tail. The latter appendage was almost as long as the body, and was
covered with a triple row of scaly crests fitting into each other. The
gray, wrinkled, and almost scaly skin of the reptile formed rolls round
its neck of a disgusting appearance--one might almost fancy them
unhealthy excrescences. The horrible beast turned towards us its gaping
mouth with a vicious manner. The turtle-fishers much dread the
_galapagos_, which, being more agile than the ordinary tortoise, give
them sometimes frightful wounds, either with their sharp claws or their
horny jaws. Their flesh is declared to be unwholesome.

Just as we were leaving, l'Encuerado wanted to cut off the reptile's
head. Sumichrast opposed this useless slaughter, and was inclined to
replace the tortoise on its feet. But the Indian refused to assist in
this good work, for he asserted that it was equivalent to leaving a
rattlesnake alive. Two or three times the animal was very nearly
repaying our kindness by a bite; for, as soon as we came near, it
managed to twist round on its upper shell. We were about to abandon it
to its fate, when suddenly, the slope of the ground helping us, we
managed to set it on its feet; as soon as it was turned over, it rushed
at Lucien. The enormous rolls round its neck, being all distended, made
it carry its head very forward, so, with a single blow of his cutlass,
l'Encuerado decapitated the assailant. We were then witnesses to a
strange sight, for while Gringalet was furiously attacking the
motionless head, the feet, continuing to move, bore along the body,
which in a moment disappeared in the lake. Although we had often before
seen tortoises survive for a considerable time wounds which were
certainly mortal, the strength of the nervous system which was exhibited
in this reptile almost staggered us.

"Now, my brave friend, try and swim without your head, and take care not
to break your skull against the rocks!" cried the exasperated Indian.
"The father saves your life, and then you want to hurt his child! You
hardly saw me, or you'd have 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 any thing but a generous enemy;
but the fact was, the _galapagos_ were old enemies, for one had nearly
bitten off his hand while 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