terior, the fine fruit-trees disappear, and their place is
supplied by plantains, tarros, and a kind of bush, growing to the
height of twelve feet, and called Oputu (Maranta); the last, in
fact, grew so luxuriantly, that we frequently experienced the
greatest difficulty in making our way through. The tarro, which is
planted, is from two to three feet high, and has fine large leaves
and tubercles, similar to the potato, but which do not taste very
good when roasted. The plantain, or banana, is a pretty little
tree, from fifteen to twenty feet high, with leaves like those of
the palm, and a stem which is often eight inches in diameter, but is
not of wood, but cane, and very easily broken. It belongs properly
to the herbiferous species, and grows with uncommon rapidity. It
reaches its full growth the first year: in the second it bears
fruit, and then dies. It is produced from shoots, which generally
spring up near the parent tree.

Through one mountain stream, which chafed along the ravine over a
stony bed, and in some places was exceedingly rapid, and, in
consequence of the rain that had lately fallen, was frequently more
than three feet deep, we had to wade sixty-two times. My guide
caught hold of me by the hand whenever we passed a dangerous spot,
and dragged me, often half swimming, after him. The water
constantly reached above my hips, and all idea of getting dry again
was totally out of the question. The path also became at every step
more fatiguing and dangerous. I had to clamber over rocks and
stones covered to such an extent with the foliage of the oputu that
I never knew with any degree of certainty where I was placing my
foot. I received several severe wounds on my hands and feet, and
frequently fell down on the ground, when I trusted for support to
the treacherous stem of a banana, which would break beneath my
grasp. It was really a breakneck sort of excursion, which is very
rarely made even by the officers, and certainly never by ladies.

In two places the ravine became so narrow, that the bed of the
stream occupied its whole extent. It was here that the islanders,
during the war with the French, built stone walls five feet in
height to protect them against the enemy, in case they should have
attacked them from this side.

In eight hours' time we had completed the eighteen miles, and
attained an elevation of 1,800 feet. The lake itself was not
visible until we stood upon its shores, as it lie