A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 691 



wrecked people, as well as the early settlers in 1612, depended very 

 largely on their eggs and flesh for their food. At that time the 

 turtles attained very large sizes, far beyond any found there in 

 modern times, for being undisturbed by any enemies, they lived to a 

 great age. 



Probably most of the breeding turtles were Green Turtles, but 

 it is likely that the Hawksbill and Loggerhead were also found 

 here at that period. 



Silvanus Jourdan gives the following account of them : 

 " There are also great store of Tortoises (which some call turtles), 

 and those are so great, that I have seene a bushell of egges in one of 

 their bellies, which are sweeter than any Henne egge : and the Tor- 

 toise itselfe is all very good meate, and yieldeth great store of oyle 

 which is as sweete as any butter : and one of them will suffice fifty 

 men at a meale at least : and of these hath beene taken great store, 

 with two boates at the least forty in one day." 



The following account was given by William Strachy, in 1610 : 

 "But even then the Tortoyses came in againe, of which wee daily 

 both turned up great store, finding them on land, as also sculling 

 after them in our Boate strooke them with an Iron goad, and sod, 

 baked, and roasted them. The Tortoyse is reasonable toothsom 

 (some say) wholsome meate. I am sure our Company liked the 

 meate of them verie well, and one Tortoyse would goe further 

 amongst them than three Hogs. One Turtle (for so we called them) 

 feasted well a dozen Messes, appointing sixe to every Messe. It is 

 such a kind of meat as a man can neither absolutely call Fish nor 

 Flesh, keeping most what in the water, and feeding upon Sea-grasse 

 like a Heifer, in the bottome of the Coves and Bayes, and laying 

 their Egges (of which wee should find five hundred at a time in the 

 opening of a shee Turtle) in the Sand by the shoare side, and so 

 covering them close leave them to the hatching of the Sunne." 

 Governor Moore, in 1612, referred to the Sea-turtles as follows : 

 " Turkles thare bee of a mightie bignesse : one Turkle will serve 

 or suffice three or four score at a meale, especially if it be a shee 

 Turkle, for she will have as many Egges as will suffice fiftie or three- 

 score at a meale ; this I can assure you, for thay are very good and 

 wholesome meate, none of it bad, no, not so much as the very guts 

 and maw of it, for they are exceeding fat, and make as good tripes 

 as your beastes bellies in England." 



The great number of turtles destroyed in those early years caused 

 their rapid decrease, even before 1620. In August of that year was 

 passed " An act agaynst the killing of over young Tortoyses." 



