187 
and Iloai^ Islands, grows a very remarkable vegetable produc- 
tion which, from its great similarity to our well-known 
garden esculent Captain Cook, on his first voyage, named 
the Iverguelen Cabbage. Dr. Hooker speaks of it as “ perhaps 
e most interesting plant procured during the whole of the 
voyage performed in the Antarctic Seas” by the ‘Erebus’ 
and lorror He states that the largo heads of leaves, sometimes 
eighteen inches across, are so like those of the common Cabbage, 
Iroin whieb, however, it is generically distinct, that if growing in a 
garden with their naniosakcs in England they would not excite any 
lOTtieular attention. “fJuring tho stay of the ‘Erebus’ and ‘Terror’ 
in Christmas Harbour,” says Dr. Hooker, in the ‘ Flora Antarctica,’ 
ally use was made of this vegetable, either cooked by itself or 
Imiled with the ship’s beef, pork, or pea-soup ; the essential oil 
did not dislike, and which rendered the herb even more wbolosoine 
than the eomnion Cabbage, for it never caused heartburn or any of 
the unpleasant symptoms which that plant produces.” Dr. Hooker 
“b M / '““'0 it i^ ‘loubtf.,1 
who her from its slow growth it could ever bo cultivated clsewhero 
to .advaiiUage; he also fears that it would not make new liea.ls, and 
that alter the old ones were removed it would not survive decapita- 
tion, and concludes with the eomfortoble assurance that “grow 
spontaneously, and in so great ahundauce where it does, it is likely 
It irLroLrttr” 
It seems incredible that, notwithstanding accumulated ex- 
periences, any person should be found who would deliberately 
introduce such a pest as the Il-abbit into Kerguelen Island at the 
risk of destroying so valuable a production as Prfnpfci. a„/i. 
(ir 1^1 ri ‘i“ l’““g™t llavour of the Cabbage be at 
hrst distasteful to these creatures, con it reasonably bo ho^ that 
with iiicreasing numbers and decreasing supply of fMd this 
inest iiiablo blessing” to the wlmlera ancF othe^vesslls 
these distant sea^ will l„„g escape their ravages. The Pruyleu 
has led an uninterrupted .and tramiuil life for ages; and from 
Dr. Hookers description seems altogether iinlitted for the roimb 
usage wi h winch It is now only too likely to meet with, it is only 
too greatly to lie feared that the next visitors to the islands wiU 
report, its falling off in .piantity, and th.at, like the Tussock-grass 
