CHAPTER XXXII. 



THE KING OP THE VULTURES. THE TICKS. l'eNCUERADO 



FRIGHTENED BY A DEMON. THE TAPIRS. GOOD-BYE TO 



THE STREAM. THE PUMA'S PREY. A MISERABLE NIGHT. 



OUR DEPARTURE. THE SAVANNAH. LUCIEN CARRIED 



IN A LITTER. HUNGER AND THIRST. WE ABANDON OUR 



BAGGAGE AND PETS IN DESPAIR. 



nr^HE next morning l'Encuerado started alone on the 

 J- raft ; for we had resolved to cross the savannah on foot, 

 and thus escape, for an hour or two, the insects which took 

 advantage of our forced immobility in order to bleed us at 

 their leisure. 



Flocks of black vultures hovered high up in the, sky, 

 bending their course towards a spot not very far from the 

 river bed. Our curiosity led us in that direction, and in a 



