“There is another plant, plentifully enough scattered about the boggy declivities, which grows to near the height of two feet, and not much unlike a small cabbage, when it has shot into seeds.  The leaves about the root are numerous, large, and rounded; narrower at the base, and ending in a small point.  Those on the stalks are much smaller, oblong, and pointed.  The stalks, which are often three or four, all rise separately from the root, and run into long cylindrical heads, composed of small flowers.  It has not only the appearance, but the watery acrid taste of the antiscorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the whole tribe; so that we looked upon it as a production entirely peculiar to the place.  We ate it frequently raw, and found it almost like the New Zealand scurvy grass.  But it seemed to acquire a rank flavour by being boiled; which, however, some of our people did not perceive, and esteemed it good.  If it could be introduced into our kitchen gardens, it would, in all probability, improve so far by cultivation as to be an excellent pot-herb.  At this time none of its seeds were ripe enough to be preserved, and brought home, to try the experiment.”

“Two other small plants were found near the brooks and boggy places, which were eaten as sallad; the one almost like garden cresses, and very fiery, and the other very mild.  This last, though but small, is in itself a curiosity; having not only male and female, but what the botanists call androgynous plants.”

“A coarse grass, which we cut down for the cattle, grows pretty plentifully in a few small spots about the sides of the harbour, with a smaller sort, which is rarer; and upon the flat ground a sort of goose-grass, and another small plant much like it.  In short, the whole catalogue of plants does not exceed sixteen or eighteen, including some sorts of moss, and a beautiful species of lichen, which grows upon the rocks, higher up than the rest of the vegetable productions.  Nor is there even the least appearance of a shrub in the whole country.”

“Nature has rather been more bountiful in furnishing it with animals, though, strictly speaking, they are not inhabitants of the place, being all of the marine kind; and, in general, only using the land for breeding and for a resting-place.  The most considerable are seals, or (as we used to call them) sea-bears, being that sort called the ursine seal.  These come ashore to rest or breed; but they were not very numerous, which is not to be wondered at, as it is known that these animals rather frequent out-rocks, and little islands lying off coasts, than bays or inlets.  They were, at this time, shedding their hair, and so tame, that we killed what number we chose.”

“No other quadruped, either of the sea or of the land kind, was seen; but a great number of birds, viz. ducks, petrels, albatrosses, shags, gulls, and sea-swallows.”

“The ducks are about the size of a teal or widgeon, but somewhat different in colour from either.  They were in tolerable plenty about the sides of the hills, or even lower; and we killed a considerable number, which were good, and without the least fishy taste.  We met with some of the same sort at the island of Georgia in our late voyage.”