( 8fi ) 



"Albemarle is the largest of the Galapagos Islands, and at the same time was 

 the least well known ; till my visit only four species of birds had been recorded. 

 Therefore one of my principal tasks was to more closely explore this island, and 

 we accordingly stayed on the island about three weeks. 



" During this stay we succeeded in observing no less than fori;/ species of birds. 

 Here also we encountered the first Giant Land Tortoises, about which I will now proceed 

 to speak. I only wish to remark that Albemarle Island reminds one in flora very 

 closelv of Indefatigable Island, and its fauna also strongly resembles that of the latter 

 island. Already on the second day after our arrival I made a tour with Silva on to 

 the mountainous highlands in order to become acquainted with the Land Tortoises. 

 All along the shore they are no longer to be found, having long ago been exterminated 

 by whalers and the gatherers of orchilla moss ; but, according to the assertions of our 

 men, thev are still to be met with in the difficult and very inaccessible parts of 

 the interior. ■\ 



(_ ■• On the morning of July loth we set oiir shortly after sunrise. The road first 



passes along the shore across meadow-land, and then through mangrove thickets by 

 the side of a lagune. Farther on we go up the mountain by a road which Siha had 

 cleared a little the day before, but still through thick underwood which arches over 

 above our heads, producing an agreeable shade and coolness, ^\'e wander along thus, 

 perhaps for half an hour, uphill. The road consists of crumbled lava. We continually 

 pass large manzauilla trees, which give delightful shade and always present nice green 

 resting-places. More and more birds appear. But soon we come to wide lava fields, 

 on which only thorny cacti and acacias grow, which greet an incautious approach most 

 unkindly. Then followed a stretch of the thickest scrnb, through which we had to 

 cut our way with the hatchet. Now we came to a lava bed covered with loose slag, 

 which had to be traversed, and it took an hour and a half to do so, each step having 

 to be carefully weighed, for the slag is loose and shaky, and a fall among these 

 jagged masses is far from pleasant. Even where there is more vegetation it is most 

 unpleasant, for in addition to slipjiing on the loose slag, you are liable to catch your 

 feet in the thorny creepers. It was already 9 o'clock, and yet we had not espied any 

 tortoises. But now the grass gets thicker, and the ground better and pleasanter to 

 walk on. Suddenly we come upon a footpath alwut 12 inches wide, and Silva 

 halts with the words, ' A galdpago has passed here.' We look closely around, and 

 soon espy the first living Galapagos tortoise. The carapace measured about IG 

 inches in length. We tied it by the legs to a shady tree, and our journey proceeded, 

 now fortunately through nice underwood well turfed with grass and with but few 

 scattered blocks of lava. Up to 11 o'clock we had found eight specimens, the largest 

 measuring 26 inches in length of carapace. This was all very fine, but now came 

 the re\erse of the medal, how to get them down to the shore. Of course it was 

 out of the question to take more than two, one })er man. We each bound a tortoise 

 on to our backs with a rope, and the return began. At first all went well, but on the 

 slag field there was a hard struggle. If walking before was difficult, it was ten times 

 more .so with the creatiu'e on one's back, because every minute it jammed its thick 

 feet against one's back in its endeavours to escape. Several times I fell down bodily, 

 tortoise and all, among the slag ; but onwards we went over sticks and stones, though 

 but slowly. We had taken no provisions with us, neither to eat nor to drink. The lieat 

 got greater, and our thirst more acute. At last it was past 3.30 p.m. when Silva 

 said lie knew of a place near by where there was some water. The nearness of the 

 place seemed far (o me, hut at last we arrived, after much fighting of our way through 



