opportunity, rushed forward at the
other eye. It must have succeeded in pecking it, for the great lizard
roared out with the pain; and rushing forward a bit, writhed and lashed
the sand with his tail.

The vultures paid no attention to these demonstrations, but only kept
out of the way of the teeth and claws of their antagonist; and then,
when he became still again, both returned to the attack as before. One
after the other was seen dashing repeatedly forward--using both legs and
wings to effect their object, and each time darting out their great
beaks towards the eyes of the reptile. The head of the latter kept
continuously moving from side to side; but move where it would, the
beaks of the vultures were ready to meet it, and to pierce into the
sockets of those deep lurid eyes.

This terrible contest lasted all the time the balza was floating by. It
was a slow current at this place, and our travellers were a long time in
passing, so that they had a good opportunity of witnessing the strange
spectacle. Long after they had glided past, they saw that the conflict
continued. They could still perceive the black body of the reptile upon
the white sandbank, writhing and struggling, while the flapping wings of
the vultures showed that they still kept up their terrible attack. But
the head of the crocodile was no longer directed towards the water. At
the first onset the reptile had used every effort to retreat in that
direction. He knew that his only safety lay in getting into the river,
and sinking beyond the reach of his adversaries. At every interval
between their assaults, he had been seen to crawl forward, stopping only
when compelled to defend himself. Now, however, his head was seen
turned from the water; sometimes he lay parallel with the stream; and
sometimes he appeared to be heading back for the woods, while his
struggles and contortions betrayed the agony he was undergoing. But his
turning in this way was easily accounted for. He knew not in what
direction lay the river. He could no longer see. His eyes were
mutilated by the beaks of the birds. _He was blind_!

Guapo said the vultures would not leave him until they had made a meal
of his eyes, and that was all they wanted. He would then remain on
shore, perhaps without finding his way back to the water, and most
likely be attacked by jaguars, or other preying creatures, who could
conquer him the easier now that he was deprived of his sight!

As