THE MALDIVES 393 



Blake when he worked along the edge of the Gulf 

 Stream. No attempt was made to collect any plants. 

 But A^assiz calls attention to the fact that the flora of 

 the Maldives must have been much modified by the 

 activity of the inhabitants, who maintain a consider- 

 able trade with the Malabar Coast and Calcutta. This, 

 rather than the effect of oceanic currents, is probably the 

 direct cause of the introduction of many Indian and 

 even Arabian species. 



On the way north the Amra again stopped at Male. 

 It was the end of the Ramadan, and the party arrived 

 just in time to witness a curious procession to celebrate 

 its close. Prominent in the line were grotesque dancers, 

 primitive spearmen and the gorgeous royal palanquin 

 supported on the shoulders of twelve men, and sur- 

 rounded by twirling umbrella bearers. A feature of 

 the parade was a horse, the only one on the islands, 

 imported by the Sultan from Colombo. He was led by 

 two men, as nobody dared to ride him. 



The Sultan seemed much interested to hear of the 

 results of the expedition, and before the ship left gave 

 Agassiz a fine collection of the implements, tools, uten- 

 sils, cloths, and dresses of the islands. His Highness, 

 Muhammadu Imadudin, evidently retained a pleasant 

 memory of the visit of the Amra, for the Christmas after 

 Agassiz's death a card arrived at the Museum, from the 

 "Ex-Sultan of the Maldives" in exile in Cairo. 



TO SIR JOHN MURRAY 



Off Nalandu, SS. Amra, Miladummadulu Atoll, 

 Jan. 18, 1902. 



Two days more and I shall head for Colombo where 

 I mail this letter on arrival. We are due there the 23d. 



