These Are The Ugliest Creatures That Can Well Be Imagined, The
Back-Shell Being Not Unlike The Top Of An Old Hackney-Coach, As Black As
Jet, And Covered With A Rough Shrivelled Skin.
The neck and legs are
long, and as big as a man's wrist, and they have club-feet as large as a
fist, shaped much like those of an elephant, having five knobs, or thick
nails, on each fore-foot, and only four on the hind-feet.
The head is
small, with a visage like that of a snake; and when first surprised they
shrink up their head, neck, and legs under their shell. Some of our men
affirmed that they saw some of these about four feet high, and of vast
size; and that two men mounted on the back of one of these, whom it
easily carried at its usual slow pace, not appearing to regard their
weight. They supposed this one could not weigh less than 700 pounds. The
Spaniards say that there are no others in these seas, except at the
Gallapagos, but they are common in Brazil.
The 15th, being under sail with a fine breeze, we agreed to lay to till
midnight. The 16th, seeing many islands and rocks to the westwards, we
agreed to bear away, not caring to encumber ourselves among them during
the night; but by six in the evening, from the mast-head, we could see
so many low rocks, almost joining from island to island, that we seemed
land-locked for more than three parts of the compass, and no way open
except the S.W. whence we came.
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