The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-04-21
BOTAN|ST PRIEST
FINISHES SEARCH
Father Faurie Has Discovered
Many New Specimens in
the Various Islands.

Able Urban Faurie, the celebrated
French botanjst, who has been in the
Territory for the past year, engaged
in the scientific collection Of specimens
Of Hawaiian fora, is back in Honolulu
from Kauai, preparing to leave for
France. In Kauai, reports the Garden
Island, Father Faurie has been located
in the mountains back of Waimea,
which he has found very rich in the
tropical plant life for which he is
searching. His first point of visitation
was along the OIokele ditch and in the
mountains Of that vicinity. Here ne
was very much delighted with the fora
10 be found. as there are many rare
species in the vicinity, and he discov
cred a number Of new varieties. As
showing the richness of that section in
new species, he states that he found
over sixteen varieties of mokihana, the
sweet smelling plant whose leaves and
berries The natives use for their
wreaths Some of these have never
been named as yet.
While up in this district, Able Faurie
had a narrow escape from death one
dav, for which he must thank his lucky
l
specimens of mOkihana hanging down
from a hala tree, and as he was anxious
to get them he crawled out on the tree,
which hung cut over a cliff thousand
feet deep below him. But when almost
within reach of the prize he was hOr
ritied to feel the tree slowly beginning
to bend out with him as its roots were
forced by his weight to loose their hold
in the thin earth everything the rock
covered ledge. SO he speedily slipped
down to the ledge again and saved him
self Just in time.
Olokele valley and the Napali table
lands are the best places in the Terri
tory for beautiful plant growth as well
as scenery, and here the scientist as
well as the artist may revel in the
wealth Of material to be found, as NJ.
Faurie has discovered, much to his
qualification.
In spite of his sixtyfour years, NJ.
Faurie is a great walker, aud proves
by his activity that the life of a
botanist is conducive to the best of
health. One day, recently, he walked
from LIhue, as far as the top Of the
ridge at the edge of Hanalei Valley a
distance of thirty miles, where he
camped with some of his japanese
friends and returned the next morning,
by the same route, to Lihue, bringing
back with him certain materials which
he had left at Hanalei
He has now travelled over all the
Islands except Molokai, in the search
of his botanical specimens, and that
island lie expected, when he left Kau-
al, to cover this month. He has gath
cred an immense variety of specimens
up to date, and has already sent por-
tions of them to the museums Of Der
lin, Paris. Leipsic, and others i'll Eu
rope, as well as to several of the scjen-
tic centers Of the United States. And
in addition he has been in correspond
ence with several Of the European au-
thorities for the purpose of determin-
| ing the names of certain new species
which he has found, and has sent them
specimens also.
NJ. Faurie expected to be through
with his examination Of Molokai last
week, and when he left this island he
planned to start on his return journey
to his mission work in Japan some
, time in this month. He has only words
of praise for the hospitality shown by
the people Of Kauai. and for the valu-
able assistance they have given him
in the accomplishment of the splendid
results he has succeeded in obtaining
here. He says that Kauai is a mag
nifcent field for the botanist, and he
plans t. come back here for furt her
operations in that line. as soon as he
can get another leave of absence from
his mission work.