Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/177



such things  as  ground  on  which  to  plant  their  feet, though none  of  the  firmest,  activity  of  muscle  and mind, midst  scenes  so  new  and  wonderful  to  them, together with  liberal  potations  from  the  reputed  fever- preventing bottle,  had  a  most  exhilarating  effect  upon their spirits;  though  most  of  them  were  quite  ready again to  seek  refuge  in  a  ship  before  they  found  one on the  other  side.

Surpassingly beautiful  is  the  foliage  along  the  banks of this  Circean  stream. Kolling up  from  either  side are mountains  of  impervious  forest,  gigantic,  rank,  and wild. Every shade  of  green,  sombre  and  bright,  min- gles with rose-red,  purple,  white,  and  yellow,  orange, blue, and  pink  in  endless  varying  kaleidoscope. Solemn palms, thick-leaved  mangoes,  bold  majestic  teaks,  and iDounteous bananas  are  linked  by  crimson-blossomed parasites, which,  twining,  interlacing,  creeping,  and pendant, mat  and  unite  all  brotherhoods  in  close  em- brace, and over-reaching  the  glistening  banks  meet their image  in  the  glassy  waters. Bending acacias dig their  sinewy  roots  into  the  soft  earth  to  pre- vent falling, and  weave  their  branches  into  thick screens ; bread-fruit  hangs  in  huge  clusters  overhead, and plantain  pine-apple  and  orange,  mango  and  lime, papaw alligator-pear  and  sugar-cane,  yield  profusely their spontaneous  favors. It is  no  trifling  matter  to be  a  tree  in  the  tropics. If erect  and  strong  it  is made  a  plant-patriarch,  whether  it  will  or  not,  and must support  a  dense  mass  of  orchids,  purple  convol- vuli, and  creeping  plants  of  almost  every  genus  and species, which  if  spread  upon  the  ground  would  form a thick  carpet  covering  a  space  five  times  the  area  of the  tree's  shadow  at  noon-day  ;  and  when  at  last  the forest behemoth  is  smothered  to  death,  and  dragged down by  these  relentless  parasites,  its  sapless  trunk  is speedily  buried  in  broad  leaves  and  tender  vines  and bunches of  spongy  moss,  and  its  tomb  decorated  with flaming flowers  and  delicate  microscopic  blossoms.

Underneath dark  vistas  of  shadowy  colonnade  are