LIVING LINK

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1929, Page 5

LIVING LINK

WITH CAPTAIN COOK. A chum of Captain Cook has been discovered, hale and hearty still, though ‘ Captain Cook died 150 years ago. But then Captain Cook was not a tortoise.’ His former chum is. He is a “chief” of the island ’of Tonga. When Captain Cook sailed into the Pacific with his ships, Resolution and Discovery, lie captured the tortoise. The captain and the tortoise became great friends. When Cook was killed in the Sandwich Islands, the tortoise was brought to Tonga and the King of Tonga, as a sign of respect, confeired the title of “chief” on him. Ever since then he has been recognised as

an official “. chief.” and he now lives under the protectorship of the present Queen of Tonga. “ Well, what of it?” said Marmaduke, the Zoo centenarian tortoise, when told about the chief. “ I myself was alive long before Captain Cook sailed the Southern Seas. Look at that fellow over there.” He inclined his head to where anothei giant weighing lour cwt was gently nibbling cabbage. “He is 100 years old, and he has just started to grow again.- How do I know that? Tjoolc at the white scams between the plates on his back. They show he’s growing again. Tie’ll be a. fine iellow hi 50 or 100 years’ time.”