1824, BECEMBER. AT SEA 95- 



obliged me reluctantly to leave such an interesting speck of tte globe and 

 my new acquaintance Clark. Tbe weather continued unfavourable for 

 making the land again ; for three days we were so much driven by its. 

 violence that the captain considered it a sacrifice to return. Our course 

 was then directed towards the Islands of Galapagos under the Equator 

 in Long. 80° W. On the morning of Thursday the wind became moderate 

 and we got the south-east trade wind, which we were fortunate enough 

 to carry with us within 1^ degrees of the Equator. Christmas was observed 

 in Lat. 27° S., Long. 84° "W. We dined on the goat given to us by Clark ; 

 were comfortable and happy ; in the evening we drank the health of our 

 friends in England. 



Collected during my visit to Juan Fernandez the following plants : — 



(1) Fern, a fine strong plant, plentiful in moist places. 



(2) Aspidium (?), an elegant strong plant ; abundant in moist places ; 

 gives great annoyance in passing through it ; 4 to 6 feet high. 



(3) Asflenium (?) sp. ; small; moist rocks near the sea; abundant on 

 the rocks of a natural arch in Cruz Bay, said by Clark to have been 

 the residence of the hero Crusoe ; this I have no doubt will prove 

 A. marinum. 



(4) Pteris, a strong-growing species, frequenting springs and moist 

 ground; under-side of the frond white, upper bright green. 



(5) Fern tree, 6 to 10 feet high, branching, pinnated on long footstalks ; 

 a very splendid plant ; abundant in the ravines. 



(6) Asfidium (?), may prove the same as No. 2 ; the present in a more 

 open, airy situation, and in a young state. 



(7) Adiantum sp. ; in dry open situation, rare. In dry shady places 

 in rich vegetable soU, looks like A. pedatum of N. America. 



(8) Polypodium sp. ; frond pinnate, dentate, strong nerved, on decayed 

 trees in thick shady woods ; root bright green, covered with thick brown 

 chafiy scales. 



(9) Polypodium, a very fine plant, leaves root at the point ; on rocks 

 near the summit of the hills ; abundant. 



(10) Asplenium sp. ; plentiful in moist places near springs. 



(11) Fern Flowering, abimdant in thick woods. 



(12) Aspidium sp. ; fronds doubly pinnate ; footstalks smooth and 

 black ; in low shady places among bushes. 



(13) Pteris sp. ; doubly pinnate ; a fine species, open dry places on 

 the summit of the hills and on rocks. 



(14) Aspidium, closely allied to (13), but may prove to be a variety of 

 (2). In the same situation. 



(15) ? ? Tree Fern, without exception the finest of the kind that came 

 under my notice on the whole island ; stem strong, thick, and rough ; 

 footstalks long and black ; 12 to 15 feet high ; abundant in groups on hilly 

 places ; appearing at a distance like young pines. 



(16) Frond large, broad, and entire ; leaves of the spike opposite at 

 the base, alternate at the top, inserted on the upper side of the spike ; 

 very distinct from 1 or 11. 



