20 
THE EACES OF ALDABRA. 
chart of the group ; and the parts of the coast-line actually seen and surveyed by Lieut. 
Owen are distinctly shown. As he gives the depth of the lagoon, he must have entered 
Aldabea, 
(Surveyed by Lieut. Eich. Owen, E.N., H.M.S. 'Leven,' 1824.) 
it in boats, although he does not take further notice of the smaller islands, the sur- 
veying of which could not possibly be of any importance to the navigator. 
Aldabra has never been permanently inhabited — a circumstance by which the Tor- 
toises were saved from utter extinction. Although the number was constantly being 
thinned by the raids of crews of passing whalers or fishing-vessels, a small remnant 
found a safe refuge in the tangled and almost impenetrable thickets ; if these be allowed 
to be invaded or cut down, the Aldabra Tortoise will disappear, like those of the 
Mascarenes *. 
* A report having reached England that a permanent settlement was about to be made on Aldabra, steps 
were taken to secure the protection of the Tortoises ; and this wiU not be an inappropriate place to put on 
record a memorial sent to the Government of Mauritius, as well as the replies thereto : — 
" To His Excellency the Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, K.C.M.G., Governor and Commander-in-Chief 
of Mauritius and its dependencies. 
" We, the undersigned, respectfully beg to call the attention of the Colonial Government of Mauritius to the 
imminent extermination of the Gigantic Land-Tortoises of the Mascarenes, commonly called ' Indian Tortoises.' 
" 2. These animals were formerly abundant in the Mauritius, Reunion, Rodriguez, and perhaps other islands 
of the western part of the Indian Ocean. Being highly esteemed as food, easy of capture and transport, they 
formed for many years a staple supply to ships touching at those islands for refreshment. 
