APR. 1771 BOTANIC AND ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN 437 
of producing a single tree, at least within several miles 
round the town. By far the largest part of this garden 
is utilised for producing cabbages, carrots, etc.; two small 
squares, however, are set apart for botanical plants, which 
are well taken care of and neatly kept. At the time we 
were there the greater part of the plants, as the annuals, 
bulbs, etc., were underground. Upon the whole, I am of 
opinion that the number now to be found there will not 
amount to above half of what they were when Oldenland 
wrote his Catalogue; indeed, at that time it is possible that 
more ground was employed for the purpose. 
At the farther end of the garden is a vivarium or menagerie, 
supported also at the expense of the Company, where rare 
beasts and birds are kept. Here were ostriches, cassowaries, 
antelopes of several kinds, zebras and several other animals 
seldom or never seen in Europe; particularly that called by 
the Hottentots coedoe, whose beautiful spiral horns are often 
brought over to Europe. This animal, which was as large. 
as a horse, died while we were there, but not before I had 
time to get a description and drawing of him. 
Near this enclosure is another for birds, in which were 
the crowned pigeons of Banda, and several more rare birds, 
especially of the Dutch kind, of which there was indeed 
a very fine collection. Both birds and beasts were very 
carefully and well taken care of. 
It remains now, after having described the town and its 
environs, to say a little of the country about it. Of this, 
indeed, I can say but little, and even for that little am 
obliged to depend entirely upon hearsay, not having had an 
opportunity of making even one excursion, owing in great 
measure to Dr. Solander’s illness. 
The Dutch say that they have settled the country as far 
as 2000 miles inland, at least that is the distance to the 
furthest habitations of Europeans: how far it may be, how- 
ever, in a straight line north and south, is hard to say, nor 
do they pretend to guess. Supposing it, however, the shortest 
distance possible, it is sufficient to prove the infinite, and 
indeed to a European almost inconceivable, barrenness of 
