ravellers; so much so, that they resolved to exercise their limbs by
taking a short stroll; and, having finished their late dinner they set
out. They all went together, leaving the balza and camp to take care of
themselves.

After walking a few hundred yards their ears were assailed by a confused
noise, as if all the animals in the forest had met and were holding a
_conversazione_. Some low bushes prevented them from seeing what it
meant, but on pushing their way through, they saw whence and from what
sort of creatures the noise proceeded.

Standing out in the open ground was a large and tall juvia-tree. Its
spreading branches were loaded with great globes as big as human heads--
each one, of course, full of delicious nuts. These were now ripe, and
some of them had already fallen to the ground.

Upon the ground an odd scene presented itself to the eyes of our
travellers. Between birds and animals assembled there, there were not
less than a dozen kinds, all as busy as they could be.

First, then, there were animals of the rodent kind. These were pacas
(_Coelogenus paca_), agoutis (_Chloromys_), and capivaras. The pacas
were creatures a little larger than hares, and not unlike them, except
that their ears were shorter. They were whitish on the under parts, but
above were of a dark brown colour, with rows of white spots along each
side. They had whiskers like the cat, consisting of long white
bristles; and their tails, like those of hares, were scarcely visible.
The agoutis bore a considerable resemblance to the pacas. Like these,
they are also rodent animals, but less in size; and instead of being
spotted, they are of a nearly uniform dark colour mixed with reddish
brown. Both pacas and agoutis are found in most parts of tropical
America. There are several species of each, and with the chinchillas
and viscachas already described, they occupy the place in those regions
that the hares and rabbits do in northern climates. Indeed, European
settlers usually know them by the names of hare or rabbit, and hunt them
in the same way. The flesh of most species is very good eating, and
they are therefore much sought after both by the natives and colonists.
Along with these, near the juvia-tree, were several capivaras, already
noticed. But still more singular creatures on the ground were the
monkeys. Of these there were different kinds; but that which first drew
the attention of our party was the great Capuchin monk