20 PLAINS AND VALLEYS, 



cera ?) and a very pretty convolvulus, with lilac 

 flowers, climbed over rocks and trees in good 

 soil. 



From this place we proceeded to our desti- 

 nation. The sun was fervent, but the incon- 

 venience was in some degree mitigated by a 

 delightful north-east trade breeze. We passed 

 over scorched plains, about which a few stunted 

 bushes of mimosa were scattered, and at other 

 places some wretched trees of Jatropha curcas. 

 In a small vale we passed a rivulet of delicious 

 water, at which several negresses were busily 

 engaged in washing linen. The springs of 

 water appear excellent, and there seems to be 

 no deficiency of it in the valleys ; but the want 

 of rain is often severely felt : it was stated 

 to me, that during the previous twenty months 

 only half an inch has fallen on this island. 



Continuing our journey, we passed several 

 negroes conveying their produce, consisting of 

 fruit, vegetables, orchilla.weed, &c. to the town 

 for sale, upon asses, with panniers made from 

 bullocks' hides. The animals seemed in ex- 

 cellent condition, at which we were not a little 

 surprised, from what Ave had seen of the sterility 

 of the soil. A few cattle were also seen wan- 

 dering over the plains, where barely a speck 

 of verdure tinged the barren volcanic rocks, still 



