FLORA OF THE ISLETS OF THE BOCAS. 11 



intersect the lake in every direction, the first traces of vegetation 

 become perceivable such as a few confervae and a Chara ; at a 

 still greater circumference, the pitch, having been long exposed 

 to the agencies of sun and rain, has become disaggregated, and 

 in this kind of soil are found a few lichens, mosses, grasses, and 

 cyperoids. In other places, where this layer is looser and thicker, 

 we find the following : a Clusia, Chrysobalanus Icacos, Anona 

 Palustris, Xyris, bromeliaceae, and ferns. The lake itself is 

 bounded on one side by a kind of savannah the sterility of this 

 spot being exemplified by an undue proportion of sclerias, ferns, 

 and melastomaceae (Osbeckia and Sj)ennera) together with bro- 

 melias dotting everywhere the rank grasses. 



The islets of the Bocas are overgrown with plants which are, as 

 it were, peculiar to them, and on that account they deserve a dis- 

 tinct notice. These islets are, for the most part, drier than the 

 mainland of Trinidad, which circumstance is, undoubtedly, the 

 great modifying cause inducing a botanical resemblance between 

 the former and the Windward islands ; whereas the flora of 

 Guiana preponderates on the mainland. Any person landing on 

 one of these islets must be struck at once with the difference : 

 large bromelias, cactuses, and agaves, everywhere shoot up, with 

 their characteristic features ; and the thickets of brushwood are 

 composed of helicteres, crotons, capparis, and mimosas, under 

 whose shade thrives a luxuriant vegetation of evolvulus, ruellias, 

 various commelynaceae, amarantaceae and composite, with only a 

 very few grasses. One ridge is wholly occupied by the beautiful 

 Coidarea Speciosa, one of the bark-trees of the West Indies. 



The primaeval forests of these small islands were probably 

 destroyed at an early period, so that we cannot now affirm what 

 they then were ; but we must conjecture they were different from 

 those of the mainland. The few plants which are now standing 

 are of trifling interest to the botanist : besides, they do not display 

 that marvellous vigour exhibited by the general vegetation of 

 Trinidad. Almost constantly buffeted by strong blighting winds, 

 they exhibit a ruffled appearance, just as the man harrowed by 

 habitual passions, bears a peculiar cast of features. These trees 

 belong to the genera bursera, gomphia, sabinea, bombax, and 

 others. 



Having thus, and as far as my abilities would allow, sketched 

 the general features of our vegetable world in its natural state, I 



