A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



351 



from a heap of dry palm-leaves, presented to me a splendid 

 broad-brimmed ha't, which he had just made. 



The next day and the day after were spent in hunting 

 after specimens, and our boxes were soon filled up and pack- 

 ed. I explained to Torribio, who was to start at day-break, 

 how to handle the cases, and then intrusted to him letters 

 which were to announce our early return. Lucien had writ- 

 ten to his dear mother and his sister Hortense, and he had 

 to open his letter at least twenty times to add postscripts, 

 often dictated by PEncuerado. 



In the evening we bade adieu to our kind hosts, for we 

 were to start early. Thanks to them, we had renewed our 

 stock of salt, rice, coffee, sugar, and maize-cake. In default 

 of black pepper, we took with us some red capsicums ; but 

 the most precious of our acquisitions was the powder and 

 shot I had received in exchange for the telescope. 



On the next morning I learned that Torribio was already 

 on his way towards Puebla. He had started about mid- 



