TURTLE. 
11 
is very satisfactory. These people are very expert 
at the business ; and go out in the month of April, 
in little boats, to Cuba, and other neighbouring 
islands, where, in the evening, especially in moon- 
light nights, they watch the going and re- 
turning of the turtle to and from their nests, at 
which time they turn them on their backs, when 
they leave them and pass on, turning all they find ; 
for when once laid upon their backs they are quite 
helpless, and can never more recover their feet. 
Some are so large that it requires three men to turn 
one of them. But the method most commonly em- 
ployed to ' take turtle in the Bahama islands, is by 
striking them with a small iron peg about two 
inches long, put in a socket at the end of a twelve- 
foot staff. Two men generally set out for this work 
in a little light boat or canoe, one of whom is em- 
ployed to row and gently steer the boat, while the 
other stands at the head of it with his striker. 
Sometimes the turtle are seen swimming with their 
head and back out of the water, but they are more 
frequently discovered lying at the bottom where it 
is a fathom or moi e deep. When a turtle perceives 
he is discovered, he immediately endeavours to 
escape, and is pursued by the men in the boat, 
who often lose sight of their prey, till the turtle 
rises to the surface of the water to breathe, when 
the chase is renewed, one paddling or rowing, while 
the other stands ready with his striker. In about 
half an hour, or perhaps sooner, the creature be- 
comes exhausted, and sinks at once to the bottom : 
