AMONG THE CARIBS. 79 



with other people ; naked they wandered at will in the 

 forest ; without houses, they slept on the ground on 

 beds of leaves. Sending my collections of birds to 

 the coast and ordering thence a fresh supply of provis- 

 ions and ammunition, I left the Caribbean side of the 

 island and marched over the mountains toward the 

 Atlantic, with three stout girls and a man laden with 

 my effects. The journey was to occupy two days, as 

 the rivers were swollen. They had "come down," 

 in the language of the country ; but when a river is 

 "down" in the West Indies it is up having rushed 

 down from the mountains, swollen by some heavy 

 rain, and flooded the lowlands. 



The Carib reservation in Dominica extends from 

 Mahoe River to Crayfish River, a distance of about 

 three miles along the Atlantic coast, and away back 

 into the mountains as far as they please to cultivate. 

 Though each family has a little garden adjacent 

 to the dwelling, any individual can select an un- 

 occupied piece of ground on the neighboring hills, 

 or mountain sides, for cultivation. All their provision 

 grounds (as are called the mountain gardens where 

 the staple fruits and vegetables* are grown) are at a 

 distance from the house, some even two miles away, 

 solitary openings made in the depths of the high 

 woods. As the soil in general is very thin, and does 

 not support a crop for many successive years, these 

 gardens are being constantly made afresh. 



As I rode along, every house seemed deserted ; no 

 face appeared, and I met no one save the- ancient 



* These are, the Yam {Dioscorea sativa and D. alatci) ; the 

 Sweet Potato {Batatas edulis); the Cassava {Jatropha manihot 

 and J. janipha) ; Banana (Musa paradisiaca) ; Plantain {Musa 

 sapientum), and Tannier (Caladium sagitta 'folium). 



