166 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



where we went, long ere this*we should have found our- 

 selves at the bottom of some ravine." 



" But these butterflies and beetles throw themselves into 

 the fire on purpose," said l'Encuerado, with the inflexible 

 logic of facts. 



" They are not aware that the flame will burn," I re- 

 plied. 



" That's true," murmured the Indian, in a tone of com- 

 passion. 



Fatigue compelled us to give up our relaxation, and we 

 soon went to sleep in a warm atmosphere, which seemed all 

 the more pleasant when we remembered our sufferings of 

 the night before. 



Our slumbers were interrupted toward morning by the 

 frequent cries of a flight of passerines, called " alarum- 

 birds" (despertadores) by the Mexicans. It was hardly 

 light, and, in spite of l'Encuerado's predictions, it had not 

 rained. The light of our fire, when we stirred it, soon 

 drove away our winged friends ; but, thanks to their wak- 

 ing us, the first rays of the sun found us all ready to set 

 out. Just as we were going to start, an unforeseen difficulty 

 arose — how to cross the ravine and ford the river ? L'En- 

 cuerado said that it would be necessary to go up-stream ; I, 

 also, agreed with him. Sumichrast, on the contrary, was of 

 opinion that there was much more chance of the banks be- 

 coming less steep if we went in the opposite direction ; he 

 carried the day, and led the way, cutting a passage through 

 the shrubs with his machete. 



As we were determined to skirt the edge of the water, 

 we could not get along without great difficulty. The noise 

 of the torrent, which seemed to grow louder, attracted us 

 towards the forest, where the absence of grass and under- 

 wood enabled us to get on faster. The trees grew farther 

 and farther apart, and we again came upon brush-wood, ere 



