approach so near each other, as to leave only a passage at high water for
boats. The most convenient place for watering is at a beach on the eastern
side, where there is a small stream which furnished us with fourteen or
fifteen tons of water a day.

This island, both with respect to animal and vegetable productions, is
considerably improved since the time when Dampier visited it. Neither that
writer, nor the compiler of the East India Directory, make mention of any
other quadrupeds than hogs, which are said to be very scarce, lizards, and
the guanoes; and the latter, on the authority of Monsieur Dedier, a French
engineer, who surveyed the island about the year 1720, says, that none of
the fruits and esculent plants, so common in the other parts of India, are
to be found here, except water-melons, a few potatoes, small gourds,
_chibbolds_, (a small species of onion,) and little black beans. At
present, besides the buffaloes, of which we understood there were several
large herds, we purchased from the natives some remarkably fine fat hogs,
of the Chinese breed. They brought us three or four of a wild sort; and our
sportsmen reported, that they frequently met with their tracks in the
woods, which also abound with monkies and squirrels, but so shy, that it
was difficult to shoot them. One species of the squirrel was of a beautiful
shining black colour; and another species striped brown and white. This is
called the flying-squirrel, from being provided with a thin membrane,
resembling a bat's wing, extended on each side the belly, from the neck to
the thighs; which, on stretching out their legs, spreads and enables them
to fly from tree to tree, at a considerable distance. Lizards were in great
abundance; but I do not know that any of us saw the guano, and another
animal described by Dampier[111] as resembling the guano, only much larger.

Amongst its vegetable improvements, I have already mentioned the fields of
rice we passed through; and plantains, various kinds of pompions, cocoa-
nuts, oranges, shaddocks, and pomegranates, were also met with; though,
except the plantains and shaddocks, in no great abundance.

It is probable, from what has been already said, relative to the Bishop of
Adran, that the French have introduced these improvements into the island,
for the purpose of making it a more convenient refreshing station for any
of their ships that may be bound for Cambodia, or Cochin China. Should they
have made, or i