BEAUTIFUL GROVES. 225 



the sliores of islands of lava. Tliey are doing this 

 at the present moment. Every island in the group 

 is now belted ^^^th a fringing reef, excej)t at a few 

 places where the shore is a j)erpendicular precipice 

 and the water of great depth. The western entrance, 

 through which we came to the road, is already quite 

 closed up by a broad reef of living coral. 



A stroll through these beautiful groves would be 

 one of the richest treats a traveller could enjoy, even 

 if he took no interest in the rocks beneath his feet. 

 All the nutmeg-trees were loaded down with fi'uit, 

 which is chiefly gathered during this month (Septem- 

 Ix'r), and again in June, though some is obtained fi'om 

 time to time throughout the year. It seemed sur- 

 prising that the trees could bear so abundantly 

 season after season, but the official reports show 

 that there has been little variation in the annual 

 yield for the last thirty years. An average crop for 

 the last twenty years has been about 580,000 Am- 

 sterdam pounds of nuts and 137,000 pounds of mace. 

 The trees may be estimated, in round numbers, at 

 450,000, of which only two-thirds bear. As the 

 governor remarked to me, while I was expressing 

 my wonder at the abundance of fi'uit on every side, 

 it is, indeed, strange that the income of the govern- 

 ment does not equal its expense. For this cause it 

 now, for the first time, proposes to give up its long- 

 continued monopoly. Beneath the trees is spread a 

 carpet of gi'een grass, while high above them the 

 gigantic canarl trees stretch out their gnarled arms 

 and shield the valuable trees intrusted to their care 

 from the strong winds which strive in vain to make 



15 



