INDIAN SETTLEMENT AT MURA 175 



It was getting dark when Pedro and myself returned 

 from om" ramble. Dinner had been served out to the 

 men, and they were sitting in groups over their large tin 

 platters discussing the merits of Pancho's cooking. At 

 this time of the year camping in the open air on the 

 banks of the rivers is quite pleasant. Kain falls but 

 rarely, and even then the showers are of short duration. 

 It is quite different during the rainy season, when scarcely 

 a day passes without its raining in torrents. After dinner 

 some of the men went with me to Isidor's house, where 

 besides Isidor, his wife, and children, we found Maite, 

 Vicente, and ' the Pirate.' They were drinking yaraque^ 

 and relating hunting-stories. 



Of course the conversation turned upon tigers, and for 

 the twentieth time my Indian companions treated us to a 

 long series of stories illustrating the cunning and audacity 

 of the tiger, as the jaguar is called by these people. I 

 believe Isidor used to tell these stories with the view of 

 terrifying my Trinidad men, and I cannot help admitting 

 that his efforts were crowned with success, as none of 

 them appeared to relish the idea of an encounter with 

 the king of the American carnivora. After we had had our 

 fill of tiger-stories we bade our Indian hosts good-night 

 and returned to our camping-place on the sandy shore, 

 lighted on our way by one of the men carrying a torch. 



I was awakened long before daybreak by the noise made 

 by the men who, squatted around the fire, were telling 

 stories or chaffing each other while Pancho was preparing 

 coffee. Most of my followers appeared to be very early 

 risers, but I do not believe that they merited much praise 

 for this seemingly extraordinary display of energy, the 

 true reason of their leaving their hammocks in the early 



' A fermented drink made from cassava. 



