OP LA PEROUSE. 341 



faw, when in lefs than a minute the fcrapings 

 take fire. 



The lofttefi tree of the forefis which covered 

 thefe heights was the canarium commune. I few 

 with aftonifhment that the calcareous {tone was 

 perfectly bare at the foot of thefe great woods, 

 and that the remains of decayed trees had not 

 yet covered this foil with a bed of mould : it was 

 only to be feen in the clefts of the ftones that 

 were fplit by the weather. Thefe ftones refem- 

 bled van: level fpaces of the fame nature as thofe 

 which I had repeatedly met with in our Alps. 

 The numerous cavities which were there formed, 

 feemed to announce that the rains had carried 

 away the moft foluble parts. 



Being driven from this fpot by the fmoke of 

 the fire, which was fpreading, I proceeded to- 

 wards the fouth-eaft, where I found in the mid- 

 dle of the woods a number of the nam-nams of 

 the Malays (cynometra cautiflora, Linn.). Thefe 

 trees are here cultivated in the gardens for their 

 fruit, the tafte of which is fomething like that 

 of a rather tart, yet good apple. 



After having followed the banks of a rivulet, the 

 waters of which difcharge themfelves pretty near 

 the places where we had landed in the morning ; 

 curiofity induced me to vifit a houfe fituated 

 near the fea-fhore. I found there an old man, 

 who, contrary to the cuftom of thefe iflanders, 



z 3 wore 



