i88 AVOYAGETO 



>77S- to niolons: cxidence. There is, indeed, abundance of birds 



January. ' " 



*^^^ — • — ~j and filli; but no vifible means ot" allaying thirrt, nor any 

 vegetable that could fupply the place of bread, or correct 

 the bad effeds of an animal dietj which, in all probability, 

 would foon prove fatal alone. On the few cocoa-trees upon 

 the iiland, the number of which did not exceed thirty, very 

 little fruit was found; and, in general, what was found, 

 was either not fully grown, or had the juice fait, or 

 brackifli. So that a fhip touching here, muft expect nothing 

 but fifli and turtle ; and of thefe an abundant fupply may 

 be depended upon. 



On fome parts of the land were a few low trees. Mr. 

 Anderfon gave me an account, alfo, of two fmall flirubs, 

 and of two or three fmall plants ; all which we had feen on 

 Palmerflon's Ifland, and Otakootaia. There was alfo a fpe- 

 cics ot fida^ or Indian mallow ; a fort of purdain ; and ano- 

 ther fmall plant, that fecmcd, from its leaves, a mefemhryan- 

 J tbemum; with two fpecies of grafs. Uut each of thefe vege- 

 table produ<5lions was in fo fmall a quantity, and grew with 

 fo much languor, that one is almoft furprized that the fpecies 

 do not become exiin(5i. 



Under the low trees above-mentioned, fiit infinite num- 

 bers of a new fpecies of tern, or egg-bird. Thefe are black 

 above, and white below, with a white arch on the fore- 

 head ; and arc rather larger than the common noddy. Molt 

 of ihcm had lately hatched their young ; which lay under 

 old ones, upon the bare ground. The reft had eggs ; 

 of which they only lay one, larger than that of a pigeon, 

 bluilh and fpccklcd with black. There were alfo a good 

 many common boobies; a fort tliat are almoft like a gan- 

 nctj and a footy, or chocolate-coloured one, with a white 



3 belly... 



