336 A MISSION TO VITI. 



out as already described. The neighbouring natives, 

 who came to watch my proceedings, now warned me, too 

 late, not to touch the tree, as it was a poisonous one, and 

 advised my keeping quiet and not to touch or scratch 

 the parts inflamed. This advice, however, I could not 

 follow, the irritation for several days being excessive. 

 I employed no remedy, but bathed daily, as usual, in 

 fresh water, although advised to the contrary, but did 

 not get rid of the injurious effect of the itch-wood for 

 nearly two months." 



Another tree, the contact with which is avoided by 

 the Fijians, is the Sinu gaga (Exccecaria Agallocha, 

 Linn.) or poison Sinu, called so in contradistinction to 

 the Sinu damu (Leucosmia Burnettiana, Bth.) and the 

 Sinu mataivi ( Wikstrcemia Indica, C. A. Meyer), both of 

 which, like the Sinu gaga, are littoral plants. The Sinu 

 gaga is found in mangrove swamps or on dry ground, 

 just above high- water mark. It is sixty feet high, has 

 a glossy foliage, oblong leaves, and minute green flowers 

 arranged in catkins. It is difficult to exterminate, for 

 unless the stumps are taken up, innumerable young 

 shoots spring up the moment the main stem is felled. 

 When the tree is wounded abundance of white milky 

 juice flows, which causes a burning effect on coming in 

 contact with the skin. Some natives, however, can 

 handle this poisonous juice with perfect impunity (era 

 sinu dranu), analogous to what I witnessed in the Man- 

 zanillo or Manchineel tree of tropical America, the sap 

 of which caused me the greatest agony after it had acci- 

 dentally entered my eyes, and never raised even as much 

 as a blister on being allowed to dry on the hands of a 



