table substances; but all have the same
unsightly and repulsive appearance. The odour of some kinds is
extremely fetid and disagreeable. Notwithstanding this, they are eaten
by many tribes of Indians, and even the French Creoles of Guiana have
their "bat-soup," which they relish highly. The proverb "_De gustibus
non disputandum est_" seems to be true for all time. The Spanish
Americans have it in the phrase "_Cada uno a su gusto;" "Chacun a son
gout_," say the French; and on hearing these tales about "ant-paste,"
and "roast monkey," and "armadillo done in the shell," and "bat-soup,"
you, boy reader, will not fail to exclaim "Every one to his liking."

The vampire appeared to be to Guapo's liking. It was now his turn to
keep watch, and as the rest of them got into their hammocks, and lay
awake for a while, they saw him take up the bat, spit it upon a forked
stick, and commence broiling it over the fire. Of course _he ate it_!

When morning came, and they had got up, what was their astonishment to
see no less than fourteen bats lying side by side! They were dead, of
course: Guapo had killed them all during his watch. They had appeared
at one period of the night in alarming numbers, and Guapo had done
battle manfully without awaking anybody.

Another curious tableau came under their notice shortly after. Just as
they were about to embark, a singular-looking tree was observed growing
near the bank of the river. At first they thought the tree was covered
with birds'-nests, or pieces of some kind of moss. Indeed, it looked
more like a tree hung over with rags than anything else. Curiosity led
them to approach it. What was their astonishment to find that the
nests, moss, or rags, were neither more nor less than a vast assemblage
of bats suspended, and asleep! They were hanging in all possible
positions; some with their heads down, some by the claws upon either
wing, and some by both, while a great many had merely hooked over the
branch the little horny curvature of their tails. Some hung down along
the trunk, suspended by a crack in the bark, while others were far out
upon the branches.

It was certainly the oddest "roost" that any of the party (Guapo,
perhaps, excepted) had ever witnessed; and, after gazing at it for some
time, they turned away without disturbing the sleepers, and getting on
board once more, floated adown the stream swiftly and silently.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

THE MARIMONDAS.

That