3*6 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



but they content thcmfelves with enjoying their 

 juice which they exprefs by maftication. 



Betides the property which this beautiful palm 

 pofTefTes of yielding an agreeable and wholefome 

 liquor, the petioles of the leaves are furnimed 

 near their hafe with filaments, of which the na- 

 tives make very good ropes. From the fhape 

 and blacknefs of theie filaments, they would, at 

 firlt fight, be taken for horfe-hairs, although 

 they are almofi twice as thick. The young 

 fruits, preferved with fugar, make an excellent 

 fweetmeat. 



Some of the earth having fallen down near 

 the foot of the hills, expofed to view a hard 

 fteatite, of a bright gray, which forms their 

 bafe. 



In an excurfion which I made to the fouth- 

 eaft, on the 2 2d, I found feveral rocks of very 

 foixfehiftus of a light gray colour, and, near at 

 hand, fome very hard ojbeftos. 



It might naturally be fuppofed, that in an 

 ifland fo near the equator, the prefcrvation of 

 the fpecimens of natural hiftory would be fingu- 

 larly favoured by a quick delliccation. However, 

 the contrary happened, and I was under the 

 necefhty of taking great pains not to lofc the 

 fruit of mv harveft in botany. In fact, the air^ 

 in pafling over the fca, becomes charged with a 

 great humidity, which is very prejudicial to pre- 

 parations 



