368 THE ^ VENTURES OF 



L'Encuerado, iu spite of our remonstrances, insisted on 

 shouldering the load ; but, on raising the burden, he found 

 he was unable, so I shouldered the load. 



At last, after no end of exertion on my part and Sumi- 

 chrast's for we alternately bore it three leagues were 

 traversed. We then halted at the foot of a hill, among eb- 

 ony, mahogany, and oak trees. 



L'Encuerado took charge of the camp, while I, with my 

 friend and Lucien, climbed a neighboring hill. The trees 

 which crowned its summit were limes Tilia sylvestris 

 here the type of what bear the same name, and which are 

 so plentiful in Europe, where they have been so changed by 

 cultivation that they scarcely appear to belong to the same 

 species as their brethren in the virgin forests. The wood 

 of the lime is valued by the Indians for making various 

 odds and ends, which are sold by thousands in Mexico. In 

 Europe, the bark of this tree is used for well-ropes, and the 

 charcoal made from its wood is preferred to any other for 

 the manufacture of gunpowder. Few trees are more use- 

 ful, and its beautiful green foliage makes it highly orna- 

 mental in a garden. 



Our attention was attracted to a familiar noise the coo- 

 ing of doves. I moved gently under the trees, and soon 

 put to flight several fine specimens, of a dark, ashy-blue col- 

 or, with a black band across the tail-feathers, which were of 

 a pearl-gray. I killed a couple of them ; and Sumichrast, 

 who was better placed, knocked down three others. They 

 were quite sufficient for our dinners. They were the first 

 of this family that we had killed, and Lucien in vain tried 

 to make out what he called their relationship. 



" They are neither passerines," said he, " nor palmipedes. 

 Climbers, too, have differently-made feet." 



" Your doubts are very natural," interposed my friend ; 

 " even ornithologists are very undecided on this point. 



