ANALYSIS OF THE TELLOW GUM. 311 



" It is particularlj^ abundant at Geographer's bay, Leu- its soil, 

 win's Land, and in the environs o^" Botany Bay ; and ap- 

 pears to prefer a sandy and barren soil. The shoots, which and growth. 

 the savaj^es use for their spears, extend to the length of three, 

 four, or even five yards; and are nearly of the same size, 

 which is scarcely equal to that of the thumb, throughout 

 their whole length. 



" Each of these shoots terminates in a kind of spike, or Produces 

 ear, of a larger size, and from (ifteen to twenty four inches ^^weet j(jice. 

 long ; from the surface of which exudes a kind of viscous 

 liquid, of a pleasant sacharine taste, and a strong aromatic 

 smell. The savages are very fond of it: and I found it, on 

 tasting it, to be as I have described. To procure these tops 

 of the xanthorrhoea, the natives have recourse to their clubs 

 [casse-tcte], which they throw with such strength and skill, 

 that they are sure to cut off the ear at what length they 

 please at the first stroke. 



** The resin fiows naturally from the trunk of the tree. The resin, 

 making its way through the bark. The portion of the stem, 

 that is buried in the sand, appears' to furnish thf greater 

 part ; at least large pieces are found in the sand^ apparently 

 still adhering to the bark. Some of these pieces are re- 

 markable for the perfect regularity of their spherical 

 form. 



*' The English employ this resin against dysentery, for Its uses. 

 which they esteem it an excellent medicine. The savages 

 use it for many domestic purposes, and particularly for ce- 

 menting the points of their gpears to the shaft. With this 

 substance too they prepare the celebrated inst'ument, that 

 serves to discharge their spears; also their fishing imple- 

 ments, their stone hatchets, &c. They likewise employ it 

 to unite the lips^of wounds, however large or dangerous 

 they may be ; and I have seen some healed in this way by 

 the first intention, that have appeared to me truly extraor- 

 dinary. « 

 *« The wood of the xanthorrhoea, when burned, emits a The wood fta- 



smell which is very pleasant, at a little distance from the p^^*^ '■"^^'^^ 

 „ , 1 o.-.'-iii burued. 



fire, but seemed to me too powerful it inhaled nearer. 



Such indeed is the odoriferous strength of this wood, that 



you may sometimes discover a party of savages more than a 



quarter 



