Chap. IV. BIVOUAC ON SAND-BANK. 263 



dozo and I lived almost exclusively on them for several 

 months afterwards. Roasted in the shell they form a 

 most appetizing dish. These younger turtles never 

 migrate with their elders on the sinking of the waters, 

 but remain in the tepid pools, fattening on fallen fruits, 

 and, according to the natives, on the fine nutritious 

 mud. We captured a few full-grown mother-turtles, 

 which were known at once by the horny skin of their 

 breast-plates being worn, telling of their having crawled 

 on the sands to lay eggs the previous year. They had 

 evidently made a mistake in not leaving the pool at the 

 proper time, for they were full of eggs, which, we were 

 told, they would, before the season was over, scatter in 

 despair over the swamp. We also found several male 

 turtles, or Capitaris, as they are called by the natives. 

 These are immensely less numerous than the females, 

 and are distinguishable by their much smaller size, 

 more circular shape, and the greater length and thick- 

 ness of their tails. Their flesh is considered unwhole- 

 some, especially to sick people having external signs of 

 inflammation. All diseases in these parts, as well as 

 their remedies and all articles of food, are classed by the 

 inhabitants as "hot" and "cold," and the meat of the 

 Capitari is settled by unanimous consent as belonging to 

 the " hot" list. 



We dined on the banks of the river, a little before 

 sunset. The mosquitoes then began to be troublesome, 

 and finding it would be impossible to sleep here, we all 

 embarked and crossed the river to a sand-bank, about 

 three miles distant, where we passed the night. Cardozo 

 and I slept in our hammocks slung between upright 



