I placed this specimen in one of the hen coops; it fed heartily on large

pieces of fat salt-pork, beef, &c., but seemed to prefer the fattest and

most oily food. A great number of the same species of Albatross were

about the ship at the same time, and when on the wing were mistaken

for the species _spadicea_ or the _chlororynchus_. On being placed in

the hen-coop the bird did not scream, make any noise, or flutter about

to regain its liberty, but quietly settled itself, occasionally pecking

with the sharp crooked point of the upper mandible against the rails of

the coop, but did not continue this for any length of time. It remained

during the whole time of its confinement always sitting down, excepting

once or twice (the first time it was placed in the coop) walking the

length of its prison, and had a perfectly contented appearance. The first

two or three days, the bird refused any meat that was given it, but that

being lean fresh meat, I do not think it was relished, for soon after

giving it a fine fat lump of salt-pork it was eagerly devoured. In three

days it was very quiet and tame, pecked its feathers, and seemed to be

in good health, having a lively, bright, and beautiful eye; it uttered

no cry when caught, nor has it done so during its confinement. After

entering the Straits, these, and almost the whole of the oceanic birds

which had before been following the ship, had forsaken us. I arrived

with it safe at Sydney, on the 25th; it survived until the 29th, when it

was found dead in the coop in the afternoon, although it fed well in

the morning. The dimensions of the specimen (which was a male) were as

follows:—

Feet. In.

Length from base of bill to the extremity of the tail 2 6

Length of the bill 4½

Depth of the base of the bill 1⅞

Length of the tail 9

Length of ditto, exserted from feathers of the urupigium 5

Length of the thigh 6½

Length of the tarsus 3

Length of the middle phalanges 5⅛

Breadth of the wings expanded 7 0

Breadth between the wings from the first joint 4

Length of the first joint of the wing 10

Length of the second joint of the wing 10⅛

Length of the third joint of the wing 4

Length of the fourth, or pen-feathers 1 4

Length of inner angle of eye to base of beak 1⅔

Breadth of the foot when expanded 5

First pen-feather the longest.

The following is the general description of this species:—The head, neck,

breast, and urupigium of a snowy white colour; back, dark lead colour,

shaded off to a lighter tint towards the neck; wing coverts, and upper

part of the wings and pen-feathers, brownish black; under surface of the

wings of a white colour, intermingled with light brown, (forming a white

streak, extending the whole length on the under surface,) except the

pen-feathers which are the same colour above as beneath; tail, dark lead

colour, of a lighter tint on the under surface; irides, light brown; a

black mark on the upper and inner part around the eye, lightly shaded off

towards the base of the bill; eyelids black; bill yellow, with the tips

of the mandibles, especially the upper one, of a reddish colour, shaded

with black; a black narrow membrane extends around the base of the bill,

forming a distinguishing character in this species; feet bluish, with the

web of a bluish brown colour.

The dissection of this specimen was as follows:—The pleura and peritoneum

(similar to all the other specimens examined) were found inflated;

muscles attached to the air-cells; liver large; right lobe in length

three inches and two eighths, left two inches and three-eighths, soft,

and easily torn; gall bladder in length three inches, and attached

the whole of its length to the stomach, and part of the duodenum, and

was filled with bile of a bright grass-green colour; length of the

first stomach three inches and a half, longitudinal folds of the inner

coat throughout its whole length; a line of demarcation marking the

termination of the œsophagus and commencement of the first stomach;

length of the second stomach or gizzard one inch, in which were found

some small beaks of a sepia; length of the intestines, commencing from

the second stomach and terminating at the rectum, six feet; the lower

part of the rectum was distended with fœces, white, and of a calcareous

deposition in appearance, some of which was concreted, but readily broke

like a soft calculus; renal veins much distended; pancreas in length

three inches and two-eighths, very narrow at the upper part, and attached

by a cellular membrane at that part to the gall bladder, and a portion of

the duodenum; it became larger in the middle, and narrower (but not so

narrow as at the first part) at the termination; about four inches and

a half before the termination of the rectum are two projections, one on

each side; in the upper part of the rectum the fœces were dark-coloured,

but at intervals were formed into hard lumps. The bird, in its general

internal appearance, had not the healthy appearance of those recently

killed, which must be attributed to its having been kept in a state of

confinement.

The larger species of albatross arrives at the length of three feet,

and the wings, from point to point, have a spread of from eight to

fourteen feet. I have heard it asserted that specimens have been shot,

and the wings, from point to point, found measuring twenty feet, the

plumage of those birds being entirely white; but I have never myself

seen the spread of the wings greater than fourteen feet. The bill is in

the larger species (the type of the genus) of a pale, dirty yellow, the

legs and feet flesh colour. The ladies on board generally request the

down of these birds for tippets, &c.; and among the New Zealand _ladies_

it is used in small tufts for adorning the ears, being placed in the

lobes, which are perforated for the purpose of receiving these or other

adornments to satisfy their vanity, or command, if it be possible, public

admiration. In New Zealand the bones of the same birds are frequently

seen pending from the lobes of the ears and round their necks in the form

of whistles and other ornaments. The Kamtschatdales are said to capture

these birds chiefly for the sake of their bones, particularly those of

the wing, which they convert to various uses.

During a former voyage, on the 1st of January, 1829, I had an opportunity

of examining a specimen of the _Diomedea fuliginosa_, Sooty Albatross,

or quaker-bird, which was captured (by a hook and line, and a piece of

salt pork by way of bait,) in latitude 39° 40′ south, and longitude 101°

5′ east. The wings, when expanded, measured six feet eleven inches from

point to point. This was called _Pio_ by some of the sailors on board.

The bill was of a beautiful shining black, with a distinct white membrane

passing about two-thirds down the lower mandible; the legs were naked,

and, as well as the feet, of a flesh colour; irides brown, and a circle

of white feathers surrounded the orbit; the head, neck, throat, and back,

were of a sooty colour; breast and abdomen greyish; wing coverts of a

light grey; the pen-feathers of a light black; the tail feathers above of

a sooty, inferiorly of a light grey colour; the feet had each three toes,

united by a web, slightly serrated at the edges; the first toe had five,

the second four, and the third three phalanges.

On the 3rd of January another specimen was caught in latitude 40° 34′

south, and longitude 107° 18′ east, which differed in plumage from the

preceding by having the sooty feathers on the head and back intermixed

with white, which difference in plumage may have depended on age, as the

sex of both birds was the same, being both males.

I have subsequently had opportunities of examining numerous specimens,

in many of which there were slight differences of plumage, but none

particularly marking the sex, that I could discover.

On the 5th of January, 1829, a specimen of the species named _Mollymawk_

by our sailors, the mountain Albatross of the Americans, was captured in

latitude 40° 6′ south, and longitude 111° 49′ east. This I suspect only

to be a young specimen of the large wandering Albatross. The bill was

of a pale, dirty yellow; the head, neck, breast, and abdomen, were of a

delicate and beautiful snowy whiteness; the back black, intermixed with

brown, changing to snowy whiteness near the tail; tail feathers above

black, underneath white; vent white; irides brown; orbits surrounded by

a naked skin of a light bluish colour; black feathers at the inner angle

of the eye; legs and feet of a flesh colour. The wings, when expanded,

measured five feet from point to point.

“And is that the Albatross? the bird mentioned of such an extraordinary

size? Well, I thought it a much larger bird; but having so often heard

that travellers’ accounts are exaggerated, I ought not to wonder at my

disappointment.”—These remarks are often made by persons who make a

voyage to sea for the first time in their lives, and who have in their

ideas conjectured that flying fishes, dolphins, albatrosses, &c. so

far surpassed all other objects of the creation, that I have scarcely

known an instance when such voyagers have not been disappointed at the

reality, and considered all that has been related of them as marvellously

incorrect. It was during my first voyage I watched eagerly from the stern

of the vessel, for the first time, the majestic sailing of the huge

Albatross in the air, seemingly enjoying the stormy winds which were at

that time pouring their wrath upon our swift craft. It occasionally would

sweep the rising billows, washing itself with the spray which broke from

the conflicting waves, seemed to delight in the tempest, and looked to

the superstitious seamen as if it was hovering over the devoted ship,

regarding it, as the foaming billows dashed over its decks, as nigh

destruction, and the inmates soon doomed to become its prey. It is a

most interesting sight to see these birds during stormy weather flying

with and against the wind, and approaching so close to the ship, as if

they were about to alight, and seem “gayest of the gay” in the midst of

foaming waves and howling winds.

One of my amusements on board was _fishing_ for albatrosses, Cape

petrels, or pigeons as they are commonly termed, (from the supposed

resemblance of their flight and bill to that of a pigeon,) with a hook

and line, and a piece of fat pork as a bait, and a quantity of spare

line to let out when the bird attacked my bait, so as to allow for the

sailing of the ship, and give him time to hook himself as comfortably as

possible, or as securely as desired. Many a laugh, and sapient gaze, and

passing remark, have I had from my fellow-passengers, at the nonsense

and folly of “_fishing_” for birds: I recollect having a crowd of eager,

idle gazers looking on to see what success would attend this novel method

of sporting among the feathered creation: the wind was light; and after

some time spent in expectation, as is customary with that humane body,

the fishers, fortune favoured me, for a huge Albatross greedily seized my

bait, and hauling the ponderous bird for some distance through the water,

at last I _landed_ him safely on deck: the strain of the line was very

great, (with the ship not going above two or three knots an hour through

the water,) and I was momentarily expecting it to give way. On this

gigantic bird arriving on deck, its enormous size, and elegant, sleek

plumage, was exposed to the close gaze of all the before disbelieving

passengers, who flocked from cabin and steerage to view the splendid

prize, which excited both their surprise and admiration, as it lay on

the deck, with expanded wings, and half drowned from having been dragged

some distance through the water. Nothing more was afterwards heard of the

size of the bird being exaggerated; and it proved for a long time after

a subject of conversation, all uniting in pronouncing it an enormous and

splendid production of the feathered creation. A second specimen was

caught soon after: the first measured fourteen feet from the extremity

of one wing to that of the other; and the second, ten feet four inches.

There was a slight difference of plumage in the two birds; one having the

upper part of the head and back of a beautiful pencilled white; while

the upper part of the head and back of the other was black. The skin, on

dissecting the birds, was found to contain a very large quantity of oil,

as is usual with the oceanic birds. A cluster of cartilaginous tumors was

found attached to the web of the foot of one of the birds. The pharynx

and œsophagus are capable of being distended to a very large size, which

enables the bird to swallow large pieces of food entire.

At certain seasons of the year they retire to breed on rocky islands,

as the Crozettes, Marion Islands, Tristan d’Acunha, &c. Captain

Carmichael[140] describes their manner of breeding, as seen by himself on

the Island of Tristan d’Acunha:—“As we walked down the mountain on our

return,” he observes, “we passed among flocks of Albatrosses, engaged in

the process of incubation, or tending their young. There are four species

of them that breed on the island, none of which hatches more than one

egg at a time;—the _Diomedea spadicea_, _exulans_, _chlororynchus_, and

_fuliginosa_. The two former give themselves no trouble in constructing

their nest, merely choosing a dry spot of ground, and giving it a slight

concavity, to prevent the egg from rolling out of its place. The egg is

white, very large, and of a peculiar shape, being uncommonly long in

proportion to its diameter, and equally thick, or nearly so, at both ends.

“The black Albatrosses (_D. fuliginosa_) are at this season (January)

gregarious, building their nests close to each other. In the area of

half an acre I reckoned upwards of a hundred. They are constructed of

mud, raised five or six inches, and slightly depressed at the top. At

the time we passed, the young birds were more than half grown, and

covered with a whitish down. There was something extremely grotesque in

the appearance of these birds, standing, on their respective hillocks,

motionless like so many statues, until we approached close to them, when

they set up the strangest clattering with their beaks, and if we touched

them, squirted on us a deluge of fetid oily fluid from the stomach.

“The _D. chlororynchus_ builds its solitary nest in some sheltered

corner, selecting, in particular, the small drains that draw the water

off the land into the ravines. There it runs up its nest to the height of

ten or twelve inches, of a cylindrical form, with a small ditch around

the base. A curious circumstance with regard to this bird is, that when

irritated, the feathers of its cheeks are separated, so as to display a

beautiful stripe of naked orange skin, running from the corners of the

mouth towards the back of the head. All these birds nourish their young

by disgorging the contents of their stomach. They are never observed

to carry any article of food in their bill: those matters indeed, from

which they derive the chief part of their sustenance, the blubber of dead

whales, seals, and sea lions, would melt away if carried in the bill to

any distance. We could not help admiring the utter unconsciousness of

danger displayed by them on our approach: they never showed the least

disposition to move out of our way: even when kicked, or pulled off

their nests, they made not the smallest show of resistance; but quietly

returned to their post, or stood still until we passed on.

“Their plumage is of the finest order, copious, and without the slightest

stain. They find great difficulty in getting on wing, and must run twenty

or thirty yards along the ground with expanded wings, before they can

get fairly under way. We had the curiosity to take one of them by the

point of the wings and fling it over the rock; yet, though it had several

hundred feet of a clear fall, it never recovered itself, but dropped down

like a stone. On this account, when not engaged with their young, they

usually rest upon the edge of the precipice, from which they can launch

at once into the air; and on entering again upon that difficult part of

our route, we had to kick upwards of a dozen of them to the right and

left of us before we could get on.”

It is almost incredible the distance these birds will fly: this has

been repeatedly ascertained by marking birds that had been captured,

and then suffering them again to be at liberty, watching how long they

remain constant about the ship: they follow the vessels for the sake of

the offal, which is daily thrown overboard. Eight or ten days before

the pairing season, the male Albatrosses come to the land, fix on a

spot, which they scrape clear, where the intention is to form the nest;

this being completed, they fly away again to sea, and return a few days

afterwards, in company with the females.

When the wind falls light, the Albatross fishers are on the alert; it is

then that all the hooks and lines that can be procured on board are put

into requisition, and the steward receives frequent solicitations for

pieces of fat pork for bait; some of these birds when hooked, before they

can be brought on board either manage to detach themselves from the hook,

or escape by its breaking. It is laughable to see, when one is hooked,

with what eagerness he is followed by the others, (while dragged through

the water by his capturers,) all eager to seize the bait, they consider

he is monopolizing; they pounce down upon it, and look surprised to find

themselves quietly perched on the waves while the other poor hooked bird,

bait and all, is before them in rapid progress towards being taken on

board.[141] Numerous eager gazers are all ready assembled on the poop of

the vessel to receive the stranger; where, on its arrival, it remains the

patient, stupid-looking subject of a hundred passing remarks: the ladies

give their due share of praise to its large bright eyes, fine sleek and

clean plumage; the expansion of wings is duly measured, the bird, during

the time remaining sitting in a quiet manner, appearing very sulky, and

apparently unmindful of all around, until a few practical jokes keep

its bright eyes on the alert against all personal attacks. After having

been admired and pitied (as much as its situation may be considered to

require) by the fair sex, and having satisfied the curiosity of both

sexes, it is consigned either to the anatomist to be dissected and

stuffed for the benefit of science, or to form a skeleton to grace some

of the museums in England; or sometimes regains its liberty, with a piece

of ribbon tied around the neck, by which it may be readily recognised

should it continue to follow the ship, which it usually does for a long

time after. Sometimes the passengers on board will amuse themselves

by firing with ball at the poor bird as it follows the bait; one I saw

struck by the deadly shot, turned on its back, dead, and, as the ship

passed it, we could see its companions fall upon it eager to make it

their prey. We were inclined to consider this wanton act a useless

destruction of bird-life; but his companions seemed to regard it only in

the light of a fine, fat, oily prize.

These birds are sometimes very ravenous, and even when foiled in several

attempts to seize the bait, by the passage of the ship through the water

being too rapid for them, they will persevere as long as they seem to

think there is any chance of success.

In 1828, when dissecting the head of the Albatross, I observed, imbedded

in a bony cavity, situated immediately over the orbit, a gland, which

was covered above by a dense fascia. The cavity to which the gland

corresponded was of a semilunar form, and situated over each orbit: at

the anterior part of this cavity or depression a small portion was left

membranous, excepting a minute orifice, permitting the passage of what

seemed to me to be an excretory duct, but the course of which I lost

soon after it had penetrated this membrane. The floor of the cavity was

perforated by numerous minute foramina, probably for the passage of

nutritient vessels to the substance of the gland. This gland is found in

most, if not in all, the aquatic birds, but varies in them, both with

respect to exact situation or extent. On the dissection of the common

duck, I found it, not imbedded in a bony cavity, but situated on a dense

fascia, slightly projecting over the superior and posterior margins of

the orbit. It is similarly situated in the boobies and others. In the

Cape petrel (_Procellaria Capensis_) this gland is situated partly in

a narrow semilunar depression over the orbit, and partly on a dense

membrane, continuous from the margin of this bony cavity, extending from

two orbital processes, serving to complete the superior part of the orbit

on which the gland rested. A dense fascia covers the glands, which fascia

is not continuous over the other part of the head, but binds the glands

firmly down in their situation.

In the gull tribe (_Larus_) it is situated in a bony depression over

the orbit, but more superficial than in the Albatross, and extends over

the cranium, so as nearly, if not actually, to touch the gland on the

opposite side, and both extending so as to cover the anterior part of the

cranium.

It is difficult to conjecture the use of this gland, as those possessing

it have also a lacrymal gland in the usual situation. I could not observe

at this time, either in the Albatross, or any other oceanic or aquatic

bird, any excretory duct. Cuvier, in his _Comparative Anatomy_, (vol.

ii. p. 440,) thus alludes to it: “Les oiseaux du genre des canards, et

d’autres oiseaux d’eaux et de rivage, ont un corps glanduleux, dur,

grenu, qui occupe toute la partie supérieure de l’orbite et se contourne

en arrière pour suivre la courbure de l’œil. Dans le morillon (_Anas

fuligula_) il est si large qu’il touche son correspondant par dessus le

crâne. Ce corps paroît tenir lieu de la glande lacrymale: _je n’en ai

cependant pas encore vu le canal excréteur_.”

In July, 1832, during a passage to New South Wales, a capture of an

Albatross afforded me an opportunity of again dissecting this gland,

with the view of ascertaining, if possible, whether an excretory duct

actually existed. I found the gland of a hard granulated substance and

pale colour, consisting of numerous, distinct, minute oval bodies, and

on being cut it is found to be abundantly nourished by blood-vessels;

the nerves supplying it came from the minute foramina seen on the floor

of the cavity, and are distributed in and about the substance of the

gland. These glandular bodies are placed in two rather semicircular

depressions, (one over each orbit,) to which the form of the gland

corresponds, accurately filling up those cavities, and bound down firmly

by a strong and dense fascia: the distance between these cavities, or

depressions, (in the specimen now under examination) was three-eighths

of an inch; the external margin of this cavity is very narrow, partly

cartilaginous, partly bony; the gland does not project over the outer

margin, a distance of one-eighth of an inch being left beyond it. Not

finding any duct when I came to the anterior portion of the gland, which

was visible, I commenced a further research, by laying open the bony

plate which covered the olfactory part of the upper mandible, continuing

the destruction of this portion of the bill, on one side, to the nostril.

I then found that the gland was continued for a short distance further,

under the bone, towards the nostril, situated rather above and anterior

to the nasal portion of the orbit. On pursuing my dissection further, I

found a nerve (a branch of the fifth pair?) passing down the thin bony

plate, at the interior part of the upper mandible; this I traced until

it entered the skull, and thus found it had no connexion with the gland,

as its first appearance led me to suspect; but close to and under it was

another appearance, which could be distinctly traced, emerging from the

gland; it was about a line, or rather more, in thickness, and, tracing

its course, I found it proceeded in a straight direction, and then had

an almost imperceptible inclination upwards, until I lost it among the

cellular substance of the upper mandible, (to which it was attached

partially, if not entirely,) rather more than an inch from the base of

the bill; the length of the duct, as far as traced, was one inch and

seven-eighths. I made a drawing of the preparation.

An interesting subject next for inquiry is, what this gland secretes, and

what is its use in that situation? which at present cannot be answered.

Some of these birds, when brought on board, will throw up a quantity

of fœtid oily fluid and undigested food, becoming “sea-sick,” as it is

usually termed; such, however, is not invariably the case, as numbers are

brought on board who are not guilty of such indecorous conduct, but it

always happens when any of the petrel tribe are captured.

Although accustomed to dissect several of the oceanic birds which were

captured on board, still I cannot refrain from making some remarks on the

cruelty of those who pass away a leisure hour on board, by firing at

them as they fly about the ship. These little “indefatigables,” as some

are pleased to term them, are too often doomed to become the subjects of

this murderous sport. Often and often, with broken wings, they are left

to linger on the wide expanse of waters, unable to procure any food but

that which may accidentally pass them; buffetted about by the waves, and

helpless in themselves, they linger out a miserable existence, until

death puts a period to their misery. It is revolting to the feelings to

see these beautiful and perfectly innocent birds destroyed, solely to

gratify the inclination to destroy.

In latitude 36° 25′ south, longitude 5° 18′ west, in July, 1832, the _D.

fuliginosa_, or Sooty Albatross, was first seen flying about the ship;

these breed in great numbers on the island of Tristan d’Acunha. The

greatest number I ever saw of this species about the ship, was during

strong breezes on the 30th of July, which were attributed to the vicinity

of St. Paul’s and Amsterdam Islands, about which islands I have always

remarked this species of Albatross to predominate: there were a few

resembling Chlororynchus amongst them. We had seen the _fuliginosa_ very

rarely since we had arrived at the eastward of the Cape, four or five at

the utmost only being visible; the last two or three days they have been

more numerous, the large white species having disappeared for some time;

but on approaching the islands before mentioned, their numbers increased,

although we did not see the islands. As we approached towards King’s

Island, at the entrance of Bass’s Straits, this species had forsaken us.

These birds, as well as all the Albatross genus, Cape Petrels, and other

birds, follow the ship during the whole of the night, reposing for a

short period on the water, in which position they have been passed close

by ships, riding like a duck on the water, but they seldom remain long on

the waves, usually alighting for food, and soon resume their flight.

I directed my attention to observe whether these birds followed the ship

during the night, and the result of those observations was a decision in

the affirmative, as marked birds have been seen about the ship for days

together, when the strong gales have carried the vessel at a daily rapid

rate through the water. I have seen, occasionally, the Cape Petrels and

Albatrosses flying near the stern of the vessel as late as midnight;

and it is not unusual to hear the twittering note of the Stormy Petrel

(_Procellaria pelagica_,) under the stern during the night.

Captain Beechey gives the following instance of the Sooty Albatrosses

confining their flight within certain limits, and considers it may add

weight to the opinion, provided it were not accidental, which future

navigators might probably ascertain.

“Off the River Plate, we fell in with the Dusky Albatross, (_Diomedia

fuliginosa_,) and as we proceeded southward they became very numerous;

but on reaching the latitude of 51° south, they all quitted us. We

rounded the Cape, and on regaining the same parallel of 51° south on the

opposite side, they again came round us, and accompanied the ship up the

Chili coast.”—_Voyage to the Pacific and Beering’s Strait_, vol. i. p. 17.

The Albatross delights in food of an oily nature when it can be procured;

and on the islands where they breed are often seen in flocks about the

carcase of a whale, sea-lion, seals, &c., which have been thrown dead on

the rocks, and there they seem to fatten and luxuriate on their luscious

repast; but when at sea, their food consists of the Sepiæ, or cuttle-fish

tribe, Aplysiæ, or sea-hares, the spawn of fish, and numerous other

species of the Mollusca animals, as Vellela, Salpa, Medusa, &c., and they

follow ships for the purpose of procuring the remains of food which may

be thrown from them.

The gall-bladder in the Albatross is usually found full of bile, of a

fine grass-green colour, which dries of a greenish-yellow colour, and is

perfectly applicable for water-colour drawing, where such a tint may be

required.

The usual size of the large white or Wandering Albatross, (_Diomedea

exulans_,) is as follows:—

Feet. In.

The expanded wings 14 0

Length of the body 3 0

Length of the bill 0 7

Foot, when expanded 0 6

On the 18th of July 1832, in latitude 40° 12′ south, and longitude 27°

52′ east, the species of Albatross called _spadicea_, was taken. The

description and measurement of this specimen, was as follows:—It was

called _Nelly_ by our sailors. The head, neck, and urupigum, white;

back, wing-coverts, pen-feathers and tail, brownish black; under parts

of the wings and tail, lighter colour; the brownish black of the back

is shaded off towards the hinder part of the neck, and becomes a

plumbo-atro or lead-coloured black; the first pen-feather is the longest,

which differs from the usual character in this genus; the pen-feathers

decrease _gradatim_ from the first; irides brownish; a black mark

from half an inch before the inner and upper part of the eyes, behind

and above the outer angle of the eyes; eyelids black; the base of the

upper mandible black, as well as the termination of both mandibles; the

remainder of the mandibles of an olive green, with delicate black tints;

wings same length, when closed, as the extremes of the tail; quills of

the pen-feathers white; skin dark-coloured; a quantity of fine down

between the skin and the feathers; base of the feathers white; feet

flesh-coloured, with bluish tints; the circulation of the venous and

arterial system is beautifully seen ramifying over the web; nails of the

toes short, and slightly covered outwards in one, and inwards in the

opposite foot; the cuticle of the feet is readily abraded when it is

placed on a hard surface, even for a short period of time; the web of the

foot thick, and it is usual for sailors to make _purses_, as they term

them, by extracting the phalanges, without injuring the web, leaving the

claws at the extremities.

The measurement of the specimen (which was a male) was as follows:—

Feet. In.

Length of the body, from base of bill to extremity of tail 2 4

Length of the bill 0 4

Depth of the base of the bill 0 1⅝

Length of the tail 0 8¼

Length of ditto, exserted from the feathers of the urupigum 0 3⅜

Length of the thigh 0 3¾

Length of the tarsus 0 3⅛

Length of the middle phalanges 0 5⅛

Breadth of wings expanded 7 4

Breadth between the wings from the 1st joint 0 4½

Length of the 1st joint of the wing 0 10¼

Length of the 2nd joint 0 10½

Length of the 3rd joint 0 4

Length of the 4th, or pen-feathers[142] 1 3

Length of the inner angle of the eye to the base of the beak 0 1⅛

The structure of the mandible is much thinner in this than in the large

white species, and the nostrils are not so elevated and twisted.

The dissection exhibited the following appearances. The pleura and

peritoneum were found inflated; the abdominal viscera, except the

liver, were seen behind the latter; liver large; right lobe longer and

larger than the left; gall-bladder two and one-eighth inches in length,

narrow, attached to the liver only by the biliary ducts; stomach

covered externally with much fat; the interior consisted of numerous

rather tortuous longitudinal folds, and numerous papillæ covered the

internal surface, from which, on pressure, a small quantity of a thick

substance exuded, leaving a gaping opening: the first stomach was empty;

the second stomach was lined with a greenish substance, and contained

only an undigested beak of a cuttle fish; heart covered with much fat;

gall-bladder full of bile of a grass-green colour; kidneys four-lobed,

on one of the lobes was a small diseased spot, of the size of a pin’s

head, from which some inky fluid could be expressed. This lobe was easily

broken, and evidently diseased: it was the first lobe of the right

kidney; ureters long, terminating in the cloaca.

The bill in this species differs from others of the genus, in being more

slender and delicate in formation, more particularly when compared with

that enormous type of the genus the _D. exulans_.

The interior of the mouth is of a white colour, excepting near the edges

of the mandibles, which have a delicate pink tinge.

From the length of the bill in these birds their bite is not severe,

except when they seize or strike with the hooked mandible, when the

impression is strong, but not so great as would be expected from so large

a bird.

On the 24th of July, 1832, in latitude 40° 32′ south, longitude 50°

45′ east, we captured the species called _chlororynchus_.[143] It was

taken by getting its wing entangled in the line, (which was out with

a bait attached to it,) as it flew under the stern; it was too old a

bird to take bait, but not so wise as to escape the line, and avoid

being entangled in it. On being hauled on board, it became unusually

vociferous, and screamed for liberty in loud, hoarse, discordant cries.

When, in the gentlest manner imaginable, we commenced measuring him, he

vehemently exclaimed against it, and was declared by all on board a very

noisy bird; he was, probably, an old stager, perfectly well aware of the

fate that awaited him. He received the usual share of commiseration from

the ladies when they understood he was to be dissected, accompanied by a

request for the down.

I now proceed to describe this specimen, commencing with the dimensions,

which may be regarded as the usual size of this species. This bird

is doubtless the _D. chlororynchus_ of Gmelin, allowing the slight

difference in the plumage to be the result of age. Gmelin thus describes

it:—

“D. alba, rostro nigro, carina mandibulæ superioris basique inferioris

flava, capite grisco, _cenia_, macula supra oculos caudaque obscuris,

dorso, alis maculaque inter rostrum et oculos nigris. Irides fuscæ;

nucha et uropygium alba; pedes pallide ochroleuci, anterius cum membranâ

digitos connectente obscuri.”

Feet. In.

Length of the body from the tip of the bill to extremity of

the tail 2 5½

Length of the bill 0 4

Depth of the base of the bill 0 1¾

Length of the tail 0 8½

Length of the tail, exserted from feathers of the urupigium 0 3¾

Length of the thigh 0 6

Length of the tarsus 0 3

Length of the middle phalanges 0 4⅜

Breadth of wings expanded 6 4

Breadth between the wings from the first scapular joint 0 5

Length of the first joint 0 9

Length of the second joint 0 9¾

Length of the third joint 0 3¾

Length of the fourth joint, or pen-feathers 1 3

Length from the inner angle of the eye to the base of the beak 0 1

Breadth of the foot when expanded 0 5½

The plumage was clean, delicate, and very handsome, particularly about

the head. From this bird I procured a small parasitical animal, probably

a _Ricinus_, which was found rather numerous about its feathers, it is

prettily marked on each side, with a silvery appearance on the back, when

viewed through a microscope.

The upper surface of the wings, scapulars, and back in this bird, was

a brownish black; the urupigium, white; the head, chin, and neck, of a

delicate grey, or blue grey. The back is shaded off towards the neck,

which becomes of a soft and beautiful leaden colour, of more light

and delicate tints as it proceeds around the front part of the neck,

extending towards the breast; eyelids black: the upper surface of the

tail was of a light black; shaded with white in a very delicate and

beautiful manner. At first, this appearance was supposed only to be the

result of the different lights in which the bird was occasionally placed;

but subsequent observations confirmed its being the marked colour. On

examining one of the tail-feathers plucked from the bird, it was found

delicately tinted; the shaft diminishing gradually as it proceeded from

the quill to the extremity, until it terminated in a very fine filament,

projecting one-eighth of an inch from the plume; this was observed in

the whole of the upper and large tail-feathers. The plume as it came off

on each side from the base, terminated in a beautiful downy appearance;

tail-feathers underneath of a lighter colour—vent (crissum) white, which

gives a light delicate appearance to the edge of the feather.

The breast and abdomen are of a snow-white; under surface of the wings,

upper line along the wing-bones, and a little below, brownish-black;

middle white, (excepting a few brown feathers near the axilla,) forming

a continuous broad white line the whole length of the under surface of

the wings; lower feathers base white, tips black, under surface of the

pen-feathers black; shafts white.

At the inferior part of the external angle of the eye, around the margin

of the lid, a narrow white mark extends for the length of seven-eighths

of an inch. A diffused black-mark was situated over, and extended to

the inner angle of the eye, terminating near the base of the bill in

lighter shades of the same colour, forming an agreeable contrast with the

delicate leaden hue extending over the head and neck.

Bill blackish; upper surface horny, (shaded with light black at some

parts,) extending, of a similar appearance, to the hooked process of the

upper mandible. At the lower part of the inferior mandible, this horny

appearance also extends to within an inch of the tip. Irides brown; the

first pen-feather the longest; feet and legs marbled, the web marbled

blue, more at the anterior edges, and between the second and third toes;

claws of the toes turned outwards, (to the right.)

There is a very minute tubercle at the posterior, and lower part of the

tarsus, which is considered by some as a rudiment of thumb, and I suppose

to be that alluded to by Lesson, when he says of this genus, “pouce sans

ongles.”

The fœces of this specimen were of a reddish purple colour, as if

occasioned by his swallowing some Aplysiæ; but the skeleton of a Loligo

was solely found in his stomach, the interior of which, as well as the

whole length of the intestinal canal, was seen on dissection to be tinged

of a similar colour; but no remains of Aplysiæ were to be found: could

the colour, then, have been produced by the Loligo? The second stomach

contained one perfect and one imperfect beak of a sepia, both of small

size. The gizzard or second stomach is small in proportion to the size of

the bird.

The specimen was a female; the cluster of ovaries of a yellowish

colour, and situated just above the superior lobes of the kidneys, were

distinctly seen.

This animal attacked furiously every thing that was placed before it,

screaming with its trumpet-like voice at the same time. It always made

some impression with its beak when the hooked end of the mandible came in

contact with the object attacked, but not without.

This bird, on being placed on the skylight of the poop, tied by the leg,

made one attempt to regain its liberty; finding that attempt fruitless,

it never renewed it, but remained with folded wings, apparently content,

but appearing to watch the approach of intruders with its large brilliant

eyes. When left alone, the bird remained seated, perfectly quiet, pecking

its feathers, and looking as content and unconscious of danger as when I

have seen them resting tranquilly on the water, undisturbed by the ship,

as it has passed quite close to them. I cannot, however, consider its

sight very acute, as, although watching me, I found no difficulty at

any time in seizing him by the neck. Indeed these, unlike the man-of-war

bird, gannet, &c., do not require great acuteness of vision, as their

food is principally the sluggish mollusca, not fish, as has been often

asserted as serving them for prey, this bird being regarded also, but I

consider erroneously, as one of the enemies of the flying fish.

The Albatross does not require that acuteness of vision requisite in the

_Tachypetes aquila_, or man-of-war hawk, which hovers to a great height

in the air, and then darts with rapidity on its finny prey. The flight

of the Albatross, on the contrary, is low, and it frequently skims the

surface of the water, watching for the objects which serve it for food,

or the sepiæ, as they leap from, or swim tardily near, the surface of the

ocean.

Sometimes the Albatrosses form a sea-dish, and are eaten by the crew; but

it is seldom they are used for this purpose in the present day, although

formerly they were caught and esteemed for that purpose, as a change to

the miserable salt junk. Captain Cook mentions, in his first voyage, the

method used to prepare the birds before cooking them, and passes much

commendation on the dish. “The Albatrosses,” he observes, “we skinned,

and, having soaked them in salt water until the morning, we parboiled

them, then, throwing away the liquor, stewed them in a very little fresh

water till they were tender, and had them served up with savoury sauce:

thus dressed, the dish was universally commended, and we ate of it very

heartily, even when there was fresh pork upon the table.”

I was not aware, until I perused the entertaining “Fragments of Voyages

and Travels,” by Captain Hall, that the Albatross was ever found so near

the equator. “On the 24th of May,” he writes, “the day before crossing

the equator, a number of those huge birds, the Albatrosses, were seen

soaring over the face of the waters, and the flying fish, when rising

into the air to avoid their natural enemies, the dolphin and bonito,

were frequently caught by these poaching birds, to the very reasonable

disappointment of the sporting fish below, on whose manor they were

trespassing. These intruders proceeded not altogether with impunity,

however, for we hooked several of them, who, confident in their own

sagacity and strength of wing, swooped eagerly at the baited hooks, towed

far astern of the ship, and were thus drawn on board, screaming and

flapping their wings in a very ridiculous plight.”

On the 23d of July, 1832, in latitude 40° 16′ south, longitude 46°

45′ east, an Albatross was hooked; and when about to haul it in, the

line (which was out its whole length) accidentally slipped; the bird

consequently swallowed hook, bait, and a portion of the line; the

remainder hung out from his bill. He was seen about the ship in the

afternoon with a long portion of the line pending from the beak. This

morning he was seen following the ship, but the length of line which

hung from his beak was now reduced to very short dimensions: he had,

probably by gradually swallowing, thus reduced it. From this bird being

thus marked, we have ascertained that he has followed the ship for two

days; and as we have been sailing at the rate of two hundred miles per

day, (from the irregular flight of this bird, their actual flight may be

correctly quadrupled,) it has followed us in a direct line four hundred

miles. How long previously it had been about the ship, or subsequently

followed it, we had no means of ascertaining, as the following day none

of the Albatrosses had a string pending from the beak: our friend, no

doubt, having swallowed the whole of it.

Sometimes the bait would attract an Albatross, cause him to alight, and

shake it with his beak; but, “putting on a knowing look,” he eyed it

again, perhaps suspicious of its appearance, would refuse it, and fly

off. Perhaps he had had a good feast of cuttle-fish, and therefore, being

in a dainty mood, did not like the bit of skinny pork that was offered

for his acceptance.

These birds are the greatest part of their existence on the wing; but

there are other of the oceanic birds which merely seek their food during

the day, returning to the land to roost at night; but, from sometimes

being blown away by heavy gales, they are obliged to bear away for the

nearest port, and take refuge, much exhausted, on the rigging of ships.

The booby is one of these; and from the circumstance of being easily

captured at night on the rigging, has received its common name, whereas

it is as much gifted with sense as any of the oceanic tribe of birds,

which, at the best, is not an overplus; but Nature, no doubt, has given

them as much as they require for their existence in this world.

So marked is the form of the superorbital depression in aquatic birds,

that I have no doubt, judging from my limited series of observations, the

genus may be determined by it alone. So marked is it in the Albatross

genus, that from it the skull of that bird may be easily recognized. The

Petrel tribe have it only half bony, the membranous portion projecting

from the outer edge of the bone, which membranous portion is usually

found wanting in the prepared skulls of those birds. In the Larus or

gull tribe, the flatness of the cavities, and their extending over the

anterior part of the skull, so as nearly, if not actually, to touch,

seems a distinguishing mark in that genus. In the booby, duck, and some

others, there is no depression, although the gland exists, being situated

over the orbit, merely on a membranous projection.

My brother, Mr. F. D. Bennett, exhibited, at the meeting of the

Zoological Society, on the 25th of June, 1833, a dried preparation of the

upper larynx and adjoining parts of the Albatross, (_Diomedea exulans_,

Linn.) for the purpose of demonstrating the existence in that bird of

an epiglottis; and observed, “that the _rima glottidis_ is bounded by

two elevated fleshy lips, which consist of mucous membrane and some few

muscular fibres, and are armed with retroflexed spiculæ. These lips are

in perfect contact at the hinder part of the glottis when it is closed,

but diverge near their anterior part, so as to leave a triangular open

space of about the size of a pea, the edges of which are incapable of

being approximated to each other. In front of this triangular aperture,

and at some distance behind the tongue, (to which it is connected by

mucous membrane and muscular fibres,) is an elevated substance of a

soft leathery texture, resembling that of the epiglottis of _Mammalia_:

its form is triangular, the apex being inferior, and connected with the

tongue, and the base being elevated, and terminating in three convex

portions or lobes. The middle one of these lobes is the largest; it is

free, and rests immediately over the triangular orifice of the larynx

just described, which, when depressed, it is in size adapted to cover.

In a line continuous with the floor of the upper larynx and penetrating

beneath the epiglottis, is a cavity or sac lined with mucous membrane.”

Having demonstrated these parts on the preparation exhibited by him, he

added that as it had been the opinion of naturalists in all ages that

no bird possesses an epiglottis, the structure which he had brought

under the notice of the Society appeared to him highly interesting. So

fixed was the opinion to which he had adverted, that when Warren showed

the existence in the ostrich (_Struthio Camelus_, Linn.) of a structure

which he regarded as an epiglottis, the denomination was generally

rejected, even in this anomalous bird, and the part was considered as a

mere elevation at the base of the tongue, a rudiment, but without the

function, of the organ. In the Albatross, however, the function is that

of an epiglottis; and the size, though small, is sufficient for the

protection of that portion of the rima glottidis which cannot be closed

in the manner usual in birds by the apposition of its margins. With a

peculiar structure of the glottis there exists an apparatus equally

peculiar in the class, as a provision against the inconvenience which

might otherwise result from the deviation from the normal structure.[144]

NOTES ON THE PLANTAIN AND BANANA TREES.

(_See_ page 385, vol. i.)

If we regard the immense varieties of the vegetable kingdom, their

peculiar forms, large and minute flowers of splendid tints, and

delicious fruits,—we find them all conduce to the happiness and luxury

of man—affording him raiment, food, and adding to the comforts of his

existence.

When we contemplate the vegetable productions of nature, we find that

they impart a tranquillity to the mind, which the animal kingdom, ever

slaves to conflicting passions, can never produce;—when suffering from

violent emotions, an indescribable degree of repose is felt while viewing

the tranquil but beautiful scene of a well-furnished garden, or the more

magnificent grandeur of forest scenery. A calmness is produced, which,

counteracting our more violent passions, leads us back to our sober

reason, and to reflection.

Among the splendid, varied, and profuse vegetation, with which tropical

countries abound in so infinite a degree, the magnificent, herbaceous

plant, the Plantain tree, usually attracts particular notice; and,

together with the cocoa and other palms, are the productions of the

vegetable kingdom which adorn the picture of the artist, when depicting

the scenery of the tropics. The broad leaves overhang gracefully the

succulent and huge stem of this plant; whilst, just at their bases,

huge clusters of fruit, of yellow, red, and other colours, contrast

harmoniously with the shining, dark-green foliage.

The size this splendid plant usually attains is eight feet; but I have

seen them at the elevation of twelve, and even fifteen feet, with a

diameter of stalk from one foot to two feet. The stem is formed partly

from the united petioles of the leaves; and they are said to contain such

a quantity of spiral vessels, that they are capable of being pulled out

by handfuls, and are actually collected, in the West Indies, and sold as

tinder: or, according to the quotation from “Decandolle’s Organographie

Végétale,” tom. i. p. 38, “the top of the Plantain tree appears to be

composed almost entirely of spiral vessels, when cut across; and so

abundant are they, as to be collected in handfuls, in the Antilles, and

form a kind of tinder.”

The number of threads capable of being drawn from each convolution of

these spiral vessels, is from seven, as M. de la Chesnay has calculated

even to twenty-two. (Idem, p. 37.) The young shoots of the Banana trees

make an excellent edible.

The threads procured from the stalks of some species of this family

are used for very fine and delicate-textured linen and muslin. At

Manilla there is an extensive manufacture of muslins and sinamaya, or

grass cloth, from the coarsest to the finest texture it is possible to

manufacture, and, sometimes it has been stated, “made of fibres so fine,

that they require to be manufactured under water, because, if exposed

to the sun and air, they become too fragile to work.”[145] The coarsest

fibres of the same plant form the Avaca, or Manilla hemp of commerce,

used in the manufacture of cordage. The species of Musa is called _M.

textilis_; but I do not consider it at all accurately known: it forms

plantations at Manilla, but I could never see it during my visit to that

country.

Finlayson gives the following interesting information respecting the

wild Plantain tree, found on the island of Pulo Ubi, off the southern

extremity of Cambodia.

“We had,” he says, “the good fortune to find that splendid herbaceous

plant in flower: unlike, however, to that luscious and most delicious

fruit raised by the hand of man, the fruit of the wild Plantain contains

scarce any pulp whatever. Its leathery sheath incloses numerous series of

large black seeds, attached to a pithy, central stem, and immersed in a

gummy substance resembling birdlime.

“It appeared, by our systematic works, that the seeds of this most useful

plant have been but rarely seen by botanists; hence doubts had been

expressed upon the subject. In none of the cultivated varieties are there

any seeds discoverable; though, at times, we may observe minute black

points in the pulp, disposed in longitudinal rows. These are, probably,

the feeble traces of seeds not yet quite extinguished by cultivation, the

black perisperm being the last to disappear. The seeds were numerous,

covered with a thick, black, brittle shell, and as large as those of the

custard apple, but of a more irregular shape.

“There is no necessity to refer, as Willdenow does, the origin of all the

cultivated varieties, and of all the species enumerated by botanists,

to the _Musa troglodytarum_, a native of the Molucca Islands, as the

parent stock. Our specimens accorded with the descriptions given of

_Musa sapientum_. The seeds were in all respects perfect, and apparently

capable of propagating the plant. Indeed, its existence on these islands,

so rarely frequented by man, and altogether unfit for cultivation, can be

accounted for on no other principle than the fertility of the seeds.”[146]

It is, however, curious (and whether it depends on the fertility of the

soil, I will leave for the decision of others) that the _Fehi_, or _Wild

Plantain tree_, (_Musa Fehi_,) which is found growing so luxuriantly

about the declivities of the mountains, has no seeds in its fruit.

Sometimes a few straggling plants are found in the romantic valleys

of the beautiful island of Tahiti, (and also others of the Polynesian

Islands,) propagating themselves by suckers: so dense at some places have

I seen them, that they appear almost united into one mass. The fruit

produced from this species is large, full, of a dark orange colour,

(which contrasts harmoniously with the very dark green colour of the

foliage,) containing a bright yellow pulp; and although in a perfectly

wild state, does not contain any seeds: its taste, when perfectly ripe,

is sweetish, but with a roughness or astringency of flavour, so that they

are usually preferred roasted, by which their flavour is evidently very

much improved. This species also yields, from the trunk, a quantity of a

dark, purplish juice, which I did not find was used by the natives for

any purpose, but it may, probably, be applicable as a dye.

At the Society Islands, the natives dry and press the ripe fruit of the

Banana, which forms in that state an excellent sweetmeat, and might be

probably a profitable export to Sydney, (N. S. Wales,) where it is now

occasionally seen when sent as a present to some resident at that town.

It is related in Cook’s First Voyage, whilst in Endeavour River, that a

“party returned about noon, with a few palm cabbages, and a bunch or two

of wild plantains; the plantains were the smallest I had ever seen, and

the pulp, although it was well-tasted, was full of small stones.”[147]

Captain King stated to me that he attempted to find this tree during his

stay at Endeavour River, when he surveyed the Australian coasts, but his

researches were unsuccessful. In another part of the same volume,[148]

it is stated of the Bananas, at Batavia—“There is one which deserves the

particular notice of the botanist, because, contrary to the nature of its

tribe, it is full of seeds, and is therefore called _Pisang batu_, or

_Pisang bidgie_; it has, however, no excellence to recommend it to the

taste, but the Malays use it as a remedy for the flux.”

Where grass or hay cannot be procured, voyagers will find the succulent

stem and leaves of this plant, as well as the leaves of the _Dracæna

terminalis_, an excellent substitute, for feeding goats and other

animals.

THE INHABITANT OF THE NAUTILUS POMPILIUS.

(_See_ page 399, vol. i.)

It was on the 24th of August, 1829, (calm and fine weather, thermometer

at noon 79°,) in the evening, when the ship Sophia was lying at anchor in

_Marakini Bay_, on the south-west side of the island of Erromanga, one of

the New Hebrides Group, Southern Pacific Ocean, that something was seen

floating on the surface of the water, at some distance from the ship;

to many it appeared like a small dead tortoiseshell cat, which would

have been such an unusual object to be seen in this part of the world,

that the boat which was alongside the ship at the time, was sent for the

purpose of ascertaining the nature of the floating object.

On approaching near, it was observed to be the shell-fish, commonly

known by the name of the Pearly Nautilus; (_Nautilus pompilius_;) it

was captured and brought on board, but the shell was shattered from

having been struck with the boat-hook in capturing it, as the animal was

sinking, when the boat approached, and had it not been so damaged would

have escaped.

I extracted the fish in a perfect state, which was firmly attached to

each side of the upper cavity of the shell. On being brought on board, I

observed it retract the tentacula still closer than before, and this was

the only sensation of vitality it gave after being caught; I preserved

the soft parts immediately in spirits, after making a rude pen and ink

sketch of its form.

On breaking the lower part of the shell, the chambers, or cavities, were

found filled with water.

The _hood_ has been stated by Dr. Shaw (Lectures, vol. ii. p. 165)

“as being of a pale reddish purple colour, with deeper spots and

variegations;” the colour, however, as it appeared in this recent

specimen, was of a dark reddish brown, in fact, resembling the colour

produced by the _Koka_ on the stained cloth of the Tongatabu natives,

intermingled with white.

We had fine weather—light winds and calms, a day or two previous to this

animal being caught.

The representations of the animal in Dr. Shaw’s works are not at all

correct; that by _Rumphius_ is correct, as far as regards the description

of the external parts of the animal.

This species of Nautilus is stated to be called _Kika, lapia_, and _Krang

modang_, by the natives of Amboyna; and _Bia papeda_, _Bia cojin_, by the

Malays.

This animal has, for a number of years, been a _desideratum_ of science;

but some doubt existed whether it might not have been captured with the

shell; and the collectors, not valuing the animal, or being unaware of

the value attached to it by naturalists, may have extracted and thrown it

away.

The two following accounts confirm this supposition; I place dependence

upon the statements, because at the time both persons were ignorant of

the form of the fish, and were also unaware of its value: they knew it

more from the beautiful colours of its shell, than from any other part

connected with it.

An officer of his Majesty’s ship Ariadne informed me that he caught the

shell with the animal within it, on a reef at the _island of Pemba_,

near _Zanzibar_, on the _eastern coast of Africa_, at the time himself

and several others, belonging to the ship, were seeking for shells.

(This occurred in the year 1824.) The animal was not floating upon the

water, but was in a hole on the reef; he does not recollect which part of

the shell was uppermost. The mantle of the fish, like a thin membrane,

covered the shell, which was drawn in as soon as it was touched, and the

elegant shell was then displayed. “I and others,” observed my informant,

“when it was first seen, did not notice it, regarding the animal, as the

membrane enveloped the shell, merely as a piece of blubber; but having

touched it by accident, the membranous covering was drawn in, and we soon

secured our beautiful prize.”

“The fish,” he further observed, “was a large mass attached to the shell,

which we soon extracted and threw away, as we only wanted to _collect

shells_.”

The mantle was compared to what he had subsequently seen covering the

shells of the _Harps_ and _Cowries_.

These animals were not numerous, for this was the only one collected

during the time they remained there, or on subsequent visits.

A section of the shell was afterwards made on board, but none of the

appearances, or whether air or water was contained within, could be

recollected.

A mate of a whaler, who had been shipwrecked upon, and resided among the

Fidgi group of islands in the Southern Pacific, for nearly three years,

says he has seen the shell of the _Pearly Nautilus_, containing the

living animal, floating on the water, near one of the islands. He had

only seen two, as they are not commonly seen _with the fish in them_,

although the empty shells were very numerous among that group of islands.

He stated, the first time he saw one, was when in a canoe with some other

shipwrecked Europeans; it was then floating upon the surface of the

water, the mouth of the shell uppermost. It was enveloped in the mantle,

which extended some distance upwards, and over the whole of the shell; it

had such an appearance as to cause one of the men in the canoe to say,

“There is a large piece of blubber upon the water:” on approaching it the

animal retracting the mantle, displayed the beautiful striped shell, and

sank before they could capture it.

At Manilla, the shells of this species of Nautilus are in great

abundance; they are neatly carved, the whole of the coloured part of the

shell being removed, and the portion exposed appearing of a beautiful

nacre, or mother-of-pearl, with the raised white carved figures upon it,

which have a pretty effect. I could not procure any with the soft parts,

but was told by a gentleman that he had seen them with the fish, but it

was always taken out and thrown away, and the shell alone preserved.

One of the shells cut, and the aperture turned downwards, forms the base;

the keel of the shell, with the aperture uppermost, is placed upon it,

forming a pretty vase of antique form, and highly esteemed in Europe as

ornaments for the mantel-piece; they are sold at Manilla for a few reals

the pair.

The inhabitant of this beautiful shell, which I brought safely to

England, has been described and dissected by my esteemed friend, R. Owen,

Esq., and published, with splendid engravings, by the Curators of the

Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

ON THE HABITS OF THE VIVERRA MUSSUNGA, OR JAVA CAT.

(_See_ page 438, vol. i.)

On the 14th of May 1833, I purchased one of these animals from a native

canoe, which came off to the ship on the coast of Java: it is commonly

known among Europeans by the name of the _Java-cat_, and is a native of

Java, Sumatra, and perhaps others of the eastern islands. This specimen

was young, and appeared very tame. The native from whom I procured it,

had it inclosed in a bamboo cage, in which I also kept it for a short

time.

The colour of the back is blackish, intermingled with shorter hairs, of

a dirty-white; the forehead and most of the face whitish, intermingled

with black; neck and abdomen of a yellowish colour; the eyes are full

and large, of a yellowish-brown colour; pupil perpendicular, becoming

dilated at night. It resembles the cat, in being more of a night than day

animal.

It feeds on plantains and other fruit, and also fowls’ bones. When busily

engaged in picking the wing-bone of a fowl, it growls most savagely if

disturbed in its repast; which well shows the nature of the beast. “He

eats only plantain,” said the Javanese, from whom I purchased it; but

could the animal have spoken for himself, he would have probably hinted

that “portions of the animals composing the feathery kingdom” would also

be acceptable, by way of variety. It is tame and playful, like a kitten,

throwing itself on the back, playing with a bit of string, making, at the

same time, a low, whining noise.

It utters a sharp, quick, squeaking noise, as well as a low moaning, more

particularly at night, or when in want of food, or some water to quench

its thirst. The specimen is a male: it was very playful, and climbed up

my arm, by aid of its claws, like a cat. When it drinks, it laps like the

dog or cat.

May 17th. This morning, the animal had broken through and escaped from

its cage during the night, and was about some part of the ship.

May 18th. The whole of yesterday, the creature was reported as “absent

without leave;” but early this morning he was found in the cabin of the

second officer, asleep upon a jacket. He appears sufficiently tame to

be left at liberty, so I did not immure him in a cage again, but kept a

piece of long string attached to one of the hind legs, so as to limit his

extent of range, when I found it necessary.

Whilst writing in my cabin, the animal was either lying down quietly

asleep, or else came to see what I was about, thrusting its little sharp

snout among my papers, and amusing himself by playing with my pens and

pencils.

The animal is called _Mussong_, at Java, and I found it was also known by

the same name among the natives on the north-east coast of Sumatra: it

licks and cleans its furry coat with the tongue like the cat, especially

after it has been much handled; and seems also to possess the _caution_

and _secretiveness_ of that tribe. It growls savagely when disturbed or

teazed. It lapped some coffee one morning, but became sick soon after.

It seems to be a fretful, impatient, little creature, and when it does

not get its wants gratified, becomes “terribly out of temper,” or

rather gets into a temper which is of a bad description. It then snaps

ferociously at the finger placed near it, but its young teeth can make

but little impression; it is in downright earnest, however, for it

bristles up and advances its long whiskers, uttering a series of peevish

cries and growls.

It was lying upon the pillow of my bed one morning, when I took the

creature off, and placed it upon as soft a place which had been made up

in the cabin on purpose for it; but this would not do; it did not like

the removal, and there was no termination to its peevish, fretful cries,

until it was removed back to the old place, where being deposited, after

licking itself about those parts of its furred coat that had been ruffled

by handling, it stretched itself, and laid down quite contented.

The squeaking, discontented noise of the creature during the night, when

it is tied up, is very annoying. I suppose the desire of making nocturnal

rambles, as is the nature of the tribe, was the cause to which the cries

were to be attributed.

At last I used to give it fowl bones at night to amuse itself, and being

occupied in _crunching_ them, I was no more annoyed by its nocturnal

cries.

When fighting it uses the fore-paws, with extended claws, biting at the

same time, retreating and advancing quickly, snapping, bristling up its

long whiskers, and appearing a fierce object for one of the small animals

of the creation. It does not spring at the object of attack like the cat,

but jumps forward; it uses the claws of the fore-feet more than those of

the hind, which, being both longer and sharper, are more calculated for

the purpose of defence, as well as in climbing. It regards the object

well previously to attack, exercising the three prominent organs in the

feline race of _caution_, _secretiveness_, and _destruction_; and then,

with its little angular mouth expanded, it pounces upon, and firmly

grasps its prey.

The little beast has a very morose looking countenance, what some people

skilled in physiognomy would call a “_sour, forbidding countenance_;”

and, judging from what I have seen of this tamed and young specimen, it

must be, in the wild state, a very savage animal.

Unlike the cat, when drinking it does not care about wetting its feet,

for it often places the fore-paws in the water at the time.

It often plays with its long tail, as well as with any thing that may be

in the way, similar to what we observe in kittens; and often scratches

against objects, growling at the same time, as if practising for future

defence.

It eats fowl readily, but not other kinds of meat so well; it ate some

pine-apple with much avidity.

It will carry away a bone given to it into a dark corner, growling and

snapping at any one that may attempt to take it away.

Sometimes, when left to itself, it utters such loud squeaking cries, as

to be heard all over the ship. One day, at dinner time, (when the animal

was first on board,) a noise was heard, from whence it proceeded, or from

what, we could not tell, until the mystery was explained by the steward,

who said it was “the foreign cat.”

Like all animals, whether of the genus _Homo_, or lower in the scale

of creation, the Java Cat does not like to be disturbed at meals. This

little ill-humoured quadruped is particularly savage at that time, but,

like the human race in all its numerous varieties, when “feeding time” is

over, and it has had a sufficiency of provender, it will remain quiet,

and be usually in a tolerable good-humour; but when hungry, there is

nothing but growling, whining, screeching, grumbling, crying, until the

appetite is satisfied.

I gave the animal one morning a dead cockroach, but after turning and

twisting about, and licking it for some time—perhaps it was not hungry,

it would not eat it.

When the creature is excessively annoyed, it retires into some dark hole

or corner, making a spitting noise, and is very furious against any one

that may attempt to dislodge it from that place, thus formed into a

refuge for the ill-tempered.

When first set at liberty he was missing for one or two days, having gone

on a tour by way of change of scene; he soon, however, returned to his

old quarters, ran about the cabins, and when sleepy during the day would

take to the warmest and most comfortable situation the cabins afforded;

it was as fully domesticated as a cat.

The _Mussong_ runs about quite domesticated, and climbs well,

occasionally aiding itself by the tail having a prehensile power.

He also runs about, particularly at night, and in the morning is usually

found quietly asleep upon the softest bundle of clothes he can meet with,

in the cabin into which he has introduced himself: he dislikes much to be

handled, or petted, or crammed, (unless he crams himself, which he very

often does,) and, therefore, he is not to be recommended to that variety

of the human species called a “maiden lady, of a certain age.”

At last I let the creature ramble about where it pleased in the after

part of the ship; it reposed in the cabins, or any other place it liked.

It used to wander about like a cat, and come at meal time for food, until

the 14th of June, when it was missing, and search being made about its

usual haunts, the animal was discovered dead among some oakum in one of

the cabins.

When at Pedir, on the north-east coast of Sumatra, I procured another

young but larger specimen than the preceding; it was purchased for half a

rupee. Although wild with strangers, with the native from whom the animal

was purchased it was exceedingly domesticated. I have seen it follow him

like a cat along the pathway for some distance, when he placed it out of

his arms upon the ground; the natives gave it the same name here as at

Java, _Mussong_.

These animals attain the size of our domestic cats, living in their wild

state upon the summits of trees, eating the fruit, and also birds, when

they have caught them.

They eat sugar-cane, plantain, rice, and also those troublesome insects

the cockroaches.

When I placed this animal in my cabin it remained very quiet, not making

so much noise as the last; but, a few days after, it became so very

vicious, not suffering any one to approach or touch it, without spitting,

growling, and fighting so furiously, that I at last was obliged to

destroy it, preserving the skin in a dried state for stuffing, and the

body in spirits for a future dissection.

LUMINOSITY OF THE OCEAN.

(_See_ page 35, vol. i.)

Mr. F. D. Bennett, exhibited, at a meeting of the Zoological Society,

on the 25th of June, 1833, several specimens of a species of Pyrosoma,

captured by him, on the 6th of September, 1832, at sea, in latitude 1°

41′ north, longitude 11° 56′ west. Between 2 and 4 A.M. the sea, having

been two hours before less luminous than usual, presented one mass of

bright phosphoric light, extending to a considerable distance around the

vessel. The extensive field of bright luminous matter emitted so powerful

a light as to illuminate the sails, and to permit a book of small print

to be read with facility near the windows of the stern cabins. Above this

luminous field numerous sea fowl were hovering in search of their prey.

The light appeared to be entirely owing to the Pyrosomata.

Specimens taken from the sea and placed in a vessel containing sea

water, ceased altogether to emit light, or emitted it but sparingly while

they remained at rest. On the water, however, being agitated, or when

one of the masses of animals was taken into the hand, the whole became

instantly illuminated by myriads of bright dots, much resembling in hue

the points on the elytra of a diamond beetle (_Curculio imperialis_, Fab.)

The Pyrosoma, thus enveloped throughout its whole extent in a flame of

bright phosphorescent light gleaming with its peculiar hue, presented a

most splendid spectacle; the light shed by it was sufficient to render

objects distinctly visible in every part of an otherwise dark room. If

long retained in the hand, or returned to a quiescent state in the water,

the luminous spots gradually faded, and no light was visible until the

animal was again disturbed, when the illumination instantly returned with

all its vivid splendour. After death it emitted no light.

The mass of Pyrosoma, of the usual cylindrical form and gelatinous

substance, was about four inches in length and one and a half in

circumference. The tube, passing along its middle, is described as being

open at both ends; the orifice at the broader extremity being much better

defined in its circular form, larger, and more distinct than that of

the opposite end. The surface of the mass appeared to be studded with

numerous prominent, rigid, and pearly tubercles intermingled with small

specks of a brown or red colour. In these latter the power of emitting

light appeared chiefly to be seated, these being frequently bright, while

the remainder of the body exhibited only its natural white or yellowish

white hue; a hue which changed after death into a red tinge. The brown

specks, when removed from the body, did not emit light.[149]

TREATY BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND ACHEENESE GOVERNMENTS.

(_See_ page 2, vol. ii.)

Treaty of friendship and alliance between the Honourable English East

India Company and the kingdom of Acheen, concluded by the Honourable

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Knight, and Captain John Monckton Combs,

agents to the governor-general, in the name and on the behalf of the Most

Noble Francis Marquis of Hastings, Knight of the most noble order of the

Garter, one of his Britannic Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council,

Governor-general in Council of the British possessions in India, on the

one part, and his highness Sri, Sultan Alla Iddeen Jowhara, Allum, Shah,

king of Acheen, for himself, his heirs, and successors, on the other.

In consideration of the long and uninterrupted peace, amity, and good

understanding, which has subsisted between the Honourable English East

India Company and his highness’s ancestors, the kings of Acheen, and in

order to perpetuate and improve their friendship, to the advantage and

prosperity of their mutual states and subjects. It is hereby agreed and

determined.

ARTICLE I.—There shall be a perpetual peace, friendship and defensive

alliance, between the states, dominions, and subjects of the high

contracting parties, neither of whom shall give any aid or assistance to

the enemies of the other.

ARTICLE II.—At the request of his highness, the British government

engages to require and to use its influence to effect the removal of

Syfful Allum from his highness’s territories, and the British government

further engage to prohibit him or any of his family, as far as they may

be subject to their authority, from doing or committing in future any act

or acts, tending to prevent or impede the full re-establishment of his

highness’s authority. His highness the king engaging himself to place at

the disposal of the supreme government of British India, such pension or

annuity, as it may, in its wisdom, deem meet to recommend for the said

Syfful Allum, on the condition of his retiring to Penang, and engaging to

relinquish all claims to the sovereignty of Acheen, within three months

from the date hereof.

ARTICLE III.—His highness the king grants to the British government the

free trade of all his ports, and engages that the duties on merchandise,

levied at those ports, shall be fixed and declared, and shall also be

paid by the resident merchant. His highness likewise engages not to

grant or authorize a monopoly of the produce of his states by any person

whatever.

ARTICLE IV.—His highness engages, whenever the British Government may

desire it, to receive and protect an accredited agent of the British

government, with a suitable establishment, who shall be permitted to

reside at his highness’s court, for the purpose of conducting the affairs

of the Honourable Company.

ARTICLE V.—In consideration of the injury which might result to the

British trade from its exclusion from the ports of his highness’s

states, not at present subject to his authority,—his highness agrees and

consents that the ships and vessels of Great Britain shall continue their

commercial intercourse with the ports of Acheen and Tullasamoy, in the

same manner as heretofore, unless a temporary blockade of these ports, or

either of them, shall at any time be established by and with the consent

of the British government, or resident authority.

It is clearly understood, however, by the contracting parties, that no

warlike stores or arms of any kind shall be furnished, given, or sold, to

any of his highness’s rebellious subjects, by the vessels so trading to

the aforesaid ports, under penalty of confiscation of ship and cargo.

ARTICLE VI.—His highness Sri, Sultan, Alla, Iddeen, Jowhara, Allum,

Shah, agrees, promises, and engages himself, his heirs, and successors,

to exclude the subjects of every other European power, and likewise

all Americans, from a fixed habitation or residence in his dominions;

he also engages not to enter into any negotiations, or to conclude any

treaty, with any power, prince, or potentate whatsoever, unless with the

knowledge and consent of the British government.

ARTICLE VII.—His highness engages not to permit the residence, in his

dominions, of any British subject to whom the resident agent shall offer

any objections.

ARTICLE VIII.—The British government agrees to give and furnish to

his highness, without delay, all the arms and military stores which

are detailed in the paper appended to this treaty, and signed by his

highness. (Arms and military stores; gunpowder, forty barrels; four

hundred muskets; grape and round shot; four hundred musket balls, &c.

&c.; cash, Spanish dollars, fifty thousand.) The British government

agrees to advance to his highness the sum of money, therein mentioned, as

a temporary loan to be repaid by his highness at his earliest convenience.

ARTICLE IX.—This treaty, consisting of nine Articles, has this day been

concluded, subject to the ratification of the governor-general, within

six months from the date hereof; but it is to be understood that the

several provisions herein contained may be carried into immediate effect,

without awaiting the said ratification.

Done at Sirduli, near Pedir, in the country of Acheen, on the 22nd day of

April, in the year of our Lord, 1819; corresponding with the year of the

Hegira, 1234, and the 26th day of Jemadil Akir.

(Company’s seal.)

Signed,

T. S. RAFFLES. (Seal.)

JOHN MONCKTON COMBS. (Seal.)

FOOTNOTES

[1] See Appendix A, at the end of the volume.

[2] One of the merchants, a Moorman, named _Mahomet Monsour_, engaged,

if a ship was brought next season to Sawang, (a village further to the

eastward) to deliver on board six thousand peculs of the Areka-nut in the

space of eight days.

[3] Pungarang is the title of prince.

[4] I understand that no arms or warlike stores are permitted to be

exported for Penang, or any other of our settlements for this coast; if

the Acheenese king requires any, he sends a requisition to the government

of Penang, who supplies him at fifteen per cent. above the cost price, to

cover the expenses of freight, &c.

[5] Most of the country vessels that visit the coast have native

supercargoes, as they effect much better bargains with the native

merchants upon the coast than Europeans.

[6] I have before stated, that the heat generated by a cargo of the

Areka-nut is excessive. I recollect the carpenter of a ship, when

desirous of bending some wood, placing it under the main hatch, among

the nuts; in a few minutes it was sufficiently steamed for its intended

purpose; after a fortnight or three weeks the heat is materially

moderated.

[7] A number of vessels from Penang come for the nut at this season, to

take it to that settlement in time for the Indiamen, who purchase it for

the China market.

[8] Abel’s China, 4to. p. 59.

[9] Abel’s China, 4to. pp. 60, 61.

[10] The definition of this harbour in the Chinese language is as

follows:—

Kum, Sing, Moon,

Gold, Star, Gate.

“Gold Star” among the Chinese is the planet Mars, so that this place is

named _Margate_.

[11] White porpoises, slightly tinged with pink, are frequently seen

tumbling about in the “moons” and sea in the vicinity.

[12] At one time, during a rebellion in China, the emperor’s troops lost

courage, (which to us must appear a wonderful event among Chinese,) and

would not proceed against the rebels: this called forth from the emperor

the following public rebuke:—“The emperor rebukes very sharply all the

governors of the Chih-sang provinces, from which authority emanates, on

account of their negligence in attending to the state of the military

under their jurisdiction. He makes particular mention of the prevalent

use of opium among the Canton military, and of the misconduct of the Ho,

nan troops on their road to Fuh, keen.”—_Canton Register_, No. 13, 14,

16th Sept 1833.

[13] No individuals, except Portuguese, or naturalized Portuguese, are

permitted to be owners of houses at Macao.

[14] The name _Kaki_ is said to be Japanese; this fruit is not so named

by the Chinese.

[15] I had models of the two kinds just mentioned, executed with great

accuracy by a Chinese. The imitations of the fruit were modelled from

clay, and accurately coloured afterwards according to nature.

[16] It is curious that Linnæus, by bestowing upon this bird the specific

name of _Apoda_, or without feet, should have credited the assertion that

it was so.

[17] Made from the milky juice yielded by the trunk of the Sukun, or

bread-fruit tree.

[18] Forrest’s Voyage to New Guinea, &c., pp. 134-137.

[19] It has been stated, that during flight they cry like starlings.

[20] Pigafetta says, in his relation of Magellan’s voyage round the

world, that in the island of Bachian, (one of the Molucca islands,) a

species of bird, of exquisite beauty, was found, which the natives called

“the bird of God,” saying it came from Paradise.

[21] Kai usually expresses any birds of the gallinaceous tribe.

[22] In the common Canton dialect, Kum signifies gold; but in the

Mandarin dialect, Kin is the name for gold; so that this bird is named

both Kum, kai, and Kin, kai.

[23] The brilliancy of the Chinese colours for painting, &c. has often

been very highly extolled as being superior to the European. What

surprise must it create, then, when we are informed that the colours used

are of English manufacture, and the Chinese artists are eager for, and

anxiously inquire after, them. This reminds me of the gross ignorance

frequently displayed by our countrymen in foreign countries,—purchasing

English articles abroad at a high price as foreign manufacture, and as

unattainable in their native land. It was mentioned as a fact, that a

person purchased an elegant London clock in a shop at Canton, at a high

price, to take to England as a specimen of China manufacture. Do not we

see these follies committed by our countrymen almost every day at Paris?

[24] In Griffiths’ _Animal Kingdom_, vol. viii. p. 275. Aves, this bird

is mentioned as being “distinguished by its brilliant plumage; but it

wants the elegant shape which distinguishes the true Columbæ. It remains

by preference _generally on the ground_. It runs with great celerity,

_and constructs its nest like a partridge_. _It never perches, except to

pass the night._ Its cooing is hoarse and dull.”

[25] Sweet potatoes are recommended as a good sea-stock for the purpose

of feeding pigeons, birds of paradise, parrots, &c., as a variety of

food on board a ship, as those birds often require fruit as a change of

diet, which it is found impossible to keep on board during a long voyage;

this root, therefore, given to them, either in a raw or boiled state,

perfectly serves as a substitute.

[26] Mr. Beale assured me that for four years he has been endeavouring to

get specimens of this shrub to England, but as yet without success, they

having all perished on the passage.

[27] There were also some splendid large varieties of the _Hibiscus rosa

chinensis_, of different tints; and the beautiful _Hibiscus mutabilis_

changes its blossoms, after their expansion, from a white to a beautiful

rose colour. The celebrated Mou-tan, or Peony, of China, I was told was

merely a very large and splendid variety of the _Hibiscus rosa chinensis_.

[28] Besides the unequalled living collection of birds, &c., in the

possession of this gentleman, his portfolios are stocked with a large and

valuable collection of beautiful and correct drawings by Chinese artists,

from nature, of birds, fish, plants, &c. indigenous to China and the

eastern islands.

[29] The specimen to which I allude is named by the Spaniards _Triste de

Corazon_, or Sorrow of the Heart; when dried and kept in that state for

any length of time, and afterwards placed in water, (even after several

years have elapsed,) its foliage expands, and reassumes a partial verdant

appearance.

[30] Abel’s China, 4to. pp. 121, 122.

[31] I have several specimens of the pith, and one specimen I saw, nearly

an inch in diameter, was hollow in the centre.

[32] Mr. Beale is making great efforts to procure both seeds and young

plants, of the above-mentioned plants, and there is some expectation of

success.

[33] Chu, signifying pig; long, basket; and tzo, grass.

[34] We passed close to Tiger Island, with its lofty and rounded summits

of hills. There is a heavily-mounted stone fort upon this island, but not

in a commanding situation. There is no appearance of cultivation upon

the island; but it is verdant from a quantity of fern-brake and numerous

stunted shrubs, &c. scattered about, which serve to give some animation

to it.

[35] Several pagodas are seen erected upon elevated situations at certain

distances up the river to Canton, and even beyond. Looking from the

terrace of the Honourable East India Company’s factory, it was observed,

that they formed a line of watch-towers, and signals of lights from

them could pass with rapidity from one to the other, forming excellent

means of telegraphic communication, and, from their extending at certain

distances up the river as far as the eye could reach, they are no doubt

intended for that purpose.

[36] Named Old and New China Streets.

[37] There is another place much frequented by European visitors, called

“Carpenter Square,” which is confined for the most part to upholsterers,

trunkmakers, &c. Here the camphor wood trunks are purchased, the majority

of which, sold to strangers as such, are merely made from common wood,

rubbed over with camphorated oil.

[38] If larger, but not rotten, in the heart, and also of good quality,

it will be cut into pieces of the above-mentioned size, and rounded.

[39] The sandal-wood brought from the Bonin Islands, I am informed, is of

a very excellent quality.

[40] The wood is frequently buried, and the sap allowed to rot off; and

this is considered to improve its quality.

[41] See Notices concerning China, published at Malacca in 1823, p. 10.

[42] It was in the rooms of the chief priest at this temple that Lord

Amherst’s embassy was lodged.

[43] The situation of this temple is near the inner harbour of Macao,

and of a romantic and highly beautiful character. An image of a lion

decorates each side of the granite steps, carved out of the same kind

of stone, having a ball carved in their mouths, every attempt to take

out, which is found to be in vain, puzzling many; (like the curious and

elegant ivory balls, carved one within the other;) there are also several

groups of figures beautifully carved in granite in basso relievo. On

entering, neat winding, and tastefully-executed granite steps, lead from

little temples to other recesses for idol worship, amongst natural groups

of granite rocks, piled one upon the other, as if by the fabled giants

of old during their warfare; huge trees, bending in various fantastic

forms, overhang the temples, and cast a silence and gloom over this place

devoted to pagan worship,—a place, however, well calculated to produce

awe in the human mind, and to bind either still closer the fetters of

bigotry, or, if it had been selected as the place of a truer worship,

to cause the mind in this retired spot to commune more closely with its

Creator. This spot, so beautiful, so delightful to behold, would form

an elegant and valuable embellishment for one of our English annuals. I

saw an accurate and delightful sketch of this religious spot taken by

Chinnery, and a painting, half-finished, from that sketch, which even

in that state reminded me of the original. I hope that talented artist

will complete and send it home, so that an engraving may recall it to the

memory of those who have seen, but may be now remote from its beauties.

[44] In September 1833, the floods of the river were so great, as to

cause a considerable loss of lives and property. All business at Canton

was transacted in boats, and the poorer class of people suffered much

distress through a great part of China in consequence.

[45] “The Lappa, in Chinese, Tuy, meen, shan, is a small island opposite

to Macao, forming the western side of the inner harbour. It affords room

for a pleasant variety in walk and scene occasionally.”—_Morrisons Comp.

to Angl. Chin. Kalendar_, 1832.

[46] Shan signifies hill; and tchong the pine tree.

[47] So named by the Portuguese, after a picturesque spot of the same

name, near the city of Lisbon.

[48] This island is of an elliptical form, and is said to be about

twenty-seven miles in its greatest length, and containing an estimated

area of about two hundred and seventy square miles. The latitude of

Singapore flag-staff is in 1° 17′ 22″ north, and longitude 103° 51′ 45″

east.

Singapoor is derived from Sing-gah, signifying to call or touch at, bait,

stop by the way, and Poor, a village, (generally fortified,) a town,

&c. (Marsden’s Malay Dictionary.) It is considered at this island, or

rather at this part of the island where the town is now situated, (the

name, however, has been given by Europeans to the whole island,) there

was formerly a village, inhabited principally by fishermen. The Malays,

who traded from the eastward to Malacca, and other of the ports to the

westward, touched at this place. Singa also signifies a lion, (known by

name only in the Malay countries,) from which the name of the island has

been (no doubt erroneously) supposed to be derived.

[49] Kampong Glam, near Singapore, has its name derived, it is said, from

Kampong, signifying a village, and Glam, the name of a particular kind of

tree.

[50] Crawford’s Embassy to Siam and Cochin China, 4to. pp. 565 to 567.

[51] Blackan Mattee is derived from the Malay word “Blackan,” behind; and

Mattee, dead or lost: it was supposed to be so named, because the hill,

when this place was resorted to by pirates, concealed them from the view

of the settlement or village—the present town. The explanation, however,

of the name is not very satisfactory.

[52] The sugar-cane is cultivated to a very limited extent, and the canes

I inspected were of very fine size and quality; they are only used,

however, for edible purposes, no sugar being as yet manufactured from

them.

[53] When the barking noise was made, the lips were pursed out, and the

air driven into the sac, at the same time that the sound was uttered, the

lower jaw was also a little protruded.

[54] The account of the orang-utan, given by Dr. Abel, in the _Narrative

of a Journey in the Interior of China_, accords with the habits of this

animal, and the comparison is very interesting.

[55] “Hanno sailed from Sierra Leone southerly to the equinox, where

he discovered an island, not far from the African coast, inhabited by

a rough and hairy people, to take one of whom, he used all possible

means, but could not: only two _women_, being encompassed by soldiers,

were taken and carried aboard; but being very savage, and barbarously

wild, could not be tamed, or brought to any complacency; so they killed

them, and carried their stuffed-up skins to Carthage, where they were a

long time gazed upon with _great admiration_. This island, which Hanno

then found, can be no other but that which we call St. Thomas; and

the hairy people which he makes mention of were babeons, or baboons,

which Africa, in this place, breeds large, to the amazement of the

beholders.”—_Ogilby’s America_, p. 20.

[56] I have heard that the natives of Terra del Fuego, who were lately

brought to England, when they arrived in the hot latitudes, would lie

down and roll about the decks of the ship which conveyed them from their

native land, exclaiming, “Why they had been brought into this fiery

country?”

[57] The ape and monkey tribe, although approaching so near the human

race in external appearance, as well as in its omnivorous habits of

diet, still differs materially in not being able to sustain a change of

climate; nor is it readily inured to a cold climate, if a native of the

tropical regions.

[58] The lungs in the orang-utan are entire on each side, and not divided

into lobes. See my friend Mr. Owen’s Dissection of the Orang-utan, in No.

I. of the _Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London_.

[59] A portion of the ulcerated intestine has been deposited in the

Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

[60] The larynx and appendages have been deposited in the Museum of the

Royal College of Surgeons in London.

[61] Lyell’s Principles of Geology, vol. ii. p. 15.

[62] The other Camphor-trees are principally of the genus _Laurus_.

[63] See my observations on the Kayu-puteh-oil, vol. i. p. 166.

[64] Ladies visiting their friends on the opposite side of the creek are

obliged to stop the carriage on one side of the bridge and walk across,

at the risk of deranging their curls by the breezes, or injuring the

fairness of their complexions by the fervent rays of a tropical sun. And

besides, they must have a conveyance in waiting on the opposite side to

take them to the place they may be desirous of visiting. When so much—in

splendid mansions and other improvements to the settlement—has been done

by private merchants, it is to be regretted that a new bridge for the

convenience of the settlement has been so long deferred by the government.

[65] The Gambir extract has been sent to England to be tried as a mordant

for dying, or to be used in the tanning of leather, the extract having

been found to contain a very large proportion of tannin. I know not what

may have been the result of the experiment.

[66] There are some, but very few pepper plantations upon the island,

without a Gambir boiling-house being near them; but although those

without the benefit of having the boiled Gambir-leaves strewed over the

soil, look well, still the planters say, that the pepper produced by the

vines, is neither prolific, nor of so fine a quality.

[67] As, on a former occasion, I had some doubt whether the shrub

was monoecious or dioecious, I took another opportunity of making my

examinations; the result of which was, that although a great many of the

shrubs had male and female flowers on separate trees, yet a few had both

male and female on the same tree.

[68] One Chinese proprietor of a Gambir manufactory said, he could make

half a pecul of the extract daily. The baskets for packing the Gambir

when ready for sale, are made from a common kind of rattan, found in the

jungle.

[69] Since the above was in the hands of the printer, I understand that

the Calcutta government have taken into consideration the subject of

quit-rents, and that more judicious regulations have been instituted;

so it may be hoped that the rising prosperity of the settlement will no

longer be impeded.

[70] The Malays at Singapore, in the employ of Europeans, often use

the flowers of this shrub for cleansing shoes, by rubbing them with

the petals of the flowers, which contain a quantity of purplish black

astringent juice. After rubbing them over the shoes, they polish the

latter by aid of a brush; it certainly prevents the white dresses,

usually worn in eastern climates, from being sullied by the shoes, which

often happens when blacking has been used; this is probably the cause of

its being called the _shoe-flower_ by Europeans.

[71] Rumphius says that the natives of Amboyna were unwilling to bring

him specimens of the plants from the mountains, from the full persuasion,

that if the appendages were gathered and emptied of water, heavy rain

would overtake them before their return. In conformity with the same

belief, when suffering from a long drought, they pour the water from

all the appendages they can find, satisfied that the ceremony will be

followed by a change of weather. Such belief is curiously contrasted

with their notions of the medicinal properties of the water contained

in them, which they believe an infallible specific for incontinence of

urine.—_Rumph. cit. in Abel’s China_, pp. 340, 341.

[72] “At Amboyna,” says Labillardiere, “the natives contrive to procure

threads from the bastard aloe, called _Agave vivipara_: the master of the

house went and cut a branch of this plant, and resting it on its thigh

in order to scrape it with his large knife, and take off its pulp, he

obtained from it a fascicle of threads as long as the leaf, and as strong

as those of our best hemp.”

[73] From the expense attending labour, as well as its scarcity in this

settlement, the pine-apple fibre could not be prepared at present under

thirty-eight or forty dollars the pecul; but in Penang, or other places,

where labour is cheap, and, as in the preparation of this article, women

and children may be employed, the expense attending it would hardly

exceed ten dollars per pecul.

[74] Situated at Teluk-ayer, (teluk, bay; and ayer, water).

[75] There is a very coarse granulated sago in large grains, and of a

dirty greyish colour, which is imported by the native boats from Borneo,

and is used at this settlement during a scarcity of rice by the poorer

class of people.

[76] In the list of imports published in the Singapore Chronicle, the

raw sago is usually designated as sago tamping, (tamping signifying a

package, from the raw sago, being always imported wrapt in the leaves

of the Pandanus tree;) it is imported in this country by fleets of ten

boats, or even more, having to the amount of twenty thousand tampings or

packages on board; the packages vary in weight, some weighing more and

some less to the pecul.

[77] “In the language of the western countries of the Archipelago, the

tree is named according to the idiom of the pronunciation of the people,

Mangkudu, Bangkudu, or Wangkudu; the three initial consonants in these

cases being commutable and very arbitrarily used.”—_Crawford’s Indian

Archipelago._

[78] Sandal-wood oil is also regarded as a never-failing specific for

this very troublesome eruptive disease.—I am inclined to consider that

more efficacy is stated to be possessed by the _Cassia alata_ than can be

justified by actual experience, with regard to the ring-worm; for I have,

since writing the above, been informed that it had often been tried upon

cases at Singapore for nearly a month, without any decidedly good effect

resulting from its use, although the disease had been evidently mitigated

by its application: it might certainly be more efficacious if used simply

bruised, without the addition of lime-juice and salt, which latter is the

mode of application adopted; but the addition of the latter articles is

regarded as tending to increase its efficacy in the disease.

[79] Forrest’s New Guinea, p. 74. 4to. 1780.

[80] At noon of the day the bird died, we were in lat. 22° 58′ south,

long. 67° 0′ east.

[81] I have preserved the whole of the alimentary canal from the

œsophagus to the rectum, (including the distended gizzard left unopened,)

in an entire state in spirits. The liver, ovaries, and trachea, I have

also preserved in a similar manner, and presented to the Royal College of

Surgeons, in London.

[82] Some of the fir-trees in the plantations we passed had a very

peculiar appearance, from the trunk and branches being covered by a

dark-red lichen, which gave them the appearance of being painted.

[83] As the willows require much moisture, they are carefully watered

every morning and evening by the soldier who attends and has charge of

the place.

[84] Which is at present occupied by the governor, the former residence,

Plantation-house, being found in a very unhealthy situation.

[85] After the revolution at Paris, in 1830, and the tri-coloured banner

had again waved over the towers of France, when the first French ship

arrived at St. Helena, with that revolutionary standard at her gaff, her

commander and crew visiting the tomb, placed a tri-coloured cockade upon

it, glorying in “restoring to him his colours, under which he had so

often led the French nation to victory, and which ensign was again the

emblem of liberty to France.”

[86] The want of rain for the plantations appears to be much needed; but

next month heavy rain is expected to fall.

[87] A large gannet was seen flying about the ship on the afternoon of

the previous day, indicating a near approach to land: we were at that

time about ninety miles distant from the island.

[88] Three lazy frigate-birds, too indolent to fish for themselves, were

seen, pursuing an unfortunate sea-swallow, which had probably succeeded

in capturing a fish. It is usual for these birds to pursue the gannets,

and others, when returning from their fishing excursions, compelling them

to disgorge their fish.

[89] Blumenbach’s Comparative Anatomy, by Lawrence and Coulson, page 76.

[90] The shark is more wary of taking the bait when unaccompanied by

the pilot-fish; it will then approach, and retire, several times before

it ventures to seize it; but when the little pilot is in company it

will first approach the bait, (the shark waiting at some distance,) and

return, as if to report; when the shark advances and seizes the bait

without hesitation: this I have remarked in numerous instances.

[91] Being at first stationary, and of a dark colour, a ship passing it

rapidly might have considered it as one, and reported accordingly, and

such a circumstance has no doubt caused many rocks to be laid down in the

charts which have actually no existence.

[92] In one of the fabulous legends of the natives of the Island of

Tahiti, their island is represented “as having been a shark, originally

from Raitea. Matarafau, in the east, was the head; and a place near Faaa,

on the west, was the tail; the large lake Vaihiria was the ventricles

or gills; while the lofty Orehena, the highest mountain in the island,

probably six or seven thousand feet above the sea, was regarded as

its dorsal fin; and its ventral fin was Matavai.”—_Ellis’s Polynesian

Researches_, vol. i. page 167.

[93] I am informed by Mr. William Holderness, that in the month of

October, 1828, when on a voyage from Guayaquil and Lima, in the brig

Bolivar, E. Bransfield, R. N., commander, having heard rumours of war

in Europe, they touched at Pernambuco, to ascertain its correctness,

and left the next day, carrying the south-east trade to about 12° north

latitude. After a few days calm, they got fine breezes from south-west,

which carried them across the usual limits of the north-east trade, and

then had nothing but light north-east winds until they reached Gibraltar.

[94] Greville’s Algæ Britannicæ, 8vo.—The figure of the _Sargassum

vulgare_ in this work is coloured far too dark, and does not seem to have

been done from a recent specimen.

[95] The generic name is derived from _Sargaço_, or _Sargazo_, the

Spanish name for the masses of sea-weed found floating on the surface of

the ocean.

[96] Greville’s Algæ Britannicæ, 8vo. 1830. Introd. p. xii.

[97] Osbeck mentions, that, if prepared with vinegar, it furnishes an

excellent pickle; and Rumphius, according to Mr. Turner, relates, that,

in the East, salads are made of it, as well as other Algæ. It is also

eaten in Chili.—_Greville’s Algæ Britannicæ_, 8vo. 1830, p. 2.

[98] Vide Labillardiere’s Voyages, vol. i. p. 334.

[99] The fronds of the palms every year throw off those of the year

preceding, and it is the bases of the old fronds that form the rough bark.

[100] Lindley’s Nat. Syst. of Botany.

[101] Artocarpus integrifolia, Linn.

[102] Caryota urens.

[103] Generally of Bignonia indica, Tabernæmontana, Jasminum odoratum,

and zeylanicum and luteum; Polyanthes tuberosa, Nyctanthes arbor tristis,

Michelia champaca, Nerium odoratissimum, Mimosa arabica, and Lawsonia

inermis.

[104] In worship of Budhoo, and acknowledgment of his being the

Omniscient.

[105] A liberty is here taken with the tradition, blue and green being

synonymous in Singalese, (Nil-pata.)

[106] Supposed to be derived from a Tamul word, _bodhi_, which signifies

_wisdom_. The present object of Singalese worship is the fourth Budhoo,

called Goutama Budha Arkabandoo, or descendant from the sun.

[107] Considered by many learned Indians an incarnation of Vishnu, and

his religion to be founded on that of Brahma.

[108] Brahmata-Brahma, a name of Budhoo.

[109] Anadewara, also a name of Budhoo.

[110] Native drums; of which there are four kinds, generally made of

jack-wood, and covered with deer-skin, from which the hair has been

previously removed. It is laid on in a wet state, and dried in the sun.

[111] The Singalese language has no signification for brown, reddish,

orange-coloured, scarlet, or pink, which are all expressed by the

monosyllable “rat,” red.

[112] “Samanta-chacksa,” covered with eyes.

[113] The green cocoa-nut, called in Singalese, Koroomba.

[114] Probably the Manis, commonly called Negombo Devil.

[115] “Kandi,” high, lofty, mountainous.

[116] The Cocos is a name said to be taken from the Portuguese coco, or

coquin, the three holes at the end of the cocoa-nut shell, giving it some

resemblance to a monkey’s head.

[117] This palm is rarely, or never, seen growing straight; it has

usually, when full, or nearly full, grown, an inclination in one

direction or another.

[118] “The cocoa-nut tree, on the sea-shore, is certainly larger and more

productive than in the interior of Ceylon. In the former situation it

frequently grows to the height of one hundred feet. Its flourishing most

in this situation, and close to the dwellings of the natives, is probably

connected with the circumstance, that its leaves, in a healthy state,

contain a very large portion of saline matter. The Singalese are well

aware of this: the washermen burn its leaves for the sake of its alkaline

ashes; and it is a common practice, in planting a cocoa-nut, to put a

little salt into the pit.”—_Davy’s Ceylon_, 4to. p. 355.

[119] The natives of Tonga give the cocoa-nut, when in the act of

germinating, the same appellation as the brain—“Uto.”

[120] A ludicrous mistake, I recollect, once occurred respecting this

word in one of the missionary letters sent to England; it was mentioned

that they preached to the natives in _topes_ of cocoa-nut trees:

this, when it appeared in one of the missionary journals, was printed

thus:—“they preached to the natives _on tops_ of cocoa-nut trees!!”

[121] The midribs of the leaves, tied together, form good brooms for the

decks of ships.

Formerly it was not unusual for the Tahitan females to produce abortion,

by using a midrib of the cocoa-nut leaflets as an instrument for the

purpose; but this crime is now, I am happy to say, very rare indeed, if

practised at all, in the present state of that splendid island.

[122] Baula, branches of cocoa-nut tree plaited, with which the houses

are thatched; they will last two or three years. The matting for the

floors, of similar plaited fronds, is called _Takapau_, or rather a

coarse kind of matting made from the young leaves, only used for covering

the floors of the houses; and the screens _Tatau_, at Tonga Islands.

[123] Ellis, vol. i. p. 52.

[124] The Singalese used the white young leaves in forming ornaments, in

a tasteful and elegant manner peculiar to themselves, on the occasion of

any festival, decorating arches, &c., in various picturesque forms of

crowns, flowers, &c. &c.

[125] Papalangi was applied to any thing foreign; we were Papalangis; our

cloth was Gnatoo papalangi; our rum Kava papalangi, &c.

[126] There is a kind of seam along the centre, exactly under the stem

of the leaf, from both sides of which long and tough fibres, about the

size of a bristle, regularly diverge in an oblique direction; sometimes

there appear to be two layers of fibres, which cross each other, and the

whole is cemented with a still finer, fibrous, and adhesive substance.

The length and evenness of the threads, or fibres, the regular manner in

which they cross each other at oblique angles, the extent of surface,

and the thickness of the piece, corresponding with that of coarse cotton

cloth, the singular manner in which the fibres are attached to each

other, cause this curious substance, woven in the loom of nature, to

present to the eye a remarkable resemblance to cloth spun and woven by

human ingenuity.—_Ellis_, vol. i. p. 53.

[127] This substance is also used for small bags.

[128] Lime prepared from burnt shells and coral.

[129] The shell of the Oua, or young cocoa-nut, is said to be used

medicinally by the Tahitans.

[130] Mission to Siam, page 290.

[131] The palm wine of Africa is procured in a similar manner, but I

believe from other species of palms.

[132] Formerly the toddy was supposed to be the sap of the tree drawn

from the branches. “The wine issues from the top of the tree, and

is procured thus:—They cut a _branch_, binding it hard, and hang

an earthen pot under the cut end, which they empty every morning

and evening.”—_Fitch’s Journey to India Overland, in 1583._ (Kerr’s

Collection of Voyages, vol. vii. p. 476.)

[133] The vinegar is thus prepared:—The toddy is collected in dry

weather, put into jars, and well covered. After a month the contents are

strained, and replaced in the same jars, with the addition of a little

Chili pepper, (_Capsicum frutescens_,) commonly called bird-pepper; a

small piece of Ghorkah, (fruit of the gamboge tree,) the red sort of

which is to be preferred, being most acid; and the pod of the horseradish

tree (_Hyperanthera moringa_). At the expiration of a month or five weeks

it becomes very excellent vinegar.

[134] From one inch to two inches in thickness.

[135] The Tahitans do not use the coir in the manufacture of large ropes;

for that purpose they use the bark of the _Hibiscus tiliaceus_, or Purau.

[136] Stewart’s South Seas, 1829, 1830, p. 175.

[137] Stewart’s South Seas, 1829, 1830, p. 177.

[138] Forrest’s Voyage to New Guinea, 4to. 1780, p. 96.

[139] It is said, if sheep have not bitter herbs in their pasturage, they

will not thrive.

[140] Description of the Island of Tristan d’Acunha, and its Natural

Productions.—_Linnean Trans._ vol. xii. 1818.

[141] These birds, when brought on board, seldom utter any sound, and

that which sometimes proceeds from them is a raucous but not a loud

sound. None of the oceanic birds seem to have a very loud note, that

of the tropic bird seems the most shrill; the Storm Petrel, or “Mother

Carey’s chicken,” has a pleasing twittering note.

[142] The wing has four joints, of which the second is the longest.

[143] It is difficult, indeed I should say impossible, to state correctly

the species of Albatross seen during flight, particularly by the plumage,

as, at one time, in a certain position, the appearance is different from

that which it assumes, almost immediately afterwards, in another.

[144] Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, June 25th, 1833.

[145] Abel’s Narrative of a Journey in China, &c. &c. 4to. p. 251.

[146] Finlayson’s Journal of a Mission to Siam, &c. pp. 86, 87.

[147] Vol. i. p. 143. 8vo. Edit.

[148] Vol. i. page 309, 8vo. edition.

[149] See published proceedings of the Zoological Society, No. 6, June

25th, 1833.

THE END.

LONDON:

IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY-STREET, STRAND.