Part 44 (2/2)

All this passed so quickly, that Guapo had not time to deliver his second arrow Guapo saw them no more

The Indian, however, was not to be cheated out of his supper of roasted- it up, soon felled the tree, and took the marimond mother with him to the camp

His next affair was to skin it, which he did by stripping the pelt fro skinned, the creature bore a most hideous rese caht have been, as he was resolved to dress the marimonda after the manner practised by the Indians, and which by thee out of split laths of the pupunha pal ti

Under this stage Guapo kindled a fire of dry wood, and upon the laths he placed hisposture, with its ar upon theht blaze, which coht form of thein the eyes of a South American Indian, many of whom prefer the ”smoky flavour”

in a roast monkey

Guapo had now no more to do, but wait patiently until the body should be reduced to a black and charred mass, for this is the condition in which it is eaten by these strange people When thus cooked, the flesh beco

The white people who live in the _monkey countries_ eat roast row very fond of it They usually dress it, however, in a differentit to the table; so that the ”child-like”

appearance is less perceptible

Some species of monkeys are more delicate food than others, and there are some kinds that _white_ monkey-eaters will not touch

As for the Indians, it seems with them to be ”all fish,” &c; and they devour all kinds indifferently, whether they be ”howlers,” or ”ateles,”

or ”capuchins,” or ”ouistitis,” or ”sajous,” or ”sakis,” or whatever sort In fact, a many Indian tribes, land; and they consider it their staple article of flesh meat Indeed, in these parts, no other animal is so common as the monkey; and, with the exception of birds and fish, they have little chance of getting any other species of animal food The best ”Southdown”

would, perhaps, be as distasteful to theain we are out_

CHAPTER xxxVII

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

Guapo sat by the fire patiently awaiting the ”doing” of the marimonda

The rest had eaten their supper, and were seated so out upon the broad river, and watching the movements of the various birds They could see tall scarlet flaoes on the farther shore, and ser crane,” so called frouar Aipsy birds, fluttered about with their great crest, looking like so many pheasants, but far inferior to these creatures in their flesh In fact, the flesh of the ”cigano” is so bitter and disagreeable that even _Indians will not eat it_

Sitting upon a naked branch that projected over the water they noticed the solitary sky-blue king-fisher Over the water swept the great harpy eagle--also a fisher like his white-headed cousin of the North; and now and then flocks ofbroad wings They saw also the ”boat-bill,” or ”crab-eater,” a curious wading bird of the heron kind, with a large bill shaped like two boats laid with their concave sides against each other This, like the king-fisher, sat solitarily upon a projecting stu into the shalloater, and scooping up the se mandibles

Another curious bird was observed, which had so of the appearance of the water-hen--to which kind it is also assimilated in its habits It was the ”faithful jacana” or ”chuza,” as it is called in some places

There are several species of ”jacana” in South America, and also some species in the tropical countries of the East That known as the ”faithful jacana” has a body about the size of a coer, so that when standing it is a foot and a half in height The body is of a brownish colour; and there is a crest of twelve black feathers on the nape of the neck, three inches in length

At the bend of the wings there are horny spurs, half an inch long, hich the bird can defend itself when attacked It is, however, a pacific bird, and only uses theular character of the jacana is its long toes and claws

There are four upon each foot: three in front, and one directed backwards, and when standing these cover a base nearly as large as the body of the bird; and, indeed, upon ordinary ground they interfere with the freedoned for ordinary ground They were given it to enable it to pass lightly over the leaves of water-lilies, and other yielding surfaces, through which a narrow-footed bird would at once sink Of course, as nature designed them for this purpose, they answer ad the surface of lily-covered ponds or strea Froe there, and which forular cry when alarht, unless disturbed by the approach of soer, when it utters its ”alarm cry” So quick is its ear, that it can detect the least noise or rustling caused by any one approaching

For this reason some tribes of Indians have ta,” to apprise the the darkness of the night Another use is also made of it by the Spanish-A with the domestic poultry When these are attacked by hawks or other birds of prey, the jacana defends the off the enemy It never deserts the flock, but accoe with great fury and courage