26 
WATER-TORTOISE. 
rose the Organ Mountains, abruj^tly grand, their 
many-coloured sides and fluted rocks dimly veiled 
in the mist of tlie early morning ; while to the left 
stretched deep purple valleys, and long green undu- 
lating hills clothed with an indistinct and billowy 
verdure. 
We had not gone far before the enthusiasm of 
the party broke forth in exclamations of siiq^rise 
and delight at the beauty of the scenery, which I 
confess is quite as attractive as Von Martins and 
Humboldt have painted it. As we proceeded on our 
way, we passed a large, weedy, shallow well by the 
roadside. I looked down into it, and with a cove- 
tous eye perceived a flat-backed, long-necked water 
tortoise, which was leisurely swimming round and 
round. Suspended above him by a rope was a 
bucket, which we lowered cautiously, but he per- 
sistently refused to enter it. Half afraid of snakes, 
I penetrated a dense thicket, and crawled on hands 
and knees to the stems of some Avild plantains, meet- 
ing by the way all sorts of clammy, slabby, creej)- 
ing and uncomfortable life.” Under the decaying 
