The portfolios of pictures proved of great interest to all but Darry, who soon fell into a sound sleep, from which the others did not awaken him. In the collection of pictures were views of the great Cathedral at Caracas, the numerous Public Buildings, the Botanical Gardens, the wonderful railroad bridges around the mountains and over the valleys, the harbors at La Guayra, the waterways leading to the mighty Orinoco, and views of the great river itself, showing the canyons to be found in certain localities and the fierce rapids. The latter views interested them most of all.
“I’m just aching to get on that river,” said Frank. “What fun we will have, hunting, fishing and camping out! The cities are all well enough, but one gets tired of them after awhile.”
“We haven’t seen so very much of the cities yet,” put in Sam.
“We’ve done up Caracas, and that’s the main city. And we stopped at La Guayra, which is as important a seacoast town as they have.”
“I’m with Frank on the river question,” said Mark. “I hope I get a shot at some big game.”
“The professor thinks there is no large game left in Venezuela,” said Sam. “He said there were a number of animals of the cat variety like the puma, ounce and ocelot.”
“I’ve heard there were jaguars here—in the big forests.”
“The professor said there might be some but they were becoming very rare. You see, the people who have immense herds of cattle on the llanos, or prairies, have to protect their stock and so they have hunted the wild beasts pretty thoroughly.”
“I know other things they have, which we may fall in with, and they are just as bad as big game and maybe worse,” said Mark.
“What are they?” asked Frank, with increased interest.