THE GIANT TORTOISE 115 



Aldabra is the home of a huge tortoise,* which 

 was at one time fairly abundant, but is now 

 confined to a small area on the northern side. 

 So difficult is it to get to this locality that we 

 were unable to see the tortoises in their wild 

 state. The Hon. Walter Rothschild rents the 

 island of Aldabra from the British Government 

 and protects the tortoises as well as a peculiar 

 species of ibis, so that it is to be hoped 

 that these interesting creatures may long hold 

 their own. 



A great part of the leeward side has lately been 

 planted with coconuts, which are now growing 

 on nearly every patch of sand above high-water 

 mark. The settlement is composed of a few 

 wooden huts, inhabited by negroes, who, under 

 the supervision of an overseer, work in the 

 coconut plantations and at turtle-catching and 

 curing. Near the houses grow casuarina trees, 

 with their beautiful feathery foliage ; they seem 

 to be the tallest trees on the island, the greater 

 part of the vegetation being a thick scrub, 

 relieved occasionally by groups of trees of 

 a species of Ficus and a few pandani or 

 screw-pines. 



In several parts of the island there are pools 

 of fresh water, but, like those on Assumption, 

 they seem to be dependent for their supply on the 

 rainfall.^ All the water holes near the settlement 



* Testudo elephantina. 



