A VISIT TO SOME STRANGE PLACES. 123 



of a fellow without any trouble. He was perfectly 

 amicable, continuing his journey as if nothing had 

 happened, and really getting over the ground at a good 

 rate, considering the bulk and shape of him. Except 

 for the novelty of the thing, this sort of ride had nothing 

 to recommend it ; so I soon tired of it, and let him waddle 

 along in peace. By following the tracks aforesaid, we 

 arrived at a fine stream of water sparkling out of a 

 hillside, and running down a little ravine. The sides of 

 this gully were worn quite smooth by the innumerable 

 feet of the tortoises, about a dozen of which were now 

 quietly crouching at the water's edge, filling themselves 

 up with the cooling fluid. I did not see the patriarch 

 upon whom a sailor once reported that he had read the 

 legend carved, " The Ark, Captain Noah. Ararat for 

 orders " ; perhaps he had at last closed his peaceful 

 career. But strange and quaint as this exhibition of 

 ancient reptiles was, we had other and better employment 

 for the limited time at our disposal. There were in- 

 numerable curious things to see, and, unless we were to 

 run the risk of going on board again and stopping there, 

 dinner must be obtained. Eggs of various kinds were 

 exceedingly plentiful ; in many places the flats were 

 almost impassable for sitting birds, mostly " boobies." 



But previous experience of boobies' eggs in other 

 places had not disposed me to seek them where others 

 were to be obtained, and as I had seen many of the well- 

 known frigate or man-o'-war birds hovering about, we 

 Bet out to the other side of the island in search of the 

 breeding-place. 



These peculiar birds are, I think, misnamed. They 

 should be called pirate or buccaneer birds, from their 

 marauding habits. Seldom or never do they condescend 



