OP LA PEROUSE. 319 



even very uncommon for them to go out on 

 other days during this time. As for us, we 

 had not leifure to take fuch precautions ; and 

 hence two of the naturalifts were attacked by 

 very violent diforders. 



We endeavoured feveral times to penetrate 

 into the middle of the large plantations of fago- 

 palms ; but the waters which wafh the foot of 

 thefe palms frequently forced us to return as we 

 went : this tree, which is fo conducive to the 

 nourishment of man, forms part of the wealth 

 of the ifland. 



The beach, at low water, was covered in 

 many places with a great number of crabs, of 

 the fpecies called cancer vocans. They had then 

 quitted the holes which they had dug in the 

 rather folid ground. This lingular fpecies of 

 animal, one of whole claws is fometimes bigger 

 than the body, often becomes the prey of the 

 birds. I am of opinion, that the facility with 

 which it fheds its claws is the reafon why one of 

 them is almofl always much larger than the 

 other. 



A little excuriion which we made to the fouth 

 of the town, near the quarter inhabited by Euro- 

 peans, procured us a fight of the tomb of 

 Rumphius. The Simplicity of this monument 

 reminded us of the Simplicity of the manners of 

 this able obferver of nature : his tomb was fur- 

 rounded 



