had so often threatened to do。
〃Let him come！ Let Managa come！〃 I cried； staggering out after him。 〃I am your friend； your brother； I have no spear and no arrows； but I have thisthis！〃 And here I drew out and flourished my revolver。 〃Where is Managa？〃 I continued。 〃Where are the hills of Uritay？〃 He pointed to a star low down in the south…west。 〃Then；〃 I shouted； 〃let this bullet find Managa； sitting by the fire among his people； and let him fall and pour out his blood on the ground！〃 And with that I discharged my pistol in the direction he had pointed to。 A scream of terror burst out from the women and children； while Runi at my side； in an access of fierce delight and admiration； turned and embraced me。 It was the first and last embrace I ever suffered from a naked male savage； and although this did not seem a time for fastidious feelings； to be hugged to his sweltering body was an unpleasant experience。
More cups of casserie followed this outburst； and at last； unable to keep it up any longer； I staggered to my hammock； but being unable to get into it； Runi； overflowing with kindness； came to my assistance； whereupon we fell and rolled together on the floor。 Finally I was raised by the others and tumbled into my swinging bed； and fell at once into a deep； dreamless sleep； from which I did not awake until after sunrise on the following morning。
CHAPTER II
It is fortunate that casserie is manufactured by an extremely slow； laborious process； since the women； who are the drink…makers； in the first place have to reduce the material （cassava bread） to a pulp by means of their own molars； after which it is watered down and put away in troughs to ferment。 Great is the diligence of these willing slaves； but； work how they will； they can only satisfy their lords' love of a big drink at long intervals。 Such a function as that at which I had assisted is therefore the result of much patient mastication and silent fermentationthe delicate flower of a plant that has been a long time growing。
Having now established myself as one of the family； at the cost of some disagreeable sensations and a pang or two of self…disgust； I resolved to let nothing further trouble me at Parahuari； but to live the easy； careless life of the idle man； joining in hunting and fishing expeditions when in the mood； at other times enjoying existence in my own way； apart from my fellows； conversing with wild nature in that solitary place。 Besides Runi； there were； in our little community； two oldish men； his cousins I believe； who had wives and grown…up children。 Another family consisted of Piake； Runi's nephew； his brother Kua…koabout whom there will be much to sayand a sister Oalava。 Piake had a wife and two children； Kua…ko was unmarried and about nineteen or twenty years old； Oalava was the youngest of the three。 Last of all； who should perhaps have been first； was Runi's mother； called Cla…cla； probably in imitation of the cry of some bird； for in these latitudes a person is rarely； perhaps never； called by his or her real name； which is a secret jealously preserved； even from near relations。 I believe that Cla…cla herself was the only living being who knew the name her parents had bestowed on her at birth。 She was a very old woman； spare in figure； brown as old sun…baked leather； her face written over with innumerable wrinkles； and her long coarse hair perfectly white； yet she was exceedingly active； and seemed to do more work than any other woman in the community； more than that； when the day's toil was over and nothing remained for the others to do； then Cla…cla's night work would begin； and this was to talk all the others； or at all events all the men； to sleep。 She was like a self…regulating machine； and punctually every evening； when the door was closed； and the night fire made up； and every man in his hammock； she would set herself going； telling the most interminable stories； until the last listener was fast asleep； later in the night； if any man woke with a snort or grunt； off she would go again； taking up the thread of the tale where she had dropped it。
Old Cla…cla amused me very much； by night and day； and I seldom tired of watching her owlish countenance as she sat by the fire； never allowing it to sink low for want of fuel； always studying he pot when it was on to simmer； and at the same time attending to the movements of the others about her； ready at a moment's notice to give assistance or to dart out on a stray chicken or refractory child。
So much did she amuse me； although without intending it； that I thought it would be only fair； in my turn； to do something for her entertainment。 I was engaged one day in shaping a wooden foil with my knife； whistling and singing snatches of old melodies at my work； when all at once I caught sight of the ancient dame looking greatly delighted； chuckling internally； nodding her head； and keeping time with her hands。 Evidently she was able to appreciate a style of music superior to that of the aboriginals； and forthwith I abandoned my foils for the time and set about the manufacture of a guitar； which cost me much labour and brought out more ingenuity than I had ever thought myself capable of。 To reduce the wood to the right thinness； then to bend and fasten it with wooden pegs and with gums； to add the arm； frets； keys； and finally the catgut stringsthose of another kind being out of the questionkept me busy for some days。 When completed it was a rude instrument； scarcely tunable； nevertheless when I smote the strings； playing lively music； or accompanied myself in singing； I found that it was a great success； and so was as much pleased with my own performance as if I had had the most perfect guitar ever made in old Spain。 I also skipped about the floor； strum…strumming at the same time； instructing them in the most lively dances of the whites； in which the feet must be as nimble as the player's fingers。 It is true that these exhibitions were always witnessed by the adults with a profound gravity； which would have disheartened a stranger to their ways。 They were a set of hollow bronze statues that looked at me； but I knew that the living animals inside of them were tickled at my singing； strumming； and pirouetting。 Cla…cla was； however； an exception； and encouraged me not infrequently by emitting a sound； half cackle and half screech； by way of laughter； for she had come to her second childhood； or； at all events； had dropped the stolid mask which the young Guayana savage； in imitation of his elders； adjusts to his face at about the age of twelve； to wear it thereafter all his life long； or only to drop it occasionally when very drunk。 The youngsters also openly manifested their pleasure； although； as a rule； they try to restrain their feelings in the presence of grown…up people； and with them I became a greet favourite。
By and by I returned to my foil…making； and gave them fencing lessons； and sometimes invited two or three of the biggest boys to attack me simultaneously； just to show how easily I could disarm and kill them。 This practice excited some interest in Kua…ko； who had a little more of curiosity and geniality and less of the put…on dignity of the others； and with him I became most intimate。 Fencing with Kua…ko was highly amusing： no sooner was he in position； foil in hand； than all my instructions were thrown to the winds； and he would charge and attack me in his own barbarous manner； with the result that I would send his foil spinning a dozen yards away； while he； struck motionless； would gaze after it in open…mouthed astonishment。
Three weeks had passed by not unpleasantly when； one morning； I took it into my head to walk by myself across that somewhat sterile savannah west of the village and stream； which ended； as I have said； in a long； low； stony ridge。 From the village there was nothing to attract the eye in that direction； but I wished to get a better view of that great solitary hill or mountain of Ytaioa； and of the cloud…like summits beyond it in the distance。 From the stream the ground rose in a gradual slope； and the highest part of the ridge for which I made was about two miles from the starting…pointa parched brown plain； with nothing growing on it but scattered tussocks of sere hair…like grass。
When I reached the top and could see the country beyond； I was agreeably disappointed at the discovery that the sterile ground extended only about a mile and a quarter on the further side； and was succeeded by a foresta very inviting patch of woodland covering five or six square miles； occupying a kind of oblong basin； extending from the foot of Ytaioa on the north to a low range of rocky hills on the south。 From the wooded basin long narrow strips of forest ran out in various directions like the arms of an octopus； one pair embracing the slopes of Ytaioa； another much broader belt extending along a valley which cut through the ridge of hills on the south side at right angles and was lost to sight beyond； far away in the west and south and north distant mountains appeared； not in regular ranges； but in groups or singly； or looking like blue banked…up clouds on the horizon。
Glad at having discovered the existence of this forest so near home； and wondering why my Indian friends had never taken me to it nor ever went out on that side； I set forth with a light heart to explore it for myself； regretting only that I was without a proper weapon for procuring game。 The walk from the ridge over the savannah was easy； as the barren； stony ground sloped downwards the whole way。 The outer part of the wood on my side was very open； composed in most part of dwarf trees that grow on stony soil； and scattered thorny bushes bearing a yellow pea…shaped blossom。 Presently I came to thicker wood； where the trees were much taller and in greater variety； and after this came another sterile strip； like that on the edge of the wood where stone cropped out from the ground and nothing grew except the yellow…flowered thorn bushes。 Passing this sterile ribbon； which seemed to extend to a considerable distance north and south； and was fifty to a hundred yards wide； the forest again became dense and the trees large； with much undergrowth in places obstructing the vie