290 l'ROCKliDIN(;.S OF THi: ACADEMY OF [1890. 



Just before reaching Chateau Belair, a little village, which 

 strongly suggests a Swiss dorf, we pass through a break in a lava 

 stream, which has flowed down the western slope of the island. It 

 is made up wholly of basaltic columns, not so regular nor so large 

 as those of the Cumberland valley, but smaller, moi*e broken and 

 slanting toward the sea at about an angle of 45.° 



The SoufFriere or volcano of St. Vincent forms the northern side 

 of Wallabou valley, through which a stream of water wanders by 

 great black boulders of lava. The sides of the valley are every- 

 where clothed with deep green primeval wood ; here and there a 

 tree fern spreads its softer green over the dark verdure, the crown 

 of delicate fronds appearing at a distance like light green shields, 

 laid upon the green hill side. Luxuriant vines and longlians or air 

 plants, pour over the face of a perpendicular cliff, from the dark 

 wave of forest that rolls back from its edge. After passing into this 

 valley, the path leads to the north and we begin our ascent, on a 

 • ridge of a great lava stream, which leads to the crater, three thousand 

 feet above iis. The path on this spur is at times not more than a 

 few feet wide and as we ascend we look on each side into a deep 

 abyss of green. The cool wind from the peaks above, shoot? in 

 gusts about us and speeds away down the gorges ; ruffling in its 

 ^course the broad flat leaves of the trumpet tree which cause a spot 

 of frosted silver to gleam on the dark green waste. 



Winding past huge forest trees, the path is walled with broad- 

 leaved Balisiers or wald bananas, the moisture dripping from their 

 l)right yellow spathes. We are obliged at times to tear our way 

 through masses of pink and white Begonias ; the wild tropical ex- 

 pressions of our diminutive hot-house plants. 



About two thousand feet above the valley, the path widens into a 

 level s])ot, shaded by two immense fig-trees ; great " beard " hang 

 from their branches, some still swinging in the wind while others have 

 just taken root in the ground, and others still, having been long 

 rooted, one of goodly size and are partially welded to the main 

 trunk. These are called the " Maroon trees " and the spot is the 

 resting ground for travellers going over " the hill " as the Yincelo- 

 nians call this great mountain. 



The path now becomes steeper ; the tropical vegetation begins to 

 lose its richness and to give place to more stunted forms ; trees are 

 replaced by bushy growth and the woods begin to resemble open north- 

 ern scrub ; mosses and lichens take the place of the huge dripping 



