94 



I returned, on the 9th instant, from a visit to the more distant 

 islands of the group in the " Pleiad," which was placed at my dis- 

 posal by Colonel Playfair, and I took the opportunity during this 

 tour, of visiting the Lodoicea forest at Ause Marie Louise, on the 

 southern point of the island of Praslin — a small lovely valley 

 reaching to the sea-board, surrounded by lofty hills, the sides and 

 crests of which are covered with Lodoicea several hundred in 

 number. 



This forest is in the property of a Mr. Campbell ; and I am glad 

 to be able to report that more care is taken of the trees here than 

 is the case in any other part of the island. They may be seen in 

 all stages of growth, from the sharp, sword-shaped spattie just 

 shooting from the ground, to palms one hundred and twenty feet 

 in height, long since arrived at maturity, and at whose age it is 

 impossible even to guess. None are actually planted by the pro- 

 prietor ; but he occasionally allows nuts to remain and take root 

 where they fall ; and as the trees are usually surrounded at the 

 base by thick undergrowth, many other nuts are overlooked by 

 the men employed to collect them, a certain amount of reproduc- 

 tion being thus ensured. 



The leaves of the male trees alone are cut for the sake of the 

 material from which hats, fans, and baskets are made. Cutting 

 these leaves prevents the trees from giving any blossoms ; but the 

 male trees preponderate over the female, and these growing in al- 

 most inaccessible spots, which flower undisturbed, are quite suf- 

 ficient to fecundate all the female trees in the district. The 

 flowering process continues for years ; and the small blossoms 

 that spring from the huge catkin forming the basis, as it were, of 

 the flowers, are reproduced, apparently, ad iiifinitiim. 



A comparatively small number of trees are found on Curieuse 

 Island, and these never attain the same size and perfection as 

 those at Praslin. Soon after my arrival, I gave directions to Mr. 

 Forbes, in charge of the lesser establishment, to keep up the sup- 

 ply by planting germinating nuts ; but he succeeded with but a 

 small proportion of those planted. Unfortunately, too, several 

 trees which were thriving in the vicinity of the cemetery were 

 accidentally burnt. I have directed him to plant all the germin- 

 ating nuts that he can find for the future, and to take all the care 

 he can of the trees now remaining. 



When at Praslin, I selected a Coco de Mer with a perfect healthy 

 germ nearly a foot in length, which I forwarded to Sir William 

 Hooker, by the 'Nomo,' on the llth instant. 



I have the honour to be. Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 



Swinburne Ward, 



Civil Commissioner. 



The Honourable The Colonial Secretary, 



Mauritius. 



