368 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



in the mouth and knocked out the fore teeth, passed 

 out at the top of his back between his shoulders, and 

 must have killed him instantly. The tenacity of his 

 tail seemed marvellous, but was easily explained. It 

 had no grip, and had lost all muscular power, but was 

 wound round the branch with the end under, so that 

 the weight of the body tightened the coil, and the hard- 

 er the strain, the more secure was the hold. It was not 

 a monkey, but so near a connexion that I would not 

 have shot him if I had known it. In fact, he was even 

 more nearly related to the human family, being called 

 a monos or ape, and measured six feet including the 

 tail ; very muscular, and in a struggle would have been 

 more than a match for a man ; and the padre said they 

 were known to have attacked women. The Indians 

 carried him up to the house and skinned him ; and 

 when lying on his back, with his skin off and his eyes 

 staring, the padre cried out, " es hombre," it is a man, 

 and I almost felt liable to an indictment for homicide. 

 The Indians cooked the body, and I contrived to pre- 

 serve the skin as a curiosity, for its extraordinary size ; 

 but, unluckily, I left it on board a Spanish vessel at sea. 



In the mean time the padre had a fowl boiled for din- 

 ner. Three guests at a time were not too much for 

 his open hospitality, but they went beyond his dinner- 

 service, which consisted of three bowls. There was no 

 plate, knife, fork, or spoon, and for the cura himself 

 not even a bowl. The fowl was served in an ocean of 

 broth, which had to be disposed of first. Tortillas and 

 a small cake of fresh cheese composed the rest of the 

 meal. The reader will perhaps connect such an en- 

 tertainment with vulgarity of manners ; but the curate 

 was a gentleman, and made no apologies, for he gave 

 us the best he had. We had, sent our carriers on be- 



