VEGETATION. 
201 
ern part. There are no fresh - water streams. 
The island is of coral formation ; and precipi- 
tous cliffs, 20, 30, 60, 80, and in one part even 
100 feet in height, rise nearly all round the 
coast. Some of these are of very beautiful and 
grotesque shapes — -huge boulders, perfect arches, 
dark caves, and fairy grottoes succeeding each 
other in ever-varying form. 
The vegetation grows on the scantiest possible 
soil. There are some very tall trees, though 
sparse, and in parts the low shrubbery under- 
forest is almost impenetrable. Bright-coloured 
flowers are not abundant ; but a beautiful orchid, 
of a deep lilac colour, grows profusely in the 
coral crevices, often within the splash of the 
waves. In spite of the men’s dread of going 
into the forest, the herbarium grow, H. often 
went off from sunrise till sundown to the main- 
land and the neighbouring islands, and returned 
with a laden boat. Only a miserable few of these 
plants ever left Ritabel : almost all were con- 
sumed in an unfortunate fire— a heartbreaking 
episode to both of us. Writing in my journal, 
September 9, I say : t( This forenoon, when quite 
alone, H. and the hunters having gone to the 
opposite shore for the day, and Kobez to the 
well, a mile off, while I was sitting in that miser- 
