THE POND TURTLE. 187 



entwined in the limbs of the cedar, and sends down a 

 hundred vines which dip their tangled mazes into the 

 water. Cattle resort hither to drink, and hogs to roll 

 in the cool mud; water-insects swarm in it, and 

 pond-turtles are abundant ; yet this is the only water 

 drunk by several families in the dry season. The 

 negro girls of the neighbourhood come hither, each 

 with a large shallow basket or tray of wicker on her 

 head, in which stand many calabashes. She wades 

 into the pond, pushes aside the duckweed, and fills 

 her vessels, which are then again transferred to her 

 head, and carried home to settle. The water is 

 turbid and tepid of course, yet not unwholesome ; or 

 else custom has habituated the people to its influence. 

 But it is with the inhabitants of the pond that I have 

 to do : on the logs and branches that from time to 

 time have fallen from the overhanging trees, and now 

 project here and there from the green surface, the 

 Turtles [Emys decussata) may be seen sitting to enjoy 

 the sunshine in the heat of the day. Some are as 

 large as a dinner-plate ; others no bigger than a 

 crown-piece ; but all are watchful, though still : the 

 head is protruded and elevated to the utmost stretch 

 of the neck, and the eye maintains a sharp look-out 

 on the shore. Throw in but a stick, — and every 

 one is gone ; each has dropped from his seat into 

 the water without a sound, and almost without a 

 ripple on the surface. If we sit down for a few 



things that are considered uncouth, or in some way unpleasing, as 

 Duppy's this or that, is analogous to the practice which prevails in 

 our own country, of appropriating things to the Devil ; as " Devil's 

 Squeaker " (the Swift), " Devil's Coach-horse " (the Rove-beetle), &c« 



