84 OSBECK'S VOYAGE. 



The goats, which the French brought upon 

 this iiland, were by this means forced to live 

 without water ; for, befides fea-water, none 

 is to be met with. But they eat the juicy 

 wild Pur/lane (Portulaca oleracea), which 

 grew in feveral places between the (tones, was 

 very young at this time, and had but two or 

 three leaves. 



The French had buried fome of their dead 

 this year in one part of the ifland, and in re- 

 membrance of them had put upon the graves 

 crones and white banners. 



The following are the natural curiofities 

 which I found on the ifland, befides the 

 abovementioned ftones : 



Rats abound here, being brought by Dam- 

 per's (hip, which was forced to put in at the 

 iiland after it had fprung a leak, and to Hay 

 here till another (hip came and took the crew 

 away. Sailors that have been here be- 

 fore relate, that though they hung up their 

 bags of meat on upright poles, they were by 

 no means fafe from thefe vermin ; nay, that 

 when the people fat down to meals, they came 



our 



