nning into the hut, returned with a large needle. "Now, sit
quiet, Senor John, and do not cry out, and I will soon cure you."

Maria sat down, and taking John's foot on her knee, instantly began to
work away with as much skill as the most experienced surgeon. We all
stood by watching her. After a little time she produced between her
finger and thumb a creature considerably smaller than an ordinary flea,
which she had taken out alive and uninjured. Giving it a squeeze, she
threw it to the ground with an expression of anger at its having dared
to molest her young master; and thus in a very short time she had
extracted three or four insects from each of his feet. We had meantime
begun to feel something uncomfortable in ours, and on Maria's examining
them, we found that a chego had taken possession of each of our big
toes. The chego is a black little creature, which makes its way quietly
under the skin, where, having got to a sufficient depth, it lays its
eggs, and unless removed immediately, causes annoying and dangerous
ulcers. Ours were not there when we started to look for John, and by
this time they had worked their way completely out of sight. After that
we carefully examined our legs and feet every night before going to bed,
as during the time we were asleep they would have made themselves
completely at home in our flesh, with house, nursery, and children to
boot.

Next morning, our feet being once more in good order, we put on thick
socks, and our alpargates over them, and John and I with our guns,
Arthur with his bow and spear, accompanied by True, and led by Duppo,
took our way through the forest. I kept True close to me; for after the
experience we had had, I was afraid of his encountering a jaguar, or
peccary, or boa, knowing, however formidable the creature might be, he
to a certainty would attack it. I need not again describe the forest
scenery. After going on for some time we stopped to lunch, when Arthur,
who was at a little distance, called out to me. "Come here, Harry," he
said, "and look at this curious wooden caterpillar." On joining him, I
found on a leaf the head of a caterpillar projecting out of a wooden
case fully two inches long. It was secured to the leaf by several
silken lines. I took it up and examined it. There could be no doubt
that the case was the work of art, and not a natural growth, and that it
was formed of small pieces of stick fastened together with fine silken
thread