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Most of them appear still to be in a state for vegetation, and 

 we have frequently, with many good wishes, committed these 

 presents to the bosom of the earth. Among them we found 

 the fruit of that Pandanus which only grows in the western 

 countries, and seeds of Barringtonia speciosa, Aleurites 

 triloba, and other trees belonging to the general Flora of 

 Polynesia, and which we have met with near the Marianne 

 Islands. The greater number of these seeds belong to the 

 arborescent or climbing Leguminous Plants, which grow 

 plentifully everywhere between the tropics. Those of 

 Guilandina Bonduc are very common among them; but we 

 only saw the plant itself once, on one of the Leeward 

 Islands. We observed that such seeds as are deposited by 

 the waves on the reefs situated in the sheltered spots of 

 the island, seem to vegetate more freely, being more pro- 

 tected from the blasts, and finding a better soil than those 

 that are thrown up on other parts of the island. Among 

 the rejectamenta of the ocean are frequently seen round 

 Pumice-stones, with masses of closely tangled Cassytha, 

 similar to what the Zostera marina forms on some of our 

 coasts, and which are called in France, on the shores of the 

 Mediterannean, Plotte de mer. 



THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. 



A variety of useful Palms from the Philippines, among 

 them Palma brava, Palma de Cabello negro, &c., which, as 

 well as the plants of the Pelew Islands, are cultivated here, 

 give an idea of the richness of the Flora. Cap enjoys, with 

 Pelew, the privilege of an elevated situation ; among its 

 productions we find the Areca Palm [Areca Catechu,) the 

 Bamboo, and three kinds of trees which grow on the mountains, 

 from whose timber boats are built, for which purpose the 

 Breadfruit tree alone is employed on the lower islands. The 

 Aleurites triloba grows here also, and the Clove {Caryophyllus 

 aromaticus); the latter is not, however, esteemed, for the fruit 

 is useless and bitter, and its whole appearance mean and 

 ugly. The Orange, the Sugar-Cane, and lastly the Curcuma, 

 all of which are produced at Ulea and the lower islands, 



