The Sea May, Perhaps, In Some
Measure, Compensate For The Deficiency Of The Land; For A Coast Surrounded
By Reefs And Shoals, As This Is, Cannot Fail Of Being Stored With Fish.
I have before observed, that the country bears great resemblance to New
South Wales, or New Holland, and that some of its natural productions are
the same.
In particular, we found here, the tree which is covered with a
soft white ragged bark, easily peeled off, and is, as I have been told, the
same that, in the East Indies, is used for caulking of ships. The wood is
very hard, the leaves are long and narrow, of a pale dead green, and a fine
aromatic; so that it may properly be said to belong to that continent.
Nevertheless, here are several plants, &c. common to the eastern and
northern islands, and even a species of the passionflower, which, I am
told, has never before been known to grow wild any where but in America.
Our botanists did not complain for want of employment at this place; every
day bringing something new in botany or other branches of natural history.
Land-birds, indeed, are not numerous, but several are new. One of these is
a kind of crow, at least so we called it, though it is not half so big, and
its feathers are tinged with blue. They also have some very beautiful
turtle-doves, and other small birds, such as I never saw before.[3]
All our endeavours to get the name of the whole island proved ineffectual.
Probably it is too large for them to know by one name.
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