A YOUNG NATURALIST. 209 



Under any other circumstances, Lucien's frightened look, wheu 

 he saw us take so many precautions in approaching a human 

 dwelhng, would have amused, but so far from doing so now, "sve 

 listened anxiously for the least sound. 



At last we heard I'Encuerado's loud and welcome " Hiou ! 

 hiou ! " The hut was perfectly empty ! 



After an hour's rest, passed by the boy in rambling round it, 

 I gave the word for starting again. The Indian took the lead, 

 following the still visible traces of a footpath. The hut, hardly 

 large enough to hold three people, seemed more like a temporary 

 shelter than a settled dwelling ; I'Encuerado, who was a great 

 authority in such matters, was of opinion that it was only an 

 offshoot to a larger settlement. After a tolerably long walk, 

 another footpath crossed the one we were following ; on its 

 surface we noticed prints of naked feet — even those of women 

 and children. But although we carefully examined the horizon, 

 nothing but the immense white uninterrupted plain bathed in 

 sunshine greeted our vision. 



This prospect somewhat damped our ardour. Ever since the 

 morning, we had been walking on in the hopes of meeting 

 with a human dwelling. We had scarcely eaten anything, and 

 hunger and thirst were added to the disappointment we had met 

 with. • Lucien proposed to hollow out a vimaga to sleep in — a 

 project in which he was encouraged by I'Encuerado's telling him 

 that we might have the luxury of a window, and could keep off 

 wild beasts, by filling up the entrance with thorny cierc/es. It 

 may readily be understood how much the idea of bivouacing 

 inside a plant pleased the fancy of our young companion ; and 

 perhaps we should have assisted in realising his wish, if the 

 barking of a dog had not attracted our attention ; so we recom- 

 menced our march in better spirits. A rapid descent brought us 

 near a number of tree-ferns, a change of vegetation which we 

 looked upon as a good omen. L'Encuerado continued to follow 

 the footpath, until he suddenly stopped on a gentle eminence, 

 which overlooked a small green valley with a brook running 

 through it. To my great joy I counted as many as six palm-leaf 



huts. 



o 



