The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-30
Gigantic TOrtOises.

WHEN Darwin visited the Galapagos
Islands, he saw the relics, as it We're, of
II family of huge tortoises, which lived
there in abundance few years before,
and was able to verify many interesting
facts which had been recorded by Por-
ter, in his "JOurnal OF Cruise made to
the Pacific Ocean in 1873" Porter no.
ticed the deafness of the huge creatures,
and, like former yoyagers, was i'm
pressed with their enormous size, with
the long necks Of some, and with their
qnick sight and ponderous movement.
lie stated that some Of the ,Ortoises cap
tured by him weighed from three hum
dred pounds to four hundred pounds,
ard that on one island they were five
and one.half feet long, four and one
half feet wide, and three feet thick in
the body. They walked with the body
about foot from the ground, and the
females seemed to prcponderate. 1t is
quite evident from Porter's narrative
that several kinds lived in The islands,
those of one island differing from those
of another, but all being of the same
group Of tortoiscs. lie cXpatiates on the
luscious and delicate food that the long
necked and small. headed and other
kinds produce, and notices their ability
to last long without tood. After Mr..
Darwin's visit the progress of extirpa-
ton went on, and in eleven years Mr..
Sceman, naturalist on board II. NJ. S.
Herald, found that ON one island there
were no longer amy tortoises, and that
everywhere they had diminished in
number. AT the present time it is most
probable that the gigantic tortoises are
very rare where they were formerly
SO abundant. There were five species
there few years since. Mosely states
that some Of these tOrtOises were on
board the Challenger, and were fed
on pineapples, number of which
were hung in the paymaster's
office. The animals used to prop
themselves up against board put
across the door TO keep out dogs, and,
unable to surmount the obstacle, used
10 glare and sniff longingly ut the fruit.
They moreover, used to make their way
along the deck to the Captains own
cabin, where there was Il store of the
same fruit The great tortoises are very
fond of water, drinking large quantities,
and wallowing in the mud. The large
islands alone possess springs, and these
are always situated toward the central
parts, and at a considerable elevation.
Near the springs it was curious spec
'ac!e to behold many Of these great
monsters; one set eagerly travelling on
ward with outstretched necks, and an
other set returning after having drank
their fill. When the tortoise arrives ut
the spring, quite regardless Of any spec
tator, it bllfics its head in the water
above its eyes, and grec,liiy swallows
great mouthfnls, at the rate of about
ten minute. The inhabitants say that
each animal stays three or four days in
the neighborlood Of the water, and then
returns to the lower country; but they
differ in their accounts respecting the
frequency Of these visits. The animal
probably regulates them according to
the nature OF the food which it has con-
sumed. 1t is, however, certain that
tOrtoiseS can exist even on these islands
whore there is no other water, than that
which falls during few rainy days in
the year. - ';t t.H ! -h'