of the island are said to be those of George's Bay, which are
very large, and of an uncommonly fine flavour. The supply of these at
Clarence is now very limited, and not to be depended on always, which
may be probably to a difference in the season for growing them. This
deficiency has been in some measure remedied by the construction of a
government garden, from which some men of war have received supplies,
but these are not sufficient to supply the wants of the colony, and
recourse is had for them to the Calebar River.

Palm wine at the colony, as well as on the coast, is the common and
favourite drink of the natives. It is easily procured in any
quantity, and is used in either an unfermented state, when just fresh
from the tree, or after it has been kept some days. It seems
peculiarly intended by a bountiful providence for the untutored and
destitute Indian, who is unable to supply himself with those
beverages which are the result of art. The palm tree affords him a
pleasant drink, a valuable oil, a fruit from the nut, and besides
food, it furnishes him with a material to construct his hut, and is
always ready for any immediate purpose. The juice, which is called
"wine," is obtained by making a hole in the trunk of the tree, and
inserting a piece of the leaf into it, so as to form a spout; the
liquid flows through this, and is received in a calabash placed
beneath it, which probably holds two or three gallons, and will be
thus filled in the course of a day. It shortly assumes a milky
appearance, and is either used in this state, or preserved till it
acquires rather a bitter flavour. The produce of the palm tree, fish,
and yams, form the principal food of the natives; they devour monkeys
when they can get them.

This method of obtaining the juice of the palm tree is exactly
similar to that which is adopted by the Indians of North America,
with respect to the maple tree. A hole is made in the same manner in
the trunk of the tree, and a piece of birch bark inserted into it as
a spout, which, from its peculiar nature, answers the purpose
remarkably well. The juice of the maple instead of being preserved is
converted into sugar by evaporation. There are various sorts of
timber at Fernando Po, amongst which the African oak is very
plentiful, and particularly so in George's Bay, where it grows close
to the sea side; satin wood, ebony, lignum vitae, yellow cam wood, and
several sorts of mahogany, besides other wood of a ve