432 



BERGH'S GROUP. 



[1830 



generally known in this country. Some of them, I am sure, would 

 be highly esteemed by scientific collectors. The cocoanut and bread- 

 fruit-trees, here grow to an enormous size, and their fruits are much 

 larger and of more delicious flavour than those I have been accus- 

 tomed to see in other islands of these seas. 



The natives of Bergh's Group are blessed with the purest of water, 

 descending in limpid streams from their mountain sources. But they 

 seldom drink it until it has ascended through the invisible veins of the 

 lofty cocoanut-tree, and concealed itself in the centre of its delectable 

 fruit. Thus purified in one of nature's sweetest alembics, they con- 

 sider it the purest and most wholesome beverage in the world. 



The climate here is also delightful, never too hot, nor too cold. 

 Lying in the strength of that aerial current called the north-east 

 trade-winds, these islands are always refreshed with a fine cool sea- 

 breeze, which keeps the atmosphere in a pure state, imparting health, 

 activity, and vigour to every department of animated nature. 



Of the animals found in these islands my information is very lim- 

 ited, as I had no opportunity of inspecting the interior. I know that 

 the groves abound with a great variety of birds, all of them beautiful 

 to the eye, and most of them charmingly musical. I saw several 

 reptiles of the lizard family, but none of the serpent tribe. Insects 

 are numerous, gaudy and sparkling, but none of them troublesome. 

 Of minerals we saw none worthy of notice. The waters within the 

 outer reef that surrounds the whole group are swarming with a great 

 variety of excellent fish, which may be taken in great abundance, 

 either with a seine or by hook and line. Shellfish of various kinds, 

 abound among the reefs and shoals, and along the shores, some of 

 which afford rare specimens, surpassing any thing I have ever met 

 with in any other part of the world. I know of no place where the 

 naturalist and virtuoso could procure a richer collection of rare, cu- 

 rious, and valuable shells than at these islands. Pearl oysters are 

 plenty, and those which we obtained of the natives were of the same 

 kind as the Sooloo sea-shell. The green turtle is abundant, but I 

 think that the hawk's-bill tortoise is very scarce, as we saw few in the 

 water, and not much of the shell among the natives. 



Biche-de-mer may be obtained here in great abundance, and of a 

 very superior quality, provided the amicable professions of the natives 

 can be depended on, without which it would be impossible to cure 

 them, in which case the time and labour of taking them would be 

 entirely lost. Under favourable circumstances, several cargoes might 

 be taken here, a great part of which would command the highest 

 price, if the specimens we saw are a criterion for judging of its gen- 

 eral quality. Some that we found were two feet in length, and eigh- 

 teen inches in circumference ; the meat of which, when the entrails 

 were taken out, would weigh from seven to nine pounds ! This is a 

 larger size than any that I have ever seen at the Feejee Islands, the 

 New-Hebrides, Bougainville's, New-Ireland, New-Britain, New-Guinea, 

 New-Hanover, or even at the Massacre Islands. 



I have not the least doubt, that a ship built and equipped expressly 

 for a voyage to these islands, for the purpose of procuring pearls, 



