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A considerable number are taken by strong hooks, and, as the flesh is esteemed for food, are sold in the market. Although the last-named creature is sometimes called the snapping turtle, the animal to which the name appropriately applies is a very different creature. Its other name is the fierce trionyx. It belongs to the family of tortoises, popularly called soft turtles.
At noon we stopped to rest not far from a little creek replete with frogs and young turtles. There had been an Indian encampment at the place, and the framework of their lodges still remained, enabling us very easily to gain a shelter from the sun, by merely spreading one or two blankets over them.
At other times, they brought offerings of turtles, rolls of tapa, fish, and pigs; and on the night of Mr. Stevenson's death several of the chiefs crossed the island on foot and were in time to help the men who were cutting the road to Mount Vaea. Remembering all this, when the village of Vaiee invited Mrs. Stevenson and her daughter to make them a visit they naturally wanted to go.
Down in the crystal depths of the sea, over shelves of coral, vague shapes hovered and passed and repassed sharks, dolphins, turtles, and grunts, even the ghastly devil-fish. All life seemed confined to water and to air; never was dry land so desolate-looking as those myriads of barren volcanic cones. Yet one of these islands was peopled with human beings San Cristobal. Which one was it?
Bitter wild oranges, pawpaws, oily palmetto cabbage, wild cassava, starred gorgeously now with orange colored blossoms, and guavas; these, with the wild turkeys and mallard ducks, turtles and squirrels and the dark little Florida quail with which the wild abounded, gave them varied choice.
One afternoon, a week following the erection of the wireless station, Mate Fordam came upon a number of turtles. He caught some, by turning them over on their backs, and also located a number of nests of eggs under the warm sands. "This will be something to eat," he said, joyfully, and indeed the turtles formed a welcome food supply.
"Well, I'm glad you drove a good bargain for the sale of the turtles, Bob," remarked his uncle, the look of disappointment gone. "I said they were yours and I want you to know that I still feel the same way about it." "Thank you, Uncle Joe," replied Bob, as he started for the barn with the team.
Well, on every old broken-down tree you could see rabbits and snakes and such things; and when the island had been overflowed a day or two they got so tame, on account of being hungry, that you could paddle right up and put your hand on them if you wanted to; but not the snakes and turtles they would slide off in the water. The ridge our cavern was in was full of them.
There was one of the captain's turtles killed yesterday Jumbo is a cook, a most excellent cook a spoonful of the soup to-day will be worth a king's ransom a peck of March dust! pooh! I wouldn't give a spoonful of that soup for a hundred bushels of it. Take my advice, sir, and have soup twice, sir.
"$72.97," replied Bob proudly. "What! for those turtles!" exclaimed his uncle. "I don't believe it." "Well, you don't have to believe me," Bob laughed as he jumped from the wagon. "I've the proof here." And he proudly exhibited his new bank book. The look of surprise on his uncle's face gave way to one of disappointment.
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