248 
Memoranda of an Excursion 
of the spot rivetted ray attention for a few moments, 
and I almost determined to venture on a sketch. I ga¬ 
thered a handsome moss in this place; and, a little 
further on a Polypodium (P. viscid,urn, n.sp.,W . C.), every 
frond of which was more or less covered with pappus, 
downy seeds, and other such light substances, blown by 
the winds. We soon arrived at the village, situated on 
a high headland jutting into the N. side of the lake. The 
gateway was, as is often the case, embellished with a pair 
of huge and hideous clumsily carved figures, besmeared 
with red pigment, armed with spears, and grinning 
defiance on all comers. The wind now blew so very 
strong, that it was not possible to cross the lake in such 
frail canoes as this people had at command, so I was 
obliged to pitch my tent here, although it was not an 
easy matter to find a place suitable, owing to the very 
great unevenness of the ground, its unsheltered situa¬ 
tion, arid the very high wind. Here, I was confined a 
prisoner until the morning of the 29t.h, when the wind 
lessening I made my escape, and crossed in safety to 
the opposite shore. Whilst detained, however, I made 
the most of my time, and was amply rewarded with 
specimens of new plants. And, first, I will notice 
another beautiful species of 'IFagus , with small, broad, 
adpressed, coriaceous, and bi-serrate leaves, which grew 
plentifully in the immediate vicinity of the lake, and 
possesses, especially in its young state, most elegant 
foliage. Unfortunately, however, I could not find a 
single flowering specimen, although I carefully sought 
for such, and hired natives to climb the trees in search 
of the same. A few capsules of the preceding year were 
all I could procure. The natives wished me to believe, 
that this tree did not bear fruit every year, and they 
