AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



387 



rare. — In the absence of genuine epidendric Orchidacese, a Liparis, 

 having like our Northern species a bulb-like base, grew not only on 

 the ground, but quite as frequently on the trunks and branches of 

 the small trees ; which were besides encumbered with a great variety 

 of epidendric ferns, including also creeping or climbing Hymenophyl- 

 lece. — Alyxia vines were frequent; also, the trailing herbaceous stems 

 of a white-tiowered PliijUostegia ; and a Freycinetia, rendering, in some 

 places, the woods passable only by scrambling over its interlaced stems, 

 that for long distances keep the traveller several feet above the ground. 

 — In intervening spaces, the ground in the forest was chiefly occupied 

 by Ferns; in great variety, and many of them of novel aspect. It 

 should however be observed, that most of the plants just-named are 

 variously associated in other portions of the Group, being very gene- 

 rally distributed. 



Continuing the ascent, the rising ground everywhere leads to the 

 mountain-crest East of the above-mentioned gorge; the highest point 

 being at the gap, or precipitous outlet, called the Pali. This ele- 

 vated position, a little beyond the eminence ascertained by Dr. Rooke 

 to slightly " exceed three thousand feet," was visited by Mr. Bracken- 

 ridge and myself on the 10th of October; and enabled us to overlook 

 the whole Eastern section of the island ; also the mountain-peaks 

 on the West side of the gap; the distant summit of Mauna Kaala 

 proper, alone intercepting the horizontal line of vision. The crest 

 followed by us, being exposed and very narrow, presented the usual 

 mountain-plants, Hamelinia, Smilax, Metrosideros, Yacciniums, and 

 others ; together with some remarkable sjaecies, not seen elsewhere : 

 as one or two peculiar Plttosporums ; gen. Loganinc. ; a poplar-leavesd 

 ge7i. Araliac. ; gefi. Lycioid? ; and three or four Lobelias, one of them 

 yellow-flowered, and another, having its stout woody simple stem a 

 foot in height imbricate on all sides with long coriaceous strap-shaped 

 leaves. 



Tauai or Kauai. On the 25th, with others, I went on board the 

 schooner Flying-fish, for an excursion to Tauai. The weather con- 

 tinued nearly calm, until the afternoon of the 2Gth; when, being off 

 the West end of Oahu, a breeze sprung up, and enabled us to reach 

 Tauai at an early hour in the morning of the 27th. 



Tauai is a loftier island than Oahu ; roundish in outline, about 

 "twenty-eight" miles in diameter, and occupied by a flat-topped moun- 

 tain-mass called the " Table-land ;" the wide expanse of summit ren- 



