A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



435 



tered in every direction in a most precipitous flight. The 

 monkey I had aimed at seemed only wounded, when, as I 

 was going to fire a second time, it slid down and fell dead 

 at our feet; its young one, which we had not at first 

 perceived, was sitting upon a limb about ten feet from 

 the ground, uttering low, and almost inaudible, plaintive 

 cries. 



In a quarter of an hour the animal was skinned and hung 

 in front of a large fire. While I was superintending # the 

 cookery, the young one moaned incessantly, and my com- 

 panion tried every persuasion to coax it down. Urged by 

 Lucien, I ascended the tree, and tried to catch hold of the 

 motherless little creature. No doubt it was paralyzed by 

 fear, for it only showed its teeth, and allowed me to place 

 it on my shoulder. It clung to my hair and wound its tail 

 round my neck, as I descended, and I was in fear every 

 moment of feeling one of my ears bitten. Nothing of the 

 sort happened, for the poor brute's teeth chattered with 

 fear ; I placed it close to the fire, where it immediately re- 

 sumed its lamentations. Then, by means of a flexible creep- 

 er, I secured it round the middle of the body and tied it to 

 a bush. 



When we had satisfied our appetite on the dark and 

 tough monkey's flesh, I proposed to Lucien a fresh start. 



" Shall we take our little captive with us ?" he asked. 



" Yes, certainly. It will be a resource for our supper, in 

 case we do not fall in with our friends." 



" Oh no," cried the boy ; " let us at least put off killing 

 it till to-morrow." 



I hastened my pace, carrying on my shoulder our new 

 companion, whom we at once dubbed " Master Job." 



I examined more carefully than ever the ground and the 

 bark of the trees, seeking for any thing which might direct 

 our course. With a sickly feeling at my heart, I saw the 



