The tribes living near to the equator seem to be a little more civilized, and are governed by absolute monarchs, whose control is an unlimited despotism. Their most compact union of power constitutes the province of Karagwah. It was decided by the aëronauts that they would alight at the first favorable place. They found that they should have to make a prolonged halt, and take a careful inspection of the balloon: so the flame of the cylinder was moderated, and the anchors, flung out from the car, ere long began to sweep the grass of an immense prairie, that, from a certain height, looked like a shaven lawn, but the growth of which, in reality, was from seven to eight feet in height. The balloon skimmed this tall grass without bending it, like a gigantic butterfly: not an obstacle was in sight; it was an ocean of verdure without a single breaker. “We might proceed a long time in this style,” remarked Kennedy; “I don’t see one tree that we could approach, and I’m afraid that our hunt’s over.” “Wait, Dick; you could not hunt anyhow in this grass, that grows higher than your head. We’ll find a favorable place presently.” In truth, it was a charming excursion that they were making now—a veritable navigation on this green, almost transparent sea, gently undulating in the breath of the wind. The little car seemed to cleave the waves of verdure, and, from time to time, coveys of birds of magnificent plumage would rise fluttering from the tall herbage, and speed away with joyous cries. The anchors plunged into this lake of flowers, and traced a furrow that closed behind them, like the wake of a ship. All at once a sharp shock was felt—the anchor had caught in the fissure of some rock hidden in the high grass. “We are fast!” exclaimed Joe. These words had scarcely been uttered when a shrill cry rang through the air, and the following phrases, mingled with exclamations, escaped from the lips of our travellers: “What’s that?” “A strange cry!” “Look! Why, we’re moving!” “The anchor has slipped!” “No; it holds, and holds fast too!” said Joe, who was tugging at the rope. “It’s the rock, then, that’s moving!” An immense rustling was noticed in the grass, and soon an elongated, winding shape was seen rising above it. “A serpent!” shouted Joe. “A serpent!” repeated Kennedy, handling his rifle. “No,” said the doctor, “it’s an elephant’s trunk!” “An elephant, Samuel?” And, as Kennedy said this, he drew his rifle to his shoulder. “Wait, Dick; wait!” “That’s a fact! The animal’s towing us!” “And in the right direction, Joe—in the right direction.”