Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0694
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[Page 694]
590.
Some account of St. Helena
Crueltys were excercisd by my countrey men over these unfortunate people than even their neighbours the dutch fam'd for inhumanity are guilty of one rule however they strictly observe which is never to Punish when ships are there
Nature has blessd this Island with very few Productions either usefull for the Support or conducive to the Luxury of Mankind Partriges & Doves are the only animals except possibly rats & mice much more probably brought here by Ships Among vegetables Purslain, Celery, Water Cresses, wild mint & Tobacco, tho now common among the rocks I doubt much whether they were so before people came here as none except the Last are found in Paralel latitudes the first indeed is found on ascention & many Parts equly unlikely to have originaly producd it but that accounted for by the ancient custom of the Portugese who finding this herb particularly beneficial in complaints contracted in long voyages made a point of sewing it wherever they went