138 AVILD SPOUTS IX THE FAR AVEST. 



dog it Avas slow Avork, and then tlie increasing darkness 

 convinced me of the impossibihty of finding eitlier the 

 deer or the Avaj back to the house, being as yet too 

 unacquainted Avith the country to be able to find my 

 Avay by the stars. 



I Avas soon comfortably stretched by a blazing fire, 

 and should liaA'C done A-ery Avell, but for the stomach, 

 that constant tormentor, Avho kept reminding me that 

 he had had no Avork to do since the morning, except to 

 consume a fcAv insignificant gi-een sassafras leaA'es. The 

 night Avas beautiful, the stars shining brilliantly, and the 

 Aveather fortunately too cool for mosquitoes. I soon 

 slept quietly and comfortably till about midnight, Avhen 

 I Avas aAvakened by the disagreeable howling of the 

 Avoh'es ; it seemed as if they had all assembled to 

 giA'e me a serenade ; if so, the poor beasts had a A^ery 

 ungrateful audience. During the interval, the sharp 

 roar of a panther Avas heard rather too close to my lair. 

 Such a neighbor was by no means desirable or trust- 

 Avorthy; so I fired in the direction Avhence 1 heard 

 the sound, and he flew back again to the jungle. I 

 noAV made up my fire afresh, and Avas soon asleep for 

 the second time. 



When I awoke the sun AA\as peeping through the 

 branches. Shaking my limbs, Avhich Avere stiff Avith 

 cold, I commenced my journey homewards, endeavoring 

 to shorten tlie Avay by thoughts of a good Avarm 

 .breakfast. 



S. had for some days talked of cutting doAvn a tree, 

 in Avhich he had discovered a swarm of Avild bees, but 

 something had always happened to hinder it ; however, 

 on the first of June Ave set off at daybreak on our long 



