THE ADVENTURES OF 



" Come here," I called to Lucien. 



And taking the lad between my knees, I said — 



'' You see that bright band of light which looks almost as if the 

 horizon was on fire? Well, from the middle of it the sun is 

 just going to rise. At this very moment, in Europe, it is almost 

 noon-day ; but, as recompense, they will have dark night when 

 it is three o'clock in the afternoon here, and we shall be pushing 

 along, overwhelmed with the heat of an almost vertical sun. 

 The red line is now getting wider and paler ; more like a golden 

 mist. But turn round and look at the mountain-tops.'' 



The child uttered a half-surprised cry ; although we Avere in 

 comparative obscurity, the ridges of the Cordilleras seemed all 

 on fire. 



"Do you understand that phenomenon?" asked Sumichrast. 



" Yes ; for I know the earth is. round, and these mountains, 

 which are higher than we are, of course first catch the rays of 

 the sun.'' 



The day broke, and a burning glow suffused the horizon ; in a 

 few minutes the sun rose and inundated us with light. The birds 

 began to chant their morning song, and the eagles, careering 

 from every mountain-top, soared above our heads. The sun- 

 beams twinkled through the dewdrops, and the grass of the 

 prairie seemed decked with diamonds. Black vultures, which 

 soared even higher than the eagles and kites, traced out in the 

 blue sky the immense curves of their majestic flight. On every 

 bush insects spread their gauzy wings; perhaps they felt that 

 not a minute should be lost by beings whose birth, life, and 

 death are all comprised in one single day. 



"Oh!" cried Lucien, "as soon as we get home I shall tell 

 mamma how beautiful is sunrise ! Is it not a shame that so 

 many of us sleep through the hour when this lovely prospect can 

 only be enjoyed ? " 



1 was obhged to cut short the little fellows admiration — an 

 admiration I also shared. Each resumed his load ; and now, in 

 spite of the wind, we all felt eager to advance. Gringalet, as 

 glad as we were at the return of day, frisked round Lucien, bark- 

 ing, jumping over ditches, and roUing in the dust in his wild 



