Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/495

Rh of producing a single tree, at least within several miles round the town. By far the largest part of this garden is utilised for producing cabbages, carrots, etc.; two small squares, however, are set apart for botanical plants, which are well taken care of and neatly kept. At the time we were there the greater part of the plants, as the annuals, bulbs, etc., were underground. Upon the whole, I am of opinion that the number now to be found there will not amount to above half of what they were when Oldenland wrote his Catalogue; indeed, at that time it is possible that more ground was employed for the purpose.

At the farther end of the garden is a vivarium or menagerie, supported also at the expense of the Company, where rare beasts and birds are kept. Here were ostriches, cassowaries, antelopes of several kinds, zebras and several other animals seldom or never seen in Europe; particularly that called by the Hottentots coedoe, whose beautiful spiral horns are often brought over to Europe. This animal, which was as large as a horse, died while we were there, but not before I had time to get a description and drawing of him.

Near this enclosure is another for birds, in which were the crowned pigeons of Banda, and several more rare birds, especially of the Dutch kind, of which there was indeed a very fine collection. Both birds and beasts were very carefully and well taken care of.

It remains now, after having described the town and its environs, to say a little of the country about it. Of this, indeed, I can say but little, and even for that little am obliged to depend entirely upon hearsay, not having had an opportunity of making even one excursion, owing in great measure to Dr. Solander's illness.

The Dutch say that they have settled the country as far as 2000 miles inland, at least that is the distance to the furthest habitations of Europeans: how far it may be, however, in a straight line north and south, is hard to say, nor do they pretend to guess. Supposing it, however, the shortest distance possible, it is sufficient to prove the infinite, and indeed to a European almost inconceivable, barrenness of