The Forest Exiles: The Perils of a Peruvian Family in the Wilds of the Amazon

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

  THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS.

  Guapo was in no humour for enjoying the conversation of that evening.The crocodile had "choused" him out of his favourite supper. The monkeywas literally knocked to "smithereens," and the pieces that stilladhered together were daubed all over with mud. It wasn't fit meat--even for an Indian--and Guapo had to content himself with a driedplantain and a stew of jerked horse-flesh.

  Of course Don Pablo and the rest examined with curiosity the great holein the mud that had contained the crocodile. There it had lain duringmonths of the dry season in a state of torpidity, and would, no doubt,have remained still longer, but that it was aroused by the big fire thatGuapo had built over it. The irritation produced by this had been thecause of its sudden resurrection, for the crocodiles that thus burythemselves usually come out after the beginning of the heavy rains.

  It was a true long-snouted crocodile, as Don Pablo had observed in theshort opportunity he had had; and not an alligator--for it must be hereremarked, that the true crocodile is found in many parts of SpanishAmerica, and also in many of the West India Islands. For a long time itwas believed that only alligators existed in America, and that thecrocodiles were confined to the Eastern Continent. It is now known thatat least one species of crocodile is an American animal, and severaldistinct species of alligators are inhabitants of the New World. Thereis the alligator of the Mississippi--which is the "caiman" or "cayman"of the Spanish Americans; there is the spectacled alligator (_Alligatorsclerops_), a southern species, so called from a pair of rings aroundits eyes having a resemblance to spectacles; and there is a stillsmaller species called the "bava," which is found in Lake Valencia, andin many South American rivers. The last kind is much hunted by theIndians, who, although they eat parts of all these creatures, are fonderof the flesh of the bava than of any of the others.

  They had not intended to keep watch this night, as the naked promontoryseemed to be a safe place to sleep upon; but now, after their adventurewith the crocodile, they changed their minds, and they resolved to mountguard as before. The monster might easily crawl out of the water again,and, judging from the size of his mouth, it is not improbable to supposethat he might have swallowed one of the smaller individuals of the partyat a single effort. Lest he might return to use either his teeth or histail, the watch was set as on other nights--Leon taking the first turn,Guapo the second, and Don Pablo sitting it out till daybreak. The nightpassed through, however, without any unusual disturbance; and althoughan occasional plunge was heard in the water close by, no more was seenof the crocodile until morning.

  I have said _until_ morning--for he was seen then. Yes! indeed. Thatbeauty was not going to let them off without giving them another peep athim--not he.

  They were awake and up before day; and as the fire had been kept burningall night, they had now nothing more to do than rake up the embers, andhang on the coffee-kettle. It was not yet bright day when breakfast wasalready cooked, and they sat down to eat it.

  While engaged in this operation, they noticed a string of flamingoes onthe muddy promontory, at the end where it joined the land. They wereranged in line, like soldiers, some of them balanced on one long thinleg, as these birds do. They appeared in the grey light to be unusuallytall; but when it became a little clearer, our travellers could perceivethat they were not upon the ground, but standing upon an old log. This,of course, made them look taller. They were just in the _very_ track bywhich Guapo and Leon had passed to get the wood the evening before.Now, neither Guapo nor Leon remembered any log. They were certain therewas none there, else they would have cut it up for fire-wood, that was asure thing; and it was very mysterious who could have rolled a log thereduring the night!

  While discussing this point it became clearer; and, to the astonishmentof all, what they had taken to be an old log turned out to be nothingelse than their old friend the crocodile! I have said to theastonishment of all--that is not strictly correct. Guapo saw nothing toastonish him in that sight. He had witnessed a similar one many a time,and so does every one who travels either on the Amazon or the Orinoco.

  These flamingoes were perfectly safe, so far as the crocodile wasconcerned, and they knew it. As long as they kept out of the reach ofhis jaws and tail, he could not hurt them. Although he could bendhimself to either side, so as to "kiss" the tip of his own tail, hecould not reach any part of his back, exert himself as he might. Thisthe flamingoes and other birds well know, and these creatures being fondof a place to perch upon, often avail themselves of the long serratedback of the crocodile, or the caiman.

  As the day became brighter the flamingoes sat still--not appearing to bealarmed by the movements at the camp, which was about an hundred yardsdistant from their perch. It was likely they had never been frightenedby the hunter, for these birds in districts where they are hunted areexceedingly shy. All at once, however, as if by a given signal, thewhole flock rose together, and flew off with loud screams. Thecrocodile, too, was seen to move, but it was not this which had scaredthem off. It was after they had gone that he had stirred himself; and,even had it not been so, they would not have regarded his movements, asthese birds are often seen perched upon a _crawling_ crocodile!

  No. Something else had affrighted them, and that was a noise in thebushes beyond, which was now distinctly heard at the camp. There was arustling of leaves and a crackling of branches, as if more than onecreature made the noise. So it appeared, for the next moment nearly ascore of animals dashed out of the bushes, and ran on towards the water.

  These creatures were odd enough to fix the attention of the party at thecamp. They were about the size of small hogs--very much of the samebuild--and covered with a thin sandy bristly hair, just like some hogsare. They were not "pigheaded," however. Their heads were exactly likethose of the grey rabbit, and instead of hoofs they were toed andclawed. This gave them altogether a lighter appearance than hogs, andyet they did not run as fast, although when first noticed they appearedto be doing their best.

  Our travellers knew them at once, for they _were_ animals that arecommon upon the rivers in all the warm parts of South America. Theywere "_capivaras_," or "chiguires," as they are also called. Thesecreatures are peculiar to the American continent. They are, in fact,"guinea-pigs" on a large scale, and bear the greatest resemblance tothose well-known animals, except in size and colour; for the capivarasare of a uniform sandy brown. They are of the same genus as theguinea-pigs, though the systematisers have put them into a separate one,and have also made a third genus to suit another animal of very similarshape and habits. This is the "moco," which is between the guinea-pigand capivara in size, and of a greyish olive colour. All three arenatives of South America, and in their wild state are found only there,though from the absurd name "guinea-pig," you may be led to think thatthis little creature came originally from Africa.

  The three are all "rodent" animals, and the capivara is the largest"rodent" that is known. It, moreover, is amphibious, quite as much soas the tapir, and it is found only near the banks of rivers. It is moreat home in the water than on dry land, or perhaps it has more numerousenemies on land; though, poor, persecuted creature! it is not withoutsome in either element, as will be seen by what follows.

  The drove of capivaras counted nearly a score, and they were making forthe water as fast as their legs could carry them. The crocodile laydirectly across their path, but their black eyes, large and prominent,seemed to be occupied with something behind; and they had run up almostagainst the body of the reptile before they saw it. Uttering a sort ofsqueak they made a half-pause. Some sprang up and leaped over--othersattempted to go round. All succeeded except one; but the crocodile, onseeing their approach--no doubt it was for this he had been in wait allthe morning--had thrown himself into the form of a half-moon; and asthey passed he let fly at them. His powerful tail came "flap" againstthe nearest, and it was pitched several yards, where, after a kick ortwo, it lay upon its side as
dead as a herring, a door-nail, or evenJulius Caesar--take your choice.