72 SEA TURTLES. [169I. 



look with the Eyes, as if they were on the Watch. This we 

 have always observ'd of them ; and this Mystery seems the 

 more difficult to be comprehended, for that these Creatures 

 are uncapable to defend themselves, or to fly. 



We have also great plenty of Sea-Turtles here : Their 

 Flesh tasts like Beef, that of the Breast is admirable. The 

 fat is as good as Yeal Marrow, but being green, it has some- 

 thing the Air of an Ointment, which at first renders it 

 Nauseous. This fat is not only delicate, but wholsom, and 

 purges gently. The Indians make use of it as a Soveraign 

 Remedy in the Venereal Disease.^ 



The Sea-Turtles are prodigious big, we have seen some 

 that weigh'd above 500 Pound. When we wou'd take them, 

 we turn'd them on their Backs by strength of Arms, or with 

 Leavers ; and when they are overturu'd, ^tis impossible for 

 them to get up again. They lay their Eggs in sandy Places 

 near the Sea, and always in the Night-time ; they make a 

 hole about three Foot deep, and a Foot broad for that pur- 

 pose: The greatest of them will lay near two hundred in less 

 than two Hours. They cover them with Sand, and in six 

 Weeks time the Sun hatches them : As soon as they are 

 hatch'd, all these little Animals which are not so big as a 

 Chicken, just coming out of the Shell, go directly to the Sea, 

 do what you will to hinder them ; they are generally hatch'd 

 in an Hour's time. We have often, to divert our selves, 

 carry'd some of them a quarter of a League off on the Moun- 

 tain, and as soon as we put them on the Ground, they imme- 

 diately went directly to the Sea. They then go faster than 

 when they are grown bigger. 



The Fools, the Frigats, and several other Birds which lie 

 in wait for them upon Trees, destroy abundance of them 

 when they are so young ; insomuch, that hardly ten in a 



1 " Quand on a mange de cctte grais-se (voudra-t-on bien qite jc 

 le dise?) I'eau qu'on rend est d'uu vcrd d'cmcraudc admirable,'' 

 omitted by translator. 



