OF LA PEROUSE. 24I 



,c might run fliort of provifions, and perhaps 

 meet feme numerous bands of favages, left us 

 in order to return the fame day on board of our 

 fliips. By this defertion our number was re- 

 duced to fifteen, but neverthclcfs we continued 

 our journey. Wc foon found on the fide of a 

 path very much frequented by the favages, fomc 

 cabbage-trees ; we regaled ourfelves \^ ith the 

 tender leaves of the top of thefe trees, and 

 then went down into a 2;ullv where fcveral fine 

 c.leuritcs added to our repaft a gooJ allowance 

 of fruit, the kernels of which wcr? of a very 

 ao'rceable flavour. 



O 



The quartz and mica fp^read v/idely round, 

 formed in this place a very brillinnt laminated 

 rock, difpofcd in ^ cry narrov/ fcrata. 



At length we entered the plain, and prcfently 

 the melancholy fprftacle of a habitation en- 

 tirely dcilroyed, lvA fevo;\tl cocca-palms cut 

 lliortofFa: the ro..,L, cp.:vinced us anew of the 

 barbarity c^f the inhabitants. 



Farther o\\ vc ki^v phintations of yams, fwcct 

 potatoes, &c. \>'c procccv'ed for Ibme tin:e 

 toward^ the iouth, and were af^oi^iHicd tliat ve 

 had not met a finj;!e favat/e, \\ hen I rercciveJ an 

 old man emj):'^)yeJ in tciring iu"> the roots of the 

 do'icbos iiibi:-(iii<, \'-hi.ii he was givir-g to a chiki 

 ro clean. He did net appear at a'i i::tirT^ia:ited 

 on iceing us ad^-nce ;o\va:o:s hio^^ i^ut all the 



VOL. 11. k features 



