17?6. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. Ill 



is declining fast; there being, at present, some vine- 

 yards where houses formerly stood; whereas Santa 

 Cruz is encreasing daily. 



"The road leading from Santa CruztoLaguna runs 

 up a steep hill, which is very barren ; but, lower down, 

 we saw some fig-trees, and several corn fields. These 

 are but small, and not thrown into ridges, as is prac- 

 tised in England. Nor does it appear that they can 

 raise any corn here without great labour, as the 

 ground is so encumbered with stones, that they are 

 obliged to collect and lay them in broad rows, or 

 walls, at small distances. The large hills that run to 

 the south-west, appeared to be pretty well furnished 

 with trees. Nothing else worth noticing presented 

 itself during this excursion, except a few aloe plants 

 in flower, near the side of the road, and the cheerful- 

 ness of our guides, who amused us with songs by the 

 way. 



" Most of the laborious work in this island is per- 

 formed by mules ; horses being to appearance scarce, 

 and chiefly reserved for the use of the officers. They 

 are of a small size, but well-shaped and spirited. Oxen 

 are also employed to drag their casks along upon a 

 large clumsy piece of wood ; and they are yoked by 

 the head ; though it doth not seem that this has any 

 peculiar advantage over our method of fixing the 

 harness on the shoulders. In my walks and excur- 

 sions, I saw some hawks, parrots, which are natives of 

 the island, the sea-swallow or tern, sea-gulls, part- 

 ridges, w r agtails, swallows, martins, blackbirds, and 

 canary birds in large flocks. There are also lizards 

 of the comoion, and another sort; some insects, as 

 locusts; and three or four sorts of dragon-flies. 



" I had an opportunity of conversing with a sensible 

 and well-informed gentleman residing here, and whose 

 veracity I have not the least reason to doubt. From 

 him I learnt some particulars, which, during the short 

 stay of three days, did not fall within my own observ- 

 ation. He informed me, that a shrub is common 



