DECEMBER, 1881. 99 



sententiously, as we pass along in the pitiless rainfall, in 

 a blink between the hurricanes. For old-fashioned gales 

 have departed with old-fashioned tides, and it is hard to 

 judge now whether the wind or the tide is to further 

 transcend its ordinary movements. This week the tide 

 was again as high as that of December, 1879, although 

 nothing approaching that of the 22d November, which 

 has burthened the Lome Roads with ^1800 of damages ! 

 When we consider that the wholesale destruction of boats 

 will necessarily throw more work upon the roads, the 

 ordinary wear and tear will in all probability be above 

 the average for a considerable time. But the weather is 

 good for "the country!" What is the country? Are 

 those portions of our palmated coast subjected to those 

 watery influences not part of the said country, and are 

 those who go down to the 4 sea in small boats, and reap 

 their harvest, in part or in whole, from the waters, not 

 part and parcel of the country ? It seems a paradox to 

 say that what is bad for us is good for " the country ; " 

 yet there is still a picking for stock on the half-green 

 hills, and the labours of the husbandmen may be con- 

 ducted with ease where last winter all labour was frozen. 

 Certain it is that rain and mild weather have combined 

 to make the mosses of all kind simply perfect. The 

 brown leaves have been swept off the sward under the 

 trees by the savage gales, and the undergrowth of moss 

 and fern is so rich and green that one almost fancies the 

 green leaves have simply dropped en masse from the 

 boughs for a pic-nic under. Here is the fine bole of an 

 old oak, with widespreading branches, that is in itself a 

 field for the mycologist, with its bark completely hidden 

 under lichen, moss, and fungus, and grey fronds of poly- 

 podium here and there, where they have obtained a 



