TURTLE-SPEARING. 207 



ward journey is ended, and the animal has turned again toward 

 the sea, and by probing there with a sharp flat stick, can unearth 

 the whole nest of eggs. The eggs are spherical, and the size of a 

 guinea-fowl's egg, of a dull white colour, with a soft but tenacious 

 shell. They are good eating, and when boiled for one minute, 

 make a charming addition to a soup or a stew. Other hunters 

 beside men appreciate them, and one often finds the tracks of 

 raccoons, wild cats, and bears following those of the turtle, and 

 an empty gathering of egg-shells tells the tale of a stolen supper. 



In the spring-tides when the moon is at its full, it is a frequent 

 sport to lie hidden on the beach, and when a turtle, if found crawl- 

 ing on shore, to run rapidly to him, and throw him over on his 

 back, from which position he can rarely recover himself. If he is 

 a large one it requires the strength of two men to turn him over, 

 for he violently resists the indignity. 



In pleasant weather it is their habit to lie asleep on the surface 

 of the sea, with their backs and nostrils just above the water, 

 cradled by the gentle movement of the ocean. Then the fisherman 

 steals on him with muffled oars. As the boat nears him it moves 

 slowly in absolute silence. The harpooner stands in the bow of 

 the boat with his lance-like harpoon in his hand. The point of 

 the harpoon is a blunt heart-shaped lance-head about two inches 

 in length with a ring attached to the side near the upper end, and 

 to this ring a long cord is fastened, which is wound up at the bow 

 of the boat. This lance-head has a hollow socket in which is 

 inserted loosely a light wooden shaft eight feet in length. 



When within fifteen feet of the tortoise, the fisherman casts his 

 lance in such a manner, that it describes a curve in the air, and 

 comes down perpendicularly on the back of the tortoise with a 

 thud. The lance-head penetrates through the shell, and its further 

 progress is stopped by the ring. The tortoise dives, the shaft 

 floats away, and the strain of the cord comes latterly upon the 

 lance-head, and therefore does not pull it out. A gentle strain is 

 put upon it, the boat gradually gets headway towed by the turtle. 

 As he dives more cord is yielded to him, as he tires and comes to 

 the surface, the boat pulls up to him — he dives again — another 

 race and then another — each shorter than the one before — the boat 



