almost miraculous deliverance.

CHAPTER XLI.

A BATCH OF CURIOUS TREES.

Of course the escape from danger so imminent, after the first moments
were over, produced a sort of reaction in the feelings of all and they
were now rather joyous than otherwise. But with all there was a mixture
of regret when they thought of the fate of little "titi." It had been
their only pet, and had grown to be such a favourite that its loss was
now mourned by every one, and its absence caused them to feel as though
one of the company had been left behind. Several times during that day
poor "titi" was the subject of conversation; indeed, they could hardly
talk about anything else. Little Leona was quite inconsolable; for the
pretty creature had loved Leona, and used to perch on her shoulder by
the hour, and draw her silken ringlets through its tiny hand, and place
its dainty little nose against the rich velvet of her cheek, and play
off all sorts of antics with her ears. Many an hour did "titi" and
Leona spend together. No wonder that the creature was missed.

During the whole of that day they travelled through a country covered
with dense forest. The river was a full half-mile wide, but sometimes
there were islands, and then the current became narrowed on each side,
so that in passing, the balza almost touched the trees on one side or
the other. They saw many kinds of trees growing together, and rarely a
large tract covered with any one species of timber, for this, as already
remarked, is a peculiarity of the Amazon forest.

Many new and curious trees were noticed, of which Don Pablo gave short
botanical descriptions to the others, partly to instruct them, and
partly to while away the hours. Guapo, at the rudder, listened to these
learned lectures, and sometimes added some information of his own about
the properties of the trees, and the uses to which they were put by the
Indians. This is what is termed the popular part of the science of
botany, and, perhaps, it is more important than the mere classification
of genera and species, which is usually all the information that you get
from the learned and systematic botanists.

Among the trees passed to-day was one called the "volador." This is a
large forest tree, with lobed leaves, of a heart-shape. But it is the
seeds which are curious, and which give to the tree the odd name of
"volador," or "flier." These seeds have each a pair of membranaceous and
striated wings, which, when