^4 JAMAICA. 



at a great diftance. Viewed from below, the x^jutage [j] appears to 

 be a body of water, of fmall bulk, ilTuing between a tuft of wood; 

 but, as it continues its defcent, the breadth gradually increafes, 

 until it reaches the bottom, where it forms a beautiful circular ba- 

 Ibn, and then flows away in a ferpentiiie courfe towards the fea. 

 Through the whole defcent it is broken and interrupted by a re- 

 gular climax of fleps, of a ilalaAic matter, incrufted over a kind 

 of foft chalky flone, which yields ealily to the chiffel. So vaft a 

 difcharge of water, thus wildly agitated by the (teepnefs of the 

 fall, dafliing and foaming from flep to llep, with all the impetuofity 

 and rage peculiar to this element, exhibits an awcful, pleafing fcene. 

 But the grandeur of it is aftonilhingly heightened by the frelh Tup- 

 plies which it receives after the rainy-leafons. At fuch times, the 

 roaring of the flood, reverberated from the adjacent rocks, trees, 

 and hills ; the tumultuous violence of the torrent, tumbling head- 

 long with refiftlefs fury ; and the gloom of the over-hanging wood, 

 contrafled with the foft ferenity of the fky, the filvery glitter of the 

 fpray, the flight of birds Ikimming over the lofty fummit of the 

 mountain, and the placid furface of the bafon below; form, all to- 

 gether, an aflemblage of fubjeds, the moft happily mingled, and 

 beyond the power of painting to expreis. 



** Wide o'er the brim, with many a torrent fwell'd, 



" And the mix'd ruin of its banks o'er-fpread ; 



" At lafl: the rous'd-up river pours along, 



*' Refiftlefs! roaring! dreadful! — Down it comes 



" From the rude mountain, and the moffy wild, 



«« Tumbling through rocks abrupt, and founding far: — 



" Then o'er the fanded valley floating fpreads, 



" Calm; fluggifh ; filent;— till again, conftram'd 



*« Between two meeting crags, it burfts away, 



« Where rocks and woods o'er-hang the turbid ftrearti. 



*' There gathering triple force, rapid and deep, 



" It boils! and wheels! and foams! and thunders through !" 



Thompson. 

 A beautiful intermixture of tall and ftately trees rifes gracefully 

 from the margin on either fide ; whofe bark and foliage are diverfi- 



[>] See Plate V. 



fied 



