TraveU:in the Brazik' 



103 



a good stout pac1v-horse could carry, besides the difficulty of 

 placing the cumbrous mass in a way to be conveyed thence, 

 we resolved to spare its life and to be satisfied with its ample 

 tribute of eggs. 



The Testudo Mydas, the Coriacea, as also the Caretta, or 

 Cauänne, lay their eggs in the warm months of the year in 

 those parts between Riacho and Mucuri. They climb up to 

 the land at the approach of evening, scrape a hole, lay their 

 eggs therein, fill it up again with the sand, stamp it down 

 tight, then, in an hour or two after sun-set, hasten back again 

 to the sea. 



This turtle which had so abundantly provided for us, made 

 its appearance no more: after some hours, on returning to the 

 strand, it had stopped up the hole completely and left its broad 

 track in the sand, as atoken that it had crawled back again to 

 its element. One of these turtles can furnish a good meal to 

 a large company, wit h its eggs. The Midas turtle will gene- 

 rally lay ten to twelve dozen of eggs; the tender-shell lays 

 from eighteen to twenty dozen at one time 3 these eggs are 

 extremely nutritious, and are much sought in unfrequented 

 coasts by the Indians, and by the whites in the vicinity of the 

 colonies. Our supper being ende< , we made a fire amongst the 

 bushes of the dwarf-p .dm, to keep off the wild beasts from our 

 cattle. In the morning we found tresh traces of the great wild 

 cat. According to the information of old Simon, the black tiger, 

 or the black ounce, {Felis Brasiliensis) the Yaguartnoir of Azara, 

 are often seen in these parts at night in search of prey. 



On the first of January, which in our country is certain to 

 be attended with snow and ice, we were here saluted at seven 

 o'clock in the morning with warm sun-beams, and at noon 

 were oppressed by an intolerable heat. We found ourselves 

 after aii hour's ride at Barra Seca, the place where a lagoa 

 discharges itself into the sea, and close to the spot where the 

 foregoing evening we were so dreadfully distressed for water. 

 This water is at times so completely dried up that it may be 

 passed on foot; but a this time it was so high that we were 

 compelled to remain some time before we coirld get over. 

 The loaded beasts were therefore led further up, where the 

 negroes and Indians sometimes concealed themselves. Here 

 we found the ruins of a hut which had formerly been a Quartel 

 or military station, aird in its vicinity plenty of good water. 

 We found here a large campos, arr open place much sought for 

 by cattle, and ranches, or Indian huts, made of palm-leaves. 

 We also found a spring of excellent water, which to us at this 

 moment was an inestimable treasure. 

 We discovered at the coast the following evening the traces 



