CHAPTER XIX. 



THE BLACK IGUANA. — ANOTHER COUNTRY. — REMINISCENCES 

 OF CHILDHOOD. — THE MIRAGE. A FIRE IN THE PLAIN. 



BY ten o'clock in the morning we had crossed some ris- 

 ing ground, and were passing through a narrow gorge 

 carpeted with ferns. Lucien headed the party, closely fol- 

 lowed by FEncuerado ; and led us on to a kind of rocky 

 staircase, down which, in the rainy season, water doubtless ■ 

 ly flowed. This steep path compelled us to halt several 

 times to recover our breath. The branches of the bushes 

 formed an archway over our heads, and their blossoms sur- 

 rounded us with their rich perfume. 



At length a rise in the ground impeded our path, and the 

 heat commenced to inconvenience us. The refraction of 

 light, especially, affected our eyes, and our feet raised per- 

 fect clouds of dust. Lucien, who had become quite an en- 

 during walker, throughout kept in front, and often gained 

 ground while we were stopping to take breath. Just as 

 we reached the ridge of the hill, I saw the boy, who was a 

 few yards in advance, suddenly cock his gun and fire. I ran 

 to him, but he disappeared down the slope, crying out to 

 me that he had shot a dragon ! 



I soon came up, and found the young sportsman stand- 

 ing in front of a magnificent black iguana — Cyclura acan- 

 thurob — which does, in fact, somewhat resemble the sup- 

 posed appearance of the fabulous animal described by the 



