336 A MISSION TO VITI. 
out as already described. The neighbouring natives, 
who came to watch my proceedings, now warned me, too 
late, not to touch the tree, as it was a poisonous one, and 
advised my keeping quiet and not to touch or scratch 
the parts inflamed. This advice, however, I could not 
follow, the irritation for several days being excessive. 
I employed no remedy, but bathed daily, as usual, in 
fresh water, although advised to the contrary, but did 
not get rid of the injurious effect of the itch-wood for 
nearly two months.” 
Another tree, the contact with which is avoided by 
the Fijians, is the Sinu gaga (Excecaria Agallocha, 
Linn.) or poison Sinu, called so in contradistinction to 
the Sinu damu (Leucosmia Burnettiana, Bth.) and the 
Sinu mataivi (Wikstremia Indica, C. A. Meyer), both of 
which, like the Sinu gaga, are littoral plants. The Sinu 
gaga is found in mangrove swamps or on dry ground, 
just above high-water mark. It is sixty feet high, has 
a glossy foliage, oblong leaves, and minute green flowers 
arranged in catkins. It is difficult to exterminate, for 
unless the stumps are taken up, innumerable young 
shoots spring up the moment the main stem is felled. 
When the tree is wounded abundance of white milky 
juice flows, which causes a burning effect on coming in 
contact with the skin. Some natives, however, can 
handle this poisonous juice with perfect impunity (era 
sinu dranu), analogous to what I witnessed in the Man- 
zanillo or Manchineel tree of tropical America, the sap 
of which caused me the greatest agony after it had acci- 
dentally entered my eyes, and never raised even as much 
as a blister on being allowed to dry on the hands of a 
