Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/364

306 probably in no country more admirable than in this. The few observations I have written down concerning them are chiefly from conjecture, and therefore are not at all to be depended upon. Were any man, however, to settle here who had time and inclination to observe their economy, I am convinced that it would far exceed that of any insects we know, not excepting our much-admired bees.

The sea, however, made some amends for the barrenness of the land. Fish, though not so plentiful as they generally are in the higher latitudes, were far from scarce; when we had an opportunity of hauling the seine we generally caught from 50 to 200 lbs. of fish in a tide. The kinds were various, none I think but mullets being known in Europe. In general, however, they were sufficiently palatable, and some very delicate food. The sting-rays, indeed, which were caught on the southern part of the coast were very coarse; so that, as little else was caught there, we were obliged to be satisfied with the comforts of plenty, and enjoy more pleasure in satiety than in eating. To the northward again, when we were entangled within the great reef, was a quantity of turtle hardly to be credited, every shoal swarmed with them. The weather indeed was generally so boisterous, that our boats could not row after them as fast as they could swim, so that we got but few; but they were excellent, and so large that a single turtle always served for the whole ship. Had we been there either at the time of laying or in a more moderate season, we might doubtless have taken any quantity. All the shoals that were dry at half ebb afforded plenty of fish, left dry in small hollows of the rocks, and a profusion of large shell-fish (Chama gigas) such as Dampier describes, vol. iii. p. 191. The largest of these had ten or fifteen pounds of meat in them; it was indeed rather strong, but I believe a very wholesome food, and well relished by the people in general. On different parts of the coast were also found oysters, which were said to be very well tasted; the shells also of good-sized lobsters and crabs were seen, but these it was never our fortune to catch.