the heavens.
The bright gleam became more and more vivid, but without at all dazzling
our eyes. A few birds might be heard uttering shrill cries; and the
falcons, who were making their way to their aeries, stopped for a moment
their rapid flight, and whirled round and round in space with an
undecided air.

"The wind will blow tremendously to-morrow," said l'Encuerado; "only
once before did I ever see the sky lighted up as it is to-night, and
then two days after there was a frightful hurricane, which demolished
most of the huts in our village."

"I think we shall get off with nothing but a south wind like that which
worried us the day we set off," said Sumichrast.

Wrongly or rightly, I attributed this phenomenon of light to the
position of the clouds. The intensity of the light decreased till it was
nothing but a glimmer. Night resumed its empire, and there was naught to
guide us back to our bivouac but the flame of our fire.

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[L] From the Greek [Greek: kathartes], "that which purifies." In fact,
this bird assists in cleansing the streets in towns where there is no
organization for the purpose.

[M] A celebrated Greek physician in the first century of the Christian
era.

[N] _Saccophorus Mexicanus._

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IX.

THE SOUTH WIND.--THE HURRICANE.--A FEARFUL NIGHT.--THE UPROOTED
GIANT.--THE SARSAPARILLA-PLANT.--GRINGALET DISCOVERS A SPRING.--OUR
BIVOUAC.

L'Encuerado's prediction seemed as if it was likely to be realized.
About three o'clock in the morning we were awakened by a hoarse roaring;
the trees seemed to shiver; sometimes the uproar appeared to grow less
and almost to cease, and then broke out again louder than ever. I
hastened to warm some coffee; but two or three times the intermittent
squalls scattered the burning fagots of our fire, and the hot ashes
nearly blinded us. This mishap was owing to the open glade being so near
to us, across which the wind rushed furious and unrestrained. Almost
before daylight appeared, I led my companions farther under the trees,
the state of the atmosphere making me feel very uncomfortable. The lofty
tree-tops, roughly shaken by the wind, showered down upon us a perfect
hail of twigs and dead leaves. We were almost deafened by the noise of
the clashing boughs; sad and silent we proceeded on our way, perceiving
no signs of any living creature, and in much trouble how we should
obtain our dinners.

Towards mid-