w that our people would be uneasy about our
long absence. I feared, moreover, that Harry and Cudjo might come in
search of us; and they, being on foot and not able to climb quickly
enough to a tree, might fall victims to these fierce creatures. I
determined, therefore, at length to try what effect a shot or two might
have upon the herd.

"I again descended amongst the lowermost branches, to make sure of my
aim, and commenced firing. Each time I selected an animal, aiming as
nearly as I could for its heart. I fired five times, and at every shot
one of the peccaries was seen to bite the dust; but the rest, instead of
being frightened by the fearful havoc I was making among them, only
trampled over the bodies of their dead companions, grunting more
fiercely than ever, and rushing against the trunk with their hoofed
feet, as though they would climb up it.

"As I returned to load my rifle for the sixth time, I found to my
consternation that I had but one bullet left! This I rammed into the
gun, which I again discharged among the peccaries, and another of them
lay stretched upon the ground. But all to no purpose was this
slaughter--the animals seemed to be quite regardless of death.

"I knew of no other method to drive them away, and I now returned to the
upper branches where I had left my companion, and sat down beside him.
We could do no more than wait with patience--in hopes that the night
might call off our strange besiegers. Although we could hear them below
us, still uttering their wild cries, and scratching against the trunk of
the tree, we now paid them no more attention, but sat quietly upon our
perch, confiding in the hand of Providence to deliver us.

"We had been seated thus but a very short while, when all at once we
became conscious that there was a bitter smoke rising around us. At
first we had taken it for the smoke which had been produced by the
firing of the rifle and which had hung for some time about the tree.
Now we knew it could not be that, for it was growing thicker and
thicker, and we noticed that it had a smell very different from that of
burnt powder. Moreover, it produced a stifling, choking sensation,
causing us to cough, and rub our eyes with the pain. On looking
downward, I was unable to see either the ground or the peccaries; but I
could perceive a thick cloud rising up all around the tree. I could
hear the voices of the fierce brutes, loud as ever; but they appeared to
be scatte