ed to him to be "done to a turn," and with
his _machete_ in one hand, and a forked stick in the other, he was just
bending forward to lift it off the fire, when, to his horror, the ground
was felt to move beneath him, causing him to stagger, and almost
throwing him from his feet! Before he could recover himself, the surface
again heaved up, and a loud report was heard, like the explosion of some
terrible engine. Then another upheaval--another report--the ground
opened into a long fissure--the staging of palms, and the half-burned
cinders, and the charred monkey, were flung in all directions, and Guapo
himself went sprawling upon his back!

Was it an earthquake? So thought the others, who were now on their feet
running about in great consternation--the females screaming loudly. So,
too, thought Guapo for the moment.

Their belief in its being an earthquake, however, was of short duration.
The shocks continued; the dried mud flew about in large pieces, and the
burnt wood and splinters were showered in the air. The smoke of these
covered the spot, and prevented a clear view; but through the smoke the
terrified spectators could perceive that some large body was in
motion--apparently struggling for life! In another moment it broke
through the bending stratum of mud, causing a long rift, and there was
displayed before their eyes the hideous form of a gigantic crocodile!

Though not quite so terrible as an earthquake, it was a fearful monster
to behold. It was one of the largest, being nearly twenty feet in
length, with a body thicker than that of a man. Its immense jaws were of
themselves several feet long, and its huge tusks, plainly seen, gave it
a most frightful appearance. Its mouth was thrown open, as though it
gasped for air, and a loud bellowing proceeded from its throat that
sounded like a cross between the grunting of a hog and the lowing of a
bull.

The air was filled with a strong musky odour, which emanated from the
body of the animal; and, what with the noise made by the crocodile
itself, the screams and shouts of the party, the yelling of the various
birds--for they, too, had taken up the cue--there was for some moments
an utter impossibility of any voice being heard above the rest. It was,
indeed, a scene of confusion. Don Pablo and his companions were running
to and fro--Guapo was tumbling about where he had fallen--and the great
lizard was writhing and flapping his tail, so that pots, pans,
half-burnt fag