A YOUNG NATURALIST. 311 



He left us at the foot of a mountain, the last we had to cross, 

 the steep acclivity of which somewhat damped our ardour. 



Lucien was the first to arrive on the plateau. A few steps 

 farther, and the town of Orizava lay stretched in peaceful repose 

 at our feet. 



As the young traveller contemplated the town in which was 

 his home, involuntary tears moistened his cheeks; he stretched 

 out his arms towards it and sobbed. 



All of us, however, shared his emotion to some extent. Now 

 that we were safe, we rejoiced that I had undertaken this 

 expedition. I thanked God for His manifest protection, and, 

 for the last time, gave the word to start. 



As we descended the mountain, the town became more dis- 

 tinctly visible. L'Encuerado could name the churches and 

 streets ; at last, Lucien discovered his home, which was easily 

 recognisable by the magnificent orange tree. In order to satisfy 

 the boy's impatience, we made our way through a steep ravine. 

 Our little party reached the valley just as the bells were ringing 

 for vesper prayers. 



The sun was setting, and we were wrapped in obscurity; Indians 

 kept crossing our path at every step, and the lamps were here and 

 there shining out through the dark. The Eio Bianco barred our 

 passage, but large stones, placed at intervals in the river, enabled 

 us to cross it almost dry-shod. Then Gringalet suddenly barked, 

 and darted off like an arrow. 



Twenty minutes after, we entered Orizava by some of the side 

 streets, to prevent a crowd following at our heels. When we 

 were about fifty paces from our house, Lucien and I'Eucuerado 

 darted off at a racing pace; they found all the inmates of our home 

 assembled on the threshold. Gringalet had announced our arrival. 

 When I entered the courtyard, Lucien and his mother were 

 sobbing in one another's arms ; Emile, Hortense, and Amelie 

 were grouped round the basket, on which Janet and Verdet 

 were sitting. I noticed, standing in a corner, the cases which 

 had been intrusted to Torribio. 



L'Encuerado came and leaned against the door of the room, 

 twisting the broad brims of his hat quite out of shape. 



