306 MALOLO. 
ship by the boat. As this party had not succeeded in obtaining the 
specimens of sandalwood they desired, an opportunity offering, through 
the invitation of old Tui Mbua, who was on board the Vincennes, was 
taken advantage of, and several officers embarked with him, to spend 
the night at his village, called Fakosega. ‘They were accompanied 
by David Whippy, as interpreter. Their principal object was to obtain 
specimens of sandalwood, which has now become so rare on these 
islands, and which the old chief promised to find for them. 
This district of Tui Mbua is that whence the sandalwood was for- 
merly obtained. Tui Mbua furnished our gentlemen with guides, and 
they set out. The country was the same as before described on the 
other route, consisting of barren hills, trees being only found in the 
valleys, which are of small extent. They were soon shown several 
specimens of sandalwood, very small, and hardly to be distinguished 
from the surrounding shrubs. The natives call it assi. Proceeding 
on to the top of the hill, several solitary trees of sandalwood were met 
with, the largest of which were no more than twenty feet high, and 
had a stem only six inches in diameter at the height of eighteen inches 
from the base. The general habit of the tree is represented as of slen- 
der form, and a growth very much resembling that of a peach-tree. 
It is found to be affected by a kind of dry-rot, which, however, does 
not lessen the fragrance of the wood. They procured specimens both 
in fruit and flower; the latter is not conspicuous. The fresh wood is 
destitute of odour, and therefore cannot be recognised by this property. 
The district where this wood is found is exceedingly small, being no 
more than fifteen miles square. A line running north from Lecumba 
Point, and including Anganga Island, will comprise the whole of it. 
This district forms the most western point of the island of Vanua-levu. 
Its soil is rocky and barren, but not more so than that of several other 
districts that have been visited. 
Mr. Brackenridge remarks, that they met with a species of Rhus, 
which grows in the form of an upright tree. Nothing could induce 
the natives to ascend to obtain specimens of it, for it is considered by 
them as poisonous; and they made signs that it would injure their 
hands and feet, or any part of the body that came in contact with it. 
Our naturalists, however, obtained specimens of the tree by breaking 
down a branch with a hooked stick. 
Tui Mbua’s town is situated on an almost inaccessible peak, six 
hundred feet above the level of the sea. It contains about four hun- 
dred inhabitants including men, women, and children. They are all 
now miserably poor, and have little to eat, having recourse to the 
