A YOUNG NATURALIST. 123 



quite prevented him using his gun. L'Encuerado, though dis- 

 figured, had, at least, the free use of his limbs. The inexperi- 

 enced traveller is incessantly exposed to misfortunes of this 

 kind. Turned out into the midst of various unknown natural 

 objects, he carelessly plucks a leaf, breaks down a branch, or 

 gathers a flower ; and in many cases, his punishment is prompt 

 and terrible, and the innocent diversion of a second has to be 

 expiated by hours of anguish. In the wild life of the wilderness, 

 dangers become so multiplied, that more courage than is gener- 

 ally supposed is required to face them. Every explorer of 

 unknown scenes must make up his mind to endure hardships. 

 More than one whom I have seen start full of confidence, 

 at the end of three days has returned, wearied, bruised, ill, 

 discouraged, and, in fact, conquered. By degrees, of course, 

 experience comes to the help of those whose moral courage is 

 strong enough to induce them to persevere. They soon learn to . 

 recognise at a glance the tree that it is best to avoid, the grass 

 that must not be trodden on, the creeper the touch of which is 

 to be shunned, and the fruit which should not be tasted. At 

 last the requirements of the body are to some extent mastered, 

 and it follows the dictation of the soul without complaint. The 

 long experienced traveller can scarcely fail to be astonished at 

 the delicate susceptibility of his casing of fiesh, which is bruised 

 by blows, torn by thorns, devoured by insects, and yet, day after 

 day, the persevering man continues to face death under its most 

 horrible aspects — poison from venom of serpents, giddiness from 

 sun-stroke, blindness from the power of the moon, want of sleep, 

 hunger, and thirst. 



I had just taken a review of our situation when these reflec- 

 tions were suggested to me. Halting, I permitted my comrades 

 to pass me ; their appearance, after so many days' travel, I give. 

 First, there was Sumichrast, tall and broad-shouldered, his features 

 displaying both mildness and energy ; one arm in a sling, his 

 clothes torn to shreds, and his face furrowed by five or six deep 

 scratches ; leaning on a stick, carried in his left hand, he seemed 

 a little bent ; but his vigorous form still told of abundant endur- 

 ance and determination. Behind him, his gun slung to his cross- 



