Mr. Anderfon, my Surgeon, who, as I have already mentioned,
had made Natural Hiftory a part of his ftudies, loft
no opportunity, during the ihort time we lay in Chnftmas
Harbour, of fearching the country in every direction. He
afterwards communicated to me the obfervations he made
on its natural productions; and I ihall infert them here
in his own words.
“ Perhaps no place, hitherto difcovered in either hemi-
fphere, under the fame parallel of latitude, affords fo fcanty
a field for the naturalift as this barren fpot. The verdure
which appears, when at a little diftance from the fhore,
would flatter one with the expectation of meeting with fome
herbage; but in this we were much deceived. For on landing,
we faw that this lively colour Was occafioned only by
one fmall plant, not much unlike fome forts of faxifrage,
which grows in large fpreading tufts, to a confiderable way
up the hills. It forms a furface of a pretty large texture,
and grows on a kind of rotten turf, into which one finks a
foot or two at every ftep. This turf, dried, might, in cafes
of neceffity, ferve for fuel, and is the only thing we met
with here that could poflibly be applied to this ufe.
There is another plant, plentifully enough fcattered about
the boggy declivities, which grows to near the height of
two feet, and not much unlike a fmall cabbage, when it
has fhot into feeds. The leaves about the root are numerous,
large, and rounded ; narrower at the bafe, and ending
jji a fmall point. Thofe on the fialks are much fmaller,
oblong, and pointed. The flalks, which are often three
or four, all rife feparately from the root, and run into long
cylindrical heads, compofed of fmall flowers. It has not
only
only the appearance, but the watery acrid tafte of the anti-
fcorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the whole
tribe; fo that we looked upon it as a production entirely
peculiar to the place. We eat it frequently raw, and
found it almoft like the New Zealand fcurvy-grafs. But it
feemed to acquire a rank flavour by being boiled; which,
however, fome of our people did not perceive, and efleemed
it good. If it could be introduced into our kitchen gardens»
it would, in all probability, improve fo far by cultivation,
as to be an excellent pot-herb. At this time, none of its
feeds were ripe enough to be preferved, and brought home»
to try the experiment.
Two other fmall plants were found near the brooks and
boggy places, which were eaten as fallad; the one almoft
like garden crefles, and very fiery; and the other very mild.
This laft, though but fmall, is in itfelf a curiofity; having
not only male and female, but what the botanifts call
androgynous plants.
A coarfe grafs, which we cut down for the cattle, grows
pretty plentifully in a few fmall fpots about the fides of the
harbour, with a fmaller fort which is rarer; and, upon
the flat ground, a fort of goofe-grafs, and another fmall
plant much like it. In ihort, the whole catalogue of plants
does not exceed fixteen or eighteen, including fome forts of
mofs, and a beautiful fpecies of lichen, which grows upon
the rocks, higher up than the reft of the vegetable productions.,
Nor is there even the leaft appearance of a ihrub in
the whole country.
Nature has rather been more bountiful» in furnilhing it
with animals ; though, ftritftly fpeaking, they are not inhabitants
of the place, being all of the marine kind; and, in
general,