the water; but we were too quick for many of them, and in a
short time had, between us, turned over twenty.

There they lay, utterly helpless and at our mercy. But what to do with
them, was the first question. We could not carry them all on the raft,
and if we left them, they would certainly become the prey of jaguars or
alligators, and probably vultures and eagles. Indeed, the poor turtle
finds, from its birth to the day of its death, innumerable enemies ready
to prey on it. I, as a joke, recommended harnessing them, and letting
them tow us; but Sambo observed gravely that, as we could not guide
them, they were very likely to carry us off in exactly the opposite
direction to that we wished to go.

As the raft, we calculated, could only carry six, we at last determined
to build a pen in which to leave them, on their backs, and to cover it
over with boughs, so as to protect them from the attacks of any of the
foes I have mentioned. As it was only necessary to cut sticks for the
purpose four or five feet long, we soon had enough prepared, with a
number of the heaviest boughs we could manage to bring to the spot. We
then dragged our captives to the pen, and covered them up. People in
general do not take this precaution, but then they always leave some one
to watch the turned turtles till they can carry them away.

Placing the others on the raft, in high spirits we commenced our return
voyage. We met with no accident by the way, and, of course, were
heartily welcomed.

While we set off again, the rest of the party commenced building a pen
on the shore of the lake, by driving in sticks, so as to enclose a
semicircular piece of water, in which the turtles might live at their
ease. And on this occasion we carried with us a number of baskets, to
fill with turtles' eggs.

On reaching the spot where we had left our turtles, we found that our
precautions had not been in vain. An alligator had apparently poked his
nose against the sticks, but had been unable to uproot them; and one or
more jaguars had certainly visited the spot, but had not succeeded in
breaking through the thick roof. During the previous night more turtle
had, we found, visited the spot, and we very speedily filled our baskets
with eggs.

We had also brought with us a large trough and several clay jars. We
broke a considerable number of eggs into the trough, filling it to the
brim. In a short time a rich oil rose to the surface. This we skimmed