We searched for some time.  The forest was growing dark, and the many noises of the night began.  First came the yelping of the toucan, which sounded like the carefree yap-yap of some clumsy little pup.  Then came the chattering of the night monkeys and the croaking of the thousands of frogs that hide in the swamps.  And still no traces of the jaguar.  Again we separated.  The dog had run home utterly scared.  Now and then we would whistle so as not to lose track of each other.  I regretted that I had been so careless as to leave my ammunition at home, as it might happen that the wounded and enraged cat would spring at us from some dark cluster of branches, and then a machete would hardly be an adequate weapon.

We searched for over an hour until it was pitch dark, but, sad to relate, we never found that jaguar.  We went home silently.  Francisco did not secure the reward.

This incident is of no particular interest as the result of the excursion was nil and our humour consequently very bad.  But it serves to show how the mind of man will be influenced by local surroundings, and how it adapts itself to strange customs, and how a novice may be so greatly enthused that he will, half-armed, enter upon a reckless hunt for a wounded jaguar.

CHAPTER VI

THE FATAL MARCH THROUGH THE FOREST

Thus I lived among these kind and hospitable people for five months until one day my lust for further excitement broke out again, induced by a seemingly commonplace notice posted outside the door of the storeroom.  It read:  “The men—­Marques, Freitas, Anisette, Magellaes, Jerome, and Brabo—­are to make themselves ready to hunt caoutchouc in the eastern virgin forest.”  Puzzled as to the meaning of this, I consulted the Chief and was informed that Coronel da Silva was about to equip and send out a small expedition into the forests, far beyond the explored territory, to locate new caoutchouc trees, which were to be cut and the rubber or caoutchouc collected, whereupon the expedition was to return to headquarters with these samples and a report on the number of trees observed.  This greatly interested me, and I asked the Chief, Marques, whose wife I had operated upon previously, if I could accompany him on this trip.  He consented unwillingly, saying that it was very dangerous and that the same number of men that went out never came back.  However, this was too rare a chance to let pass, and I made my preparations to accompany the expedition on this journey into regions where even the native caucheros had never before been.

On a Monday morning we all assembled at the Floresta headquarters, where Coronel da Silva bade us good-bye, and at the same time once more warned me against venturing on this trip, but I was determined and could not be persuaded to give it up.