l88 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 



slowly ascended the winding path, over ridges covered 

 with calumet grass, and through forest-like groups of 

 tree-ferns and wild plantains. Having given Betsey a 

 taste of the grass, while she was resting beneath a 

 shade, she was prone to stop and loath to go ahead, 

 and it was late when I reached the " maroon tree," 

 half-way up the mountain-side. 



Over and through the broad-leaved plants darted 

 the humming-birds crested, violet-breast, and crim- 

 son-throat. Most conspicuous and numerous was the 

 latter, with back of purple-black and throat of crim- 

 son-gold ; I found him oftenest in the upper forests, 

 in the dark recesses of untrodden glens and along the 

 borders of the mountain path. If you hear a sharp 

 chirp in these silent woods, or are startled by a sud- 

 den whir, be sure it is he. Sparrows, finches, and 

 humming-birds were in profusion ; they flew hurriedly 

 across the space in front of the tree, and darted at once 

 into a thicket, as though afraid in the open, but re- 

 assured in the shade. 



Finally my men appeared, loudly complaining of 

 their loads ; though I knew they had loitered and were 

 at that moment chuckling to themselves over the man- 

 ner in which they had " fool Massa Buckra." A 

 wood-pigeon had been all the while feeding in the 

 trees above, and parrots had proclaimed their presence 

 by loud cries below, but both disappeared at the ar- 

 rival of the men. After a biscuit and sup of beer, we 

 went on ; the trail, increasing rapidly in steepness, 

 left the tall trees behind, and led through smaller ones 

 scarcely fifteen feet in height. Soon even these alto- 

 gether ceased, and we climbed the backbone of the 

 long hill leading to the summit, which is destitute of 



