VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 9 



plants unknown to botanifts, fome of which 

 are aromatic and medicinal, and others £it 

 for dying. 



Flax, a kind of hemps ^vhich, in length 

 and ftrengthj furpa fifes that of Europe, the 

 fugar-cane, wax, different kinds of honey, 

 tobacco, indigo, black pepper, gum lac, 

 amber, ambergreafc, feveral filky and cot- 

 tony fubftanceSj would long ago have been 

 obje8:s of commerce, which Madagafcar 

 mght have fiirnifhed in profnfion, had the 

 Europeans, fmce they frequented the ifland, 

 endeavoured to diffufe among the iOanders 

 that knowledge which is neceiTary for prepar- 

 ing and rendering valuable the articles above 

 » mentioned. The moft indefatigable bota- 

 nift, in the courfe of a long life, would 

 fcarcely make himfelf even flightly ac- 

 quainted with the natural hiftory of all 

 the vegetable produdlons that grow in this 



ifland. 



