ped; then on he went
again, till he got close behind it, when, suddenly darting out his hand,
he seized it by its long legs and drew it quickly under water.

The bird struggled in vain to free itself, and Kallolo brought it to me
in triumph. It was, he told me, called the oven-bird, because it walks
over those enormous leaves shaped like the pans used for baking the
mandioca. I at once recognised it as the jacana. It had black plumage,
with a greenish gloss; its legs were very long and slight, as were its
toes and claws, especially the hind toe. The body, though it appeared
large, was of a singularly light construction, so that it weighs but
little when pressing on the floating leaves. Indeed, on measuring it we
found that it was about ten inches long; the beak, of an orange colour,
being upwards of an inch in length. We carried home our captive; but
though we were anxious to keep it and tame it, it died in a few days,
probably from being unable to obtain the food to which it was
accustomed.

The day after this adventure I was in the woods, when I saw the grass
close to me move; I started back, supposing that a serpent was crossing
my path, and might spring on me. I stood prepared with my stick to
strike it without any sensation of fear; indeed, no snakes need be
dreaded by persons of good nerve and correct eye, if seen in time. I
watched the spot, when, instead of a snake, a land-tortoise came
creeping along. I immediately pounced upon it, and carried it off. It
weighed, I judged, about twenty pounds.

Sambo was well-pleased at seeing it. "This is better food than any we
have yet found!" he exclaimed. "If we can catch a few more, we shall
have enough fresh provisions during the voyage, for they will live a
long time without eating."

As it was possible that more might be found in the same spot, Sambo and
Maco set off with me to hunt for them. We were more successful than we
expected, for we had fallen, it appeared, on a colony of the creatures;
and in a short time we captured six, of about the same size as the
first. Maco said that, as they seldom move far from home, we should
probably catch many more.

We returned home with a tortoise under each arm; and we had now to
consider how they were to be kept. They would not remain quietly on
their backs, as turtle are wont to do; for immediately they were put in
that position they managed to turn over, and began to crawl away. It
was therefore settled t