314 TRANSPORTATION OF PLANTS. [1845- 



luxuriance of growth in the vegetables which they pre- 

 sented to us. Cattle, Horses, and Goats appear to be 

 pretty abundant, which the greater extent of grazing 

 would tend to favour. 



From the condition of these people, their natural 

 timidity of strangers, difficulty of landing, &c., it is not 

 an island calculated to afford refreshments or supplies 

 to any visitors. On the contrary, I was so much im- 

 pressed with this fact that I took care to accept nothing 

 from them but vegetables, and left them various seeds, 

 potatoes, and tops of Pine Apples, in the hope of im- 

 proving their gardens. During our intercourse with all 

 of the islands in these seas, from Singapore, northerly, it 

 has been an object with me to introduce from one place 

 to another all the most useful trees and vegetables, 

 making the Island of Batan our chief depository ; and 

 we have the satisfaction of knowing, that in the latter 

 island all the objects introduced have flourished beyond 

 our most sanguine expectations. It is to be hoped that 

 at some future day this may be found to be successful 

 also at Samasana. One case occurs to me where this 

 habit has not been productive of the intended benefit. 

 It is perhaps travelling a little out of my present limits, 

 but as a fact bearing on the introduction of trees, &c., 

 is not unworthy of record : Capt. Bligh originally intro- 

 duced the Orange and Guava trees at Point Venus, 

 Tahiti, both have produced finer fruit than in the places 

 from whence they were transported, the latter is now 

 deemed a pest ; it overpowers everything, destroys vege- 

 tation near it, injures the cattle, and is there considered 

 the promoter of dysentery. A law had been passed 



