OF THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE, 295 
Europe, which is, unfortunately, the fact. Already, too, 
from the best sources, a very excellent account, with a plate 
representing the tufts of this grass, has appeared in the Gar- 
dener’s Chronicle for March 4, 1843; a work so deservedly 
encouraged, that, through its medium, the Tussack Grass is, 
by name and general aspect, rendered familiar to almost 
every one. 
Pernetty, who, as above stated, accompanied Bougainville 
in the French ship, La Boudeuse, in 1766, would seem not to 
have fallen in with the finer tufts of this grass; if indeed it 
be not the Carex trifida of which he says, “ We were half a 
league distant from two flat islands, which, at first view, ap- 
peared as if covered with small copse-wood; but, as we 
afterwards discovered on landing, it was but tall Bullrushes 
or Cornflags; they grow, each of them, about 23 feet high, 
and afterwards shoot out a tuft of green leaves, to nearly as 
much height more.” 
Bougainville's own notice of the plant is far more correct: 
“All the sea-coast and islands are covered with a plant, 
which has been erroneously termed a Cornflag ; it is, bow- 
ever, a species of grass, of the most beautiful green colour, 
and growing to a height of 6 feet. It forms a hiding place 
for the sea-lions and sea-wolves, and served as a shelter to 
ourselves during our wanderings. A house may be formed 
of it in a very short space of time; the inclined stems, when 
fastened together, serving as a roof, while the dried straw 
makes a tolerably good bed. With this plant we also 
thatched our dwellings. The root is sweet and nutritious 
and preferred by beasts to any other food.” ~ 
The Botanist, M. Gaudichaud, who accompanied Frey- 
cinet in his Voyage round the World, after enumerating the 
remarkable plants of the Falkland Islands, thus speaks of the 
Tussack Grass. “Finally, there is one production of still 
higher interest, because it furnishes abundance of nourishing 
food all the year round, and this is the great Grass, Festuca 
flabellata, which covers two thirds of the Isle of Penguins, 
