Memorabilia mundi, or, Choice memoirs of the history and description of the world by G.H.

In the Sommer Islands.

THere is the Tortoys, which they call a Turckle, which having some affinity and resemblance with Fishes, Beasts, and Fowls; They are in the shape of their body like a Crab-fish, and have four fins, they are as great as three or four men can carry, the upper part of them is covered with a great shell, which they call a Galley patch, weighing about half a hundred weight, the Flesh that cleaveth to the inside of this being Roasted against the Fier, is

excellent Meat, almost like the Marrow of Beef, but the shell it self harder then horn; she hath also a shell on her belly not so hard, but being boyled it beco∣meth soft, like the sinews or gristle of Beef, and good Meat. These live in the Sea, spending the Spring time, and part of Sommer about these Islands, but the residue of the year, is not known where. They are like to Fowl in respect of smallness, and fashion of their heads and necks, which are wrinckled like a Tur∣kies, but white, and not so sharp Billed. They also breed their young of Eggs which th••y lay. They resemble Beasts, in that their flesh is like Veal, but more hard and solid, and they feed always up∣on grass growing at the bottom of the water; neither can they abide any lon∣ger under water then they hold their breath, which the old ones will do long, but the young ones being chased to and fro, cannot continue two Minutes with∣out coming up to breathe. Shortly after their first coming in, the Male and Fe∣male

couple, which is there called Coot∣ing; this they continue some three days together, during which time, they will scarce separate though a Boat come to them, nor hardly when they are smit∣ten. Not long after, the she Turckle comes up by night upon some sandy Bay, and further up then the water u∣seth to flow, she digs a hole with her Fin in the sand some two foot deep, and there coming up several nights lays her Eggs; some half a bushel (which are a∣bout the bigness of a Hens Egg, and round as a Ball, and ••••ch time covers them with sand very curiously, so that a Man shall hardly find the place. These Eggs (as it seems) are afterwards hatch∣ed by the heat of the Sun, and then by the providence of God (the means as yet unknown) are brought out of the Earth; for they could never perceive that she returns any more to them, and yet in likelihood they remain not long in the Earth after they are hatched, be∣cause (as is before said) they cannot live

without breathing. Sometimes is seen the young ones no bigger then a Mans hand, which some Fish will devour. They grow slowly, and seem to have a very long life; they'l sleep on the top of the Water, and were wont to sleep often on the Land, till the Country was peopled; they will also live out of the Water some three weeks, and that without Meat, but mourn and pine a∣way, they are very witty. Being on the Land turned upon their backs, they can no more without some help or advan∣tage recover themselves, by which means when they come on shore to lay their Eggs, they are easily taken, as al∣so they are when they are Cooting. But otherwise they take them for the most part by night, making a great light in a Boat, to which they will some∣times swim, and seldom shun; so that a Man standing ready with a staffe in his hand, at one end of which he hath a Soc∣ket, wherein is an Iron less then a Mans finger, four-square and sharp, with a

line fastned to it, he striketh this Iron in∣to the upper shell of the Turckle, it strikes so fast, that after she hath a lit∣tle tyred her self by swimming to and fro she is taken by it. They will live, the head being cut off four and twenty hours, so that if you cut the flesh with a knife, or touch it, it will tremble and shrink away. There is no meat will keep longer either fresh or salt.