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117 
A BOTANICAL TOUR AMONG THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS. 
BY WILLIAM R. GUILFOYLE. 
[We are indebted to the kindness of our correspondent, Dr. F. von Mueller, 
for a copy of the following very interesting narrative, —EpD.) 
È 
On the twenty- avang day of IT last we left Sydney in H.M.S. Challenger, 
Commodore Lambert, C.B., for a cruise among the islands of the South 
Pacific. During the whole of is trip we experienced calm and delightful 
than this place. The landlocked nin has all the appearance of a lake— 
charms of which are heightened by lofty precipitous mountains, densely 
clothed with the most luxuriant vegetation, Soon after we had anchored I 
went ashore with the Commodore and several of the officers (whose kindness 
to me during the cruise I shall never forget), but, as it was getting late, we 
ananas, plantains, yams, taro, und everything useful as food. In Tutuila I 
was struck with the richness of the vegetation, and with the great depth of 
voleanie soil. The graceful Cocoa-nut Palm (Coeos nucifera) is here very 
abundant in the villages, in fact, it is plentiful in all the islands, and it is will* 
known that where this beautiful plant is to be found, it betokens the presence 
of native habitations, I left the ship early the next morning, with the full 
determination, knowing that our stay would be short, of going as far inland as 
possible. A young officer accompanied me, and taking with us four natives, 
we commenced to ascend the mountain steeps, and after a difficult ascent 
through thickets of Carica Papaya (Papau Apple), Citrus Limonum, and 
meses, occasionally interspersed with Aleurites triloba, Cocos, and some 
Interesting Araliaceous plants, Phaseolus albus, and several species of Zpomca, 
steer with, and growing over, the decaying vegetation and blocks of scoria ; 
tocarpus incisa), the grateful shade of which was much needed. I noticed 
even on the tops of those precipitous mountains, which are 1500 feet above 
the level of the sea, several fine specimens of the Cocoa-nut. Along the 
valleys, and upon some of the low ridges, two species of Sida were often con- 
Spicuous objects. An ZEschynanthus and a species of Niphobolus were to be 
found upon the stems of the Calophyllum, Inocarpus, and on many of the 
trees, in such thick masses as to hide them from view. An Indigofera, 
together with a Gossypium, and several varieties of Saccharum, would some- 
VOL, Vil. [APRIL 1, 1869.] K 
