1836.] TURTLE CHASE. 



and tints of many of the zoophytes were admirable. It is ex- 

 cusable to grow enthusiastic over the infinite numbers of organic 

 beings with which the sea of the tropics, so prodigal of life, 

 teems ; yet I must confess I think those naturalists who have 

 described, in well-known words, the submarine grottoes decked 

 with a thousand beauties, have indulged in rather exuberant 

 language. 



April 6th. I accompanied Captain Fitz Roy to an island at 

 the head of the lagoon : the channel was exceedingly intricate, 

 winding through fields of delicately branched corals. We saw 

 several turtle, and two boats were then employed in catching 

 them. The water was 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 very long chase come up to it. 

 A man standing ready in the bow, at this moment dashes through 

 the water upon the turtle's back ; then clinging with both hands 

 by the shell of its neck, he is carried away till the animal be- 

 comes exhausted and is secured. It was quite an interesting 

 chase to see the two boats thus doubling about, and the men 

 dashing head foremost into the water trying to seize their prey. 

 Captain Moresby informs me that in the Chagos archipelago in 

 this same ocean, the natives, by a horrible process, take the shell 

 from the back of the living turtle. " It is covered with burning 

 charcoal, which causes the outer shell to curl upwards ; it is 

 then forced off with a knife, and before it becomes cold flattened 

 between boards. After this barbarous process the animal is 

 suffered to regain its native element, where, after a certain time, 

 a new shell is formed ; it is, however, too thin to be of any ser- 

 vice, and the animal always appears languishing and sickly." 



When we arrived at the head of the lagoon, we crossed a 

 narrow islet, and found a great surf breaking on the windward 

 coast. I can hardly explain the reason, but there is to my mind 

 much grandeur in the view of the outer shores of these lagoon- 

 islands. There is a simplicity in the barrier-like beach, the 

 margin of green bushes and tall cocoa-nuts, the solid flat of dead 

 coral-rock, strewed here and there with great loose fragments, 

 and the line of furious breakers, all rounding away towards 

 either hand. The ocean throwing its waters over the broad reef 

 appears an invincible, all-powerful enemy ; yet we see it resisted 



