276 



had become palatable. Add the swarms of mosquitoes appearing 

 at sundown, the absolute lack of tillaljle soil, and the stifling- heat, 

 and their statement that the coast was considered uninhabitable is 

 readily believed. 



After a dav and a half of reconnoiterinsj-, Roosevelt and Cutting: 

 discovered tlie plantation with its overgrown trail. Following a 

 night of heavy showers, we all set forth along this trail, the trees 

 dripping with moisture. Sucli rainfall must be of great raritv in 

 this desert country. The trail, constructed with inhnite labor, 

 picked its way through tumbled lava and among cactus trees, now 

 and then bridging crevices of unknown depth. Deviation from the 

 path was unthinkal)le. Amazingly tame mocking-birds and black 

 finches fluttered almost within arm's reach or picked at the red 

 fruits on the candelabra-like Ccrciis. IJoves flew from mider our 

 feet to alight a few yards farther along the pathway. Hay and I 

 alternated in cruM-\ing a two gallon canteen of water to be placed 

 far inland as a reserve su]ii)ly. \'istas of cactus trees no less than 

 40 feet in height now and then oi:iened U]), and the pathway itself 

 was covered here and there with the bright yellow and purple flow- 

 ers of small leguminous vines. The lava country was now in its 

 very greenest state, yet had a soml)re grayish tinge. Small nar- 

 row leaves were the rule. The jiath wound slowly but steadily 

 upward. Grass Ijecame abundant, and with it a forest of large 

 brt)ad-leaved trees. These were Pisonia floribiinda, a member of 

 the Nyctaginaceac and the largest tree of the island, usually with 

 several s])reading trunks, each up to two feet in diameter; liry- 

 tJiriiia ■I'clittiua, a hea\'y-Ieaved leguminous tree; and Psidiuui gala- 

 pagciuiii. a native guava tree with white flowers and small green 

 fruits. We approached the moist zone, and each little valley 

 brought greater luxm-iance in growth, liy peering through the 

 dense growth of vines coverinu' the <?i"ound, ferns were seen occu- 

 pying the crevices between the boulders. Trees were now fes- 

 tooned with ferns, bromeliads, orchids, and dangling roots of Parc- 

 ira vine. Here and there Scale s'la trees occurred in almost i^ure 

 stands. I_^ike the tortoises and finches, Scalcs'm, a genus of the 

 Compositac confined to the Galapagos Islands, runs into distinct 

 species on individual islands. The smooth gray trunks of .S". pc- 

 dunciilata run straight up to about 40 feet in height, surmounted 

 by a branching top bearing leaves resembling those of the sun- 



