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Updated: May 8, 2025
As I stood watching the frail bark gliding away, two herons perched upon it, and it soon glided out of sight laden with its winged passengers. We were all ready to start; the "Tapir River," as Lucien had named it, we bid adieu to with three hurrahs, and our little party set off, following Sumichrast, who carried Master Job perched on his shoulder.
Sumichrast showed Lucien that the woodpecker, aided by its wedge-shaped beak, could, in case of need, rip up the bark under which its prey was to be found; that his tongue, covered with spines bending backward, is well adapted to seize the larvæ; and, lastly, that the stiff and elastic feathers of its tail afford it a very useful support in the exercise of its laborious vocation.
"It is not for nothing that it bears the name of Hercules," replied Sumichrast, smiling; "as you have just found out, it is as remarkable for its strength as for its size. It is a native of Brazil, and is only occasionally found in Mexico." "Do they always travel in flocks like this?" "No; the occurrence is so rare that I shall make a note of it."
Sumichrast led the way, and conducted us towards the lake I had mentioned to him the day before. L'Encuerado caught hold of my arm to call my attention to an enormous animal moving about in the midst of the foliage. The animal came down slowly, and we could only see it indistinctly. At last it reached the lower branches.
Another half-hour's climbing brought us to the verge of the forest. Suddenly I lost sight of Gringalet. I called him several times, and at last he emerged from a clump of shrubs, with his tail and muzzle wet. Sumichrast rushed in search of the water, and soon cried out to us in a joyous voice "A spring! a spring!" We all tried who could get to it first.
Come this way, Chanito, but don't run or turn round. Do you see that tree that stands in front of us? Not so far that way that one we were just going to pass under. Look at the wonderful fruit it has on it!" "It is the puma!" exclaimed the boy. "That's pleasant!" muttered Sumichrast. "Then there are two pumas." "No, no, Tata Sumichrast, it is the same one. Aim between its eyes, Chanito; fire!"
Sumichrast explained to the young naturalist that tree-frogs have sticky disks on their feet, and by the aid of this mechanism they could move about on leaves and even on smooth surfaces. "In Europe," he added, "the peasants shut them up in bottles half full of water, and assert that the animal predicts good or bad weather by either coming up to the top or keeping under the water.
We heard Sumichrast give a call, to which Lucien answered, and the disappointed hunter joined us. "What did you fire at?" he inquired of me. "At a fox, which I missed; were you chasing it?" "No; I caught sight of a doe and its fawn, but I could not get near them." "And where is l'Encuerado?" "He wanted to shoot some bird, so as not to come back quite empty-handed." "Chanito! Hiou! Hiou!
Raising his intelligent face, he seemed as if he wished to question us, and pricked up his ears as if to listen to the sound of the horse's feet dying away in the distance. At last he raised a plaintive howl, and started off in pursuit. Surprised at not seeing l'Encuerado, I turned back, fancying he had remained behind. I was expecting to see him appear, when Sumichrast burst out laughing.
I cried, angrily. "Don't you think it is nice, Tatita?" "It's perfectly filthy; you've poisoned us!" But I soon recognized the smell of a kind of coriander with which the Indians occasionally saturate their food. Sumichrast, like me, had not got beyond the first mouthful; but Lucien, who shared to some extent l'Encuerado's weakness for the culantro, was having quite a feast.
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