Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0217
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[Page 217]
Terra del Fuego
Janry 1769
can boast of
Of Plants here are many species & those truly the most extrordinary I can imagine in stature & appearance they agree a good deal with the Europaean ones only in general are less specious white flowers being much more common among them than any other colours but to speak of them botanicaly probably No botanist has ever enjoyd more pleasure in the contemplation of his Favourite pursuit than Dr Solander & myself among these plants we have not yet examind many of them but what we have have turnd out in general so intirely different from any before describd that we are never tird with wondering at the infinite variety of Creation & admiring the infinite care with which providence has multiplied his productions suiting them no doubt to the various climates for which they were designd Trees here are very Few Birch Betula antarctica Beach Fagus antarcticus winters bark Winterana aromatica the two first for timber the other for its excellent aromatick bark so much valued by Physicians are all worth mentioning & of Plants we could not ascertain the virtues not being able to converse with the Indians who may have experiencd them but the Scurvy grass Cardamine antescorbutica & wild Celery Apium