A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



189 



enemies, for one had nearly bitten off his hand while he was 

 bathing. The turf-carpeted bank soon led us into the thick 

 forest again. We had been walking for more than an hour 

 through a perfect labyrinth of gigantic trees, and over a 

 bare and yet rich soil — for it is only in the glades that the 

 ground is covered with grass — when l'Encuerado heard the 

 call of a small species of pheasant peculiar to this country. 



" Bend towards the left to get near the game," said Su- 

 michrast, in a low voice ; " and, whatever you do, don't shake 

 the foliage." 



"We're all right now, ' muttered l'Encuerado; "listen ! 

 I'll predict that we shall have a good dinner to-day." 



The Indian laid down his load, which Sumichrast and 

 Lucien took charge of, while I followed the former behind 

 the trees. My companion soon went a little in front, and 

 imitated the cry of the bird we were pursuing, so as to 

 make them answer, and thus show us where they were hid- 

 den. The imitation was really so perfect that I moved to- 

 wards it, thinking to find the bird, and of course came upon 

 the Indian lying in ambush. This same mistake had happen- 

 ed to me before with Sumichrast, who imitated the voice of 

 birds almost as well as the Indian. At last his cry pro- 

 duced an answer, and at about a hundred yards from us, on 

 the top of a not very tall oak, were perched three enormous 

 pheasants. 



Bent down and crawling behind the trees, I joined l'En- 

 cuerado, keeping my eye fixed on the game, which stretched 

 out their necks with an anxious look, and seemed to be list- 

 ening. Two gun-shots went off at once ; one of the birds 

 fell dead at our feet, and the two others flew away. One 

 of these fugitives flew high above the tree-tops, but the 

 other, being wounded, was unable to follow its companion ; 

 I darted off in pursuit, making sure of bagging it. The 

 poor bird reached the ground and tried hard to run ; I w r as 



