280 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



bracelets and fish-hooks, spoons and knives. These latter are 

 made from the blade-bones of the turtle, and though clumsy 

 in form are quite as effective for any ordinary purpose as steel 

 knives. They require to be very seldom sharpened, and have 

 an edge which it would not be wise to run a finger carelessly 

 along. 



When a turtle is caught, be it large or small, the flesh is 

 divided among the whole of the inhabitants of the village to 

 which the captors belong, so that in many cases a very small 

 piece comes to the share of each individual. The weight of a 

 full-grown turtle is usually about 450 lb., but sometimes they 

 weigh as much as 700 lb. They are profitable to fish for not 

 only on account of the shell, but for the oil which they con- 

 tain, of which a good-sized one will give 10 gallons. The 

 trade-price is usually about $1 per gallon. 



The natives relish the flesh greatly, and eat it either cooked 

 or raw. It is very much like indifferent beef, and as I have 

 said, the turtle-steaks of the South Pacific are about as dis- 

 agreeable a dish as I have ever encountered ; but everyone 

 has his taste, and perhaps some people like it. 



The scientific way of killing a turtle among the islanders, is 

 to strike it on the back of the head with a club ; a bundle of 

 dry leaves is then ignited and passed over the shell, so as to 

 loosen the plates, which are pulled off ; the under part of the 

 shell is then split from the upper, and the meat is cut up. 



In some islands, as used to be the case in Fiji, all turtles are 

 claimed by the king or local chief. In that case, the plates 

 being removed from his back, the animal is put whole into an 

 oven of hot stones and baked. When there are not sufficient 

 in the royal circle to consume the whole carcase at one meal, 

 the residue is preserved in a very ingenious manner. 



The turtle is baked with its back downwards ; the hollow 



