BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 151 
Ridley, and of Privates Lee and Buck of the 96th, who were associ- 
ated with me on this expedition. To the cheerfulness aud alacrity 
with whieh each and all were ever at their respective posts, putting 
forth their best energies and exertions to overcome formidable obstacles 
and further the objects in view, is mainly to be attributed, under Pro- — 
vidence, my successful accomplishment of the duties pointed out in 
His Excellency’s instructions ; nor can I speak too highly of that spirit 
of steady endurance and determination with which they met unavoid- 
able privations, and faced difficulties and impediments of no ordinary 
description, during our long and toilsome journey. 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
The Voyage of H.M.S. Herald ; being an Extract of a Letter from Mr. 
MruNE, dated Island of Tanna, New Hebrides, December 4, 1854. 
[The following may be considered a notice in continuation of the : 
information given in our last volume (Vol. VL), p. 353. We expect —— 
more full particulars from Mr. Macgillivray very shortly.—Ep.] 
I avail myself of the opportunity afforded by the Juno barque to send 
you a short account of our cruise since leaving Sydney. We touched . 
first at Auckland, and then went to Waikihi (also in New Zealand), and 
I made a small collection of plants at the latter place; from thence to 
Sunday Island, south latitude 29° 15' 30", and east longitude 2° 5’, 
Which is an almost perpendicular mountain, and Mr. Macgillivray and - 
I made an excursion to its summit. Nothing could be more interesting - 
than the varied and rare kinds of Ferns which bordered our path, and - 
hung gracef ully suspended overhead, together with Orchidee and Mosses. : 
One Tree-fern, probably a Cyathea, struck me particularly. I noticed” 
a Palm, which is said to be uncommon. The genera Asplenium, Poly- 
podium, and Doodia abounded; and I saw a species of Lifobrochia. 
On gaining the summit we observed a particularly fine Lycopodium, | 
which grew on the bough of a tree, overhanging a deep ravine; and the 
desire to obtain it was so strong, that taking off my heavy botanical — 
box, I climbed along the trunk of the tree, and when in the act of a 
grasping the Fern, I lost my balance, and thought for a moment that : - 
