A Royal Tortoise

This tortoise, which was photographed two yean ago, at the age of 158 years, was given by Captain Cook, the famous navigator, to the King of Tonga At the time of Cook’s visit, the King resided at the eastern end of Tongatabu, and the name of his residence was Malila. The tortoise had free run of the royal grounds and soon acquired the name of Tui Malila (King of Malila). When a royal kava drinking ceremony was being held and the tortoise was about, its name, Tui Malila, would be called and its kava served. The tortoise was a famous attraction in the grounds of the Royal Palace at Nukualofa for over a century.