YOUNG CROCODILES. 201 



similar to that we had seen at the Boca de la Tortuga. 

 They had assembled to search the sands, for collecting the 

 turtles* eggs, and extracting the oil ; bat they had unfortu- 

 nately made a mistake of several days. The young turtles 

 had come out of their shells before the Indians had formed 

 their camp ; and consequently the crocodiles and the garzes, 

 a species of large white herons, availed themselves of the 

 delay. These animals, alike fond of the flesh of the young 

 turtles, devour an innumerable quantity. They fish during 

 the night, for the tortuguillos do not come out of the earth 

 to gain the neighbouring 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 is curious 

 to see the address with which these little animals defend 

 themselves for a time against the vultures. As soon as they 

 perceive the enemy, they raise themselves on their fore 

 paws, bend their backs, and lift up their heads, opening 

 their wide jaws. They turn continually, though slowly, 

 toward their assailant to show him their teeth, which, even 

 when the animal has but recently issued from the egg, are 

 very long and sharp. Often while the attention of a young 

 crocodile is wholly engaged by one of the zamuros, another 

 seizes the favourable opportunity for an unforeseen attack. 

 He pounces on the crocodile, grasps him by the neck, and 

 bears him off to the higher regions of the air. We had 

 an opportunity of observing this manoeuvre during several 

 mornings, at Mompex, on the banks of the Magdalena, where 

 we had collected more than forty very young crocodiles, in a 

 spacious court surrounded by a wall. 



We found among the Indians assembled at Pararuma 

 some white men, who had come from Angostura to purchase 

 the tortoise-butter. After having wearied us for a long 

 time with their complaints of the 'bad harvest,' and the 

 mischief done by the tigers among the turtles, at the 

 time of laying their eggs, they conducted us beneath an 

 ajoupa, that rose in the centre of the Indian camp. We 

 tnere found the missionary-monks of Carichana and t v je 



