364 A MISSION TO VITI. 
but certainly nothing more save a coincidence, that the 
ancient Egyptian term for rejoicing was “lali,” as in 
the Arabian song of ‘ Doos ya-lel-lee. These drums are 
beaten with two short and thick pieces of wood, and 
the sound produced can be heard within a circle of se- 
veral miles. Great praise is bestowed on the Mulomulo 
(Thespesia populnea, Corr.), a tree common on the sea- 
beaches of the Eastern hemisphere, on account of the 
almost indestructible nature of its wood whilst under 
water. When fully developed it is about fifty feet high, 
and the stem from one to two feet in diameter, bearing 
heart-shaped leaves and flowers somewhat resembling 
those of the hollyhock, but changing their colour as 
the day advances,—a peculiarity they share in common 
with those of several other Malvaceous plants. Its 
thick foliage renders it suitable for avenues, and I have 
seen it planted for the sake of its shade both in Ceylon 
and the Hawaiian islands. The centre of old stems 
generally decays in the way our European elms do, and 
the wood towards that part presents a deep claret co- 
lour. The Mamakara (Kleinhovia hospita, Linn.) and 
the Marasa (Storckiella Vitiensis, Seem., so called in 
honour of my able assistant in the botanical explora- 
tion of Fiji, Mr. Jacob Storck) should not be omitted 
in a list of timbers. The Mamakara is from forty to 
fifty feet high, and rather a social tree, indicating its 
presence during the flowering season by its numerous 
and large panicles of pink blossoms. The Marasa, dis- 
covered on the southern side of Ovalau by Mr. Storck, 
is a noble object, attaining eighty feet or more in 
height, nine feet in girth, having a remarkably straight 
