130 



THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



by slaves, who with heavy scythe-like axes attached to long 

 poles, clear the way by severing the otherwise impenetrable 

 cordage. 



The enormous climbing trees, that stifle the life of the migh- 

 tiest giants of the forest, offer a no less wonderful spectacle* 

 At first, these emblems of ingratitude grow straight upwards like 

 any feeble shrub, but as soon as they have found a support in 

 other trees, they begin to extend over their surface ; for, while 

 the stems of other plants generally assume a cylindrical form, 

 these climbers have the peculiarity of divesting themselves of 

 their rind when brought into contact with an extraneous body, 

 and of spreading over it, until they at length enclose it in a 

 tubular mass. When, during this process, the powers of the 

 original root are weakened, the trunk sends forth new props to 

 restore the equilibrium ; and thus the tough and hardy race 

 continually acquires fresh strength for the ruin of its neigh- 

 bours. 



POLANAUUUA. 



Several species of the fig-tree are peculiarly remarkable for 

 this distinctive property, and, from the facility with which their 

 seeds take root where there is a sufficiency of moisture to per- 



