CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 25 
«The nature of the vegetation is here, as well as every 
where else, the truest criterion of the climate. Few of the 
undoubtedly indigenous plants can be called tropical ; on the 
contrary, the flora of the island is poor in some families which 
occupy a large portion of tropical vegetation in general ; 
such, for instance, as the Composita, while it is much richer 
in others chiefly found in temperate climates, as the Labiate. 
Few of the plants of the hotter regions of Africa are found 
here; but a much greater number of species similar, or 
allied to, those of the temperate extremities of this continent, 
and of the Canary islands in particular.. The number of 
these encrease in ascending from the low grounds to the hills 
of second magnitude, where they are succeeded partly by 
European and partly by other Canarian plants to the height 
of 3000 feet, which was the greatest elevation I reached.” 
«« St. Jago, though enjoying the genial influence of a tro- 
pical sun, seems to be poor in indigenous plants, as is 
indeed usually the case with islands at any considerable dis- 
tance from a continent. But though nature is not here 
spontaneously productive, she has adopted every plant, 
which has been brought to the island either by accident or 
design. Thus the most prevalent species are exotic, and 
chiefly introduced from the other Portuguese colonies, par- 
ticularly from the Brazils and the Malabar coast. The 
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