BEAVA. 315 



delicacy, which, with its accompaniment of garlic and oil, is 

 called frijolos, with here and there patches of Indian corn. 

 Presently we arrived at a sort of crater or huge basin at 

 nearly the summit of the island, embracing several miles of 

 circumference, and in which, embosomed in the most luxuriant 

 tropical shrubs and fruit-trees of all descriptions, was 

 situated the town or capital of Brava. 



The whole citron family, from the smallest mandarin 

 orange to the largest shaddock, and which were at this period 

 in full ripe maturity, and bearing down the branches with 

 their weight and luxuriance, shed a golden lustre over the 

 dark foliage of the coffee, guava, arbutus, and other shrubs. 

 White cottages, with green windows and verandahs, were 

 visible here and there, and now and then a building of 

 superior pretensions, in the midst of a forest of orange-trees, 

 signalized the presence of some of the wealthy inhabitants 

 of these islands in this enchanting spot. The atmosphere, 

 considering that we were only fourteen degrees from the 

 equator, was delightfully fresh and invigorating, and laden 

 with the perfume of fruits and flowers. In fact, this place, 

 from its superior salubrity over all the other and more im- 

 portant islands of the group, was the occasional and favourite 

 residence of the governor, bishop, and other authorities of 

 the Cape de Yerds, and the two former were residing there 

 at this period. 



Our donkeys, which seemed to know their own way, 

 requiring no guidance of ours, and were quite as much at 

 home amidst the umbrageous labyrinths of the valley as they 

 were on the precipitous sides of the mountain, conducted us 

 straight to the casa or villa of the hospitable Captain of the 

 Port, as he was termed par complaisance; as from the few 

 vessels that touched there I should imagine his duties were 

 not very onerous, and must have been rather confined to the 

 cultivation of his oranges, vines, coffee, and other produce of 



