1773.
March.
nearest branches, nay on the ends of our fowling-pieces, and perhaps looked at us as new objects, with a curiosity similar to our own. This little boldness in reality at first protected them from harm, since it was impossible to shoot them when they approached so near; but in a few days it frequently proved the means of their destruction; for a sly cat on board, had no sooner perceived so excellent an opportunity of obtaining delicious meals, than she regularly took a walk in the woods every morning, and made great havock among the little birds, that were not aware of such an insidious enemy.
As we had plenty of fish, and saw a number of water-birds which might afford us a variety of animal food, some of our botanical excursions were in a great measure instituted in search of useful vegetables, to be eaten as greens. From thence the most salutary effects might be expected, by a set of people who had been above seventeen weeks at sea, and whose blood must have been more or less corrupted by living so long on salt provisions.
On the first day after our arrival we found a beautiful tree in flower, something related to the myrtle genus, of which an infusion had been drank instead of tea in Capt. Cook's former voyage. We immediately repeated the experiment with great eagerness, as we had not yet seen any plant which was fit to be used at our tables. Its leaves were finely aromatic, astringent, and had a particular plea-sant
