HOMEWARD BOUND. 249 



hollow among hillocks, surrounded by sandy plains and 

 bare rugged mountains, with range beyond range of jagged 

 crags and precipices. The island has certainly a most 

 extraordinary mountain-in-the-moon-like look ; there was 

 only one little patch of green on a plain near the town, 

 while some way off, in the midst of a flat sandy waste, 

 is seen the lazaretto at the foot of another gaunt range. 

 Half a dozen passengers came on here, mostly connected 

 with the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Co., 

 and some rock specimens which one of these gentlemen 

 showed me were certainly volcanic ; but, looking at the 

 mountains from the bay, there appear the strongest 

 evidences of stratification. 



The neighbouring island of Sao Antonio, which appears 

 but a stone's throw, owing to its lofty mountains, is fertile, 

 but has very few inhabitants. From thence come the 

 fruit, etc., and also all the water, not only for the supply 

 of the steamers, but even for the town of St. Vincent. The 

 water is brought over the straits in lighters, and sold at 

 one penny per gallon. One ship lately had to pay 10 

 for 1600 gallons. 



At length, when everybody and everything is black 

 with coal-dust, at noon, we weigh anchor, leaving the 

 La France behind to see her no more, as she is bound for 

 the Mediterranean, and won't catch us up. We take a 

 last look at the curious bay, and at the German steamer 

 sunk in a collision here some time ago (all we can see is 

 half her masts sticking out of the water, though I believe 

 she is to be raised), and then glide away past the pic- 

 turesque lighthouse, which is placed at the top of a rock 

 about the middle of the bay. The log registered ten miles' 

 run when we passed the end of Sao Antonio, yet the 

 height of the mountains and the clearness of the atmo- 



