we call the _palm-cabbage_ is the very
substance of the head of the tree; which being cut off and divested of
its great spreading leaves, and all that is hard and tough, consists of
a white and tender young shoot or head, having its leaves and berries
perfectly formed, and ready to replace the old one. When in search of
these, we were forced to cut down a lofty tree for each individual
cabbage.

One good property of the woods which cover this island is, that they are
every where of easy access, as there is no undergrowth, except in some
of the deepest valleys, where the fern grows exceedingly high, and of
which there are very large trees, with trunks of considerable
solidity.[270] Some of the English who had been formerly here, had sowed
turnips, which have spread much, as have also two or three plantations
of small pompions; but my men never had patience to let any of these
come to maturity. We found also plenty of water-cresses and wild sorrel.
Some of the hills are remarkable for a fine red earth, which I take to
be the same with that of which the inhabitants of Chili make their
earthenware, which is almost as beautiful as the red porcelain of China.
The northern part of the island is well watered by a great many streams
which flow down the narrow valleys; and we found the water to keep well
at sea, and to be as good as any in the world. Down the western peak,
contiguous to the Table Mountain, there fall two cascades from a
perpendicular height of not less than 500 feet. These are close
together, and about 12 feet broad. What with the rapid descent of these
streams, and the numerous palm-trees growing close beside them, adorned
with vast clusters of red berries, the prospect is really beautiful. We
should have had no want of goats, could we have conveniently followed
them in the mountains. The Spaniards, before they settled in Chili, left
a breed of goats here, and have since endeavoured to destroy them, by
leaving a breed of dogs, but without effect. Cats are also very
numerous, exactly resembling our household cats in size and colour; and
those of our men who eat of them, assured me they found more substantial
relief from one meal of their flesh, than from four or five of seal or
fish; and, to their great satisfaction, we had a small bitch, which,
could catch almost any number they wanted in an hour. There are not many
sorts of birds; but the sea on the coast abounds with a greater variety
of fish than almost any