that I had
decided not to do so.

"Oh, Chanito! I pity the poor tigers; what a number of them you will
kill!" exclaimed the old hunter. "What beautiful skins you will be able
to take home to mamma! Come, let me handle your gun; it looks as if it
was made on purpose for you. Oh! how I pity the poor tigers!"

And he began to dance about with the energy of delight.

[Illustration]

It was decided that the gun should always be loaded by us, and that
Lucien should only shoot under our directions. I also added that, at the
least infringement of these rules, the gun would be taken away, and the
little fellow well knew I would keep my word. In vain I advised him to
put back his gun into the basket; but this was almost too much to
expect, so I allowed him to carry it, which he did with great pride.

[Illustration: "Behind us opened a dark, narrow ravine, with
perpendicular sides."]

After a good breakfast, we regulated our compasses. Lucien said
good-bye to his little companions, and I thanked the Indian women for
all their attention to us. Our host, however, accompanied us to the
summit of the mountain.

There we found ourselves in a vast amphitheatre, commanded on all sides
by wooded ridges; at our feet stretched the plateau we had just crossed,
and far beneath us we caught indistinct glimpses of the plain below.
Behind us opened a dark, narrow ravine, with perpendicular sides, almost
like an immense wall. Above us was the pale blue sky, dotted over with
vultures.

On the verge of the forest our guide parted from us with regret, and
wished us a successful journey. Sumichrast loaded Lucien's gun, and told
him to fire it off as a salute on our entering the wilderness. The shot
was fired, the echoes reverberating in succession, each louder than the
last; then all was once more silent. After casting a last look over the
valley, I was the first to make my way into the forest. From this moment
we had only God's providence and our own exertions to trust to; for
every step we advanced only took us farther from the haunts of men.

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[E] In the Aztec language, _cihuatl_ signifies "woman," and _cohuatl_
signifies "serpent."

[F] The Indians that inhabit the vast plains to the north of Mexico all
smoke; from this, doubtless, arises the usual supposition that all
American Indians smoke.--ED.

[G] In giving utterance to this anathema, l'Encuerado was unknowingly
agreeing with James I., king of En