should exalt the enthusiasm of their sailors, whilst it increases
their number and efficiency. I may add here that to attain the
last-mentioned end the English Government compels each ship which sails
for these regions, and above all for New Zealand, to carry a certain
number of young men below 19 years of age, who return from these voyages
only after having obtained a very valuable endowment of experience.

(13) The temperature and salubriousness of the country will enable it to
look after a very large number of soldiers who used to be incapacitated
every year by the burning heat of Asia.

(14) The abundance of the flocks, and the superiority of their wool, will
furnish an immense quantity of excellent material to the national
manufactures, already superior to those of the rest of Europe.

(15) The cultivation of hemp and vines gives cause to the English to hope
that before very long they will be freed from the large tribute which
they now pay for the first-named to all the Powers of the north of
Europe, and for the second to Portugal, France and Spain.

(16) I will not discuss with you some substances indigenous to the
country which are already in use, whether in medicine, or in the arts--of
eucalyptus gum, for example, which is at once astringent and tonic to a
very high degree, and is likely soon to become one of our most energetic
drugs. Nor will I say much about the resin furnished by the tree which
the English mis-name gourmier,* (* Note 35: Peron's word.) a resin which
by reason of its hardness may become of very great value in the arts. It
will be sufficient to say, General, that I possess a native axe obtained
from the aboriginals of King George's Sound. It is nothing better than a
chip of very hard granite fastened to the end of a piece of wood, which
serves as a handle, by means of the resin to which I have referred. I
have shown it to several persons. It will rapidly split a wooden plank
and one can strike with all one's force, without in the least degree
injuring the resin. Though the edge of the stone has several times been
chipped, the resin always remained intact. I will say little of the fine
and abundant timber furnished by what is called the casuarina tree, and
by what the English improperly call the pear. This pear is what the
botanists term Xylomelum, and by reason of its extremely beautiful and
deep grain, and the fine polish which it is susceptible of receiving, it
appears to be superior to so