THE, PACIFIC OCEAN. 
207 
above which, the land within does not rife above fix or 1777. 
feven feet, and is covered with a light reddilh foil; but is ,_ ApnL , 
entirely deftitute of water. 
The only common trees found there were cocoa-palms, 
of which there were feverai clutters ; and vaft numbers of 
the wbarra. There were, likewife, the callophyllum , fu- 
riana , guettarda , a fpecies of tournefortia , and tabern& 
montana , with a few other fhrubs ; and fome of the etoa 
tree feen at Wateeoo. A fort of bind-weed over-ran the va¬ 
cant fpaces; except in fome places, where was found a 
confiderable quantity of treacle-muftard , a fpecies of /purge, 
with a few other fmall plants, and the morinda citrifolia; 
the fruit of which is eaten by the natives of Otaheite in 
times of lcarcity. Omai, who had landed with the party, 
dreffed fome of it for their dinner ; but it proved very in¬ 
different. 
The only bird feen amongft the trees, was a beautiful 
cuckoo, of a chefnut brown, variegated with black, which 
was ttiot. But, upon the ttiore, were fome egg-birds; a 
fmall fort of curlew; blue and white herons; and great 
numbers of noddies; which laft, at this time, laid their eggs, 
a little farther up, on the ground, and often retted on the 
wbarra tree. 
One of our people caught a lizard, of a moft forbidding 
afpectt, though fmall, running up a tree; and many, of an¬ 
other fort, were feen. The butties toward the fea, were 
frequented by infinite numbers of a fort of moth, elegantly 
fpeckled with red, black, and white. There were alfo fe¬ 
verai other forts of moths, as well as fome pretty butter¬ 
flies; and a few other infectts. 
Though there were, at this time, no fixed inhabitants 
upon the ittand, indubitable marks remained of its being, 
at 
