174 THE OBOES OF THE JAGUARS. 



other at almost equal intervals. The Indians, who seldom 

 ennobled by their expressions the wanderings of the ima- 

 gination, named the falling-stars the urine, and the dew 

 the spittle of the stars. The clouds thickened anew, and 

 the travellers discerned neither the meteors, nor the real 

 stars, for which they had waited during several days. 



They had been told that they should find the insects 

 at Esmeralda still more cruel and voracious, than in the 

 branch of the Orinoco which they were going up ; never- 

 theless they indulged the hope of at length sleeping in a 

 spot that was inhabited, and of taking some exercise in 

 herbalizing. This anticipation was, however, disturbed 

 at their last resting-place on the Cassiquiare. Whilst 

 they were sleeping on the edge of the forest, they were 

 warned by the Indians, in the middle of the night, that 

 they heard very near the cries of a jaguar. These cries, 

 they alleged, came from the top of some neighbouring 

 trees. 



As their fires burnt brightly, the travellers paid little 

 attention to the cries of the jaguars, who had been 

 attracted by the smell and noise of their dog. This 

 animal began at first to bark ; and when the jaguars drew 

 nearer, to howl, hiding himself below the hammocks 

 of the travellers. Great was their grief, when in the 

 morning, at the moment of re-embarking, the Indians 

 informed them that the dog had disappeared ! There 

 could be no doubt that he had been carried off* by the 

 jaguars. Perhaps, when their cries had ceased he had 

 wandered from the fires on the side of the beach. They 

 waited part of the morning, in the hope that the dog had 

 only strayed. Three days after they came back to the 

 same place; they heard again the cries of the jaguars, 



