12 THE FOREST. 



the whole night through, telling the rest how cold 

 and miserable they are, and begging to be let in. 

 But the others are very hard-hearted ; they pay 

 no attention, and go quietly off to sleep. 



In Tropical America vast rivers run through the 

 forest, and numberless streams and creeks wind 

 along, twisting and doubling in every direction. 

 On the bank is a complete wall of forest, that 

 presents a firm, dense barrier. Now and then a 

 sad story has reached us of travellers lost in the 

 forest, and who have tried to make their way by 

 the side of the stream. But the thick brushwood 

 and jungle, that grew close to the water's edge, 

 has stopped their progress, and made it impossible 

 to push on further. 



Even the fierce jaguar, the tiger of the forest, 

 often loses himself in the tangled maze. He can- 

 not force his way, supple as he is, through the 

 labyrinth. He is obliged to climb a tree, and 

 travel for miles along the branches, passing from 

 one tree to another, and running up and down the 

 vegetable ropes and ladders with the adroitness of 

 a monkey. 



