und and fell over. A lizard it was which
the animal was washing before devouring--a peculiar and inexplicable
habit to which it owes its name. It had a gray coat, and a tapering
muzzle like that of an opossum.

The agouara (_Procyon cancrivorus_) is frequently met with in Mexico. It
is closely allied to the Bear family, but is much smaller and more
active, and is both carnivorous and insectivorous. It climbs trees with
ease, and, whenever it takes up its abode near any habitation, makes
incessant raids upon poultry. It is tamed without difficulty, and will
run to meet its master, and seems to value his caresses; yet, like the
squirrel, which it resembles in its vivacity, it will suddenly bite
the hand of any one who feeds it. The flesh of this animal is white,
tender, and savory.

[Illustration: "Following in Indian file, we ascended the course of the
stream."]

L'Encuerado had dug up some dahlia roots, which he baked under the
ashes; but either this food was not exactly to our taste, or our still
irritated palates could not appreciate its delicacy.

Night came on, and the sky was full of gray clouds violently driven by
the wind, although just round us the trees remained quite motionless. It
was now too late to construct a hut, and we all stretched ourselves,
without other covering than the canopy of heaven, on beds of dry moss.

I woke up perished with cold; not a star appeared in the sky. Of the
uneasiness produced by the euphorbia plants, nothing now remained but a
sense of weight in the head and a slight inflammation in the throat. I
tried to go to sleep again, and fell at length into a kind of painful
torpor. I fancied I heard birds of prey crying, and a roaring noise in
the recesses of the forest. I got up with a view of driving away this
nightmare; but it was not a dream; the day was just breaking, and the
birds were welcoming its advent with many a clamorous note. A dull roar,
like that of a gale of wind rattling through a forest, resounded louder
and louder. I called Sumichrast and l'Encuerado; the latter at once
shouted out in horror--

"The torrent!"

Seizing Lucien, I carried him in my arms, while the Indian hastily
gathered together all our travelling gear that lay scattered around.
With powerful efforts I soon reached the top of the steep bank, followed
by my companions and Gringalet. Lucien, suddenly disturbed in his sleep,
scarcely had time to know what had happened. A furious uproar perfectly
d