wp: leave the mountain si 



Probably they expected us to possess some of that instinct 

 for following a trail with which they were so highly 

 gifted. On the way we surprised a flock of trumpeters, 

 and shot three. In addition I killed two penelopes. 

 When we were quite near to our camp it rained heavily, 

 and although we hurried on as fast as we could, we were 

 wet to the skin by the time we reached shelter. The 

 Indians had not forgotten the tortoises left on the way ; 

 they were now hanging from the rafters of our rancho. 



We breakfasted early. The Indians broke the shells 

 of the tortoises with a heavy log of wood. They then 

 picked the pieces of shell off the still quivering masses of 

 flesh, which they wrapped up in banana leaves. After 

 crossing the stream they hurried on as they had done the 

 day before, and when we got to La Prision in the 

 afternoon, I found that they had gone on to Isidor's 

 house, probably to have a night of it, leaving word that 

 they would return in the morning. We proceeded with 

 caution, for had we strayed from the trail we might have 

 got lost in the depths of this interminable forest. Game- 

 birds were plentiful ; but I decided on not wasting time 

 in following them up, as it would have been too fatiguing 

 to have to carry a number of heavy birds over the dis- 

 tance we still had before us. Perhaps the Indians had 

 left us to avoid having to add to their burdens. I killed 

 only four trumpeters as specimens. 



By one o'clock we reached the Laja Grande, and 

 shortly afterwards we passed before a large rancho 

 occupied by several people. Two of the men were 

 breaking tonca-beans on a slab of rock, while one of the 

 women was mending clothes and another was cooking. 

 They asked us to stay and share their meal. Although 

 we were all very hungry, I thought it best to refuse their 



