OF LA PEROUSE. Z$l 



tions, refembled, at firft light, the fmoke of fires 

 lighted in the (bred; and as foon as they had 

 reached a degree of elevation fufficient to ex- 

 perience the effect of the current of the air, they 

 prefently tlifappcared. 



Cocoa-nut ifland was covered with large ever- 

 green trees : their roots, buried between the 

 calcareous ilones, found very little vegetable 

 earth ; but thefe trees did not grow with lefs 

 vigour, on account of the great moifture of 

 thofe ipotr. It was a charming light to behold 

 the beautiful tree known oy the name of bar- 

 ringtoniafpeciofii) attracted by the humidity, ho- 

 rizontally extending its branches very far out 

 above the waters of the fea. Various fpecies of 

 rig-trees grew on this ifland. We expected to 

 find here a great quantity of cocoa-palms, which 

 even was one of the reafons that had made us 

 prefer this anchorage to feveral others at no 

 great diftance : it was, however, with difficulty 

 that we procured only a dozen cocoa-nuts. 



We taw with concern, that among our people 

 who had been on fhore to cut wood, fome had 

 made no fcruple to fell the cocoa-nut trees, in 

 order to get at the fruit : they eagerly fought the 

 young leaves of the top of the tree, which arc 

 very tender ; thefe were a mofl agreeable treat 

 to perfons who had lived for a long time on fait 

 provifions. Had we fuflered them to have their 

 4 own 



