108 EXCURSION INTO THE 



judge from the nature of the indusium ; however there is no room for 

 description here. I collected a number of other things, but nothing I 

 had not found in December, 1855. 



Wednesday ', 18$. — We left this place and ascended the river, leaving 

 the c "Victoria, 5 and taking a number of smaller canoes instead of the 

 larger ones. As we passed along the stream, the country became a 

 flat plain, in a state of cultivation, having all along the sides of the 

 banks great numbers of Shaddock-trees (Mole of the natives), large 

 trees of Calophyllum (Damue of the natives) ; patches of Yams and 

 Taro were frequent ; Cocoa-nuts and Breadfruits were less numerous. 

 We arrived at a town called Tausau, where we remained for the night, 

 and started the following morning up that branch of the river called 

 Wai Nelina. The country thus far still continued to be flat. In pass- 

 ing along, we came to a place where we found several women manu- 

 facturing Turmeric [Curcuma rotunda or longa? — Ed.], and upon the 

 sides of the river were large quantities of refuse. In a small house close 

 to the water there were two pits, eighteen inches deep, lined with Banana 

 leaves, and made water-tight ; also a number of posts set into the ground, 

 having rough bark, to be used as graters. When a quantity is grated, it 

 is committed to the pits, where it remains for some time, and is after- 

 wards carried to a canoe, then strained through a close-worked basket 

 lined with Fern-leaves, and then put into short Bamboos, where it re- 

 mains for four nights and four days, when it is fit for use, and forms 

 one of the principal articles of food, made into puddings, mixed with 

 grated sugar-cane. It is used also for covering children after birth, and 

 painting the bodies of women previous to strangulation. There was a 

 species of Ficus in great abundance, with small foliage, all along the 

 high grounds, and a number of other plants which I did not recognize, 

 owing to the distance ; but it was evident the features of the country 

 were fast changing. Here and there were deep ravines, and the sides 

 of the banks lined with vegetation of a different aspect. At the same 

 time the river became more tortuous ; at times we were going south, 

 at other times we were steering due north. It was with great difficulty 

 we made any progress, owing to the force of the rapids. On coming 

 to a sudden turn of the river, immediately to the right was a Bamboo- 

 forest, and right ahead was the mountain of Ambuga Levue, and a 

 number of other detached conical peaks bearing to the south, inter- 

 sected with deep craggy ravines, and thickly covered with vegetation. 



