aro and two of his
men had already gone off to try and catch some of the animals. After
walking a short distance, we discovered the Indians squatting down
behind a shelter of branches, which they had put up to conceal
themselves from the turtles. They told us to take our seats by them,
and remain quiet. We had not been there long before we saw a number of
dark objects moving over the light coloured sand. Two or three came
close to us, when the Indians rushing out, quickly turned them on their
backs, and again ran under shelter.

We waited for some time till the light of day enabled us to see more
clearly, when, as far as our eyes could reach, we observed the upper
part of the bank covered with turtles, all busily employed with their
broad-webbed paws in excavating the sand, while others were apparently
placing their eggs in the holes they had made. As the morning drew on,
they began to waddle away towards the river. The margin of the upper
bank was rather steep, and it was amusing to see them tumbling head
foremost down the declivity, and then going on again till the leaders
reached the water. We now all rushed forward, and were in time to catch
several, turning them over on their backs, where they lay unable to
move.

The first comer, Isoro told us, makes a hole about three feet deep. In
this she lays her eggs, and then covers them up with sand. The next
reaching the shore lays her eggs on the top of her predecessor's, and so
on, several turtles will lay one above the others, till the pit, which
holds about one hundred eggs, is full, when the last carefully sweeps
the sand over the hole, so as to make it appear as if it had not been
disturbed. It is only, indeed, from the tracks made by the turtles
themselves as they are returning to the water that the nests can be
traced. In the settled parts of the country great care is taken not to
disturb these sand-banks till the whole body of turtles have laid their
eggs. Sometimes they occupy fourteen days or more in the business.
People are stationed at some elevated spot in the neighbourhood to warn
off any one approaching the bank, and to take care that the timid
turtles are in no way disturbed; otherwise it is supposed they would
desert the ground altogether.

We had now a large supply of turtle and turtle eggs. Our Indian
friends, well satisfied with their expedition, loaded their canoe almost
to the water's edge. We also took on board as many as we could c