113 NIMBOD OF THE SEA; OS, 



CHAPTER IX. 



Springs of Water from the living Eocks. — A new Dish, and simple Cook- 

 ery. — ^A Supper, and permission to Kings to sup. — We return to Camp. 

 — Up Anchor for Cocos Island. — ^At Anchor again. — Anticipations of 

 Tropical Luxuriance exceeded. — ^Description of the Growths. — Quarrels 

 settled. — Bottom of the Bay, and beauty thereof. — Wild-boar Hunt. — 

 Description of our Game. — ^Absence of Food elements in Cocos Island 

 contrasted with the Abundance at the Galapagos. — Remarkable qualities 

 of the Terrapin. — ^Abundance and Variety of Fishes. — Weigh Anchor for 

 Selango to wood Ship. — A Plan to desert proposed and declined. — The 

 Wreck of Forests found at Sea. 



With the established inconsistency of moralists, we took 

 the head off the largest terrapin we could find — one great 

 enough to furnish a feast for a hundred men — as we stood 

 in sore need of refreshment. We were exceedingly thirsty, 

 moreover, and had tried to satisfy our craving with the 

 warm, insipid juice obtained from the trunks of the giant 

 cactuses, but in our capture, in our terrapin, we found the 

 living spring of this wilderness. An ample supply of pure, 

 limpid water was discovered in the pearly sack placed at 

 the base of the animal's neck. There were some three gal- 

 lons of water here, and, wonders of wonders ! it was cool. 

 The temperature of the animal is but 62°, but that of the 

 country may reach 110° in the sun. Thus we carried our 

 water in the bottle of classic ages, only that this was Na- 

 ture's own water-bottle. Such is one of God's providences 

 for man in dry places. 



Heartily refreshed by the drink, we built a fire under the 

 branches of a tree of fragrant foliage out of wood whose 

 smoke was incense, and we toasted great slices of the terra- 



