AN EXPEDITION TO CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 153 



the night one conveyed outside the tent a bottle of quinine 

 lying near my head. It was found opeD but unbroken a short 

 way off. 



20th — We decided to retreat to the Settlement without 

 delay leaving the baggage to be fetched by the coolies who 

 would be sent, as there was hardly any water left, and none to 

 be got nearer than Irvine Hall, and all but Dr. Hanitsch who 

 wished to remain till the arrival of the coolies, and his boy, 

 started at daybreak. Messrs. Jones and Jackson went ahead 

 and met the coolies near the first camp and came back with 

 them. I went to the first camp and remained there till the 

 coolies returned, collecting plants in this district. More Di- 

 dymophxis and Balcmophora were found. The whole party 

 having reached the first camp about 2 a quick march brought 

 us clear of the forest and into the settlement before dark. 

 The whole distance appeared to be about 15 miles. As ships 

 were now expected in every day, it was impossible to procure 

 the service of any more coolies till the end of our visit as all 

 were wanted for loading the vessels. » 



21st — The morning was occupied in changing the her- 

 barium papers and a short walk to Smith Point to try and get 

 more of the Selaginella, but I was not successful. Heptapleurum 

 was just coming into flower, though it had shew T n no signs of 

 buds before we left the Settlement. Another Laportea was 

 also flowering, and a large tree with panicles of yellowish ber- 

 ries and very dark green leaves was met with and eventually 

 with some difficulty as the tree was tDO thick to climb Kassan 

 got specimens of it. In the afternoon I went to Irvine Hall 

 to bring down some large fruits of the big Pandanus, I had 

 left there, and Dr. Hanitsch to Phosphate Hill to fetch away 

 some fossils, etc. 



22nd — I went along the rocks beyond Smith Point as 

 far as was possible. It was extremely hot and the vegetation 

 somewhat dried up, so much so that the younger trees of 

 Ochrosia were often quite withered the whole day not recover- 

 ing even after the nocturnal dews. Many of the smaller 

 plants such as Capsicums were also drooping even in the woods. 

 Oh the rocks beyond Smith Point was a pubescent stunted 



K. A Soc, No. 45, 1905. 



