366 The Coinmercial Products of the Sea. 



at the English Presidencies of India, and in Australia. 

 There is not a four-footed animal, a voyager tells us, the 

 flesh of which the Japanese esteem like that of the kecame^ 

 or turtle. 



The flesh of the turtle is thus, we find, a universal food, 

 if we except some of the States of Europe, which do 

 not seem to appreciate it as a delicacy. I may add that 

 this has been so in all ages. Diodorus of Sicily, Pliny, 

 and Strabo speak of it. The former named " Cheloni- 

 phages," certain people inhabiting islands at the entry of 

 the Red Sea, whose principal occupation was catching 

 turtle. 



The flesh is cooked in all ways. It is made into soup ; 

 it is roasted ; it is made into fricassees, stews, and pies. 

 The eggs, intestines, bones, all are employed, and esteemed 

 excellent. 



There are in the turtle two pieces of flesh very white, 

 compared to knuckles of veal. It may be larded and 

 made into fricandeaux and pates, equal to those of Rouen 

 or Pontoise. The turtle is, as it were, the fry. of the sea, 

 for every part of the flesh is edible. The bones, being 

 easily saturated with the gravy, are left in the ragouts 

 which are made, and the fat, which is very fluid, serves 

 instead of butter or lard. The two most choice food 

 preparations of the turtle in the West Indies are the 

 soup and the boucan or plastron. The soup made there 

 is flavoured with sherry, and seasoned with strong spices, 

 capsicums, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. It is considered to 

 be excellent when, after having eaten, one is obliged to 

 rest with the mouth wide open, and cool the fevered palate 

 with madeira or port. So that to appreciate this fiery soup, 

 the taste has to be acquired. 



The plastron, or boucaneered turtle, is made by 



