314 Canadian Record of Science. 



prettily marked, and in shape it resembles a Rugby football, but 

 is not so large. These three vegetables — the yam, the taro, 

 and the bread-fruit may best be described as taking the place 

 of our potato. 



We all delight in a piece of coral, its delicate form, its in- 

 finite variety of design, but when one has been among the 

 living coral, in the riotous marine flower garden, where the 

 most resplendent colors vie with each other and revel in their 

 warm bath, then the corals of our drawing-rooms appear in 

 their true light, as skeletons, dead things, bereft of their pris- 

 tine beauty. A visit to a coral reef, resting midst those ex- 

 quisite blue blue waters at low tide, is one of the greatest 

 charms that the South Sea has to offer. The varied life 

 seen, the intensely rich colors displayed, enchant one. The 

 coral reef is to the naturalist an El Dorado, to the navigator a 

 bete noir. 



Another article of commerce is the beche de trier or 

 trepang, which may be seen at Suva by the ton in its dried or 

 commercial stage. It is a sea-slug about as thick as the wrist 

 and nearly a foot long. It is one of the greatest delicacies of 

 the Chinese epicure, and no dinner amongst the bon ton in 

 China is considered complete without soup of the beche de mer. 

 It is said to take a week to cook. Dinner orders must be 

 given rather early. 



The South Sea Islanders, especially the Samoans and 

 Tongans, are cleanly in their persons. The Polynesians, after 

 their daily bath, generally rub themselves with scented cocoa- 

 nut oil. Formerly sandalwood, which was abundant, served 

 the purpose of perfume by grating it on coral. Now, sweet- 

 smelling flowers are used. Many a time in the early evening 

 was I made aware of my approach to the Samoan quarters by 

 the fragrance borne on the balmy air. Undoubtedly these 

 people of the coral strand are far cleaner than the average 

 white man. 



Many months were spent on the coral-ribbed islands, 

 resting in these fascinating waters of the South Seas, where the 

 natives dream life away, oblivious of the "strenuous life" we have 

 invented. There astronomy and timereckoningare based on no 

 solstices or equinoxes, but simply on the yam, their staple food. 



