1 695-1 A LAEGE SEA TORTOISE. 179 



ever seen at Land ; and the other six, those of the Neigh- 

 bourhood come and drive them from our Kock where tliey 

 lay their Eggs. Their cry is almost as loud as that of a Calf, 

 and they always make the greatest noise at Night. A Days 

 they are very quiet, and so exceeding tame, that you may 

 take their Eggs from under them without their Stirring. 

 They lay in the Holes of the Eocks, as far in as they can. 

 These Birds are excessive fat, very ill tasted, extreamly 

 nasty, and very unwholsom. Although their Eggs were not 

 a whit better than their Flesh, we did not fail to feed on 

 them when necessity requir^l. They are white, and as large 

 as those of two of our Pullets. When you have taken their 

 Eggs from them, they go out of their Holes and fall a fighting 

 with one another, till they fetch Blood. 



Going a walking one Night, we found a Sea-Tortoise^ wliich 

 came very a propo^, because we at that time stood in great 

 need of Eefreshment. It was very large and afforded us 

 near 150 Eggs. This was the only Creature of this kind we 

 had seen all the while we had been there. In the place 

 where we went to dart Fish, we found Shells^ of an Oval 

 Figure, and wonderfully speckled and streak'd like the Skin' 

 of a Tyger.^ These Shells we made use of for Cups. 



At length the too just Reasons we had to believ^e that tlio"' 

 any Vessel should arrive, the Governor"^ would not suffer us' 

 to go on Board it, made us resolve anew to think on some? 



1 Col. Pike observed a very fine turtle (Testudo hnhricata), which he" 

 could have easily captured, at three hours' rowing from the He de lat 

 Passe. They formerly abounded on that coast, but are now rarely seen. 

 (Vide Suhtropical Rambles^ p. 328.) 



2 la orig. : " des coquilles qu'on appelle de Venus.'' ", • 



3 Perhaps Tritons. The striped varieties of the Triton ruticuhnn arc 

 very handsome when taken alive, especially the scarlet and yellow 

 varieties (Pike, op. cit., 265). Baron Grant mentions one of the ^^Pori 

 celaines''' [Cypriea sp.) as being spotted like a tiger. Situated as tho ■ ■ 

 island is in the midst of the Indian Ocean, its reefs have become thci ' • 

 home of an infinite variety of molluscs. . . 



* In orig. : " toujours inexorable," omitted by translator. 



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