My Armadillo Makes Its Escape. 
17 
1 foot 5 inches and was 8 inclies thick : probably it is only a variety of 
Pygocentrus nigcr. Unfortunately the small size of my spirit-container 
did not permit of my taking- a specimen with me . The tasty Colite of the 
Arawaks, Corntto of the iVIakiisis { Plati/stoiiid tigriimni) was bron<;ht to 
us in extraordinary quantities. One of tliem wcii^liiny 1(>^ 11). measured 
2 feet 11 inches in lenjith and 1 foot 8 inches in circumference. For me, 
independently of its generally tasty flesli, it was always an extremely 
welcome dish, because except for its few ril)S it hardly possesses any 
bones: a property tliat is worth double to a hungry stomach. 
43. The cooking pots of our Indians did not come off the fire during 
our stay in camp: when one of these was emptied, it soon returned re- 
filled to the burning wood-stack. Hew I first learnt wliat an Indian, 
when tlie will cori-esponds witli tlie supply, can do in tlie eating line. 
On several occasions I saw them collected round the pot 3 or 4 times 
within .5 to 6 hours, consuming the last feed witli the same zest that tliey 
started witli. 
44. As the real meal time fell mostly between sunset and sunrise, 
the women, who had nothing to do during the course of the day, hurried 
into the forested borders of the Eiver to collect the ripe fruits of the 
Maiiritia or Psidium as well as other edible products wliich they would 
then consume lying in their hammocks, and so while the time away. 
45. Already on the second day after our arrival, a quantity of pro- 
visions, cassava as well as yams, plantains, and potatoes were brought 
to us from the Indians living at the foot of Ilamikipang. The sellers were 
ujy old friends from (Mnata-kiu village, where 1 had been present at the 
preparation of Urari. One of the boys l)njught me an armadillo 
(Dasijpiis rillosiifi Des.) wliich he had surprised on his way across 
the savannah . To prevent its escape I tied a string fast to its foot, but 
hardly had we left it unnoticed than in a short time, through the unusual 
muscular strength of the front claws, it had buried itself so deep in the 
hard ground, that it was already out of sight. Although we could still 
seize the hind-feet, the Indians who tried their* luck nevertheless did not 
succeed in pulling the animal out; it seemed so tightly jammed against 
the walls of the excavation that they might have brought out the torn-off 
hind foot before they extracted its owrer. So as not to torment the 
anxious creature any further, T gave it its lil ortv, an act with which mv 
helpers did not appear to be at all in agreement, because with it one of 
•■heir most favourite tit-bits had escaned them. The rapidity with which 
the armadillo buries itself in the cround especially when scenting an 
enemy in the neighbourhood has often aroused my astonishment since: 
three minutes, even when the ground is not holey, is sufficient for it to 
hide. During the digging it scratcbes the ground loose with its fore- 
elaws and scrapes it b^ck -»^ itb the hind ones in such a way that the 
funnel is at the same time closed . 
46. The wailing and whistling of a Inrd that could be heard in the 
thickets, equally as well during the course of the day as at night had 
already aroused my curiosity the very first hour after pitching camp 
without my even succeeding in seeing it, for it always kept (piiet as 
soon as it noticed the rifle. It was only by claiming the help of an 
B 2. 
