140 THE BEL.VCH OF PARARUMA. 



nightfall they landed on a barren island in the middle of 

 the river, near the mission of Uruana. They supped in 

 a clear moonlight, seating themselves on some large 

 turtle-shells that were found scattered about the beach. 



On the 8th the travellers passed the mouths of the Sua 

 pure and the Caripo, on the east, and the outlet of the 

 Sinaruco on the west. This last river was, next to the 

 Eio Arauca, the most considerable between the Apure 

 and the Meta. The Suapure, full of little cascades, was 

 celebrated among the Indians for the quantity of wild 

 honey obtained from the forests in its neighbourhood. 



Early on the following morning the travellers arrived 

 at the beach of Pararuma, where they found an encamp- 

 ment of Indians. They had assembled to search the 

 sands, for collecting the turtles' eggs, and extracting the 

 oil ; but they had unfortunately made a mistake of seve- 

 ral days. The young turtles had come out of their shells be- 

 fore the Indians had formed their camp ; and consequently 

 the crocodiles, and a species of large white herons, availed 

 themselves of the delay. These animals, and birds fond 

 of the flesh of young turtles, devour an innumerable 

 quantity. They fish during the night, for the young 

 turtles do not come out of the earth to gain the neigh- 

 bouring river till after the evening twilight. The zamuro 

 vultures are too indolent to hunt after sunset. They 

 stalk along the shores in the daytime, and alight in the 

 midst of the Indian encampment to steal provisions ; but 

 they often find no other means of satisfying their voracity 

 than by attacking young crocodiles of seven or eight 

 inches long, either on land, or in water of little depth. 

 It was curious to see the address with which these little 

 animals defended themselves for a time against the vul 



