28 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



which are watered by rills from the mountains. In the 



upper and wider part of the valley of Trinidad, we first met 



widi plantations of Indian corn, cassava, sugar cane, Arum 



esculentum, and pine apples. Cotton and indigo had also 



been formerly planted in some spots of the valley, but being 



neglected, a few plants run wild are now only to be seen. 



On the sides of the brooks grow luxuriantly the fig, lemon, 



orange, papaw, ( Anona triloba,) custard apple, ( Anona 



ofricana,) the tamarind, guava, plaintain, and banana, 



(Cassia fistula,) and prickly pear (Cactus npuntia). Near 



one of country houses we saw some Ailanthus glandulosa 



Xhnenia amcricana, and a few grape vines. Besides the date 



palm, which grows in abundance in the sands near Porto 



Pra3^a, some tall cocoa ])alms are scattered here and there, 



and bear ripe fruit at the elevation of 800 feet above the sea. 



A single palmyra ( Borassus flahelliforvm ) was seen. 



On some spots of the elevated grassy hills, roots and 

 vegetables are cultivated with great success ; we saw no 

 traces of other Cerealia than Indian corn, but were told that 

 wheat succeeds perfectly when sown in the dry plains in the 

 rainy season, as does rice in the lowest and wettest grounds ; 

 but the islands being supplied with corn from America, in 

 return for their salt and mules, the indolent inhabitants do 

 not think of cultivating either. The inhabitants we coii- 



