OF LA PEROUSE. 311 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Stay at Amboyna. One of the boys belonging to 

 the Recherche is drowned in the road. A vifit 

 to the Governor. Various excurfions into the 

 interior of the iJlaruL One of the naturalijls 

 falls dangeroujly ill. Dtfcription of his diforder. 

 Agreeable juice of the fago-palm. Sugar ex- 

 trailed from it. Ufe of different parts of this 

 valuable tree. Means employed by the flying 

 lizard to Jupport it/elf in the air. Matai which 

 preferves the harvejl from pillage. A Dutch 

 Jailor conceals himfelf in the woods for fear of 

 going to Batavia. A very dexterous manner of 

 catching the cancer carcinus. Houfes of the 

 natives of Amboyna. Their drefs, &c. Their 

 method of procuring fire ; their manner of fijhing 

 during the night.- Culture of the nut?neg-tree 

 and of the clove- tree. A long bamboo cut Jo as 

 to give, in a frejh breeze 3 very agreeable founds. 

 Fijhing-places of the inhabitants. Sago-palm. 

 Extraction of its pith. Cutaneous diforders 

 common at Amboyna. Various obfervations re- 

 Jpetling the ijland and its inhabitants. 



At half paft three o'clock we faluted the fort 

 with nine guns, which were immediately return- 

 ed gun for gun. 



X4 The 



