410 THE ADVENTURES OF 



" I am going to take them home to my brother and sis- 

 ter. L'Encuerado says that they would perch on the edge 

 of his load." 



" How shall you feed them ?" 



" With fruit, and sometimes with meat. M. Sumichrast 

 said yesterday that they would eat any thing that was 

 given to them. I have already named them < Verdet ' and 

 ' Janet.' " 



" They will be sure to get within reach of Grijigalet ; are 

 you sure that he will leave them alone ?" 



" L'Encuerado has already given him a lecture about it." 



" Still I am very much afraid that ' Verdet ' and ' Janet ' 

 will come to an untimely end." 



While we were resting, Lucien and his friend went off to 

 examine a caoutchouc-tree. The boy came back much dis- 

 appointed. 



" Tour India-rubber-tree isn't worth much," said he to 

 Sumichrast, showing him a thick white liquid, which he had 

 just collected. 



" And pray why not ?" 



" Because India-rubber ought to be black and dry." 



" It will acquire these qualities as it grows older. The 

 India-rubber oozes from the tree in the form of a milky 

 liquid, like that with which you are now smearing your fin- 

 gers. 



About three o'clock, when the sun was shining perpendic- 

 ularly down upon us, I conducted my companions through 

 the thickets, in order to explore the course of the river. 

 Very soon we were obliged to cut our way with our ma- 

 chetes, and several reptiles made off before our approach. 

 Gradually, as we advanced, the bank became covered with 

 swamp ivy, bignonias,' and cedar-trees, till we at last came 

 out on a sandy shore, where five or six turtles were appar- 

 ently asleep. In spite of all our exertions, the creatures 



