Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-02-10
9 TURNING" TIE TURTLES.
ENORMOUS NUMBERS CAPTURED ON THE
ISLAND OE ASCENSION.
The Massive Reptiles Resort to the IL.
lands at Night to Deposlte Their Eggs---
A Lively Scene-.Diving for Turtles.

Lively Scene-.DivIng for Turtles.
One OF the most favored spots fre-s
quepted by turtles Is, or used to be,
the desolate island of Ascension, In the
South Atlantic, barren volcanic patch
belonging to Britain, and, because used
exclusively as a naval depot, entered
upon the books of the Admiralty as
one of Her Majesty's ships. An enor-
nous number OF turtles were annually
turned" there, and preserved in a
small lagoon from shipment to ship
ment. 1t was my pleasant privilege
to assist at one of these turnings, and
bear very vivid recollection of the
game. Crouched low beneath huge
bowlder one evening about 8 o'clock,
we could hear hollow. reverberating
murmur OF the mighty surf outside,
suggesting sleepily irresistible force.
A dazzling wreath of snowy foam,
cleaning like FURNISHED silver, fringed
the quiet Stretch OF glittering sand,
which, gently sloping upward and land
ward, was bounded by gloomy bastions
of black lava. Beyond that shining
semi-circle Of glowing white lay the
blue-black bosom of the quiet little bay
ing child. Hither ard thither thread
ing its inscrutable depths. glided spec
trally broad tracks of greenish light,
vivid, yet ever Frightening and fading,
as If of living flame. Presently there
emerged from the retreating smother
of spume creeping something of no
very definite shape, under the glamour
of the molten moonlight, but making
an odd shutting progress inland, and
becoming more recognizable as it rose.
Another, and yet another, and still
more arrived as the shining tracks
converged shoreward. At last the dark
shapes came near enough for novice
to know them for turtle. Soon the first
corners reached their limit, and began
the work for which they had come.
Each massive reptile, by an indescrib-
able motion Of its fore fiippers, delved
into the yielding grit, throwing the
spoil behing it and upward until it was
enveloped In a misty halo of shining
sand. Then the whole beach was
alive with the toiling Chelones and
their male attendants, who shuffled
about, emitting curious noises, but
whether of encouragement or affection
this deponent sayeth not.
Divers of them came from far-so far
that none who have not witnessed the
swift cleaving of their true element by
the ungainly monsters could believe
how the wide sweep of those eager
flippers devours the fieeting leagues.
In a short time many of the delving
turtles had sunk below the level of the
surrounding sand. while some had
ceased their digging and commenced
to deposit their eggs. Suddenly we
rushed upon them, and for many min
utes the swarming beach was apparent
ly scene of wild confusion. Really,
the plan of attack was well ordered;
and when the first scurry was over
nearly all the visitors were to be seen
wrong side up, waving their fiippers
deprecatingly. In less than half an
hour the loneliness was again regnant,
all the victims having been towed off
through a gap in the rocks to spaci-
Gus spoilarium in the lagoon behind,
there to await their transit to the goal
of most good things, London town.
Another way practiced most success
fully by the amphibious Kanakas OF
Polynesia is to slip noiselessly into the
water, and, diving beneath the turtle,
grasp his hind fippers with crossed
hands. One swift and dextrous twist
places the prize on his back, in which
helpless position he is kept with ease
upon the surface until the canoe ar
rives, and he is transferred to 1T.
Among the coral reefs of the Friendly
Islands turtle fishing is a highly fav-
cred form of sport, and when the rep
tiles are surprised among the tortuous
shallow channels between the reefs or
in the almost land-locked lagoons, they
rarely escape. Here it is useful to
the fisherman to spring upon the tur-
ties back, and, clutching the fore edge
of the shell with both hands, to hang
on until his prize is exhausted and
speedily brought to the surface
Chambers Journal.