i88q.] Gigantic Land Tortoises. 1049 
" Those who have seen the elephant have seen the exact resem- 
blance of the leg and foot of a terrapin. I have thought that I 
could discover some faint resemblance to that animal in sagacity. 
They are very prudent in taking care of themselves and their 
eggs, and in their manner of securing them in their nests ; and I 
have observed on board my own ship, as well as on others, that 
they can easily be taught to go to any place on the deck which 
may be fixed for them to be constantly kept in. The method 
to effect this is by whipping them with a small line when they are 
out of place, and to take them up and carry them to the place 
arranged for them, which being repeated a few times will bring 
them into the practice of going themselves, by being whipped 
when they are out of their place. They can be taught to eat on 
board a ship as well as sheep, or a goat, and will live for a long 
time if there is proper food provided for them. This I always took 
care to do when in a place where I could procure it. The most 
suitable to take on board a ship is prickly pear-trees, the trunk of 
which is a soft, pithy substance, of a sweetish taste, and full of 
juice. Sometimes I procured grass for them. Either of these 
being strewed on the quarter-deck, the pear-tree being cut fine, 
would immediately entice them to come from all parts of the 
deck to it; and they would eat in their way as well as any do- 
mestic animal. I have known them liv^e several months without 
food ; but they always in that case grow lighter and their fat 
diminishes, as common sense teaches, notwithstanding some 
writers have asserted the contrar}-. If food will fatten animals, 
to go without it will make them lean. 
" I carried at one time from James Island three hundred very 
good terrapins to the island of Massa Fuero, and there landed 
more than one half of them, after having them sixt\- days onboard 
my ship. Half of the number landed died as soon as they took 
food. This was owing to their stomachs having got so weak and 
out of tone that they could not digest it. As soon as they eat 
any grass after landing they would froth at the mouth, and ap- 
peared to be in a state of insanity, and died in the course of a day 
or two. This satisfied me that' they were in some degree like 
other animals, and only differed from them by being slower in 
