26 ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



His wife, whose costume consisted of a cotton shirt edged with 

 red thread, came running in answer to his call, and was quite in 

 raptures at the prettiness of the "little white traveller," who 

 completely ingratiated himself by saluting her in her own lan- 

 guage. We had accomplished a journey of seven leagues, 

 although Lucien, thanks to Don Antonio's horse, had not walked 

 quite so far. 



The aborigines set before us rice and beans. After this frugal 

 repast, washed down with cold water, I wanted Lucien to lie 

 down on a large mat ; but the restless little being took advan- 

 tage of his elders being comfortably stretched out to sleep, and 

 ran off to see our hostess's fowls roosting for the night on a dead 

 tree, and then to prowl up and down in company with I'Encuerado. 

 The latter had ferreted out a three-corded guitar which was in 

 the hut, and strummed away at the same tune for hours to- 

 gether, — no doubt to the great pleasure of the boy, although to 

 us it was quite the reverse. 



At last our bedding was unrolled, and I enjoined repose on all. 

 Gringalet couched down in the hut, at the feet of his young 

 master. L'Encuerado, however, preferred sleeping in the open 

 air, only too happy, as he said, to see the sky above, and to feel 

 the wind blow straight into his face without having to be filtered 

 through walls and windows. 



