CONTINUED. 327 



nata, with its large blue butterfly-flowers ; the white and 

 purple blossoms of the Cleome viscosa, the golden Coreopsis, 

 adhering like a parasite to the trees, and twining epiphytic 

 Loranthi ; the compound leaves and yellow spikes of the 

 medicinal Cassia alata, and along the sea-beach the tre- 

 foil leaves and the blue flowers of the Vitex trifolia, the 

 clustering trunks of the Banyan tree, and the golden 

 downy fronds of a gigantic fern. I did not fail to recog- 

 nize the Gogo (Entada pwrsathd), an infusion of the 

 spongy fibres of the trunk of which, is used by the natives 

 for various affections of the skin, and which I have also seen 

 employed with some advantage. The pods of the Theo- 

 broma cacao were ripening on the trees. A most delicious 

 chocolate is manufactured at Samboanga from the seeds; 

 many parts of the plant are also used medicinally. The 

 glutinous sap of the Bombax pentandrum is here applied 

 to parts affected by Rheumatism, and the cottony seeds 

 are used as soporific pillows, like those famous poppy 

 ones of Somnus. The down, moreover, forms an excellent 

 moxa. 



The fresh fruit of the Butong (Barringtonia speciosa) 

 is bruised and thrown into the water to benumb fish at 

 Samboanga, and fishing-nets are made of the dried 

 fibres. The flowers are large, and very beautiful, the 

 long stamina forming an elegant scarlet tassel. The 

 other species (B. racemosa) flowers in May. The seeds 

 of the Camonsilis (Fuya lanceolatd) are used in alleviating 

 the painful punctures of the venomous spines of the Ray 

 and other fish. 



Among other trees, a variety of the Banga, or Areca 

 Catechu (Immilis), was pointed out, distinguished by its 



