to refemble an earth defcribed in Cronftadt's Mineralogy at the bottom of his note (y) page 21. It did not fhew any figns of effervefcence with acids, nor did it burn into lime; but, like the earth alluded to, contains a number of small transparent crystals. These were visible without a microscope; and as, on applying the blow pipe, vitrification took place, it might probably be usefully appropriated in making a fort of porcelain.

The ftones we found were chiefly of coral, with a few black and brown pebbles, flate, quartz, two or three forts of granite, with some fand stones, but none seeming to poffefs any metallic quality.

‹ The climate, if a judgment may be formed by so short a vifit, seemed delightful: for though we contended with some boisterous weather on our approach to the coaft, nothing lefs ought reasonably to have been expected at the season of the vernal equinox, and breaking up of the winter. The gales we experienced in King George the Third's Sound, were not of fuch violence as to put veffels at fea paft their topfails; although whilft the S. W. wind continued a moft violent sea broke with incredible fury on the exterior hores. This however can easily be imagined, when the extensive uninterrupted range which the wind in that direction has over the Indian ocean is taken into confideration: during the continuance of this wind the atmosphere was tolerably clear, though the air was keen. Farenheit's thermometer, at the time of year anfwering to the beginning of April in the northern hemisphere, stood at 53°; but at all other times during our ftay, varied between 58° and 64°, and the barometer from 29° 90′ to 30° 50′. Slight colds were caught by the crew, which ought rather to be imputed to their own want of care than to the climate, as, on getting to fea, the parties foon recovered.' Vol. i. p. 48.

The largest foreft-tree refembled that which produces the gum of Botany-Bay; one of the largeft, meafuring nine feet four inches in girth, and being high in proportion, produced a confiderable quantity of gum, and afforded a hard ponderous clofe-grained wood, which burned flowly with a clear flame. The most useful wood for fuel was from a tree 'refembling the myrtle, not unlike the pimento of the Weft-Indies, in shape, appearance, and aromatic flavour of the foliage.'

Of the animal kingdom, fo far as relates to the tenants of the earth, little information was derived. The only quadruped feen was one dead kangaroo; the dung, however, of thefe or fome other animals feeding on vegetables, was almost every where met with, and frequently fo frefh as to indicate that the animal could not be far removed.

Of the birds that live in or refort to the woods, the vulture may be faid to be the most common, as we faw feveral of this fpecies, or at leaft, birds that were fo confidered, Hawks of the

falcon tribe, with feveral others of that genus; a bird much refembling the English crow, parrots, parroquets, and a variety of fmall birds, fome of which fung very melodiously, were those which attracted our attention the moft; but all were fo exceffively wild and watchful, that few fpecimens could be procured. Of the water fowl, the black fwan feemed as numerous as any other fpecies of aquatic birds in the neighbourhood of Oyster Harbour, but they were seen in no other place. There were also black and white pelicans of a large fort, feen at a diftance; and though ducks were in great numbers, we were very unfuccessful in taking them. A very peculiar one was shot, of a darkish grey plumage, with a bag like that of a lizard hanging under its throat; which fmelt fo intolerably of musk that it fcented nearly the whole fhip. There were alfo many grey curlews, and fea-pies; of the latter we procured a few, which were excellent eating. The aquatic birds before enumerated, with fhags, the common gull, two or three forts of tern, and a few fmall penguins of a blueish colour, included the whole of the feathered tribe in the vicinity of the fhores.

With the productions of the fea, we were not much more acquainted; which is rather to be attributed to our want of skill as fishermen than to its want of bounty. Some of the few fith we caught were very excellent, particularly of the larger fort; one much refembling the fhook, and another the calipevar of Jamaica, both of high flavor; as was a kind of fish not unlike, nor inferior in quality to, the English red mullet. Thefe, with the common white mullet, rock fish, mackerel, herrings, and a variety of fimall fifh, were thofe we procured, though not in any abundance.

Whilft on the coaft, whales and feals were frequently playing about the fip; of the latter, we saw about a score at one time on Seal Island. The little trouble these animals took to avoid us, indicated their not being accustomed to fuch vifitors. The throat and belly of thefe feals, which were of a large fort, were nearly white; between the head and shoulders, the neck rifes in a kind of creft, which, with the back, was of a light brown colour; their hair was exceedingly coarfe; the carcafe very poor, and afforded little blubber; which, however, may be imputable to the season.

Reptiles and noxious animals feemed by no means to be numerous, as only two or three yellow, and bronze-coloured fuakes were feen, which were good eating; thefe, with a few lizards of the common fort, and fome about eight or nine inches long of a thick clumfy make, dark colour, and altogether exceffively ugly, were what compofed that race of animals. Some beautiful beetles, common flies, and mufkitoes, were occafionally met with, but not in fuch numbers as to produce inconvenience.' Vol. i. n. 52.

Violent tempefts accompanied our navigators to New-Zealand, and attended them in Dufky-bay. This harbour af forded them, however, a fecure fhelter; and Mr. Menzies found here the true Winter's bark. To the fouth of that country, they fell in with a cluster of feven craggy islands, ex

tending from north-eaft to fouth-weft. The largest, more extenfive than all the reft, is about three leagues in circuit, in lat. 48° 3', long. 166° 20'. As the Traps' lie to the fouth or fouth-east of New Zealand, our author calls thefe barren rocks, for they are no more, the Snares.

To the fouth of the Society Iflands, far beyond the spot where this groupe has been fuppofed to terminate, viz. in lat. 27° 54', long. 215° 39', our author difcovered an ifland, the inhabitants of which perfectly refembled the great South-fea nation. From what feemed to be its appellation in their language, he called it Oparo.

Its principal character is a cluster of high craggy mountains, forming, in feveral places, moft romantic pinnacles, with perpendicular cliffs nearly from their fummits to the fea; the vacancies between the mountains would more probably be termed chasms than vallies, in which there was no great appearance of plenty, fertility, or cultivation; they were chiefly clothed with shrubs and dwarf trees. Neither the plantain, nor other fpontaneous vegetable productions common to the inhabited tropical islands, prefented themselves. The tops of fix of the highest hills bore the appearance of fortified places, refembling redoubts; having a fort of block house, in the fhape of an English glass house, in the center of each, with rows of pallitadoes a confiderable way down the fides of the hills, nearly at equal diftances. Thefe, overhanging, feemed intended for advanced works, and apparently capable of defending the citadel by a few against a numerous host of affailants. On all of them, we noticed people, as if on duty, conftantly mov. ing about. What we confidered as block houfes, from their great fimilarity in appearance to that fort of building, were fufficiently large to lodge a confiderable number of perfons, and were the only habitations we faw. Yet from the number of canoes that in so fhort a time affembled around us, it is natural to conclude that the inhabitants are very frequently afloat, and to infer from this circumstance that he fhores, and not thofe fortified hills which appeared to be in the center of the island, would be preferred for their general refidence. We faw about thirty double and single canoes, though most of them were of the double fort: the fingle canoes were fupported by an outrigger on one fide, and all built much after the fashion of the Society Iflands, without having their very high fterns, though the fterns of fome of these were confiderably elevated: and their bows were not without fome little ornament. They were very neatly conftructed, though the narroweft canoes I ever faw. When it is confidered that the builders of them are nearly deftitute of iron, and poffeffed of very few implements of that valuable metal; and when the miferable tools they have generally recourfe to for fuch operations are regarded, the mind is filled with admiration at their ingenuity, and perfevering induftry. The ifland did not appear to afford any large timber; the broadeft planks

of which the canoes were made, not exceeding twelve inches, confirmed us in this opinion, as they were probably cut out of the largest trees. Some of the ftouteft double canoes accommodated from twenty-five to thirty men, of whom, on a moderate computation, three hundred were fuppofed to have been feen near the ship. These were all adults, and apparently none exceeding a middle age; fo that the total number of inhabitants on the island can hardly be estimated at less than fifteen hundred. In this refpect it must be confidered prolific, notwithstanding its uncultivated appearance. The natives, however, appeared to be exceedingly well fed, of middling ftature, extremely well made; and in general, their countenances were open, cheerful, and strongly marked with indications of hofpitality. They were all, to a man, very folicitous that some of us fhould accompany them to the shore; and thofe who laft quitted the fhip, endeavoured with all their powers of perfuafion, and fome efforts of compulfion, to effect their purpose. On their departure they took hold of the hand of every one near them, with a view to get him into their canoe. They all had their hair cut fhort; and, excepting a wreath made of a broad longleaved green plant, worn by fome about the waift, they were intirely without clothing. Although the custom of tatowing prevails fo generally with all the islanders of this ocean, these people were deftitute of any fuch marks.' Vol. i. r. 76.

The natives did not feem a warlike race; and they probably acted, as appeared from their fortified retreats, on the defenfive only.

In the run from New-Zealand, the Chatham was separated by a storm from the Discovery, and fell in with fome islands in lat. 43° 49', long. 183° 25′. The inhabitants are of the fame warlike perfidious race, by which the shores of NewZealand are inhabited; and a flight conteft with the natives induced Mr. Broughton to call the bay where it occurred Skirmish Bay. The island was named from the earl of Chatham.

The two fhips met in Matavai Bay, belonging to one of the Society Iflands. The inhabitants were, as ufual, friendly, cheerful, and hofpitable; but we find, with regret, that their regard for European manufactures, and their dependence on the occafional vifits of navigators, have checked their induftry and improvements. Much novelty cannot have occurred in vifits so often repeated; and little must remain to be told after fo much has been published. A few circumstances of curiofity, however, occur. The following remarks were occafioned by the funeral of a chief. Similar reasoning, perhaps, determined Van Helmont to fix the refidence of his chief Archæus in the ftomach.

I fhall take leave of this excurfion by adding a few ideas which, though principally founded on conjecture, may not be unimportant, as they refpect thefe peculiar religious ceremonies. The

opinion that the operation of embalming commenced at the morai near the mountains was most probably correct. One of the principal parts of this ceremony, I have been given to understand, is always performed in great fecrecy, and with much religious fuperftition; this is the difembowelling of the body. The bowels are, by thefe people, confidered as the immediate organs of fenfation, where the firft impreffions are received, and by which all the operations of the mind are carried on: it is therefore natural to conclude, that they may efteem, and venerate the inteftines, as bearing the greatest affinity to the immortal part. I have frequently held converfations on this fubject, with a view to convince them, that all intellectual operations were carried on in the head; at which they would generally fmile, and intimate, that they had frequently feen men recover whofe skulls had been fractured, and whofe heads had otherways been much injured; but that, in all cafes in which the inteftines had been wounded, the perfons on a certainty died. Other arguments they would alfo advance in favor of their belief; fuch as the effect of fear, and other paffions, which caufed great agitation and uneafiness, and would fometimes produce sickness at the stomach, which they attributed intirely to the action of the bowels. If therefore this reafoning be admitted, it would appear probable that the inteftines of Mahow were depofited at the morai under the mountains; and as it is natural to imagine they would confider the foul most attached to those mortal parts which bore to it the greatest affinity, fo wherever those parts were deposited, there they may probably fuppofe the foul occafionally reforts. And hence it may be inferred, that it is in the places made facred by the depofit of these relics, that the ceremony of chief mourner, habited in the parie, is performed; whofe bufinefs it is to keep off the inquifitive, and to maintain as far as poffible a profound filence over a certain space in which he parades, having a kind of mace, armed with shark's teeth, borne before him by a man almost naked, whose duty is to affail any one with this formidable weapon, who may have the temerity to venture within his reach. This may account for Whytooa's difinclination to permit our gentlemen to vifit the morai; the apparently deferted houfes; and the apprehenfions of the guide, who ftarted at the leaft interruption of the profound and folemn filence which prevailed in that neighbourhood.' Vol. i. P. 121.

The fubfequent obfervations are not unworthy of notice.

• The veneration these people entertain for the names of their fovereigns, has been already very juftly related by Mr. Anderfon. But no example, I believe, had then appeared to that judicious obferver, of the extent to which this refpect is carried. On Otoo's acceffion to the maro, a very confiderable alteration took place in their language, particularly in the proper names of all the chiefs, to

* The maro is a kind of girdle worn by the fovereign. REV.