4*04 
Travels ih 
gree of fragrance. It is in high eftimation with the 
inhabitants for the production of wax for candles, 
for which purpofe it anfwers equally well with 
bees-wax, or preferably, as s it is harder and more 
lafting in burning. 
Early on a fine morning I fet fail up the river,- 
took the Eaft channel, and palled along by well 
cultivated plantations on the fertile illands, in the 
river on my left hand : thefe illands exhibit every 
fhow of fertility ; the native productions exceed any 
thing I had ever feen, particularly the Reeds or 
Canes (Arundo gigantea) grow to a great height 
and thicknefs. 
Early one morning, palling along by fome old 
uncultivated fields, a few miles above Taenfa, I 
was (truck with furprize at the appearance of a 
blooming plant, gilded with the richeft golden yel- 
low : ftepping on more, I difcovered it to be a new 
fpecies of the Oenothera (Oenothera grandiflora, 
caule erecto, ramofo, pilofo, 7,-8 pedali, foliis 
iemi-amplexi-caulibus, lanceoiatis, ferratodentatis, 
floribus rnagnis, fulgidis, feffilibus, capfulis cyiin- 
dricis, 4 anguiis,) perhaps the molt pompous and! 
brilliant herbaceous plant yet known to exifL It 
is an annual or biennial, rifmg erect feven or eight 
feet, branching on all fides, from near the earth up- 
wards, the lower branches extenfive, and the fuc- 
ceeding gradually fhorrer to the top of the plant, 
forming a pyramid in figure ; the leaves are of a 
broad lanceolate fhape, dentated or deeply ferrated, 
terminating with a (lender point, and of a deep full 
green colour ; the large expanded flowers, that fc* 
ornament this plant, are of a fplendid perfect yel- 
low colour ; but when they contract again, before 
they drop off, the underfide of the petals next the 
