1777- THE pacific OCEAN. 223 



allowing the woods to be cleared away, would leave 

 it less proper for pasturage than flat land, and still 

 more improper for cultivation, which could never be 

 effected here by the plough. 



The large trees which cover the hills are chiefly of 

 two sorts. One of them, of the size of our largest 

 firs, grows much after their manner; but the leaves, 

 and small berries on their points, are much liker the 

 yew. It was this which supplied the place of spruce 

 in making beer; which we did with a strong decoc- 

 tion of its leaves, fermented with treacle or sugar. 

 And this liquor, when well prepared, was acknow- 

 ledged to be little inferior to the American spruce- 

 beer, by those who had experience of both. The 

 other sort of tree is not unlike a maple; and grows 

 often to a great size; but it only served for fuel, as 

 the wood, both of this and of the preceding, was 

 found to be rather too heavy for masts, yards, and 

 other similar repairs. 



There is a greater variety of trees on the small flat 

 spots behind the beaches. Amongst these are two 

 that bear a kind of plum of the size of prunes, the 

 one yellow, called karraca; and the other black, called 

 maitao; but neither of them of a very agreeable 

 taste, though the natives ate both* and our people 

 did the same. Those of the first sort grow on small 

 trees, always facing the sea; but the others belong to 

 larger trees that stand farther within the wood, and 

 which we frequently cut down for fuel. 



A species of Philadelphus grows on the eminences 

 which jut out into the sea; and also a tree bearing 

 flowers almost like myrtle, with roundish-spotted 

 leaves of a disagreeable smell. We drank the leaves 

 of the Philadelphus as tea; and found that they had 

 a pleasant taste and smell, and might make an ex- 

 cellent substitute for the oriental sort. 



Among other plants that were useful to us, may 

 be reckoned wild celery, which grows plentifully in 

 almost every cove; especially if the natives have 



