Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-28
A CRUEL OPERATION.
THE PROCESS BY WHICH TORTOISE
SHELL IS PROCURED.
Fires Set on the living Turtle to Sepa-
rate the Bosy Layers Of the House In
which He Lives A Business That
Struck an Observer as Heartless.

hourly use constantly passing before
our eyes and through our hands about
the production Of which we know CON-
paratively little or nothing. An inter.
esting example Of this is tortoise shell,
from which combs and hairpins are
made, besides a multitude Of trinkets
for the dressing table, the desk and
the pocket. Fierce crusades have been
instituted in recent years against the
slaughter Of birds for the procurement
Ct their plumagc for hat trimmings,
and yet ! venture TO say that tire proc
ess Of procuring tortoise she'll is a cru
city to animal life which far exceeds
that to which birds are'subiected.
In the eighties happened TO be down
in Eluefclds, ON tina. awful Mosquito
coast, and nc the invitation Of one
Manuel Latona, who was the owner and
captain Of small schooner, went with
him 10 the cay FL Roncador for tortoise
she'll This cay gets its name (which in
English wOald be the Snorcr) from the
exceedingly angry surf, which can be
heard for long distance breaking over
the reefs. This Is the cay ON which a
couple If years lack the historic old
ship kcarsargc was wrecked and bat
tered to pieces. II Roncador is nothing
more ct less than typica, coral is
land, such rs is found throughout the
southern seas, throc-quarters Of a mile
long. perhaps, and not more than a
quarter Of a mile across its widest part.
Surrounding the island is a reef. inside
ot which the water is smooth and rath-
u shallow, and IT the bottom Of this
shallow water there grows peculiar
Kind q sJa grass which is u dainty
food for the turtle tribes. There is also
found On the top Of the water inside the
reef a sort If small blubber fish. called
IN Spanish dcdalcs, CT thimble fish,
which Is perhaps the greatest delicacy
OF the entire turtle menu.
The turtle whose she'll is valued in
commerce is small species known as
the hawk bill There are other yarie.
ties which come TO FL Roncador to
spawn, but they are not molested. Dur
ins the night the turtles crawl I'D on
the shore to lay their eggs, each female
depositing OIL an average about 30. To
do this they dig heles in the sand about
two feet deep and after laying the eggs
cover them over 80 deity that it is al
most impossible for a novice 10 find
them. These eggs are really delicious
when roasted, but the turtle fishers are
careful not to destroy those they do not
take for food, 50 as TO prontote as much
as possible the increase Of this valuable
sea reptile. At night the fishers conceal
themselves along the shore Us well as
possible, and when the turtles come IN
cut Of the water On the beach they rush
forth and turn them over on their backs
with iron hooks, leaving them secure in
this position until morning.
The tortoise she'll If commerce is not.
as Is generally believed, the horny cover
ing or shell proper Of the turtle; il is
the scales which cover the shield. These
scales are - in number. s of them be-
ing flat and the other somewhat curved.
-Four If those that are flat are quite
large, sometimes being as much as ~
inches long and : inches bread. nearly
transparent and beautifully variesated
IN color with red, yellow, white and
dark brown Clouds. which give the eff
fects - fully brought out when the shell
Is properly polished. y turtle Of aver
age size will furnish about eight pounds
OF these lamina, or scales. each piece
icing from an eighth 10 a quarter Of an
inch in thickness.
IL Is the method by which these scales
are looscnoi which is the repulsive rart
OF the business. The turtles are not
killed, rs that would lead TO their OK.
termination in very few years. After
capturing them the fishers wait for dav-
light to'complcte the work. The turtles
are turned over again in their natural
position and fastened firmly TO the
ground by means Of pegs Then bunch
OF dried leaves CT sea grass j. spread
evenly over the hack Of the turtle and
set aiire. The heat is no; great ,nourh
To inJurc the shell. merely causing il 10
separate the joints. \ large blade, very
similar IL shape to chemists snatula. |
Is then inserted horizontally between
the laminG, which are gently pried
from the hack. Great care must be tax
IN rot to injuro che shell by too much !
heat, and Yet II j. not forced off until il
Is fully prepared fer separation BY
sufficient amount Of warmth.
The operation, a. one may readily
Is tho extreme Of cruelty. and 1
many turtles do not survive il. Most of
them do live, however, and thrive. and
IN time grow 4 new covering, Just as
a man viii grow a new finger nail in
place Of one he might lose. The pecul.
Iariiy Of the second growth # shell.
though, l. that instead Of reuroduciny
the original number Of l3 segments it is
III one solid piece.
To see the operation If taking the
shell from the living turtle once is
ibout all a man Of northern breeding
wants If 1t, and if the helpless reptiles
bad the power Of voicing their suffer.
ngs under 1t their cries would tell Of
Is hoartless business as man has Vet
So u y