The Greeks and Latins speak with admiration of the enormous size of certain tortoises in their time, the whole species of which were comprised under the generic word _testudo_.[XXI-252] The Indian Sea produced some so large, that the shell of one only amply served to roof a comfortable and elegant cottage.[XXI-253] The inhabitants of the shores of the Red Sea never troubled themselves with building sloops; large shells of tortoises spared them the trouble, by supplying them with charming little barks, which lightly floated on the water.[XXI-254] And, lastly, in the Ganges, tortoise shells were found, capable of containing no less than 20 _amphoræ_, or about 560 pints.[XXI-255] The inhabitants of the Peloponnesus did the tortoise the signal honour of representing its image on their money.[XXI-256] The blood cured diseases of the eye,[XXI-257] and the flesh--in great request--was thought excellent eating. It was cut into pieces of a middling size, and placed in a saucepan with pepper, rue, and scallions, crushed in the same mortar; over this was poured honey, garum, raisin wine, common wine, and a small quantity of good oil. At the moment of ebullition, the whole was thickened with flour.[XXI-258] Sometimes the tortoise was boiled, and covered with a seasoning, for which the following is the recipe:-- Mix pepper, alisander, parsley, mint, and wild marjoram, with the yolks of eggs, honey, garum, wine, cooked wine, and oil; add mustard and vinegar.[XXI-259] SEA-CRAWFISH. Apicius sought relief from his culinary studies at Minturnus, in Campania, where that great master regaled himself with delicious sea-crawfish, in order to keep up his gustatory powers. Genius reposes amidst studious leisure. Being told that Africa produced some of these _testacea_ of an immense size, immediately the worthy Roman tears himself away from the sweet solitude he had created; he freights a vessel, Æolus smiles on the undertaking, Neptune protects him, and he arrives in sight of the African shore. Scarcely was he disembarked when some fishermen brought him a few sea-crawfish; he examines, rejects them, and demands finer ones to be brought. He is informed that it will be impossible to procure any larger than those before him. At this Apicius smiles disdainfully, and commanding the presence of his pilot, orders him to steer back for Italy.[XXI-260] Decidedly magiric genius never revealed itself by a more sublime action. However, Pliny somewhere mentions certain magnificent sea-crawfish, which he describes as being four cubits in length[XXI-261]--very large ones, certainly. Roman tables often presented to the sight of guests boiled sea-crawfish, peppered and garnished with asparagus,[XXI-262] but they were generally covered with a gravy composed of honey, vinegar, wine, garum, oil, and cooked wine; to which were added scallions, chopped small, pepper, alisander, carrots, cummin, and dates. Mustard was then mixed with the whole.[XXI-263] LOBSTER.