126 THE ADVENTURES OF 



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 anything but a 

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

 mies, for one had nearly bitten off his hand, whilst he was 

 bathing. The turf-carpeted bank soon led us into the thick 

 forest again. We had been walking for more than an hour 

 through a perfect labyrinth of gigantic trees, and over a bare 

 and yet rich soil, — for it is only in the glades that the ground 

 is covered with grass, — when I'Encuerado heard the call of a 

 species of pheasant peculiar to this country. 



" Bend towards the left to get near the game," said Sumi- 

 chrast, in a low voice ; " and whatever you do, don't shake the 

 foliage." 



"We're all right now," muttered I'Eacuerado; "listen! I'll 

 predict that we shall have a good dinner to-day." 



The Indian laid down his load, which Sumichrast and Lucien 

 took charge of, whilst I followed the former behind the trees. 

 My companion soon went a little in front, and imitated the cry 

 of the bird we were pursuing, so as to make them answer, 

 and thus show us where they were hidden. The imitation 

 was really so perfect that I moved towards it, thinking to find 

 the bird, and of course came upon the Indian lying in ambush. 

 This same mistake had happened to me before with Sumichrast, 

 who imitated the voice of birds almost as well as the Indian. At 

 last his cry produced an answer, and at about a hundred yards 

 from us, on the top of a not very tall oak, were perched three 

 enormous pheasants. 



Bent down and crawling behind the trees, I joined I'Encuerado, 

 keeping my eye fixed on the game, which stretched out their 

 necks with an anxious look, and seemed to be listening. Two 

 gun-shots went off at once ; one of the birds fell dead at our feet, 

 the two others flew away. One of these fugitives flew high 

 above the tree-tops, but the other being wounded was unable to 

 follow its companion; I darted off in pursuit, making sure of 

 bagging it. The poor bird reached the ground and tried hard to 

 run ; I was not more than fifty paces from it, when a tiger-cat, 



