( HO ) 



possible, aud we tied the tortoise up. The grass was lull of tortoise trails, and we 

 set out in search of others. Harris found two more, and Hull and myself caeh two. 

 We turned them all over, and weighted them down with heavy rocks. After fi.xing 

 the last one, we revisited the first and found it loose. This made it necessary to 

 revisit the others, which we did, finding that they had all got loose. We weighted 

 them down again with more aud heavier rocks, and returned to the starting-place. 

 Some of the tortoise which we found feeding were eating the blossoms from a 

 creeping vine, rising upon their forelegs and stretching their necks out to full 

 extent. The odour from them reminded me very much of that from an elephant. 

 After tramping about so much and lifting so many heavy rocks, we were very tired, 

 but had to brace up aud climb out of the crater, and walk to the shore over a long 

 distance of broken rock. The crater was quite | mile in diameter, with a very flat 

 bottom, surrounded by a high wall or embankment, making it resemble greatly 

 pictures of the old lionian amphitheatres. Arrived on board at G.'.M), very tired and 

 very thirsty. 



Sept. (3.^>>ailed back to our anchorage in Conway liay last night and laid here 

 all day. Skinned birds aud fixed things np. 



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Ddncan Island, showing where the Toetoises were found. 



Sept. 7. — Another hard day's work. Got uj) at 4.45 a.m. aud started to heave 

 up anchor. Sailed over to Duncan Island. Had l)reakfast at (J.;in, and went ashore 

 soon after, starting immediately np to the crater, with poles, ropes, etc., to get the 

 tortoise out. Managed to recover our tortoises of last Sunday, some of which liad 

 got away. Found one dead, a rock having fallen on his neck during his struggles 

 aud shut off his wind. Found one more, making a total of eight. The work of 

 making them fast lasted till about ;^ o'clock, when we started for the shore with a 

 tortoise strung on a pole between each two men, one of the sailors and myself 

 taking one. It was very hard getting them np the side of the crater, walking being 

 so rough and thorns so plentiful. But this was nothing to be com]iared with going 

 down on the other side, which was very steep and terrible walking. The sailor had 

 on a pair of wooden clogs, which soon began to cliafe his feet. After a long time 

 spent in tumbling over lava blocks, tearing through thorn bushes and other such 

 pleasantries, we reached a jjoint as near the shore as we could, tied the creatui'es up 

 securely, and left them. Now came a long walk before we could get to the skill'. 

 We were all so tired, having had nothing to eat since breakfast, that the distance 

 seemed terribly long. It was a rough road, up aud down, over broken lava aud 

 through thorns. Reached the skiti' about p.m., every one being well tired out. A 

 {?ood drink of wine and water was served with the lunch that was in the boat. We 



