414 THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



" We should be in danger if we staid here till the rainy 

 season." 



" How that tree is loaded with fruit !' said Lucien, inter- 

 mpting me. 



"They ar6 the Mexican medlars. To-morrow we will 

 come and gather some of them. Five or six different 

 species of their genus grow in these virgin forests. These 

 beautiful trees produce various fruit, which is more or less 

 in request. That which has attracted your attention — the 

 Sapota achras — is especially well known. It is considered 

 the most wholesome of all the tropical fruits ; and from the 

 trunk of the tree oozes out the white gum called chicle, 

 which the inhabitants of the Terre-Chaude and the Terre^ 

 Temperee are so fond of chewing." 



The night overtook us just as we were discussing a 

 haunch of venison roasted by PEnenerado. A distant roar- 

 ing told us that we were surrounded by wild beasts ; but we 

 had every confidence in our two fires and the screen which 

 FEncuerado had constructed ; so we went quietly to sleep, 

 although we were awakened several times by a renewal of 

 their frightful uproar. 



