36 MEMOIR OF 



natural productions of the different islands at 

 which he touched. In botany, more particularly, 

 he made great collections, and anticipated a rich 

 harvest, now that he had reached Jamaica, when 

 an unexpected event blighted all his prospects in 

 this quarter. The Duke of Albemarle died almost 

 as soon as he had landed; and the Duchess, natu- 

 rally anxious to return to England, only awaited 

 instructions from the Court at home, in reply to 

 her notification of the Duke's decease. During 

 the necessary interval, the doctor assiduously 

 exerted himself, and visited all parts of the island. 

 He recorded in a journal a description of every 

 natural curiosity ; he collected about eight 

 hundred plants, and employed an artist to make 

 drawings of the birds, fishes, insects, shells, and 

 fruits. Some of his observations, selected at 

 random, will probably amuse readers of the present 

 day. 



" I was somewhat surprised to see serpents, 

 rats, and lizards, sold for food, and that to under- 

 standing people, and of a very good and nice 

 palate ; but what of all those things was most 

 unusual, and to my great admiration, was the 

 great esteem was set on a sort of cossi or timber- 

 worms, called cotton tree worms by the Negroes 

 or Indians." 



The two following stories are much akin to 

 the marvellous relations we frequently meet with 

 in the American newspapers. 



