92 THK VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



slii'Lib. It ssems to eat up or destroy every tiling tliat comes in its 

 way. I sought to get to some trees in a wood, but failed to force a 

 passage through this impenetrable hedge. The flowers are very 

 beautiful and varied, exhibiting every variety of golden, yellow and 

 red. Strange to say, cultivated forms of the species do not spread 

 in like manner. !Not merely because of the lack of fruit, but also 

 because they are not so prolific in rooting runners and offshoots. 



We left New Caledonia, and steamed through a newly discovered 

 passage, a deep gorge between high, rocky headlands. The scenery 

 was grand and rugged. The rocks were mostly of a red colour, and 

 nearly devoid of vegetation. Nickel aud copper mines are worked by 

 English or Australian companies. Here and there mountain 

 torrents, lit up by the sun's rays, appeared as sinuous silver lines on 

 the dark locky background, or rushed as waterfalls over the deep 

 precipices. On low ridges were pole like pines, in weird and solemn 

 solitude. In four hours we had passed New Caledonia, and after 3^ 

 (lays further steaming, we sighted Kandavu, the first of the Fijis, 

 and s<ion after came in sight of Suva, the capital Tins is situated on 

 the large island Viti Levu. The scenery is grand. The suu was just 

 rising, and scattering the fleecy mists from the mountains. Purple 

 shadows still hung on the sides of the hills. The golden rays of the 

 morning lit up the coral reefs. Colours of every hue danced on the 

 waters. Gentle ripples played upon the deep. Genial sunbeams 

 filled the atmosphere, and lit up the face of Nature with life and 

 beauty. Hero and there were gentle undulations ; yonder and afar 

 were ranges of hills ; and in the background lofty mountains, high 

 peaks, and bold headlands stood out conspicuously in the distance. 

 On Hearing the shore, the whole landscape presented an appearance 

 of glorious greens, every shade and hue combined in most artistic 

 and pleasing effect. Ten thousand times ten thousand dew-drops 

 lit up with silvery light presented a scene not soon to be forgotten. 

 The very air was balmy and fragrant. The woods presented the 

 brightness of the best kept hothouse vegetation. 



But we near the port. The ship is soon besieged by a host of dark 

 natives, naked, excepting a handkerchief or sulu round the loins. 

 Nearly all had deep scars on the back or limbs, and some on the breast. 

 This is done in bravado to shew pluck. The companions chaff aud dare 

 the boy to slice down his flesh, or to allow others to do the same. And 

 the flesh is gashed, long and deep. Then the wound is kept open 

 by irritants, and so heals with a broad scar. We often hear of 

 cruelty to animals. Such torments would kill white people. We 

 can only reason by analogy. The Australian natives are lowest in 

 the social scale of the Southern Hemisphere aborigines. With a 

 blunt stone they can open the abdominal cavity, extract the uterus, 

 and in a week nothing but a scar will remain to tell the tale. Little 

 or no pain comparatively. No severity of nervous shock. No 

 bringing down to death's door. The lower in the social scale, the 



