Adventures of a Young Naturalist
With as little delay as possible, a fire gave forth its exhilarating
flame. Butterflies, dragon-flies, and birds fluttered round the
flowering shrubs. There was a perfect concert of buzzing and twittering,
and a gentle breeze agitated the foliage and cooled the air. Nothing
seemed wanting for our comfort but game for our dinner. Fortunately,
Providence rarely does things by halves. We had scarcely sat down to
take breath, when a flock of wild-ducks settled near us. They were at
once saluted by a platoon fire, and four victims strewed the ground and
water with their white, brown, and blue feathers.
"These are the first aquatic birds we have met with," said Sumichrast;
"it will not be long now before we are among the marshes."
"What birds are wild-ducks related to?" asked Lucien.
"To swans and geese, Master Sunbeam," replied my friend. "All the
individuals of this order, as their name--_palmipedes_, or web-footed
birds--indicates, have their toes united by a wide membrane. Ducks, many
species of which are found in Mexico, have a flat bill; and their short
legs, placed so far behind, compel them to waddle in walking, although
they can swim with great facility."
"How do they manage to perch on a tree with feet of that kind?"
"With the exception of the wood-duck, this family never perch; they pass
the day in dabbling in the water, and sleep upon its surface, or among
the reeds."
"Then they must always be wet."
"Not so; nature has covered the feathers of web-footed birds with an
oily substance, which renders their plumage quite water-proof. Ducks are
gregarious, and migrate from one locality to another, according to
the seasons. They are so common on the lagoons which surround the city
of Mexico, that sportsmen scarcely will be troubled shooting them."
While l'Encuerado was preparing dinner, I and my companions walked along
the edge of the stream. Before long I discovered some water-cress--a
lucky discovery for travellers who are confined constantly to animal
food. Lucien examined the small white flowers, which have obtained for
all its family the name of _Cruciferae_; these vegetables contain an
acrid and volatile oil, which gives them strong anti-scorbutic
qualities. The cabbage (_Brassica oleracea_), turnip (_B. napus_),
radish (_Raphanus sativus_), and mustard (_Sinapis alba_), are of the
crucifera order. To this list we must also add the horse-radish, the
colza, the seed of which produces an oil well adapted for lighting
purposes; the _crysimum_, or hedge-mustard, a popular remedy in France
for coughs; the shepherd's purse, which the Mexicans use as a decoction
for washing wounds; and the _Lepidium piscidium_, employed by the
natives of Oceanica for intoxicating fish, so as to catch them more
easily.
"You quite forget the _cochlearia_, or scurvy-grass, so useful to
sailors as a remedy for scurvy?" said Sumichrast.
"You are right; but I think I've said enough about the _Cruciferae_ for
Master Sunbeam to remember."
A few paces farther on, while we were looking for insects under the
leaves of a shrub, Lucien drew back in surprise at seeing it covered
with the pretty little creatures called tree-frogs (_Hyla viridis_).
Instead of flying towards the water, these reptiles made for the woods.
Sumichrast explained to the young naturalist that tree-frogs have sticky
disks on their feet, and by the aid of this mechanism they could move
about on leaves and even on smooth surfaces.
"In Europe," he added, "the peasants shut them up in bottles half full
of water, and assert that the animal predicts good or bad weather by
either coming up to the top or keeping under the water. The tree-frog,
like all its fellows, buries itself in the mud during winter, and
remains torpid. This lethargy, which in glacial climates has the effect
of preserving it from hunger, must in Mexico have some other cause, for
in the latter country it can find food all the year round. The skin of
the tree-frog secretes a poisonous matter."
"Come here and look at an apple-tree!" cried Lucien, suddenly.
I hastened to the spot, and found a shrub about thirteen or fourteen
feet high, covered with berries of a yellowish color, spotted with red.
I recognized what is called in the Antilles the soap-tree. This
discovery came just in the nick of time, and Sumichrast helped us in
gathering some of the useful fruit which would assist us to give our
clothes a thorough wash. Lucien tasted the little apples, which were as
transparent as artificial fruit made of pure wax; but he did not like
their astringent flavor, and threw them away with every expression of
disgust.
A quarter of an hour later, we were all kneeling on the banks of the
stream and trying who could perform the greatest amount of washing, the
fruit of the soap-tree affording us a plentiful supply of lather. In the
_Terre-Temperee_, a root called _amoli_ is a substitute for soap; in the
_Terre-Chaude_ a bulb named _amolito_ is used for the same purpose;
lastly, in the Mistec province of Oajaca, the poor find a natural soap
in the bark of the _Quillaja saponaria_, a tree belonging to the rose
tribe. Even in Europe, a vegetable soap is also found--the soap-wort--a
little plant allied to the pinks, and which adorns with its unpretending
flowers the edges of ditches, and is employed by housewives for cleaning
silk stuffs and reviving their faded colors.
Quite refreshed with our wash, we stretched ourselves close to the camp
fire, looking forward to our meal of roast ducks dressed with cresses,
rice, and seasoned with allspice. On taking the first mouthful, I made a
grimace which was imitated by Sumichrast. The rice had an unbearable
aromatic taste. L'Encuerado regarded us with a triumphant look.
"What on earth have you put in the saucepan?" I cried, angrily.
"Don't you think it is nice, Tatita?"
"It's perfectly filthy; you've poisoned us!" But I soon recognized the
smell of a kind of coriander with which the Indians occasionally
saturate their food. Sumichrast, like me, had not got beyond the first
mouthful; but Lucien, who shared to some extent l'Encuerado's weakness
for the _culantro_, was having quite a feast. Our bill of fare was thus
reduced to a single dish, and I left the broiled duck to my two
companions and confined myself to the roast. With an artlessness that
approached the sublime, the Indian, thinking that we should prefer the
fresh plant to the cooked, the odor of which had been somewhat softened
down by the operation, presented us with several stalks. On the whole,
however, he was not altogether to blame, for we often ate with pleasure
his national style of cookery, and he had full right to be surprised at
our repugnance to their favorite _bon bouche_.
Gringalet just tasted the rice, then retired to roll on the twigs of
coriander which were lying on the ground, a proceeding which did not
much improve his toilet.
The sun was setting, and hundreds of birds were assembling around us.
Yellow, blue, green, or red wings were cleaving the air in all
directions.
There were finches of a violet-black, with orange-colored breasts and
heads, some blue or golden-throated grossbeaks, and birds adorned with
a variety of coloring, which the Mexicans call "primroses," while a
number of mockingbirds were warbling airs worthy of the nightingale. The
sun, lost amidst the golden clouds, bathed the trees and bushes with a
soft light. Gradually all became silent and nothing was heard but the
murmur of the stream, while birds of prey soared over our heads on their
way to the mountains. The eastern sky was now wrapped in shade and the
stars twinkled in the dark heavens, while on every bush animated sparks
appeared to flit about.
I had been asleep more than two hours, when I was suddenly awakened by
Gringalet barking. I jumped up simultaneously with my companions, who
were also alarmed by a rustling among the dry leaves. Silence was soon
restored, and I fancied, although the dog continued to growl, that it
was a false alarm; so I was about to lie down again, when Sumichrast's
hand touched me on the shoulder. An enormous serpent was gliding over
the ground beside us.
I at once recognized the black sugar-cane snake, which is only
formidable on account of its size; the planters are in the habit of
attracting it to their fields, to keep them clear of mischievous
rodents. L'Encuerado noiselessly left the hut. The snake raised its
head, and slowly contracting its rings, and throwing round a bright
glance, turned towards us. Sumichrast was just taking aim, when we heard
the report of a gun, and our hut was almost in a moment afterwards
crushed in by the repeated and furious struggles of the wounded reptile.
There was one moment of utter confusion; I disengaged myself as soon as
I could, at the same time protecting the stupefied Lucien, and drawing
him away. When I turned round, Sumichrast was approaching l'Encuerado,
who, cutlass in hand, was hacking at the serpent, to render it further
incapable of mischief.
At last the fragments of the black snake, blindly tumbling about, became
lost in the thicket, and all was again quiet.
"Well," said Sumichrast, "if, instead of being frightened, we had only
kept quiet, the snake would not have troubled us, and we should still
have had our house to shelter us."
"All's well that ends well," I replied, smiling. L'Encuerado again made
up the fire; Lucien complimented the dog on his watchfulness, who
thereupon licked his face. This undue familiarity drew upon him a
lecture on politeness, the end of which I was too sleepy to hear.
CHAPTER XVIII.
WILD DAHLIAS.--A PAINFUL MISADVENTURE.--THE EUPHORBIA PLANTS.--THE
WASHER RACCOON.--SURPRISED BY A TORRENT.--L'ENCUERADO TURNED
HAT-MAKER.--NEW METHOD FOR DRIVING OUT EVIL SPIRITS.--THE ANHINGA.
The next day, which was the nineteenth since our departure from Orizava,
we examined and compared our compasses, and the course of our journey
was changed. Hitherto we had proceeded in a north-easterly direction,
skirting the provinces of Puebla and Vera Cruz, but still without
leaving the Cordilleras, the numerous valleys and forests of which are
still unexplored. According to my calculations, and also those of
Sumichrast, we were then abreast with the province of Mexico, and we
agreed to move westward, as if going towards its capital.
"Why are we not to continue to keep straight on?" asked Lucien.
"Because our journey must have some limit," I replied. "Up to the
present time we have only traversed what is called the _Terre-Temperee_;
we shall now soon reach the _Terre-Froide_, and in three or four days we
shall again encounter habitations."
"Shall we see any people there?"
"I hope so; don't you like the idea of it?"
"I don't object to it; but it will seem so very strange to look again at
houses and men."
"Oh dear!" cried Sumichrast; "you have become a perfect little savage."
"Travelling about on foot is so amusing, that I should be glad if the
journey lasted a very long time--that is, if I had a chance now and then
of kissing mamma."
"Poor Sunbeam!" said Sumichrast; "I can't help thinking of next year
when you are at school. You will then often think of your present life."
"Oh papa, if you go out for another excursion during the holidays, I
hope you will take me with you, for you see I know how to walk."
"Before we think about another journey, let us first finish the present.
You seem to forget that the roughest part of our work is yet before us."
"Do you mean crossing the _Terre-Froide_?"
"No; we shall only take a glimpse at that; but in the _Terre-Chaude_, we