252 THE ADVENTURES OF 



another Avith a sharp sound. L'Eucuerado informed: Lu- 

 cien that this fruit is in the habit of bursting suddenly 

 with a loud explosion, and that the flat beans which they 

 contain are much used as medicine. 



Sumichrast led the way through the forest, where we 

 were sheltered under the tall trees. After a somewhat long 

 ramble, during which we met with nothing but magpies, I 

 requested 1'Eucuerado to guide us back to our bivouac. 

 All of a sudden my friend enjoined silence ; an opossum, 



followed by five young ones, was coming near us on our 

 left. The animal indolently approached a tree of middling 

 size, which it climbed, aided by its prehensile tail. Its 

 progeny crowded busily round the foot of the tree, uttering 

 plaintive cric-s. The opossum then came down again, and 

 scarcely had it put foot to the ground before its disconso- 

 late family rushed pell-mell into the maternal pouch. Thus 

 loaded, the animal climbed the tree more slowly, and sat 



