The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-06-11
SIS. HUMBOLDT WHICH MAY PLY BETWEEN
SAN FRANCISCO AND HILO.

(Thespesia populnea), the Naupaka
(Scaevola KoenigiD, the Pohuehue
(Spomoea pes capra), the Kou (Cordia
and the Hala (Pandanus
doubtless followed in
reaching the Hawaiian Islands. All
these plants possess buoyant seeds or
fruits that retain their powers of germ
nation after floating many months in
sea water There is now a Milo tree
growing in the Royal Gardens at Kew,
which was raised from a seed l gath
cred in the Keeling Islands in 1888
After being kept for two years, it was
allowed to float in sea water for u
months, and it then terminated in my
study in London in few days.
My previous remark that in the in
completed operation we find a clue to
the track of the floating seed will now
be better understood. Trees like the
Milo and the Hala, which occur every
ford no indication. We have to take
as our guides the Nipa, which has
reached ITALIAN, the Mangrove, which
has arrived at. Fiji and Tonga, and
Barringtonia speciosa, which has
crossed the South Pacific to Ducie ISL
and, but has failed to reach Hawaii
Then we are able to lay down the
circuitous route by which the Milo,
the Naupaka. the Pohuehue, the Kou,
and the Hala have reached the islands
of the Hawaiian group.
Through ages the oceanic currents
have been engaged in stocking the
Pacific isles with their shore-plants;
and l assume that along the same track
and at various periods the Polynesians
| traversed this ocean. From time to
time different migrating bands have
followed this track but with the Poly
nesians, as with the seeds, neither the
occasion nor the path were of their
own choosing. Separated by long in
tervals. perhaps of centuries, there
were times when in this region of the
globe all nature was on the move
Then wind and wave conspired togeth'
err to afford the opportunity for the
periodic migration, the seasons of the
northwesterly winds being probably
much extended. The pulse of life ther
beat with a feverish throb; and pc
Rod of unrest, in which man and thu
whole animal world were affected, ush
cred in the crisis. Nature at length
gave way under the strain or. in othe
words, relaxed the usual rigor of he
laws. The result was a migration.
The fleets of canoes, laden with tn
Polynesians, were preceded by vas
quantities of floating vegetable drift
(trees, leaves, seeds, fruits, etc., an
! here different animals, and occasional
" even the crocodile were borne along
: The sea was alive with shoals of fish
and large schools of whales spouted /
2 every bay. Flocks of innumerable mi
/ gratory birds ducks, geese, rails, etc
l passed in a rarely broken line ovel
: head. whilst insects in dense, CLOUD
\ like masses, few along the track. Thu
Y heralded, each great band of Polynt
d slams pursued the same involuntar
e journey. each in its turn bringing SON
C new fruit or tuber from the wester
: lands, by which tradition perpetuate
: IT'S memory in a future age.
The more striking features of one
f these migrations, 1 hope to bring oil
o in a subsequent article in the form
3, an imaginary legend.
: H. B. GUPPY, NJ. B., F. R. S. E.
e Punaluu, Hawaii, May Z, 1897.