That roar is either a tiger or a
panther, and that snarling sound on the other bank is, no doubt,
made by smaller animals of the same family, indulging in a domestic
quarrel. Some of the other sounds are made by night birds of some
kind or other and perhaps by monkeys, and I fancy that distant
vibrating sound that goes on without intermission is a concert of
a party of frogs."
"What is that?" as a shrill cry, as from a child, followed by a
confused outburst of cries, chattering, and, as it seemed to them,
a barking sound, followed.
"I fancy that is the death cry of a monkey. Probably some python or
other snake has seized it in its sleep; and the other noise is the
outcry of its companions heaping abuse upon the snake, but unable
to do anything to rescue their friend."
"I don't think, Doctor," Harry Parkhurst said, in a tone that was
half in earnest, "that I feel so anxious as I did for sport in the
forest; and certainly I should decline to take part in it after
nightfall."
"I can quite understand that, lad. At night all the sounds of a
tropical forest seem mysterious and weird, but in the broad daylight
the bush will be comparatively still. The nocturnal animals will
slink away to their lairs, and there will seem nothing strange to
you in the songs and calls of the birds.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45