262 
EXCURSIONS AROUND EGA. 
Chap. IT. 
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 constantly 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 jumped in along with the rest, 
although I had just before made the discovery that the 
pool abounded in ugly, red, four-angled leeches, having 
seen several of these delectable animals, which some- 
times fasten on the legs of fishermen, although they did 
not, on this day, trouble us, working their way through 
eracks in the bottom of our montaria. Cardozo, who 
remained with the boats, could not turn the animals 
on their backs fast enough, so that a great many clam- 
bered out and got free again. However, three boat- 
loads, or about eighty, were secured in about twenty 
minutes. They were then taken ashore, and each one 
secured by the men tying the legs with thongs of bast. 
When the canoes had been twice filled, we desisted, 
after a very hard day's work. Nearly all the animals 
were young ones, chiefly, according to the statement of 
Pedro, from three to ten years of age ; they varied from 
six to eighteen inches in length, and were very fat. Car- 
