and to-morrow
morning there is no doubt several will be found missing."

"But cannot the monsters be caught or killed?" I asked. "Surely it is
foolish in the herdsmen to allow the cattle to be killed with impunity."

"Who would venture to do it?" exclaimed the Indian with a look of
horror. "Besides, I told you, Senor, that no one has seen them near
enough to observe their form; and sure I am that neither stones cast
from slings, nor arrows shot from bows, nor bullets from guns, would
pierce their hides."

"I should like to encounter one of these monsters," I replied. "A ball
from a good rifle would soon enable me to judge what they are like."

"May Heaven protect you from such an adventure!" answered the Indian.

"If I ever return here, we will see."

I said this because I very much doubted the existence of the monsters he
spoke of, and suspected that the moanings we heard arose most probably
from some of the cattle which had sunk into the marshes near the lake,
and were unable to extricate themselves. In every part of the world
where I have since been, I have heard similar legends, and have in most
instances been able to discover a very probable explanation of the
mystery.

The rays of the sun were shining on the waters of the lake as we passed
one end of it the next morning, and it now wore a far more cheerful
aspect than it had done on the previous evening. The two next days of
our journey were one continual descent, and we were now approaching the
ruined village, near which the body of the faithful Ithulpo was said to
have been discovered, and in which I supposed my parents had taken
refuge.

I could no longer attend to any of Pedro's remarks, but rode on sadly
and moodily, dreading to find the truth of the dreadful report I had
heard, confirmed, yet not daring to believe in its possibility. It was
now necessary to proceed with great caution, for we were in a part of
the country which had been inhabited chiefly by Spaniards; but we found
that they had all fled or been destroyed, and the blackened ruins of
farm-houses and hamlets met our sight every league we proceeded. Here
and there we encountered an Indian, of whom Pedro made inquiries; but
from no one could we obtain information to guide us.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

DREADFUL SURMISES--TAKEN PRISONERS BY INDIANS.

We were passing over a somewhat level country, when Pedro pointed to a
line of blackened walls and charred timbers in the distance.