1846.] 



THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 541 



Latham's island, situated near the island of Zanzibar, is elcvatiid aho\it fifteen 

 feet nbove hi^h tide, and contains about "'venty acres. It appears to have been a 

 breeding: plice for birds for many years, and consequently about three-fourths of 

 the surface is covered to the average depth of two feet with the substance called 

 guano, which is the excrement of SHVeral species of sea bird, their feathers, and 

 the remains of many that perish. This substance is undoubtedly the richest manure 

 known, being composed of the urate, pli .>sphate, and oxalate of ammonia, oxalate 

 and phosphate of lime, and nndetermined organic substances, of which but a small 

 part is soluble in water. Those are the principle constituents, according to the 

 analysis of Voeclkel. It is only noces^^ar/ to add a small quantity of guano to a 

 barren soil, consisting only of clay and sand, ic > aduce a rich crop of corn. Its 

 action by some has been attributed to the organic substances which it contains, 

 and w hieh furnish the nitrogen to the vegetable albumen, which is the principal 

 constituent of plants. 



The birds which frequent this island appear to feed their young on the flying- 

 fish. While on the island, I observed several old birti.-, after flying round in circles 

 for some time, descend where their brood were sitting, so as to touch the ground 

 with their feet but without alighting, and at the same time disgorge several flying 

 fish. 



Wore there enterprise enouofh among the Arabs on the island of Zanzibar to im- 

 port this mannfp, M'hich is bul twenty miles distant, and apply it to the sterile hilU 

 on their islanil, it would render that beautiful spot one of the most productive on 

 the fflobe, capable of yielding all the tropical producti 'is in the greatest perfection. 

 An English man-of-war has 'atelv been ordered to slop and examine it. 



The rock is a calcareous conglomerate, formed of broken shells, corals, &c., 

 cemented by oxide of iron, ind is decreasing in size in consequence of the waves 

 of the ocean wearing away the base, when the top, unsupported, (alls don-n. No 

 herbage is found on the island, not even a spear of grass, or no member of the ani- 

 mal kingdom, but birds, which constantly cover about three.fburths of the surface, 

 and so tame that thousands might be killed with a stick. 



January, 1845. — Quallah Battoo appears to be on the decline r-ther than im- 

 proving either in appearance or importance. "'Ms is caused, no doubt, by the 

 feuds and jealousies whicli exist between petty ic-^jahs, which, in its consffitieiice, 

 leads to the destruction of much life and property. The town consists ot twenty 

 or thirty houses, enclosed within a quadrangu'ar picket fence made of bamboos, 

 wriich ar' inserted into the ground and pointed at ihe top, about eig! t feet high, 

 having oilier pieces running in a horizontal manner and iied to the upright sticks 

 with hair, so that it would be but little labor with a large jack-knife, to make an 

 entrance in a few minutes. There are two entrances opposite each other, one 

 facing the shore and just large enough to admit a single person. The houses are 

 small, and situated in the centre of the enclosure, havi ■ one priii>-ipal .--iroet, in 

 which fish, fruits, &c., were exposed for sale, forming a kmd of bazaar. The com- 

 parative i.uunddnce of fruits, fish. &c., would appear to show, that the Malayg 

 here have turned their attention more to agriculture than their kindred elsewhere. 

 This is probably owing t'- the extensive cultivation of pepp'^r. Tiie nearest plan- 

 tations are situated about two miles from town. * The cultivation of this spice is 

 between the longil ude of 90'-' to 1 15°, beyond which no pepper is to be found, and 

 th<'v reach frum 5° south latitude to 1^° north, whoio it again ceases. 



The species cultivati .1 hero is the piper nigrum, although, according to Dr. Rox- 

 burgh, the trioicum yields excellent pepper also. The climbing stem is trained on 

 stakes at the distance of about eight feet, and allowed to rise about tei. feet high. 

 "When ar\j of the berries on a spadix chancre from green to red, the whole are con- 

 sidered fit for gathering, for if they are allowed to become full}' ripe, they are some- 

 what less acrid, and moreover easily drop ofi'. When collected, they arc f ;>-cad 

 out and dried in the sun, and Ihe stalks separated by hand-rubbing, and th(;^ aro 

 afterward'! winnowed. White pepper is prepared from the soundest and best grains 

 taken at their most perfect stage of maturity. 'J'hcse being soaked in water swell 

 and burst their integuments, which is afterwards carefully separated by drying in 

 the s'lii, hand-rubbing, and winnowing. Mr. Crawford estimates that fifty millions 

 pounds of pepper are produced nnnually, and of this ainouni, the west coast of Su- 

 matra alone supplies twenty millions. 



