80 Letter I, 
line where the herbage meets the sand, attracted my attention 
in particular. It was a species of the Pandanus or Screw pine. 
(See Litho. of Mau and Pele.) The tree has the appearance of 
being supported in mid-air upon a number of stilts : sometimes 
it resembles a monstrous animal rearing on its hind legs, or a 
giraffe with an enormously long neck. These stilts or props 
are in reality the zrial roots of the tree, which it sends down 
from the stem at regular intervals, whenever it feels in want of 
support; thus being enabled to take up a very strong position upon 
spots where the soil is loose and sandy. It throws out bare 
straggling branches on all sides, and their extremities are 
crowned with tufts of leaves, arranged spirally, and bearing a 
great resemblance to pine-apple plants. The fruit is round and 
massive, about six inches in diameter, and contains edible 
kernels not unlike jordan almonds in appearance and taste. It 
is a curious-looking tree, but a very useful one. The leaves, 
plaited, make good bags and mats, which last are generally used 
by the missionaries instead of carpets. 
The Casuarina or ironbark is another tree that clings to the 
neighbourhood of the sea-coast. It'is generally found, how- 
ever, upon eminences a little way above the shore, and exposed 
to the full blast of the sea-breeze. There it roots itself firmly 
in the ground, and waves its strong arms in the wind, defying 
its utmost fury. It bears considerable resemblance to its 
relative, the she-oak of Australia; but is more massive, straggling, 
and attains a greater size. Its wood is excessively hard, and is 
used by the natives in the manufacture of anything that they 
wish to be durable. . 
From the beach we made detours occasionally, out upon the 
flat rocky reef, to inspect the pools left by the ebbing tide, and 
amply did they repay the trouble. Each was a little world 
teeming with busy inhabitants—a beautiful aquarium, stocked 
with an infinite variety of subjects. There were little polypes, 
