Examining closely, I made out a series
of lizards running on their hind legs.
"They," he explained, "are cut into the stone. It is a sort of red
sandstone. They are a little bigger than the thing itself as it is
living. But look at this."
The particular spot to which he pointed was blurred and dirty, as though
many fingers had pointed to it and I took the magnifying glass for
closer inspection. Even then I only saw dimly as something that bore a
resemblance to the carved figures.
"That," he said, "is as near as ever I came to seeing one of the little
devils. I think it was one of them though I am not sure. I caught sight
of it flashing across like a swiftly blown leaf. We took the picture by
flashlight you see, so I'm not sure. Somerfield, of course, was too busy
attending to his camera. He saw nothing."
"We might have another picture made," I said. "It would be interesting."
"D'ye think I'd be able to carry plunder around traveling as I was
then?" he asked. "You see, I went down there for the Company I'm working
for. I was looking out for rubber and hard woods. I'd worked from
Buenaventura. From Buenaventura down to the Rio Caqueta and then
followed that stream up to the water head, and then down the Codajaz. If
you look at the map, you'll see it's no easy trip.
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