OP LA PEROUSE. 407 



pontent themfelves with our bifcuit; they alfo 

 devoured linen, paper, &c. : nothing came amifs 

 to them. Their fondnefs for vegetable acids 

 however aftonifhed me ; no fooner was a lemon 

 cut than they quickly difpatched it ; but what 

 aftonilhed me ftill more, was the rapidity with 

 which they emptied my ink-horn, when I forgot to 

 put in the ftopper. The cauftic quality of the vi- 

 triol,. with which they gorged themfelves, feemed 

 to have no prejudicial effect on them. 



The Amboyna fugar, extracted from the fago- 

 palm, was an allurement which they could not 

 reilft. We deltroyed a great many of them by 

 mixing a fmall quantity of this fugar with water 

 in a cup, into which they came and fell head- 

 long. 



Thefe infects tormented us ftill more by night 

 than by day; they were continually difturbing 

 our reft by fettling on every part of the body that 

 was uncovered. 



The tinea called blatta orientaYis had made its 

 appearance aim oft from the time. of our leaving 

 Breft ; but having very quickly difappeared, it 

 was fucceeded by this troublefome fpecies. 



In the courfe of the day of the 16th we were 

 carried thirty-eight miles to the north -weft. The 

 Trials, from which we were not far diftant, and 

 fome fhoals, were doubtlefs the caufe of thefe 

 violent currents. 



d d 4 We 



