terly ignorant how the game was played.

We then turned into our hammocks, slung between the trees, and slept
soundly without fear of interruption; for the Indians kept unusually
quiet lest they should alarm the turtles, while they were also on the
watch to guard against a surprise from jaguars.

At daybreak the next morning we went out with Padre Bobo and his chief
man, who carried a long pole with which to search for the eggs. Digging
it into the sand as he went along, he discovered each nest by finding no
opposition to the pole as he struck it downwards, generally to about the
depth of three or four feet. The Indians then followed, and, removing
the sand with their hands, placed the eggs they collected in small
baskets, in which they carried them to their encampment, and threw them
into long wooden troughs filled with water. In these troughs the eggs,
broken and stirred with shovels, remained exposed to the sun till the
oily part rose to the surface. As fast as this oil collected, it was
skimmed off and boiled over a quick fire.

The Indians called it turtle butter; and the padre told us that it keeps
better than olive or any other oil. When well prepared, it is limpid,
inodorous, and almost white; and can then be used not only for burning
in lamps, but also for cooking.

Notwithstanding the vast quantity of eggs laid, in consequence of the
persecution to which the poor turtles are exposed, their numbers have
decreased of late years. The jaguars are their most inveterate enemies,
next to man; they pounce upon them, and turn one after the other on
their backs, so that they may afterwards devour them at their ease.
From the suppleness of the jaguar's paw, it is able to remove the double
armour of the creature, and to scrape out the flesh with the greatest
neatness. It will even pursue the turtle into the water when not very
deep. It also digs up its eggs; and, together with the alligator, the
heron, and the gallinazo vulture, captures large numbers of the little
turtles recently hatched.

Our crew half-filled the boat with small live turtles, and eggs dried in
the sun.

The alligators, which are among the principal persecutors of the
turtles, find their own young attacked by vultures. Unlike the turtle,
however, the savage little creatures attempt to defend themselves, and
as soon as they perceive their enemy they raise themselves on their fore
paws, bend their backs, and lift up their heads; opening the