SAMOAN GROUP. 125 



The temperature of the air at Apia varied from 77-7° to 80-2° ; that 

 of the water from 81-25° to 83-75°. 



The mean height of the barometer in the group was 30-128 in. 



The islands of the Samoan Group contain two thousand six hundred 

 and fifty square miles, which are divided as follows, viz. : 



Savaii 700 



Upolu 560 



Tutuila 240 



Manono ........ 9 



Apolima ........ 7 



Manua 100 



Oloosinga ........ 24 



Ofoo 10 



The soil of all the islands is rich, and arises chiefly from the 

 decomposition of volcanic rocks. At Tutuila, it was remarked that 

 the vegetation was luxuriant, and the trees of large growth. At 

 Upolu the forests seemed more sombre than those of Brazil, although 

 the same kind of growth appeared to prevail. 



The trees do not branch out until near the top, which renders it 

 difficult to obtain botanical specimens. The trunks are covered, and 

 even the summits of the trees sometimes overgrown, with the leaves 

 of the scandent Flagellaria (Freycinetia), a climbing Piper, and 

 other vines, as Hoyas, Convolvulus, &c. The lower part of the 

 trunks are enveloped with ferns, of which there are many varieties, 

 and with some species of Pothos, which give the whole ground a 

 matted or woven appearance. 



The woods in the interior of the islands are very thick, and often 

 composed of large and fine trees; among them are, tree-ferns, a 

 species of banyan, pandanus, and several species of palms. Among 

 other plants a species of Cerbera was observed, with beautiful clusters 

 of large and odorous white flowers, which yielded a quantity of white 

 viscous sap, that our botanist, Mr. Rich, thought might be manufac- 

 tured into caoutchouc. On the whole, the species of trees are much 

 more numerous than at Tahiti, and the vegetation in consequence 

 richer and more varied. The woods, however, are not enlivened by 

 showy flowers, and the few of these that are seen are of a white or 

 grayish hue, which is to be ascribed to their being but little exposed 

 to the rays of the sun, in consequence of the umbrageous foliage. 

 Many of the flowers seen on the ground were unknown to our 

 botanist, as were several fruits. 



vol. ii. 32 



