Sandal-wood; bonnet carré; l’arbre à pommes de suisse; ebony; rosewood; the filao; le badinier; le ledanier; le var; le rima; the white acajou; l’ontelier; le capucin; l’arequier; l’arbre fougère; and the vacoa.
Many of these trees are of great grandeur, and of immense size.
With tacamaca canoes are made in one piece, twenty-four, thirty, and thirty-six feet in length, and five to six feet beam.
Many vessels have been built at these islands; see the report on the “Thomas Blyth.”
“Admiralty, 19th February, 1859.
“Sir,—In pursuance of the directions of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I transmit herewith a copy of a report, dated the 11th instant, from the timber-inspector at Woolwich Dock-yard, on the specimens of woods from the Zambesi, the Seychelles, and Madagascar, presented by you to the Royal Geographical Society; and, with reference to the specimens numbered in the enclosed Report, 12, 17, 21, and 22, from the Zambesi, and 17, 18, and 19 from Seychelles, I have to request you will state, after being so obliging as to confer with me on the subject, what steps you would recommend should be taken for obtaining a supply of these descriptions of timber, and for conveying the same to England.—I am, Sir, your humble servant,
“R. Dundas,
“Storekeeper-General of the Navy.
“To Lyons M’Leod, Esq.,
Late H.M. Consul at Mozambique.”
“Woolwich Dock-yard, Feb. 11, 1859.
“Sir,—I have the honour to report, that, in obedience to your order of the 2nd instant, I visited the rooms of the Royal Geographical Society, and inspected the under-mentioned specimens of woods brought from Mozambique by Mr. M’Leod, late H.M. Consul there:—