The sun was setting; its golden rays, quivering among the branches, appeared one by one to get higher and higher until gloom began gradually to pervade the forest. We were assembled around our bivouac, when a rosy tint suddenly illumined the tops of the trees and penetrated through the foliage. As this marvellous effect of light appeared to last a considerable time, we again went into the open glade, so as to be better able to observe it. The sky appeared as if it was all in a blaze; vast glittering jets of light seemed as if darting from the setting sun; a few clouds, tinted with bright red color, flitted across the heavens. The bright gleam became more and more vivid, but without at all dazzling our eyes. A few birds might be heard uttering shrill cries; and the falcons, who were making their way to their aeries, stopped for a moment their rapid flight, and whirled round and round in space with an undecided air. "The wind will blow tremendously to-morrow," said l'Encuerado; "only once before did I ever see the sky lighted up as it is to-night, and then two days after there was a frightful hurricane, which demolished most of the huts in our village." "I think we shall get off with nothing but a south wind like that which worried us the day we set off," said Sumichrast. Wrongly or rightly, I attributed this phenomenon of light to the position of the clouds. The intensity of the light decreased till it was nothing but a glimmer. Night resumed its empire, and there was naught to guide us back to our bivouac but the flame of our fire. [Illustration] FOOTNOTES: [L] From the Greek [Greek: kathartes], "that which purifies." In fact, this bird assists in cleansing the streets in towns where there is no organization for the purpose. [M] A celebrated Greek physician in the first century of the Christian era. [N] _Saccophorus Mexicanus._ [Illustration] CHAPTER IX. THE SOUTH WIND.--THE HURRICANE.--A FEARFUL NIGHT.--THE UPROOTED GIANT.--THE SARSAPARILLA-PLANT.--GRINGALET DISCOVERS A SPRING.--OUR BIVOUAC.