THE GEEEN-TAILED SYLPH. 261 



This is the season when no rain falls, and every 

 living thing is scorched and blasted by the intoler- 

 able heat. 



But here and there grows a palm, that is the 

 blessing of the desert. While a particle of mois- 

 ture remains in the ground, it collects round the 

 root of the tree, and makes a little pool of water. 



At one time of the year even these pools are 

 dried up. 



The palm of which I am speaking is called the 

 Mauritia, or fan-palm, because its leaves spread 

 out in the shape of a fan. 



A tribe of Indians who live in these plains, sub- 

 sist almost entirely on the produce of the fan-palm. 



The meal-like substance contained in the stem 

 yields a nutritious article of food, and is made into 

 bread. The cone-shaped fruit is also eaten, and 

 the sap is made into a sweet wine. 



At times, when the great river Orinoco over- 

 flows its banks, and inundates the dwellings of the 

 Indians, they have recourse to the palm as to a 

 place of refuge. 



They climb nimbly up its branches, with the 



