At length it was time for us to go back to the egaritea, that we might return to the schooner.  We found, on rejoining the passenger canoe, that she would not be ready to start till the next morning.  We were doubting what to do with ourselves in the meantime, when Pedro informed us that he had heard of some amusing sport to take place that night, and that he could obtain leave for us to join in it if we wished.  A party of natives were going a little way down the river to a sandbank on which turtles wore accustomed, at this season of the year, to come on shore in order to deposit their eggs.  The natives hide themselves near the spot, and as soon as the unsuspecting turtles have performed the operation, they rush out and turn as many as they can catch on their backs.  There they lie helpless till they are dispatched by the hungry aborigines.  We started in our own canoe, in company with twenty or thirty others, late in the evening.  On reaching the neighbourhood of the sandbank all the canoes put to shore, and were drawn up on the beach.  The natives, one acting as a leader, whom we followed close after, proceeded along in single file till a number of bushes and trees close to the bank was reached.  Behind these the party were soon concealed.  It was a great trial of patience waiting for the turtle.  I thought at last that they would not appear, and regretted having lost our night's rest for nothing.  At last, however, a low whistle from our leader aroused the attention of the whole party, and a number of black objects were seen moving over the white sands, till the bank seemed literally covered with them.  They remained for some time scraping holes in the sand, and, as I supposed, depositing their eggs in them; then, at a sign from our copper-coloured leader, out rushed all the savages, and getting between the water and the turtle began turning them over with wonderful rapidity.  Jerry and I tried our hands at the sport, but while we turned one turtle a native would turn a dozen, and would rush into the water after those that had escaped, and frequently bring them back.  At length all the turtle had escaped or been killed, or had rather been turned on their backs, where they lay utterly unable to move.  The natives now selected five or six, and carrying them to an open place inland where the squaws had already lighted a fire, hero they cut the flesh out of the shell and immediately began cooking it in a variety of ways, and as soon as it was cooked tossing it down their throats.  They all ate till they were gorged, and then went fast asleep round their fires, forgetful of tigers or rattlesnakes or other wild creatures.  I should think a tiger must occasionally carry some of them off when they are in that state, unless the wild beasts prefer the turtles, which I rather fancy they do.  We selected four turtle, and filled a basket with a quantity of the round soft eggs, and then paddled back to our egaritea.