where I was lying. Touching me with her hand, she said in Latin:
"Why did you kill it?" I explained to her as well as I was able that it had first attacked me while asleep, and tried to kill me, that picking up a stone I had thrown it and hit the bird, which was wounded.
That the others, seeing one of their number on the ground, at once came around it, and ended by tearing it to pieces and devouring it.
She called the leader, and explained that the motive of my act was only self-defence.
And that in reality the birds had killed their mate.
Then pointing to me she said, "Hic ferti," bring him here."
CHAPTER VIII.
Lifting me they carried me through the cave into another one.
The light in this cave was intense, caused by heaps of fungi piled up against the walls, and was evidently their store-room.
