188 THE ADVENTURES OF 



us its gaping mouth with a vicious manner. The turtle- 

 fishers much dread the galapagos, which, being more agile 

 than the ordinary tortoise, give them sometimes frightful 

 wounds, either with their sharp, claws or their horny jaws. 

 Their flesh is declared to be unwholesome. 



Just as we were leaving, 1'Encuerado wanted to cut off 

 the reptile's head. Sumichrast opposed this useless slaugh- 

 ter, and was inclined to replace the tortoise on its feet. . But 

 the Indian refused to assist in this good work, for he assert- 

 ed that it was equivalent to leaving a rattlesnake alive. 

 Two or three times the animal was very nearly repaying 

 our kindness by a bite; for, as soon as we came near, it 

 managed to twist round on its upper shell. We were 

 about to abandon it to its fate, when suddenly, the slope of 

 the ground helping us, we managed to set it on its feet; as 

 soon as it was turned over, it rushed at Lucien. The enor- 

 mous rolls round its neck, being all distended, made it' carry 

 its head very forward, so, with a single blow of his cutlass, 

 1'Encuerado decapitated the assailant. We were then wit- 

 nesses to a strange sight, for while Gringalet was furiously 

 attacking the motionless head, the feet, continuing to move, 

 bore along the body, which in a moment disappeared in the 

 lake. Although we had often before seen tortoises survive 

 for a considerable time wounds which were certainly mor- 

 tal, the strength of the nervous system which was exhibit- 

 ed in this reptile almost staggered us. 



" Now, my brave friend, try and swim without your head, 

 and take care not to break your skull against the rocks !" 

 cried the exasperated Indian. " The father saves your life, 

 and then you want to hurt his child ! You hardly saw me, 

 or you'd have known that I am pretty well able to bite. 

 Good-bye ! and take good care of yourself !" 



We may readily see that the Indian was any thing but a 

 generous enemy ; but the fact was, the galapagos were old 



