The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature by Tobias George Smollett

Author:Tobias George Smollett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Books LLC

froup, and returned in the autumn of 1786, to reach India in ebruary 17 7; and have, in this voyage, determined the situation of more than fifty places on a coast almost wholly unknown; we suppose from California to the sixtieth degree of north latitude. They reached India in safety, on the first of January 1787; and M. Dusresne, one of the supercargoes, is returned from Macao, on account of his health: he fays, that they procured some beautiful furs from the natives of Cook's river. The voyagers are returned to the North, and may be expected about the end of this year. \

Of the discoveries of the voyagers in natural history, we have received some very exact accounts from M, de la Martiniere, in a letter, dated Macao, on the 9th of January 1787, From this letter, which we cannot translate in detail, we sliall make extracts of some passages which appear most interesting.

Among the plants of Madeira, he mentions the Draccenia Draco, as now very scarce. 'The idea,' says he, * which we form of it, from the insignificant specimens in our hot-houses, is greatly inferior to what we feel when we examine it in its own country. I have seen at least three; each of whose trunks were from fix to seven feet, in height, and their diameter from four and a half to five feet. The principal branches, which were from twelveto fifteen, and of the size of a man, Were sent off obliquely a Kttle from the trunk; and, dividing into two lesser branches, rarely into three, rose'to the height of from forty to fifty feet, including the length of the trunk.—The leaves were fixed to the 'extremity of the branches, placed alternately, forming a little parcel. The whole tree is so regular, that it seems to have been trimmed by the constant cure of a gardener.' In the island of Teneriffe, from the port of Orators to the last cone of the peak, M. de la Maitiniere observed five different kinds of vegetation: this difference is owing, he thinks, to the greater or less decomposition of basaltss, which necessarily return to the state of vegetable earth: he was not, therefore, surprised to see the plain of the Oratora entirely covered with vines and fruit-trees, since the rains and melted snows fertilised the earth, and fit it tor vegetation.

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