35 



small distance which separates them from Krakatao with its probably 

 partly saved vegetation and furthermore for the fact that Lang 

 Eiland during several months (August 1896 till January 1897 and 

 still later) was inhabited by persons who twice a month were in 

 communication with Java and received from there their food and 

 their drinking-water so that man must have influenced the flora. Finally 

 one should bear in mind that the first investigation of the new flora 

 of Lang Eiland took place in 1896, of that of Verlaten Eiland in 1897, 

 13 and 14 years after the eruption, so that we know nothing about 

 the first and most important years. Afterwards also the researches 

 on the flora of these islands were much more superficial and frag- 

 mentary than those carried out on Krakatao; hence the results are 

 yet more scanty and more unreliable than those obtained on the 

 main island and possess, if possible, yet less scientific value. Therefore 

 when discussing the consecutive excursions, I shall separate the 

 data obtained on Krakatao from those on the other islands, I shall 

 restrict myself to studying the results obtained on the main island 

 and only incidentally refer to the other two islands which, if proper 

 investigations had been instituted, perhaps should have formed the 

 main object. Now it is much too late, we know nothing with certainty 

 about the origin and development of their new flora, and we never 

 shall know. 



