66 THE FERN OWL. 



from the dark recesses of the cavern; their shrill 

 and piercing tones reverberated from the arched 

 roofs, and were re-echoed from the depths of the 

 cave. The Indians, by fixing torches to the end of 

 a long pole, pointed out their nests, arranged in 

 funnel-shaped holes, with which the whole roof of 

 the grotto was riddled. As the travellers advanced, 

 the noise increased, the flare of the torches alarming 

 the birds still more. When it ceased for a few 

 minutes, distinct moans were heard from other re- 

 mote branches of the cavern, the alternate responses 

 of other flocks of these birds. The Indians, every 

 year about Midsummer, descend into the cave fur- 

 nished with poles for the purpose of destroying the 

 nests. At this time many thousands of birds are 

 killed, and the old ones, as if to protect their broods, 

 hover over the heads of the Indians, uttering the 

 most dreadful shrieks. The young that fall to the 

 ground are immediately ripped open, to procure a 

 sort of unctuous or fatty substance with which they 

 are then loaded. At this period, which is com- 

 monly termed the oil-harvest, the Indians construct 

 little habitations of palm- leaves, close to the open- 

 ing, and even in the mouth of the cavern. Here 

 the grease of the young birds just killed is melted 

 over a fire of dry sticks, and run into pots of 

 white clay. This grease, known by the name of 

 Guacharo butter or oil, is semi-liquid, transparent, 

 and without smell, and so pure that it may be kept 

 a twelvemonth without becoming rancid. At a 

 neighbouring convent, visited by these travellers, no 

 oil but that of the cavern was used in the monks' 

 kitchen, and it was never found to give to any dish 

 a disagreeable taste or smell." 



