T--UNCLE RICHARD AND ANTONIO PROCEED TO
POPAYAN--WE REACH A FARM ON THE LLANOS, AND CATCH AND TRAIN WILD HORSES
FOR JUAN'S TROOP--MODE OF CATCHING WILD HORSES--JOINED BY MR. LAFFAN.

The morning found us hacking our way through the forest. As we could
discover no path to follow, it was slow work, and the trees seemed to
become thicker and thicker as we advanced. Under other circumstances,
we might have stopped to admire the wonderful variety of shrubs and
creepers which formed the undergrowth; as it was, we had to keep our
eyes constantly about us, for at any moment we might have to encounter a
huge boa or anaconda, or we might tread upon some venomous serpent, or a
tree-snake might dart down upon us from the boughs above. Monkeys, as
before, chattered and grinned at us. Parrots, and occasionally large
gaily-plumed macaws, flew off from amongst the topmost boughs, startled
by our approach.

Hunger and fatigue told us that we had been struggling on for some
hours, so, coming to an open space, we determined to stop and dine.
Uncle Richard, taking Antonio's gun, shot a monkey and a couple of
parrots; and Antonio and I lighted a fire at which to roast them. But
we had no water, and the food made us feel very thirsty. I proposed,
therefore, looking for some cocoa-nuts, which, in that part of the
country, grow a long way from the sea. We searched around in all the
openings we could discover; at last Antonio shouted out that he had
found something which would satisfy our wants, and he appeared with a
huge melon-looking fruit under each arm. They were the wild cherimoia,
which grow to a larger size than the cultivated ones, although not
possessing their richness. The slight acidity of the fruit was,
however, very refreshing; and, our strength restored, we were soon able
to push on as before.

Another day of hard toil was about to close. To pass the night without
a fire would be dangerous in the extreme, but as yet we had found no
open space in which we could venture to make one. As long, therefore,
as the light lasted we continued to press on, in the hope of discovering
some suitable spot. Antonio climbed up a palm, by forming his sash into
a belt which embraced the trunk--hoping to obtain a good view of the
surrounding region from the top. He told us, on his descent, that he
had seen the glittering of a river at no great distance to the
south-west, and that we should soon be out of the forest. Our continued
th