THE TURTLERS. 373 



dexterity that the sides seldom if ever fall in. The sand is raised alter- 

 nately with each flapper, as with a large ladle, until it has accumulated 

 behind her, when supporting herself with her head and fore part on the 

 ground fronting her body, she with a spring from each flapper, sends the 

 sand around her, scattering it to the distance of several feet. In this 

 manner the hole is dug to the depth of eighteen inches or sometimes more 

 than two feet. This labour I have seen performed in the short period of 

 nine minutes. The eggs are then dropped one by one, and disposed in 

 regular layers, to the number of a hundred and fifty, or sometimes nearly 

 two hundred. The whole time spent in this part of the operation may be 

 about twenty minutes. She now scrapes the loose sand back over the 

 eggs, and so levels and smooths the surface, that few persons on seeing the 

 spot could imagine any thing had been done to it. This accomplished to 

 her mind, she retreats to the water with all possible dispatch, leaving the 

 hatching of the eggs to the heat of the sand. When a turtle, a logger- 

 head for example, is in the act of dropping her eggs, she will not move 

 although one should go up to her, or even seat himself on her back, for it 

 seems that at this moment she finds it necessary to proceed at all events, 

 and is unable to intermit her labour. The moment it is finished, how- 

 ever, off" she starts ; nor would it then be possible for one, unless he were 

 as strong as a Hercules, to turn her over and secure her. 



To upset a turtle on the shore, one is obliged to fall on his knees, 

 and, placing his shoulder behind her forearm, gradually raise her up by 

 pushing with great force, and then with a jerk throw her over. Some- 

 times it requires the united strength of several men to accomplish this ; 

 and, if the turtle should be of very great size, as often happens on that 

 coast, even hand-spikes are employed. Some turtlers are so daring as to 

 swim up to them while lying asleep on the surface of the water, and turo 

 them over in their own element, when, however, a boat must be at hand 

 to enable them to secure their prize. Few turtles can bite beyond the 

 reach of their fore legs, and few, when once turned over, can, without 

 assistance, regain their natural position ; but, notwithstanding this, their 

 flappers are generally secured by ropes so as to render their escape im- 

 possible. 



Persons who search for turtles' eggs are provided with a light stift' 

 cane or a gun-rod, with which they go along the shores, probing the sand 

 near the tracks of the animals, which, however, cannot always be seen, on 

 account of the winds and heavy rains, that often obliterate them. The 



