are, of course, many other venomous serpents in the country. They
seldom attack people, however, unless trodden on; but numerous as are
the serpents of South America, they generally keep away from the haunts
of men.

We had proceeded, as far as I could judge, about half-way between Padre
Pacheco's house and our own, when Kanimapo, pointing to a range of
mountains in the west, told us that we must now turn in that direction.
We accordingly followed him, hoping to get some way up the mountains
before nightfall.

We had gone some distance farther, when my father observed my mother
looking very ill; and she confessed that she was suffering greatly from
the heat, and feared that she should not be able much longer to sit her
horse. On this he called a halt, and we looked about for some place
where we might bivouac. We fixed on a small open space entirely
surrounded by shrubs thickly entwined with creepers, which would afford
us shelter and concealment. On one side ran a stream bordered by reeds,
and apparently not very deep.

We at once set to work to cut down boughs to form a hut for my mother
and sister. We bound the tops of the branches together with sepos, and
then thatched it with large palm-leaves, which would effectually keep
out the rain should any fall. Working with a will, the operation did
not take us as long as might be supposed; and a very complete hut was
constructed, with walls which no jaguar or puma could break through, or
any ordinary-sized snake or other animal penetrate. The only creatures
it could not keep out were the mosquitoes; but as my mother had
thoughtfully brought some mosquito-curtains, we were able to set those
tormenting creatures at defiance.

The hut was finished, and Chumbo was at a little distance cutting
firewood when we heard him shriek out, "A snake! a snake! I am bitten!"

Kanimapo instantly ran towards him. "Let me see the wound," he said.
Chumbo showed where the snake had bitten his leg; when Kanimapo produced
a small bottle from his waist-belt, and poured a few drops from it into
the wound. He then desired Chumbo to swallow a little of the decoction
which he gave him. "You will suffer no harm from the bite," he added;
"and if you see another snake, cut off its head and bring it to me."
Chumbo, on hearing this, soon recovered his calmness, and in a short
time returned to the camp with a large bundle of wood.

Not having much confidence in the antidote, we expected to