36 THE STORY OF REPTILE LIFE. 



but to eat, to multiply, to grow in stature, and 

 possess the land. Thus, not only the larger 

 islands of the Aldabra group the Seychelles, 

 Keunion, Mauritius, and Rodriguez but also 

 the smaller islands became peopled in incredible 

 numbers. 



The discovery of these island fastnesses by 

 Europeans speedily brought about the downfall 

 of these harmless creatures. Their vast numbers 

 melted like the snow. Proving more wholesome 

 and more toothsome food than turtle, every 

 passing ship stopped to bear away as many as 

 she could carry. Later, a still further drain 

 upon their ranks was imposed by the settlement 

 of naval and military forces, until speedily the 

 supply became exhausted. Recourse was then 

 had to importation from neighbouring islands, 

 and we gather from the reports of the French 

 India Company that in 1759 four small vessels 

 were accordingly employed in bringing tortoises 

 from Rodriguez to Mauritius. One vessel carried 

 a cargo of no less than 6000, and altogether more 

 than 30,000 were imported into Mauritius in less 

 than eighteen months ! 



As a result the dawn of the nineteenth century 

 witnessed the practical extinction of these wretched 

 creatures on all the islands save the south island 

 of the Aldabran atoll. Here a few stragglers 

 still possibly remain, thanks to the rugged char- 

 acter of the land. 



Of the tortoises of the Galapagos Islands much 

 the same story must be told. At the beginning 

 of the sixteenth century immense numbers 

 existed in these islands. Now only three, Abing- 



