1832.] ST. DOMINGO. 3 



few shillings, and the Spaniard, patting him on the head, said, with 

 much candour, he thought his colour made no great difference. We 

 then returned, as fast as the ponies would go, to Porto Praya. 



Another day we rode to the village of St. Domingo, situated near 

 the centre of the island. On a small plain which we crossed, a few 

 stunted acacias were growing ; their tops had been bent by the steady 

 trade-wind, in a singular manner some of them even at right angles 

 to their trunks. The direction of the branches was exactly N.E. by 

 N., and S.W. by S., and these natural vanes must indicate the prevail- 

 ing direction of the force of the trade-wind. The travelling had made 

 so little impression on the barren soil, that we here missed our track, 

 and took that to Fuentes. This we did not find out till we arrived 

 there; and we were afterwards glad of our mistake. Fuentes is a 

 pretty village, with a small stream ; and everything appeared to prosper 

 well, excepting, indeed, that which ought to do so most its inhabit- 

 ants. The black children, completely naked, and looking very 

 \vretched, were carrying bundles of firewood half as big as their own 

 bodies. 



Near Fuentes we saw a large flock of guinea-fowl probably fifty 

 or sixty in number. They were extremely wary, and could not be 

 approached. They avoided us, like partridges on a rainy day in 

 September, running with their heads cocked up ; and if pursued, 

 they readily took to the wing. 



The scenery of St. Domingo possesses a beauty totally unexpected, 

 from the prevalent gloomy character of the rest of the island. The 

 village is situated at the bottom of a valley, bounded by lofty and 

 jagged walls of stratified lava. The black rocks afford a most striking 

 contrast with the bright green vegetation, which follows the banks 

 of a little stream of clear water. It happened to be a grand feast- 

 day, and the village was full of people. On our return we overtook 

 a party of about twenty young black girls, dressed in excellent taste ; 

 their black skins and snow-white linen being set off by coloured 

 turbans and large shawls. As soon as we approached near, they 

 suddenly all turned round, and covering the path with their shawls, 

 sung with great energy a wild song, beating time with their hands upon 

 their legs. We threw them some vintems, which were received with 

 screams of laughter, and we left them redoubling the noise of their song. 



One morning the view was singularly clear; the distant mountains being 

 projected with the sharpest outline, on a heavy bank of dark blue clouds. 

 Judging from the appearance, and from similar cases in England, I 

 supposed that the air was saturated with moisture. The fact, however, 

 turned out quite the contrary. The hygrometer gave a difference of 

 2Q'6 degrees, between the temperature of the air, and the point at 

 which dew was precipitated. This difference was nearly double that 

 which I had observed on the previous mornings. This unusual degree 

 of atmospheric dryness was accompanied by continual flashes of 

 lightning. Is it not an uncommon case, thus to find a remarkable 

 degree of ae"rial transparency with such a state of weather? 



Generally the atmosphere is hazy ; and this is caused by the falling 



