190 Travels and Adventures 



The spikes are long, crowded with flowers, and of 

 the most distinct colours —not pale and washy, as is 

 often the case in cultivation ; sometimes it grows in 

 clumps, which perfume the air for a distance around. 



Although the Santo Domingo river is only na- 

 vigable for about three days' journey in a canoe, it 

 was necessary to fit up something like an expedi- 

 tion, so as to be able to explore more effectually 

 the mountains beyond. My former privations in 

 the San Lucas district had made me cautious enough 

 not to start into an unknown country without pro- 

 visions. But here we found later that we wanted 

 very little more than the woods provided. In this 

 locality there is such an abundance of fish and game 

 that a tribe of Indians could support themselves for 

 three months. Abandoned banana plantations are 

 to be found at intervals along the banks of the 

 rivers, still growing and bearing fruit with as much 

 luxuriance as when the native owners cultivated 

 them years before. 



Further up the river we found orange-trees laden 

 with hundreds of luscious fruit, while the bread-fruit 

 ( Artocarpus incisa) is a common timber-tree, growing 

 in profusion all over the lower lands. This would 

 provide waggon-loads of its immense fruit, if there 

 were a demand for it. Besides, in the season, 

 when the mangoes are ripe, tons of the fruit are 



