Through five republics on horseback : being an account of many wanderings in South America . returned from the royaltribe, who had offered to cut a way from theirside, and these two strangers were to assist us. With this additional help we again penetratedthe forest. The men cut with a will, and I drovethe horses after them. Black, howling monkeys,with long beards and grave countenances, leaptamong the trees. Red and blue macaws screechedoverhead, and many a large serpent received itsdeath-blow from our machetes. Sometimes wewere fortunate enough to secure a bees nest fullof honey, or find lus
Through five republics on horseback : being an account of many wanderings in South America . returned from the royaltribe, who had offered to cut a way from theirside, and these two strangers were to assist us. With this additional help we again penetratedthe forest. The men cut with a will, and I drovethe horses after them. Black, howling monkeys,with long beards and grave countenances, leaptamong the trees. Red and blue macaws screechedoverhead, and many a large serpent received itsdeath-blow from our machetes. Sometimes wewere fortunate enough to secure a bees nest fullof honey, or find luscious fruit. At times Istopped to admire a giant tree, eight or ten feetin diameter, or orchids of the most delicate hues,but the passage was hard and trying, and thestagnant air most difficult to breathe. The fallentree-trunks, over which we had to step, or goaround or under, were very numerous, and some-times we landed in a bed, not of roses, but ofthorns. Sloths and strange birds nests hungfrom the trees, while the mosquitos and insectsmade life almost unendurable. We were covered 174. PARAGUAYAN FOREST INDIAN. These dwarf men use a very long bow. while the Patagonian uses a short one. [175] Paraguay. with carapatas, bruised and torn, and almosteaten up alive with insects. Under the spreading branches of one of thelargest trees we came upon an abandoned In-dian camp. This, I was told, had belonged tothe little men of the woods, hairy dwarfs, afew of whom inhabit the depths of the forest, andkill their game with blow-pipes. Of course wesaw none of the poor creatures. Their scent isas keen as an animals; they are agile as monkeys,and make off to hide in the hollow trunks oftrees, or bury themselves in the decaying vegeta-tion until danger is past. Poor pigmy! Whatplace will he occupy in the life that is to be? 177 CHAPTER REACH THE SUN-WORSHIPPERS. After some days journey we heard shouts,and knew that, like entombed miners, we werebeing dug out on the other side! The Cain
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectsoutham, bookyear1915
