ith Sumichrast and Lucien by my side, and from
whence my eye could wander all over the blue and transparent water. We
kept silent, being charmed with the smiling grandeur of this retired
corner of the world. Birds came flying by, and, settling down close to
us, warbled for an instant--then again took flight, after having given
us time to admire the rich colors of their plumage. The motionless water
was covered by long-legged insects with transparent wings, which seemed
to skim over the polished surface as if impelled by some invisible
agency. Sometimes an azure and purple attired dragon-fly flitted by, and
all the insects fled at its approach, like sparrows before a hawk. A
brilliantly-colored butterfly dashed against the voracious insect, and a
furious combat took place between them; but the dragon-fly, which was
eventually the conqueror, was in turn vanquished by a bird.

We were just moving off, when the deep water seemed to be agitated, and,
although on the surface the flies and gnats continued their evolutions,
the fish in hasty flight disappeared, and communicated their terror even
to the water-snakes. A tortoise, however, seemed to deem it unnecessary
to retreat, only drawing its head and feet under its shell. Almost
immediately an animal swam vigorously up to the reptile, and, having
stopped to smell at it, continued its course.

[Illustration: "The sun was just setting."]

"Are there such things as opossum-fishes?" asked Lucien, surprised.

"It is an otter," said I, in a low voice.

And quickly descending the rock, I followed Sumichrast to the water's
edge, at a spot where the animal appeared inclined to land. We waited
for an hour without any result.

My friend proposed to go and take a hurried dinner, and then return to
our post near the rock. In a few minutes we had joined l'Encuerado, for,
unknown to us, our bivouac was established about four gunshots from the
lake. The Indian jumped with joy on hearing of the appearance of what he
called a "water-dog."

"You may set me down as a fool," said he to Gringalet, caressing him,
"if by to-morrow morning I don't give you one of your brother's legs for
breakfast."

"Are otters really relations of Gringalet?" asked Lucien of me.

"Yes; according to Cuvier, they are digitigrades. Added to this, the
otter may be tamed and trained to bring fish out of the water, which it
is very skillful in catching, for it eats scarcely any thing else."

The sun was just se