more leisurely. The shrubs we had seen we found to be prickly pears.
We had gone some distance when we caught sight of some enormous
creatures like tortoises. The doctor called them terrapins. They had
been feeding on the prickly pears, and were now leisurely making their
way towards the hills which rose in the distance. We were all suffering
from thirst, and the sun beat down on our heads with a great heat. We
had in vain been looking for water.

"I'd give anything for a mugful!" cried Jim.

"So would I," "And I!" echoed several more of the men.

"You needn't have long to wait if you can catch those creatures," said
the doctor. "They'll yield as much cool water as we want."

We all set off running after the terrapins, which, as they didn't move
fast, we soon overtook. As we got close to them they drew their heads
into their shells, and remained quiet.

Horner had become unusually lively, and on seeing the creatures stop
jumped on the back of one of them, when immediately on it went carrying
him along with it. At first he thought it very good fun, and began
snapping his fingers and pretending to dance, but whilst he was looking
round at us the terrapin carried him against a prickly pear-bush, and
over he went sprawling on the ground, to the great amusement of the men.

"Oh, save me! Save me!" he shouted out, scarcely knowing what had
happened, and believing that the creatures were going to turn upon him
and run their bills into his body.

Jim and I helped him up, and found that he was bleeding from a cut hand
and a wound inflicted in his side by the point of one of the leaves.
The doctor, however, on arriving at the spot, examined his hurts and
comforted him by the assurance that there was not much the matter, and
that if he didn't think about it he could go on as well as the rest of
us.

We soon again overtook the terrapins, when the men who were armed with
spears ran them in under the creatures' necks and quickly killed them.
We turned them over, and under the doctor's directions, found, as he
said we should, plenty of perfectly cool water in their insides. It was
fresh as if just out of the spring. Leaving the terrapins to carry back
with us on our return, we pushed on in the hope of falling in with some
more. We were not disappointed. We in a short time killed four, as
many as we could manage to carry on board the boat, and sufficient to
give us fresh meat for several days. I was in hopes of m