Filling a ship 's hold with tortoises was an easy way to stock up on food , a tradition that was continued by whalers in the centuries that followed : `` whaling skippers were almost lyrical in their praise of tortoise meat , terming it far more delicious than chicken , pork or beef ' .
Filling a ship 's hold with tortoises was an easy way to stock up on food , a tradition that was continued by whalers in the centuries that followed . `` whaling skippers were almost lyrical in their praise of tortoise meat , terming it far more delicious than chicken , pork or beef '' .