TURTLE. 
223 
work robbing them of their contents, almost as soon 
as they were completed. The fabricators of these 
curious structures require about a fortnight to finish 
them; they commence with a circle of glutinous clay, 
and as the work proceeds the cells are divided off, and 
stocked, until the whole are concluded. They are 
about one inch and a-half in diameter. 
Mr. Beecroft, with his usual kindness, lent the officers 
one of his boats and five Krumen, to take them back 
to Clarence Cove. On the passage, these hardy pulla- 
boys gave a proof of their dexterity in the water, by 
capturing a large turtle. On observing it, one of them 
slipped quietly overboard and got hold of the prize, 
which not liking the manipulation, tried to escape, 
taking the Kruman down with it ; three others imme- 
diately dived in, and after a little struggle brought 
the turtle up, but from the immense power of these 
animals in their proper element, even four men were 
insufficient to master it, and it became necessary for 
the fifth to join his companions. It was not a little 
amusing to observe the conflict, the turtle having evi- 
dently the best of it, and keeping the bipeds mostly 
under water, whence every now and then five woolly 
heads shewed themselves for an instant, only to be 
dragged down again; fortunately the boat was at 
hand, and with some difficulty the troublesome Testudo 
was lifted in-board. 
The rainy season at Fernando Po commences about 
the latter end of May or beginning of June, and ter- 
