74 OVER THE MOUNTAINS TO THE LLANOS. 



fulness, half-sleep of the dusky morning, hushing even Vi- 

 viano, we left our camp beliind. Now and then we would 

 pass beneath rustling, sighing banana-groves, which, wav- 

 ing like great fields of corn at evening, brought to our 

 half-sleeping minds blended pictures of home and south- 

 ern scenes. To one who has never seen tropical forests, 

 no word-painting can convey any idea how grand and 

 weird and graceful they are — they stand so unutterably 

 mysterious and dark, as if— a race chained ages ago by 

 a conquering will — they, grown old and hoary, are wait- 

 ing a release to being. 



By the time that we were fairly awake, we reached a 

 spot where the banks, breaking, extended a muddy flat 

 on the left side. Here we landed for breakfast, and, 

 while this was preparing, we wandered into the forest 

 with our rifles, proceeding in the direction whence was 

 heard the plaintive cry of araguatoes, apparently near at 

 hand. But we were as yet imenlightened as to how de- 

 ceiving is the distance these howling monkeys can be 

 heard, and so were enticed farther and farther into the 

 tangled jungle. At length we came to the object of our 

 search — a group of large monkeys, walking leisurely 

 along the branches of a tree, casting down suspicious 

 glances upon the intruders on their realms. Selecting the 

 finest-looking fellow, he was brought wounded to the 

 ground; when the whole band, that had ceased their 

 noise at our approach, set up again a most terrific howl- 

 ing. As we stood a little exultant over the bleeding ani- 

 mal, he turned up his large eyes, filled with tears, and, 

 casting upon us a look that we shall ever remember, ut- 

 tered a mournful cry, which was answered by the wails of 

 his companions in the trees. 



The araguatoes, which are the largest monkeys of the 

 New World, are represented by several species. Accord- 

 ing to measurement, we found one of these animals {JSIyce- 



