72 THE ATLANTIC. [chap. ii. 



three fine examples of the celebrated baobab-tree {Adansonia 

 giganted) ; the trunk of the largest on our route was al)out 50 

 feet in circumference, but in some trees of the same species 

 on the neighboring coast of Africa, which are supposed to be 

 among the oldest trees in the world, they attain the enormous 

 dimensions of 30 feet in diameter. The baobab-tree, with its 

 spreading low crown and large pendulous greenish-purple flow- 

 ers, has a very striking and unusual appearance. 



After riding a few miles we came suddenly to a sort of basin 

 at the head of the valley, with a slow stream passing through it 

 and a broad belt of the most luxuriant tropical vegetation on 

 either side. Groves of cocoa-nuts extended for miles along the 

 banks ; and the land was cleared and fenced for the cultivation 

 of yams, sweet-potatoes, maize, pumpkins, and all the ordinary 

 vegetable productions of the tropics. Wherever the vegetation 

 was allowed to run wild, it passed into a tangled thicket of 

 oranges, limes, acacias, and castor-oil shrubs ; the whole so warp- 

 ed and felted with climbing gourds and beautifully colored Ipo- 

 meas that it was no easy matter to make one's way tlirough it 

 unless by the cleared tracks. We went a little way up the 

 flank of one of the hills to the village, and had a good view of 

 the valley, which contrasted wonderfully in its extreme rich- 

 ness and careful cultivation with the arid plains below. The 

 swarthy inhabitants received us with their usual good-natured 

 hospitality, and after a welcome luncheon, of which bananas, 

 oranges, pine-apples, and cocoa-nut milk formed the principal 

 part, we rode back to the ship, highly pleased with our experi- 

 ence of this unexpected oasis. 



]^ext morning one or two of us went out in the steam-pin- 

 nace to dredge for red coral. We had learned that there was 

 a regular coral fishery on the coast of San lago, seven or eight 

 boats being constantly emj)loyed, and nearly a hundred men ; 

 and that coral to the amount of upward of 100 quintals (10,000 

 kilos.) was exported annually. The fishery is carried on at 



