Chap. IV. BIVOUAC ON SAND-BANK. 263 
dozo and I lived almost exclusively on them for several 
months afterwards. Koasted in the shell they form a 
most appetizing dish. These younger turtles never 
migrate with their elders on the sinking of the waters, 
but remain in the tepid pools, fattening on fallen fruits, 
and, according to the natives, on the fine nutritious 
mud. We captured a few full-grown mother-turtles, 
which were known at once by the horny skin of their 
breast-plates being worn, telling of their having crawled 
on the sands to lay eggs the previous year. They had 
evidently made a mistake in not leaving the pool at the 
proper time, for they were full of eggs, which, we were 
told, they would, before the season was over, scatter in 
despair over the swamp. We also found several male 
turtles, or Capitaris, as they are called by the natives. 
These are immensely less numerous than the females, 
and are distinguishable by their much smaller size, 
more circular shape, and the greater length and thick- 
ness of their tails. Their flesh is considered unwhole- 
some, especially to sick people having external signs of 
inflammation. All diseases in these parts, as well as 
their remedies and all articles of food, are classed by the 
inhabitants as ''hot" and "cold," and the meat of the 
Capitari is settled by unanimous consent as belonging to 
the " hot" list. 
We dined on the banks of the river, a little before 
sunset. The mosquitoes then began to be troublesome, 
and finding it would be impossible to sleep here, we all 
embarked and crossed the river to a sand-bank, about 
three miles distant, where we passed the night. Cardozo 
and I slept in our hammocks slung between upright 
