OF LA PEROUSE. 33I 



The Javanefe who accompanied us were almoft 

 always on horfeback, and did not alight even in 

 places where it was difficult to penetrate; but 

 as foon as they perceived the plant called in 

 their language kadiar ankrcc^ they immediately 

 got off and drove to outrun each other in order 

 to gather it. Their difplaying fo much eagcrnefs 

 roufed our curiolity, and we foon learnt that the 

 tubercles of the roots, dried and reduced to a 

 powder, are a powerful aphrodiiiac. Tne ar- 

 dour which they exprelTed to procure it proved 

 to us that they fct a great value on thefe forts of 

 auxiliary medicines, whicii are generally in 

 pretty high rcqucft among people wfio live in 

 hot climates. This paralitica! pdant was to be 

 met with only on the trunks of large trees. It 

 was not yet in fruc^ifi' ation, but it appeared to 

 me to be a new fpecies of po/hos. 



In thefe diflerent excurlions I killed fe\ eral 

 wild cocks, whofe variegated plumage of very 

 brilb'ant colours excited mv admiration. Their 

 crowing, wiiicii we had frequenrh heard in the 

 middle of tlie woods, had at firil: made us ima- 

 gme lliat v;e were in the vicinity of fornc Ivibi- 

 tation ; b'lt in a little time we knew how to 

 diflinguiih it pericotly from that of the do- 

 meflic cork'. The comb o( tiie v.dld cocks is 

 ;; Jt of a red colour, but whinfli, and mixed 



with 



