Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/90

68 thorny-barked tree; used in Sumatra for training the pepper vine upon.

Ninth.—A tree whose fruit, when cut, resembles plum-cake, and may be pickled. Its root, grated and infused into a lye of potass, yields a scarlet dye.

There are a few other scattered trees and shrubby plants, which furnish tolerable fire-wood, and grow near the shores.

Tenth.—Many species of creeping plants, one or two of which are highly antiscorbutic, and may be used as salading.

Eleventh.—Of grass there are about four species, all rough and bitterish, and not relished by animals.

It may be noticed that all these productions are transportable by the sea, in which their seeds and roots long retain their germinating power.

Two species of gannet, and the frigate bird, are particularly numerous about these islands, and many other oceanic birds visit them occasionally. A few cranes, bluish grey and white, sand-pipers, and a species of sand-rail, are all the birds, not of the web-looted kinds, which are found here; and land crabs, good for food, are plentiful.

Turtles are very numerous, and may be caught without difficulty, in all seasons.

Fish of many species, nearly all of good taste, exist in great abundance round the isles and throughout the bay. Ground sharks are not very numerous; but a small species, having black tips to the tail and fins, is rather plentiful. No poisonous fish have yet been found.

No seals or other amphibious animals, except turtle, have been seen; nor any reptiles or snakes.

Since the establishment of the settlement, the following plants and animals have been introduced, and are likely to succeed:—Fig tree, red mulberry, shaddock, custard apple, orange, lime, langsap, jamboo, alay, tamarind, pomegranate, papau or papaya, mongua, tanjung, chilies, aloes, hedge plants, Hownang shrubs, sundry plants from Mauritius, lemon grass, and five species of good grass for cattle; the cotton-plant from Bourbon; sugarcane, two species; plantain and banana, seven species; tobacco; kladdy, an extremely farinaceous sort of large-sized pumpkin; gourds, brinjals, water-melons, sundry other Indian vegetables, sweet and common potatoes. While the sun is in the northern hemisphere, flag-leaved leek, parsley, celery, cos-lettuce, endive, mustard, cress, turnips, radishes, and cabbages, thrive; but they have not succeeded in obtaining seed from them. Maize, very productive, flourishes throughout the year, in which period four successive crops are obtained. Caffre corn, from the Cape of Good Hope, rises to nearly fifteen feet in height. Cattle, goats, hogs. poultry, ducks, geese, and turkeys, have also been imported.