In the
mythology of the
indigenous people of
South America, the 'yacu-mama' is a
sea monster, fifty paces long, believed to inhabit the mouth of the
Amazon River and the nearby
lagoons. According to the legend, the yacu-mama would suck up any living thing that passed within 100 paces of it. To protect themselves, the local Indians would blow on a
conch horn before entering the water, believing that the yacu-mama would reveal itself if it was present.