The record-union., 1898-03-07
CAPTURING TURTLES.
Enormous Numbers Taken on the
Island of Ascension.

Enormous Numbers Taken on the
Island of Ascension.
One of the most favored spots fire.
quented 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 Majestys ships. An enor-
nous number of turtles were annually
turned there. and preserved in small
lagoon from shipment to shipment 1t
was my pleasant privilege to assist at
one of these turnings, and I bear
very vivid recollection of the game
Crouched low behind an immense bowl
der one evening about s O'clock. we
could hear a hollow. reverberating mur-
nur of the mighty surf outside, sug-
gesting sleepily irresistible force \
dazzling wreath of snowy foam gleam-
ing like FURNISHED silver. fTinged the
quiet stretch of glittering sand. which,
gently sloping upward and landward,
was bounded by gloomy bastions of
black lava Beyond that shining semi
circle of glowing white lay the somber
blue black bosom of the quiet little bay
now heaving gently as that of a sleep
ing child. Hither and thither. thread
ing its irscrutable 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
spufne a creeping something of no very
definite shape, under the glamor of the
molten moonlight. but making an odd
shuffling progress inland. and becoming
more recognizable as it rose. Another,
and yet another, and still more arrived
as the shining tracks conVerged shore
ward. At last the dark shapes came
near enough for noTIce to know them
for turtle. Soon the first coners reach
ed their limit, and began the work for
which they had come. Each massive
reptile, by an independent motion of its
fore fiippers, delved into the yielding
grit, throwing the soil behind it and
upward withal until It was enveloped
in a misty halo of shining sand. Then
the whole beach was alive with the
toiling Chelones was alive with Fthe
tendants, who shuffled about emitting
curious noises, but whether of eneOur-
agement 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 not be-
Heve how the wide sweep of those eager
fiippers devours the -f1eeting leagues In
short time many of the delying tur-
ties had sunk below the level Of the
surrounding sand. while some had
ceased their digging and commenced to
deposit their eggs. Suddenly we rush
upon them, and for some minutes the
swarming beach was apparently scene
of wild confusion. Really, the plan OF
attack was we'll ordered, and when the
first scurry was over nearly all the Wis
itors were to be seen wrong side up,
waving their flippers deprecatingly. In
less than half an hour the loneliness
was again regnant, all the victims hav-
ing been towed off through gap in
the rocks to spacious spoilarium in the
lagoon behind, there to await their
transit to the goal of most good things,
London town.
Another way practised most success
fully by the amphibious Kanakas of
Polynesia is to slip noiselessly into the
water, and, diving beneath the turtle,
grasp the hind flippers 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 arrives
and he is transferred to it. An ing the
coral reefs of the Friendly Islands, tur-
tie fishing is a highly favored sport
and when the reptiles are surprised
among the tortuous shallow channels
between the reefs or in the almost
land-locked lagoons, they rarely escape
Here it is usual for the fisherman to
spring upon the turtles back. and,
clutching the fore edge of the she'll
with both hands. to hang on until his
prize is exhausted and speedily brought
to the surface.
But Of all the fashions of securing
this much-hunted creature, that fol-
lowed by the ingenious fisher folk of
the Chinese littoral bears the palm.
Most voyagers in tropical seas are ac-
quainted with a peculiar fish. z. re-
mora, known generally by the trivial
name OF the sucker The distin-
gushing characteristic of this fish is
laziness Unwilling to exert itself over
much in the pursuit Of food, it has de-
veloped an arrangement on the back
of its head exactly like the corrugated
sole Of a tennis shoe. and as artificial
in appearance as il made and fitted by
the hand of man. When the sucker
finds itself in the vicinity of any large
floating body, such as ship a shark,
or a piece of fotsap. whose neighbor-
hood seems to promise an abundance
Of food, it attaches itself firmly thereto
by means of this curious contrivance,
which permits it to eat, breathe and
perform all necessary functions while
being carried about without any exer-
ton on it's part. 1t can attach itself in
simultaneously, and holds so firmly that
a direct backward pull cannot dislodge
it without injury to the fish. The Chinese
who have successfully trained the cor
morant and the otter fish for them,
have taken the remora in hand with
the hapiest results. Several good-siz-
ed specimens having been caught. small
which are attached long, slender. but
very strong, lines. Thus equipped the
fishermen set out, and when fbask-
ing turtle is seen, two or three of the
suckers are slipped overheard. Should
they turn and stick to the bottom of
the sampan, they are carefully detach-
ed by being pushed forward with the
inevitable bamboo and started on the
search again. At last they attach
themselves to the supine turtle Then
the fishermen haul in the lines, against
which gentle suasion the hapless Che
lone struggles in vain. Once on board
the lugger the useful remora is detach-
ed. and is at once ready for use again.
--Chambers' Journal.