ch did look very nice; but Ellen and Arthur both begged
to have some of the birds, with the addition of some roasted plantains
and farinha cakes. We made a very substantial meal, John and I agreeing
that the big _macaco_ was very nice food. Domingos thought so also, as
he had claimed a joint as his own share.

I was awoke at night by hearing a strange rushing noise round my head,
and raising it above the hammock I caught sight of numberless dark
creatures with huge wings which kept sweeping round and round here and
there through the verandah. Presently one of them pitched on the clew
of my hammock. There was sufficient light from the bright stars to see
its shape, and I beheld a creature with large ears standing out from the
sides and top of its head, a spear-shaped appendage on the tip of its
nose, while a pair of glittering black eyes and a grinning mouth gave it
the appearance of a little imp. Presently it expanded its large wings
and floated towards my head. I could stand this no longer, and singing
out, dealt it a blow with my palm which sent it flying away. The cry
awoke my companions, who jumped out of their hammocks, wondering what
was the matter. We were quickly engaged in driving out the intruders,
which we now discovered to be vampire bats. "Hillo!" cried Arthur,
"what is the matter with my foot? There is blood flowing from it!" We
found that one of the creatures had been sucking his too. John bound it
up, and in a short time tranquillity was restored, and we were all soon
in our hammocks. Hideous as these creatures appear, they are harmless,
as the puncture they make is but slight, and the wound quickly heals.
They showed their sense by selecting our hut for their night quarters,
as they there found themselves more secure from the beasts which prey on
them than in their abodes in the forest.

In the morning we examined several we had knocked down. They measured
twenty-eight inches across the wings, which were of a leathery
consistency, the bodies being covered with grey hair. We found their
stomachs filled with the pulp and seeds of fruits, with the remains of a
few insects only.

Our new friend Nimble soon became reconciled to his lot. Though he took
food readily enough from Arthur, and by degrees let Ellen and Maria
stroke his back, when any one else came near him he clambered up as high
as he could reach into the roof. He soon discovered that True could not
climb up to his perch, and in