The Expedition of Ernst, Pulle, Campbell and Backer to Krakatao in April 1906

Abstract

On April 26th 1906, 9 years after the trip of Penzig and his companions, one year after that of Golenkin and Valeton, the islands Krakatao and Verlaten Eiland were visited by Ernst, Pulle, Campbell and myself¹⁾. The results of this trip were published by Ernst in the clever and well-written paper mentioned above, by far the best that ever appeared on the revegetation of Krakatao²⁾, though this gifted author was, like all his companions, severely handicapped by lack of knowledge of the tropical flora and by the fact that not yet fully one day could be given to the exploration of the much accidented and densely overgrown locality, a time altogether unsufficient for an accurate botanical investigation. The principal merit of Ernst’s publication is that he has brought together a great number of facts and speculations which are of considerable value for the study of the problem of revegetation though they have contributed little or nothing to its solution. It might be compared to a finger-post indicating the way to an interesting spot but not going there itself.