566 
FOURTH BULLETIN OF 
[1846 
Most of the necessaries are cheap and good. 
The whole population of these islands is estimated now not to exceed one hun¬ 
dred and ten thousand souls, and by all observations appears to be decreasing; but 
the estimation of Captain Cook, who attributed to these islands four hundred thou¬ 
sand, no doubt was overrated by one-half. 
Amomum Zerumbet.—This plant will frequently be seen in small patches in the 
neighborhood of Honolulu ; the leaves are broad and pinnate, the flower spike com¬ 
pact, bractea red, flowers pale yellow and without odor. It yields a fine fluid 
which allays thirst. 
Cyrtandra Lessonia.—This is one of the forest trees of the Sandwich islands. It 
has white monapetalous flowers, which are very fragrant, and the fruit is a white 
berry, with two cells and many seeds. 
Cyrtandra Triflora.—This is a shrub found in thick shady places near the Pali 
precipice. 
Piper Methysticum.—This is the plant called kava or ava by the Polynesians. 
The leaves are alternate, on rather long petioles, broad heart-shaped and smooth, 
much veined and have a sombre green color. The root is used to prepare the intoxi¬ 
cating drink called awa. A half a pint of the infusion produces intoxication, but no 
excitement of body or mind, and a long continued use a leprous eruption of the 
skin. The king cultivates a considerable quantity, and is said to be under excite¬ 
ment of it more or less every evening. It has an extremely nauseous taste to those 
unaccustomed to it. It is much employed also in dropsy as a remedy, and is said 
to be very effectual. 
January , 1846.—As a commercial place Mazatlan dates but eight or ten years 
back, when it consisted of but a few houses or miserable huts, principally occupied 
by Indians or half-breeds, and who in fact constitute the great majority of the in¬ 
habitants, the merchants only forming the white population. 
At present it is a place of considerable trade, and in its rapid growth has re¬ 
sembled many of our western towns, but here many of the houses are mere hovels, 
while a few members of the mercantile community have splended mansions. I 
have been informed that it is at present the only town in Mexico that is rapidly in¬ 
creasing in population. The prosperity of this plafce is caused by the silver mines 
of the interior, a large amount of bullion and coin being brought here for exporta¬ 
tion, which is nearly all smuggled on board English men-of-war. The Mexicans, 
in returning, take a large amount of merchandise of various kinds in the interior. 
The aspect of the surrounding country is barren and uninviting, having a high 
range of mountains in the distance, among which are some fertile vallies, and 
from whence this place is supplied with fruit and vegetables, being transported a 
distance of more than fifty miles on mules, there being no roads whatever yet con¬ 
structed for carrying of any kind, and in consequence provisions of all kinds are 
exceedingly dear. 
There is a peculiar feature given to the country here by a species of cactus (co- 
lumnarius) which often rises to the height of forty feet, having a trunk sometimes 
three feet in diameter with the summit much branched, the branches deeply fur¬ 
rowed and armed with spines. The flowers are of a pale red color, rather incon¬ 
spicuous. Much of the cultivated land is enclosed with this plant, the branches 
being cut off six or eight feet long and inserted into the ground, where they soon 
take root, and by their spines prevent the ingress of animals. 
The principal forest tree here is the , belonging to leguminoseae, and 
it much resembles the locust in appearance. The natives call it ebony, from the re¬ 
semblance of the heart wood'to that timber. By the English it is called iron wood, 
from its weight. It takes a very high polish, but is very brittle, and is frequently 
fashioned into canes. 
A beautiful species of justicia will frequently be found entwined around the 
cactus, with red terminal flowers in clusters. 
The Cuscuta Americana is found abundantly in this neighborhood. It is a 
parasite, without roots, and entwines around other plants. The flowers are white. 
There is a species of rhamnus in great abundance here, which the inhabitants use 
to give an acid taste to the water they drink. Some birds live entirely on the ber¬ 
ries while in season. The flowers are yellow and the berries of an orange color. 
Jatropha Urcens.—This is a plant with variegated leaves, armed with long silvery 
hairs, and when touched produces a stinging effect. 
