CHAPTER XIII. 



BOTAXrCAL NOTES IN BOUGAINVILLE STRAITS. 



MY botanical collections were made during 1884 in the islands 

 of Bougainville Straits ; and in order to add to the complete- 

 ness of this section of my work, I will briefly refer to the physical 

 character of this locality. The principal islands of this sub-group 

 are Treasury Island, the Shortland Islands, and Faro, or Fauro, 

 Island ; whilst around these lie numerous smaller islands and islets. 

 The larofest is not more than twelve miles in leno^th, and none of 

 them attain an elevation exceeilinor 2000 feet. Faro being about 

 1900 feet, Treasury about 1100, and Alu, the principal of the Short- 

 land Islands, about 500 feet. In geological character they differ 

 widely, Treasury being, for the most part, of recent calcareous 

 formations. Faro of volcanic formations, whilst Alu is formed of 

 rocks of both these classes. Of the numerous smaller islands and 

 islets which dot these straits, some are of volcanic, and others of 

 coral rocks. 



In my botanical excursions in these islands, I recei\'td the 

 greatest assistance from the natives ; and I was particularly'- struck 

 with the familiar knowledge of their trees and plants which these 

 islanders possessed. They have names for not only nearly all the 

 trees, but for several of the grasses ; and, in the case of the former, 

 when I was uncertain as to whether I had come upon any specimen 

 before, they would obtain its flower, or fruit, or foliage, and point 

 out to me its comparative characters. The superior knowledge, 

 which these natives possess of each plant and its uses, has often led 

 me to reflect on the mengre acquaintance with the commonest trees, 

 shrubs, and herbs, which the ordinary white man can claim. Had 

 my native companions asked me to instruct them in a similar man- 

 ner on the vegetation of an English woodland — if such a rapid 

 change of scene were possible — they would probably have regarded 



