396 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



" Can he have discovered water ?" said I to my compan- 

 ion, and I approached the fire where the game was roasting 

 under the inspection of Gringalet. Sumichrast remained 

 to look after the cooking of the birds, and I overtook Lu- 

 cien and the Indian just at the moment when they were 

 bending over a plant with scarlet-red leaves, which grew en- 

 circling the stem of a magnolia. About a glassful of lim- 

 pid fluid flowed from it into the calabash. 



" Can we get water from this shrub by merely pressing 

 it ?" asked Lucien, with surprise. 



" All that is needed is to bend it," I replied. " It treas- 

 ures up the precious dew between its leaves, and l'Encuera- 

 do and I should have died of thirst in one of our expedi- 

 tions if it had not been for this plant." 



" Why doesn't it grow in every forest ?" asked Lucien. 



" Certainly, if it grew everywhere, one of the greatest 

 obstacles to travelling in the wilderness would be re- 

 moved." 



" And what's the name of this plant ?" 



"The Creoles call it the 6 Easter flower;' it is one of the 

 bromelacece" 



" Does it produce any fruit good to eat ?" 



u No, but in case of extreme necessity its large red 

 leaves would appease hunger." 



We reascended the hill, when an uproar proceeding from 

 the edge of the forest reached our ears. L'Encuerado 

 smiled, showing us the double range of his white teeth. 



" See down there," he said to Lucien, pointing to a cor- 

 ner of the wood, away from which all the birds seemed to 

 be flying. 



There was a whole tribe of monkeys frolicking about 

 among the creepers. 



" Let us go and look at them more closely," said Lucien. 

 "It is too late now, Chanito ; they have just been drink- 



