NETTING TURTLES 



409 



The arrow used in turtle shooting has a strong lancet- 

 shaped steel point, fitted into a peg which enters the tip 

 of the shaft. The peg is secured to the shaft by twine 

 made of the fibres of pine-apple leaves, the twine being 

 some thirty or forty yards in length, and neatly wound 

 round the body of the arrow. When the missile enters 

 the shell the peg drops out, and the pierced animal de- 

 scends with it towards the bottom, leaving the shaft 

 floating on the surface. This being done the sportsman 

 paddles in his montaria to the place, and gently draws 

 the animal by the twine, humouring it by giving it the 

 rein when it plunges, until it is brought again near the 

 surface, when he strikes it with a second arrow. With 

 the increased hold given by the two cords he has then no 

 difficulty in landing his game. 



By mid-day the men had shot about a score of nearly 

 full-grown turtles. Cardozo then gave orders to spread 

 the net. The spongy, swampy nature of the banks made 

 it impossible to work the net so as to draw the booty 

 ashore ; another method was therefore adopted. The 

 net was taken by two Indians and extended in a curve at 

 one extremity of the oval-shaped pool, holding it when 

 they had done so by the perpendicular rods fixed at each 

 end ; its breadth was about equal to the depth of the water, 

 its shotted side therefore rested on the bottom, whilst 

 the floats buoyed it up on the surface, so that the whole, 

 when the ends were brought together, would form a com- 

 plete trap. The rest of the party then spread themselves 

 around the swamp at the opposite end of the pool and 

 began to beat, with stout poles, the thick tufts of Matupa, 

 in order to drive the turtles towards the middle. This 

 was continued for an hour or more, the beaters gradually 

 drawing nearer to each other, and driving the host of 

 animals before them ; the number of little snouts con- 

 stantly popping above the surface of the water showing 

 that all was going on well. When they neared the net 

 the men moved more quickly, shouting and beating with 

 great vigour. The ends of the net were then seized by 

 several strong hands and dragged suddenly forwards, 

 bringing them at the same time together, so as to enclose 

 all the booty in a circle. Every man now leapt into the 

 enclosure, the boats were brought up, and the turtles easily 

 captured by the hand and tossed into them. I jum^ped 

 in along with the rest, although I had just before made 



