but on account of its speed it has been exposed to
the air but a very short time since leaving the spring."

Just before them the stream now widened into a narrow lake, which they
could see was straight for some distance.

"The fact is," said Bearwarden, "this water seems in such haste to
reach the ocean that it turns neither to right nor to left, and does
not even seem to wish to widen out."

As the huge ferns and palms grew to the water's edge, they concluded
the best way to traverse the lake would be on a raft. Accordingly,
choosing a large overhanging palm, Bearwarden and Ayrault fired each an
explosive ball into its trunk, about eighteen inches from the ground.
One round was enough to put it in the water, each explosion removing
several cubic feet of wood. By repeating this process on other trees
they soon had enough large timber for buoyancy, so that they had but to
superimpose lighter cross-logs and bind the whole together with pliable
branches and creepers to form a substantial raft. The doctor climbed
on, after which Bearwarden and Ayrault cast off, having prepared long
poles for navigating. With a little care they kept their bark from
catching on projecting roots, and as the stream continued to widen till
it was about one hundred yards across, their work became easy. Carried
along at a speed of two or three miles an hour, they now saw that the
water and the banks they passed were literally alive with reptiles and
all sorts of amphibious creatures, while winged lizards sailed from
every overhanging branch into the water as they approached. They
noticed also many birds similar to storks and cranes, about the size of
ostriches, standing on logs in the water, whose bills were provided
with teeth.

"We might almost think we were on earth," said Ayrault, "from the looks
of those storks standing on one leg, with the other drawn up, were it
not for their size."

"How do you suppose they defend themselves," asked Bearwarden, "from
the snakes with which the water is filled?"

"I suspect they can give a pretty good account of themselves," replied
Cortlandt, "with those teeth. Besides, with only one leg exposed,
there is but a very small object for a snake to strike at. For their
number and size, I should say their struggle for existence was
comparatively mild. Doubtless non-poisonous, or, for that matter,
poisonous snakes, form a great part of their diet."

On passing the bend in the lake they noticed t