No. 512] THE NEW FLORA OF KRAKATAV 



455 



of the frequent small ravines, down would come showers 

 of ants, swarming all over us but not doing any serious 

 damage. Few showy flowers were seen, the most stri- 

 king being several terrestrial orchids, one of which 

 Anutrfiua speciosa Bl. was quite common and decidedly 

 handsome. 



After boarding the ship, we sat sail for the north side 

 of the island, where a landing was made at the base of 

 the rock wall formed by the fractured face of the riven 

 cone of Rakata. As we approached the face of the cliff, 

 we were startled to see what looked like puffs of smoke 

 rising from various fissures in the cliff. Remembering 

 the history of the mountain, and also having just received 

 the news of the eruption of Vesuvius and the terrible 

 earthquake at home, the thought occurred that perhaps 

 Krakatau was getting ready for another outburst, which 

 to say the least, was not reassuring. But we finally 

 discovered that the 4 -smoke" was merely clouds of dust 

 caused by the falling of debris from the face of the Hi If. 



Our landing was made in a broad bay where there is 

 a narrow beach, but the development of the strand flora 

 is much less advanced than on the south side of the island. 

 Ferns were noticeably abundant, as they were on the 

 other parts of the island when it was first visited after 

 the eruption. Nephrolepis ex alt at a Schott was espe- 

 cially frequent, and in the crevices in the rocks we found 

 numerous prothallia and young plants of a species of 

 Gynmogramme and of several other ferns. Some of 

 the ferns and other plants which were growing upon the 

 ground here are usually epiphytes. Of these Pol >i i><»l nun 

 que rci folium L. was the most conspicuous. 



After exploring the interior and strip of land at the 

 base of the cone, we returned to the ship. Before the 



akltaTwas left behind us. The 

 us safely back in Tandjong Priok. 



id soon the peak 

 lie next morning 



