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Gigantic Land Tortoise - a Present for Her Majesty, 1850. Creator: Unknown
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Gigantic Land Tortoise - a Present for Her Majesty, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Gigantic Land Tortoise - a Present for Her Majesty, 1850. Tortoise...just brought to England by Captain Brown, in her Majesty's ship Geyser...a present to her Majesty the Queen [Victoria], from Dr. Shea, Surgeon of the Royal Naval Hospital, at the Cape of Good Hope. It is said to be a native of the Gallipagos [sic] Islands, and was brought to the Cape...a few years since, in a whaler...Its length is exactly seven feet...its height, when walking, is three feet...the strength of the animal is in proportion to their size; for, torpid and lazy as it may appear, it will carry three or four men, standing upon its back, with apparent ease...It weighs about five hundred pounds, and its age is supposed to be not less than one hundred and eighty years...Its food is entirely vegetable, being fond of grass, green succulent plants, potatoes, and pumpkin'. From "Illustrated London News", 1850
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Media ID 36214127
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a truly remarkable moment in history - the presentation of a Gigantic Land Tortoise to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, in 1850. The tortoise, brought to England by Captain Brown aboard the HMS Geyser, was a gift from Dr. Shea of the Royal Naval Hospital at the Cape of Good Hope. Described as a native of the Galapagos Islands and weighing around five hundred pounds, this majestic creature measured an impressive seven feet in length and three feet in height when walking.
Despite its seemingly torpid nature, this colossal tortoise possessed incredible strength - able to carry three or four men standing on its back with ease. Its diet consisted entirely of vegetables such as grass, succulent plants, potatoes, and pumpkin. Believed to be over one hundred and eighty years old at the time of its arrival in England, this magnificent reptile fascinated all who beheld it.
The engraving captures the awe-inspiring size and power of this ancient creature as it became a symbol of exotic wonder during the Victorian era. A true testament to nature's grandeur and resilience, this Gigantic Land Tortoise remains an enduring reminder of our planet's diverse and extraordinary wildlife heritage.
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