BOOK N. CHAP. VII. x^y 



Icend on horfe-back. Some tradition, perhaps, remained concern- 

 ing the origin of the Magotti, when a fmall houfe of rcfrclhment 

 was kept on the higheft part of the road, many years ago, known 

 by the fign of Mother Red-cap ; which name that part fUU retains. 

 The cavern at River-head in the North-Weft part of the vale 

 extends near a quarter of a mile under a mountain, or perhaps 

 more, it being impofi'ible to explore the whole length, on account 

 of the river Cobre, which occupies the inmoft part of it, and, run- 

 ning for a confiderable way, fuddenly llioots through a hole in the 

 rock on one fide, and continues its current under ground for a con- 

 fiderable diflance from the cave. That this river draws its origin 

 from fome large ftream in the mountains, far beyond the cave, 

 feems evident, by its rifing or falling in exa6l proportion as the 

 rains are heavy or otherwife in the mountains. After very heavy 

 rains, the river is fo fvvelled, that, unable to vent itfelf at the 

 hole, the fuperfluous water difembogues through the mouth of the 

 cavern. An ingenious man attempted, a few years fince, by fix- 

 ing a flood-gate acrofs the hole, to force the current of the river 

 into a regular channel by the mouth of the cavern, and conduit 

 it from thence to turn water-mills on the neighbouring cftates. 

 The undertaking had all the appearance of being practicable, but 

 was laid afide after the death of the projeiSlor. Near the foot of 

 the Northern ridge, at no great diftance from the road which leads 

 over Monte Diablo, is a cocoa-nut tree of very fingular growth. 

 About thirty feet or more above the bafe, it divides into two di- 

 flinft flems, which, continuing their afcent for feveral feet, at 

 an angle thus V •> '^"d at pretty equal elevation above the main 

 item or body of the tree, are crowned with tops of beautiful fo- 

 liage, and nearly of the fame magnitude ; but whether both are 

 productive of fruit or not I could not learn. As no other of the 

 like figure has been obferved in the ifland, it may be regarded as 

 a lujui tiatura, of a very unufual kind. The pafs which admits a 

 communication between Spanifti Town and this vale ought not here 

 to be unmentioned. After traveling about three miles from the 

 town on a pretty level road, we come to a fugar-plantation, for- 

 merly called by the Spaniards Los Angelos, and now The Angels. 

 Juft beyond this begins the entrance of the pafs. From hence to 

 Vol. II. I the 



