THE ADVENTURES OF 



for soap ; in tlie Terre-Chaxtde, a bulb named amolito is used for 

 the same purpose ; lastly, in the Mistec province of Oajaca, the 

 jjoor find a natural soap in the bark of the quiUaja swponaria, a 

 tree belonging to the rose tribe. Even in Europe, a vegetable 

 soap is also found — the soap-wort — a little plant allied to the 

 pinks, and which adorns with its unpretending flowers the edges 

 of ditches, and is employed by housewives for cleaning silk stuffs 

 and reviving their faded colours. 



Quite refreshed with our wash, we stretched ourselves close to 

 the camp fire, looking forward to our meal of roast ducks dressed 

 with cresses, rice, and seasoned with all-spice. On taking the 

 first mouthful, I made a grimace which was imitated by Sumi- 

 chrast. The rice had an unbearable aromatic taste. L'Encuerado 

 regarded us with a triumphant look. 



"What on earth have you put in the saucepan?" I cried, 

 angrily. 



" Don't you think it is nice, Tatita 1 " 



"It's perfectly filthy; you've poisoned us!" But I soon 

 recognised the smell of a kind of coriander with which the 

 Indians occasionally saturate their food. Sumichrast, like me, 

 had not got beyond the first mouthful ; but Lucien, who shared to 

 some extent I'Encuerado's weakness for the culantro, was having 

 quite a feast. Our bill of fare was thus reduced to a single dish, 

 and I left the broiled duck to my two companions, and confined 

 myself to the roast. With an artlessness that approached the sub- 

 lime, the Indian, thinking that we should prefer the fresh plant to 

 be cooked, the odour of which had been somewhat softened down 

 by the operation, presented us with several stalks. On the whole, 

 however, he was not altogether to blame, for we often eat with 

 pleasure his national style of cookery, and he had full right to be 

 surprised at our repugnance to their favourite Ion louche. 



Gringalet just tasted the rice, then retired to roll on the twigs 

 of coriander which were lying on the ground, a proceeding which 

 did not much improve his toilette. 



The sun was setting, and hundreds of birds were assembling 

 around us. Yellow, blue, green, or redwings, were cleaving the 

 air in all directions. 



