ASCENSION ISLAND. 1752. 79 



the like before. A boat may be thrown a 

 good way on the more by them, as happened 

 to the Sivedijh Ea/i India man the Gothic Lion, 

 whofe Hoop, with fome men, was loft by this 

 accident. The bed times to go on (hore here 

 are the firft months in the year, and as early 

 in the morning as porhble. The fhore for the 

 greateft part is coyered with a fpecies of fand, 

 which confifls of little elfe than broken Ihells, 

 which form roundifti grains, larger or fmaller, 

 ihining like pearls. This fand deferves to be 

 called Shell/and* 



The tortoifes creep out of the water upon 

 the fhell-fand which is loofe, and occupy fome 

 fathoms in breadth upon the fhore, and often 

 lie f© high that it is inconceivable how they 

 can get up, fince it is troublefome even for 

 men to get along, becaufe the fand flips under 

 their feet, as if they walked upon peafe. As 

 foon as a tortoife is got a little way from the 

 water, fhe makes a round hole in the fand, in 

 which me lays her eggs, and covers them over 

 again with fand fo neatly that no one can find 

 out where (he has been. She afterwards gets 

 into the water again, and is quite unconcerned 

 about her young ones, which are hatched by 

 the fun, and find the way to the fea as well 



sis 



