sometimes rugged pathways, the luxuriance of vegetation did not
decrease, but the lofty trees, overshadowing the road, defended the
pedestrian from the effects of a fervent sun, rendering the walk under
their umbrageous covering cool and pleasant. The gay flowers of the
hibiscus tiliaceus, as well as the splendid huth or Barringtonia
speciosa, covered with its beautiful flowers, the petals of which are
white, and the edges of the stamina delicately tinged with pink, give
to the trees when in full bloom a magnificent appearance; the hibiscus
rosa-chinensis, or kowa of the natives also grows in luxuriance and
beauty. The elegant flowers of these trees, with others of more humble
and less beautiful tints, everywhere meet the eye near the paths,
occasionally varied by plantations of the ahan or taro, arum esculentum,
which, from a deficiency of irrigation, is generally of the mountain
variety. Of the sugar-cane they possess several varieties, and it is
eaten in the raw state; a small variety of yam, more commonly known by
the name of the Rótuma potato, the ulé of the natives, is very abundant;
the ulu or bread-fruit, pori or plantain and the vi, (spondias dulcis,
Parkinson,) or, Brazilian plum, with numerous other kinds, sufficiently
testify the fertility of the island. Occasionally the mournful toa or
casuarina equisetifolia, planted in small clumps near the villages or
surrounding the burial-places, added beauty to the landscape.

The native houses are very neat; they are formed of poles and logs, the
roof being covered with the leaves of a species of sagus palm, named
hoat by the natives, and highly valued by them for that purpose on
account of their durability; the sides are covered with the plaited
sections of the cocoa-nut branches, which form excellent coverings.

The natives are a fine-looking and well-formed people; they are of good
dispositions, but are much addicted to thieving, which seems indeed to