240 PROFESSOR SMITH’S JOURNAL. 
journal, speaking of the latter, observes, that their whole 
figure, their hanging breasts, and other personal accomplish- 
ments, made our young gentlemen of the party dream of the 
Venuses we should have to admire in the kingdom of Congo. 
No boat was yet to be seen. We had hired a negro cor- 
poral for our guide, and that we might not loose more time 
we determined to set out on our inland journey, though 
without instruments, and though our boxes, which were not 
calculated for a long tour, were already filled with plants. 
Our plan was, if possible, to proceed this evening to the 
foot of Pico Antonio (the highest mountain in the island), 
and having reposed ourselves in some hut during the night, 
to ascend the summit the following morning ; then to cross 
the mountain ina S. W. direction, down the valley Publico 
Grande and Cividad; and lastly, to return by the road 
leading to El Matheo. That part of the island, through 
which we had to pass, is unfortunately the most level. 
From the cliffs near the sea, rising perpendicularly some 
scores of feet, large tracts of land, scorched by the sun, ex- 
tend themselves upwards. They are intersected by level 
barrancoes, of which the valley la Trinidad is the largest, 
running from two and three leagues from the harbour up 
to the mountains ina W.N.W. direction. ‘Through this 
valley, as being the most fertile, we took our way. Its 
lower end is horizontal, and at first sandy and naked. 
Some solitary trees of a Mimosa were the first pleasing ob- 
jects that occurred; and soon afterwards we observed, for 
the first time, a huge Adansonia, divided into three large 
trunks, thick in proportion to their height, with bended 
