Several Times I Rose To See If
The Horses Were Securely Tied, And To Kill Any Bats I Might Find
Disturbing Them.
Rising in the grey dawn, I watered the horses,
cooked a piece of ostrich meat, and started off on foot for a short
distance to explore the country to the north, where I saw many
indications that tapirs were numerous.
My first sight of this
peculiar animal of Paraguay I shall never forget. It resembles no
other beast I have ever seen, but seems half elephant, with its
muzzle like a short trunk. In size it is about six feet long and
three and a half feet high. There were also ant-bears, peculiar
animals, without teeth, but provided with a rough tongue to lick up
the ants. The length of this animal is about four feet, but the thick
tail is longer than the body. Whereas the tapir has a hog-like skin,
the ant-bear has long, bristly hairs.
Returning to camp, judge of my surprise when I found it in possession
of two savages of strange appearance. My first thought was that I had
lost all, but, drawing nearer, I discovered that Timoteo and the
chief were also there, squatting on the ground, devouring the remains
of my breakfast. They had returned from the royal tribe, who had
offered to cut a way from their side, and these two strangers were to
assist us.
With this additional help we again penetrated the forest. The men cut
with a will, and I drove the horses after them.
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