 An expedition in 1609 by Captain Sharpeigh and the crew of the English East India Company vessel "Ascension" reported that the island had a large population of giant land tortoises.From 1826 until the 1970s, North Island was owned by the Beaufond family from Réunion.During this time, the island had a plantation for growing fruits and spices, as well as producing guano, fish oil and copra.