TURTLES. 41 



dissimilar to the above, but superior in spirit and 

 boldness. Keeling Island is tlie scene of his 

 graphic description. He observes, 



" I accompanied Captain Fitzroy to an island 

 at the head of the lagoon ; the channel was ex- 

 ceedingly intricate, winding through fields of 

 delicately branched corals. We saw several Tur- 

 tles, and two boats were then employed in catch- 

 ing them. The method is rather curious ; the 

 water is so clear and shallow, that although at 

 first a Turtle quickly dives out of sight, yet in a 

 canoe or boat under sail, the pursuers after no 

 long chase come up to it. A man standing ready 

 in the bows at this moment dashes through the 

 water upon the Turtle's back, then clinging with- 

 both hands by the shell of the neck, he is carried 

 away till the animal becomes exhausted and is 

 secui'ed. It was quite an interesting sight to see 

 the two boats thus doubling about, and the men 

 dashing into the water, trying to seize their prey." 



But there is a mode of fishing for these animals, 

 said to be practised on the coasts of China and 

 Mozambique, which is still more remarkable ; 

 living fishes being trained for the purpose of 

 capturing the Turtles. Columbus seems to have 

 been aware of this fact, which has since been 

 noticed by Commerson, as cited by Middleton 

 and Salt. The fish used is a species of Echeneis 

 or Remora, and the following is the method used 

 by the natives of those parts. Their little boat 

 is provided with tubs, in which are a number of 

 these fishes, the top of whose head is covered with 

 an oval plate, soft and fleshy at the circum- 

 ference, but furnished in the middle with an 

 apparatus of bony pieces, very complicated in its 



