OF DR. J. R. T. VOGEL. 605 



vallies themselves produce scarcely a species ; for in my first 

 excursion I found in four hours only two species, of which 

 one, a lavander, was completely dried up. What had been 

 wanting here, namely moisture, was in a few days but too 

 abundant. On the part of the coast where we are at present, 

 the rainy season has begun, that is the first portion of it, 

 which announces itself by single thunder-storms with violent 

 wind (tornados.) Sometimes on the passage my cabin got 

 very wet, and what was worse, my plants. Since we have 

 been here, the weather is generally clear by day ; but towards 

 evening there comes heavy rain or a thunder-storm, and last 

 night we had one, such as I never witnessed before. 



" On entering the river at Free Town, the shore, on which 

 the town stands, is bordered at a short distance by a range 

 of hills, which make a very pretty appearance with their 

 gentle swelling summits and insolated lofty trees. A rich 

 vegetation stretches from the shore upwards, which capti- 

 vates the eye by its soft bright green, such as is only seen 

 in the tropics, and gives to the whole an incomparably 

 charming character. I rushed eagerly into these woods, and 

 much regret that the short time of our stay did not permit 

 me to do more, for we were obliged to proceed. The object 

 of the colony here is to teach the Africans active habits and 

 to christianize them ; there are, I think, above 40,000 in the 

 colony, and many of their villages are built close to the 

 town ; so that, for miles, there is no cultivation. Since we 

 left St. Vincent, the temperature has been nearly the same. 

 flie thermometer there was generally 81° Fahr. in my cabin ; 

 here it is about 84°, and sometimes in the middle of the day 

 reaches 86°. This heat is not greater than with us in 

 summer; but the slighter refrigeration of the atmosphere 

 by night, and the power of the sun, make it seem often more 

 mtense than it is. An awning is spread over the deck, 

 under which, when there is a breeze, it is always cool. I 

 am very comfortable on board, except when my collections 

 are lying about. When I return laden with plants, I have 

 n o where to prepare them; and when they are dry, the 



