Fig. 6. Is a wild tree, on which we placed (as a memorial in case that ships should arrive) a tablet adorned
with the arms of Holland, Zealand, and Amsterdam, so that others arriving here, might see that the Dutch had
been there.
Fig. 7. This is a Palm-tree. Many of these trees were felled by our companions, and they cut out the bud
marked A, a good cure for pains in the limbs. It is two or three feet long, white within, and sweet; some ate as
many as seven or eight of them/
Fig. 8. Is a Bat, with a head like a Marmot. They fly here in great numbers, and hang in flocks to the trees;
they sometimes fight and bite each other.
Fig. 9. Here the smith set up a forge, and wrought his iron; he also repaired some of the iron-work of
the ships.
Fig. 10. Are huts which we built there of trees and leaves, for those who aided the smith and cooper at their
work; so that we might start at the first opportunity.
Fig. 11. Here our chaplain, Philippe Pierre Delphois, a sincere and plain-spoken man, preached a very severe
sermon, without sparing any one, twice during our stay in the island. One half of the crew attended it before
dinner, and the other after. Here was Laurent (a Madagascar man) baptized, along with one or two of our
own men.
Fig. 12. Here we applied ourselves to fishing, and took an incredible quantity, to wit, two barrels and a half
at one haul, all of different colours.
3. Page 11. ** Eodem quoque loco,” &c.
In the same island are found many birds twice the size of Swans. The men named them TTalchstocken or
Walcfcuegels, the flesh of which was not ill adapted for food. But as the same place furnished an abundance of
Pigeons and Parrots, which were fat and well flavoured, our crew, neglecting the larger birds, preferred the more
delicate and tender kinds, by feeding on which they solaced themselves in their troubles.
4. Page 12. “ Cap.IY. Gallinaceus Gallus 'peregrinus,” &c.
A foreign kind of Cock.—Of those eight ships which sailed from Holland in April, 1698, five came in sight
of a mountainous island for which they gladly steered. While staying in the island, they noticed various kinds of
birds, and among them a very strange one, of which I saw a figure rudely drawn in a Journal of that voyage which
they published after their return, and from which the figure at the head of this chapter is copied.
This foreign bird was as large or larger than a Swan, but very different in form: for its head was large, covered
as though with a membrane resembling a hood; the beak too was not flat, but thick and oblong, of a yellowish
colour next the head, with the extremity black, the upper mandible hooked and curved, and in the lower was a
bluish spot between the yellow and the black. They said that it was covered with few and short feathers, and had
no wings, but, in place of them, four or five longish black quills. The hind part of the body was very fat and thick,
and in place of a tail were four or five crisp curled feathers of a grey colour. Its legs, were thick rather than long,
the upper part as far as the knee covered with black feathers, the lower part and the feet yellovyish; the feet were
divided into four toes, the three longer ones directed forwards, and the fourth, which was shorter, turned backwards,
and all of them furnished with black claws. The sailors called this bird in their own tongue, Walgl-vogel, that is,
disgusting bird, partly because after a long boiling its flesh did not become more tender, but remained hard and
indigestible, (except the breast and stomach which they found of no despicable flavour,) partly because they could
get plenty of Turtle-doves which they found more delicate and savoury: it is therefore no wonder that they despised
this bird and said that they could readily dispense with it. They said further that in its stomach certain stones
were found, two of which I saw in the house of that accomplished man, Christian Porretus; they were of different
forms, one full and rounded, the other uneven and angular, the former an inch in length, which I have figured at
the feet of the bird, the latter larger and heavier, and both of a greyish colour. It is probable that they were
picked up by the bird on the sea-shore and then devoured; and not formed in its stomach.
5. Page 13. “ Op het lant onthouden,” &c.
In this country occur Tortoises, Wallichvogels, Flamingos, Geese, Ducks, Field-hens, large and small Indian
Crows, Doves, some of which have red tails (by eating which many of the crew were made sick), grey and green
Parrots with long tails, some of which were there caught.
6. Page 16. “ Verumenimverb, concinnata,” &c.
After I had written down the history of this bird as well as I could, I happened to see in the house of
Peter Pawius, Professor of Medicine in the University of Leyden, a leg cut off at the knee, and recently brought
from Mauritius. It was not very long, but rather exceeded four inches from the knee to the bend of the foot;
its thickness, however, was great, being nearly four inches in circumference, and it was covered with numerous
scales, which in front were wider and yellow, but smaller and dusky behind. The upper part of the toes was also
furnished with single broad scales, while the lower part was wholly callous. The toes were rather short for so
thick a leg; for the length of the largest or middle one was not much over two inches, while that of the next to it
was barely two inches, of the hind one an inch and a half. The claws of all were thick, hard, black, less than an
inf.Ti long, but the claw of the hind toe was longer than the rest, and exceeded an inch.
7. Page 17., “ On y trouve encore,” &c.
“Men vinter ooc sekeren,” &c.
They find there certain birds which some name Dodaersen, and others Dronten. Those who first arrived here
called them Walgh-voghels, because they were able to procure plenty of others which were better. They are as
large as a Swan, with small grey feathers, without wings or tail, having on their sides only small winglets, and
behind four or five feathers more prominent than the rest. They have large thick feet, with a large clumsy beak
and eyes, and have commonly in the stomach a stone as large as the fist. They are tolerable eating, but the
stomach is the best part.
8.- Page 17. “ Pendant tout le temps,” &c.
“ Alle den tijt dat hier lagen,” &c.
All the while they were here, they lived on Tortoises, Dodos, Pigeons, Turtle-doves, grey Parrots and other
game, which they caught by hand in the woods. The flesh of the Land Tortoises was very well tasted. They
salted and smoked it, and found it very serviceable, as were the Dodos which they salted.
9. Page 18. “ Es hat auch daselbst,” &c.
There are also many Birds, as Turtle-doves, grey Parrots, Sabos forcados, Field-hens, Partridges, and other
birds in size like Swans, with large heads. They have a skin like a monk’s cowl on the head, and no wings, but
in place of them about 5 or 6 yellow feathers; likewise in place of a tail are 4 or 5 curled feathers. In colour
they are grey; men call them Totersten or Walcleoogel ; they occur there in great plenty, insomuch that the Dutcli
daily caught and eat many of them. For not only these, but in general all the birds there are so tame that they
killed the Turtle-doves as well as the other wild Pigeons and Parrots with sticks, and caught them by hand.
They also captured the Totersten or Walchmgel with their hands, but were obliged to take good care that these
birds did not bite them on the aims or legs with their beaks, which are very strong, thick and hooked; for they
are wont to bite desperately hard.
10. Page 22. “ J’ay veu dans l’isle Maurice,” &c.
I have seen in Mauritius birds bigger than a Swan,1 without feathers on the body, which is covered with a
black down; the hinder part is round, the rump adorned with curled feathers as many in number as the bird is
years old. In place of wings they have feathers like these last, black and curved, without webs. They have no
1 .The figure of this bird is in the second navigation of the Dutch to the E ast Indies, in the 29th day of the year 1598. They call it
“ bird of disgust.”