36 
SURVEY OP THE INTERTROPICAL 
1S21. San Antonio over to the island, and anchoring 
June her off the sandy beach, landed his people 
to dig holes. In the afternoon he sent me a 
specimen of what had been collected; but it 
was so brackish, that I gave up all idea of 
shipping any: he had improvidently dug large 
holes, into which all the water good and bad 
had drained, and thereby the good was spoiled. 
The following morning he sent another speci- 
men, which, notwithstanding it was considerably 
better, was still too bad to tempt me to embark 
any. During the San Antonio’s stay at Sims 
Island, our gentlemen paid it a visit : its vege- 
tation appeared to have suffered as much from 
want of rain as Goulburn Island. The vene- 
rable tournefortia (t. argentea, Lin.), however, 
appeared as an exception : this tree, which 
grows on the centre of the beach, where it is 
remarkably conspicuous, appeared to have re- 
sisted the dry state of the season ; it was in full 
leaf, and covered with a profusion of flowers, 
which attracted a variety of insects, particularly 
of the genera apis, vespa, and sphex; and among 
them a beautiful green-coloured chrysis.'' — -(Cun- 
ningham MSS.) 
During the two last days, our people were 
employed cutting wood; no natives had made 
their appearance, although recent tracks on the 
