why we have to be so careful," I answered.

"Do you think any one will hurt us?"

"The mere sight of our weapons might inspire the Indians with a desire
of obtaining them; in a spot where every one can do as he likes, there
is nothing to prevent them stripping us and sending us away naked."

"They are not Christians, then?"

"Ah, Chanito, they ought to be," muttered the Indian.

And, taking off his load, we soon lost sight of him among the
under-brush.

Under any other circumstances, Lucien's frightened look, when he saw us
take so many precautions in approaching a human dwelling, would have
amused; but, so far from doing so now, we listened anxiously for the
least sound.

At last we heard l'Encuerado's loud and welcome "Hiou! hiou!" The hut
was perfectly empty.

After an hour's rest, passed by the boy in rambling round it, I gave the
word for starting again. The Indian took the lead, following the still
visible traces of a footpath. The hut, hardly large enough to hold three
persons, seemed more like a temporary shelter than a settled dwelling;
l'Encuerado, who was a great authority in such matters, was of opinion
that it was only an offshoot to a larger settlement. After a tolerably
long walk, another footpath crossed the one we were following; on its
surface we noticed prints of naked feet--even those of women and
children. But although we carefully examined the horizon, nothing but
the immense white uninterrupted plain bathed in sunshine greeted our
vision.

This prospect somewhat damped our ardor. Ever since the morning, we had
been walking on in the hopes of meeting with a human dwelling. We had
scarcely eaten any thing, and hunger and thirst were added to the
disappointment we had met with. Lucien proposed to hollow out a
_viznaga_ to sleep in--a project in which he was encouraged by
l'Encuerado's telling him that we might have the luxury of a window, and
could keep off wild beasts by filling up the entrance with thorny
_cierges_. It may readily be understood how much the idea of bivouacking
inside a plant pleased the fancy of our young companion; and perhaps we
should have assisted in realizing his wish, if the barking of a dog had
not attracted our attention; so we recommenced our march in better
spirits. A rapid descent brought us near a number of tree-ferns, a
change of vegetation which we looked upon as a good omen. L'Encuerado
continued to follow the footpath, until he suddenly stopped on a gent