ii” ' PREFACE. 
unsuccessful.” Thinking what had been collected at so much expense, under great difficul- 
ties, dangers, and privations, and in a country only partially reclaimed from cannibalism, was 
worth being made known, and, moreover, having made it a point in life never to relinquish 
an idea which I have once made up my mind to carry out, I resolved on the present volume, 
which Messrs. Reeve and Co. were induced to publish. The time it took to work up 
the materials and the expense I had to incur were much greater than I had ever calculated 
upon, and I might have been altogether unable to proceed with the task had I not 
succeeded in supplying myself with funds for the purpose by undertaking (during the 
course of publication) three arduous voyages to tropical America. Subscribers will there- 
fore kindly excuse the delay that has occurred in the issue of the different parts, as without 
it they would probably not have seen the completion of this ‘Flora.’ . ! 
It is now my pleasing duty to offer my best thanks to all those who aided, directly and 
indirectly, in the production of this work. Sir W. J. Hooker, who originated the idea, and 
who, during the whole time of my exploration of Viti, took the liveliest interest in my pro- 
ceedings and encouraged me with letters, is unfortunately beyond the reach of my thanks ; 
nevertheless, I desire to express here my deep sense of obligation and gratitude for having 
afforded me the opportunity of exploring so interesting a group of islands, and, moreover, I 
shall always regard his memory with profound and affectionate regard. My sincere thanks 
are also due to Dr. J. D. Hooker for having by his counsel materially contributed to the 
results I have obtained. My grateful acknowledgments are due to Messrs. J. J: Bennett 
and W. Carruthers, of the British Museum, for much assistance rendered in determining my 
plants and for correcting my proof-sheets. I have also to tender my special thanks to Pro- 
fessor Reichenbach, for working up the Orchids; to Mr. Herm. Wendland, for the Palms ; 
to the late Mr. Schott, for the Aroids; to Mr. Carruthers, for the Ferns; to Mr. Mitten, for 
the Mosses and Hepatice ;-to the Revv. Churchill Babington and J. M. Crombie, for the 
Lichens; and to the Rev. M. J. Berkeley and Mr. W. G. Smith, for the Fungi. I am 
much indebted to Professor A. Gray for comparing a set of my Viti plants with those 
collected by the United States Exploring Expedition, and sending me the result for pub- 
lication. I should record the names of other friends who have given me assistance in the 
progress of the work, especially of Major-General Munro, Messrs. Casimir de Candolle, 
J. Smith, and Ch. Prentice, and the Rev. W. W. Newbould. Last, not least, I beg to 
tender my thanks to Mr. Walter Fitch for gracing this work by the beautiful productions of 
his pencil. : 
I have already expressed iu the narrative of our expedition, and I have great pleasure 
in repeating in this place, the many obligations I am under to the Wesleyan missionaries in- 
Viti, to whom the leaders of their church in London and Sydney kindly gave me letters of 
introduction, and all of whom received me with cordiality, doing all that lay in their 
power to further the object of my investigation. Several of them had formed small collec- 
tions of plants, of which I have been allowed to avail myself in working up this * Flora? We 
