4 3 ®
siftemsek. they belonged to the genus of cypreffes. They were remarkably
ftrait, and at lead ninety or a hundred feet high.
Their branches grew round the ftern, forming little tufts, but
feldom exceeded the length of ten feet, and were very {lender
in proportion. A variety of other trees and flarubs grew
-up between them, and rendered this little fpot the refort of
a great number of birds. We faw here alfo fome fcurvy-
grafs, and another plant (tetragonia), which we commonly
made ufe of at New Zeeland in our foups. Captain Cook
returned to the {hip with us, after this difcovery, intending
to land again after dinner, in order to cut down fome of
the trees, and to colleft fome greens. We met with a variety
of plants in the afternoon, which quite furprifed us,
on fuch a confined fpot. We alfo faw fome fire-plaCes on
its fandy {hores, on which lay the remains of feveral tur-
ties, which had probably afforded a delicious repaft to fome
of the natives. A fpecies of hawk was {hot, which proved
to be the common falco hsliaetos, or ofprey * ; a kind of flycatcher
likewife fell into our hands, which was not known
before ; but befides this we faw feveral large beautiful pigeons,
which we could not {hoot. Flat-tailed water-fnakes
(anguh phturaJ were' likewife numerous upon the illand.
The cyprefs-trees were found to be exceeding good timber,
and the younger ones were very elaftic, and fit for ftudding
& See Mr, Pennant’s JBritiih Zoology.
failfail
booms. After rambling about this little fpot till near SEPT’E7? j„ .
fun-fee, we all returned on board, and at day-light the next
morning, weighed the anchor, and failed flowly on to clear
the reefs. Captain Cook gave this little iflet the name of
Botany Hand, becaufc it contained in fo fmall a fpace a
* ra of near thirty fpecies, among which we faw feveral
new ones. Its fituation is nearly 28' S. and 167
f 6' E its foil is very fandy on the {hores, but in the interior
part mixed with vegetable earth, from the trees and
plants which continually decay on it, without being cleared
away by human induftry. Whilft we lay at anchor, the
firft lieutenant caught a fifli, exadly of the fame fpecies-
with that which poifoned captain Cook, my father, and
myfelf He ordered it to be cleaned and boiled, m fpite of
the earned reprefentations of all his meffmates. who warned
him againft its pernicious effeAs. It was at laft fet before-
him, by his pofitive orders, and his friends found no other
means to fave him, than to ridicule his mad defign. T eir
humorous and fatirical remarks had a better effeA than
friendly admonitions, and he defifted from the attempt.
A little dog was, however, unfortunate enough to eat of the
entrails of the filh, and lay feveral days in fuch exquifite
torments, that it was at laft thrown overboard, to put an
end to its pain and mifery. This circumftance proves to
what great diftreffes we were now driven for want of frefli-
£ood, fince even, the rilk of being poifoned was made light.
of».