THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ^ 25 



prefent, fome vineyards where houfes formerly flood j .'776- 

 whereas Santa Cruz is encreafing daily. 



The road leading from Santa Cruz to Laguna runs up 

 a fteep hill, which is very barren ; but, lower down, we 

 law fome fig-trees, and feveral corn fields. Thefe are but 

 fmall, and not thrown into ridges, as is prac^ifed in England. 

 Nor does it appear that they can raife any corn here without 

 great labour, as the ground is fo encumbered with ftones, 

 that they are obliged to collecl and lay them in broad rows, 

 or walls, at fmall diftances. The large hills that run to the 

 South-weft, appeared to be pretty well furniflied with 

 trees. Nothing elfe worth noticing prefented itfelf during 

 this cxcurfion, except a few aloe plants in flower, near the 

 fide of the road, and the cheerfulnefs of our guides, who 

 amufed us with fongs by the way. 



Moft of the laborious work in this ifland is performed 

 by mules ; horfes being to appearance fcarce, and chiefly 

 referved for the ufe of the oflicers. They are of a fmall 

 fize, but well fliaped and fpirited. Oxen are alfo employed 

 to drag their calks along upon a large clumfy piece of wood; 

 and they are yoked by the head ; though it doth not feem 

 that this has any peculiar advantage over our method of 

 fixing the harnefs on the fhoulders. In my walks and ex- 

 curfions I faw fome hawks, parrots, which are natives of the 

 ifland, the fea fwallow or tern, fea gulls, partridges, wag- 

 tails, fwallows, martins, blackbirds, and Canary-birds in 

 large flocks. There are alfo lizards of the common, and 

 •another fort ; fome infecfls, as locufts 5 and three or four forts 

 €f dragon flies. 



I had an opportunity of converfmg with a fenfible and 



•well-informed gentleman refiding here, and whofe veracity 



VoL. I. E " I have 



