OF THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE. 255 
but in this we were deceived. For, on landing, we found 
that this lively colour was occasioned only by one small 
plant, not much unlike a Sazifrage, which grows in spreading 
tufts to a considerable height up the hills. It forms a sur- 
face of a pretty large texture, and grows on a kind of rotten 
turf, into which one sinks a foot or two at every step. This 
turf, dried, might, in case of necessity, serve for fuel, and is 
the only thing we met with here which could possibly be 
applied to this use. 
“< There is another plant, plentifully scattered about the 
boggy declivities; it grows to near the height of 2 feet, and 
resembles a small cabbage when it has shot into seed. The 
leaves about the root are numerous, large, and rounded, 
narrowest at the base, and ending in a small point. "Those 
on the stems are much smaller, oblong, and pointed. The 
stalks, often 3 or 4, all spring separately from the root, and 
run into long cylindrical heads, composed of small flowers. 
This plant has not only the appearance, butthe watery acrid 
taste of the antiscorbutic plants, yet differing so materially 
from that whole tribe, that we regarded it as a production 
= entirely peculiar to the place. We ate it frequently raw, and 
found it almost like the New Zealand Scurvy-grass. But it 
Seemed to acquire a rank flavour by being boiled: which, 
however, some of our people did not perceive, and esteemed 
it good. If it could be introduced into our kitchen-gardens, 
it would probably so improve by cultivation as to become an. e : 
excellent herb. At this time none of its seeds were ripe — e 
Enough to be gathered and brought home to try the experi- - 
ment. Two other small plants were found near the brooks 
and boggy places, and eaten as sallad; the one almost like 
Jarden-cress, and very fiery, the other quite mild. This last, 
though small, is in itself a curiosity; having not only male 
and female, but what the botanists call androgynous plants. 
“<A coarse grass, which we eut down for the cattle, grows 
Pretty plentifully in a few small spots about the sides of the 
harbour, with a small sort, which is rarer; and upon the flat - z 
round a sort of goose-grass, and another small production 
