Tortoises/tell and the Turtle Fisheries. 369 



excellent omelet. The Indians frequently eat them raw, 

 mixed with their cassava flour. A large quantity of rich 

 oil is made from the immense deposits of turtle eggs on the 

 banks of the Orinoco and Amazon ; each turtle lays from 

 100 to 200 eggs. Several thousand persons are occupied on 

 the banks of these rivers preparing this mantega or turtle 

 oil as a local article of commerce. 



2 K 



