The Sun.
London, England, 1837-07-29 00:00:00

TURTLE AND SHARKS.

We walked down to the turtle ponds, two large en-
c'osures near the sea, which flowed in and out through a
breakwater of large stones. A gallows was erected between
the two ponds, where the turtle are slaughtered for ship-
ping by suspending them by the hind flippers and then cut-
ting their throats. About three hundred turtle, of four or
five hundred pounds each, lay on the sand or swam about
in the ponds—a sight to set an alderman mad with delight.
In the Lot month of January, February, March, and
April the females land at night, and, waddling over the
sands in the various bays of the island far above high-water
mark—for by a pole in the ponds the tide only rises here
two feet—they scrape up by alternate scoops of their flippers
a hole deep enough to cover their bodies. Into this they
get, sighing heavily, and deposit from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred eggs, cover them up, leave them to the
sun to hatch, and then waddle again towards the sea. Two
stout hands are meanwhile on the look-out, watching the
movements of the unfortunate turtle, and, running up to
her after the completion of the task, one seizes a fore-flipper,
and dexterously shoves it under her belly to serve as a pur-
chase, whilst the other avoiding a stroke which might lame
him, cants the turtle over on her bark, where she lies help-
less. From 15 to 30 are-thus turned in a night, and six
hundred bad been so captured in the season of 1834. In
the bays where the surf, or heavy rollers, prevent the boats
being beached to take on board the turtle when caught,
they are hauled out to them by ropes.
No ships' crews were now allowed to turn turtle, which
is converted into a Government monopoly, and two pounds
ten shillings is the fixed price for each. Strange to say,
from the time that the young turtle, the size of a dollar, are
observed scuttling down to the water they are never seen
here again until they arc four or five hundred pounds
weight ; and how long they take • to attain this great size,
and where they spend the intermediate time, is as yet
a mystery. But why are no measures adopted to secure
males as well as females for the table ? A female in a
snare in each of the bays might effect this object. If six
hundred or a thousand females are turned every year the
race may become extinct, for young turtles have plenty of-
enemies in voracious birds and fishes. Sharks also contrive
to get hold of the old ones. Thus an enormous shark, 14
feet long, was caught from the taffrail of the Thalia in Cla-
rence Bay, in which was found the head of a largo turtle,
and the feathers of a sea-fowl. With regard to these last,
St. Pierre writes, " Sailors have a proverb, • the shark
flies from the feather,' for when a dead fowl is thrown into
the sea the shark, which devours wood and iron, on hearing
the noise comes to the spot, but on discovering it to be a fowl,
immediately retires without devouring it. This is wisely or-
dered by Providence, that sea-fowl, which resort, like the
shark, to the shallows to gain a livelihood and cleanse them-
selves from impurities, may not be destroyed." I believe
that the only living things sharks spare are pilot-fish, which
lalways keep out of the way of the monster's teeth.--
Captain Alexander's Narrative 91 Western Africa.

On Friday morning, between the hours of six and
seven o'clock, a fine dog, of the mixed or hound breed, was
discovered in a rabid state, in the neighbourhood of Ber-
mondsey-wall, by a person residing near the paper mills. An
alarm was instantly given, which brought, besides the neigh-
bours, all the workmen out of the mill, whereupon one man,
named Brooks, being more courageous than the rest, ap-
proached very close to the animal, and by a lucky hit, first
throw, brought it down ; he immediately destroyed it on the
spot, with a piece of wood which he had in his hand. We
understand the animal is the property of a gentleman resid-
ing in the Lower Deptford-road. It is much feared several
other dogs are bitten by it. A young woman, who works at .
the paper-mills, was proceeding along the ground to her
work, when the dog was observed to be making across the
ground to her ; she was immediately warned of her danger,
and providentially just escaped by runnin,g in at the upper
gates, which fortunately happened to be open at the time, and
immediately closed them upon the dog. Proprietors of dogs,
during this extreme hot weather, cannot be too careful of them,
either in keeping them securely fastened at home, or properly
muzzled about the metropolis.
Yesterday evening as a gentleman mounted on a
beautiful bay horse, was proceeding along the Edgeware-road,
he was driven against by a man in a chaise cart, who passed
him so closely as to come in contact with his leg, by which he
was nearly knocked off his horse. Highly exasperated at the
conduct of the man, who had plenty of room to pass without
nearing him so closely, he rode after the cart and demanded to
know the reason of such scandalous conduct. The fellow made
use of an opprobious expression, when the gentleman instantly
struck him several times with his riding stick, upon which he
Jumped out of the chaise, and rushing on the gentleman seized
him by the leg and attempted to unhorse him. The gentleman
dropped his stick, and, aiming a blow at the man, knocked
him down with such force that he lay for some time insensible.
On recovering, he showed no symptoms of renewing the en-
Counter, but after a volley of low abuse, jumped into his cart
and drove off.
OUTRAGE.—In our last we gave the particulars of
an assault committed on a cotton-spinner, named John Smith,
on the evening of Saturday last. We now regret to add that
the unfortunate man died on Tuesday morning. The body
has since been inspected by Drs. Pagan and Auchincloss. Two
wounds were observed, one between the fourth and fifth dorsal
vertebrae, and the other through the right arm. In the former
situation the spine was fractured, which occasioned loss both
of motion and sensation in all the parts below the seat of in-
jury. To bring the murderers to justice, a reward of five hun-
dred pounds has been offered by the master cotton-spinners.
—Glasgow Argus.
The Middlesex Magistrates and several of the
Surrey Justices had a grand dinner on Wednesday, at the
Star and Garter Tavern, Richmond.