eaceably in Nan's arms, beside the
trunk of the mango. Mrs. Weldon, lying near her, gave a last kiss to
her little boy, and her tired eyes quickly closed for the night.

A few moments later Hercules brought back to the camp Cousin Benedict,
who had just gone off to commence a chase for pyrophores. They are
"cocuyos," or luminous flies, which the stylish put in their hair, like
so many living gems. These insects which throw a bright and bluish
light from two spots situated at the base of their corselet, are very
numerous in South America. Cousin Benedict then counted on making a
large collection, but Hercules did not leave him time, and, in spite of
his recriminations, the negro brought him to the halting-place. That
was because, when Hercules had orders, he executed them with military
preciseness, which, no doubt, prevented the incarceration of a notable
quantity of luminous flies in the entomologist's tin box.

A few moments after, with the exception of the giant, who was watching,
all were reposing in a profound sleep.

CHAPTER XVII.

A HUNDRED MILES IN TWO DAYS.

Generally, travelers or ramblers in the woods, who have slept in the
forests under the lovely stars, are awakened by howlings as fantastic
as disagreeable. There is everything in this morning concert: clucking,
grunting, croaking, sneering, barking, and almost "speaking," if one
may make use of this word, which completes the series of different
noises.

There are the monkeys who thus salute the daybreak. There we meet the
little "marikina," the marmoset with a speckled mask; the "mono gris,"
the skin of which the Indians use to recover the batteries of their
guns; the "sagous," recognizable from their long bunches of hair, and
many others, specimens of this numerous family.

Of these various four-handed animals, the most remarkable are decidedly
the "gueribas," with curling tails and a face like Beelzebub. When the
sun rises, the oldest of the band, with an imposing and mysterious
voice, sings a monotonous psalm. It is the baritone of the troop. The
young tenors repeat after him the morning symphony. The Indians say
then that the "gueribas" recite their _pater-nosters_.

But, on this day, it seemed that the monkeys did not offer their
prayer, for no one heard them; and, meanwhile, their voice is loud, for
it is produced by the rapid vibration of a kind of bony drum, formed by
a swelling of the hyoides bone in the neck.

In short, for one r