large eddies and other roots, hut few bread-fruits, which
were now very 'fcarce, only a few trees bearing them
fo late in the feafon, while moft of the others were already
fhooting forth the embryo of a new -crop. The exceffive
heat of the fun, now tempted us to bath in a branch of
the adjacent river, which formed a deep pond of fome
extent ; and being refrefhed with this hath we returned
©n board to dinner. In the afternoon we had heavy rains,
attended with wind, during which the Adventure drove
from her moorings, but was brought up again by a timely
manoeuvre. This bad weather confined us on board,
where we arranged the plants and animals which we had
hitherto colledted, and made drawings of fuch as were
not known before. Our three days excurfions had fupplied
us only with a fmall number of fpecies, which in an ifland
fo flouriflring as Taheitee, gave a convincing proof of its
high cultivation ; for a few individual plants occupied that
fpace, which in a country entirely left to itfelf, would
have teemed with feveral hundred different kinds in wild
diforder. The fmall fize of the ifland, together with its
vaft diftance from either the eaflern or weftern continent,
did not admit of a great variety of animals. We faw no
other fpecies of quadrupeds than hogs, and dogs which
were domeflic, and incredible numbers of rats, which the
natives fuffered to run about at pleafure, without ever trying
to deftroy them. We found however a tolerable number
of
'of birds, and when the natives gave tbemfelves. the trouble A ugust»
to fifh, we commonly purchafed a confiderable variety of
fpecies, as this clafs of creatures can eafily roam from one
part of the ocean to the other, and particularly in the torrid
■ zone, where certain forts are general all round the world.
If the fcarcity of fpontaneous plants was unfavourable
to the botanift, ftill it had the moft falutary effedls with
regard to the whole company on board of both our vefiels,
fince their place was occupied by great quantities of whole-
fome vegetables. We daily bought abundance of yams,
eddies, and Taheitee apples; together with fome bananas
and bread-fruit, which, on account of the feafon, were
grown very fcarce. The wholefome regimen which we
had by this means been able to keep, had vifibly, and I
might almoft fay miraculoufly, operated to reftore to their
health, all thofe who were ill of the fcurvy at our arrival;
and the only inconvenience we felt from it was a kind of
■ flux, owing to the fudden change of diet, with which a
few of the people were afflicted. Not content with this
fortunate fupply, we could not help calling longing eyes
towards the hogs which we faw in great numbers on all
our excurfions into the country, though the natives were
always careful to. hide them in low ftyes, covered over
with boards, forming a kind of platform, on which they
fat or lay down. We tried all poflibje means to engage
the people to fell fome of them to us, and offered hatchets,
v °n. I. O o thins,'