470 THE ADVEXTUMEIS OF 



likewise were fruitless, and his ingenious mind found a re- 

 tort to all our arguments. The flesh of the animal remind- 

 ed us a little of that of the peccary, although it was less 

 highly flavored. 



About midday the tigers' skins were taken up, and the 

 raft was soon floating over the combined streams. We had 

 nt first thought of proceeding in this way as far as the 

 Gulf of Mexico ; but the season was now too far advanced 



to admit of such an excursion. We at length made up our 

 minds that the next day we should abandon our raft, and 

 return by the shortest route to our starting-point. 



At dawn of day our bivouac was enlivened by hundreds 

 of birds. L'lTncuerado cut the mooring line of the raft, 

 and let it float down the stream, thanking it at the same 

 time for the services it had rendered us, and wishing it 

 prosperity in its lonely voyage to the ocean. 



As I stood watching the frail bark gliding away, two 



