A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



239 



we all sheltered ourselves as well as we could, and dreamt 

 of our next day's adventures. 



Day-break found us all up, and already comforted with a 

 cup of coffee. We had been troubled during the night by 

 mosquitoes ; but they were only the harbingers of the le- 

 gions which* are before us. Lucien, full of impatience, 

 could not take his eyes off the entrance of the cave, and fol- 

 lowed all our movements with anxiety. A hollow stone 

 which l'Encuerado had found was filled with fat, a morsel 

 of linen served as a wick, and our make-shift lamp soon 

 burned and gave forth light. 



As the branches which were to serve as torches were be- 

 ing distributed, I noticed that a yellow and transparent drop 

 had formed at the end of each. This gum, by its odor and 

 color, has given to the tree which produces it the name of 

 liquid amber. At last, followed by my companions, I en- 

 tered the cave ; l'Encuerado placed the lamp on the edge 

 of the pit, and the bats which had been disturbed the even- 

 ing before again commenced their whirling flight. 



Preceded by Sumichrast, I ventured down to the bot- 

 tom of the pit. A narrow passage led from it into a vast 

 chamber, the more distant parts of which we could not dis- 

 cern on account of the darkness. While my friend was ex- 

 ploring, I returned for Lucien. The lamp, thanks to the 

 Indian's skill, was safely let down without extinguishing 

 the light ; lastly l'Encuerado himself made his appearance. 

 Passing along the narrow passage, I soon perceived Sumi- 

 chrast, who looked like some fantastic apparition as he 

 shook his torch over his head, endeavoring to see through 

 the darkness w r hich enveloped us. 



The lamp being set down at the entrance of the passage, 

 each of us took a lighted torch, and advanced at a slow 

 pace. Sumichrast and the Indian skirted the wall to the 

 left, while I walked along the wall to the right. Our smoky 



