and the Novella and Daun Baru o f Amboina; fee Rumpb. it.
p. 218. tab. 73. This might be a tree o f vaft fervice to this
country, were its ufes known to the poor natives. Thofe of the
South Sea iflands make all their cordage, excellent filliing nets,
and packthread, of the bark. It is alfo of great ufe in eloathing,
and may be divided into pieces of any thicknefs. Specimens,
brought over as curiofities, ihew the fibrous texture fo fine, as
to look like an elegant lace. It is found in Jamaica, or other
hot parts of America, in moft of the South Sea iflands, in Sumatra,
Celebes, and Amboina.
Mr. Hawkfwortb alfo tells us, that the only fort of fruit here
is one refembling a cherry, but of a very difagreeable tafte; it
is of the kind called by the Dutch in the Laß Indies, Pyn Appel
Boomen. A wild plantane, very fmall, full o f ftones, and well
tailed, perhaps the Mufa troglodytarum and PiJJangbatu o f Rumpb.
Amboin. v. p. 132, and the Mufa granulofa o f G. Forßer, PI. Efc.
p. 31, may be added,
Mr. Hawkfwortb befides informs us, that there was a fruit
they called, from the color, a plum, fmall, and ihaped like a
flatted cheefe; and a third like a purple apple. Let me add the
fruit o f the Anacardium Orientale, Rumpb. Amboin. i. 177. tab. 69,
the tree of which, fay the voyagers, was never feen by the
European botanill. And this is the fum of the knowledge o f
botany imparted to us.
T h e Arum Colocaßa, or Cocco Root of the Wefl Indies, is
found here ; (fee Hawkfwortb, iii. 564. 590.) Rumphius has engraven
it in vol. v. p. 313. tab. 109. It is an eatable root in the
Antilles, but does not appear in ufe in this country. It is alfo
found in Egypt and the Moluccas.
S o m e
S o m e forts o f Palm Trees grow here; the Cabbage, Areca
Oleracea f perhaps the Areca Sapida, and the Umbrella Palm,
or Corypba Umbraculifera.
A p o o r kind of Fig, probably the Ficus Granatum o f George
Forjler, PL Efc. 36; and Sydney Parkinfon fpeaks, (p. 144.) o f a
Cycas Circinalis, or Sago Tree, and a Glycine Rofea.
T h e Cabbage Tree, or Areca Sapida, juft mentioned (which
may be cut through with a fingle llroke o f the axe) is the only
tree o f any ufe in building. Miferable confideration! The very
largeft trees, lofty and fpacious as they appear, are, when lawed,
fo brittle that they fall to pieces. There are, fays Mr. White,
(p. 179.) only three kinds o f timber trees, none of which will
float on water. In a word, there feems to be none that can be
applied to any purpofe but for fuel.
T h e attention that Dampier fhewed to almoft every thing Plants
which came in his way, is evident by his bringing home from dampIer.
New Holland feveral fpecimens o f plants. He communicated
thofe to feme friend who certainly had much botanical knowledge,
and who defcribed and drew, 01- caufed them to be
drawn for him. The defcriptions aijd figures are in the third
volume o f his voyage, p. 109, See. I give tlie lift of them
in his own words, as I cannot, with certainty, refer them to
any modern writer on botany.
Tab. 2. fig. 1. Rapuntium No vine. Hollandia, flore magno coc-
cineo,
fig. 2. Fucus foliis eapillaceis brevijfimis, ¡uejiculis minimis
donatis.
fig. .3. Ricinoides Nova Hollandia, angulofo crajfo folio,
V ol. IV. T T ab.