molten lead, was pushed over, and around the foot; and then the
+cinders were raked on top, and over that another huge fire was kindled.
+
+The same process was gone through with the other three feet, and all
+four were to be left in the "oven" until the fires should be burned
+down, when they would be found sufficiently "baked."
+
+Swartboy would then rake off the cinders, take out the feet with a sharp
+wooden spit, beat them well to get rid of the dust, scrape the sand
+clear, then pare off the outside skin, when they would be ready either
+to be eaten or would keep for a long time.
+
+Swartboy would do all this as soon as the four huge bonfires should burn
+down.
+
+But that would not be before the morning; so all of them, fatigued by
+the extraordinary exertions of the day, finished their suppers of
+broiled trunk, and went to rest under the protecting shadow of the
+nwana.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE HIDEOUS HYENA.
+
+
+Fatigued as they were, they would soon have fallen asleep. But they were
+not permitted to do so. As they lay with closed eyes in that half-dreamy
+state that precedes sleep, they were suddenly startled by strange voices
+near the camp.
+
+These voices were uttered in peals of loud laughter; and no one,
+unacquainted with them, would have pronounced them to be anything else
+than the voices of human beings. They exactly resembled the strong
+treble produced by the laugh of a maniac negro. It seemed as if some
+Bedlam of negroes had been let loose, and were approaching the spot.
+
+I say approaching, because each moment the sounds grew clearer and
+louder; and it was evident that whatever gave utterance to them was
+coming nearer to the camp.
+
+That there was more than one creature was evident--aye, and it was
+equally evident that there was more than one kind of creature; for so
+varied were the voices, it would have puzzled a ventriloquist to have
+given imitations of them all. There was howling, and whining, and
+grunting, and growling, and low melancholy moaning as of some one in
+pain, and hissing, and chattering, and short, sharp intonations, as if
+it were the barking of dogs, and then a moment or two of deep silence,
+and again that chorus of human-like laughter, that in point of horror
+and hideous suggestions surpassed all the other sounds.
+
+You will suppose that such a wild concert must have put the camp in a
+state of great alarm. Not a bit of it. Nobody was frightened in the
+least--not even innocent little Trueey, nor the diminutive Jan.
+
+Had they been strangers to these sounds, no doubt they would have been
+more than frightened. They would have been terrified by them; for they
+were calculated to produce such an effect upon any one to whose ears
+they were new.
+
+But Von Bloom and his family had lived too long upon the wild karoo to
+be ignorant of those voices. In the howling, and chattering, and
+yelping, they heard but the cries of the jackal; and they well knew the
+maniac laugh of the hideous hyena.
+
+Instead of being alarmed, and springing from their beds, they lay still
+and listened--not dreading any attack from the noisy creatures.
+
+Von Bloom and the children slept in the wagon; Swartboy and Totty upon
+the ground--but these lay close to the fires, and therefore did not fear
+wild beasts of any kind.
+
+But the hyenas and jackals upon this occasion appeared to be both
+numerous and bold. In a few minutes after they were first heard, their
+cries rose around the camp on all sides, so near and so loud as to be
+positively disagreeable--even without considering the nature of the
+brutes that uttered them.
+
+At last they came so close, that it was impossible to look in any
+direction without seeing a pair of green or red eyes gleaming under the
+light of the fires! White teeth, too, could be observed, as the hyenas
+opened their jaws, to give utterance to their harsh laughter.
+
+With such a sight before their eyes, and such sounds ringing in their
+ears, neither Von Bloom nor any of his people--tired as they were--could
+go to sleep. Indeed, not only was sleep out of the question, but, worse
+than that, all--the field-cornet himself not excepted--began to
+experience some feelings of apprehension, if not actual alarm.
+
+They had never beheld a troop of hyenas so numerous and fierce. There
+could not be less than two dozen of them around the camp, with twice
+that number of jackals.
+
+Von Bloom knew that although, under ordinary circumstances, the hyena is
+not a dangerous animal, yet there are places and times when he will
+attack human beings. Swartboy knew this well, and Hans, too, from having
+read of it. No wonder, then, that some apprehension was felt by all of
+them.
+
+The hyenas now behaved with such boldness, and appeared so ravenous,
+that sleep was out of the question. Some demonstration must be made to
+drive the brutes away from the camp.
+
+Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, laid hold of their guns, and got out of
+the wagon, while Swartboy armed himself with his bow and arrows. All
+four stood close by the trunk of the nwana, on the other side from that
+where the fires were. In this place they were in the shadow, where they
+could best observe anything that should come under the light of the
+fires without being themselves seen. Their position was well chosen.
+
+They had scarcely fixed themselves in it, when they perceived a great
+piece of neglect they had been guilty of. Now, for the first time it
+occurred to them what had brought the hyenas around them in such
+numbers. Beyond a doubt it was the flesh of the elephant,--the
+_biltongue_.
+
+That was what the beasts were after; and all now saw that a mistake had
+been committed in hanging the meat too low. The hyenas might easily get
+at it.
+
+This was soon made manifest; for, even at the moment while they stood
+watching the red festoons, plainly visible under the light of Swartboy's
+fires, a shaggy spotted brute rushed forward, reared up on his
+hind-legs, seized one of the pieces, dragged it down from the pole, and
+then ran off with it into the darkness.
+
+A rushing sound could be heard as the others joined him to get a share
+of his plunder; and, no doubt, in less than half a minute the morsel was
+consumed; for, at the end of that time, glancing eyes and gleaming teeth
+showed that the whole troop was back again and ready to make a fresh
+seizure.
+
+None of the hunters had fired, as the nimbleness with which the brutes
+moved about rendered it difficult to take aim at any one of them; and
+all knew that powder and lead were too precious to be wasted on a
+"flying shot."
+
+Emboldened by their success, the hyenas had now drawn nearer, and in a
+moment more would have made a general charge upon the scaffolds of
+flesh, and, no doubt, would have succeeded in carrying off a large
+quantity of it. But just then it occurred to Von Bloom that it would be
+best to lay aside their guns and remedy the mistake they had made, by
+putting the biltongue out of reach. If they did not do so, they would
+either have to remain awake all night and guard it, or else lose every
+string of it.
+
+How was it to be put out of reach?
+
+At first they thought of collecting it into a heap and stowing it away
+in the wagon. That would not only be an unpleasant job, but it would
+interfere with their sleeping quarters.
+
+An alternative, however, presented itself. They saw that if the
+scaffolds were only high enough, the meat might be easily hung so as to
+be out of reach of the hyenas. The only question was, how to place the
+cross-poles a little higher. In the darkness they could not obtain a new
+set of uprights, and therein lay the difficulty. How were they to get
+over it?
+
+Hans had the credit of suggesting a way; and that was to take out some
+of the uprights, splice them to the others, with the forked ends
+uppermost, and then rest the horizontal poles on the upper forks. That
+would give a scaffold tall enough to hang the meat beyond the reach of
+either jackals or hyenas.
+
+Hans' suggestion was at once adopted. Half of the uprights were taken up
+and spliced against the others so as to raise their forks full twelve
+feet in the air; and then the cross-poles were rested over their tops.
+By standing upon one of the wagon-chests, Von Bloom was able to fling
+the strips of meat over the horizontal poles, and in such a manner that
+it hung only a few inches down, and was now quite beyond the reach of
+the ravenous brutes.
+
+When the business was finished, the party resumed their station under
+the shadow of the tree, intending to watch for a while, and see how the
+wolfish intruders would act.
+
+They had not long to watch. In less than five minutes the troop
+approached the biltongue, howling, and gibbering, as before; only this
+time uttering peculiar cries, as if to express disappointment. They saw
+at a glance that the tempting festoons were no longer within their
+reach.
+
+They were not going to leave the ground, however, without assuring
+themselves of this fact; and several of the largest approached boldly
+under the scaffolds, and commenced leaping up to try the height.
+
+After several attempts, springing each time as high as they were able,
+they appeared to grow discouraged; and no doubt would in time have
+imitated the fox with the grapes, and gone quietly away. But Von Bloom,
+indignant at being roused after such a fashion, from his pleasant rest,
+was determined to take some revenge upon his tormentors; so he whispered
+the word to the others, and a volley was delivered from behind the tree.
+
+The unexpected discharge caused a quick scattering of both hyenas and
+jackals, and the pattering of their numerous feet could be heard as they
+ran off. When the ground under the scaffold was examined, two of the
+larger of these ravenous quadrupeds, and one of the smaller, were found
+to have bitten the dust.
+
+Swartboy had discharged his arrow along with the guns, and it was he
+that had slain the jackal, for the poisoned shaft was seen sticking
+between the animal's ribs.
+
+The guns were again loaded, the party took their stations as before;
+but, although they waited another half-hour, neither hyena nor jackal
+made their appearance.
+
+They had not gone far away, however, as their wild music testified; but
+the reason they did not return was, that they had now discovered the
+half carcass of the elephant that lay in the lake, and upon that they
+were making their supper. Their plunging in the water could be
+distinctly heard from the camp, and during the whole night they
+quarrelled and growled, and laughed and yelled, as they gorged
+themselves on their ample prey.
+
+Of course Von Bloom and his people did not sit up all night to listen to
+this medley of noises. As soon as they perceived that the brutes were
+not likely to come any more near the camp, they laid aside their
+weapons, returned to their respective sleeping-places, and were all soon
+buried in the sweet slumber that follows a day of healthy exercise.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+STALKING THE OUREBI.
+
+
+Next morning the hyenas and jackals had disappeared from the scene, and,
+to the surprise of all, not a particle of flesh was left upon the bones
+of the elephant. There lay the huge skeleton picked clean, the bones
+even polished white by the rough tongues of the hyenas. Nay, still
+stranger to relate, two of the horses--these poor brutes had been long
+since left to themselves,--had been pulled down during the night, and
+their skeletons lay at a short distance from the camp as cleanly picked
+as that of the elephant!
+
+All this was evidence of the great number of ravenous creatures that
+must have their home in that quarter,--evidence, too, that game animals
+abounded, for where these are not numerous the beasts of prey cannot
+exist. Indeed, from the quantity of tracks that were seen upon the
+shores of the vley, it was evident that animals of various kinds had
+drunk there during the night. There was the round solid hoof of the
+quagga, and his near congener the dauw; and there was the neat hoofprint
+of the gemsbok, and the larger track of the eland; and among these Von
+Bloom did not fail to notice the spoor of the dreaded lion. Although
+they had not heard his roaring that night, they had no doubt that there
+were plenty of his kind in that part of the country. The presence of his
+favourite prey,--the quaggas, the gemsboks, and the elands,--were sure
+indications that the king of beasts was not far off.
+
+Not much work was done that day. The heavy labour of curing the
+biltongue, that had occupied them the whole of the preceding day, and
+their disturbed rest, had rendered them all listless; and neither Von
+Bloom nor the others had any inclination for work. So they moved around
+the camp and did very little.
+
+Swartboy took his elephant's feet from the oven, and cleaned them; and
+also let down the biltongue and arranged it so as to be better exposed
+to the sun. Von Bloom himself shot the three remaining horses, having
+driven them to a good distance from the camp. He did this to put an end
+to the suffering of the poor brutes,--for it was plain to every one that
+they could survive but a day or two longer; and to send a bullet through
+the heart of each was an act of mercy to them.
+
+Out of all the live stock of the field-cornet, the cow alone remained,
+and she was now tended with the greatest care. Without the precious
+milk, which she yielded in such quantity, their diet would have been
+savage enough; and they fully appreciated the service she rendered them.
+Each day she was driven out to the best pasture, and at night shut up in
+a safe kraal of wait-a-bit thorns, that had been built for her at a
+little distance from the tree. These thorns had been placed in such a
+manner that their shanks all radiated inward, while the bushy tops were
+turned out, forming a _chevaux-de-frise_, that scarce any animal would
+have attempted to get through. Such a fence will turn even the lion,
+unless when he has been rendered fierce and reckless by provocation.
+
+Of course a gap had been left for the cow to pass in and out, and this
+was closed by one immense bush, which served all the purpose of a gate.
+Such was the kraal of "old Graaf." Besides the cow, the only living
+thing that remained in camp was Trueey's little pet, the fawn of the
+gazelle.
+
+But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature, not
+less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive
+proportions. That was the fawn of an "ourebi,"--one of the elegant
+little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in
+the "bush" of Southern Africa.
+
+It was to Hendrik they were indebted not only for this pet, but for a
+dinner of delicate venison, which they had that day eaten, and which all
+of them, except Swartboy, preferred to elephant beef. Hendrik had
+procured the venison by a shot from his rifle, and in the following
+manner.
+
+About mid-day he went out--having fancied that upon a large grassy
+meadow near the camp he saw some animal. After walking about
+half-a-mile, and keeping among bushes, around the edge of the meadow, he
+got near enough to be sure that it was an animal he had observed,--for
+he now saw two in the place he had marked.
+
+They were of a kind he had not met with before. They were very small
+creatures,--smaller even than springboks,--but, from their general form
+and appearance, Hendrik knew they were either antelopes or deer; and, as
+Hans had told him there were no deer in Southern Africa, he concluded
+they must be some species of antelope. They were a buck and doe,--this
+he knew because one of them only carried horns. The buck was under two
+feet in height, of slender make, and pale tawny colour. He was
+white-bellied, with white arches above the eyes, and some long white
+hair under the throat. Below his knees were yellowish tufts of long
+hair; and his horns--instead of being lyrate, like those of the
+springbok--rose nearly vertical to the height of four inches. They were
+black in colour, round-shaped, and slightly ringed. The doe was without
+horns, and was a much smaller animal than her mate.
+
+From all these marks Hendrik thought the little antelopes were
+"ourebis;" and such they were.
+
+He continued to stalk in upon them, until he was as close as he could
+get. But he was still more than two hundred yards from them, and of
+course far from being within shooting distance with his small rifle.
+
+A thick _jong dora_ bush concealed him, but he dared not go farther else
+the game would have taken the alarm. He could perceive that they were
+shy creatures.
+
+Every now and again the buck would raise his graceful neck to its full
+stretch, utter a slight bleating call, and look suspiciously around him.
+From these symptoms Hendrik drew the inference that it was shy game, and
+would not be easily approached.
+
+He lay for a moment, thinking what he should do. He was to leeward of
+the game, as he had purposely gone there; but after a while, to his
+chagrin, he saw that they were feeding up the wind, and of course
+widening the distance between them and himself.
+
+It occurred to Hendrik that it might be their habit to browse up the
+wind, as springboks and some other species do. If so, he might as well
+give it up, or else make a long circuit and head them. To do this would
+be a work of labour and of time, and a very uncertain stalk it would be
+in the end. After all his long tramping, and creeping, and crouching,
+the game would be like enough to scent him before they came within
+shot--for it is for this very reason that their instinct teaches them to
+browse against, and not with the wind.
+
+As the plain was large, and the cover very distant, Hendrik was
+discouraged and gave up the design he had half formed of trying to head
+them.
+
+He was about to rise to his feet, and return home, when it occurred to
+him that perhaps he might find a decoy available. He knew there were
+several species of antelopes, with whom curiosity was stronger than
+fear. He had often lured the springbok within reach. Why would not these
+obey the same impulse?
+
+He determined to make trial. At the worst he could only fail, and he had
+no chance of getting a shot otherwise.
+
+Without losing a moment he thrust his hand into his pocket. He should
+have found there a large red handkerchief, which he had more than once
+used for a similar purpose. To his chagrin it was not there!
+
+He dived into both pockets of his jacket, then into his wide trousers,
+then under the breast of his waistcoat. No. The handkerchief was not to
+be found. Alas! it had been left in the wagon! It was very annoying.
+
+What else could he make use of? Take off his jacket and hold it up? It
+was not gay enough in colour. It would not do.
+
+Should he raise his hat upon the end of his gun? That might be better,
+but still it would look too much like the human form, and Hendrik knew
+that all animals feared that.
+
+A happy thought at length occurred to him. He had heard, that with the
+curious antelopes, strange forms or movements attract almost as much as
+glaring colours. He remembered a trick that was said to be practised
+with success by the hunters. It was easy enough, and consisted merely in
+the hunter standing upon his hands and head, and kicking his heels in
+the air!
+
+Now Hendrik happened to be one of those very boys who had often
+practised this little bit of gymnastics for amusement and he could stand
+upon his head like an acrobat.
+
+Without losing a moment he placed his rifle upon the ground, between his
+hands, and hoisting his feet into the air, commenced kicking them about,
+clinking them together, and crossing them in the most fantastic manner.
+
+He had placed himself so that his face was turned towards the animals,
+while he stood upon his head. Of course he could not see them while in
+this position, as the grass was a foot high; but, at intervals, he
+permitted his feet to descend to the earth; and then, by looking between
+his legs, he could tell how the ruse was succeeding.
+
+It did succeed. The buck, on first perceiving the strange object,
+uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a
+bird--for the "ourebi" is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The
+doe followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear.
+
+The buck, perceiving this, suddenly halted--as if ashamed of his want of
+gallantry--wheeled round, and galloped back, until he was once more
+between the doe and the odd thing that had alarmed him.
+
+What could this odd thing be? he now seemed to inquire of himself. It
+was not a lion, nor a leopard, nor a hyena, nor yet a jackal. It was
+neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his
+well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not
+double-headed as it appeared. What could it be? It had kept its
+place--it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No
+doubt it was harmless enough.
+
+So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a
+little nearer. He would have a better view of the thing before he took
+to flight. No matter what it was, it could do no hurt at that distance;
+and as to overtaking him, pah! there wasn't a creature, biped or
+quadruped in all Africa that he could not fling dust in the face of.
+
+So he went a little nearer, and then a little nearer still, and
+continued to advance by successive runs, now this way and now that way,
+zigzagging over the plain, until he was within less than a hundred paces
+of the odd object that at first sight had so terrified him.
+
+[Illustration: HENDRIK DECOYING THE OUREBIS.]
+
+His companion, the doe, kept close after him; and seemed quite as
+curious as himself--her large shining eyes opened to their full extent,
+as she stopped to gaze at intervals.
+
+Sometimes the two met each other in their course; and halted a moment,
+as though they held consultation in whispers; and asked each other if
+they had yet made out the character of the stranger.
+
+It was evident, however, that neither had done so--as they still
+continued to approach it with looks and gestures of inquiry and wonder.
+
+At length the odd object disappeared for a moment under the grass; and
+then reappeared--but this time in an altered form. Something about it
+glanced brightly under the sun, and this glancing quite fascinated the
+buck, so that he could not stir from the spot, but stood eyeing it
+steadily.
+
+Fatal fascination! It was his last gaze. A bright flash shot
+up--something struck him through the heart, and he saw the shining
+object no more!
+
+The doe bounded forward to where her mate had fallen, and stood bleating
+over him. She knew not the cause of his sudden death, but she saw that
+he was dead. The wound in his side--the stream of red blood--were under
+her eyes. She had never witnessed death in that form before, but she
+knew her lover was dead. His silence--his form stretched along the grass
+motionless and limber--his glassy eyes--all told her he had ceased to
+live.
+
+She would have fled, but she could not leave him--she could not bear to
+part even from his lifeless form. She would remain a while, and mourn
+over him.
+
+Her widowhood was a short one. Again flashed the priming,--again cracked
+the shining tube--and the sorrowing doe fell over upon the body of her
+mate.
+
+The young hunter rose to his feet, and ran forward. He did not,
+according to usual custom, stop to load before approaching his quarry.
+The plain was perfectly level, and he saw no other animal upon it. What
+was his surprise on reaching the antelopes, to perceive that there was a
+third one of the party still alive!
+
+Yes, a little fawn, not taller than a rabbit, was bounding about through
+the grass, running around the prostrate body of its mother, and uttering
+its tiny bleat.
+
+Hendrik was surprised, because he had not observed this creature before;
+but, indeed, he had not seen much of the antelopes until the moment of
+taking aim, and the grass had concealed the tiny young one.
+
+Hunter as Hendrik was, he could not help feeling strongly as he regarded
+the _tableau_ before him. But he felt that he had not wantonly destroyed
+these creatures for mere amusement, and that satisfied his conscience.
+
+The little fawn would make a famous pet for Jan, who had often wished
+for one, to be equal with his sister. It could be fed upon the cow's
+milk, and, though it had lost both father and mother, Hendrik resolved
+that it should be carefully brought up. He had no difficulty in
+capturing it, as it refused to leave the spot where its mother lay, and
+Hendrik soon held the gentle creature in his arms.
+
+He then tied the buck and doe together; and, having fastened a strong
+cord round the horns of the latter, he set off dragging the two
+antelopes behind him.
+
+As these lay upon the ground, heads foremost, they were drawn with the
+grain of the hair, which made it much easier; and as there was nothing
+but grass sward to be passed over, the young hunter succeeded in taking
+the whole of his game to camp without any great difficulty.
+
+The joy of all was great, at seeing such a fine lot of venison, but
+Jan's rejoicing was greater than all; and he no longer envied Trueey the
+possession of her little gazelle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE.
+
+
+It would have been better that Jan had never seen the little
+"ourebi,"--better both for Jan and the antelope, for that night the
+innocent creature was the cause of a terrible panic in the camp.
+
+They had all gone to sleep as on the previous night,--Von Bloom and the
+four children in the wagon, while the Bushman and Totty slept upon the
+grass. The latter lay under the wagon; but Swartboy had kindled a large
+fire a little distance from it, and beside this had stretched himself,
+rolled up in his sheep-skin kaross.
+
+They had all gone to sleep without being disturbed by the hyenas. This
+was easily accounted for. The three horses that had been shot that day
+occupied the attention of these gentry, for their hideous voices could
+be heard off in the direction where the carcasses lay. Having enough to
+give them a supper, they found no occasion to risk themselves in the
+neighbourhood of the camp, where they had experienced such a hostile
+reception on the previous night. So reasoned Von Bloom, as he turned
+over and fell asleep.
+
+He did not reason correctly, however. It was true that the hyenas were
+just then making a meal upon the horses; but it was a mistake to suppose
+that that would satisfy these ravenous brutes, who never seem to have
+enough. Long before morning, had Von Bloom been awake he would have
+heard the maniac laugh closer to the camp, and might have seen the green
+eyes of the hyena glancing under the expiring blaze of Swartboy's
+camp-fire.
+
+Indeed, he had heard the beasts once that he awoke; but, knowing that
+the biltongue had been this night placed out of their reach, and
+thinking that there was nothing to which they could do any harm, he gave
+no heed to their noisy demonstrations, and went to sleep again.
+
+He was awakened, however, by a shrill squeak, as of some animal in the
+agonies of death; and then there was a second squeak, that seemed to be
+suddenly interrupted by the stifling of the creature's utterance!
+
+In these cries Von Bloom, as well as the others--who were now also
+awake--recognised the bleat of the ourebi, for they had heard it several
+times during the afternoon.
+
+"The hyenas are killing it!" thought they. But they had not time to say
+so, before another and far different cry reached their ears, and caused
+them all to start as if a bomb-shell had burst under the wagon. That cry
+was the voice of Jan, and sounded in the same direction whence came the
+scream of the stifled antelope!
+
+"O heaven! what could it mean?"
+
+The child's voice first reached them in a sudden screech--then there was
+a confused noise resembling a scuffle--and Jan was again heard crying
+aloud for help, while at the same time his voice was interrupted, and
+each call appeared to come from a greater distance! Something or
+somebody was carrying him off!
+
+This idea occurred to Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, at the same instant.
+Of course it filled them with consternation; and, as they were scarce
+yet awake, they knew not what to do.
+
+The cries of Jan, however, soon brought them to their senses; and to run
+towards the direction whence these came was the first thought of all.
+
+To grope for their guns would waste time, and all three leaped out of
+the wagon without them.
+
+Totty was upon her feet and jabbering, but she knew no more than they
+what had happened.
+
+They did not stop long to question her. The voice of Swartboy, uttered
+in loud barks and clicks, summoned them elsewhere; and they now beheld a
+red flaming brand rushing through the darkness, which no doubt was
+carried in the hands of that worthy.
+
+They started off in the direction of the blazing torch, and ran as fast
+as they could. They still heard the Bushman's voice, and to their dismay
+beyond it the screams of little Jan.
+
+Of course they could not tell what was causing all this. They only
+pressed on with fearful apprehensions.
+
+When they had got within some fifty paces of the torch, they perceived
+it suddenly descend, then raised again, and brought down, in a rapid and
+violent manner! They could hear the voice of the Bushman barking and
+clicking louder than ever, as though he was engaged in chastising some
+creature.
+
+But Jan's voice they no longer heard--he was screaming no more--was he
+dead?
+
+With terrible forebodings they rushed on.
+
+When they arrived upon the spot, a singular picture presented itself to
+their eyes. Jan lay upon the ground, close in by the roots of some
+bushes which he was holding tightly in his grasp. From one of his wrists
+extended a stout thong, or _rheim_, which passed through among the
+bushes to the distance of several feet; and, fast to its other end, was
+the ourebi fawn, dead, and terribly mangled! Over the spot stood
+Swartboy with his burning tree, which blazed all the brighter that he
+had just been using it over the back of a ravenous hyena. The latter was
+not in sight. It had long since skulked off, but no one thought of
+pursuit, as all were too anxious about Jan.
+
+No time was lost in lifting the child to his feet. The eyes of all ran
+eagerly over him to see where he was wounded; and an exclamation of joy
+soon broke forth when they saw that, except the scratches of the thorns,
+and the deep track of a cord upon his wrist, nothing in the shape of a
+wound could be discovered upon his diminutive body. He had now come to
+himself, and assured them all that he was not hurt a bit. Hurrah! Jan
+was safe!
+
+It now fell to Jan's lot to explain all this mysterious business.
+
+He had been lying in the wagon along with the rest, but not like them
+asleep. No. He could not sleep a wink for thinking on his new pet,
+which, for want of room in the wagon, had been left below tied to one of
+the wheels.
+
+Jan had taken it into his head that he would like to have another look
+at the ourebi before going to sleep. So, without saying a word to any
+one, he crept out of the cap-tent, and descended to where the antelope
+was tied. He unloosed it gently, and then led it forward to the light of
+the fire, where he sat down to admire the creature.
+
+After gazing upon it for some time with delight, he thought that
+Swartboy could not do otherwise than share his feelings; and without
+more ado, he shook the Bushman awake.
+
+The latter had no great stomach for being roused out of sleep to look at
+an animal, hundreds of which he had eaten in his time. But Jan and
+Swartboy were sworn friends, and the Bushman was not angry. He,
+therefore, indulged his young master in the fancy he had taken; and the
+two sat for a while conversing about the pet.
+
+At length Swartboy proposed sleep. Jan would agree to this only upon the
+terms that Swartboy would allow him to sleep alongside of him. He would
+bring his blanket from the wagon, and would not trouble Swartboy by
+requiring part of the latter's kaross.
+
+Swartboy objected at first; but Jan urged that he had felt cold in the
+wagon, and that was partly why he had come down to the fire. All this
+was sheer cunning in the little imp. But Swartboy could not refuse him
+anything, and at length consented. He could see no harm in it, as there
+were no signs of rain.
+
+Jan then returned to the wagon, climbed noiselessly up, drew out his own
+blankets, and brought them to the fire. He then wrapped himself up, and
+lay down alongside of Swartboy, with the ourebi standing near, and in
+such a situation that he could still have his eyes upon it, even when
+lying. To secure it from wandering, he had fastened a strong rheim
+around its neck, the other end of which he had looped tightly upon his
+own wrist.
+
+He lay for some time contemplating his beautiful pet. But sleep at
+length overcame him, and the image of the ourebi melted before his eyes.
+
+Beyond this Jan could tell little of what happened to him. He was
+awakened by a sudden jerking at his wrist, and hearing the antelope
+scream. But he had not quite opened his eyes, before he felt himself
+dragged violently over the ground.
+
+He thought at first it was Swartboy playing some trick upon him; but as
+he passed the fire, he saw by its light that it was a huge black animal
+that had seized the ourebi, and was dragging both him and it along.
+
+Of course he then began to scream for help, and caught at everything he
+could to keep himself from being carried away. But he could lay hold of
+nothing, until he found himself among thick bushes, and these he seized
+and held with all his might.
+
+He could not have held out long against the strength of the hyena; but
+it was just at that moment that Swartboy came up with his fire-brand,
+and beat off the ravisher with a shower of blows.
+
+When they got back to the light of the fire they found that Jan was all
+right. But the poor ourebi--it had been sadly mauled, and was now of no
+more value than a dead rat.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS.
+
+
+Von Bloom now reflected that the hyenas were likely to prove a great
+pest to him. No meat, nor anything, would be safe from them--even his
+very children would be in danger, if left alone in the camp; and no
+doubt he would often be compelled to leave them, as he would require the
+older ones upon his hunting excursions.
+
+There were other animals to be dreaded still more than the hyenas. Even
+during that night they had heard the roaring of lions down by the vley;
+and when it was morning, the spoor showed that several of these animals
+had drunk at the water.
+
+How could he leave little Trueey--his dear little Trueey--or Jan, who was
+not a bit bigger--how could he leave them in an open camp while such
+monsters were roving about? He could not think of doing so.
+
+He reflected what course he should pursue. At first he thought of
+putting up a house. That would necessarily be a work of time. There was
+no good building material convenient. A stone house would cost a great
+deal of labour--as the stones would have to be carried nearly a mile,
+and in their hands too. That would never do, as Von Bloom might only
+remain a short while at that place. He might not find many elephants
+there, and of course would be under the necessity of going elsewhere.
+
+Why not build a log-house? you will say. That would not be so much of a
+job, as part of the country was well wooded, and they had an axe.
+
+True, part of the country was wooded, but in a particular manner. With
+the exception of the nwana-trees, that stood at long distances
+apart--and regularly, as if they had been planted--there was nothing
+that deserved the name of timber. All the rest was mere "bush,"--a
+thorny jungle of mimosas, euphorbias, arborescent aloes, strelitzias,
+and the horrid zamia plants, beautiful enough to the eye, but of no
+utility whatever in the building of a house. The nwanas, of course, were
+too large for house-logs. To have felled one of them would have been a
+task equal almost to the building of a house; and to have made planks of
+them would have required a steam saw-mill. A log-house was not to be
+thought of either.
+
+Now a frail structure of poles and thatch would not have given
+sufficient security. An angry rhinoceros, or elephant, would level such
+a house to the ground in a few moments.
+
+Suppose, too, that there were man-eaters in the neighbourhood. Swartboy
+believed that there were, and that that region was notorious for them.
+As it was not far from Swartboy's native country, Von Bloom, who had
+reason to believe what the Bushman told him, was inclined to credit
+this. What protection would a frail house afford against the man-eater?
+Not much, indeed.
+
+Von Bloom was puzzled and perplexed. He could not commence his hunting
+excursions until this question was settled. Some place must be prepared,
+where the children would be safe during his absence.
+
+While revolving the subject in his mind, he happened to cast his eyes
+upward among the branches of the nwana-tree. All at once his attention
+became fixed upon those huge limbs, for they had awakened within him a
+strange memory. He remembered having heard that, in some parts of the
+country, and perhaps not very far from where he then was, the natives
+live in trees. That sometimes a whole tribe, of fifty or more, make
+their home in a single tree; and do so to secure themselves against
+savage beasts, and sometimes equally savage men. That they build their
+houses upon platforms, which they erect upon the horizontal branches;
+and that they ascend by means of ladders, which are drawn up after them
+at night when they go to rest.
+
+All this Von Bloom had heard, and all of it is positively true. Of
+course the reflection occurred to him, why could he not do the same? Why
+could he not build a house in the gigantic nwana? That would give him
+all the security he desired. There they could all sleep with perfect
+confidence of safety. There, on going out to hunt, he could leave the
+children, with the certainty of finding them on his return. An admirable
+idea!--how about its practicability?
+
+He began to consider this. If he only had planks to make a staging or
+platform, the rest would be easy. Any slight roof would be sufficient up
+there. The leaves almost formed a roof. But the flooring--this was the
+difficulty. Where were planks to be got? Nowhere, in that neighbourhood.
+
+His eye, at that moment, chanced to fall upon the wagon. Ha! there were
+planks there. But to break up his beautiful wagon? No--no--no! Such a
+thing was not to be thought of. But stay! there was no need to break it
+up--no need to knock out a single nail. It would serve every purpose
+without breaking a splinter off it. The fine vehicle was made to take to
+pieces, and put up again at will.
+
+He could take it to pieces. The broad bottom alone should remain whole.
+That of itself would be the platform. Hurrah!
+
+The field-cornet, excited with the development of this fine plan, now
+communicated it to the others. All agreed that it was just the thing;
+and as the day was before them, they made no more ado, but set about
+carrying out the design.
+
+A ladder thirty feet long had first to be constructed. This occupied a
+good while; but at length a stout rough article was knocked up, which
+served the purpose admirably. It gave them access to the lowermost limb;
+and from this they could construct steps to all the others.
+
+Von Bloom ascended, and after careful examination chose the site of the
+platform. This was to rest upon two strong horizontal limbs of equal
+height, and diverging very gradually from each other. The quantity of
+thick branches in the great tree afforded him a choice.
+
+The wagon was now taken to pieces--a work of only a few minutes--and the
+first thing hauled up was the bottom. This was no slight performance,
+and required all the strength of the camp. Strong "rheims" were attached
+to one end, and these were passed over a limb of the tree, still higher
+up than those on which the staging was to rest. One stood above to guide
+the huge piece of plankwork, while all the rest exerted their strength
+upon the ropes below. Even little Jan pulled with all his might--though
+a single pound avoirdupois weight would have been about the measure of
+his strength.
+
+The piece was hoisted up, until it rested beautifully upon the
+supporting limbs; and then a cheer rose from below, and was answered by
+Swartboy among the branches.
+
+The heaviest part of the work was over. The boxing of the wagon was
+passed up, piece by piece, and set in its place just as before. Some
+branches were lopped off to make room for the cap-tent; and then it was
+also hauled up, and mounted.
+
+By the time the sun set, everything was in its place; and the aerial
+house was ready for sleeping in. In fact, that very night they slept in
+it, or, as Hans jocularly termed it, they all went to "roost."
+
+But they did not consider their new habitation quite complete as yet.
+Next day they continued to labour upon it. By means of long poles they
+extended their platform from the wagon quite up to the trunk of the
+tree, so as to give them a broad terrace to move about upon.
+
+The poles were fast wattled together by rods of the beautiful
+weeping-willow (_Salix Babylonica_), which is a native of these parts,
+and several trees of which grew by the side of the vley. Upon the top of
+all, they laid a thick coating of clay, obtained from the edge of the
+lake; so that, if need be, they could actually kindle a fire, and cook
+their suppers in the tree.
+
+To make a still finer flooring, they procured a quantity of the material
+of which the ant-hills are composed; which, being of a glutinous nature,
+makes a mortar almost as binding as Roman cement.
+
+After the main building had been finished off, Swartboy erected a
+platform for himself, and one for Totty in another part of the ample
+nwana. Above each of these platforms he had constructed a roof or
+screen, to shelter their occupants from rain or dew.
+
+There was something odd in the appearance of these two screens, each of
+which was about the size of an ordinary umbrella. Their oddity consisted
+in the fact that they were ears of the elephant!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS.
+
+
+There was no longer anything to hinder the field-cornet from commencing
+the real business of his new life, viz., the hunting of the elephant. He
+resolved, therefore, to begin at once; for until he should succeed in
+"bagging" a few of these giant animals, he was not easy in his mind. He
+might not be able to kill a single one; and then what would become of
+all his grand hopes and calculations? They would end in disappointment,
+and he should find himself in as bad a condition as ever.
+
+Indeed worse: for to fail in any undertaking is not only to lose time,
+but energy of mind. Success begets genius, courage, and
+self-reliance--all of which contribute to new successes; while failure
+intimidates and leads to despair. In a psychological point of view it is
+a dangerous thing to fail in any undertaking; and, therefore, before
+undertaking anything, one should be well assured of its being possible
+and practicable.
+
+Now Von Bloom was not sure that the great design he had formed was
+practicable. But in this case, he had no choice. No other means of
+livelihood was open to him just then; and he had resolved to make trial
+of this. He had faith in his calculations, and he had also good reason
+to hope he would succeed; but the thing was yet untried. No wonder he
+was in haste to begin the business--in haste to know what were his
+chances of success.
+
+By early day, therefore, he was up and out. Hendrik and Swartboy only
+accompanied him, for he could not yet bring himself to leave the
+children with no other protection than Totty--almost as much a child as
+themselves. Hans, therefore, remained by the camp.
+
+At first the hunters followed the little rivulet that ran from the
+spring and vley. They did so, because in this direction there was more
+"bush;" and they knew that elephants would be more likely to be found in
+woods than in open places. Indeed, it was only near the banks of the
+stream that any great quantity of wood was to be seen. A broad belt of
+jungle extended upon each side of it. After that, there were straggling
+groves and clumps; and then came the open plains, almost treeless,
+though covered with a rich carpet of grass for some distance farther. To
+this succeeded the wild karoo, stretching eastward and westward beyond
+the reach of vision. Along the north, as already mentioned, trended the
+line of "bluffs"; and beyond these there was nothing but the parched and
+waterless desert. To the south there lay the only thing that could be
+called "woods;" and although such a low jungle could lay no claim to the
+title of "forest," it was, nevertheless, a likely enough haunt for
+elephants.
+
+The trees consisted chiefly of mimosas--of several species, upon the
+leaves, roots, and tender shoots of which the great ruminant loves to
+browse. There were some "cameel-doorn" trees, with their shady
+umbrella-like tops. But above all rose the massive heads of the nwanas,
+giving a peculiar character to the landscape.
+
+The hunters noticed, as they went on, that the channel of the rivulet
+became wider and larger, and that at times--no doubt after great
+rains--a large quantity of water must have run in its bed, forming a
+considerable river. But as the channel grew larger, the reverse was the
+case with the quantity of running water. The farther down they proceeded
+this became less and less; until, at the distance of a mile from camp,
+the current ceased altogether.
+
+For half-a-mile farther on they found water in stagnant pools, but none
+running. The wide, dry channel, however, continued on as before; and the
+"bush" extended on both sides without interruption, so thick that they
+could only make way by keeping in the channel itself.
+
+As they walked along, several kinds of small game were started. Hendrik
+would gladly have taken a shot at some of these, but his father would
+not permit him to fire just then. It might frighten away the great
+"game" they were in search of, and which they might fall in with at any
+moment. On their return Hendrik might do his best; and then the
+field-cornet intended to assist him in procuring an antelope, as there
+was no fresh venison in the camp. This, however, was a consideration of
+secondary importance, and the first thing to be done was to try and get
+a pair of tusks.
+
+There was no objection to Swartboy using his bow, as that silent weapon
+would cause no alarm. Swartboy had been taken along to carry the axe and
+other implements as well as to assist in the hunt. Of course he had
+brought his bow and quiver with him; and he was constantly on the watch
+for something at which to let fly one of his little poisoned arrows.
+
+He found a mark at length worthy of his attention. On crossing the plain
+to avoid a large bend in the channel, they came upon a glade or opening
+of considerable size, and in the middle of this glade a huge bird
+appeared standing erect.
+
+"An ostrich!" exclaimed Hendrik.
+
+"No," replied Swartboy; "um ar da pauw."
+
+"Yes," said Von Bloom, confirming Swartboy's statement, "it is the
+pauw."
+
+Now a "pauw" in the Dutch language is a "peacock." But there are no
+peacocks in Africa. The peacock in its wild state inhabits only Southern
+Asia and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The bird they saw, then,
+could not be a peacock.
+
+Neither was it one. And yet it bore some resemblance to a peacock, with
+its long heavy tail and wings speckled and ocellated in a very striking
+manner, and something like the "marbled" feathers that adorn the
+peacock's back. It had none of the brilliant colours, however, of that
+proudest of birds, though it was quite as stately, and much larger and
+taller. In fact, its great height and erect attitude was why Hendrik at
+first glance had taken it for an ostrich. It was neither peacock nor
+ostrich, but belonging to a different genus from either--to the genus
+_Otis_ or bustard. It was the great bustard of South Africa--the _Otis
+kori_--called "pauw" by the Dutch colonists, on account of its ocellated
+plumage and other points of resemblance to the Indian peacock.
+
+Now Swartboy, as well as Von Bloom, knew that the pauw was one of the
+most delicious of fowls for the table. But they knew at the same time
+that it was one of the shyest of birds,--so shy that it is very
+difficult to get even a long shot at one. How, then, was it to be
+approached within range of the Bushman's arrow? That was the point to be
+considered.
+
+Where it stood, it was full two hundred yards from them; and had it
+perceived them, it would soon have widened that distance, by running off
+two hundred more. I say running off, for birds of the bustard family
+rarely take to wing, but use their long legs to escape from an enemy. On
+this account they are often hunted by dogs, and caught after a severe
+chase. Although but poor flyers, they are splendid runners,--swift
+almost as the ostrich itself.
+
+The pauw, however, had not observed the hunters as yet. They had caught
+a glimpse of it, before appearing out of the bushes, and had halted as
+soon as they saw it.
+
+How was Swartboy to approach it? It was two hundred yards from any
+cover, and the ground was as clean as a new-raked meadow. True, the
+plain was not a large one. Indeed, Swartboy was rather surprised to see
+a pauw upon so small a one, for these birds frequent only the wide open
+karoos, where they can sight their enemy at a great distance. The glade
+was not large, but, after watching the bustard for some minutes, the
+hunters saw that it was resolved to keep near the centre, and showed no
+disposition to feed in the direction of the thicket on either side.
+
+Any one but a Bushman would have despaired of getting a shot at this
+kori; but Swartboy did not despair.
+
+Begging the others to remain quiet, he crept forward to the edge of the
+jungle, and placed himself behind a thick leafy bush. He then commenced
+uttering a call, exactly similar to that made by the male of the kori
+when challenging an adversary to combat.
+
+Like the grouse, the bustard is polygamous, and of course terribly
+jealous and pugnacious, at certain seasons of the year. Swartboy knew
+that it was just then the "fighting season" among the pauws, and hoped
+by imitating their challenge to draw the bird--a cock he saw it
+was--within reach of his arrow.
+
+As soon as the kori heard the call, he raised himself to his full
+height, spread his immense tail, dropped his wings until the primary
+feathers trailed along the grass, and replied to the challenge.
+
+But what now astonished Swartboy was, that instead of one answer to his
+call, he fancied he heard two, simultaneously uttered!
+
+It proved to be no fancy, for before he could repeat the decoy the bird
+again gave out its note of defiance, and was answered by a similar call
+from another quarter!
+
+Swartboy looked in the direction whence came the latter; and there sure
+enough, was a second kori, that seemed to have dropped from the region
+of the clouds, or, more likely, had run out from the shelter of the
+bushes. At all events, it was a good way towards the centre of the
+plain, before the hunter had observed it.
+
+The two were now in full view of each other; and by their movements any
+one might see that a combat was certain to come off.
+
+Sure of this, Swartboy did not call again; but remained silent behind
+his bush.
+
+After a good while spent in strutting, and wheeling round and round, and
+putting themselves in the most threatening attitudes, and uttering the
+most insulting expressions, the two koris became sufficiently provoked
+to begin the battle. They "clinched" in gallant style, using all three
+weapons,--wings, beak, and feet. Now they struck each other with their
+wings, now pecked with their bills; and at intervals, when a good
+opportunity offered, gave each other a smart kick--which, with their
+long muscular legs, they were enabled to deliver with considerable
+force.
+
+Swartboy knew that when they were well into the fight, he might stalk in
+upon them unobserved; so he waited patiently, till the proper moment
+should arrive.
+
+In a few seconds it became evident, he would not have to move from his
+ambush; for the birds were fighting towards him. He adjusted his arrow
+to the string, and waited.
+
+In five minutes the birds were fighting within thirty yards of the spot
+where the Bushman lay. The twang of a bowstring might have been heard by
+one of the koris, had he been listening. The other could not possibly
+have heard it; for before the sound could have reached him, a poisoned
+arrow was sticking through his ears. The barb had passed through, and
+the shaft remained in his head, piercing it crosswise!
+
+Of course the bird dropped dead upon the grass, less astonished than his
+antagonist.
+
+The latter at first imagined he had done it, and began to strut very
+triumphantly around his fallen foe.
+
+But his eye now fell upon the arrow sticking through the head of the
+latter. He knew nothing about that. He had not done that! What the
+deuce----
+
+Perhaps if he had been allowed another moment's reflection, he would
+have taken to his heels; but before he could make up his mind about the
+matter, there was another "twang" of the bowstring another arrow
+whistled through the air, and another kori lay stretched upon the grass!
+
+Swartboy now rushed forward, and took possession of the game; which
+proved to be a pair of young cocks, in prime condition for roasting.
+
+Having hung the birds over a high branch, so as to secure them from
+jackals and hyenas, the hunters continued on; and shortly after, having
+re-entered the channel of the stream, continued to follow it downward.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+UPON THE SPOOR.
+
+
+They had not gone above an hundred yards farther, when they came to one
+of the pools, already spoken of. It was a tolerably large one; and the
+mud around its edges bore the hoof-prints of numerous animals. This the
+hunters saw from a distance, but on reaching the spot, Swartboy, a
+little in the advance, turned suddenly round, and, with rolling orbs and
+quivering lips, clicked out the words,--
+
+"Mein baas! mein baas! da klow! spoor ob da groot olifant!"
+
+There was no danger of mistaking the spoor of the elephant for that of
+any other creature. There, sure enough, were the great round
+tracks--full twenty-four inches in length, and nearly as wide--deeply
+imprinted in the mud by the enormous weight of the animal's body. Each
+formed an immense hole, large enough to have set a gate-post in.
+
+The hunters contemplated the spoor with emotions of pleasure--the more
+so that the tracks had been recently made. This was evident. The
+displaced mud had not yet crusted, but looked damp and fresh. It had
+been stirred within the hour.
+
+Only one elephant had visited the pool that night. There were many old
+tracks, but only one fresh spoor,--and that of an old and very large
+bull.
+
+Of course the tracks told this much. To make a spoor twenty-four inches
+long, requires the animal to be a very large one; and to be very large,
+he should be a bull, and an old one too.
+
+Well, the older and larger the better, provided his tusks have not been
+broken by some accident. When that happens they are never recovered
+again. The elephant does cast his tusks, but only in the juvenile state,
+when they are not bigger than lobster's claws; and the pair that
+succeeds these is permanent, and has to last him for life--perhaps for
+centuries--for no one can tell how long the mighty elephant roams over
+this sublunary planet.
+
+When the tusks get broken--a not uncommon thing--he must remain
+toothless or "tuskless" for the rest of his life. Although the elephant
+may consider the loss of his huge tusks a great calamity, were he only a
+little wiser, he would break them off against the first tree. It would,
+in all probability, be the means of prolonging his life; for the hunter
+would not then consider him worth the ammunition it usually takes to
+kill him.
+
+After a short consultation among the hunters, Swartboy started off upon
+the spoor, followed by Von Bloom and Hendrik. It led straight out from
+the channel, and across the jungle.
+
+Usually the bushes mark the course of an elephant, where these are of
+the sort he feeds upon. In this case he had not fed; but the Bushman,
+who could follow spoor with a hound, had no difficulty in keeping on the
+track, as fast as the three were able to travel.
+
+They emerged into open glades; and, after passing through several of
+these, came upon a large ant-hill that stood in the middle of one of the
+openings. The elephant had passed close to the ant-hill--he had stopped
+there awhile--stay, he must have lain down.
+
+Von Bloom did not know that elephants were in the habit of lying down.
+He had always heard it said that they slept standing. Swartboy knew
+better than that. He said that they sometimes slept standing, but
+oftener lay down, especially in districts where they were not much
+hunted. Swartboy considered it a good sign that this one had lain down.
+He reasoned from it that the elephants had not been disturbed in that
+neighbourhood, and would be the more easily approached and killed. They
+would be less likely to make off from that part of the country, until
+they--the hunters--had had a "good pull" out of them.
+
+This last consideration was one of great importance. In a district where
+elephants have been much hunted, and have learnt what the crack of a gun
+signifies, a single day's chase will often set them travelling; and they
+will not bring up again, until they have gone far beyond the reach of
+the hunters. Not only the particular individuals that have been chased
+act in this way; but all the others,--as though warned by their
+companions,--until not an elephant remains in the district. This
+migratory habit is one of the chief difficulties which the
+elephant-hunter must needs encounter; and, when it occurs, he has no
+other resource but to change his "sphere of action."
+
+On the other hand, where elephants have remained for a long time
+undisturbed, the report of a gun does not terrify them; and they will
+bear a good deal of hunting before "showing their heels" and leaving the
+place.
+
+Swartboy, therefore, rejoiced on perceiving that the old bull had lain
+down. The Bushman drew a world of conclusions from that circumstance.
+
+That the elephant had been lying was clear enough. The abrasion upon the
+stiff mud of the ant-heap showed where his back had rested,--the mark of
+his body was visible in the dust, and a groove-like furrow in the turf
+had been made by his huge tusk. A huge one it must have been, as the
+impression of it testified to the keen eyes of the Bushman.
+
+Swartboy stated some curious facts about the great quadruped,--at least,
+what he alleged to be facts. They were,--that the elephant never
+attempts to lie down without having something to lean his shoulders
+against,--a rock, an ant-hill, or a tree; that he does this to prevent
+himself rolling over on his back,--that when he does by accident get
+into that position he has great difficulty in rising again, and is
+almost as helpless as a turtle; and, lastly, that he often sleeps
+standing beside a tree with the whole weight of his body leaning against
+the trunk!
+
+Swartboy did not think that he leans against the trunk when first taking
+up his position; but that he seeks the tree for the shade it affords,
+and as sleep overcomes him he inclines towards it, finding that it
+steadies and rests him!
+
+The Bushman stated, moreover, that some elephants have their favourite
+trees, to which they return again and again to take a nap during the hot
+mid-day hours,--for that is their time of repose. At night they do not
+sleep. On the contrary, the hours of night are spent in ranging about,
+on journeys to the distant watering-places, and in feeding; though in
+remote and quiet districts they also feed by day--so that it is probable
+that most of their nocturnal activity is the result of their dread of
+their watchful enemy, man.
+
+Swartboy communicated these facts, as the hunters all together followed
+upon the spoor.
+
+The traces of the elephant were now of a different character, from what
+they had been before arriving at the ant-hill. He had been browsing as
+he went. His nap had brought a return of appetite; and the wait-a-bit
+thorns showed the marks of his prehensile trunk. Here and there branches
+were broken off, stripped clean of their leaves, and the ligneous parts
+left upon the ground. In several places whole trees were torn up by
+their roots, and those, too, of considerable size. This the elephant
+sometimes does to get at their foliage, which upon such trees grows
+beyond the reach of his proboscis. By prostrating them of course he gets
+their whole frondage within easy distance of his elastic nose, and can
+strip it off at pleasure.
+
+At times, however, he tears up a tree to make a meal of its roots--as
+there are several species with sweet juicy roots, of which the elephant
+is extremely fond. These he drags out of the ground with his trunk,
+having first loosened them with his tusks, used as crowbars. At times he
+fails to effect his purpose; and it is only when the ground is loose or
+wet, as after great rains, that he can uproot the larger kinds of
+mimosas. Sometimes he is capricious; and, after drawing a tree from the
+ground, he carries it many yards along with him, flings it to the
+ground, root upwards, and then leaves it, after taking a single
+mouthful. Destructive to the forest is the passage of a troop of
+elephants!
+
+Small trees he can tear up with his trunk alone, but to the larger ones
+he applies the more powerful leverage of his tusks. These he inserts
+under the roots, imbedded as they usually are in loose sandy earth, and
+then, with a quick jerk, he tosses roots, trunk, and branches, high into
+the air,--a wonderful exhibition of gigantic power.
+
+The hunters saw all these proofs of it, as they followed the spoor. The
+traces of the elephant's strength were visible all along the route.
+
+It was enough to beget fear and awe, and none of them were free from
+such feelings. With so much disposition to commit havoc and ruin in his
+moments of quietude, what would such a creature be in the hour of
+excitement and anger? No wonder there was fear in the hearts of the
+hunters, unpractised as some of them were.
+
+Still another consideration had its effect upon their minds,
+particularly on that of the Bushman. There was every reason to believe
+that the animal was a "rover,"--what among Indian hunters is termed a
+"rogue." Elephants of this kind are far more dangerous to approach than
+their fellows. In fact, under ordinary circumstances, there is no more
+danger in passing through a herd of elephants than there would be in
+going among a drove of tame oxen. It is only when the elephant has been
+attacked or wounded, that he becomes a dangerous enemy.
+
+With regard to the "rover" or "rogue," the case is quite different. He
+is habitually vicious; and will assail either man or any other animal on
+sight, and without the slightest provocation. He seems to take a
+pleasure in destruction, and woe to the creature who crosses his path
+and is not of lighter heels than himself!
+
+The rover leads a solitary life, rambling alone through the forest, and
+never associating with others of his kind. He appears to be a sort of
+outlaw from his tribe, banished for bad temper or some other fault, to
+become more fierce and wicked in his outlawry.
+
+There were good reasons for fearing that the elephant they were spooring
+was a "rover." His being alone was of itself a suspicious circumstance,
+as elephants usually go, from two to twenty, or even fifty, in a herd.
+The traces of ruin he had left behind him, his immense spoor, all seemed
+to mark him out as one of these fierce creatures. That such existed in
+that district they already had evidence. Swartboy alleged that the one
+killed by the rhinoceros was of this class, else he would not have
+attacked the latter as he had done. There was a good deal of probability
+in this belief of the Bushman.
+
+Under these impressions, then, it is less to be wondered, that our
+hunters felt some apprehensions of danger from the game they were
+pursuing.
+
+The spoor grew fresher and fresher. The hunters saw trees turned bottom
+upward, the roots exhibiting the marks of the elephant's teeth, and
+still wet with the saliva from his vast mouth. They saw broken branches
+of the mimosa giving out their odour, that had not had time to waste
+itself. They concluded the game could not be distant.
+
+They rounded a point of timber--the Bushman being a little in the
+advance.
+
+Suddenly Swartboy stopped and fell back a pace. He turned his face upon
+his companions. His eyes rolled faster than ever; but, although his lips
+appeared to move, and his tongue to wag, he was too excited to give
+utterance to a word. A volley of clicks and hisses came forth, but
+nothing articulate.
+
+The others, however, did not require any words to tell them what was
+meant. They knew that Swartboy intended to whisper that he had seen "da
+oliphant;" so both peeped silently around the bush, and with their own
+eyes looked upon the mighty quadruped.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+A ROGUE ELEPHANT.
+
+
+The elephant was standing in a grove of _mokhala_ trees. These, unlike
+the humbler mimosas, have tall naked stems, with heads of thick foliage,
+in form resembling an umbrella or parasol. Their pinnate leaves of
+delicate green are the favourite food of the giraffe, hence their
+botanical appellation of _Acacia giraffae_; and hence also their common
+name among the Dutch hunters of "cameel-doorns" (camel-thorns).
+
+The tall giraffe, with his prehensile lip, raised nearly twenty feet in
+the air, can browse upon these trees without difficulty. Not so the
+elephant, whose trunk cannot reach so high; and the latter would often
+have to imitate the fox in the fable, were he not possessed of a means
+whereby he can bring the tempting morsel within reach--that is, simply
+by breaking down the tree. This his vast strength enables him to do,
+unless when the trunk happens to be one of the largest of its kind.
+
+When the eyes of our hunters first rested upon the elephant, he was
+standing by the head of a prostrate mokhala, which he had just broken
+off near the root. He was tearing away at the leaves, and filling his
+capacious stomach.
+
+As soon as Swartboy recovered the control over his tongue, he ejaculated
+in a hurried whisper:--
+
+"Pas op! (take care!) baas Bloom,--hab good care--don't go near um--he
+da skellum ole klow. My footy! he wicked!--I know de ole bull duyvel."
+
+By this volley of queer phrases, Swartboy meant to caution his master
+against rashly approaching the elephant, as he knew him to be one of the
+wicked sort--in short, a "rogue."
+
+How Swartboy knew this would appear a mystery, as there were no
+particular marks about the animal to distinguish him from others of his
+kind. But the Bushman, with his practised eye, saw something in the
+general physiognomy of the elephant--just as one may distinguish a
+fierce and dangerous bull from those of milder disposition, or a bad
+from a virtuous man, by some expression that one cannot define.
+
+Von Bloom himself, and even Hendrik, saw that the elephant had a fierce
+and ruffian look.
+
+They did not stand in need of Swartboy's advice to act with caution.
+
+They remained for some minutes, gazing through the bushes at the huge
+quadruped. The more they gazed, the more they became resolved to make an
+attack upon him. The sight of his long tusks was too tempting to Von
+Bloom, to admit for a moment the thought of letting him escape without a
+fight. A couple of bullets he should have into him, at all events; and
+if opportunity offered, a good many more, should these not be
+sufficient. Von Bloom would not relinquish those fine tusks without a
+struggle.
+
+He at once set about considering the safest mode of attack; but was not
+allowed time to mature any plan. The elephant appeared to be restless,
+and was evidently about to move forward. He might be off in a moment,
+and carry them after him for miles, or, perhaps, in the thick cover of
+wait-a-bits get lost to them altogether.
+
+These conjectures caused Von Bloom to decide at once upon beginning the
+attack, and without any other plan than to stalk in as near as would be
+safe, and deliver his fire. He had heard that a single bullet in the
+forehead would kill any elephant; and if he could only get in such a
+position as to have a fair shot at the animal's front, he believed he
+was marksman enough to plant his bullet in the right place.
+
+He was mistaken as to killing an elephant with a shot in the forehead.
+That is a notion of gentlemen who have hunted the elephant in their
+closets--though other closet gentlemen--the anatomists--to whom give all
+due credit--have shown the thing to be impossible, from the peculiar
+structure of the elephant's skull and the position of his brain.
+
+Von Bloom at the time was under this wrong impression, and therefore
+committed a grand mistake. Instead of seeking a side shot, which he
+could have obtained with far less trouble--he decided on creeping round
+in front of the elephant, and firing right in the animal's face.
+
+Leaving Hendrik and Swartboy to attack him from behind, he took a
+circuit under cover of the bushes; and at length arrived in the path the
+elephant was most likely to take.
+
+He had scarcely gained his position, when he saw the huge animal coming
+towards him with silent and majestic tread; and although the elephant
+only walked, half-a-dozen of his gigantic strides brought him close up
+to the ambushed hunter. As yet the creature uttered no cry; but as he
+moved, Von Bloom could hear a rumbling gurgling sound, as of water
+dashing to and fro in his capacious stomach!
+
+Von Bloom had taken up his position behind the trunk of a large tree.
+The elephant had not yet seen him, and, perhaps, would have passed on
+without knowing that he was there, had the hunter permitted him. The
+latter even thought of such a thing, for although a man of courage, the
+sight of the great forest giant caused him for a moment to quail.
+
+But, again, the curving ivory gleamed in his eyes--again he remembered
+the object that had brought him into that situation; he thought of his
+fallen fortunes--of his resolve to retrieve them--of his children's
+welfare.
+
+These thoughts resolved him. His long roer was laid over a knot in the
+trunk--its muzzle pointed at the forehead of the advancing elephant--his
+eye gleamed through the sights--the loud detonation followed--and a
+cloud of smoke for a moment hid everything from his view.
+
+He could hear a hoarse, bellowing, trumpet-like sound--he could hear the
+crashing of branches and the gurgling of water; and, when, the smoke
+cleared away, to his chagrin he saw that the elephant was still upon his
+feet, and evidently not injured in the least!
+
+The shot had struck the animal exactly where the hunter had aimed it;
+but, instead of inflicting a mortal wound, it had only excited the
+creature to extreme rage. He was now charging about striking the trees
+with his tusks, tearing branches off, and tossing them aloft with his
+trunk--though all the while evidently in ignorance of what had tickled
+him so impertinently upon the forehead!
+
+Fortunately for Von Bloom, a good thick tree sheltered him from the view
+of the elephant. Had the enraged animal caught sight of him at that
+moment, it would have been all up with him; but the hunter knew this,
+and had the coolness to remain close and quiet.
+
+Not so with Swartboy. When the elephant moved forward, he and Hendrik
+had crept after through the grove of mokhalas. They had even followed
+him across the open ground into the bush, where Von Bloom awaited him.
+On hearing the shot, and seeing that the elephant was still unhurt,
+Swartboy's courage gave way; and leaving Hendrik, he ran back towards
+the mokhala grove, shouting as he went.
+
+His cries reached the ears of the elephant, that at once rushed off in
+the direction in which he heard them. In a moment he emerged from the
+bush, and, seeing Swartboy upon the open ground, charged furiously after
+the flying Bushman. Hendrik--who had stood his ground, and in the
+shelter of the bushes was not perceived--delivered his shot as the
+animal passed him. His ball told upon the shoulder, but it only served
+to increase the elephant's fury. Without stopping, he rushed on after
+Swartboy, believing, no doubt, that the poor Bushman was the cause of
+the hurts he was receiving, and the nature of which he but ill
+understood.
+
+It was but a few moments, from the firing of the first shot, until
+things took this turn. Swartboy was hardly clear of the bushes before
+the elephant emerged also; and as the former struck out for the mokhala
+trees, he was scarce six steps ahead of his pursuer.
+
+Swartboy's object was to get to the grove, in the midst of which were
+several trees of large size. One of these he proposed climbing--as that
+seemed his only chance for safety.
+
+He had not got half over the open ground, when he perceived he would be
+too late. He heard the heavy rush of the huge monster behind him--he
+heard his loud and vengeful bellowing--he fancied he felt his hot
+breath. There was still a good distance to be run. The climbing of the
+tree, beyond the reach of the elephant's trunk, would occupy time. There
+was no hope of escaping to the tree.
+
+These reflections occurred almost instantaneously. In ten seconds
+Swartboy arrived at the conclusion, that running to the tree would not
+save him; and all at once he stopped in his career, wheeled round, and
+faced the elephant!
+
+Not that he had formed any plan of saving himself in that way. It was
+not bravery, but only despair, that caused him to turn upon his pursuer.
+He knew that, by running on, he would surely be overtaken. It could be
+no worse if he faced round; and, perhaps, he might avoid the fatal
+charge by some dexterous manoeuvre.
+
+The Bushman was now right in the middle of the open ground; the elephant
+rushing straight towards him.
+
+The former had no weapon to oppose to his gigantic pursuer. He had
+thrown away his bow--his axe too--to run the more nimbly. But neither
+would have been of any avail against such an antagonist. He carried
+nothing but his sheep-skin kaross. That had encumbered him in his
+flight; but he had held on to it for a purpose.
+
+His purpose was soon displayed.
+
+He stood until the extended trunk was within three feet of his face; and
+then, flinging his kaross so that it should fall over the long cylinder,
+he sprang nimbly to one side, and started to run back.
+
+He would, no doubt, have succeeded in passing to the elephant's rear,
+and thus have escaped; but as the kaross fell upon the great trunk it
+was seized in the latter, and swept suddenly around. Unfortunately
+Swartboy's legs had not yet cleared the circle--the kaross lapped around
+them--and the Bushman was thrown sprawling upon the plain.
+
+In a moment the active Swartboy recovered his feet, and was about to
+make off in a new direction. But the elephant, having discovered the
+deception of the kaross, had dropped it, and turned suddenly after him.
+Swartboy had hardly made three steps, when the long ivory curve was
+inserted between his legs from behind; and the next moment his body was
+pitched high into the air.
+
+Von Bloom and Hendrik, who had just then reached the edge of the glade,
+saw him go up; but to their astonishment he did not come to the ground
+again! Had he fallen back upon the elephant's tusks? and was he held
+there by the trunk? No. They saw the animal's head. The Bushman was not
+there, nor upon his back, nor anywhere to be seen. In fact, the elephant
+seemed as much astonished as they at the sudden disappearance of his
+victim! The huge beast was turning his eyes in every direction, as if
+searching for the object of his fury!
+
+[Illustration: SWARTBOY IN A PREDICAMENT.]
+
+Where could Swartboy have gone? Where? At this moment the elephant gave
+a loud roar, and was seen rushing to a tree, which he now caught in his
+trunk, and shook violently. Von Bloom and Hendrik looked up towards its
+top, expecting to see Swartboy there. Sure enough he was there, perched
+among the leaves and branches where he had been projected! Terror was
+depicted in his countenance, for he felt that he was not safe in his
+position. But he had scarce time to give utterance to his fears; for the
+next moment the tree gave way with a crash, and fell to the ground,
+bringing the Bushman down among its branches.
+
+It happened that the tree, dragged down by the elephant's trunk, fell
+towards the animal. Swartboy even touched the elephant's body in his
+descent, and slipped down over his hind-quarters. The branches had
+broken the fall, and the Bushman was still unhurt, but he felt that he
+was now quite at the mercy of his antagonist. He saw no chance of escape
+by flight. He was lost!
+
+Just at that moment an idea entered his mind--a sort of despairing
+instinct--and springing at one of the hind-legs of the quadruped, he
+slung his arms around it, and held fast! He at the same time planted his
+naked feet upon the sabots of those of the animal; so that, by means of
+this support, he was enabled to keep his hold, let the animal move as it
+would!
+
+The huge mammoth, unable to shake him off, unable to get at him with his
+trunk--and, above all, surprised and terrified by this novel mode of
+attack--uttered a shrill scream, and with tail erect and trunk high in
+air, dashed off into the jungle!
+
+Swartboy held on to the leg until fairly within the bushes; and then,
+watching his opportunity, he slipped gently off. As soon as he touched
+_terra firma_ again, he rose to his feet, and ran with all his might in
+an opposite direction.
+
+He need not have run a single step; for the elephant, as much frightened
+as he, kept on through the jungle, laying waste the trees and branches
+in his onward course. The huge quadruped did not stop, till he had put
+many miles between himself and the scene of his disagreeable adventure!
+
+Von Bloom and Hendrik had by this time reloaded, and were advancing to
+Swartboy's rescue; but they were met right in the teeth by the
+swift-flying Bushman, as he returned from his miraculous escape.
+
+The hunters, who were now warmed to their work, proposed to follow up
+the spoor; but Swartboy, who had enough of that "old rogue," declared
+that there would be not the slightest chance of again coming up with him
+without horses or dogs; and as they had neither, spooring him any
+farther would be quite useless.
+
+Von Bloom saw that there was truth in the remark, and now more than ever
+did he regret the loss of his horses. The elephant, though easily
+overtaken on horseback, or with dogs to bring him to bay, can as easily
+escape from a hunter on foot; and once he has made up his mind to
+flight, it is quite a lost labour to follow him farther.
+
+It was now too late in the day to seek for other elephants; and with a
+feeling of disappointment, the hunters gave up the chase, and turned
+their steps in the direction of the camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS.
+
+
+A well-known proverb says that "misfortunes seldom come single."
+
+On nearing the camp, the hunters could perceive that all was not right
+there. They saw Totty with Trueey and Jan standing by the head of the
+ladder; but there was something in their manner that told that all was
+not right. Where was Hans?
+
+As soon as the hunters came in sight, Jan and Trueey ran down the rounds,
+and out to meet them. There was that in their glances that bespoke ill
+tidings, and their words soon confirmed this conjecture.
+
+Hans was not there--he had gone away hours ago--they knew not where,
+they feared something had happened to him,--they feared he was lost!
+
+"But what took him away from the camp?" asked Von Bloom, surprised and
+troubled at the news.
+
+That, and only that could they answer. A number of odd-looking
+animals--very odd-looking, the children said,--had come to the vley to
+drink. Hans had taken his gun and followed them in a great hurry,
+telling Trueey and Jan to keep in the tree, and not come down until he
+returned. He would be gone only a very little while, and they needn't
+fear.
+
+This was all they knew. They could not even tell what direction he had
+taken. He went by the lower end of the vley; but soon the bushes hid him
+from their view, and they saw no more of him.
+
+"At what time was it?"
+
+It was many hours ago,--in the morning in fact,--not long after the
+hunters themselves had started. When he did not return the children grew
+uneasy; but they thought he had fallen in with papa and Hendrik, and was
+helping them to hunt; and that was the reason why he stayed so long.
+
+"Had they heard any report of a gun?"
+
+No--they had listened for that, but heard none. The animals had gone
+away before Hans could get his gun ready; and they supposed he had to
+follow some distance, before he could overtake them--that might be the
+reason they had heard no shot.
+
+"What sort of animals were they?"
+
+They had all seen them plain enough, as they drank. They had never seen
+any of the kind before. They were large animals of a yellow-brown
+colour, with shaggy manes, and long tufts of hair growing out of their
+breasts, and hanging down between their fore-legs. They were as big as
+ponies, said Jan, and very like ponies. They curvetted and capered about
+just as ponies do sometimes. Trueey thought that they looked more like
+lions!
+
+"Lions!" ejaculated her father and Hendrik, with an accent that
+betokened alarm.
+
+Indeed, they reminded her of lions, Trueey again affirmed, and Totty said
+the same.
+
+"How many were there of them?"
+
+"Oh! a great drove, not less than fifty." They could not have counted
+them, as they were constantly in motion, galloping from place to place,
+and butting each other with their horns.
+
+"Ha! they had horns then?" interrogated Von Bloom, relieved by this
+announcement.
+
+Certainly they had horns, replied all three.
+
+They had seen the horns, sharp-pointed ones, which first came down, and
+then turned upwards in front of the animals' faces. They had manes too,
+Jan affirmed; and thick necks that curved like that of a beautiful
+horse; and tufts of hair like brushes upon their noses; and nice round
+bodies like ponies, and long white tails that reached near the ground,
+just like the tails of ponies, and finely-shaped limbs as ponies have.
+
+"I tell you," continued Jan, with emphasis, "if it hadn't been for their
+horns and the brushes of long hair upon their breasts and noses, I'd
+have taken them for ponies before anything. They galloped about just
+like ponies when playing, and ran with their heads down, curving their
+necks and tossing their manes,--aye, and snorting too, as I've heard
+ponies; but sometimes they bellowed more like bulls; and, I confess,
+they looked a good deal like bulls about the head; besides I noticed
+they had hoofs split like cattle. Oh! I had a good look at them while
+Hans was loading his gun. They stayed by the water till he was nearly
+ready; and when they galloped off, they went in a long string one behind
+the other with the largest one in front, and another large one in the
+rear."
+
+"Wildebeests!" exclaimed Hendrik.
+
+"Gnoos!" cried Swartboy.
+
+"Yes, they must have been wildebeests," said Von Bloom; "Jan's
+description corresponds exactly to them."
+
+This was quite true. Jan had correctly given many of the characteristic
+points of that, perhaps, the most singular of all ruminant animals, the
+wildebeest or gnoo (_Catoblepas gnoo_). The brush-like tuft over the
+muzzle, the long hair between the fore-legs, the horns curving down over
+the face, and then sweeping abruptly upward, the thick curving neck, the
+rounded, compact, horse-shaped body, the long whitish tail, and full
+flowing mane--all were descriptive of the gnoo.
+
+Even Trueey had not made such an unpardonable mistake. The gnoos, and
+particularly the old bulls, bear a very striking resemblance to the
+lion, so much so that the sharpest hunters at a distance can scarce tell
+one from the other.
+
+Jan, however, had observed them better than Trueey; and had they been
+nearer, he might have further noticed that the creatures had red fiery
+eyes and a fierce look; that their heads and horns were not unlike those
+of the African buffalo; that their limbs resembled those of the stag,
+while the rest corresponded well enough to his "pony." He might have
+observed, moreover, that the males were larger than the females, and of
+a deeper brown. Had there been any "calves" with the herd, he would have
+seen that these were still lighter-coloured--in fact, of a white or
+cream colour.
+
+The gnoos that had been seen were the common kind called by the Dutch
+colonists "wildebeests" or wild-oxen, and by the Hottentots "gnoo" or
+"gnu," from a hollow moaning sound to which these creatures sometimes
+give utterance, and which is represented by the word "gnoo-o-oo."
+
+They roam in vast flocks upon the wild karoos of South Africa: are
+inoffensive animals, except when wounded: and then the old bulls are
+exceedingly dangerous, and will attack the hunter both with horns and
+hoof. They can run with great swiftness, though they scarce ever go
+clear off, but, keeping at a wary distance, circle around the hunter,
+curvetting in all directions, menacing with their heads lowered to the
+ground, kicking up the dust with their heels, and bellowing like bulls,
+or indeed like lions--for their "rout" bears a resemblance to the lion's
+roar.
+
+The old bulls stand sentry while the herd is feeding, and protect it
+both in front and rear. When running off they usually go in single file,
+as Jan had represented.
+
+Old bulls hang between the rear of the herd and the hunter: and these
+caper back and forward, butting each other with their horns, and often
+fighting apparently in serious earnest! Before the hunter comes within
+range, however, they drop their conflict and gallop out of his way.
+Nothing can exceed the capricious antics which these animals indulge in,
+while trooping over the plain.
+
+There is a second species of the same genus common in South Africa, and
+a third inhabits still farther to the north; but of the last very little
+is known. Both species are larger than the wildebeest, individuals of
+either being nearly five feet in height, while the common gnoo is scarce
+four.
+
+The three kinds are quite distinct, and never herd together, though each
+of them is often found in company with other animals. All three are
+peculiar to the continent of Africa, and are not found elsewhere.
+
+The "brindled gnoo" is the other species that inhabits the South of
+Africa. It is known among the hunters and colonists as "blauw
+wildebeest" (blue wild-ox). It is of a bluish colour--hence the name,
+and "brindled," or striped along the sides. Its habits are very similar
+to those of the common gnoo, but it is altogether a heavier and duller
+animal, and still more eccentric and ungainly in its form.
+
+The third species is the "ko-koon" of the natives. It approaches nearer
+to the brindled gnoo in form and habits; but as it is not found except
+in the more central and less-travelled portions of Africa, less is known
+about it than either of the others. It is, however, of the same kind;
+and the three species, differing widely from any other animals known,
+are entitled to form a distinct and separate genus.
+
+They have hitherto generally been classed with the antelopes, though for
+what reason it is hard to tell. They have far less affinity with the
+antelope than with the ox; and the everyday observations of the hunter
+and frontier boer have guided them to a similar conclusion--as their
+name for these animals (wild-oxen) would imply. Observation of this
+class is usually worth far more than the "speculations" of the
+closet-naturalist.
+
+The gnoo has long been the favourite food of the frontier farmer and
+hunter. Its beef is well flavoured, and the veal of a gnoo-calf is quite
+a delicacy. The hide is manufactured into harness and straps of
+different sorts; and the long silky tail is an article of commerce.
+Around every frontier farm-house large piles of gnoo and springbok horns
+may be seen--the remains of animals that have been captured in the
+chase.
+
+"Jaging de wildebeest" (hunting the gnoo) is a favourite pastime of the
+young boers. Large herds of these animals are sometimes driven into
+valleys, where they are hemmed in, and shot down at will. They can also
+be lured within range, by exhibiting a red handkerchief or any piece of
+red cloth--to which colour they have a strong aversion. They may be
+tamed and domesticated easily enough; but they are not favourite pets
+with the farmer, who dreads their communicating to his cattle a fatal
+skin-disease to which the gnoos are subject, and which carries off
+thousands of them every year.
+
+Of course Von Bloom and his companions did not stay to talk over these
+points. They were too anxious about the fate of the missing Hans, to
+think of anything else.
+
+They were about to start out in search of him, when just at that moment
+my gentleman was seen coming around the end of the lake, trudging very
+slowly along, under the weight of some large and heavy object, that he
+carried upon his shoulders.
+
+A shout of joy was raised, and in a few moments Hans stood in their
+midst.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA.
+
+
+Hans was saluted by a volley of questions, "Where have you been? What
+detained you? What has happened to you? You're all safe and sound? Not
+hurt, I hope?" These and a few others were asked in a breath.
+
+"I'm sound as a bell," said Hans; "and for the rest of your inquiries
+I'll answer them all as soon as Swartboy has skinned this 'aard-vark,'
+and Totty has cooked a piece of it for supper; but I'm too hungry to
+talk now, so pray excuse me."
+
+As Hans gave this reply, he cast from his shoulders an animal nearly as
+big as a sheep, covered with long bristly hair of a reddish-grey colour,
+and having a huge tail, thick at the root, and tapering like a carrot; a
+snout nearly a foot long, but quite slender and naked; a very small
+mouth; erect pointed ears resembling a pair of horns; a low flattish
+body; short muscular legs; and claws of immense length, especially on
+the fore-feet, where, instead of spreading out, they were doubled back
+like shut fists, or the fore hands of a monkey. Altogether a very odd
+animal was that which Hans had styled an "aard-vark," and which he
+desired should be cooked for supper.
+
+"Well, my boy," replied Von Bloom, "we'll excuse you, the more so that
+we are all of us about as hungry as yourself, I fancy. But I think we
+may as well leave the 'aard-vark' for to-morrow's dinner. We've a couple
+of peacocks here, and Totty will get one of them ready sooner than the
+aard-vark."
+
+"As for that," rejoined Hans, "I don't care which. I'm just in the
+condition to eat anything--even a steak of tough old quagga, if I had
+it; but I think it would be no harm if Swartboy--that is, if you're not
+too tired, old Swart--would just peel the skin off this gentleman."
+
+Hans pointed to the "aard-vark."
+
+"And dress him so that he don't spoil," he continued; "for you know,
+Swartboy, that he's a tit-bit--a regular _bonne bouche_--and it would be
+a pity to let him go to waste in this hot weather. An aard-vark's not to
+be bagged every day."
+
+"You spreichen true, Mynheer Hans,--Swartboy know all dat. Him skin and
+dress da goup."
+
+And, so saying, Swartboy out knife, and set to work upon the carcass.
+
+Now this singular-looking animal which Hans called an "aard-vark," and
+Swartboy a "goup," was neither more or less than the African ant-eater.
+
+Although the colonists term it "aard-vark," which is the Dutch for
+"ground-hog," the animal has but little in common with the hog kind. It
+certainly bears some resemblance to a pig about the snout and cheeks;
+and that, with its bristly hair and burrowing habits, has no doubt
+given rise to the mistaken name. The "ground" part of the title is from
+the fact that it is a burrowing animal,--indeed, one of the best
+"terriers" in the world. It can make its way under ground, faster than
+the spade can follow it, and faster than any badger. In size, habits,
+and the form of many parts of its body, it bears a striking resemblance
+to its South American cousin the "tamanoir," which of late years has
+become so famous as almost to usurp the title of "ant-eater."
+
+But the "aard-vark" is just as good an ant-eater as he,--can "crack" as
+thick-walled a house, can rake up and devour as many termites as any
+"ant-bear" in the length and breadth of the Amazon Valley. He has got,
+moreover, as "tall" a tail as the tamanoir, very nearly as long a snout,
+a mouth equally small, and a tongue as extensive and extensile. In claws
+he can compare with his American cousin any day, and can walk just as
+awkwardly upon the sides of his fore-paws with "toes turned in."
+
+Why, then, may I ask, do we hear so much talk of the "tamanoir," while
+not a word is said of the "aard-vark?" Every museum and menagerie is
+bragging about having a specimen of the former, while not one cares to
+acknowledge their possession of the latter! Why this envious
+distinction? I say it's all Barnum. It's because the "aard-vark's" a
+Dutchman--a Cape boer--and the boers have been much bullied of late.
+That's the reason why zoologists and showmen have treated my
+thick-tailed boy so shabbily. But it shan't be so any longer; I stand up
+for the aard-vark; and, although the tamanoir has been specially called
+_Myrmecophaga_, or ant-eater, I say that the _Orycteropus_ is as good an
+ant-eater as he.
+
+He can break through ant-hills quite as big and bigger--some of them
+twenty feet high--he can project as long and as gluey a tongue--twenty
+inches long--he can play it as nimbly and "lick up" as many white ants,
+as any tamanoir. He can grow as fat too, and weigh as heavy, and, what
+is greatly to his credit, he can provide you with a most delicate roast
+when you choose to kill and eat him. It is true he tastes slightly of
+formid acid, but that is just the flavour that epicures admire. And when
+you come to speak of "hams,"--ah! try his! Cure them well and properly,
+and eat one, and you will never again talk of "Spanish" or
+"Westphalian."
+
+Hans knew the taste of those hams--well he did, and so too Swartboy; and
+it was not against his inclination, but _con amore_, that the latter set
+about butchering the "goup."
+
+Swartboy knew how precious a morsel he held between his
+fingers,--precious, not only on account of its intrinsic goodness, but
+from its rarity; for although the aard-vark is a common animal in South
+Africa, and in some districts even numerous, it is not every day the
+hunter can lay his hands upon one. On the contrary, the creature is most
+difficult to capture; though not to kill, for a blow on the snout will
+do that.
+
+But just as he is easily killed when you catch him, in the same
+proportion is he hard to catch. He is shy and wary, scarce ever comes
+out of his burrow but at night; and even then skulks so silently along,
+and watches around him so sharply, that no enemy can approach without
+his knowing it. His eyes are very small, and, like most nocturnal
+animals, he sees but indifferently; but in the two senses of smell and
+hearing he is one of the sharpest. His long erect ears enable him to
+catch every sound that may be made in his neighbourhood, however slight.
+
+The "aard-vark" is not the only ant-eating quadruped of South Africa.
+There is another four-footed creature as fond of white ants as he; but
+this is an animal of very different appearance. It is a creature without
+hair; but instead, its body is covered all over with a regular coat of
+scales, each as large as a half-crown piece. These scales slightly
+overlie each other, and can be raised on end at the will of the animal.
+In form it resembles a large lizard, or a small crocodile, more than an
+ordinary quadruped, but its habits are almost exactly like those of the
+aard-vark. It burrows, digs open the ant-hills by night, projects a long
+viscous tongue among the insects, and devours them with avidity.
+
+When suddenly overtaken, and out of reach of its underground retreat, it
+"clews" up like the hedgehog, and some species of the South American
+armadillos--to which last animal it bears a considerable resemblance on
+account of its scaly coat of mail.
+
+This ant-eater is known as the "pangolin," or "manis," but there are
+several species of "pangolin" not African. Some are met with in Southern
+Asia and the Indian islands. That which is found in South Africa is
+known among naturalists as the "long-tailed" or "Tem-minck" pangolin
+(_Manis Temminckii_).
+
+Totty soon produced a roasted "peacock," or rather a hastily-broiled
+bustard. But, although, perhaps, not cooked "to a turn," it was
+sufficiently well done to satisfy the stomachs for which it was
+intended. They were all too hungry to be fastidious, and, without a word
+of criticism, they got through their dinner.
+
+Hans then commenced relating the history of his day's adventure.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST.
+
+
+"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when a
+herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on in
+single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in the
+water, before I thought of molesting them in any way.
+
+Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but I
+was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did not
+think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking.
+Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would be
+nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd of
+gnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from their
+being smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knew
+that the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made up
+my mind we should all dine upon it.
+
+I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent I
+had been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had not
+thought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for how
+knew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even?
+
+I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leaving
+the water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I ran down the
+ladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I had forgotten to
+bring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too hot a haste to go back
+for them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests moving off, and I
+fancied I might be too late. But I had no intention of going any great
+distance in pursuit. A single shot at them was all I wanted, and that in
+the gun would do.
+
+I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover. I
+found, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious. The
+wildebeests, instead of being shy--as I had seen them in our old
+neighbourhood--appeared to have very little fear of me. This was
+especially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered about
+within an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me to
+approach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted.
+
+Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who seemed to
+act as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of them. I knew
+their flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get something more tender.
+I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or one of the young bulls whose
+horns had not yet begun to curve. Of these I saw several in the herd.
+
+Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough to any
+of these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond my range; and
+the two that brought up the rear, seemed to drive them forward as I
+advanced upon them.
+
+Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile; and the
+excitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it was of me to
+go so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat, and still hopeful
+of getting a shot, I kept on.
+
+At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer any
+bush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills, that,
+like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other scattered
+over the plain. These were very large--some of them more than twelve
+feet high--and differing from the dome-shaped kind so common everywhere.
+They were of the shape of large cones, or rounded pyramids, with a
+number of smaller cones rising around their bases, and clustering like
+turrets along their sides. I knew they were the hills of a species of
+white ant called by entomologists _Termes bellicosus_.
+
+There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that stood
+only about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen set
+upright--each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were the homes
+of a very different species, the _Termes mordax_ of the entomologists;
+though still another species of _Termes_ build their nests in the same
+form.
+
+I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only speak of
+them now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so that you
+may understand what followed.
+
+What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was pretty
+well covered. One or the other was met with every two hundred yards; and
+I fancied with these for a shelter I should have but little difficulty
+in getting within shot of the gnoos.
+
+I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shaped
+hill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I peeped
+through the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and younger ones
+had been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls were, as before,
+capering between me and the herd.
+
+I repeated the manoeuvre, and stalked in behind another large cone, close
+to which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself for a shot, I was
+again disappointed. The herd had moved off as before, and the brace of
+bulls still kept guard in the rear.
+
+I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed me
+exceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their manoeuvres
+were of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be made for the
+purpose of mocking me. At times they would charge up very close--their
+heads set in a menacing attitude; and I must confess that with their
+black shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and glaring red eyes, they
+looked anything but pleasant neighbours.
+
+I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should bother
+me no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of the others, I
+was determined they themselves should not escape scot-free, but should
+pay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved to put a bullet
+through one of them, at least.
+
+Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they had
+placed themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by dropping
+on their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came in contact.
+They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward, as if to get
+uppermost, and trample one another with their hoofs. Failing in this,
+both would rush past, until they were several yards apart; then wheel
+round, drop once more to their knees, and advance as before.
+
+Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so I
+fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be in
+earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads against
+each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, their
+angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and were
+serious about it.
+
+One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.
+Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quite
+recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back upon
+his side.
+
+Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sure
+shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind the
+ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice of
+my approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself from
+the terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied in
+delivering them.
+
+When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull who
+appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling in
+striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside
+was towards me, and presented a fairer mark.
+
+I fired.
+
+The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bull
+that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to my
+great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,
+apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him
+somewhere--as I heard the 'thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but it
+was plain I had not crippled him.
+
+I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him. Not
+an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of the
+bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his tail,
+lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me!
+
+His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enough
+to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was less
+frightened the other day when I encountered the lion.
+
+I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting myself
+in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun which was
+now empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once, that the
+slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a strong
+fierce animal, and that he would butt me over, and gore me, to a
+certainty.
+
+I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately they
+fell upon an ant-hill--the one I had just emerged from. I saw at a
+glance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fierce
+wildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake me?
+
+I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running upon
+ordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to that
+ant-hill than I did.
+
+I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets, and
+drew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs behind
+me, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels.
+
+But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked down at
+my pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther. Sharp as his
+horns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+BESIEGED BY THE BULL.
+
+
+"Well," continued Hans, after a pause, "I began to congratulate myself
+on my fortunate escape; for I was convinced that but for the ant-hill I
+would have been trampled and gored to death. The bull was one of the
+largest and fiercest of his kind, and a very old one too, as I could
+tell by the bases of his thick black horns nearly meeting over his
+forehead, as well as by his dark colour. I had plenty of time to note
+these things. I felt that I was now safe--that the wildebeest could not
+get near me; and I sat perched upon the top of the central cone,
+watching his movements with perfect coolness.
+
+It is true he did everything to reach my position. A dozen times he
+charged up the hill, and more than once effected a lodgment among the
+tops of the lower turrets, but the main one was too steep for him. No
+wonder! It had tried my own powers to scale it.
+
+At times he came so close to me in his desperate efforts, that I could
+have touched his horns with the muzzle of my gun; and I had prepared to
+give him a blow whenever I could get a good chance. I never saw a
+creature behave so fiercely. The fact was, that I had hit him with my
+bullet,--the wound was there along his jaw, and bleeding freely. The
+pain of it maddened him; but that was not the only cause of his fury, as
+I afterwards discovered.
+
+Well. After several unsuccessful attempts to scale the cone, he varied
+his tactics, and commenced butting the ant-heap as though he would bring
+it down. He repeatedly backed, and then charged forward upon it with
+all his might; and, to say the truth, it looked for some time as though
+he would succeed.
+
+Several of the lesser cones were knocked over by his powerful blows; and
+the hard tough clay yielded before his sharp horns, used by him as
+inverted pick-axes. In several places I could see that he had laid open
+the chambers of the insects, or rather the ways and galleries that are
+placed in the outer crust of the hill.
+
+With all this I felt no fear. I was under the belief that he would soon
+exhaust his rage and go away; and then I could descend without danger.
+But after watching him a good long spell, I was not a little astonished
+to observe that, instead of cooling down, he seemed to grow more furious
+than ever. I had taken out my handkerchief to wipe the perspiration off
+my face. It was as hot as an oven where I sat. Not a breath of air was
+stirring, and the rays of the sun, glaring right down and then
+reflecting up again from the white clay, brought the perspiration out of
+me in streams. Every minute I was obliged to rub my eyes clear of it
+with the handkerchief.
+
+Now, before passing the kerchief over my face, I always shook it open;
+and each time I did so, I noticed that the rage of the wildebeest seemed
+to be redoubled! In fact, at such times he would leave off goring the
+heap, and make a fresh attempt to rush up at me, roaring his loudest as
+he charged against the steep wall!
+
+I was puzzled at this, as well as astonished. What could there be in my
+wiping my face to provoke the wildebeest anew? And yet such was clearly
+the case. Every time I did so, he appeared to swell with a fresh burst
+of passion!
+
+The explanation came at length. I saw that it was not the wiping off the
+perspiration that provoked him. It was the shaking out of my
+handkerchief. This was, as you know, of a bright scarlet colour. I
+thought of this, and then, for the first time, remembered having heard
+that anything scarlet has a most powerful effect upon the wildebeest,
+and excites him to a rage resembling madness.
+
+I did not wish to keep up his fury. I crumpled up the handkerchief and
+buried it in my pocket--preferring to endure the perspiration rather
+than remain there any longer. By hiding the scarlet, I conceived a hope
+he would the sooner cool down, and go away.
+
+But I had raised a devil in him too fierce to be so easily laid. He
+showed no signs of cooling down. On the contrary, he continued to
+charge, butt, and bellow, as vengefully as ever--though the scarlet was
+no longer before his eyes.
+
+I began to feel really annoyed. I had no idea the gnoo was so implacable
+in his rage. The bull evidently felt pain from his wound. I could
+perceive that he moaned it. He knew well enough it was I who had given
+him this pain.
+
+He appeared determined not to let me escape retribution. He showed no
+signs of an intention to leave the place; but laboured away with hoof
+and horns, as if he would demolish the mound.
+
+I was growing very tired of my situation. Though not afraid that the
+bull could reach me, I was troubled by the thought of being so long
+absent from our camp. I knew I should have been there. I thought of my
+little sister and brother. Some misfortune might befall them. I was very
+sad about that, though up to that time I had little or no fears for
+myself. I was still in hopes the wildebeest would tire out and leave me,
+and then I could soon run home.
+
+I say, up to that time I had no very serious fears for myself--excepting
+the moment or two when the bull was chasing me to the hill; but that
+little fright was soon over.
+
+But now appeared a new object of dread--another enemy, as terrible as
+the enraged bull--that almost caused me to spring down upon the horns of
+the latter in my first moments of alarm!
+
+I have said that the wildebeest had broken down several of the lesser
+turrets--the outworks of the ant-hill--and had laid open the hollow
+spaces within. He had not penetrated to the main dome, but only the
+winding galleries and passages that perforate the outer walls.
+
+I noticed, that, as soon as these were broken open, a number of ants had
+rushed out from each. Indeed, I had observed many of the creatures
+crawling outside the hill, when I first approached it, and had wondered
+at this--as I knew that they usually keep under ground when going and
+coming from their nests. I had observed all this, without taking note of
+it at the time--being too intent in my stalk to think of anything else.
+For the last half-hour I was too busy watching the manoeuvres of the
+wildebeest bull, to take my gaze off him for a moment.
+
+Something in motion directly under me at length caught my eye, and I
+looked down to see what it was. The first glance caused me to jump to my
+feet; and, as I have already said, very nearly impelled me to leap down
+upon the horns of the bull!
+
+Swarming all over the hill, already clustering upon my shoes, and
+crawling still higher, were the crowds of angry ants. Every hole that
+the bull had made was yielding out its throng of spiteful insects; and
+all appeared moving towards me!
+
+Small as the creatures were, I fancied I saw design in their movements.
+They seemed all actuated with the same feeling--the same impulse--that
+of attacking me. I could not be mistaken in their intent. They moved all
+together, as if guided and led by intelligent beings; and they advanced
+towards the spot on which I stood.
+
+I saw, too, that they were the soldiers. I knew these from the workers,
+by their larger heads and long horny mandibles. I knew they could bite
+fiercely and painfully.
+
+The thought filled me with horror. I confess it, I never was so
+horrified before. My late encounter with the lion was nothing to compare
+with it.
+
+My first impression was that I would be destroyed by the termites. I had
+heard of such things--I remembered that I had. It was that, no doubt,
+that frightened me so badly, I had heard of men in their sleep being
+attacked by the white ants, and bitten to death. Such memories came
+crowding upon me at the moment, until I felt certain, that if I did not
+soon escape from that spot, the ants would sting me to death and eat me
+up!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+A HELPLESS BEAST.
+
+
+"What was to be done?" continued Hans. "How was I to avoid both enemies?
+If I leaped down, the wildebeest would kill me to a certainty. He was
+still there, with his fierce eye bent upon me continually. If I remained
+where I was, I would soon be covered with the swarming hideous insects,
+and eaten up like an old rag.
+
+[Illustration: HANS BESIEGED BY A WILDEBEEST.]
+
+Already I felt their terrible teeth. Those that had first crawled to my
+feet I had endeavoured to brush off; but some had got upon my ankles,
+and were biting me through my thick woollen socks! My clothes would be
+no protection.
+
+I had mounted to the highest part of the cone, and was standing upon
+its apex. It was so sharp I could scarcely balance myself, but the
+painful stings of the insects caused me to dance upon it like a
+mountebank.
+
+But what signified those that had already stung my ankle, to the numbers
+that were likely soon to pierce me with their venomous darts? Already
+these were swarming up the last terrace. They would soon cover the apex
+of the cone upon which I was standing. They would crawl up my limbs in
+myriads--they would----
+
+I could reflect no longer on what they would do. I preferred taking my
+chance with the wildebeest. I would leap down. Perhaps some lucky
+accident might aid me. I would battle with the gnoo, using my gun.
+Perhaps I might succeed in escaping to some other hill. Perhaps----
+
+I was actually on the spring to leap down, when a new thought came into
+my mind; and I wondered I had been so silly as not to think of it
+before. What was to hinder me from keeping off the termites? They had no
+wings--the soldiers have none--nor the workers neither, for that matter.
+They could not fly upon me. They could only crawl up the cone. With my
+jacket I could brush them back. Certainly I could--why did I not think
+of it before?
+
+I was not long in taking off my jacket. I laid aside my useless gun,
+dropping it upon one of the lower terraces. I caught the jacket by the
+collar; and, using it as a duster, I cleared the sides of the cone in a
+few moments, having sent thousands of the termites tumbling headlong
+below.
+
+Pshaw! how simply the thing was done! why had I not done it before? It
+cost scarcely an effort to brush the myriads away, and a slight effort
+would keep them off as long as I pleased.
+
+The only annoyance I felt now was from the few that had got under my
+trousers, and that still continued to bite me; but these I would get rid
+of in time.
+
+Well--I remained on the apex, now bending down to beat back the soldiers
+that still swarmed upward, and then occupying myself in trying to get
+rid of the few that crawled upon me. I felt no longer any uneasiness on
+the score of the insects--though I was not a bit better off as regarded
+the bull, who still kept guard below. I fancied, however, that he now
+showed symptoms of weariness, and would soon raise the siege; and this
+prospect made me feel more cheerful.
+
+A sudden change came over me. A new thrill of terror awaited me.
+
+While jumping about upon the top of the cone, my footing suddenly gave
+way--the baked clay broke with a dead crash, and I sank through the
+roof. My feet shot down into the hollow dome--till I thought I must have
+crushed the great queen in her chamber--and I stood buried to the neck.
+
+I was surprised, and a little terrified, not by the shock I had
+experienced in the sudden descent. That was natural enough, and a few
+moments would have restored my equanimity; but it was something else
+that frightened me. It was something that moved under my feet as they
+'touched bottom,'--something that moved and heaved under them, and then
+passed quickly away, letting me still farther down!
+
+What could it be? Was it the great swarm of living ants that I pressed
+upon? I did not think it was. It did not feel like them. It seemed to
+be something bulky and strong, for it held up my whole weight for a
+moment or two, before it slipped from under me.
+
+Whatever it was, it frightened me very considerably; and I did not leave
+my feet in its company for five seconds time. No: the hottest furnace
+would scarce have scorched them during the time they remained inside the
+dark dome. In five seconds they were on the walls again--on the broken
+edges, where I had mounted up, and where I now stood quite speechless
+with surprise!
+
+What next? I could keep the ants off no longer. I gazed down the dark
+cavity; they were swarming up that way in thick crowds. I could brush
+them down no more.
+
+My eyes at this moment chanced to wander to the bull. He was standing at
+three or four paces distance from the base of the hill. He was standing
+sideways with his head turned to it, and regarding it with a wild look.
+His attitude was entirely changed, and so, I thought, was the expression
+of his eye. He looked as if he had just run off to his new position, and
+was ready to make a second start. He looked as if something had also
+terrified him!
+
+Something evidently had; for, in another moment, he uttered a sharp
+rout, galloped several paces farther out, wheeled again, halted, and
+stood gazing as before!
+
+What could it mean? Was it the breaking through of the roof and my
+sudden descent that had frightened him?
+
+At first I thought so, but I observed that he did not look upward to the
+top. His gaze seemed bent on some object near the base of the
+hill--though from where I stood I could see nothing there to frighten
+him.
+
+I had not time to reflect what it could be, before the bull uttered a
+fresh snort; and, raising its tail high into the air, struck off at full
+gallop over the plain!
+
+Rejoiced at seeing this, I thought no more of what had relieved me of
+his company. It must have been my curious fall, I concluded; but no
+matter now that the brute was gone. So seizing hold of my gun, I
+prepared to descend from the elevated position of which I was thoroughly
+tired.
+
+Just as I had got half down the side, I chanced to look below; and there
+was the object that terrified the old bull. No wonder. It might have
+terrified anything,--the odd-looking creature that it was. From out a
+hole in the clay wall protruded a long naked cylindrical snout, mounted
+by a pair of ears nearly as long as itself, that stood erect like the
+horns of a steinbuck, and gave to the animal that bore them a wild and
+vicious look. It would have badly frightened me, had I not known what it
+was; but I recognised it at once as one of the most inoffensive
+creatures in the world--the 'aard-vark.'
+
+His appearance accounted for the retreat of the bull, and also explained
+why the ants had been crawling about on my first reaching their hill.
+
+Without saying a word, or making the slightest noise, I clubbed my gun;
+and, bending downward, struck the protruded snout a blow with the butt.
+It was a most wicked blow; and, considering the service the creature had
+just done me in frightening off the wildebeest, a most ungrateful
+return. But I was not master of my feelings at the moment. I did not
+reflect--only that I liked aard-vark flesh--and the blow was given.
+
+Poor fellow! It did the job for him. With scarce a kick he dropped dead
+in the opening he had scraped with his own claws.
+
+Well--my day's adventures were not yet ended. They seemed as though they
+were never to end. I had got the aard-vark over my shoulders, and was
+about heading homeward, when, to my astonishment, I observed that the
+bull-gnoo--not the one that had besieged me, but his late
+antagonist--was still out upon the plain where I had last seen him! I
+observed, moreover, that he was still in a sort of half-lying,
+half-kneeling attitude, with his head close to the ground!
+
+His odd movements seemed stranger than anything else. I fancied he had
+been badly hurt by the other, and was not able to get away.
+
+At first I was cautious about going near him--remembering my late narrow
+escape--and I thought of giving him a wide berth, and leaving him alone.
+Even though wounded, he might be strong enough to charge upon me; and my
+empty gun, as I had already proved, would be but a poor weapon with
+which to defend myself.
+
+I hesitated about going near him; but curiosity grew strong within me,
+as I watched his queer manoeuvres; until at length I walked up within a
+dozen yards of where he was kneeling.
+
+Fancy my surprise on discovering the cause of his oblique movements. No
+hurt had he received of any kind--not even a scratch; but for all that,
+he was as completely crippled as if he had lost his best pair of legs.
+
+In a very singular manner was he rendered thus helpless. In his struggle
+with the other bull, one of his fore-legs had, somehow or other, got
+passed over his horn; and there it stuck--not only depriving him of the
+use of the limb itself, but holding his head so close to the ground that
+he was quite unable to stir from the spot!
+
+At first I designed helping him out of his difficulty, and letting him
+go. On second thoughts, I remembered the story of the husband-man and
+the frozen snake, which quite changed my intention.
+
+I next thought of killing him for venison; but having no bullet, I did
+not like to beat him to death with my gun. Besides the aard-vark was my
+load to camp, and I knew that the jackals would eat the bull up before
+we could go back for him. I thought it probable he would be safer left
+as he was--as these ravenous brutes, seeing him alive, might not so
+readily approach him.
+
+So I left him with his "head under his arm," in hopes that we may find
+him there to-morrow."
+
+So ended Hans's narrative of his day's adventures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING-ROOM.
+
+
+The field-cornet was far from satisfied with his day's work. His first
+attempt at elephant-hunting had proved a failure. Might it not be always
+so?
+
+Notwithstanding the interest with which he listened to Hans's narrative
+of the day's adventures, he felt uneasy in his mind when he reflected
+upon his own.
+
+The elephant had escaped so easily. Their bullets seemed to have injured
+him not the least. They had only served to render him furious, and
+dangerous. Though both had hit him in places where their wounds should
+have been mortal, no such effect was produced. The elephant seemed to go
+off as unscathed, as if they had fired only boiled peas at him!
+
+Would it be always so?
+
+True, they had given him but two shots. Two, if well directed, may bring
+down a cow-elephant and sometimes a bull, but oftener it requires ten
+times two before a strong old bull can be made to "bite the dust."
+
+But would any elephant wait until they could load and fire a sufficient
+number of shots?
+
+That was an undecided point with our tyro elephant-hunters. If not, then
+they would be helpless indeed. It would be a tedious business spooring
+the game afoot, after it had once been fired upon. In such cases the
+elephant usually travels many miles before halting again; and only
+mounted men can with any facility overtake him.
+
+How Von Bloom sighed when he thought of his poor horses! Now more than
+ever did he feel the want of them--now more than ever did he regret
+their loss.
+
+But he had heard that the elephant does not always make off when
+attacked. The old bull had shown no intention of retreating, after
+receiving their shots. It was the odd conduct of Swartboy that had put
+him to flight. But for that, he would no doubt have kept the ground,
+until they had given him another volley, and perhaps his death-wound.
+
+The field-cornet drew consolation from this last reflection. Perhaps
+their next encounter would have a different ending. Perhaps a pair of
+tusks would reward them.
+
+The hope of such a result, as well as the anxiety about it, determined
+Von Bloom to lose no time in making a fresh trial. Next morning,
+therefore, before the sun was up, the hunters were once more upon the
+trail of their giant game.
+
+One precaution they had taken, which they had not thought of before. All
+of them had heard that an ordinary leaden bullet will not penetrate the
+tough thick skin of the great "pachyderm." Perhaps this had been the
+cause of their failure on the preceding day. If so they had provided
+against the recurrence of failure from such a cause. They had moulded a
+new set of balls of harder material,--solder it should have been, but
+they had none. They chanced, however, to be in possession of what served
+the purpose equally well--the old "plate" that had often graced the
+field-cornet's table in his better byegone days of the Graaf Reinet.
+This consisted of candlesticks, and snuffer-trays, and dish-covers, and
+cruet-stands, and a variety of articles of the real "Dutch metal."
+
+Some of these were condemned to the alembic of the melting-pan; and,
+mixed with the common lead, produced a set of balls hard enough for the
+hide of the rhinoceros itself--so that this day the hunters had no fears
+of failure upon the score of soft bullets.
+
+They went in the same direction as upon the preceding day, towards the
+forest or "bush," as they termed it.
+
+They had not proceeded a mile when they came upon the spoor of elephants
+nearly fresh. It passed through the very thickest of the thorny
+jungle--where no creature but an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a man with
+an axe, could have made way. A family must have passed, consisting of a
+male, a female or two, and several young ones of different ages. They
+had marched in single file, as elephants usually do; and had made a
+regular lane several feet wide, which was quite clear of bushes, and
+trampled by their immense footsteps. The old bull, Swartboy said, had
+gone in advance, and had cleared the way of all obstructions, by means
+of his trunk and tusks. This had evidently been the case, for the
+hunters observed huge branches broken off, or still hanging and turned
+to one side, out of the way--just as if the hand of man had done it.
+
+Swartboy further affirmed, that such elephant-roads usually led to
+water; and by the very easiest and shortest routes--as if they had been
+planned and laid open by the skill of an engineer--showing the rare
+instinct or sagacity of these animals.
+
+The hunters, therefore, expected soon to arrive at some watering-place;
+but it was equally probable the spoor might be leading them from the
+water.
+
+They had not followed it more than a quarter of a mile, when they came
+upon another road of a similar kind, that crossed the one they were
+spooring upon. This had also been made by a number of elephants--a
+family most likely--and the tracks upon it were as recent as those they
+had been following.
+
+They hesitated for a moment which to take; but at length concluded upon
+keeping straight on; and so they moved forward as before.
+
+To their great disappointment the trail at last led out into more open
+ground, where the elephants had scattered about; and after following the
+tracks of one, and then another without success, they got bewildered,
+and lost the spoor altogether.
+
+While casting about to find it in a place where the bush was thin and
+straggling, Swartboy suddenly ran off to one side, calling to the others
+to follow him. Von Bloom and Hendrik went after to see what the Bushman
+was about. They thought he had seen an elephant, and both, considerably
+excited, had already pulled the covers off their guns.
+
+There was no elephant, however. When they came up with Swartboy, he was
+standing under a tree, and pointing to the ground at its bottom.
+
+The hunters looked down. They saw that the ground upon one side of the
+tree was trampled, as though horses or some other animals had been tied
+there for a long time, and had worn off the turf, and worked it into
+dust with their hoofs. The bark of the tree--a full-topped shady
+acacia--for some distance up was worn smooth upon one side, just as
+though cattle had used it for a rubbing-post.
+
+"What has done it?" asked the field-cornet and Hendrik in a breath.
+
+"Da olifant's slapen-boom" (the elephant's sleeping-tree), replied
+Swartboy.
+
+No further explanation was necessary. The hunters remembered what they
+had been told about a curious habit which the elephant has--of leaning
+against a tree while asleep. This, then, was one of the sleeping-trees
+of these animals.
+
+But of what use to them, farther than to gratify a little curiosity? The
+elephant was not there.
+
+"Da ole karl come again," said Swartboy.
+
+"Ha! you think so, Swart?" inquired Von Bloom.
+
+"Ya, baas, lookee da! spoor fresh--da groot olifant hab slap here
+yesterday."
+
+"What then? you think we should lie in wait, and shoot him when he
+returns."
+
+"No, baas, better dan shoot, we make him bed--den wait see um lie down."
+
+Swartboy grinned a laugh as he gave this piece of advice.
+
+"Make his bed! what do you mean?" inquired his master.
+
+"I tell you, baas, we get da oliphant sure, if you leave da job to ole
+Swart. I gib you de plan for take him, no waste powder, no waste
+bullet."
+
+The Bushman proceeded to communicate his plan, to which his
+master--remembering their failure of yesterday--readily gave his
+consent.
+
+Fortunately they had all the implements that would be necessary for
+carrying it out,--a sharp axe, a strong rope or "rheim" of raw-hide, and
+their knives--and they set about the business without loss of time.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED.
+
+
+To the hunters time was a consideration. If the elephant should return
+that day it would be just before the hottest hours of noon. They had,
+therefore, scarce an hour left to prepare for him--to "make his bed," as
+Swartboy had jocosely termed it. So they went to work with alacrity, the
+Bushman acting as director-general, while the other two received their
+orders from him with the utmost obedience.
+
+The first work which Swartboy assigned to them was to cut and prepare
+three stakes of hard wood. They were to be each about three feet long,
+as thick as a man's arm, and pointed at one end.
+
+These were soon procured. The iron-wood which grew in abundance in the
+neighbourhood, furnished the very material; and after three pieces of
+sufficient length had been cut down with the axe, they were reduced to
+the proper size, and pointed by the knives of the hunters.
+
+Meanwhile Swartboy had not been idle. First, with his knife he had cut a
+large section of bark from the elephant's tree, upon the side against
+which the animal had been in the habit of leaning, and about three feet
+from the ground. Then with the axe he made a deep notch, where the bark
+had been removed--in fact, such a notch as would have caused the tree to
+fall had it been left to itself. But it was not, for before advancing so
+far in his work, Swartboy had taken measures to prevent that. He had
+stayed the tree by fastening the rheim to its upper branches on the
+opposite side, and then carrying the rope to the limbs of another tree
+that stood out in that direction.
+
+Thus adjusted, the elephant's tree was only kept from falling by the
+rheim-stay; and a slight push, in the direction of the latter, would
+have thrown it over.
+
+Swartboy now replaced the section of bark, which he had preserved; and
+after carefully collecting the chips, no one, without close examination,
+could have told that the tree had ever felt the edge of an axe.
+
+Another operation yet remained to be performed--that was the planting
+of the stakes, already prepared by Von Bloom and Hendrik. To set these
+firmly, deep holes had to be made. But Swartboy was just the man to make
+a hole; and in less than ten minutes he had sunk three, each over a foot
+deep, and not a half-inch wider than the thickness of the stakes!
+
+You may be curious to know how he accomplished this. You would have dug
+a hole with a spade, and necessarily as wide as the spade itself. But
+Swartboy had no spade, and would not have used it if there had been
+one--since it would have made the holes too large for his purpose.
+
+Swartboy sunk his holes by "crowing"--which process he performed by
+means of a small pointed stick. With this he first loosened the earth in
+a circle of the proper size. He then took out the detached mould, flung
+it away, and used the point of the "crowing stick" as before. Another
+clearing out of mould, another application of the stick; and so on, till
+the narrow hole was deemed of sufficient depth. That was how Swartboy
+"crowed" the holes.
+
+They were sunk in a kind of triangle near the bottom of the tree, but on
+the side opposite to that where the elephant would stand, should he
+occupy his old ground.
+
+In each hole Swartboy now set a stake, thick end down and point upwards;
+some small pebbles, and a little mould worked in at the sides, wedged
+them as firmly as if they had grown there.
+
+The stakes were now daubed over with soft earth, to conceal the white
+colour of the wood; the remaining chips were picked up, and all traces
+of the work completely obliterated. This done the hunters withdrew from
+the spot.
+
+They did not go far; but choosing a large bushy tree to leeward, all
+three climbed up into it, and sat concealed among its branches.
+
+The field-cornet held his long "roer" in readiness, and so did Hendrik
+his rifle. In case the ingenious trap of Swartboy should fail, they
+intended to use their guns, but not otherwise.
+
+It was now quite noon, and the day had turned out one of the hottest.
+But for the shade afforded by the leaves, they would have felt it very
+distressing. Swartboy prognosticated favourably from this. The great
+heat would be more likely than anything else to send the elephant to his
+favourite sleeping-place under the cool shady cover of the cameel-doorn.
+
+It was now quite noon. He could not be long in coming, thought they.
+
+Sure enough he came, and soon, too.
+
+They had not been twenty minutes on their perch, when they heard a
+strange, rumbling noise, which they knew proceeded from the stomach of
+an elephant. The next moment they saw one emerge from the jungle, and
+walk, with sweeping step, straight up to the tree. He seemed to have no
+suspicion of any danger; but placed himself at once alongside the trunk
+of the acacia--in the very position and on the side Swartboy had said he
+would take. From his spoor the Bushman knew he had been in the habit of
+so standing.
+
+His head was turned from the hunters, but not so much as to prevent them
+from seeing a pair of splendid tusks,--six feet long at the least.
+
+While gazing in admiration at these rich trophies, they saw the animal
+point his proboscis upward, and discharge a vast shower of water into
+the leaves, which afterwards fell dripping in bright globules over his
+body!
+
+Swartboy said that he drew the water from his stomach. Although
+closet-naturalists deny this, it must have been so; for shortly after,
+he repeated the act again and again--the quantity of water at each
+discharge being as great as before. It was plain that his trunk, large
+as it was, could not have contained it all.
+
+He seemed to enjoy this "shower-bath;" and the hunters did not wonder at
+it, for they themselves, suffering at the time from heat and thirst,
+would have relished something of a similar kind. As the crystal drops
+fell back from the acacia leaves, the huge animal was heard to utter a
+low grunt expressive of gratification. The hunters hoped that this was
+the prelude to his sleep, and watched him with intense earnestness.
+
+It proved to be so.
+
+As they sat gazing, they noticed that his head sunk a little, his ears
+ceased their flapping, his tail hung motionless, and his trunk, now
+twined around his tusks, remained at rest.
+
+They gaze intently. Now they see his body droop a little to one
+side--now it touches the tree--there is heard a loud crack, followed by
+a confused crashing of branches--and the huge dark body of the elephant
+sinks upon its side.
+
+At the same instant a terrible scream drowns all other sounds, causing
+the forest to echo, and the very leaves to quake. Then follows a
+confused roaring, mingled with the noise of cracking branches, and the
+struggles of the mighty brute where he lies kicking his giant limbs
+along the earth, in the agonies of death!
+
+The hunters remain in the tree. They see that the elephant is down--that
+he is impaled. There will be no need for their puny weapons. Their game
+has already received the death-wound.
+
+The struggle is of short duration. The painful breathing that precedes
+death is heard issuing from the long proboscis; and then follows a deep
+ominous silence.
+
+The hunters leap down, and approach the prostrate body. They see that it
+still lies upon the terrible _chevaux de frise_, where it had fallen.
+The stakes have done their work most effectively. The elephant breathes
+no more. He is dead!
+
+It was the work of an hour to cut out those splendid tusks. But our
+hunters thought nothing of that; and they were only the more pleased to
+find each of them a heavy load--as much as a man could carry!
+
+Von Bloom shouldered one, Swartboy the other, while Hendrik loaded
+himself with the guns and implements; and all three, leaving the carcass
+of the dead elephant behind them, returned triumphantly to camp.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+THE WILD ASSES OF AFRICA.
+
+
+Notwithstanding the success of the day's hunt, the mind of Von Bloom was
+not at rest. They had "bagged" their game, it was true, but in what
+manner? Their success was a mere accident, and gave them no earnest of
+what might be expected in the future. They might go long before finding
+another "sleeping-tree" of the elephants, and repeating their easy
+capture.
+
+Such were the not very pleasant reflections of the field-cornet, on the
+evening after returning from their successful hunt.
+
+But still less pleasant were they, two weeks later, at the retrospect of
+many an unsuccessful chase from which they had returned--when, after
+twelve days spent in "jaging" the elephant, they had added only a single
+pair of tusks to the collection, and these the tusks of a cow elephant,
+scarce two feet in length, and of little value!
+
+The reflection was not the less painful, that nearly every day they had
+fallen in with elephants, and had obtained a shot or two at these
+animals. That did not mend the matter a bit. On the contrary, it taught
+the hunter how easily they could run away from him, as they invariably
+did. It taught him how small his chances were of capturing such game, so
+long as he could only follow it afoot.
+
+The hunter on foot stands but a poor chance with the elephant. Stalking
+in upon one is easy enough, and perhaps obtaining a single shot; but
+when the animal trots off through the thick jungle, it is tedious work
+following him. He may go miles before halting, and even if the hunter
+should overtake him, it may be only to deliver a second shot, and see
+the game once more disappear into the bushes--perhaps to be spoored no
+farther.
+
+Now the mounted hunter has this advantage. His horse can overtake the
+elephant; and it is a peculiarity of this animal, that the moment he
+finds that his enemy, whatever it be, can do that thing, he disdains to
+run any farther, but at once stands to bay; and the hunter may then
+deliver as many shots as he pleases.
+
+Herein lies the great advantage of the hunter on horseback. Another
+advantage is the security the horse affords, enabling his rider to avoid
+the charges of the angry elephant.
+
+No wonder Von Bloom sighed for a horse. No wonder he felt grieved at the
+want of this noble companion, that would have aided him so much in the
+chase.
+
+He grieved all the more, now that he had become acquainted with the
+district, and had found it so full of elephants. Troops of an hundred
+had been seen; and these far from being shy, or disposed to make off
+after a shot or two. Perhaps they had never heard the report of a gun
+before that of his own long roer pealed in their huge ears.
+
+With a horse the field-cornet believed he could have killed many, and
+obtained much valuable ivory. Without one, his chances of carrying out
+his design were poor indeed. His hopes were likely to end in
+disappointment.
+
+He felt this keenly. The bright prospects he had so ardently indulged
+in, became clouded over; and fears for the future once more harassed
+him. He would only waste his time in this wilderness. His children would
+live without books, without education, without society. Were he to be
+suddenly called away, what would become of them? His pretty Gertrude
+would be no better off than a little savage--his sons would become not
+in sport, as he was wont to call them, but in reality a trio of
+"Bush-boys."
+
+Once more these thoughts filled the heart of the father with pain. Oh!
+what would he not have given at that moment for a pair of horses, of any
+sort whatever?
+
+The field-cornet, while making these reflections, was seated in the
+great nwana-tree, upon the platform, that had been built on the side
+towards the lake, and from which a full view could be obtained of the
+water. From this point a fine view could also be obtained of the country
+which lay to the eastward of the lake. At some distance off it was
+wooded, but near the vley a grassy plain lay spread before the eye like
+a green meadow.
+
+The eyes of the hunter were turned outward on this plain, and just then
+his glance fell upon a troop of animals crossing the open ground, and
+advancing towards the vley.
+
+They were large animals--nearly of the shape and size of small
+horses--and travelling in single file; as they were, the troop at a
+distance presented something of the appearance of a "cafila," or
+caravan. There were in all about fifty individuals in the line; and they
+marched along with a steady sober pace, as if under the guidance and
+direction of some wise leader. How very different from the capricious
+and eccentric movements of the gnoos!
+
+Individually they bore some resemblance to these last-named animals. In
+the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general ground colour, and
+in the "brindled" or tiger-like stripes that could be perceived upon
+their cheeks, neck, and shoulders. These stripes were exactly of the
+same form as those upon a zebra; but far less distinct, and not
+extending to the body or limbs, as is the case with the true zebra. In
+general colour, and in some other respects, the animals reminded one of
+the ass; but their heads, necks, and the upper part of their bodies,
+were of darker hue, slightly tinged with reddish brown. In fact, the
+new-comers had points of resemblance to all four--horse, ass, gnoo, and
+zebra--and yet they were distinct from any. To the zebra they bore the
+greatest resemblance--for they were in reality a species of zebra--they
+were quaggas.
+
+Modern naturalists have divided the _Equidae_, or horse family, into two
+genera--the horse and the ass--the principal points of distinction
+being, that animals of the horse kind have long flowing manes, full
+tails, and warty callosities on both hind and fore limbs; while asses,
+on the contrary, have short, meagre, and upright manes, tails slender
+and furnished only with long hairs at the extremity, and their hind
+limbs wanting the callosities. These, however, are found on the
+fore-legs as upon horses.
+
+Although there are many varieties of the horse genus--scores of them,
+widely differing from each other--they can all be easily recognised by
+these characteristic marks, from the "Suffolk Punch," the great London
+drayhorse, down to his diminutive little cousin the "Shetland Pony."
+
+The varieties of the ass are nearly as numerous, though this fact is not
+generally known.
+
+First, we have the common ass, the type of the genus; and of this there
+are many breeds in different countries, some nearly as elegant and as
+highly prized as horses. Next there is the "onagra," "koulan," or "wild
+ass," supposed to be the origin of the common kind. This is a native of
+Asia, though it is also found in the north-eastern parts of Africa.
+There is also the "dziggetai," or "great wild ass," of Central and
+Southern Asia, and another smaller species the "ghur" found in Persia.
+Again, there is the "kiang" met with in Ladakh, and the "yo-totze," an
+inhabitant of Chinese Tartary.
+
+All these are Asiatic species, found in a wild state, and differing from
+one another in colour, size, form, and even in habits. Many of them are
+of elegant form, and swift as the swiftest horses.
+
+In this little book we cannot afford room for a description of each, but
+must confine our remarks to what is more properly our subject--the wild
+asses of Africa. Of these there are six or seven kinds--perhaps more.
+
+First, there is the "wild ass," which, as already stated, extends from
+Asia into the north-eastern parts of Africa, contiguous to the former
+continent.
+
+Next there is the "koomrah," of which very little is known, except that
+it inhabits the forests of Northern Africa, and is solitary in its
+habits, unlike most of the other species. The koomrah has been described
+as a "wild horse," but, most probably, it belongs to the genus _asinus_.
+
+Now there are four other species of "wild asses" in Africa--wild horses
+some call them--and a fifth reported by travellers, but as yet
+undetermined. These species bear such a resemblance to one another in
+their form, the peculiar markings of their bodies, size, and general
+habits, that they may be classed together under the title of the zebra
+family. First, there is the true zebra, perhaps the most beautiful of
+all quadrupeds, and of which no description need be given. Second, the
+"dauw," or "Burchell's zebra," as it is more frequently called. Third,
+the "congo dauw," closely resembling the dauw. Fourth, the "quagga"; and
+fifth, the undetermined species known as the "white zebra," so called
+from its pale yellow, or Isabella colour.
+
+These five species evidently have a close affinity with each other--all
+of them being more or less marked with the peculiar transversal bands or
+"stripes," which are the well-known characteristics of the zebra. Even
+the quagga is so banded upon the head and upper parts of its body.
+
+The zebra proper is "striped" from the tip of the nose to its very
+hoofs, and the bands are of a uniform black, while the ground colour is
+nearly white, or white tinged with a pale yellow. The "dauws," on the
+other hand, are not banded upon the legs; the rays are not so dark or
+well defined, and the ground colour is not so pure or clean-looking. For
+the rest, all these three species are much alike; and it is more than
+probable that either "Burchell's" or the "congo dauw" was the species to
+which the name of "zebra" was first applied; for that which is now
+called the "true zebra" inhabits those parts of Africa where it was less
+likely to have been the first observed of the genus. At all events, the
+"congo dauw" is the "hippotigris," or tiger-horse, of the Romans; and
+this we infer from its inhabiting a more northerly part of Africa than
+the others, all of which belong to the southern half of that continent.
+The habitat of the zebra is said to extend as far north as Abyssinia;
+but, perhaps, the "congo dauw," which certainly inhabits Abyssinia, has
+been mistaken for the true zebra.
+
+Of the four species in South Africa, the zebra is a mountain animal, and
+dwells among the cliffs, while the dauw and quagga rove over the plains
+and wild karoo deserts. In similar situations to these has the "white
+zebra" been observed--though only by the traveller Le Vaillant--and
+hence the doubt about its existence as a distinct species.
+
+None of the kinds associate together, though each herds with other
+animals! The quagga keeps company with the gnoo, the "dauw" with the
+"brindled gnoo," while the tall ostrich stalks in the midst of the herds
+of both!
+
+There is much difference in the nature and disposition of the different
+species. The mountain zebra is very shy and wild; the dauw is almost
+untameable; while the quagga is of a timid docile nature, and may be
+trained to harness with as much facility as a horse.
+
+The reason why this has not been done, is simply because the farmers of
+South Africa have horses in plenty, and do not stand in need of the
+quagga, either for saddle or harness.
+
+But though Von Bloom the farmer had never thought of "breaking in" a
+quagga, Von Bloom the hunter now did.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS.
+
+
+Up to this time the field-cornet had scarce deigned to notice the
+quaggas. He knew what they were, and had often seen a drove of
+them--perhaps the same one--approach the vley and drink. Neither he nor
+any of his people had molested them, though they might have killed many.
+They knew that the yellow oily flesh of these animals was not fit for
+food, and is only eaten by the hungry natives--that their hides,
+although sometimes used for grain-sacks and other common purposes, are
+of very little value. For these reasons, they had suffered them to come
+and go quietly. They did not wish to waste powder and lead upon them;
+neither did they desire wantonly to destroy such harmless creatures.
+
+Every evening, therefore, the quaggas had drunk at the vley and gone off
+again, without exciting the slightest interest.
+
+Not so upon this occasion. A grand design now occupied the mind of Von
+Bloom. The troop of quaggas became suddenly invested with as much
+interest as if it had been a herd of elephants; and the field-cornet had
+started to his feet, and stood gazing upon them--his eyes sparkling with
+pleasure and admiration.
+
+He admired their prettily-striped heads, their plump well-turned bodies,
+their light elegant limbs; in short, he admired everything about them,
+size, colour, and proportions. Never before had quaggas appeared so
+beautiful in the eyes of the vee-boer.
+
+But why this new-born admiration for the despised quaggas?--for despised
+they are by the Cape farmer, who shoots them only to feed his Hottentot
+servants. Why had they so suddenly become such favourites with the
+field-cornet? That you will understand by knowing the reflections that
+were just then passing through his mind.
+
+They were as follows:--
+
+Might not a number of these animals be caught and broken in?--Why not?
+Might they not be trained to the saddle?--Why not? Might they not serve
+him for hunting the elephant just as well as horses?--Why not?
+
+Von Bloom asked these three questions of himself. Half a minute served
+to answer them all in the affirmative. There was neither impossibility
+nor improbability in any of the three propositions. It was clear that
+the thing could be done, and without difficulty.
+
+A new hope sprang up in the heart of the field-cornet. Once more his
+countenance became radiant with joy.
+
+He communicated his thoughts both to the Bushman and "Bush-boys"--all of
+whom highly approved of the idea, and only wondered that none of them
+had thought of it before.
+
+And now the question arose as to how the quaggas were to be captured.
+This was the first point to be settled; and the four--Von Bloom himself,
+Hans, Hendrik, and Swartboy,--sat deliberately down to concoct some plan
+of effecting this object.
+
+Of course they could do nothing just then, and the drove that had come
+to drink was allowed to depart peacefully. The hunters knew they would
+return on the morrow about the same hour; and it was towards their
+return that the thoughts of all were bent.
+
+Hendrik advised "creasing," which means sending a bullet through the
+upper part of the neck near the withers, and by this means a quagga can
+be knocked over and captured. The shot, if properly directed, does not
+kill the animal. It soon recovers, and may be easily "broken," though
+its spirit is generally broken at the same time. It is never "itself
+again." Hendrik understood the mode of "creasing." He had seen it
+practised by the boer-hunters. He knew the spot where the bullet should
+hit. He believed he could do it easily enough.
+
+Hans considered the "creasing" too cruel a mode. They might kill many
+quaggas before obtaining one that was hit in the proper place. Besides
+there would be a waste of powder and bullets--a thing to be considered.
+Why could they not snare the animals? He had heard of nooses being set
+for animals as large as the quaggas, and of many being caught in that
+manner.
+
+Hendrik did not think the idea of snaring a good one. They might get one
+in that way--the foremost of the drove; but all the others, seeing the
+leader caught, would gallop off and return no more to the vley; and
+where would they set their snare for a second? It might be a long time
+before they should find another watering-place of these animals; whereas
+they might stalk and crease them upon the plains at any time.
+
+Swartboy now put in his plan. It was the pit-fall. That was the way by
+which Bushmen most generally caught large animals, and Swartboy
+perfectly understood how to construct a pit for quaggas.
+
+Hendrik saw objections to this, very similar to those he had urged
+against the snare. The foremost of the quaggas might be caught, but the
+others would not be fools enough to walk into the pit--after their
+leader had fallen in and laid the trap open. They, of course, would
+gallop off, and never come back that way again.
+
+If it could be done at night, Hendrik admitted, the thing might be
+different. In the darkness several might rush in before catching the
+alarm. But no--the quaggas had always come to drink in day-time--one
+only could be trapped, and then the others alarmed would keep away.
+
+There would have been reason in what Hendrik said, but for a remarkable
+fact which the field-cornet himself had observed when the quaggas came
+to the lake to drink. It was that the animals had invariably entered the
+water at one point, and gone out at another. It was of course a mere
+accident that they did so, and owing to the nature of the ground; but
+such was the case, and Von Bloom had observed it on several occasions.
+They were accustomed to enter by the gorge, already described; and,
+after drinking, wade along the shallow edge for some yards, and then
+pass out by another break in the bank.
+
+The knowledge of this fact was of the utmost importance, and all saw
+that at once. A pit-fall dug upon the path by which the animals entered
+the lake, would no doubt operate as Hendrik said--one might be caught,
+and all the rest frightened off. But a similar trap placed upon the
+trail that led outward, would bring about a very different result. Once
+the quaggas had finished drinking, and just at the moment they were
+heading out of the water, the hunters could show themselves upon the
+opposite side, set the troop in quick motion, and gallop them into the
+trap. By this means not only one, but a whole pit-full might be captured
+at once!
+
+All this appeared so feasible that not another suggestion was
+offered--the plan of the pit-fall was at once, and unanimously adopted.
+
+It remained only to dig the pit, cover it properly, and then wait the
+result.
+
+During all the time their capture was being planned, the herd of quaggas
+had remained in sight, disporting themselves upon the open plain. It was
+a tantalizing sight to Hendrik, who would have liked much to have shown
+his marksman skill by "creasing" one. But the young hunter saw that it
+would be imprudent to fire at them there, as it would prevent them from
+returning to the vley; so he restrained himself, and along with the
+others remained watching the quaggas--all regarding them with a degree
+of interest which they had never before felt in looking at a drove of
+these animals.
+
+The quaggas saw nothing of them, although quite near to the great
+nwana-tree. They--the hunters--were up among the branches, where the
+animals did not think of looking, and there was nothing around the
+bottom of the tree to cause them alarm. The wagon-wheels had long ago
+been disposed of in the bush, partly to shelter them from the sun, and
+partly because game animals frequently came within shot of the tree, and
+were thus obtained without any trouble. There were scarce any traces
+upon the ground that would have betrayed the existence of a "camp" in
+the tree; and a person might have passed very near without noticing the
+odd aerial dwelling of the hunter family.
+
+All this was design upon the part of the field-cornet. As yet he knew
+little of the country around. He did not know but that it might contain
+worse enemies than either hyenas or lions.
+
+While they sat watching the manoeuvres of the quaggas, a movement was
+made by one of these creatures more singular than any that had yet been
+witnessed.
+
+The animal in question was browsing quietly along, and at length
+approached a small clump of bushes that stood out in the open ground.
+When close to the copse it was observed to make a sudden spring forward;
+and almost at the same instant, a shaggy creature leaped out of the
+bushes, and ran off. This last was no other than the ugly "striped"
+hyena. Instead of turning upon the quagga and showing fight, as one
+might have supposed so strong and fierce a brute would have done, the
+hyena uttered a howl of alarm, and ran off as fast as its legs would
+carry it.
+
+They did not carry it far. It was evidently making for a larger tract
+of bush that grew near; but before it had got half-way across the open
+ground, the quagga came up behind, and uttering his shrill "couaag,"
+reared forward, and dropped with his fore-hoofs upon the hyena's back.
+At the same instant the neck of the carnivorous animal was clutched by
+the teeth of the ruminant and held as fast, as if grasped by a vice.
+
+[Illustration: THE QUAGGA AND THE HYENA.]
+
+All looked to see the hyena free itself and run off again. They looked
+in vain. It never ran another yard. It never came alive out of the
+clutch of those terrible teeth.
+
+The quagga still held his struggling victim with firm hold--trampling it
+with his hoofs, and shaking it in his strong jaws, until in a few
+minutes the screams of the hyena ceased, and his mangled carcass lay
+motionless upon the plain!
+
+One would think that this incident might have been enough to warn our
+hunters to be cautious in their dealings with the quagga. Such a sharp
+biter would be no pleasant horse to "bit and bridle."
+
+But all knew the antipathy that exists between the wild horse and the
+hyena; and that the quagga, though roused to fury at the sight of one of
+these animals, is very different in its behaviour towards man. So
+strong, in fact, is this antipathy, and so complete is the mastery of
+the ruminant over the carnivorous animal, that the frontier farmers
+often take advantage of these peculiar facts, and keep the hyenas from
+their cattle by bringing up with the herd a number of quaggas, who act
+as its guards and protectors!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+THE PIT-TRAP.
+
+
+While they were watching the movements of the quaggas, Von Bloom rose
+suddenly to his feet. All turned their eyes upon him as he did so. They
+saw by his manner that he was about to propose something. What could it
+be?
+
+The thought had just occurred to him that they should at once set about
+digging the pit.
+
+It was near sunset--wanting only half-an-hour of it; and one would
+suppose he would have done better to leave the work till next morning.
+But no. There was a good reason why they should set about it at once;
+and that was, that they might not be able to complete it in time if they
+did not do part of it that night.
+
+It would be no slight undertaking to dig a pit of proper size, for they
+would require one that would at least hold half-a-dozen quaggas at a
+time. Then there was the carrying away the earth that should come out of
+it, the cutting the poles and branches to cover it, and the placing of
+these in a proper manner.
+
+To do all these things would take up a great deal of time; and they must
+be all done against the return of the quaggas, else the whole scheme
+would be a failure. Should the animals arrive upon the ground before the
+pit was covered in and all traces of the work removed, they would make
+off without entering the water, and perhaps never visit that vley again.
+
+Such were the conjectures of the field-cornet. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, acknowledged their justice. All saw the necessity of going to
+work at once, and to work they all went.
+
+Fortunately among the "implements," were two good spades, a shovel, and
+a pick-axe, and all of them could be busy at the same time. There were
+baskets in which the dirt could be carried off, and thrown into the deep
+channel close by, where it would not be seen. This was also a fortunate
+circumstance; for to have carried the stuff any great distance, would
+have made the job still heavier, and more difficult to execute in proper
+time.
+
+Having marked the outlines of the pit, they went to work with spade,
+shovel, and pick. The ground proved tolerably loose, and the pick was
+but little needed. The field-cornet himself handled one of the spades
+Hendrik the other, while Swartboy acted as shoveller, and filled the
+baskets as fast as Hans and Totty, assisted by Trueey and little Jan,
+could empty them. These last carried a small basket of their own, and
+contributed very materially to the progress of the work, by lightening
+the labours of Hans and Totty.
+
+And so the work went merrily on until midnight, and even after that
+hour, under the light of a full moon; by which time the diggers were
+buried to their necks.
+
+But they were now fatigued. They knew they could easily complete the pit
+next day; and so they laid down their implements, and after performing
+their ablutions in the crystal water of the stream, retired to their
+sleeping-quarters in the tree.
+
+By early dawn they were at it again, busy as bees; and the pit
+progressed so rapidly that before they stopped to take breakfast, Von
+Bloom could scarce see out of it standing on his toes, and the crown of
+Swartboy's woolly head was nearly two feet below the surface. A little
+more digging would do.
+
+After breakfast they went to work as briskly as ever; and laboured away
+until they considered that the hole was sunk to a sufficient depth. It
+would have taken a springbok to have leaped out of it; and no quagga
+could possibly have cleared itself from such a pit.
+
+Poles and bushes were now cut; and the pit was neatly covered with
+these, and strewed over, as well as a large tract of the adjoining
+ground, with rushes and grass. The most sagacious animal would have been
+deceived by the appearance; even a fox could not have discovered the
+trap before tumbling into it.
+
+They had completed the work before going to dinner,--which,
+consequently, fell late on that day--so nothing more remained to be done
+but to dine, and await the coming of the quaggas.
+
+At dinner they were all very merry, notwithstanding the immense fatigue
+they had gone through. The prospect of capturing the quaggas was very
+exciting, and kept the party in high spirits.
+
+Each offered a prognostication as to the result. Some said they
+would trap three quaggas at the least; while others were more sanguine,
+and believed they might take twice that number. Jan did not see why
+the pit should not be full; and Hendrik thought this probable
+enough--considering the way they intended to drive the quaggas into it.
+
+It certainly seemed so. The pit had been made of sufficient width to
+preclude the possibility of the animals leaping over it, while it was
+dug lengthwise across the path, so that they could not miss it. The lay
+of the ground would guide them directly into it.
+
+It is true that, were they to be left to themselves, and permitted to
+follow their usual method of marching--that is, in single file--only
+one, the leader, might be caught. The rest, seeing him fall in, would be
+sure to wheel round, and gallop off in a different direction.
+
+But it was not the intention of the hunters to leave things thus. They
+had planned a way by which the quaggas, at a certain moment, would be
+thrown into a complete panic, and thus forced pell-mell upon the pit. In
+this lay their hopes of securing a large number of the animals.
+
+Four was as many as were wanted. One for each of the hunters. Four would
+do; but of course it mattered not how many more got into the pit. The
+more the better, as a large number would give them the advantage of
+"pick and choose."
+
+Dinner over, the hunters set about preparing for the reception of their
+expected visitors. As already stated, the dinner had been later than
+usual; and it was now near the hour when the quaggas might be looked
+for.
+
+In order to be in time, each took his station. Hans, Hendrik, and
+Swartboy, placed themselves in ambush around the lake--at intervals from
+one another; but the lower end, where the animals usually approached and
+went out, was left quite open. Von Bloom remained on the platform in the
+tree, so as to mark the approach of the quaggas, and give warning by a
+signal to the other three. The positions taken by these were such, that
+they could guide the herd in the direction of the pit, by merely coming
+out of the bushes where they lay concealed. In order that they should
+show themselves simultaneously, and at the proper moment, they were to
+wait for a signal from the tree. This was to be the firing of the great
+"roer," loaded blank. Hans and Hendrik were also to fire blank shots on
+discovering themselves, and by this means the desired panic would be
+produced.
+
+The whole scheme was well contrived, and succeeded admirably. The herd
+appeared filing over the plain, just as on the preceding days. Von Bloom
+announced their approach to the three in ambush, by repeating in a
+subdued tone the words,--
+
+"Quaggas are coming!"
+
+The unsuspecting animals filed through the gorge, scattered about in the
+water, drank their fill, and then commenced retiring by the path on
+which lay the trap.
+
+The leader having climbed the bank, and seeing the fresh grass and
+rushes strewed upon the path, uttered a snorting bark, and seemed half
+inclined to wheel round. But just at that moment boomed the loud
+detonation of the roer; and, then, like lesser echoes, the reports of
+the smaller guns on the right and left, while Swartboy shouted at the
+top pitch of his voice, from another quarter.
+
+A look back showed the quaggas that they were well-nigh surrounded by
+strange enemies. But one course appeared open to them--the way they were
+wont to go; and barking with affright, the whole drove dashed up the
+bank, and crowded on towards the pit.
+
+Then was heard a confused noise--the cracking of the poles--the
+trampling of many hoofs--the dull sounds of heavy bodies falling
+together, and mingling in a continuous struggle--and the wild snorting,
+as the creatures hurried forward in affright. Some were seen springing
+high in the air, as if to overleap the pit. Others poised themselves on
+their hind hoofs, and wheeling round, ran back into the lake. Some
+dashed off through the bushes, and escaped in that way; but the great
+body of the drove came running back, and plunging through the water,
+made off by the gorge through which they had come. In a few minutes not
+one was in sight.
+
+The boys thought they had all escaped; but Von Bloom, from his more
+elevated position in the tree, could perceive the snouts of several
+protruding above the edge of the pit.
+
+On arriving at the spot, to their great satisfaction the hunters
+discovered no less than eight full-grown quaggas in the trap--just twice
+the number required to mount the party.
+
+In less than two weeks from that time, four of the quaggas were broken
+to the saddle, and perfectly obedient to the bit. Of course there was a
+good deal of kicking, and plunging, and flinging, and many hard gallops,
+and some ugly falls, before it came to this; but both the Bushman
+Swartboy and the Bush-boy Hendrik were expert in the _manege_ of horses,
+and soon tamed the quaggas to a proper degree of docility.
+
+Upon the very first occasion when these animals were used in the hunt of
+the elephant, they rendered the very service expected of them. The
+elephant, as usual, bolted after receiving the first shot; but the
+hunters on "quagga-back" were enabled to keep him in sight, and follow
+rapidly upon his heels. As soon as the elephant discovered that, run as
+he would, his pursuers had the power of overtaking him, he disdained to
+fly farther, and stood to bay; thus giving them the opportunity of
+delivering shot after shot, until a mortal wound brought his huge body
+to the earth.
+
+Von Bloom was delighted. His hopes were high, his benignant star was
+once more in the ascendant.
+
+He would yet accomplish his design. He would yet be rich. A few years,
+would enable him to build up his fortune--to construct a pyramid of
+ivory!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+DRIVING IN THE ELAND.
+
+
+Of all the family Hendrik was the hunter _par excellence_. It was he who
+habitually stored the larder; and upon days when they were not engaged
+in the chase of the elephant, Hendrik would be abroad alone in pursuit
+of antelopes, and other creatures, that furnished their usual
+subsistence. Hendrik kept the table well supplied.
+
+Antelopes are the principal game of South Africa--for Africa is the
+country of the antelope above all others. You may be surprised to hear
+that there are seventy different species of antelopes over all the
+earth--that more than fifty of these are African, and that thirty at
+least belong to South Africa--that is, the portion of the continent
+lying between the Cape of Good Hope and the Tropic of Capricorn.
+
+It would require the space of a whole book, therefore, to give a fair
+account--a monograph--of the antelopes alone; and I cannot afford that
+space here. At present I can only say that Africa is the great antelope
+country, although many fine species exist also in Asia--that in America
+there is but one kind, the prong-horn, with which you are already well
+acquainted--and that in Europe there are two, though one of these, the
+well-known "chamois," is as much goat as antelope.
+
+I shall farther remark, that the seventy species of animals, by
+naturalists classed as antelopes, differ widely from one another in
+form, size, colour, pelage, habits; in short, in so many respects, that
+their classification under the name of Antelope is very arbitrary
+indeed. Some approximate closely to the goat tribe; others are more like
+deer; some resemble oxen; others are closely allied to the buffalo;
+while a few species possess many of the characteristics of wild sheep!
+
+As a general thing, however, they are more like to deer than any other
+animals; and many species of them are, in common parlance, called deer.
+Indeed, many antelopes are more like to certain species of deer than to
+others of their own kind. The chief distinction noted between them and
+the deer is, that the antelopes have horny horns, that are persistent or
+permanent, while those of the deer are osseous or bony, and are annually
+cast.
+
+Like the deer the different species of antelopes possess very different
+habits. Some frequent the wide open plains; some the deep forest; some
+wander by the shady banks of streams; while others love to dwell upon
+the rocky steep, or the dry ravines of the mountains. Some browse upon
+the grass; while others, goat-like, prefer the leaves and tender twigs
+of trees. In fact, so different are these creatures in habits, that
+whatever be the natural character of a district of country, it will be
+found the favourite home of one or more species. Even the very desert
+has its antelopes, that prefer the parched and waterless plain to the
+most fertile and verdant valley.
+
+Of all antelopes the "eland," or "caana" is the largest. It measures
+full seventeen hands at the shoulder--being thus equal in height to a
+very large horse. A large eland weighs one thousand pounds. It is a
+heavily formed animal, and an indifferent runner, as a mounted hunter
+can gallop up to one without effort. Its general proportions are not
+unlike those of a common ox, but its horns are straight and rise
+vertically from the crown, diverging only slightly from one another.
+These are two feet in length, and marked by a ridge that passes spirally
+around them nearly to the tips. The horns of the female are longer than
+those of the male.
+
+The eyes of the eland, like those of most antelopes, are large, bright,
+and melting, without any expression of fierceness; and the animal,
+though so very large and strong, is of the most innocuous
+disposition--showing fight only when driven to desperation.
+
+The general colour of this antelope is dun, with a rufous tinge.
+Sometimes ashy grey touched with ochre is the prevailing hue.
+
+The eland is one of those antelopes that appear to be independent of
+water. It is met with upon the desert plains, far from either spring or
+stream; and it even seems to prefer such situations--perhaps from the
+greater security it finds there--though it is also a denizen of the
+fertile and wooded districts. It is gregarious, the sexes herding
+separately, and in groups of from ten to a hundred individuals.
+
+The flesh of the eland is highly esteemed, and does not yield in
+delicacy to that of any of the antelope, deer, or bovine tribes. It has
+been compared to tender beef with a game flavour; and the muscles of the
+thighs when cured and dried produce a _bonne bouche_, known under the
+odd appellation of "thigh-tongues."
+
+Of course the eland affording such excellent meat, and in so large a
+quantity, is zealously hunted for his spoils. Being only a poor runner
+and always very fat, the hunt is usually a short one; and ends in the
+eland being shot down, skinned, and cut up. There is no great excitement
+about this chase, except that it is not every day an eland can be
+started. The ease with which they can be captured, as well as the value
+of their venison, has led to the thinning off of these antelopes; and it
+is only in remote districts where a herd of them can be found.
+
+Now since their arrival, no elands had been seen, though now and then
+their spoor was observed; and Hendrik, for several reasons, was very
+desirous of getting one. He had never shot an eland in his life--that
+was one reason--and another was, that he wished to procure a supply of
+the fine venison which lies in such quantities over the ribs of these
+animals.
+
+It was, therefore, with great delight, that Hendrik one morning received
+the report that a herd of elands had been seen upon the upper plain, and
+not far off. Swartboy, who had been upon the cliffs, brought this report
+to camp.
+
+Without losing any more time than sufficed to get the direction from
+Swartboy, Hendrik mounted his quagga, shouldered his rifle, and rode off
+in search of the herd.
+
+Not far from the camp there was an easy pass, leading up the cliff to
+the plain above. It was a sort of gorge or ravine; and from the numerous
+tracks of animals in its bottom, it was evidently much used as a road
+from the upper plain to that in which were the spring and stream.
+Certain animals, such as the zebras and quaggas, and others that
+frequent the dry desert plains from preference, were in the habit of
+coming by this path when they required water.
+
+Up the gorge rode Hendrik; and no sooner had he arrived at its top, than
+he discovered the herd of elands--seven old bulls--about a mile off upon
+the upper plain.
+
+There was not cover enough to have sheltered a fox. The only growth near
+the spot where the elands were, consisted of straggling aloe plants,
+euphorbias, with some stunted bushes, and tufts of dry grass,
+characteristic of the desert. There was no clump large enough to have
+sheltered a hunter from the eye of his game; and Hendrik at once came to
+the conclusion, that the elands could not be "stalked" in the situation
+they then occupied.
+
+Now, though Hendrik had never hunted this antelope, he was well
+acquainted with its habits, and knew how it ought to be chased. He knew
+that it was a bad runner; that any old horse could bring up with it; and
+that his quagga--the fastest of the four that had been tamed--could do
+the same.
+
+It was only a question of "start," therefore. Could he get near enough
+the bulls to have a fair start, he would run one of them down to a
+certainty. The result might be different should the elands take the
+alarm at a long distance off, and scour away over the plain.
+
+To get within fair starting distance, that was the point to be
+attempted.
+
+But Hendrik was a wary hunter, and soon accomplished this. Instead of
+riding direct for the elands, he made a grand circuit--until he had got
+the herd between him and the cliff--and then, heading his quagga for
+them, he rode quietly forward.
+
+He did not sit erect in the saddle, but held himself bent down, until
+his breast almost touched the withers of the quagga. This he did to
+deceive the elands, who would otherwise have recognised him as an enemy.
+In such a fashion they could not make out what kind of creature was
+coming towards them; but stood for a long while gazing at Hendrik and
+his quagga with feelings of curiosity, and of course some little alarm.
+
+They, however, permitted the hunter to get within five hundred yards
+distance--near enough for him--before they broke off in their heavy
+lumbering gallop.
+
+Hendrik now rose in his saddle, put spurs to his quagga, and followed
+the herd at full speed.
+
+As he had designed, so it came to pass. The elands ran straight in the
+direction of the cliff--not where the pass was, but where there was
+none--and, on reaching the precipice, were of course forced to turn into
+a new direction, transverse to their former one. This gave Hendrik the
+advantage, who, heading his quagga diagonally, was soon upon the heels
+of the herd.
+
+It was Hendrik's intention to single out one of the bulls, and run him
+down--leaving the others to gallop off wherever they wished.
+
+His intention was carried out; for shortly after, the fattest of the
+bulls shot to one side, as if to escape in that way, while the rest ran
+on.
+
+The bull was not so cunning as he thought himself. Hendrik's eye was
+upon him; and in a moment the quagga was turned upon his track.
+
+Another burst carried both game and pursuer nearly a mile across the
+plain. The eland had turned from a rufous dun colour to that of a leaden
+blue; the saliva fell from his lips in long streamers, foam dappled his
+broad chest, the tears rolled out of his big eyes, and his gallop became
+changed to a weary trot. He was evidently "blown."
+
+In a few minutes more the quagga was close upon his heels; and then the
+huge antelope, seeing that farther running could not serve him, halted
+in despair, and faced round towards his pursuer.
+
+Now Hendrik had his loaded rifle in his hand, and you expect to hear
+that he instantly raised it to his shoulder, took aim, fired, and
+brought down the eland.
+
+I must disappoint you, then, by telling you that he did no such thing.
+
+Hendrik was a real hunter--neither rash nor wasteful of his resources.
+He knew a better plan than to kill the eland upon the spot. He knew that
+the animal was now quite in his power; and that he could drive him
+wherever he pleased, just like a tame ox. To have killed the creature on
+the spot would have been a waste of powder and shot. More than that, it
+would have rendered necessary all the trouble of transporting its flesh
+to camp--a double journey at least--and with the risk of the hyenas
+eating up most of it in his absence. Whereas he could save all this
+trouble by driving the eland to camp; and this was his design.
+
+Without firing a shot, therefore, he galloped on past the blown bull,
+headed him, turned him round, and then drove him before him in the
+direction of the cliff.
+
+The bull could make neither resistance nor opposition. Now and again he
+would turn and trot off in a contrary direction; but he was easily
+headed again, and at length forced forward to the top of the pass.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK.
+
+
+Hendrik was congratulating himself on his success. He anticipated some
+pleasure in the surprise he was about to create at camp, when he should
+march in with the eland--for he had no doubt that he would succeed in
+doing so.
+
+Indeed, there appeared no reason to doubt it. The bull had already
+entered the gorge, and was moving down it, while Hendrik and his quagga
+were hurrying forward to follow.
+
+The hunter had arrived within a few yards of the top, when a loud
+trampling noise sounded in his ears, as if a band of heavy-footed
+animals were coming up the gorge.
+
+He spurred his quagga forward, in order to reach the edge, and get a
+view down the ravine. Before he was able to do so, he was surprised to
+see the eland gallop up again, and try to pass him upon the plain. It
+had evidently received fresh alarm, from something in the gorge; and
+preferred facing its old enemy to encountering the new.
+
+Hendrik did not give his attention to the eland. He could ride it down
+at any time. He was more anxious first to know what had given it the
+start backward; so he continued to press forward to the head of the
+ravine.
+
+He might have thought of lions, and acted with greater prudence; but the
+trampling of hoofs which still echoed up the pass told him that lions
+were not the cause of the eland's alarm.
+
+He at length reached a point where he could see down the declivity. He
+had not far to look--for already the animals that were making the noise
+were close up to him; and he perceived they were nothing more than a
+troop of quaggas.
+
+He was not over-pleased at this interruption to his drive; and the less
+did he like it, that the intruders were quaggas--ill-conditioned brutes
+that they were! Had they been game animals, he would have shot one; but
+the only motive that would have induced him to shoot one of the quaggas
+would have been a feeling of anger--for, at that moment, he was really
+angry at them.
+
+Without knowing it, poor brutes! they had likely given him cause for a
+good deal of trouble: for it would cost him a good deal, before he could
+head the eland again, and get it back into the pass. No wonder, then, he
+was vexed a little.
+
+But his vexation was not so grievous as to cause him to fire upon the
+approaching herd; and, turning aside, he rode after the eland.
+
+He had hardly left the spot, when the quaggas came out of the pass,
+following each other to the number of forty or fifty. Each, as he saw
+the mounted hunter, started with affright, and bolted off, until the
+whole drove stretched out in a long line over the plain, snorting and
+uttering their loud "coua-a-g" as they ran.
+
+Hendrik would hardly have regarded this movement under ordinary
+circumstances. He had often seen herds of quaggas, and was in no way
+curious about them. But his attention was drawn to this herd, from his
+noticing, as they passed him, that four of them had their tails docked
+short; and from this circumstance, he recognised them as the four that
+had been caught in the pit-trap and afterwards set free. Swartboy, for
+some purpose of his own, had cut off the hair before letting them go.
+
+Hendrik had no doubt it was they, and that the herd was the same that
+used to frequent the vley, but that on account of the ill-treatment they
+had met with, had never since shown themselves in the neighbourhood.
+
+Now these circumstances coming into Hendrik's mind at the moment, led
+him to regard the quaggas with a certain feeling of curiosity. The
+sudden fright which the animals took on seeing him, and the comic
+appearance of the four with the stumped tails, rather inclined Hendrik
+towards merriment, and he laughed as he galloped along.
+
+As the quaggas went off in the same direction which the eland had taken,
+of course Hendrik's road and theirs lay so far together; and on galloped
+he at their heels. He was curious to try the point--much disputed in
+regard to horses--how far a mounted quagga would be able to cope with an
+unmounted one. He was curious moreover, to find out whether his own
+quagga was quite equal to any of its old companions. So on swept the
+chase, the eland leading, the quaggas after, and Hendrik bringing up the
+rear.
+
+Hendrik had no need to ply the spur. His gallant steed flew like the
+wind. He seemed to feel that his character was staked upon the race. He
+gained upon the drove at every spring.
+
+The heavy-going eland was soon overtaken, and as it trotted to one side,
+was passed. It halted, but the quaggas kept on.
+
+Not only the drove kept on, but Hendrik's quagga following close at
+their heels; and in less than five minutes they had left the eland a
+full mile in their rear, and were still scouring onward over the wide
+plain.
+
+What was Hendrik about? Was he going to forsake the eland, and let it
+escape? Had he grown so interested in the race? Was he jealous about his
+quagga's speed, and determined it should beat all the others?
+
+So it would have appeared to any one witnessing the race from a
+distance. But one who could have had a nearer view of it, would have
+given a different explanation of Hendrik's conduct.
+
+The fact was, that as soon as the eland halted, Hendrik intended to halt
+also; and for that purpose pulled strongly upon his bridle. But, to his
+astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his intention.
+Instead of obeying the bit, the animal caught the steel in his teeth,
+and laying his ears back, galloped straight on!
+
+Hendrik then endeavoured to turn the quagga to one side, and for this
+purpose wrenched his right rein; but with such fierceness, that the old
+bit-ring gave way--the bit slipped through the animal's jaws--the
+head-stall came off with the jerk--and the quagga was completely
+unbridled!
+
+Of course the animal was now free to go just as he liked; and it was
+plain that he liked to go with his old comrades. His old comrades he
+well knew them to be, as his snorting and occasional neigh of
+recognition testified.
+
+At first Hendrik was disposed to look upon the breaking of his bit as
+only a slight misfortune. For a boy he was one of the best riders in
+South Africa, and needed no rein to steady him. He could keep his seat
+without one. The quagga would soon stop, and he could then repair the
+bit, and re-adjust the bridle which he still held in his hands. Such
+were his reflections at first.
+
+But their spirit began to alter, when he found that the quagga, instead
+of lessening his pace, kept on as hard as ever, and the herd still ran
+wildly before him without showing the slightest signs of coming to a
+halt.
+
+In fact, the quaggas were running through fear. They saw the mounted
+hunter behind them in hot pursuit; and although their old comrade knew
+who they were, how were they to tell what he was, with such a tall hunch
+upon his back? No quagga he, but some terrible monster, they imagined,
+thirsting for their lives, and eager to devour one and all of them!
+
+No wonder they showed their heels in the best style they knew how; and
+so well did they show them, that Hendrik's quagga--notwithstanding his
+keen desire to get forward among them, and explain away the awkward
+business upon his back--was not able to come an inch closer.
+
+He did not lose ground, however. His eagerness to regain his
+old associates--to partake once more of their wild freedom--for
+he was desperately tired of civilised society, and sick of
+elephant-hunting--all these ideas crowded into his mind at the moment,
+and nerved him to the utmost exertion. Could he only get up into the
+body of the crowd--for the herd now ran in a crowd--a few whimpers would
+suffice to explain--they would come to a halt at once,--they would
+gather around him, and assist both with hoofs and teeth to get "shed" of
+the ugly two-legged thing that clung so tightly to his dorsal vertebrae.
+
+It was "no go," however. Although he was so close to their heels, that
+they flung dust in his face, and small pebbles in the face of his rider,
+to the no slight inconvenience of the latter; although he "whighered"
+whenever he could spare breath, and uttered his "couag,--couag!" in
+reality calling them by name, it was "no go." They would not stay. They
+would not hear.
+
+And what did Hendrik during all this time? Nothing--he could do nothing.
+He could not stay the impetuous flight of his steed. He dared not
+dismount. He would have been hurled among sharp rocks, had he attempted
+such a thing. His neck would have been broken. He could do
+nothing--nothing but keep his seat.
+
+What thought he? At first, not much. At first he regarded the adventure
+lightly. When he was about completing his third mile, he began to deem
+it more serious; and as he entered upon the fifth, he became convinced
+that he was neither more nor less than in a very awkward scrape.
+
+But the fifth mile was left behind, and then a sixth, and a seventh; and
+still the quaggas galloped wildly on--the drove actuated by the fear of
+losing their liberty, and their old comrade by the desire of regaining
+his.
+
+Hendrik now felt real uneasiness. Where were they going? Where was the
+brute carrying him? Perhaps off to the desert, where he might be lost
+and perish of hunger or thirst! Already he was many miles from the
+cliffs, and he could no longer tell their direction. Even had he halted
+then and there, he could not tell which way to turn himself. He would be
+lost!
+
+He grew more than anxious. He became frightened in earnest.
+
+What was he to do? Leap down, and risk his neck in the fall? He would
+lose his quagga and his saddle as well--he regarded the eland as already
+lost--he would have to walk back to camp, and get laughed at on his
+return.
+
+No matter for all that; his life was in danger if he kept on. The
+quaggas might gallop twenty,--aye, fifty miles before halting. They
+showed no symptoms of being blown--no signs of giving out. He must fling
+himself to the ground, and let quagga and saddle go.
+
+He had formed this resolution, and was actually about to put it in
+practice. He was just considering how he might best escape an ugly
+fall--looking for a soft spot--when, all at once, a grand idea rushed
+into his mind.
+
+[Illustration: HENDRICK BLINDING THE QUAGGA.]
+
+He remembered that in taming this same quagga and breaking him to the
+saddle, he had been vastly aided by a very simple contrivance--that was
+a "blind." The blind was nothing more than a piece of soft leather tied
+over the animal's eyes; but so complete had been its effect, that it had
+transformed the quagga at once from a kicking screaming creature into a
+docile animal.
+
+Hendrik now thought of the blind.
+
+True, he had none. Was there nothing about him that would serve as one?
+His handkerchief? No, it would be too thin. Hurrah! His jacket would do!
+
+His rifle was in the way. It must be got rid of. It must be dropped to
+the ground. He could return for it.
+
+It was let down as gently as possible, and soon left far behind.
+
+In a twinkling Hendrik stripped off his jacket. How was it to be
+arranged so as to blind the quagga? It would not do to drop it.
+
+A moment's consideration served the ready boy to mature his plan. After
+a moment he bent down, passed a sleeve upon each side under the quagga's
+throat, and then knotted them together. The jacket thus rested over the
+animal's mane, with the collar near its withers, and the peak or skirt
+upon the small of its neck.
+
+Hendrik next leaned as far forward as he could, and with his extended
+arms pushed the jacket up the animal's neck, until the skirt passed over
+its ears, and fell down it front of its face.
+
+It was with some difficulty that the rider, bent down as he was, could
+retain his seat; for as soon as the thick flap of cloth came down over
+the eyes of the quagga, the latter halted as if he had been shot dead in
+his tracks. He did not fall, however, but only stood still, quivering
+with terror. His gallop was at an end!
+
+Hendrik leaped to the ground. He was no longer afraid that the quagga,
+blinded as he now was, would make any attempt to get off; nor did he.
+
+In a few minutes the broken bit-ring was replaced by a strong rheim of
+raw leather; the bit inserted between the quagga's teeth, the head-stall
+safely buckled, and Hendrik once more in the saddle, with his jacket
+upon his back.
+
+The quagga felt that he was conquered. His old associates were no longer
+in sight to tempt him from his allegiance; and with these
+considerations, aided by a slight dose of bit and spur, he turned his
+head, and moved sullenly upon the back track.
+
+Hendrik knew nothing about the route he should take. He followed back
+the spoor of the quaggas to the place where he had dropped his gun,
+which after riding a mile or two he recovered.
+
+As there was no sun in the sky, nor other object to guide him, he
+thought he could not do better than trace back the spoor; and although
+it led him by many a devious route, and he saw nothing more of his
+eland, before night he reached the pass in the cliff, and was soon after
+sitting under the shadow of the nwana-tree, regaling a most interested
+audience with the narrative of his day's adventures.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+THE GUN-TRAP.
+
+
+It was about this time that the field-cornet and his people were very
+much annoyed by beasts of prey. The savoury smell which their camp daily
+sent forth, as well as the remains of antelopes, killed for their
+venison, attracted these visitors. Hyenas and jackals were constantly
+skulking in the neighbourhood, and at night came around the great
+nwana-tree in scores, keeping up their horrid chorus for hours together.
+It is true that nobody feared these animals, as the children at night
+were safe in their aerial home, where the hyenas could not get at them.
+But for all that, the presence of the brutes was very offensive, as not
+a bit of meat--not a hide, nor rheim, nor any article of leather--could
+be left below without their getting their teeth upon it, and chewing it
+up. Quarters of venison they had frequently stolen, and they had eaten
+up the leathern part of Swartboy's saddle, and rendered it quite useless
+for a while. In short, so great a pest had the hyenas grown to be, that
+it became necessary to adopt some mode of destroying them.
+
+It was not easy to get a shot at them. During the day they were wary,
+and either hid themselves in caves of the cliff or in the burrows of the
+ant-eater. At night they were bold enough, and came into the very camp;
+but then the darkness hindered a good aim, and the hunters knew too well
+the value of powder and lead to waste it on a chance shot, though now
+and then, when provoked by the brutes, they ventured one.
+
+But some way must be thought of to thin the numbers of these animals, or
+get rid of them altogether. This was the opinion of everybody.
+
+Two or three kinds of traps were tried, but without much success. A pit
+they could leap out of, and from a noose they could free themselves by
+cutting the rope by their sharp teeth!
+
+At length the field-cornet resorted to a plan--much practised by the
+boers of Southern Africa for ridding their farms of these and similar
+"vermin." It was the "gun-trap."
+
+Now there are several ways of constructing a gun-trap. Of course a gun
+is the principal part of the mechanism, and the trigger pulled by a
+string is the main point of the contrivance. In some countries the bait
+is tied to the string, and the animal on seizing the bait tightens the
+string, draws the trigger, and shoots itself. In this way, however,
+there is always some uncertainty as to the result. The animal may not
+place its body in the proper position with regard to the muzzle, and may
+either escape the shot altogether, or may be only "creased," and of
+course get off.
+
+The mode of setting the "gun-trap" in South Africa is a superior plan;
+and the creature that is so unfortunate as to draw the trigger rarely
+escapes, but is either killed upon the spot, or so badly wounded as to
+prevent its getting away.
+
+Von Bloom constructed his trap after the approved fashion, as
+follows:--Near the camp he selected a spot where three saplings or young
+trees grew, standing in a line, and about a yard between each two of
+them. Had he not found these trees so disposed, stakes firmly driven
+into the ground would have answered his purpose equally well.
+
+Thorn-bushes were now cut, and a kraal built in the usual manner--that
+is with the tops of the bushes turned outwards. The size of the kraal
+was a matter of no consequence; and, of course, to save labour, a small
+one was constructed.
+
+One point, however, was observed in making the kraal. Its door of
+opening was placed so that two of the three saplings stood like posts,
+one on each side of it; and an animal going into the enclosure must
+needs pass these two trees.
+
+Now for the part the gun had to play.
+
+The weapon was placed in a horizontal position against two of the
+saplings,--that is, the stock against the one outside the kraal, and the
+barrel against one of the door-posts, and there firmly lashed. In this
+position the muzzle was close to the edge of the entrance, and pointing
+directly to the sapling on the opposite side. It was at such a height as
+to have ranged with the heart of a hyena standing in the opening.
+
+The next move was to adjust the string. Already a piece of stick,
+several inches in length, had been fixed to the small of the stock, and,
+of course, behind the trigger. This was fastened transversely, but not
+so as to preclude all motion. A certain looseness in its adjustment gave
+it the freedom required to be worked as a lever--for that was its
+design.
+
+To each end of this little stick was fastened a string. One of these
+strings was attached to the trigger; the other, after being carried
+through the thimbles of the ramrod, traversed across the entrance of the
+kraal, and was knotted upon the opposite side to the sapling that stood
+there. This string followed the horizontal direction of the barrel, and
+was just "taut;" so that any farther strain upon it would act upon the
+little lever, and by that means pull the trigger; and then of course
+"bang" would go the roer.
+
+When this string was adjusted, and the gun loaded and cocked, the trap
+was set.
+
+Nothing remained to be done but bait it. This was not a difficult task.
+It consisted simply in placing a piece of meat or carcass within the
+enclosure, and there leaving it to attract the prowling beasts to the
+spot.
+
+When the gun had been set, Swartboy carried up the bait--the offal of an
+antelope killed that day--and flung it into the kraal; and then the
+party went quietly to their beds, without thinking more of the matter.
+
+They had not slept a wink, however, before they were startled by the
+loud "crack" of the roer, followed by a short stifled cry that told them
+the gun-trap had done its work.
+
+A torch was procured, and the four hunters proceeded to the spot. There
+they found the dead body of a huge "tiger-wolf" lying doubled up in the
+entrance, and right under the muzzle of the gun. He had not gone a step
+after receiving the shot--in fact, had hardly kicked before dying--as
+the bullet, wad, and all, had gone quite through his ribs and entered
+his heart, after making a large ugly hole in his side. Of course he must
+have been within a few inches of the muzzle, when his breast, pressing
+against the string, caused the gun to go off.
+
+Having again loaded the roer, the hunters returned to their beds. One
+might suppose they would have dragged the suicidal hyena away from the
+spot, lest his carcass should serve as a warning to his comrades, and
+keep them away from the trap. But Swartboy knew better than that.
+Instead of being scared by the dead body of one of their kind, the
+hyenas only regard it as proper prey, and will devour it as they would
+the remains of a tender antelope!
+
+Knowing this, Swartboy did not take the dead hyena away, but only drew
+it within the kraal to serve as a farther inducement for the others to
+attempt an entrance there.
+
+Before morning they were once more awakened by the "bang" of the great
+gun. This time they lay still; but when day broke they visited their
+trap, and found that a second hyena had too rashly pressed his bosom
+against the fatal string.
+
+Night after night they continued their warfare against the hyenas,
+changing the trap-kraal to different localities in the surrounding
+neighbourhood.
+
+At length these creatures were nearly exterminated, or, at all events,
+became so rare and shy, that their presence by the camp was no longer an
+annoyance one way or the other.
+
+About this time, however, there appeared another set of visitors, whose
+presence was far more to be dreaded, and whose destruction the hunters
+were more anxious to accomplish. That was a family of lions.
+
+The spoor of these had been often seen in the neighbourhood; but it was
+some time before they began to frequent the camp. However, about the
+time the hyenas had been fairly got rid of, the lions took their place,
+and came every night, roaring about the camp in a most terrific manner.
+Dreadful as these sounds were, the people were not so much afraid of
+them as one might imagine. They well knew that the lions could not get
+at them in the tree. Had it been leopards they might have felt less
+secure, as the latter are true tree-climbers; but they had seen no
+leopards in that country, and did not think of them.
+
+They were not altogether without fear of the lions, however. They were
+annoyed, moreover, that they could not with safety descend from the tree
+after nightfall, but were every night besieged from sunset till morning.
+Besides, although the cow and the quaggas were shut in strong kraals,
+they dreaded each night that the lions would make a seizure of one or
+other of these animals; and the loss of any one of them, but especially
+their valuable friend "old Graaf," would have been a very serious
+misfortune.
+
+It was resolved, therefore, to try the gun-trap upon the lions, as it
+had succeeded so well with the hyenas.
+
+There was no difference in the construction or contrivance of the trap.
+The gun only had to be placed upon a higher level, so that its muzzle
+might be opposite the lion's heart, and the proper range was easily
+obtained. The bait, however, was not carcass, but an animal freshly
+killed; and for this purpose an antelope was procured.
+
+The result was as desired. On the first night the old male lion
+"breasted" the fatal string and bit the dust. Next night the lioness was
+destroyed in a similar way: and shortly after a full-grown young male.
+
+The trap then lay idle for a while; but about a week after a half-grown
+"cub" was shot near the camp by Hendrik, no doubt the last of that
+family, as no lions were seen for a long time after.
+
+A great enemy to night plunderers was that same gun-trap.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+THE WEAVER-BIRDS.
+
+
+Now that the beasts of prey had been destroyed, or driven from about the
+camp, there was no longer any danger in that quarter, and the children
+could be left by themselves. Totty of course always stayed with them;
+while the four hunters went forth upon the chase of the elephant--each
+mounted upon his quagga.
+
+They had done so many a time, and as no harm had happened to the
+children in their absence, such a course became habitual with them. Jan
+and Trueey were cautioned not to stray far from the nwana, and always to
+climb to the tree, should they perceive any animal that might be
+dangerous. Before the destruction of the hyenas and lions, they had been
+used to remain altogether in the tree, while the hunters were absent.
+But this had been quite an imprisonment to them; and now that the danger
+was not considered much, they were allowed to come down and play upon
+the grassy plain, or wander along the shore of the little lake.
+
+On one occasion when the hunters were abroad, Trueey had strayed down to
+the edge of the water. She was alone, if we except the company of the
+gazelle, which followed at her heels wherever she went. This pretty
+creature had grown to full size, and had turned out a great beauty, with
+large round eyes that had a lovely melting expression, like the eyes of
+Trueey herself.
+
+Well, as I have said, Trueey was alone. Jan was busy near the bottom of
+the tree, working a new rod into his bird-cage, and Totty was out upon
+the plain herding "old Graaf"--so Trueey and the pet springbok went
+strolling along by themselves.
+
+Now Trueey had not gone down to the water without an object. She had one.
+She had gone to give her pet a drink, and collect some blue lilies for a
+bouquet. All this she had done, and still continued to walk along the
+shore.
+
+On one side of the lake, and that the farthest from the nwana-tree, a
+low spit of land projected into the water. It had once been but a
+sand-bar, but grass had grown upon it, until a green turf was formed.
+There was not over a square perch of it altogether, but it was not
+square in shape. On the contrary, it was of oval form, and much narrower
+nearest the land, where it formed a neck, or isthmus, not more than
+three feet in width. It was, in short, a miniature peninsula, which by a
+very little work with the spade could have been converted into a
+miniature island--had that been desired.
+
+Now there is nothing very remarkable about a little peninsula projecting
+into a lake. In nearly every lake such a thing may be seen. But about
+this one there was something remarkable.
+
+Upon its extreme end grew a tree of singular form and foliage. It was
+not a large tree, and its branches drooped downwards until their tips
+almost touched the water. The pendulous boughs, and long lanceolate
+silvery leaves, rendered it easy to tell what sort of tree it was. It
+was the weeping or Babylonian willow--so called, because it was upon
+trees of this species that the captive Jews hung their harps when they
+"sat and wept by the streams of Babel." This beautiful tree casts its
+waving shadow over the streams of South Africa, as well as those of
+Assyria; and often is the eye of the traveller gladdened by the sight of
+its silvery leaves, as he beholds them--sure indications of
+water--shining afar over the parched and thirsty desert. If a Christian,
+he fails not to remember that highly poetical passage of sacred writing,
+that speaks of the willow of Babylon.
+
+Now the one which grew upon the little peninsula had all these points of
+interest for little Trueey--but it had others as well. Upon its branches
+that overhung the water a very singular appearance presented itself.
+Upon these was suspended--one upon the end of each branch--a number of
+odd shaped objects, that hung drooping down until their lower ends
+nearly rested upon the surface of the water. These objects, as stated,
+were of a peculiar shape. At the upper ends--where they were attached to
+the branches--they were globe-shaped, but the lower part consisted of a
+long cylinder of much smaller diameter, and at the bottom of this
+cylinder was the entrance. They bore some resemblance to salad-oil
+bottles inverted, with their necks considerably lengthened; or they
+might be compared to the glass retorts seen in the laboratory of the
+chemist.
+
+They were each twelve or fifteen inches in length, and of a greenish
+colour--nearly as green as the leaves of the tree itself. Were they its
+fruit?
+
+No. The weeping willow bears no fruit of that size. They were not fruit.
+They were nests of birds!
+
+Yes; they were the nests of a colony of harmless finches of the genus
+_Ploceus_,--better known to you under the appellation of "weaver-birds."
+
+I am sure you have heard of weaver-birds before this; and you know that
+these creatures are so called on account of the skill which they exhibit
+in the construction of their nests. They do not build nests, as other
+birds, but actually weave them, in a most ingenious manner.
+
+You are not to suppose that there is but one species of weaver-bird--one
+kind alone that forms these curious nests. In Africa--which is the
+principal home of these birds--there are many different kinds, forming
+different genera, whose hard names I shall not trouble you with. Each of
+these different kinds builds a nest of peculiar shape, and each chooses
+a material different from the others. Some, as the _Ploceus
+icterocephalus_, make their nests of a kidney shape, with the entrance
+upon the sides, and the latter not circular, but like an arched doorway.
+Others of the genus _Plocepasser_ weave their nests in such a manner,
+that the thick ends of the stalks stick out all around the outside,
+giving them the appearance of suspended hedgehogs; while the birds of
+another genus closely allied to the latter, construct their nests of
+slender twigs, leaving the ends of these to project in a similar manner.
+The "social grosbeak" fabricates a republic of nests in one clump, and
+all under one roof. The entrances are in the under-surface of this mass,
+which, occupying the whole top of a tree, has the appearance of a
+haystack, or a dense piece of thatch.
+
+All these weaver-birds, though of different genera, bear a considerable
+resemblance to each other in their habits. They are usually granivorous,
+though some are insectivorous; and one species, the "red-billed weaver
+bird" is a parasite of the wild buffaloes.
+
+It is a mistake to suppose that weaver-birds are only found in Africa
+and the Old World, as stated in the works of many naturalists. In
+tropical America, birds of this character are found in many species of
+the genera _Cassicus_ and _Icterus_, who weave pensile nests of a
+similar kind upon the trees of the Amazon and Orinoco. But the true
+weaver-birds--that is to say, those which are considered the type of the
+class,--are those of the genus _Ploceus_; and it was a species of this
+genus that had hung their pendulous habitations upon the weeping willow.
+They were of the species known as the "pensile weaver-bird."
+
+There were full twenty of their nests in all, shaped as already
+described, and of green colour--for the tough "Bushman's grass," out of
+which they had been woven, had not yet lost its verdant hue, nor would
+it for a long time. Being of this colour, they actually looked like
+something that grew upon the tree,--like great pear-shaped fruits. No
+doubt from this source have been derived the tales of ancient
+travellers, who represented that in Africa were trees with fruits upon
+them, which, upon being broken open, disclosed to view either living
+birds or their eggs! Now the sight of the weaver-birds, and their nests,
+was nothing new to Trueey. It was some time since the colony had
+established itself upon the willow-tree, and she and they had grown well
+acquainted. She had often visited the birds, had collected seeds, and
+carried them down to the tree; and there was not one of the whole colony
+that would not have perched upon her wrist or her pretty white
+shoulders, or hopped about over her fair locks, without fear. It was
+nothing unusual to her to see the pretty creatures playing about the
+branches, or entering the long vertical tunnels that led upward to their
+nests--nothing unusual for Trueey to listen for hours to their sweet
+twittering, or watch their love-gambols around the borders of the vley.
+
+She was not thinking of them at the moment, but of something else,
+perhaps of the blue water-lilies--perhaps of the springbok--but
+certainly not of them, as she tripped gaily along the edge of the lake.
+
+Her attention, however, was suddenly attracted to the birds.
+
+All at once, and without any apparent cause, they commenced screaming
+and fluttering around the tree, their cries and gestures betokening a
+high state of excitement or alarm.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+THE SPITTING-SNAKE.
+
+
+"What can be the matter with my pretty birds?" asked Trueey of herself.
+"Something wrong surely! I see no hawk. Perhaps they are fighting among
+themselves. I shall go round and see. I shall soon pacify them."
+
+And so saying she mended her pace; and passing round the end of the
+lake, walked out upon the peninsula until she stood under the willow.
+
+There was no underwood. The tree stood alone upon the very end of the
+spit of land, and Trueey went close in to its trunk. Here she stopped and
+looked up among the branches, to ascertain what was causing so much
+excitement among the birds.
+
+As she approached, several of the little creatures had flown towards
+her, and alighted upon her arms and shoulders; but not as was their wont
+when desiring to be fed. They appeared to be in a state of alarm, and
+had come to her for protection.
+
+Some enemy certainly must be near, thought Trueey, though she could see
+none.
+
+She looked around and above. There were no hawks in the air, nor on the
+neighbouring trees,--no birds of prey of any kind. Had there been one in
+the willow, she could easily have seen it, as the foliage was light and
+thin; besides a hawk would not have remained in the tree with her
+standing so near. What, then, caused the trouble among the birds? what
+was still causing it--for they were as noisy and terrified as ever? Ha!
+At last the enemy appears--at last Trueey's eyes have fallen upon the
+monster who has disturbed the peaceful colony of weavers, and roused
+them to such a pitch of excitement.
+
+Slowly gliding along a horizontal branch, grasping the limb in its many
+spiral folds, appeared the body of a large serpent. Its scales glittered
+as it moved, and it was the shining of these that had caught Trueey's
+eyes, and directed them upon the hideous reptile.
+
+When she first saw it, it was gliding spirally along one of the
+horizontal branches of the willow, and coming, as it were, from the
+nests of the birds. Her eyes, however, had scarce rested upon it, before
+its long slippery body passed from the branch, and the next moment it
+was crawling head-foremost down the main trunk of the tree.
+
+Trueey had scarce time to start back, before its head was opposite the
+spot where she had stood. No doubt, had she kept her place she would
+have been bitten by the serpent at once; for the reptile, on reaching
+that point, detached its head from the tree, spread its jaws wide open,
+projected its forked tongue, and hissed horribly. It was evidently
+enraged--partly because it had failed in its plundering intentions, not
+having been able to reach the nests of the birds,--and partly that the
+latter had repeatedly struck it with their beaks--no doubt causing it
+considerable pain. It was further provoked by the arrival of Trueey, in
+whom it recognised the rescuer of its intended victims.
+
+Whatever were its thoughts at that moment, it was evidently in a
+rage--as the motion of its head and the flashing of its eyes testified;
+and it would have sprung upon any creature that had unfortunately come
+its way.
+
+Trueey, however, had no intention of getting in its way if she could
+avoid it. It might be a harmless serpent for all she knew; but a snake,
+nearly six feet in length, whether it be harmless or venomous, is a
+terrible object to be near; and Trueey had instinctively glided to one
+side, and stood off from it as far as the water would allow her.
+
+She would have run back over the narrow isthmus; but something told her
+that the snake was about to take that direction, and might overtake her;
+and this thought induced her to pass to one side of the peninsula, in
+hopes the reptile would follow the path that led out to the mainland.
+
+Having got close to the water's edge, she stood gazing upon the hideous
+form, and trembled as she gazed.
+
+Had Trueey known the character of that reptile, she would have trembled
+all the more. She saw before her one of the most venomous of serpents,
+the black naja, or "spitting-snake"--the cobra of Africa--far more
+dangerous than its congener the _cobra de capello_ of India, because far
+more active in its movements, and equally fatal in its bite.
+
+Trueey knew not this. She only knew that there was a great ugly snake,
+nearly twice her own length, with a large open mouth, and glistening
+tongue, apparently ready to eat her up. That was fearful enough for her,
+poor thing! and she gazed and trembled, and trembled and gazed again.
+
+Angry as the cobra appeared, it did not turn aside to attack her.
+Neither did it remain by the tree. After uttering its long loud hiss, it
+descended to the ground, and glided rapidly off.
+
+It made directly for the isthmus, as if intending to pass it, and
+retreat to some bushes that grew at a distance off on the mainland.
+
+Trueey was in hopes that such was its design, and was just beginning to
+feel safe again, when, all at once, the snake coiled itself upon the
+narrow neck of land, as if it intended to stay there.
+
+It had executed this manoeuvre so suddenly, and so apparently without
+premeditation, that Trueey looked to discover the cause. The moment
+before, it was gliding along in rapid retreat, its glistening form
+stretched to its full length along the earth. The next instant it had
+assumed the appearance of a coiled cable, over the edge of which
+projected its fierce head, with the scaly skin of its neck broadly
+extended, into that hood-like form which characterises the cobra.
+
+Trueey, we have said, looked for the cause of this sudden change in the
+tactics of the reptile. She learnt it at the first glance.
+
+There stretched a piece of smooth sloping ground from the edge of the
+lake back into the plain. By this the little peninsula was approached.
+As she glanced outward, she saw the springbok advancing down this slope.
+It was the approach of the antelope that had interrupted the retreat of
+the serpent!
+
+Trueey, on first discovering the snake, had uttered a cry of alarm. This
+cry had summoned her pet--that had lingered behind browsing upon the
+grass--and it was now bounding forward, with its white tail erect, and
+its large brown eyes glistening with an expression of inquiry.
+
+It saw its mistress out upon the peninsula. Had she called it? Why had
+she uttered that strange cry? They were not sounds of joyful import it
+had heard. Was anything amiss? Yonder she stood. It would gallop to her
+and see what was wanted; and with such thoughts passing through its
+brain, the bright little creature bounded down the bank towards the edge
+of the lake.
+
+Trueey trembled for her pet. Another spring, and it would be upon the
+lurking serpent--another----"Ha! it is safe!"
+
+These words escaped from the lips of the young girl, as she saw the
+springbok rise high in the air, and leap far and clear over the coiled
+reptile. The antelope had observed the snake in time, and saved itself
+by one of those tremendous bounds, such as only a springbok can make.
+The fond creature, having passed the danger, now ran on to its mistress,
+and stood with its big shining eyes bent upon her inquiringly.
+
+But the cry that Trueey had uttered had summoned another individual. To
+her horror, she now saw little Jan running down the slope, and coming
+directly upon the path where the cobra lay coiled!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+THE SERPENT-EATER.
+
+
+Jan's danger was imminent. He was rushing impetuously forward upon the
+coiled serpent. He knew not that it was before him. No warning would
+reach him in time to stay his haste. In another moment he would be on
+the narrow path, and then no power could save him from the deadly bite.
+It would be impossible for him to leap aside or over the reptile, as the
+antelope had done; for even then Trueey had noticed that the cobra had
+darted its long neck several feet upwards. It would be certain to reach
+little Jan, perhaps coil itself around him. Jan would be lost.
+
+For some moments Trueey was speechless. Terror had robbed her of the
+power of speech. She could only scream, and fling her arms wildly about.
+
+But these demonstrations, instead of warning Jan of the danger, only
+rendered it the more certain. He connected the cries which Trueey now
+uttered with that which had first summoned him. She was in some
+trouble--he knew not what; but as she continued to scream, he believed
+that something had attacked her. A snake he thought it might be; but
+whatever it was, his first impulse was to hurry up to her rescue. He
+could do no good until close to her; and, therefore, he did not think of
+halting until he should reach the spot where she stood.
+
+Her screams, therefore, and the wild gestures that accompanied them,
+only caused him to run the faster; and as his eyes were bent anxiously
+on Trueey, there was not the slightest hope that he would perceive the
+serpent until he had either trodden upon it, or felt its fatal bite.
+
+Trueey uttered one last cry of warning, pronouncing at the same time the
+words:--
+
+"O, brother! back! The snake! the snake!"
+
+The words were uttered in vain. Jan heard them, but did not comprehend
+their meaning. He heard the word "snake." He was expecting as much. It
+had attacked Trueey; and although he did not see it, it was no doubt
+wound about her body. He hurried on.
+
+Already he was within six paces of the dread reptile, that had erected
+its long spread neck to receive him. Another moment, and its envenomed
+fangs would pierce deep into his flesh.
+
+With a despairing scream Trueey rushed forward. She hoped to attract the
+monster upon herself. She would risk her own life to save that of her
+brother!
+
+She had got within six feet of the threatening reptile. Jan was about
+the same distance from it on the opposite side. They were equally in
+peril; and one or the other--perhaps both--would have fallen a sacrifice
+to the deadly cobra; but at that moment their saviour was nigh. A dark
+shadow passed under their eyes--in their ears was a rushing sound like
+the "whish" of a falling body--and at the same instant a large bird
+darted down between them!
+
+It did not stay to alight. For a moment its strong broad wings agitated
+the air in their faces; but the next moment the bird made a sudden
+effort, and rose vertically upwards.
+
+Trueey's eyes fell upon the ground. The cobra was no longer there.
+
+With an exclamation of joy she sprang forward, and, throwing her arms
+around Jan, cried out,--
+
+"We are saved, brother!--we are saved!"
+
+Jan was somewhat bewildered. As yet he had seen no snake. He had seen
+the bird dart down between them; but so adroitly had it seized the cobra
+and carried it off, that Jan, looking only at Trueey, had not perceived
+the serpent in its beak. He was bewildered and terrified, for he still
+fancied that Trueey was in danger.
+
+When he heard her exclaim, "We are saved!" he was bewildered all the
+more.
+
+"But the snake!" he cried out. "Where is the snake?"
+
+As he put these questions, he kept examining Trueey from head to foot, as
+if expecting to see a reptile twined around some part of her body.
+
+"The snake, Jan! Did you not see it? It was just there, at our feet; but
+now--see! yonder it is. The secretary has got it. See! They are
+fighting! Good bird! I hope it will punish the villain for trying to rob
+my pretty weavers. That's it, good bird! Give it to him! See, Jan! What
+a fight!"
+
+"Oh, ah!" said Jan, now comprehending the situation. "Oh, ah! Sure
+enough, yonder is a snake, and a wopper, too. Ne'er fear, Trueey! Trust
+my secretary. He'll give the rascal a taste of his claws. There's a lick
+well put in! Another touch like that, and there won't be much life left
+in the scaly villain. There again,--wop!"
+
+With these and similar exclamations the two children stood watching the
+fierce conflict that raged between the bird and the reptile.
+
+Now this bird was a very peculiar one--so much so, that in all the world
+there is no other of the same kind. In form it resembled a crane, having
+very long legs, and being about the height and size of a crane. Its head
+and beak, however, were more like those of an eagle or vulture. It had
+well-developed wings, armed with spurs, and a very long tail, with the
+two middle feathers longer than the rest. Its general colour was bluish
+grey, with a white throat and breast, and a reddish tinge upon the
+wing-feathers. But, perhaps, the most remarkable thing about the bird
+was its "crest." This consisted of a number of long, blackish plumes
+growing out of its occiput, and extending down the back of its neck
+nearly to the shoulders. These gave the bird a very peculiar appearance;
+and the fancied resemblance to a secretary of the olden time with his
+long quill behind his ear--before steel pens came into fashion--is the
+reason why the bird has received the very inappropriate name of the
+"Secretary-bird."
+
+It is more properly named the "serpent-eater," and naturalists have
+given it the title _Gypogeranus_, or "crane-vulture." It is sometimes
+also called "the messenger," from the staid solemn manner of its walk,
+as it stalks over the plain.
+
+Of all its names that of "serpent-eater" is the best adapted to the
+character of the bird. It is true there are other birds that kill and
+eat serpents,--as the "guaco" bird of South America, and many hawks and
+kites,--but the secretary is the only winged creature that makes
+reptiles of this class exclusively its prey, and carries on a constant
+war against them. It is not strictly correct to say that it feeds
+exclusively upon snakes. It will also eat lizards, tortoises, and even
+locusts; but snakes are certainly its favourite food, and to obtain
+these it risks its life in many a deadly encounter with those of a very
+large kind.
+
+The serpent-eater is an African bird, and is not peculiar to South
+Africa alone, as it is found in the Gambia country. It is also a native
+of the Philippine Isles. There is some doubt whether the species of the
+Philippine Isles is identical with that of Africa. A difference is noted
+in the plumage, though very slight. The disposition of the crest-plumes
+differs in the two, and the tail-feathers are differently arranged. In
+the African species the two middle ones are the longest, while in the
+serpent-eater of the Philippines it is the two outside feathers that
+project--giving the bird the appearance of having a "fork" or "swallow"
+tail. Some points of distinction have also been observed between the
+South African bird and that of the Gambia.
+
+The serpent-eater is, however, a very unique bird; and naturalists,
+failing to class it with either hawks, eagles, vultures, gallinae, or
+cranes, have elevated it, so as to form a distinct tribe, family, genus,
+and species, of itself.
+
+In South Africa it frequents the great plains and dry karoos, stalking
+about in search of its prey. It is not gregarious, but lives solitary or
+in pairs, making its nest in trees,--usually those of a thick thorny
+species, which renders the nest most difficult of approach. The whole
+edifice is about three feet in diameter, and resembles the nests of the
+tree-building eagles. It is usually lined with feathers and down, and
+two or three eggs are the number deposited for a single hatching.
+
+The serpent-eater is an excellent runner, and spends more time on foot
+than on the wing. It is a shy wary bird, yet, notwithstanding, it is
+most easily domesticated; and it is not uncommon to see them about the
+houses of the Cape farmers, where they are kept as pets, on account of
+their usefulness in destroying snakes, lizards, and other vermin. They
+have been long ago introduced into the French West India Islands, and
+naturalised there--in order that they should make war upon the dangerous
+"yellow serpent," the plague of the plantations in those parts.
+
+Now the bird which had so opportunely appeared between Jan and Trueey,
+and had no doubt saved one or the other, or both, from the deadly bite
+of the _spuugh-slang_, was a serpent-eater,--one that had been tamed,
+and that made its home among the branches of the great nwana-tree. The
+hunters had found it upon the plain, wounded by some animal,--perhaps a
+very large snake,--and had brought it home as a curiosity. In time it
+quite recovered from its wounds; but the kindness it had received,
+during the period when it was an invalid, was not thrown away upon it.
+When it recovered the use of its wings, it refused to leave the society
+of its protectors, but remained habitually in the camp--although it made
+frequent excursions into the surrounding plains in search of its
+favourite food. It always, however, returned at night, and roosted among
+the branches of the great nwana-tree. Of course it was Jan's pet, and
+Jan was very good to it; but it now repaid all his kindness in saving
+him from the fangs of the deadly cobra.
+
+The children, having recovered from their alarm, stood watching the
+singular conflict between serpent and serpent-eater.
+
+On first seizing the reptile, the bird had caught it by the neck in its
+beak. It might not have accomplished this so readily, had not the
+attention of the snake been occupied by the children, thus throwing it
+off its guard.
+
+Having succeeded in seizing the reptile, the bird rose nearly in a
+vertical direction to a height of many yards, and then opening his beak
+permitted the serpent to fall to the ground. His object was to stun the
+latter by the fall; and the more effectually to do this, he would have
+carried the cobra still higher, had not the latter prevented it by
+attempting to coil itself around his wings.
+
+Upon letting fall his prey the serpent-eater did not remain in the air.
+On the contrary, he darted after the falling reptile, and the moment the
+latter touched the ground, and before it could put itself in an attitude
+of defence, the bird "pounced" upon it with spread foot, striking it a
+violent blow near the neck. The snake was still but slightly damaged,
+and throwing itself into a coil stood upon its defence. Its mouth was
+open to its widest extent, its tongue protruded, its fangs were erect,
+and its eyes flashing with rage and poison. A terrible antagonist it
+appeared, and for a moment the secretary seemed to think so, as he stood
+on the ground confronting it.
+
+But the bird soon began to advance upon it for a renewal of the attack,
+though this advance was made in a cautious manner. With the pinions of
+one of his strong wings spread broadly out for a shield, he approached
+the reptile sideways, and, when near enough, suddenly wheeled, turning
+upon his leg as on a pivot, and struck sharply out with his other wing.
+The blow was delivered with good effect. It reached the head of the
+snake, and seemed to stun it. Its neck dropped, the coils became
+loosened. Before it could recover itself it was once more in the beak of
+the serpent-eater, and trailing through the air.
+
+This time the bird rose to a much greater height than before--as he was
+not hampered by the writhing of the serpent--and as before suffered the
+reptile to fall, and then darted suddenly after.
+
+When the snake came to the ground a second time it lay for a moment
+stretched at full length, as if stunned or dead. It was not dead,
+however, and would once more have coiled itself; but, before it could do
+so, the bird had repeatedly pounced upon its neck with his spread and
+horny feet; and at length, watching his opportunity when the head of the
+serpent lay flat, he struck a blow with his sharp beak so violent, that
+it split the skull of the reptile in twain! Life was now extinct, and
+the hideous form, extended to its full length, lay lithe and motionless
+upon the grass.
+
+Jan and Trueey clapped their hands, and uttered exclamations of joy.
+
+The serpent-eater took no heed of their demonstrations, but, approaching
+the dead cobra, bent over it, and coolly set about making his dinner.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS.
+
+
+Von Bloom and his family had now been months without bread. They were
+not without a substitute, however, as various roots and nuts supplied
+them with a change of food. Of the latter, they had the ground or
+pig-nut, which grows in all parts of Southern Africa, and which forms a
+staple food of the native inhabitants. For vegetables they had the bulbs
+of many species of _Ixias_ and _Mesembryanthemums_, among others the
+"Hottentot fig." They had the "Caffir bread"--the inside pith of the
+stems of a species of _Zamia_; and the "Caffir chestnut," the fruit of
+the _Brabeium stellatum_; and last, not least, the enormous roots of the
+"elephant's foot." They had wild onions and garlic too; and in the white
+flower-tops of a beautiful floating plant, they found a substitute for
+asparagus.
+
+All these roots and fruits were to be obtained in the neighbourhood, and
+no man knew better how to find them, and "crow" them up when found, than
+did Swartboy the Bushman. Well might he, for in Swartboy's early days he
+had often been compelled to subsist for weeks, and even months, on roots
+alone!
+
+But although they could procure a constant supply of these natural
+productions, they considered them but a poor substitute for bread; and
+all of them longed to eat once more what is usually termed the "staff of
+life"--though in South Africa, where so many people live exclusively
+upon the flesh of animals, bread is hardly entitled to that appellation.
+
+Bread they were likely to have, and soon. When treking from the old
+kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize. It was the last
+of their previous year's stock; and there was not in all over a bushel
+of it. But that was enough for seed, and would produce many bushels if
+properly planted, and carefully tended.
+
+This had been done shortly after their arrival at their present home. A
+fertile spot of ground had been selected, only a few hundred yards from
+the nwana-tree. It had been turned up with the spade, for want of a
+plough, and the seeds planted at proper distances.
+
+Many an hour had been given to the weeding and hoeing of it, and around
+every plant a little hill of soft mould had been raised, to nourish the
+roots, and protect them from the heat of the sun. The plants were even
+watered now and then.
+
+Partly on account of this attention, and partly from the richness of the
+virgin soil, a splendid growth was the result; and the stalks stood full
+twelve feet high, with ears nearly a foot long. They had almost ripened;
+and the field-cornet intended in about a week or ten days to gather in
+the crop.
+
+Both he and all his people were anticipating pleasant feasts of
+maize-bread, and "hominy," with "mash and milk," and various other
+dishes, that with Totty's skill could be manufactured out of the Indian
+corn.
+
+About this time an incident occurred that nearly deprived them, not only
+of their whole plot of maize-plants, but also of their valuable
+housekeeper, Totty. It was as follows:--
+
+Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded a
+view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far as the
+bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about "house" affairs, when her
+attention was called off, by some singular noises that came from that
+direction. She parted the branches and looked through. A singular scene
+was before her eyes--a spectacle of no common kind.
+
+A body of odd-looking animals, to the number of two hundred or more, was
+coming from the direction of the cliffs. They were creatures of ungainly
+forms--in make and size not unlike large ill-shaped dogs--and of a
+greenish-brown colour. Their faces and ears only were black, and these
+were naked, while their bodies were covered with harsh coarse hair. They
+had long tails, which some of them carried high in the air, and
+flourished about in a very eccentric manner.
+
+Totty was by no means alarmed. She knew what sort of animals they were.
+She knew they were baboons. They were of the species known as the
+"pig-faced" baboon or "chacma" (_Cynocephalus porcarius_), which is
+found in nearly every part of South Africa where there are high cliffs
+with caves and crevices--the favourite dwelling-places of the baboon.
+
+Of all the monkey tribe the baboons, or dog-headed monkeys
+(_cynocephali_), are the most disgusting in form and features. Who does
+not feel disgust when regarding the hideous mandrill--the drill--the
+hamadryas--or even the chacma? And all these are baboons. The baboons
+are peculiar to Africa, and there are six well-known species of
+them:--the common baboon of North Africa, the "papion" of the south and
+western coast, the "hamadryas or tartarin" of Abyssinia, the "mandrill"
+and "drill" of Guinea, and the "chacma" of the Cape Colony.
+
+The habits of these animals are as disgusting as their appearance. They
+may be tamed, and made "pets" of; but dangerous pets they are, as they
+will, upon, the slightest provocation, bite the hand that feeds them.
+
+Their great strength of body and jaw, and their long canine teeth, give
+them a dangerous power, which they often make use of. No dog is a match
+for one, and the hyena and leopard often come off second best in an
+encounter with a baboon.
+
+They are not carnivorous, however, and only tear their enemy to pieces
+without eating it. Their food consists of fruits and bulbous roots,
+which they well understand to dig out of the ground with the sharp nails
+of their hands.
+
+Although they will not attack man if left alone, they become dangerous
+assailants when hunted and brought to bay.
+
+Many odd stories are told of the chacma baboon among the settlers of
+Southern Africa, such as their robbing the traveller of his food, and
+then going off to some distance, and mocking him, while they devour it.
+The natives also say that they sometimes use a stick in walking,
+"crowing" for roots, and in self-defence. Also, when a young one has
+succeeded in finding a choice root, and is observed by an older and
+stronger one, that the latter takes it away; but, should the young one
+have already swallowed it, then the bully picks him up, turns him head
+downward, and shakes him until he is forced to "disgorge!" Many such
+tales are current in the country of the boers, and they are not all
+without foundation, for these animals most certainly possess the power
+of reflection in a high degree.
+
+Totty from her perch saw enough to convince her of this, had she been
+herself inclined to philosophise. But she was not. She was only a little
+curious about the manoeuvres of the animals, and she called Trueey and
+little Jan up into the tree, in order that they might share the
+spectacle with her. All the others were off hunting.
+
+Jan was delighted, and ran up the ladder at once. So did Trueey and all
+three stood watching the odd movements of the four-handed creatures.
+
+They perceived that the troop was actually marching in order; not in
+line, but with some understood arrangement. There were scouts upon the
+wings, and leaders in front. These were baboons of greater age and size
+than the others. There were calls and signals, and the change of accent
+and tone would have convinced any one that a regular conversation was
+going on. The females and younger ones marched in the middle for better
+security. The mothers carried their infants upon their backs, or over
+their shoulders. Now a mother would stop to suckle her little
+offspring--dressing its hair at the same time--and then gallop forward
+to make up for the loss. Now one would be seen beating her child, that
+had in some way given offence. Now two young females would quarrel, from
+jealousy or some other cause, and then a terrible chattering would
+ensue, to be silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs!
+
+Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screaming, and
+barking, as only monkeys can.
+
+What were they after?
+
+That question was answered very soon. Trueey and Jan, and Totty saw, to
+their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an idle errand. They
+were after the maize-plants!
+
+[Illustration: TOTTY IN TROUBLE.]
+
+In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and were
+hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the plants. A few
+only could be seen,--large old fellows, that stationed themselves
+outside as sentinels, and were keeping up a constant interchange of
+signals. The main body was already stripping the plants of their
+precious fruit.
+
+But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field, where
+a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another,
+extended away to the very bottom of the cliff. These had been left by a
+regular manoeuvre,--a deployment--as the troop traversed the plain in
+coming to the field. For what purpose?
+
+That was soon apparent. In less than two minutes after the crowd
+disappeared under the shelter of the maize-plants, the long heads in
+their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by the
+hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately took
+them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next, and so on,
+until, in a very short while from the time a head was plucked from the
+stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the baboons far off among
+the cliffs!
+
+Had this work gone on much longer the field-cornet would have had but a
+poor gathering in harvest time. The baboons thought the corn ripe
+enough, and would soon have made a crop of it, but at this moment their
+operations were interrupted.
+
+Totty knew but little of the danger she underwent, when she ran forth
+with nothing but that long broom-handle to drive off a troop of chacmas.
+She only thought of the loss her kind master was sustaining; and down
+the ladder she hurried, and ran straight out to the corn-field.
+
+Several sentinels met her by its edge, grinned, chattered, screamed,
+barked, and showed their long canine teeth; but they only received a
+blow over their ugly snouts from the broom-handle. Their cries summoned
+the others; and in a few moments the poor Hottentot was standing in the
+midst of an angry circle of chacmas, that were only prevented from
+springing in upon her by the expert manner in which she continued to ply
+the broom-stick.
+
+But this slight weapon would not have served much longer, and Totty's
+fate--that of being torn to pieces--would soon have been sealed, had not
+four horsemen, or rather "quagga-men," at that moment galloped up to her
+rescue.
+
+These were the hunters returning from the chase; and a volley from their
+guns at once scattered the ugly chacmas, and sent them howling back to
+their caves.
+
+After that the field-cornet looked well to his maize, until it was ready
+for gathering; when it was all brought home, and deposited in safety out
+of the reach of either birds, reptiles, quadrupeds, or _quadrumana_.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST.
+
+
+Since the taming of the quaggas the hunting had been attended with
+tolerable success. Not a week passed without adding a pair of
+tusks--sometimes two or three pairs--to the collection, which now began
+to assume the form of a little pyramid of ivory standing near the bottom
+of the nwana.
+
+Von Bloom, however, was not quite satisfied with his progress. He
+thought they might do far better if they had only a few dogs.
+
+Though the quaggas were of great service to them, and with these they
+were often able to overtake the elephant, yet they as often lost their
+great game, and it is more easy to do so than most persons imagine.
+
+But with dogs to join in the hunt, the result would be quite different.
+It is true these animals cannot pull down an elephant, nor do him the
+slightest injury; but they can follow him whithersoever he may go, and
+by their barking bring him to a stand.
+
+Another valuable service which the dogs perform, is in drawing the
+attention of the elephant away from the hunters. The huge quadruped when
+enraged is, as we have already seen, exceedingly dangerous. On such
+occasions he will charge upon the noisy dogs, mistaking them for his
+real assailants. This, of course, gives the hunter a good opportunity of
+delivering his fire, and avoiding the deadly encounter of the elephant.
+
+Now in several elephant-hunts which they had lately made, our hunters
+had run some very narrow risks. Their quaggas were neither so manageable
+nor so quick in their movements as horses would have been, and this
+rendered the hazard still greater. Some of them might one day fall a
+victim. So feared Von Bloom; and he would gladly have given for a number
+of dogs an elephant's tusk a-piece--even though they were the most
+worthless of curs. Indeed, their quality is but of slight importance.
+Any dogs that can trace the elephant and pester him with their barking
+would do.
+
+Von Bloom even thought of taming some hyenas, and training them to the
+hunt. This idea was by no means quixotic. The hyena is often used for
+such a purpose, and performs even better than many kinds of dogs.
+
+One day Von Bloom was pondering over this subject. He was seated on a
+little platform that had been constructed very high up--near the top of
+the nwana-tree--from which a view could be had of the whole country
+around. It was a favourite resort of the field-cornet--his smoking-room,
+in fact--where he went every evening to enjoy a quiet pull out of his
+great meerschaum. His face was turned upon the plain that stretched from
+the border of the _bosch_ as far as the eye could reach.
+
+While quietly puffing away, his attention was attracted by some animals
+standing at a distance off upon the plain. The brilliant colour of their
+bodies had caught his eye.
+
+They were of a lively sienna colour over the back and sides, and white
+underneath, with a list of black upon the outside of the legs, and some
+black stripes upon the face, as regularly defined as if laid on by the
+brush of a painter. They had horns of very irregular shape, roughly
+knotted--each curved into something of the shape of a reaping-hook, and
+rising directly from the top of one of the straightest and longest heads
+ever carried by an animal. These animals were far from being gracefully
+formed. They had drooping hind-quarters like the giraffe, though in a
+much less degree, shoulders greatly elevated, and long narrow heads. For
+the rest their forms were bony and angular. Each stood five feet high,
+from the fore-hoof to the shoulder, and full nine feet in length.
+
+They were antelopes of course--that species known among Cape colonists
+as the "hartebeest." There were in all about fifty of them in the herd.
+
+When first observed by Von Bloom, they were quietly browsing upon the
+plain. The next moment, however, they were seen to run to and fro, as if
+suddenly alarmed by the approach of an enemy.
+
+And an enemy there certainly was; for in a moment more the herd had
+taken to flight; and Von Bloom now saw that they were followed by a pack
+of hounds! I say a "pack of hounds," for the creatures in the distance
+exactly resembled hounds more than anything in the world. Nay, more than
+resembled, for it actually was a pack of hounds--of wild hounds!
+
+Of course Von Bloom knew what they were. He knew they were the
+"wilde-honden," very absurdly named by sapient naturalists _Hyena
+venatica_ or "hunting hyena," and by others, with equal absurdity the
+"hunting dog." I pronounce these names "absurd," first because the
+animal in question bears no more resemblance to a hyena than it does to
+a hedgehog; and, secondly, because "hunting dog" is a very ridiculous
+appellation, since any dog may merit a similar title.
+
+Now I would ask, why could these naturalists not let the nomenclature of
+the boers alone? If a better name than "wilde-honden" (wild hounds) can
+be given to these animals, I should like to hear it. Why, it is the very
+perfection of a name, and exactly expresses the character of the animal
+to which they apply it--that character, which coming under their
+everyday observation, suggested the name.
+
+It is quite a libel to call this beautiful creature a hyena. He has
+neither the ugly form, the harsh pelage, the dull colour, nor the filthy
+habits of one. Call him a "wolf," or "wild dog," if you please, but he
+is at the same time the handsomest wolf or wild dog in creation. But we
+shall name him, as the boers have done, a "wild hound." That is his true
+title, let naturalists class him as they may.
+
+His size, shape, his smooth clean coat, as well as his colour,
+approximate him more to the hound than to any other animal. In the
+last--which is a ground of "tan" blotched and mottled with large spots
+of black and grey--he bears a striking resemblance to the common hound;
+and the superior size of his ears would seem to assimilate him still
+more to this animal. The ears, however, as in all the wild species of
+_Canis_, are of course not hanging, but erect.
+
+His habits, however, crown the resemblance. In his natural state the
+wild hound never prowls alone; but boldly runs down his game, following
+it in large organised packs, just as hounds do; and in his hunting he
+exhibits as much skill as if he had Tom Moody riding at his heels, to
+guide with whip and horn.
+
+It was the field-cornet's good fortune to witness an exhibition of this
+skill.
+
+The hounds had come unexpectedly upon the hartebeest herd; and almost at
+the first dash, one of the antelopes became separated from the rest, and
+ran in an opposite direction. This was just what the cunning dogs
+wanted; and the whole pack, instead of following the herd, turned after
+the single one, and ran "tail on end."
+
+Now this hartebeest, although an ill-shaped antelope, is one of the very
+swiftest of the tribe; and the wild hound does not capture it without a
+severe chase. In fact, he could not capture it at all, if speed were the
+only point between the two animals. But it is not. The hartebeest has a
+weakness in its character, opposite to which the wild hound possesses a
+cunning.
+
+The former when chased, although it runs in a straight line, does not
+keep long in a direct course. Now and then it diverges to one side or
+the other, led perhaps by the form of the ground, or some other
+circumstance. In this habit lies its weakness. The wild hound is well
+aware of it, and takes advantage of it by a manoeuvre, which certainly
+savours strongly of reflection on his part.
+
+Our field-cornet had a proof of this as he watched the chase. His
+elevated position gave him a view of the whole ground, and he could note
+every movement both of pursuer and pursued.
+
+On breaking off, the hartebeest ran in a right line, and the hounds
+followed straight after. They had not gone far, however, when Von Bloom
+perceived that one hound was forging ahead of the rest, and running much
+faster than any of them. He might have been a swifter dog than the
+others, but the hunter did not think it was that. He appeared rather to
+be running harder that they, as if sent forward to push the hartebeest,
+while the rest saved their wind.
+
+This proved to be really the case; for the dog, by a desperate effort,
+having gained upon the antelope, caused the latter to turn slightly from
+it original course; and the pack, perceiving this, changed their
+direction at the same time, and held along a diagonal line, as if to
+head the game. By this means they avoided the detour which both the
+antelope and their companion had made.
+
+The hartebeest was now running upon a new line; and as before, one of
+the hounds was soon seen to head the pack, and press forward at the top
+of his speed. The one that first led, as soon as the antelope turned
+from its original course, fell back, rejoined the pack, and was now
+lagging among the hindmost! His "turn" of duty was over.
+
+Again the hartebeest verged from its course. Again the pack ran
+obliquely, and made a second "cut" upon him--again a fresh dog took the
+lead, and on swept the chase as before--the wild hounds uttering their
+yelping notes as they ran.
+
+Several times was this manoeuvre executed by the cunning dogs--until the
+desired result was accomplished, and the antelope was completely
+"blown."
+
+Then, as if they felt that it was in their power, and that further
+strategy was not needed, the whole pack rushed forward simultaneously,
+and closed rapidly upon the game.
+
+The hartebeest made one last despairing effort to escape, but, finding
+that speed would no longer avail, the creature wheeled suddenly round,
+and placed itself in an attitude of defiance--the foam falling from its
+lips, while its red eyes sparkled like coals of fire.
+
+In another moment the dogs were around it.
+
+"What a splendid pack!" exclaimed Von Bloom. "Oh! that I had such an
+one!
+
+"Ha!" he continued, as a new thought struck him, "and why not, just such
+an one?--why not?"
+
+Now the train of reflections that passed through the mind of the
+field-cornet was as follows:--
+
+That the wild hounds might be tamed, and trained to hunting,--easiest of
+all, to the chase of the elephant. He knew that this could be done, for
+boer-hunters had often done it. True, the dogs must be taken young, but
+where were young ones to be obtained? It is not so easy to capture the
+pups of the wild hound. Until they are able to run well, their mothers
+do not permit them to stray far from the caves in which they are
+littered; and these are usually crevices among rocks quite inaccessible
+to man. How could he obtain a set of them? He had already formed such an
+intention. Where could be their breeding place?
+
+His reflections were interrupted at this point, by very singular
+behaviour on the part of the wild hounds, and which gave him a new idea
+of their intelligence that quite electrified him.
+
+When the hartebeest stood to bay, and the hounds came up, Von Bloom very
+naturally expected to see the latter run in upon their game, and at once
+pull it to the ground. This he knew was their usual habit. What was his
+astonishment at seeing the whole pack standing off to one side, as if
+they intended to leave the antelope alone! Some of them even lay down to
+rest themselves, while the others stood with open jaws and lolling
+tongues, but without showing any signs that they intended further to
+molest the panting quarry!
+
+The field-cornet could observe the situation well, for the antelope was
+on his side--that is, towards the cliffs--while the dogs were farther
+out upon the plain. Another circumstance that astonished him was, that
+the dogs, after running up and around the hartebeest, had actually drawn
+off to their present position!
+
+What could it mean? Were they afraid of its ugly horns? Were they
+resting themselves before they should make their bloody onslaught!
+
+The hunter kept his gaze intently fixed upon the interesting group.
+
+After a while the antelope, having recovered its wind a little, and
+seeing the pack so distant, made a fresh start.
+
+This time it ran in a side direction, apparently with the intention of
+gaining a hill that lay in that way, and up the sides of which it no
+doubt calculated upon gaining some advantage. But the creature had
+hardly stretched itself, when the hounds struck out after it; and in
+five hundred yards running, once more brought it to a stand. Again the
+pack took station at a distance, and the hartebeest stood upon the plain
+alone!
+
+Once more it essayed to escape, and started off with all the speed that
+was left in its legs--the hounds as before trooping after.
+
+This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a point in
+the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the nwana-tree,
+everybody had a fine view of it.
+
+The hartebeest seemed to be going faster than ever, or, at all events,
+the dogs did not now appear to gain upon it; and the field-cornet, as
+well as all the young people, were in hopes the poor creature would
+escape from its tireless pursuers.
+
+They watched the chase, until they could just see the bright body of the
+hartebeest afar off, appearing like a yellow spot upon the face of the
+rocks, but the dogs were no longer visible. Then the yellow spot
+suddenly disappeared like the going out of a candle, and they could see
+it no more.
+
+No doubt the antelope was pulled down!
+
+A strange suspicion entered the mind of Von Bloom, and, calling upon
+them to saddle the quaggas, he, with Hans and Hendrik, rode off towards
+the place where the hartebeests had been last seen.
+
+They approached the ground with caution; and under the shelter of some
+bushes were enabled to get within two hundred yards of the spot without
+being observed. A singular spectacle rewarded their pains.
+
+Within a dozen yards of the cliff lay the body of the hartebeest, where
+it had been "pulled down" by the dogs. It was already half eaten, not by
+the hounds that had hunted it, but by their puppies of all ages, that to
+the number of more than threescore were now standing around the carcass,
+tugging away at its flesh and snarling at one another! Some of the grown
+dogs that had taken part in the chase could be seen lying upon the
+ground, still panting after their hard run; but most of them had
+disappeared, no doubt into the numerous small caves and crevices that
+opened along the bottom of the cliffs.
+
+There was no room left to doubt the singular fact--that the wild hounds
+had regularly driven the hartebeest up to their breeding-place to feed
+their young, and that they had abstained from killing it out upon the
+plain to save themselves the labour of dragging it from a distance!
+
+Indeed these animals--unlike the _Felidae_--have not the power of
+transporting a large mass to any considerable distance; hence the
+wonderful instinct which led them to guide the antelope to the very spot
+where its flesh was wanted!
+
+That they were in the constant practice of this singular habit was
+attested, by the numerous bones and horns of large antelopes of
+different kinds, that lay strewed around the place.
+
+Von Bloom had his eye upon the young puppies, and all three made a rush
+towards them. But it was to no purpose. Cunning as their fathers and
+mothers, the little fellows forsook their meal at first sight of the
+intruders, and darted off into their caves!
+
+But they were not cunning enough to escape the snares, which were laid
+for them every day for a week after; and, before the end of that time,
+more than a dozen of them were safely domiciled in a little kennel built
+especially for their use, under the shadow of the great nwana-tree.
+
+In less that six months from that time, several of them were in the
+field, and trained to the chase of the elephant, which duty they
+performed with all the courage and skill that could have been shown by
+hounds of the purest breed!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+For several years Von Bloom led the life of an elephant-hunter. For
+several years the great nwana-tree was his home, and his only companions
+his children and domestics. But, perhaps, these were not the least happy
+years of his existence, since, during all the time both he and his
+family had enjoyed the most estimable of earthly blessings,--health.
+
+He had not allowed his children to grow up without instruction. He had
+not permitted them to lapse into the character of mere "Bush-boys." He
+had taught them many things from the book of nature,--many arts that can
+be acquired as well on the karoo as in the college. He had taught them
+to love God, and to love one another. He had planted in their minds the
+seeds of the virtuous principles,--honour and morality,--without which
+all education is worthless. He had imbued them with habits of industry
+and self-reliance, and had initiated them into many of the
+accomplishments of civilised life--so that upon their return to society
+they might be quite equal to its claims. Upon the whole, those years of
+the exile's life, spent in his wilderness home, formed no blank in his
+existence. He might look back upon them with feelings of satisfaction
+and pleasure.
+
+Man, however, is formed for society. The human heart, properly
+organised, seeks communion with the human heart; and the mind,
+especially when refined and polished by education, loves the intercourse
+of social life, and, when deprived of it, will always yearn to obtain
+it.
+
+So was it with the field-cornet. He desired to return once more within
+the pale of civilised society. He desired once more to revisit the
+scenes where he had so long dwelt in peaceful happiness; he desired once
+more to establish himself among his friends and acquaintances of former
+days, in the picturesque district in the Graaf Reinet. Indeed, to have
+remained any longer in his wilderness home could have served no purpose.
+It is true he had grown very much attached to his wild hunter-life, but
+it was no longer likely to be profitable. The elephants had completely
+forsaken the neighbourhood of the camp, and not one was to be found
+within twenty miles of the spot. They had become well-acquainted with
+the report of the long roer, and knew the dangerous character of that
+weapon; they had learnt that of all their enemies man was the one to be
+especially dreaded and shunned; and they had grown so shy of his
+presence, that the hunters frequently passed whole weeks without setting
+their eyes upon a single elephant.
+
+But this was no longer an object of solicitude with Von Bloom. Other
+considerations now occupied his mind, and he did not care much if he
+should never spoor another of these huge quadrupeds. To return to the
+Graaf Reinet, and settle there, was now the ultimatum of his wishes.
+
+The time had at length arrived when he would be able to carry out that
+design; and nothing seemed any longer to stand in the way of its full
+and complete accomplishment.
+
+The proscription against him had been long since taken off. A general
+amnesty had been passed by the government, and he had been pardoned
+among the rest.
+
+It is true his property was not restored to him; but that mattered
+little now. He had created a new property, as was testified by the vast
+pyramid of ivory that stood under the shadow of the great nwana-tree!
+
+Nothing remained but to transport this shining pile to a market, and a
+splendid fortune would be the result.
+
+And Von Bloom's ingenuity found the means for bringing it to market.
+
+About this time there was dug another huge pit-trap near the pass in the
+cliffs, in which many quaggas were trapped; and then, there were
+stirring scenes, while these wild creatures were being broken to
+harness, and trained to "trek" in a wagon.
+
+They were trained, however, after a good deal of trouble--the old
+wheels, still in prime condition, serving as the "break;" and then the
+body of the wagon was let down from the tree, and once more renewed its
+acquaintance with its old companions the wheels; and the cap-tent
+spread its protecting shadow over all; and the white and yellow
+crescents were stowed; and the quaggas were "inspanned;" and Swartboy,
+mounting the "voor-kist," once more cracked his long bamboo whip; and
+the wheels, well oiled with elephants' grease, again whirled gaily
+along!
+
+How surprised were the good people of Graaf Beinet, when one morning a
+cap-tent wagon, drawn by twelve quaggas, and followed by four riders
+mounted upon animals of the same kind, pulled up in the public square of
+their little town! How astonished they were on seeing that this wagon
+was "chuck" full of elephants' teeth, all except a little corner
+occupied by a beautiful girl with cherry cheeks and fair flaxen hair;
+and how joyed were they, in fine, on learning that the owner of both the
+ivory and the beautiful girl was no other than their old friend, and
+much-esteemed fellow-citizen, the field-cornet, Von Bloom!
+
+A warm welcome met the elephant-hunter in the square of Graaf Reinet,
+and, what was also of some importance, a ready market for his ivory.
+
+It chanced just at that time that ivory was selling at a very high rate.
+Some article--I do not remember what--the principal part of which
+required to be constructed of pure ivory, had come into fashion and
+general use in European countries, and the consequence was an increased
+demand for this valuable commodity. It was a fortunate circumstance for
+the returned hunter, who was at once enabled to dispose of his stock,
+not only for ready money, but at such a fine price as to yield him
+nearly twice the amount he had calculated on receiving!
+
+He had not brought it all with him, as there was more than would have
+loaded any one wagon. A second load had remained, hidden near the
+nwana-tree, and this required a journey to be made for it.
+
+It was made in due time, and the remainder arrived safely at Graaf
+Reinet, and was there delivered to the ivory-dealers, who had already
+purchased it.
+
+The result was a splendid fortune in ready money. The field-cornet was
+once more a rich man!
+
+For the present we can follow his history no farther than to say, that
+the proceeds of his great hunt enabled him to buy back his old estate,
+and to stock it in splendid style, with the best breeds of horses,
+horned cattle, and sheep; that he rose rapidly in wealth and worldly
+esteem; that the government gave him its confidence; and, having first
+restored him to his old office of field-cornet, soon afterwards promoted
+him to that of "landdrost," or chief magistrate of the district.
+
+Hans returned to his college studies; while the dashing Hendrik was
+enabled to enter the profession for which he was most fit, and the very
+one that fitted him, by obtaining a cornetcy in the "Cape Mounted
+Rifles."
+
+Little Jan was packed off to school to study grammar and geography;
+while the beautiful Trueey remained at home to grace the mansion of her
+honoured father, and look after his household affairs.
+
+Totty still ruled the kitchen; and, of course, Swartboy was the
+important man about the house, and for many a long year after cracked
+his great whip, and flourished his jambok among the long-horned oxen of
+the wealthy landdrost.
+
+But enough for the present,--enough of adventure for one year. Let us
+hope, boy readers, that before you and I have circled once more around
+the sun, we shall make a fresh trip to the land of the boers, and again
+encounter the worthy Von Bloom, his Bushman, and--
+
+"BUSH-BOYS."
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Popular Adventure Tales, by Mayne Reid
+
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+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #25665 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25665)