JAMAICA. 205 



On the 20th the Avon arrived at Bermuda, where the 

 traveller "admired the English-looking beauty of the 

 islands, divided into fields and strewn with pretty white 

 houses." Off the small island of Ireland, the goods and 

 passengers were transferred to the steamer Clyde, and the 

 Avon made her way back to Havannah. Scarcely had the 

 former vessel started eastward on the following day, than 

 Philip Gosse was attacked with violent headache. The 

 symptoms of brain fever rapidly displayed themselves, and 

 for a fortnight he was very dangerously ill. On August 

 4 he was permitted by the ship's doctor to creep up on 

 deck for the first time, and to enjoy the pleasing sight of 

 the Land's End, dimly visible at a distance of twenty-five 

 miles. Next day, still very weak and wretched, yet 

 steadily gaining strength, he was put on shore at South- 

 ampton, and enjoyed a long sleep in an hotel bed. Next 

 morning (August 6, 1846) he took an early train for 

 London, reached his mother to find her well, and had the 

 satisfaction, in unpacking his specimens, to discover all 

 uninjured. Moreover his living birds, which some kind 

 person on board the steamer had attended to during his 

 brain fever, were in good health, only two, the blue pigeon 

 and the mountain witch, having died. 



My father's single episode of tropical life had now closed. 

 It had been in every respect a signally successful one. 

 Those theoretical zoologists who had encouraged him to 

 go out to Jamaica were satisfied, and far more than satis- 

 fied, with the practical result of his labours. The chronicle 

 of his life in Jamaica is monotonous, because it was so 

 crowded with scientific incident. He stuck to his work, 

 and not a single week-day passed in which he did not add 

 something to his experience. 



