Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-02-23

~ Ccnnists Of huge Galapagos Tortois,
aud "A <uttbrr of Frlskv Nounu tiprcg.

n Conaists OF Huge Galapagos Tortoiscs
aud u Number OF frisky Noung uarcs.
At General Park in New York City
may be seen a happy family, u c like OF
which, possibly. cannot be met any
where else in the world. IL consists OF
n number Of frislsy young hare and the
slowest aud most ancieut-lcUlting OF
tortoiseS The tortoises, however, are
not as old as they appear; when grown
10 their full size they will weigh hun
drcds OF pounds apiece, and be quite
able 10 carry mon upon their backs
The tortoisos are part Of number
brought from the Galapagos Islands
several years ago, 20 the Natural His
tory Museum at Washington. Those
islands, forming q small archipelago in
the Pacific Ocean. are very re arltablo
In many respects, but In none more so,
perhaps, than in having been the home
of races OF giant tortoiscs OF which the
specimens at Central Park are a rem
nant Commodore Porter who visited
the Galapagos Islands about eighty
years ago, saw such drOves of these
tortoiscs that he says n man might
have walked a considerable distance on
their backs without descending TO the
grounl lie saw specimens Eve feet
long, four and n half feet wide, and
measuring three feet thick through the
body. lie was impressed not only with
their size, but with their strange shape.
They had long neclss and ilat serpent
like heads, aud loag legs Qor turtles)
upon which they stood with the body
full foot from the ground. Though
keen of sight, these tortoises are quite
deaf, the loudest noise failing to startle
them; bat In their wild state they
are so timid that the sight OF 4 man
makes them scuttie OF in ponderous
haste. Sometimes, however. ms Mr..
Darwin SAYS. the instant they perceive
anyone, they draw In their legs and
head, and uttcring deep hiss, fall to
the ground with heavy thud, rs II
struck dead. 81 frequently" he says,
got upon their backs, and upon giving
n few raps upon the hinder part of the
shell, they would rise MP and walk
away; but | found Il very difficult to
keep my balance" The Galapagos tor
toise is thirsty creature; the one OBJ
ject OF It's life seems to be to get enough
TO drink In the smaller islands, where
there are no springs, the tortoises are
obliged TO content themselves with the
succulent Peruvian cactus and other
juicy plants; but in the larger ones they
travel long distances to the springs
which occur in the more elevated CEN
tral parts From every part OF the sea-
coast broad, well-bcaten paths, origi-
nally made by tortoises. converge to
the interior and lead TO the watering
places Travellers who visited the ISL
ands when these paths were used by the
tortoises tell us how curious il was TO
see the huge creatures, one set eagerly
travelling toward the springs with out
stretched neclSs and another set re-
turning. having drunk their FILL"
When tortoise arrived ut n spring
quite regardless of the spectator, il
buried its head in water above the eyes
and greedily swallowed great mouth
fuls at the rate Of about ten n minute.
Although rather clumsy pets, the
creatures are entirely harmless The
little saucy hares that share quarters
W tn them at Central park play around,
about and all over them, as If they were
so many great boulders, which indeed
they somewhat resemble
Unfortunately for these Galapagos
tortoises the delicious flavor OF their
meat has long been known; and so u
happens that through tho greed and
carelessness OF mankind they are rapid
ly disappearing from the face OF the
earth. j. Carter Beard, in St Nicholas.