1777' rHE pacific ocean. I87 



supply us with water, but by no means of that size 

 we might expect in so extensive a country, especially 

 as it is both hilly and well wooded. Upon the whole, 

 it has many marks of being naturally a very dry 

 country; and perhaps might (independent of its 

 wood) be compared to Africa, about the Cape of 

 Good Hope, though that lies ten degrees farther 

 northward, rather than to New Zealand, on its other 

 side, in the same latitude, where we find every valley, 

 however small, furnished with a considerable stream 

 of water. The heat too appears to be great, as the 

 thermometer stood at 6l<, 70, and once at 74. And 

 it was remarked, that birds were seldom killed an 

 hour or two, before they were almost covered with 

 small maggots, which I would rather attribute merely 

 to the heat; as we had not any reason to suppose 

 there is a peculiar disposition in the climate to render 

 substances soon putrid. 



" No mineral bodies, nor indeed stones of any other 

 sort, but the white sand one already mentioned, were 

 observed. 



" Amongst the vegetable productions, there is not 

 one, that we could find, which afforded the smallest 

 subsistence for man. 



" The forest trees are all of one sort, growing to a 

 great height, and in general quite straight, branching 

 but little, till towards the top. The bark is white, 

 which makes them appear, at a distance, as if they 

 had been peeled; it is also thick; and within it are 

 sometimes collected, pieces of a reddish transparent 

 gum or resin, which has an astringent taste. The 

 leaves of this tree are long, narrow, and pointed; and 

 it bears clusters of small white flowers, whose cups 

 were, at this time, plentifully scattered about the 

 ground, with another sort resembling them somewhat 

 in shape, but much larger; which makes it probable 

 that there are two species of this tree. The bark of 

 the smaller branches, fruit, and leaves, have an agree- 

 able pungent taste, and aromatic smell, not unlike 



