turally produces hardly anything fit for Man to eat, and the Natives
know nothing of Cultivation. There are, indeed, growing wild in the wood
a few sorts of Fruit (the most of them unknown to us), which when ripe do
not eat amiss, one sort especially, which we called Apples, being about
the size of a Crab Apple it is black and pulpey when ripe, and tastes
like a Damson; it hath a large hard stone or Kernel, and grows on Trees
or Shrubs.* (* The Black Apple, or Sapota Australis.)

In the Northern parts of the Country, as about Endeavour River, and
probably in many other places, the Boggy or watery Lands produce Taara or
Cocos,* (* A species of Taro, Colocasia macrorhiza.) which, when properly
cultivated, are very good roots, without which they are hardly eatable;
the Tops, however, make very good greens.

Land Animals are scarce, so far as we know confin'd to a very few
species; all that we saw I have before mentioned. The sort which is in
the greatest Plenty is the Kangooroo or Kanguru, so called by the
Natives; we saw a good many of them about Endeavour River, but kill'd
only 3, which we found very good Eating. Here are likewise Lizards,
Snakes, Scorpions, Centapees, etc., but not in any plenty. Tame Animals
they have none but Dogs, and of these we saw but one, and therefore must
be very scarce, probably they eat them faster than they breed them; we
should not have seen this one had he not made us frequent Visits while we
lay in Endeavour River.

The land Fowls are Bustards, Eagles, Hawks, Crows, such as we have in
England, Cockatoes of 2 sorts, White and Brown, very beautiful Birds of
the Parrot kind, such as Lorryquets, etc., Pidgeons, Doves, Quails, and
several sorts of smaller birds. The Sea and Water Fowls are Herons,
Boobies, Noddies, Guls, Curlews, Ducks, Pelicans, etc., and when Mr.
Banks and Mr. Gore where in the Country, at the head of Endeavour River,
they saw and heard in the Night great numbers of Geese. The Sea is
indifferently well stocked with fish of Various sorts, such as Sharks,
Dog-fish, Rockfish, Mullets, Breams, Cavallies, Mack'rel, old wives,
Leather Jackets, Five Fingers,* (* Old wives are Enoploxus Armatus;
Leather jackets, Monacanthus; Five fingers, Chilodactylus.) Sting rays,
Whip rays, etc., all excellent in their kind. The Shell fish are Oysters
of 3 or 4 sorts, viz., Rock Oysters and Mangrove Oysters, which are
small, Pearl Oysters and Mud Oysters; these last are the best and Largest
I e