INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. xxxix 



on account of their value in some of our British manufactures. 

 The salsola, a maritime plant, which yields barilla, is very abun- 

 dant. It grows spontaneously on all the exterior parts of the 

 island, and to the distance of more than a mile from the sea. 

 Different species oi lichens are found on the rocks and gum-wood 

 trees ; amongst which, it has been ascertained, is the true Orchel, 

 so valuable in dying. The palma christi, yielding a fine castor 

 oil, intrudes itself every where, and grows in vast quantities : — 

 and the capsicum, which produces red pepper, of the first quality, 

 might be cultivated with advantage to any extent. Considering 

 it probable, that these productions may, at some future period, 

 attract more notice than they have hitherto done, and become 

 valuable exports ; I shall therefore offer a few observations on 

 each. 



The salsola appears first to have been observed by Governor 

 Brooke, in 1789; at whose request it was examined by the 

 Honourable William Petrie, at present Governor of Prince of 

 Wales's Island. He describes it, in a letter to the Governor, in 

 the following words : 



" I have the honour to inform you, that I have examined, by 

 " every experiment which the shortness of my stay at this place 

 " would admit, the maritime plant which grows spontaneously 

 " in great abundance upon this island ; and on which you 

 " desired my opinion with respect to the nature of the salt it 

 " contains. 



" I cannot hesitate to assure you, from every trial I have made, 

 " that this plant is of the kali species, Salsola soda of Linnieus, 

 " and yields upon incineration, a very great quantity of the fossil 

 " alkali: and that the only doubt I entertained at first, of tlie 

 " species of this salt, arose from the acid, not having been pro- 

 " perly converted, or expelled, on the incineration of the plant : 



