BO ras CATS OF SOULS. 



part which they annually visited to collect the fat The 

 whole authority of the monks was n *ary to induce 

 them to advance as Ear as the Bpot where the torrent 

 formed a small subterranean cascade. The natives con- 

 nected mystic ideas with this rave, inhabited by nocturnal 

 birds; they believed that the souls of their ancestors so- 

 jouraed in the deep rec - - of the cavern. "Man,'' 

 said they, "should avoid places which arc enlightened 

 ueither by the sun nor by the moon." "To go and join 

 the guacharo was with them a phrase signifying to 

 rejoin their lathers, to die. The magicians and the pol- 

 lers performed their nocturnal tricks at the entrance 

 of the cavern, to conjure the chief of the evil spirits. 



At tlit- point where the river formed the subterranean 

 cascade, a hill covered with vegetation, which was Oppo- 

 site to the opening of the grotto, presented a very pic- 

 turesque aspect It was seen at the extremity of a straight 

 passage, one thousand four hundred and fifty feet in 

 length. Th<' Btalactites d< Bcending from the roof, and 

 resembling columns suspended in the air, were relieved 



on a background of verdure. The opening of the cavern 



appeared singularly contracted, when the travellers saw 

 it aboul the middle of the day, illumined by the vivid 

 light reflected at once from the sky, the plants, and the 

 k's. The distant light of day formed a strange con- 

 trast with the darkness which surrounded them in the 

 vast cavern. They discharged their guns at a venture, 

 wherev< r tin- «• >f the nocturnal birds and the flap- 

 ping of their wing I 1 them t" bus I that a great 

 number of nests were crowded together. After several 

 fruitless attempts Bonpland succeeded in killing a couple 

 of guacharos, which, dazzled by the light of the torches, 



