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132 A BOTANICAL TOUR AMONG THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS,
for some enterprising company. After we had passed through several places
such as I have endeavoured to describe, we came to a large village which was
bordered on one side with a hedge of a gigantic Heliconia, growing from
twelve to fifteen feet higli, and which at first sight I mistook for a Musa.
Beside this hedge I noticed upon a long pole that rested upon two forked sticks,
among others, a number of human jawbones. We had not proceeded far,
when a number of natives in a state of nudity, souie with clubs upon their
shoulders, others with bows and arrows in their hands, rushed from several
huts bawling lustily at my guides, who at once stood, and a great conversation
was immediately entered into between them, during whicli conversation I could
liear the word " man-of-war" was very frequently used. I need not say how
I felt as I stood in their midst, ignorant of their language, the savages scru-
tinizing me the wliile from head to foot. Several cautiously attempted to
handle my revolver,—a liberty which, of course, I declined to allow. The
crowd soon after began to disperse, and we passed on without further inter-
ruption for a few paces, wlien I tliought it advisable to return, which we did
by another track. I invariably made a practice of being as jovial as possible
with the natives of the various islands, and I found it to be an excellent plan.
To make them laugh, which is a very easy matter, and to give them a small
present of calico, tobacco, etc., soon causes a sort of attachment, and they will
do as nuich for you in return. They are, however, generally covetous, and I
have found among them (particularly in the Fijis) some arch rogues.
IV.
T visited Protection and Deception Islands, which form one side of Havannah
harbour. In many places the harbour is three miles wide, and, looking
from the entrance, it reminds one of a beautiful river. The vegetation of both
these islands presents an appearance somewhat Australian. Every tree upon
them seemed to be suffering from drought. The forests of Melaleuca resemble,
in some measure, Uiicali/plns, and beneath them patches of Murraya
paniculala, the fragranre of whose Orange-like blossoms fills the air with a
delightful perfume, sometimes occur. The Murraya was the only genus of
Juruiitiacem I met with in those islands, while upon the mainland, the other
side of the hiu-bour, several other genera occur. The predominating Orders
were Malvacem, Asclepladacca, Ruhlacea, Aeaidhaoece, Mijrtacece, LiliacecB, and
GramiiiecE, of which latter, li>^d time permitted, I could liave made a large col-
lection of dried specimens. During m^' rambles upon these islands I did not
meet with a drop of water. As a substitute for water the natives use the milk
of the cocoa-nut, which may be had in abundance. The natives here are far
more filthy-looking, the women particularly, than in the other islands of Vate.
In the mainland I found three species of Citron, one with very small fruit,
another identical with Citrus niedica, and the other, which was of rare occur-
rence, bore a fruit of extraordinary size, more than three times that of the
ordiuaiy Citron. A species of Cookia was plentifid, but there were neither
Oranges, Limes, nor Lemons. A few hours' steam took us roimd to Tela