112 EXCURSION INTO THE 



other respects it resembled it. Trees observed appeared to be young, 

 and attaining the height of about 14 or 16 feet." Such was the report 

 on these supposed Pines. Before I close this I shall have occasion to 

 take notice of these trees. 



Wednesday, 2hth. — The weather being more settled, it was thought 

 advisable to prosecute our journey. We reached the town of Non- 

 dravu, where we remained for the night, in the Burasau, and started 

 the following morning, Thursday, and reached the town of Suivau, 

 where we found boiling springs : they were indeed boiling springs, un- 

 bearable to the touch. There was no time for collecting. We always 

 left the towns early in the morning, and had late arrivals. The fea- 

 tures of the country had changed considerably. There was mountain 

 after mountain rising above each other, with their bold, craggy preci- 

 pices ; there were the grey rocks, covered with Lichens ; and large, 

 noble specimens of Bamtnara, covered with leaves of a rich green. We 

 arrived at the town of Namosi on Friday the 28th, and were met by 

 a white man called by the whites of "Peejee Harry the Mountain ; bis 

 proper name is John Humphrey Damford ; he has been fifteen years 

 amongst the inland tribes, and to that man we were much indebted. 

 Namosia is a large town between two mountains. As we entered this 

 place it was disgusting to see great quantities of human bones in the 

 branches of the Shaddock-trees, as one would think on purpose that the 

 odoriferous blossoms might overpower the odour from the human flesh 

 in a state of putrefaction ; there were also great numbers in the branches 

 of a species of Barringtonia. These two last-mentioned trees seem to be 

 their favourite ones for that purpose. There were some hundreds of 

 small stones, neatly set into the ground, every stone indicating a mur- 

 der. We were informed by Harry that six men had been killed by 

 the chief Nelua Nelua on the coast, and a part of the bodies sent to 

 the chiefs of Namosi, as their share of the food. A portion of this 

 revolting food was brought for inspection. I visited the grave of the 

 late chief, and found a number of skulls and other human bones. They 

 worship the spirits of their fathers ; at all times portions of food are to 

 be seen upon the graves to feed the supposed spirits. One of our party 

 saw a man's hand overhanging the fire-place, in the smoke, in one of 

 the chief's houses. The day before we left this place a man and woman 

 were strangled. 



Saturday. — As usual, it was raining. I went out with one of the 



