60 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



supplying human wants. They afford, indeed, timber ; and an Urti- 

 caceous tree and shrub, furnish sparingly 'tapa,' (or native cloth,) 

 and cordage. Purslane (of two species), is pretty common, and 

 forms a grateful esculent to visiters; though I have not seen it used 

 by the natives themselves. 



With the above exceptions, the useful plants appear to be of foreign 

 origin. The Cocoa pahn is the principal one ; and so invariably is its 

 presence attributable to human operations, that it has become a guide 

 to the traders, in seeking for natives. The uses of this princely gift 

 of nature, are by no means confined to its esculent properties, but far 

 exceed in variety those of any other known plant. Without going into 

 details, I will only quote the old remark, that it is possible to " build 

 vessels, fit them for sea, and freight them, exclusively from the mate- 

 rials afforded by the Cocoa palm." 



The Pandanus prevails more generally; and unlike the Cocoa palm, 

 it has evidently diffused itself in a good measure, without human aid. 

 The only important exception to its universal presence, was found at 

 Wake's Island ; which is uninhabited and remote from other lands. 

 The slight pulp around the base of the seeds, is said to form an im- 

 portant resource for food, at the Caroline, Radack, and some neigh- 

 bouring groups : but so far as my own observation extends, the chief 

 use has been of the leaves for matting. I should mention, that the 

 leaves of the various species of Pandanus I subsequently met with in 

 the East Indies and in East Africa, were unsuitable for this purpose. 



Some few stocks of the Morifida citrifolia, usually occurred on the 

 coral islands ; presenting likewise every appearance of spontaneous 

 growth. On the rocky groups, however, the tree, besides being com- 

 mon, was observed to be sometimes planted ; although the fruit was 

 for the most part neglected. At the Coral Islands, it may be more 

 valued. According to Mr. Rich, the root is used in dyeing, both in 

 Polynesia and in the East Indies. 



Of the great variety of cultivated plants known to the Polynesians, 

 the above three only, appeared sufficiently hardy to bear the exposure 

 of coral islands; of those at least, which were visited by myself It 

 should also be observed, that at these islands, marks of cultivation 

 were only seen in the occasional planting of the cocoa palm ; and 

 there were no accompanying weeds. 



At some coral groups, situated far to the westward of the Paumotus, 

 and visited by the Peacock, a few additions to the above list were 

 remarked. The two Arums (C. esculenta and C. macrorhiza), were 

 unexpectedly found under cultivation at the Ellice and Kingsmill 



