It is, however, certain that tortoises can subsist even on
those islands where there is no other water than what falls during
a few rainy days in the year.
I believe it is well ascertained that the bladder of the frog acts
as a reservoir for the moisture necessary to its existence: such
seems to be the case with the tortoise. For some time after a visit
to the springs, their urinary bladders are distended with fluid,
which is said gradually to decrease in volume, and to become less
pure. The inhabitants, when walking in the lower district, and
overcome with thirst, often take advantage of this circumstance,
and drink the contents of the bladder if full: in one I saw killed,
the fluid was quite limpid, and had only a very slightly bitter
taste. The inhabitants, however, always first drink the water in
the pericardium, which is described as being best.
The tortoises, when purposely moving towards any point, travel by
night and day and arrive at their journey's end much sooner than
would be expected. The inhabitants, from observing marked
individuals, consider that they travel a distance of about eight
miles in two or three days. One large tortoise, which I watched,
walked at the rate of sixty yards in ten minutes, that is 360 yards
in the hour, or four miles a day,--allowing a little time for it to
eat on the road.
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