faithful Peter would not permit them to
be aroused upon any pretext whatsoever. As for the bitten man, he
suffered severely for several hours, the wounded limb swelling to about
three times its normal size, while acute pains shot through the whole of
his tortured body; but at length these gradually grew less, until he
sank into a state of coma which eventually became natural sleep, during
which the swollen limb gradually resumed its normal dimensions. When he
at length awoke, beyond being troubled with a dazed feeling and, of
course, a considerable amount of pain arising from the cauterisation of
the wound, he seemed to be little the worse for his adventure; and when
at length the party struck camp and resumed their march shortly after
mid-day, he was able to hobble along with the rest, although it was
found necessary to relieve him of all work during that day.

Such was the first adventure of the party in that terrible forest; but
there were others still worse to follow, as they soon found. Nothing
very particular, however, befell them on that second day's march, for
after their experiences of the previous day they were careful to conduct
their march with all due precaution, Inaguy leading the way and
industriously beating the grass before him with a long, slender switch,
while Dick and Earle, following him on either flank, did likewise. And
the wisdom of this method of procedure was manifested a dozen times or
more during the afternoon's march by sudden, quick scurrying sounds in
the grass immediately ahead, bearing witness to the fact that a lurking
snake had been startled and was effecting a hasty retreat.

When at length the time came to pitch camp for the night, the tactics of
the previous day were repeated, the grass being thoroughly burnt away
over an area spacious enough to accommodate the party. And here again
the wisdom of their action was made manifest; for when the ashes were
swept up for removal the shrivelled remains of several centipedes and
scorpions--some of them of quite unusual size--were found, which would
doubtless have given trouble had not the flames rendered them harmless.

It was well on toward mid-afternoon of their third day's march through
the forest when the explorers met with their next adventure. The total
absence of flowers in this forest has already been remarked upon, but
about the time named above it appeared as though this reproach was no
longer to apply. For, after pressing