144 A V O Y A G E
iearch of another paffage, which they found, and returned to the ihip on the 3d
of July.
On the 4th of July, the ihip was carried to the other fide of the fiver, and examined
thoroughly j but, being found in good condition, ihe was foon placed in
her former ftation j where ihe was lpaded, and-properly fitted to proceed on the
•voyage.
During -the time we flaid here, we picked up a great many natural curiofities
from the reef we ilruck upon, confiding of a variety of curious ihells, moil of
which were entirely new to Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. V/e met alfo with many
new fpecies of fiih, Madrepores and other curious corals j fea-weed and other
beautiful marine produélions.
On ihore we were not lefs fuccefsful. Of vegetables, we found Glycine
rofea, which yields a fort of bean purilain, that eats very well, boiled ; Cicas
cirCinalis, the kernels of which, roailed, tailed like parched peafe ; but it made
fome of our people fick, who ate of it : of this fruit, they make a kind of fago in
the Eafl-Indies : we cut down many of them forche cabbage, which is very good
food. We found alfo a black purple fruit, -with a kernel in it which had a fiat
fvveet taile ; two forts* of fruit like pears, having ilony fides, fomewhat (like the
Guava, and of a very indifferent taile ; a fmall-leaved plant, that fmelt likeJemon
and orange peel, and made an agreeable fubilitute for tea ; the Epeea, Taro, :E ow-
haee, and E peepee, of ©taheite : alfo wild Plantain, like thè Me via of ©tiheite,
which is very full of feed, -and has hardly;any pulp ; a fort-of fig-tree, that hears
fruit on the main ilem, which taftes very infipid ; the Etee and Eroa, of which
the natives of Otaheite make the heft lines ; many gum-trees, and a great ^number of
other plants, among which was, a beautiful Nymphea, with blue and white petala.
Of birds, we found grey pigeons, with red beaks and reddifh brown creils,
which ate very well ; two forts of finali dovès ; two forts of beautiful perró-
quets j a very uncommon hawk, pied black and white ; feveral other forts of
hawks ; large black cocatoes, with fcarlet and orange-eoloured feathers on their tails,
and fome'white fpots between the beak and the ear, as well as one on each
wing j
wing; the goat-fucker, orchurn-owl; merops, or bee-eaters; large bats; a fmall
bird, with Wattles of a deep orange red ; a bird like a Tetrao, having wattles of a
fine ultramarine colour, and whofe beak and legs were black ; an owl, having the
iris of its eyes gold colour, the pupil of them dark blue; a large black and white
gull, with a bright yellow beak, on the gibbous part of which was a fpot of fcarlet;
the corners of its mouth, and irides of the eyes, were of a bright fcarlet colour;
the legs and Feet a greeniih yellow: a black-bird, of the oyfler-cracker genus, with;
a bright red beak, except toward the point, where it was yellow; the iris of its
eyes fcarlet; the irides of them bright orange; the feet and legs of a pale-red
colour: a large olive-coloured bird of the loxia genus, having the iris of-its eyes’
of a gall-ilone colour, and the pupils of them black: a black and white ihag, the
iris o f whofe eyes was of a fine dark-green colour, the pupils black ; the Ikiu
which furrounded the eyes was of a verditer-green colour'; the beak a pale grey;"1
on each fide of which was a bare yellow-fpot; the feet were black: a large pigeon,
the iris of the eyes of .which was of a blood colour, the pupils of them black; their
irides of a carmine colour; its legs and feet pale red. The two lail were taken in
a bay called Tafmano Bay. The black and white hawk before-mentioned, had’
the iris of its eyes very broad, of a rich fcarlet colour, inclining to orange; the
beak was black, the cera dirty grey yellow; the feet were of a gold or deep buff
colour, like king’s-yellow. Befides thefe, we faw many other curious birds!
Of quadrupeds, there are goats, wolves, a fmall red animal about the fize of a
fq uirrel; a fpotted one of the viverra kind; ..and an animal o f a kind nearly approaching
the ,mus genus, about the fize of a grey-hound, that had a head like
a fawn’s; lips and ears, which it throws back, like a hare’s; on the upper jaw fix
large teeth; on the under one two only; with a fhort and fmall neck, near to
which are the fore-feet, which have five toes each, and five hooked claws: theJ'
hinder legs are long, efpecially from the lail joint, which, from the callofity below
it, feems as if it lies flat on the ground when the animal defcends any ’de'r
clivity; and each foot had four long toes, two of them behind, placed a great way
back, the inner one of which has two claws.} the two other toes were in the
middle, and refembled a hoof, but one of them was much larger than the other..
The tajl; which is carried like a grey-hound’s, was almofl as long as the body,
^ and