176 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



in the Terre-Chaude — viz,, the Fall of Ingenio — one which 

 would be reckoned among the most celebrated in the 

 world, if access to it was not rendered almost impossible 

 by the wilderness. 



The sufferings of our two companions were so much al- 

 leviated by the application of water that they soon came 

 and sat beside us. I can not describe the proud enjoyment 

 we all felt in this wild spot. We were face to face with 

 this unknown cascade, which we were, perhaps, the first 

 Europeans to contemplate. Behind us the mountain sides 

 seemed to unite and hem in the bed of the torrent. The 

 sun bathed with its rays that portion which was bordered 

 with large trees, among which kingfishers were skimming 

 about. One of these birds came and perched close to us — 

 its breast was white, its wings black on the upper side, and 

 its head-feathers dark green ; its stout, thick-set shape, and 

 its short tail, made Lucien remark that it looked like a mal- 

 formed creature. Always restless, it almost immediately 

 resumed its abrupt flight over the surface of the water, and 

 disappeared among the windings of the ravine. 



Lucien pointed out to me an immense willow, the 

 branches of which, drooping over the water, seemed to 

 have at their ends enormous gourd-shaped fruits. I recog- 

 nized in them the nests of those beautiful yellow birds, 

 spotted with black, which the Mexicans call calandres. To 

 convince Lucien of his mistake, TEncuerado threw a large 

 stone into the tree ; the missile fell from branch to branch, 

 and more than a hundred frightened birds flew out from 

 their curious retreats. At first they appeared much alarm- 

 ed ; but when this had subsided, they skimmed over the 

 water, or entered their impregnable habitations. 



We made our way down the ravine in hopes of finding a 

 resting-place less rugged, and after a long, winding, tedious 

 course, came upon a sheet of calm water, flowing over a 



