ST. JAGO, CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. 63 



way to reward me, the plants being the same as lower down the 

 slope. The oil tree (Jatropha curcas) grew np to the top of the 

 slope. There were none of the mountain plants which occur at 

 St. Vincent at this height. There were a good many fungi. 

 They apparently spring up luxuriantly during the wet sea- 

 son. Plants generally grow at a lower level at San Jago than at 

 St. Vincent. Thus, Sarcostemma Daltoni in San Jago grows 

 abundantly almost at sea level on the cliffs near the harbour. 

 In St. Vincent I found none lower than 900 feet.. The plant 

 was in full bloom at San Jago. In St. Vincent I found only 

 a single blossom, though the plant w T as very abundant. 



I exchanged a drink of ship's rum with my Portuguese host 

 for his cup of coffee. He had a very pretty young yellow wife, 

 who on my return to the house was pounding maize in a large 

 wooden mortar, assisted by a very black servant girl, each of 

 them wielding a heavy pestle, and striking alternately, like 

 blacksmiths on an anvil. A little water was sprinkled on the 

 maize to assist the process. 



John Antonio was well known all along the road, and most 

 elaborate courtesies passed between him and every one we met, 

 or whose house we passed by, sometimes a Creole, sometimes 

 a Portuguese. He explained that the Creole greeting which 

 he used meant, " What you feel ? " In Portuguese he always 

 addressed everyone as Sir, and after mutual congratulation 

 on the subject of health, he entered into a lengthy explanation 

 of who I was, which wasted a great deal of our time. John 

 was a thin, spare man, with a very ragged coat and trousers, 

 which had evidently once been respectable on a previous 

 owner. He was perpetually hungry and thirsty. 



As soon as the horses were rested we started back. I shifted 

 my single spur, for John and I wore a pair between us, to my 

 left foot, and managed to reach the town by 3 P.M., in time to 

 join a second seining party. The seining was suddenly brought 

 to a conclusion, for a south-west gale being expected, we were 

 hurried on board. A heavy swell had set in by the time we 

 reached the ship., so that there was some difficulty in getting up 

 the ship's side. We found all the boats hoisted, and steam up, 

 ready for sea at a moment's notice. 



