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128 A BOTANICAL TOUR AMONG THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.
real lover of plants to pause at almost every step of his ramble to admire their
singular beauty. And who is there tliat could pass by those gorgeously attrac-
tive treasures of the vegetable kingdom—the Crotons and Draceeuas— vrithout
being filled with wonder and admiration ? I was so fortunate as to find upwards
of thirty-five new varieties of DraccBna during the cruise, and was often
agreeably surprised to find some in size and colour of foliage out-doing my
previous idea of what might be in existence.
Aneitum may be considered perfectly safe for the traveller as regards the
natives, who are certainly the most miserable-looking of any of the Polynesians
I have seen. Traversing the island, I met with some fine specimens of Dammara
ohtnsa. Both in Yate and in Aneitum the Dammara is by far the
finest timber-tree, and it sometimes attains a height of about a hundred feet.
Many species of Santalum occur in the mountains, but a large specimen of this
tree is very rarely met with. Impenetrable thickets of Anacardiaceous, Acan-
thaceous, Malvaceous, Araliaceous, Rutaceous, Euphorbiaceous, Myrtaceovis^
and Fabaceous plants, seem to be the predominating Orders among the under-
scrub. Two climbing Ferns of extraordinary beauty,
—
Lijgodwtion and a
Mertensia,—sometimes entwine themselves around and upon the stems of the
larger shrubs in the jungles, and form a perfect network, often fifteen feet over-
head. Several species of Cerhera (a very poisonous tree) are very plentiful
in the New Hebrides, particularly near to the shore. The flowers are white
and emit a i:)erfume, which at night is very strong and not unlike that of a Jas-
mine. I was surprised in one of my rambles through tlie mountains to meet
with two nearly full-grown specimens of Araucaria Cookii growing close to a
village. They were no doubt introduced many years ago from New Caledonia,
of which island the tree is a native. A Bamboo somewhat resembling Bam-
busa Arundinacea, though quite distinct from that species, is sometimes to be
found in clumps upon the mountain sides ; and very pretty it is when curving
its feathery shoots over a Sar/us or a Livistonia, beautiful Palms which are
frequently met with inland. Advancing towards the other side of the island,
I met with two spocies of Areca, Palms of exquisite beauty. Adorning the
banks of a stream that meandered its way towards the sea, upon the rocks,
above the water, and upon the decaying timber partly imbedded with them,
Ferns of all kinds were to be seen. Two of these, more numerous than others,
Lomaria attehuata and L. undulata,—their stems often three feet in length,
were suggestive of a Lilliputian grove of Tree-ferns. Close to the shore upon
the other side were forests of the finest Pamlanus I have seen. Some of them
were beautifully variegated, their drooping fronds catching the spray, and their
roots washed by many a billow. Night came on before I had quite reached
the coast, after a toilful journey across the mountains. Sailing orders had
been given for the following day,, or I should have been inclined to bivouac for
tlie night. It soon became qiiite dark, and the rocks, which are almost impassable
along the coast, caused me many a severe tumble. To prevent this my
guides lit toi'ches of the dried stems and leaves of an Arundinaria, which were
a great assistance. Night, however, had nearly passed over before I reached
the mission station.
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