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120 A BOTANICAL TOUR AMONG THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.
had not the Commodore and some of the officers been present, he would have
attempted to handle me roughly. Another fact worthy of notice is, that the
natives of many of the islands—and particularly those of Tana and Vate,
New Hebrides—ornament their houses by planting around them the prettiest
variegated plants they can find. Crotons and Dracaenas are great favourites
with them, as also are plants with strong perfume, such as the Evodia, and
others. It may appear strange to some that even those naked savages have a
taste for the ornamental and beautiful, but I believe that there is no one in
existence who could, without a feeling of delight, pass by a group of those
most striking of all variegated plants, the Crotons and Dracaenas. No bouquet
could produce a more varied display of brilliancy than I have seen in them.
Imagine what a dazzling effect a Croton must produce, from 12 to 15 feet m
height, having a mass of foliage, striped or spotted with the most glowing
colours,—bright scarlet, vermilion, or yellow, reticulated with purple, green,
orange, or pink. The Dracseuas, not less beautiful, are generally found upon
the mountain slopes, and it is a strange fact, with regard to the latter, as well
as with several other plants I have met with, that the colom-ed variety found
ill one spot may not be found elsewhere upon the island. There is no general
distribution of any but the green varieties, and those occur in all the islands.
The Samoas seem to be well suited for the growth of sugar and coffee. Kice
and cotton, too, would thrive in certain situations. Mr. Williams, the Consul,
has several extensive plantations of both. In the garden of the Kev. Fathers
Eondelle and Violette (French missionaries), I noticed many other introduced
plants growing to great perfection. Their garden is well worthy of mention.
It occupies altogether about sixty acres, and is situated upon a rich alluvial
flat. The Mango {Manyifera Imlica), the Lichee {JUiiphonia Lichee) , Averrhoa
Bilimbi, Achras saj^ota, Anona squamosa, and many other beautiful fruits,
were here tln-iving most luxuriantly. The Vanilla aromatica had climbed up
the stems of many of the Breadfi-uit and Cocoa-nut trees witli which this
garden is studded. There is no very great display of artistic decoration in the
garden itself, but it might justly be termed an Eden, from its picturesque situ-
ation ; its running streams and small lakes ; its avenues and groups of Bread-
fruit and Cocoa-nut ; its plantations of Banana, and thickets of Paiidanus.
The growth of everything is exuberant. The pi'cttiest hedge I have ever seen,
surrounded a fancy-garden near the house, it was formed of a dwarf, bright
scarlet, large, double-flowering Hibiscus (indigenous to the Samoas), about 4
feet high, which was literally covered with flowers, and presented indeed a
gorgeous sight,—the glossy bright leaves occasionally peeping between the
flowers. As we remained for nearly a week at Upolu, I was enabled to travel
over a great portion of the island. The vegetation everywhere is indescribably
rich, and consists principally of the Orders Malvacem, Myrtacea, Tillacece,
Sapindacece, Guttiferce, AraliacecB, Aurantiacece, Leguminosce, Liliacece, Eu'
phorbiacecE, Compositce, and Urticacece,
{To be continued.)