of the Island of St, Christopher, 261 



not higher than the knee ; most of them are so formed as to 

 retain, in the interstices of their leaves, a considerable quantity 

 of water, with which they are abundantly supplied by the 

 heavy vapours, which almost continually clothe the summit of 

 the mountain. The ascent here becomes almost perpendi- 

 cular, in some parts perfectly so ; in consequence of which, 

 it requires the constant exertion both of the hands and feet to 

 climb up it. In laying hold of the plants to drag himself up, 

 the water is thrown from them all over the traveller, so that 

 he is in a continual shower-bath ; this water, too, is very cold, 

 which quality, being assisted by the sharpness of the air, 

 absolutely makes the teeth chatter. The weather had been 

 rather moist, for a short time previous to the author's ascent; 

 perhaps, therefore, he saw a larger collection of this water 

 than he would have done in a dry season. It may, however, 

 be fairly concluded, that even in dry weather the rivers re- 

 ceive some supplies from the moisture which these plants at- 

 tract from the clouds, as they pass among them. 



The way up the parts of the mountain I have just been de- 

 scribing is not very safe, as the roots and plants by which it 

 is necessary to cling are very slight, slippery and rotten, and 

 the breaking of them frequently exposes the climber to a con- 

 siderable fall. All the mountain hereabouts is covered, to a 

 considerable depth, with a rich, black, vegetable mould, formed 

 by the long accumulation of decayed plants. The summit of 

 the rock appears but small from the country below, and seems 

 to end in a sharp ridge ; but when you are near its summit, it 

 has a gigantic appearance, and on the top of it are several 

 acres of level land. The view from it is most extensive and 

 beautiful ; the whole island of St. Christopher is seen below, 

 like a miniature picture ; the ships in Nevis roads appear 

 almost under you, as does the island of St. Eustatia ; the sea 

 is as a sheet of blue glass, and the distant ships are like white 

 specks upon its surface. The islands of Saba, St. Martin, St. Bar- 

 tholomew, Martinique, Barbuda, Antigua, Montserrat, and Re 

 dondo rock, are also very plainly seen. The effect of this exten- 

 sive view is greatly heightened, by its being occasionally disclosed 

 in a kind of coup-d'oeil ; for, as before observed, the summit of 

 the mountain is almost always wrapt in clouds, which now 



