520 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
drop had fallen on the plains. In the mountains rich verdure 
surrounded me on all sides, alike on rocks as rich valleys ; 
but on the level grounds nota green leaf could be seen. I 
reached Kingston about seven o'clock r.m., after a journey of 
twenty-five miles of difficult travelling. After despatching 
my collections on the 7th of July, I started by the coast 
road to Bath, but was detained longer in Port Royal Moun- 
tains than I expected, for I had quite mistaken the nature of 
the country. Itook with me about two reams of paper, 
a quantity which, when full, forms quite a load for a mule. 
The day was hot and bright, therm. in the shade indicating 
96°. From the long continued dry weather on the coast the 
vegetation was completely scorched ; on reaching Rock Fort, 
Melocactus communis was abundant for several miles along 
the coast, with three species of upright Cerei, two of 
which I believe are in cultivation. 
Again I crossed the bed of the great Yallah's River, when 
an immense field of Melocactus communis once more ap- 
peared ; the specimens: much larger than any I had noticed 
before. In salt marshes farther on, I saw large forests 
of Mangroves, among them grow Conocarpus erecta and race- 
mosa, singular trees, when in seed much resembling the 
European Alder. 
While cutting down one of these trees to obtain specimens, 
I was seized with a violent pain in the head, followed by 
a voluntary bleeding from the nose, which soon relieved the 
pain; this was the first time I had suffered from the effects 
of the sun, nor had I ever felt the heat so intense. AS 
I pursued my way eastward the vegetation became more 
luxuriant, from the more frequent rains. I observed à 
showy species of Bunchosia, Cleome grandiflora, and Phe» 
seolus lathyroides; here the sugar country begins. Fass- 
ing through Albion estate, I came to the first sugar cultiva- 
tion I had seen, and was delighted with its lively and pleasing 
appearance. On reaching the salt-ponds, I found myself sur- 
rounded by groves of Mangrove trees, which looked. 
handsome. ‘There are no aquatic plants in these extensive 
