>t 



'. J .. ,. . 88 ■ 



This tree, which forms a new genus, very distinct from that of Phms, is the tallest at present 

 kno^yn, being! according to Governor PhiUip, one hundred and sixty, or even one hundred and eighty 

 feet in height; and Governor King informs us he measured some in Norfolk Island which were two 

 hundred and twenty eight feet high, and eleven In diameter ! It was first discovered by Captain Cook 

 in his second voyage round the globe, on that extremity of New Caledonia, called Queen Charlotte's 

 Foreland, and on a small neighbouring island, named by Captain Cook Botany Island, which is a 

 mere sand bank, only three-fourths of a mile in circuit ; also on another island, called by our voyagers 

 the Isle of Pines, from its being almost covered with the above-mentioned tree. A fine view of this 

 maybe seen in Cook's second voyage, voL ii. 140. representing several of these very singular trees. 

 His words are, " If I except New Zealand, I, at this time, knew of no island in the South Pacific 

 Ocean, where a ship could supply herself with a mast or a yard, were she ever so much distressed for 

 want of one. Thus far the discovery is or may be valuable. My carpenter was of opinion that these 

 trees would make exceedingly good masts. The wood is white, close grained, tough and light. 

 Turpentine had exuded out of most of the trees, and the sun had inspissated it into a rosin, which was 

 found sticking to the trunks, and lying about the roots. These trees shoot out their branches like 

 all other pines ; with this difference, that the branches of these are much smaller and shorter ; so that 



the knots become nothing when the tree is wrought for use. 



I took notice that the largest of them 



had the smallest and shortest branches, and were crowned as it were, at the top, by a spreading 

 branch like a bush. This was what led some on board into the extravagant notion of their being ■ 

 basaltes." Forster, speaking of them in his account of the above voyage, says, " Peculiar to Norfolk 

 Island, and to the east end of New Caledonia, we found a species of coniferous tree, from the cones 

 seeming probably to be a cypress ; It grows here to a great size, and is very heavy, but useful timber.". 

 In Captain Hunters Joimzal of the Transactions at Port Jaclzson and Norfolk Island, p. 104, we 

 have also the following excellent account. '' The Pines, which have been particularly spoken of by 

 Captain Cook, and by others, who have lately visited this island, are the most conspicuous of any trees 

 here; they grow to a prodigious size, and are proportionably tall, being from one hundred and fifty 

 to two hundred feet, and in circumference from twelve to fourteen feet, some to twenty-eight and 

 thirty feet.' These trees, from their immense height, have a very noble appearance, being in general . 

 very straight, and free from branches, to forty, sometimes sixty feet, above the ground; they have 

 been by some thought fit for masts, for ships of any size; in length and diameter they certainly 

 are, but with respect to quality they are, in my opinion, wholly unfit; even admitting them to be 

 sound, which, from experience, I know Is seldom the case. I employed the carpenters of the SIrius, 

 while here, to cut doAvn a few sticks, which it was intended should be sent home by the first oppor- 

 tunity, in order for trial in his Majesty's dock-yards, to see if they were, as had been said, fit for 

 his Majesty's navy, or not. In providing a top-mast and a top-sall-yard for a seventy-four gun ship, 

 a thirty-two, a twenty, or a sloop, and one rough spar, in all seven sticks, thirty-four trees were 

 cut down, twenty-seven of which were found defective. When these trees were falling. It was 

 observed that most of them discharged a considerable quantity of clear water, which continued to 

 flow at every fresh cut of the axe; there is no turpentine In these trees but what circulates between 

 the bark and body of the tree, and Avhich Is soluble In water. It is a very short grained and spongy 

 kind of timber, and I think fit only for house-building, for which we know It to be very useful. 

 When fresh cut down, five out of six will sink in water, the wood is so exceedingly heavy: and. If 

 we suppose for a moment, that great part of the pine timber were fit for naval purposes, the great 

 difficulty, and indeed I may say Impossibility, of getting it from the Interior parts of the Island to the 

 sea, would render it of litde value, if designed for masts; but if for plank. It could be cut up where 



