14 CHARLES DARWIN 



indeed, that which ought to do so most its inhabitants. 

 The black children, completely naked, and looking very 

 wretched, were carrying bundles of firewood half as big as 

 their own bodies. 



Near Fuentes we saw a large flock of guinea-fowl 

 probably fifty or sixty in number. They were extremely 

 wary, and could not be approached. They avoided us, like 

 partridges on a rainy day in September, running with their 

 heads cocked up; and if pursued, they readily took to the 

 wing. 



The scenery of St. Domingo possesses a beauty totally 

 unexpected, from the prevalent gloomy character of the rest 

 of the island. The village is situated at the bottom of a 

 valley, bounded by lofty and jagged walls of stratified lava. 

 The black rocks afford a most striking contrast with the 

 bright green vegetation, which follows the banks of a little 

 stream of clear water. It happened to be a grand feast-day, 

 and the village was full of people. On our return we over- 

 took a party of about twenty young black girls, dressed in 

 excellent taste ; their black skins and snow-white linen being 

 set off by coloured turbans and large shawls. As soon as 

 we approached near, they suddenly all turned round, and 

 covering the path with their shawls, sung with great energy 

 a wild song, beating time with their hands upon their legs. 

 We threw them some vintems, which were received with 

 screams of laughter, and we left them redoubling the noise 

 of their song. 



One morning the view was singularly clear; the distant 

 mountains being projected with the sharpest outline on a 

 heavy bank of dark blue clouds. Judging from the appear- 

 ance, and from similar cases in England, I supposed that the 

 air was saturated with moisture. The fact, however, turned 

 out quite the contrary. The hygrometer gave a difference 

 of 29.6 degrees, between the temperature of the air, and the 

 point at which dew was precipitated. This difference was 

 nearly double that which I had observed on the previous 

 mornings. This unusual degree of atmospheric dryness was 

 accompanied by continual flashes of lightning. Is it not an 

 uncommon case, thus to find a remarkable degree of aerial 

 transparency with such a state of weather? 



