TORTOISE. 
135 
walled court belonging to tlie house where I now am visiting, 
retires under ground about the middle of November, and comes 
forth again about the middle of April, When it first appears in 
the spring it discovers very little incli- 
nation towards food ; but in the height 
of summer grows voracious : and then 
as the summer declines its appetite de- 
chnes ; so that for the last six weeks 
in autumn it hardly eats at all.* Milky 
plants, such as lettuces, dandelions, 
sowthistles, are its favourite dish. lortoise. 
In a neighbouring village one was kept till by tradition it was 
supposed to be a hundred years old. An instance of vast lon- 
gevity in such a poor reptile ! 
* The habits of this curious creature seem to have attracted a great deal af Mr. White's atten 
tion. He was in the habit of having it vreighed frequently, immersing it in water, and trying 
aJl manner of experiments upon it. On one occasion it made its escape, and was missing for 
some time, but was afterwards found in a field, and brought back to the garden where for many 
winters it had buried itself. The reader will peruse with pleasure the following supposititious 
letter from this animal to a Miss Mulso, for which we are indebted to Mr. Jesse's Gleanings. 
The letter was found among Mr. Vf hite's MSS., and in his own handwriting. 
Most respected ladt-, Your letter gave me great satisfaction, being the first that ever 1 
was honoured with. It is my wish to answer you in your own way, but I could never make a 
verse in my life, so you must be content with plain prose. 
Having seen but little of this great world, conversed but little, and read less, I feel myself 
much at a loss how to entertain so intelligent a correspondent. Unless you will let me write about 
myself, my answer will be very short. Know, then, that I am an American, and was horn in 
the year 1734, in the province of Virginia, in the midst of a savannah that lay between a large 
tobacco plantation and a creek of the sea. Here 1 spent my youthful days among my relations 
with much satisfaction, and saw around me, many venerable kinsmen, who attained to great ages 
without any interruption from distempers. Longevity is so general among our species that a 
funeral is quite a rare occurrence. I can just remember the death of my great-great-grandfather, 
who departed this life in the 160th year of his age. Happy should I have been in the enjoyment 
of my native climate and the society of my friends had not a sea-boy, who was wandering about 
to see what he could pick up, surprised me as I was sunning myself under a bank, and, whipping 
nie into his wallet, carried me aboard his ship. The circumstances of our voyage were not 
worthy of recital ; I only remember that the rippling of the water against the sides of our vessel 
as we sailed alo»g was a very lulling and composing sound, which served to sooth my slumbers 
as I lay in the hoiu. We had a short voyage, and came to anchor on the coast of England, in 
the harbour of Chichester. In that city my kidnapper sold me for half-a-crown to a country 
gentleman who came up' to attend an election. I was immediately packed in a basket, and carried, 
elung by the servant's side, to their place of abode. As they rode very hard for forty miles, and 
as I had never been on horseback before, I found myself somewhat giddy with my airy jaunt. 
My purchaser, who was a great humourist, after showing me to some of his neighbours, and 
giving me the name of Timothy, took little further notice of me, so 1 fell under the care of his 
!a<ly,°a benevolent woman, whose humane attention extended to the meanest of her retainers. 
With this gentlewoman 1 remained almost forty years, living in a little wallcd-in court in the 
t'ont of her house, and enjuying much quiet, and as much satisfaction as 1 could expect withou. 
•ociety, which I often languished after. At last the good old lady died at a very advanced age, 
such as even a tortoise would call a great age, and 1 then became the property of her nephew- 
This man, my present master, dug me out of my winter retreat, and, packing me lu a deal box, 
jumbled me eighty miles in a post-chaise to my present abode. I was sore shaken by this expe 
dition, which was the worst journey I ever experienced. In my present situation I en^y many 
advantages, such as the range of an extensive garden affording a variety of sun and shade, aud 
