ig4 JAMAICA. 



plantation and pimento-grove ; and, beyond this, the way opens 

 fuddenly upon a pretty rifing lawn, on the higheft part of whicli 

 ftands a little villa, belonging lately to Mr. W — fin— y, who is faid 

 to be a natural fon of the late duke of L — ds. This villa over- 

 looks a diminutive vale, through which the high road pafles, and 

 extends its narrow profpefb to another delightful, rifing fpot, of a 

 circular form, and fringed with flately trees. A number of kids, 

 lambs, and (heep, are paftured in the glade, or roam on the fides of 

 the adjacent hills, which are fenced in with a wall of craggy m^oun- 

 tains, richly cloathed with wood. In rural charms few places ex- 

 ceed this little fpot. The road acrofs this affemblage of high 

 lands is extremely curious in every part, and worthy the traveler's 

 attention. There are none in England, nor I believe in Europe, 

 refembling it. It divides the May-day Ridges, as it were, through 

 the middle ; the breadth of which, from Eaft to Weft, is upwards 

 of fourteen miles; it is about fifty feet in width, and confined on 

 each fide by a majeftic wood, that is almofl: impervious to the fun. 

 The lofty trees, fo clofe arranged, form a living wall ; and, inter- 

 mingling their leafy branches, afford a cooling fhade during the 

 greater part of every day throughout the year. The Tavern of 

 Knock-patrick (belonging alfo to Mr. W — ftn — y), the next fet- 

 tlement we come to, flands very commodioufly, and ei joys a 

 moft excellent climate. The Englifh beans, peafe, and other cu- 

 linary vegetables of Europe, grow here, in moft feafons of the 

 year, to the utmoft perfeftion. A gentleman who fupped here 

 could not help remarking, that the vi£luals were literally brought 

 fmoaking-hot to table; a phanomenon ftldom obferved in the 

 low lands, where the air is fo much more rarefied. A fpecies of 

 the tarantula fpider is faid to be often found in this part of the 

 country. The woods abound with paroquets, and pigeons of va- 

 rious forts. The laghetto, and other ufeful trees, fuch as maho- 

 gany, cedar, pigeon-wood, &c. This tavern ftands in the midft 

 of thefe woods, and as yet has but a very fmall traft of cleared 

 ground about it. Every appearance of the road to the Wcftward of 

 it is fimilar to what is obferved on the approach to it from the Eaft- 

 ward, till the hills begin to decline, and the parifh of St. Elizabeth 

 breaks upon the view. From the different parts of this declivity, 



the 



