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APPENDIX.

Mr. Afze

of the natural productions.

NOTE A A.

792. At § 525, I fignified my intention of inferting in this Appendix, the "Sublius's account ftance of two Reports" from Mr. Afzelius, fubjoined to the Report of the Directors; but interesting materials have so unexpectedly multiplied on my hands, that I find I can only afford room for the following Abridgment of an Account of the Natural Productions of S. Leona *.

Oxen & affes.

Sheep, goats, hogs.

Antelopes, &c.

Lions, &c.

Japanzee.

ANIMALS.

793. Cattle thrive well, and even grow fat, but not fo commonly as in Europe. A number of bulls, oxen and cows graze in the favannahs.-Some few affes, fent to the colony, are used in labour, and do not fuffer by the climate; but are not equal to mules.

794. Sheep change their wool into hair. They fuffer from the heat, are commonly lean, and do not increase much. But goats and hogs are very prolific, and as fine and large as in any other countries. The colony is fufficiently stocked with these animals.

795. Porcupines, wild hogs, fquirrels and antelopes, may also be claffed among the animals found at S. Leona proper for food. The skin of the latter appears to be proper for gloves.

796. The beasts of prey are lions, leopards, hyænas, musk cats, and many kinds of weafels, which last are very destructive to poultry. The skins of some of these might be of use in a commercial view. There are two fpecies of musk cats at S. Leona, the civet and the zibet cat.

797. The Japanzee or Chimpanzee, common in the mountains of S. Leona, resembles man more than even the Ourang Outang. Of two brought to the colony, one died foon; the other, being older, lived some months. He was nearly 2 feet high, but their full ftature is nearly 5 feet. He was covered with black

Having already beftowed a Chap. (the 5th.) on natural productions, I certainly would not swell my work with any thing more on the subject, if I did not think the defcriptions of so able a naturalift as Mr. Afzelius, infinitely more worthy of attention than any thing I can pretend to write on the fubject. The reader, however, will obferve, that the memoir, of which I here offer him an abridgment, is itself given by the Directors, only as "The substance” of two reports from Mr. A. I have not seen those reports; but, from that gentleman's known caution and accuracy, I may venture to say, that they were not intended for publication, in any shape; especially, as I know how difficult it is for a perfon to express himself accurately in a foreign language, which the English is to Mr. A. as well as to myself. I believe, I may pronounce them to have been mere popular descriptions, intended for the ufe of gentlemen concerned in the S. Leona undertaking, who could not well be fuppofed minutely converfant in the technical language and arrangement of natural history. The learned reader, therefore, will not suppose Mr. A's two original reports, ftill less their fubftance, and leaft of all, this Abridgment of their Subftance, to be specimens of Mr. A's professional abilities.

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hair,

hair, long and thick on the back, but fhort and thin on the breaft and belly. His APPENDIX. face was bare; his hands and his head resembled thofe of an old black man, except that the hair on his head was ftraight. He ate, drank, flept and fat at table, like a human being. At first he crept on all fours, on the outside of his hands; but, when grown larger, he endeavoured to go erect, fupporting himself by a stick. He was melancholy, but always good-natured. This ape, although not entirely unknown in Europe, has ufually been confounded with other apes.

798. Of thefe the Directors have as yet received no perfect account. A fpe- Birds. cies of crane is mentioned, which becomes very tame, and is reckoned very good food. Fowls multiply amazingly. Ducks thrive; but geefe and turkies have not anfwered expectation.

799. Green, hawk's bill, or loggerhead, turtles, are very common, and fome- Amphibious times of an immenfe fize. Fresh water turtles, and land turtles, are alfo found, animals, &c. the latter in abundance; and it is thought that they might be imported into England to good profit. Crocodiles, or alligators, of a non-defcript fpecies, 10 or 12 feet in length, have been found; and lizards of fix fpecies, among which are the Guana and the Cameleon. Snakes are almost innumerable; they haunt the houfes in the night in search of poultry; the largest yet difcovered measured 18 feet, which did not prove venemous.

800. The infects are very numerous. The most remarkable are the termites, Inkets, &c. (commonly called wood-ants, or bug-a-bugs) which deftroy wooden houses and fences; ants, which devour provifions; cockroaches and crickets, which destroy clothes, linen and leather; mufquitoes, fand-flies, fcorpions, tarantulas and centipedes; alfo wild bees, which furnish plenty of wax and honey. The vermes are little known; the barnacles are very large, and injurious to veffels not copper-bottomed.

801. Fishes are in great variety, both in the fea and the river. The fpermaceti Fithes, &c. whale has been occafionally found at S. Leona, but oftener down the coaft. Be. fides the whale, the fhark, flinging-ray and porpoife, there are eels, horfe-mackarel, tarpoons, cavillos, mullets, fnappers, yellowtails, old-maids, tenpounders, and fome other fishes; all of which, except the eels and tenpounders, are esteemed fine eating. Oyfters are found in great abundance, and another fhell fifh, which the natives eat. Among the Zoophites, none is more worthy of notice than the common fponge, which covers all the fandy beaches of the river, particularly on the Bullom fhore, and would fetch a high price in G. Britain.

VEGETABLES.

802. (1.) Rice is the chief plant cultivated at S. Leona, and the flaple of the country. Rice. The lower class of the natives fubfift almost entirely upon it. Although it prof

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APPENDIX. pers beft in fwamps, it will thrive also on elevated land; but, like other aquatics, it grows fmaller and thinner, though the grain is better. Of this quality is the rice on the eminences of S. Leona, while on the plains of the Bullom shore, and other fuch tracts, it grows as luxuriantly as in Carolina, and if cleaned with equal care, it would be equally white; but at prefent, through the negligence of the naives, both the rice intended for consumption, and for trade, retains part of the brownish rind. The rice fields are prepared during the dry feason, and receive the feed in the tornado feason, antecedent to the rains; but the feafons varying, the time for fowing is irregular. In the year 1792, rice was fown in June, and reaped in Oct. 2. This conftitutes, after rice, the chief food of the inhabitants, and it's culture requires time and care. It fucceeds best in sandy, open places. In 3 or 4 months after planting, the roots grow fit for use. The natives do not reap the whole at once, but dig up a few roots as they want them; but, before the fucceeding rains, they clear the field, never extending their plantations beyond the supposed exigencies of a single year. The natives fometimes make cakes of cassada, which though dry, are well tasted and extremely white: they alfo boil or roast this article. A kind of ale might poffibly be prepared from it, as is done by the Arawasks of Surinam*.

Caffada,

to be cautioully used.

* As no part of household œconomy requires fo much care and caution as the preparation of Casfada, fome further account of it cannot fail to be acceptable to fuch of my readers, as may have occafion to refide in any new tropical colony.-Dr. Browne mentions two species of that plant, which are ufed in the Sugar Iflands as food; and which he thus defcribes." IATROPHA 4 Foliis palmatis pentadactylibus, radice conico-oblongá, carne fublaɛteȧ.”—“ “ Iatropha, Foliis palmatis, lobis lanceolatis, levibus integerrimis.”” Linn. Sp. Pl.-The Cassava, Caffada or Cassadar.—The juice of the root is sweetish, but more or less of a deleterious, or poisonous, nature, both fresh and in the putrid state. But, however, unwholesome or violent, the rough juice may be found, immediately after it is expressed, &c. it has been lately discovered by an ingenious gentleman, who has practised many years in the warm parts of America, that a little mint water and falt of wormwood will calm the moft violent symptoms that arise on taking it; and prevent all bad confequences, even in the human fpecies, if it be but timely adminiftered." IATROPHA 5. Foliis palmatis, lobis incertis, radice oblongá, funiculo valido per centrum ducto, carne niveá.—The fweet Cassada.”—(The Linnæan defcription of this laft fpecies, if any, Dr. B. has not inferted.)-" This plant," continues the Doctor, "is very like the foregoing, both in habit and appearance, and cultivated in the fame manner; but the root is free from any of that deleterious quality that is generally obferved in the juices of the other fort. It is always planted in separate pieces, for fear of a mistake, and roasted or boiled for use; but the latter feems to be the best method of dreffing it." Nat. Hift. of Jamaica p. 349, where the learned author describes the method of preparing the farine, or meal, from the first species above mentioned. See alfo Long's 3d. Vol. But I apprehend that in all fuch proceffes, experience is a fafer guide than any defcriptions to be found in books.-Not knowing into whofe hands this work may fall, I have inferted the above extracts, by way of caution to perfons unacquainted with the danger of ufing caffada indifcriminately, and without being duly prepared, by fome perfon practically skilled in the operation, which though not difficult, requires great care and attention.-A certain eminent botanift, and also a friend of mine who has been long in the W. Indics, both advise me, by all means, to infert this note.

3. Thefe

Yams.

3. These resemble potatoes, and are dry, farinaceous, and nutritious. Though APPENDIX. elsewhere there are many fpecies of yams, there is but one in S. Leona. The largest root in the Company's gardens weighed only about 4lb. the foil being probably too hard for it. The natives do not beftow fo much pains on yams as caffada. 4. These are good and useful roots, in no particular, however, refembling the Sweetpotatoes true potatoes, except that like them, they are farinaceous roots. They thrive beft in a loose foil, but the natives are as inattentive to them as to yams. The leaves boiled make a good difh on the table, and afford an excellent nourishment for fheep, goats, or pigs

5. These are eaten by the natives, either raw or roasted.

Ground-nuts.

6. Though abundant, they are not so much used as they deferve to be. The leaves, Eddoes. if young, are as good as fpinach; and the roots, when boiled, resemble chefnuts.

They are fit for ufe when 3 months old, but are best after 4 or 6 months growth.

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and 8. Country potatoes of two forts; 1ft, Ajuck, a round root, fomewhat big- Country potager than a hazel nut, found in abundance in low places, with a long ftem, which toes. creeps round it on the ground; it's tafte is better than that of fweet potatoes; but it is lefs folid. And, 2dly, Abunk, which grows on the branches of the tree in a ftrange manner, and is a fingular excrefcence of an irregular, angular and tuberous fhape. It taftes fomewhat like sweet potatoes.

9. A common, handsome and useful tree, indicating a good foil. It fupplies the Oil-palm. inhabitants with oil, wine and food. The wine in appearance perfectly resembles whey, taftes well when fresh, but is apt to ferment, to change in 3 or 4 days to the ftrongest vinegar, of a disagreeable smell. It is collected by tapping the tree. The oil is obtained from the fruit, which is of the size of a hazel nut, confifting of a hard kernel, enclosed in a thick, fat matter, covered with a thin skin, which diffolves and yields the oil, which is used by the natives by way of butter to their rice. This oil, though liquid at first, in a short time hardens, and turns rancid: a fuperior oil is made, though in fmall quantities, by bruifing and boilling the kernels in water. The interior fubftance of the top of young palm-trees being boiled, eats like cabbage: the leaves ferve the natives for baskets.

bananas.

10 and 11. These grow very commonly, and are two useful trees, nearly related Plantains & to the palm. Plantains are larger than bananas, more regular, bent at the base, and fewer in each cluster, harder and lefs lufcious. They are eaten raw, boiled, or roasted. Bananas are among the fuperior fruits of this country, soft and sweet, and generally eaten raw: above 100 grow in a clufter. The leaves are used for various economical purposes; and the fibres ferve in fome places for thread.

12. A fine fruit of a deep green, but when ripe of a yellow colour. When Papaw. green it is boiled, when ripe eaten raw as a fruit.

The leaves are used instead of

Guava.

14 and

foap, the hollow ftalks for pipes, and ropes may be made of the bark.
13. Some green fruit of this kind has been difcovered in a neighbouring bay.

Nn 2

APPENDIX.

14 and 15. Thefe are very common in their wild flate, bearing ripe fruit throughout the year, though not always in equal abundance. The oranges are exOranges and cellent, and larger than thofe of Europe. Lemons planted long ago by the Portuguefe in the neighbourhood, have degenerated so much as to resemble limes.

limes.

Pompions.

Melons, &c.

Pine apples.

Pigeon peas.

Maize or Indian corn.

Millet.

Cocoa-nut trees.

Cashew.

Ockra.

Sugar-cane.

Butter and

tallow tree.

16. These are to be found wild, wherever the ground is loofe; but though more folid, are not fo large as the European. They are used for pies and puddings, and may be had throughout the year.

17, 18, 19, 20. Squash, water, melon, cucumber and musk, melon. These arrive at the greatest perfection, and by proper care might be made to surpass the European. The first fettlers found no water melons, but took the feeds with them.

21. These are far better flavoured than those of Europe, but tougher in the middle. They are to be found all the year, growing wild in the woods, and on declivities near water. They are also planted by the natives.

22. This is a good pulfe, and is drefled like English peas or beans. It grows wild in the skirts of woods, and in old rice and cassada fields, and may be had throughout the year.

23. This is cultivated more on the Bullom fhore than near Freetown; it requires but 3 months to ripen, so that several harvests are afforded in a year. The grain is boiled in falt water, or roasted in the ear and eaten with butter, but fometimes it is eaten raw. The natives of the Gold Coast make puddings of it. Goats and cattle eat the blades with avidity.

24. Millet of two kinds, is found wild and used for poultry; the ftalks of the larger fort contain a refreshing juice.

25. Cocoa trees grow in Sherbro, where they have been planted. The nuts are eaten raw or made into pies.

26. Cashew nuts, according to Lieut. Matthews, were introduced by the Europeans; but none have been seen at S. Leona, except on the Bullom shore.

27. The fruit of a little tree resembling the English seatree mallows, very common in S. Leona. The pods render foup gelatinous and highly nourishing; the leaves boil like fpinach.

28. These have been found, in fmall quantities, near S. Leona. They probably will thrive exceedingly, as foon as the land fhall have been fome time in cultiva tion.

29. This is common in low lands about Freetown: it abounds with a juice re fembling gamboge in taint and durability, which exudes after the least laceration. The wood is firm, and feems adapted to various ufes. The fruit is nearly oval, about twice the fize of a man's fift; the rind is thick, pulpy, and of a pleafant acid; in the infide are found from 5 to 9 feeds, of the fize of a walnut, containing an oleaginous matter, ufed by the natives, with their rice or other food.

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