Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-30
THE TURTLES HOME.
An Immense Rendezvous of the Reptiles
ON an Orinoco Island.

In the northern part OF the South
American continent, but a few hundred
miles from the Atlantic coast, there lies
q range Of great mountains. or rather
several ranges OF mountains, which
have been for many years practically
an UNEMPLOYED region. These are the
mountains lying between the basins OF
the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, and be-
tween Brazil on the southwark and
Guinea and Venezuela on the north
ward. They are known to contain sew
eral lofty cataracts, and other physical
features OF great interest.
The Sierra Parma. mountain range
and plateau lying wholly within the re-
public OF Venezuela, has lately been ex-
plored for the first time by a European.
by NJ Chaffanjon. aFrench geographer.
He traced the sources Of the Orinoco
river to little torrent which falls in
series OF cascades from ono OF the
mountains of the Parma
One of the features of interest which
M. Chaffanjon describes in his account
OF his journey was an immense rendez-
vous OF turtles, which had gathered for
the purpose of laying their eggs, on
the little island OF Buena Vista, in the
Orinoco.
O"Many turtles are to be encounter
ed" Nj. Chaffanjon says, 'all along the
Orinoco. but at this island OF Buena
Vista, where nature seems to have ar
ranged every thing for their conven-
ience. their number is very great. Tho
island is about league in length and
surrounded by sloping banks of sand.
In this fine sand the turtles deposit
their eggs, which are Matched by the
heat of the sun.
"Some time in the month OF February
thousands OF turtles como out upon the
shore Of the island as we'll as upon the
neighboring banks Of the river, and be-
gin promenading up and down as if as
pertaining whether it is ntirely safe to
lay their eggs But they do not begin
laying until March. Then they dig a
number OF little holes in the sand, in
which each female depos its from eighty
to one hundred and twenty eggs"
The French Traveller observed the
habits of these animals by hiding him
self, wrapped in his blanket, behind a
hillock of sand close TO the edge of the
river. A little after nightfall the tur-
ties began coming out of the water,
proceeding very cautiously. holding
their heads erect and waiting long, as
II they feared the approach of their
human enemies. By-and-by, as if reas'
sured. they ce.me out in great numbers,
and began sporting about the sand.
The half-breed Indians who accom-.
panied M. Chaffanjon assured him,
however. tb at the turtles would not be-
gin to lay their eggs until the Southern
Cross, which is the characteristic OBJ
jeot OF the armament in the Southern
hemisph ere. was compl etely formed
that is, not until the four stars which
form tie cross had moved on through
the heavens. until they were perpen
dicular with the horizon.
In fact. at midnight the great mass o
the turtles had gone back into the rivel
without laying. leaving but II few o
their companions behind them to act al
sentinels. But at half-past two in th'
morning. at the moment when th'
Southern Cross seemed xactly perpen
dicular with the horizon, great fiut
tering was perceived on the shore o
the river; the turtles were coming GU
in battalions.
They scattered ra Did ly in every di
rection, digging up the sand, laying
their eggs and covering them owe
again. and apparo ntl.y taking grea
pains to leave the surface looking a
they found it
NJ. Chaffanjon and his companion
captured three Df these turtles, tn
shell of one OF hich me assured eighty
five inches in lie myth by twenty three il
width Its wei yht was more than sixty
seven pounds.
The natives capture largo numbers O
the eggs OF these turtles, as well as @
the creatures thems elves. which ar
used In the manufacture of kind c
oil.
The appeS rance of the turtles upo
the beach the app aren't moment c
the COMP etc formal ion the Souther
Cross. Cd each night during their lay
ing season, is undoub tedly due to coin
dence. lind the supest tious natives cor
meet tb two circumst ances, just as tn
ancier.t Egyptians cor necteG the settin
OF the constellation Arcturus with tn