SCENERY OF THE COAST. 381 



some distance, similar features to that we had 

 passed, excepting some portions which had an 

 increase of picturesque beauty : the receding 

 hills were not so elevated ; white cliffs, bare of 

 shrubs or any kind of vegetation, rose almost per- 

 pendicularly from the beach about the ' ' Lover's 

 Leap ;" but still further eastward, the coast 

 again abounded in trees. Hills rose above hills, 

 having, in part, a cleared appearance ; but, in 

 general, vegetation was most abundant. Lofty 

 mountains formed the distant prospect ; above 

 the whole of which, the " Golden Mountain" 

 reared its peaked summit, terminating the rich 

 and varied landscape in an extremely beautiful 

 manner. 



From the few houses and canoes seen about 

 this part of the coast, there seems to be a paucity 

 of inhabitants, and no cultivation of the land 

 was visible. The natives, however, may live in 

 the fertile valleys, a short distance from the sea- 

 coast, and concealed from our view. The wind 

 and current being adverse, it was impossible for 

 the ship to make any progress, and we therefore 

 anchored about seven p. m. in twelve fathoms, a 

 few miles to the eastward of the " Lover's Leap." 



The next day we proceeded along the coast, 

 the features of which were similar to that before 

 described ; but beyond " Pedir Point, "the country 



