495 



doubt like the crocodile knows the spot, where 

 she has made her nest; but, not daring to re- 

 turn to the beach, where the Indians have formed 

 their encampment, how can she distinguish her 

 own young from the tortuguillos that do not be- 

 long to her? On the other hand, the Otomack 

 Indians declare, that, at the period of the inun- 

 dations, they have met with female turtles fol- 

 lowed by a great number of young ones. These 

 were perhaps arraus, that laid eggs on a desert 

 beach, to which they could return. Males are 

 extremely rare among these animals. Scarcely 

 is one male found among several hundred fe- 

 males. The cause of this scarcity cannot be the 

 same as with the crocodiles, which fight in the 

 season of their loves. 



Our pilot had anchored at the Play a de huevos, 

 to purchase some provision, which began to run 

 short with us. We found there fresh meat, 

 Angostura rice, and even biscuit made of wheaten 

 flour. Our Indians filled the boat with little 

 live turtles, and eggs dried in the Sun, for their 

 own use. Having taken leave of the missionary 

 of Uruana, who had treated us with great cor- 

 diality, we set sail about four in the afternoon. 

 The wind was fresh, and blew in squalls. Since 

 we had entered the mountainous part of the 

 country, we had discovered, that our canoe car- 

 ried sail very badly ; but the master was desir- 

 ous of showing the Indians, who were assembled 



