robin's river. 87 



relief; but the coolness of a spot that remains en- 

 wrapped in deep shadow in the fore part of the day, 

 where the dew of the night lies collected in the 

 hollow leaves, and glitters on the blades of grass, 

 long after all moisture has been dissipated around, 

 is peculiarly refreshing. Four miles of a very rocky 

 road, bounded, on the upper side at least, by a belt 

 of high shrubs, that much remind us of the tall, lux- 

 uriant, uncut hedges that we see in many parts of 

 England, lead through the estates of Belmont and 

 Shafton ; the former apportioned out in small negro 

 allotments, and cultivated in gardens ; the latter a 

 " pen," that is, a grazing farm. The hedgerow-like 

 shrubs are gay with the beautiful scarlet blossoms of 

 the Morass-bark (Malvaviscus arhoreus), in particular 

 abundance. The rich vegetation of the negro gar- 

 dens, surrounding their cottages, many of which are 

 neat and pretty, forms a pleasing interchange with 

 the broad sunny pastures, studded with clumps of 

 the peculiarly dense and massive Mango-trees, under 

 the shade of whose dark foliage, the cattle are con- 

 gregated, and peacefully ruminating. The purple 

 leaves of the Dragon's blood grow in thick tufts out 

 of the crevices of the loose walls, on the top of which 

 many withes and cactaceous plants creep in loose 

 confusion ; and beside them spring up luxuriantly 

 Annotto bushes, the fruit of which is so much used 

 to give a heightened colour to cocoa and chocolate. 



Presently we open the wide pastures of Robin's 

 River, throvigh the midst of which runs the little 

 stream that bears the same name. The sun is by 

 this time high, and pours down slantingly on our 



