"then we were fure of them. Befides tortoifes, we lived alfo upon foolish birds, that fuffer themfelves to be eafily catched, and «Ε upon Fregates, which we took only in the "night, obferving where they lye: but turtle"doves which abound in the Ifland, were our "most common food. I have already told you "that we were three. The third died lately of "weakness; and if the Lord had not fent you ແ hither, we could not have lived long; for, ແ my companion and I fell feveral times into a "fwoon".

Father Feuillee fays that this account was confirmed to him by his Officers and many feamen, who were on board the fhip, that brought thofe two unfortunate English-men into Europe.

In the month of May 1711, as our Author was looking for plants in the Woods of the Ifle of Martinique, a dog who used to follow him, ran between his legs with great fwiftnefs, and immediately fell upon a large Serpent ready to rufh upon Father Feuillee, who was very much frighted, not being able to avoid that Serpent. The fight of thofe two animals was dreadful. The dog took the ferpent by the head: the ferpent furrounded him, and preffed him fo violently, that the blood came out of his mouth and yet the dog did not let go his hold, till he had entirely tore him to pieces. That faithful and generous animal, to whom Father Feuillee was indebted for his life, was not fenfible of his wounds during the fight; but foon after, his head, pricked by the ferpent, fwelled prodigioufly. He lay upon the ground; and our Author thought he was dead: but having found hard by a Bananier, which is a very watery tree,

he

he cured him with the juice of that tree and fome treacle.

The eggs of a Lizard, which are fo much. efteemed in the French Ifles of America, are of the fame fize and figure as those of pigeons: they have no White; and their fhell which is foft, contains only a yellow matter, which never grows hard, though it be never fo long upon the fire. Thofe eggs are generally ufed in all forts of fauces.

When the female Lizards lay their eggs, they make a hole in the fand, and cover them with it; and the heat of the Sun is fufficient to hatch them.

The Negroes in the Ifle of Martinique are faid to find easily by their fmelling, which is very nice, thofe places where ferpents lye. Father Feuillee being willing to know the truth of it, went into the Woods with a Negroe. They met feveral fmall ferpents; and at fome ditance from them, the Negroe asked him whether he felt a difagreeable odour. "Tis, faid he, a ferpent that lyes near us, and having a full ftomach, is afleep, and digefts his meat: this bad fmell proceeds from that putrefaction. The Negroe difcovered immediately a large ferpent, ready to fall upon him; and having killed that animal with a staff, they found in his stomach a chick and a rat more than half digefted,

Our Author faw at Cartagena in the hands of a Spanish Gentleman, named Don John de Her rera, a fort of Almond of a wonderful virtue. That Gentleman gave him the following account of that fruit. A Woman (faid he) being

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"difcontented with her husband, and refolved "to make him away fpeedily, gave him every "morning a poifoned drink, which the prepared

for his breakfaft; and then he went to work. "Providence ordered it fo, that he found in "his way a plant which bears a fruit called A

villa, whofe tafte he liked, though it was ແ very bitter he gathered that fruit every morning, as he went by, and eat two or "three almonds. His wife being furprised that

the poifon had no effect, began to repent, "believing that it was a miracle, and that God

took her husband into his protection. She "threw herfelf at his feet, melting in tears,

and defiring him to forgive her the indiffeઃઃ rence he had expreffed for him, fhe affured "him that he was fo fully perfuaded of his virແ tue, that he would behave herself for the "time to come in a manner more acceptable to "him. That difcourfe did very much furprise "the husband, who knew well enough that his

wife hated him. Not being able to find out "the reafon of her change, he asked her feveral "queftions; and the owned that he had at

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tempted to poifon him. He forgave her; "and having made her fenfible of the heinoufnefs of her crime, obliged her to expiate that fin at the Tribunal of Penitence. Both of them declared what had happened; and the Confeffor having perfuaded them, that it was highly neceffary for the Public that the wonderful virtue of that plant fhould be known, obtained their leave to proclaim it at the Prone". Father Feuillée defcribes the Plant Avilla and its fruit at the 360 page.

He gives a large anatomical defcription of a crocodile, fix feet and a half long from the fnout to the end of the tail. Crocodiles have a white and fine flesh, but fo infipid and loathfome, that the Whites cannot eat it, though it be well dreffed. The Negroes who are not fo nice, like it very well. They wait for the females, when they lay their eggs; which they do in March and April at fome distance from the fea to hide them. They do not lay above thirty eggs. The Males fight together violent ly, till one of them is killed: which is the reafon why there is but one Male in each part of the country.

The Crocodile has a great dexterity to catch wild fowls, which abound in rivers and along the fhores of the fea, almoft at all times of the year, fuch as ducks, teals and other water-fowls. When he has a mind to catch a fowl, he goes into the fea, where he lyes in fuch a manner, that the upper part of his back appears above the water: he remains in that pofture without any motion, and looks like a piece of timber floating, The wild fowls miftrufting nothing, come fo near the Crocodile, that they are immediately fwallowed up.

When he is upon the land, he hides himself in the grafs, on the banks of lakes or rivers, and difcovers every thing that comes near him.

In the month of May 1706, many feamen died. On the 30. of that month, Father Feuillee threw four into the fea, after the usual ceremonies; and about three a clock in the afternoon, he was told that another had expired, and that they were going to bring him up. But whilft

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whilft they were fowing him in his blanket, he faid: Be not fo bafty: I am not quite dead. Every body was the more furpifed at it, becaufe ever fince twelve a clock that feaman had given no fign of life. The Author has omitted a confiderable circumftance: he does not tell us whether that man died, or whether he recovered.

The Obfervations contained in this Volume, are attended with a Table of the Declinations of the Sun for all the degrees and minutes of the Ecliptic. Next to that Table, there is a Hiftory of the phyfical Plants that are most in ufe in the Kingdoms of Peru and Chili, compofed in thofe countries by Father Feuillee in the years 1709, 1710, and 17011. Thofe plants are neatly engraved on fifty copper-plates.

The lovers of Aftronomy and natural Hifto ry will find in this Work many obfervations, that will be very acceptable to them.

ARTICLE XLI.

A DISCOURSE pronounced in the Sorbon the 17. of March 1724. when the Abbot De Faramant of the City of Dijon took the degree of a Licentiate. By the Abbot P. De G. Doctor of Sorbon.

The following Difcourfe was never before printed. It has been communicated to me in a very obliging manner; and I hope it will be acceptable to the Public

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