GUINEA-GRASS. 253 



men of that curious slender Palm called the Prickly- 

 pole (Cocos Guineensis), and a pond was covered 

 with the leaves and flowers of the beautiful Water- 

 lily {Nymphcea ampla). My companion pointed out 

 the estate called Shuttlewood, where the few bird- 

 seeds were thrown out, the fruit of which has proved 

 an inestimable benefit to the island. The owner of 

 this estate had received a cage of Finches from 

 Africa, and a bag of grass-seed had been put on 

 board for their food. Soon after their arrival, how- 

 ever, they died, and the few seeds that remained in 

 the bag were thrown away. After a while it was 

 noticed that the horses and cattle eagerly seized 

 every opportunity of devouring the verdure that 

 covered the bank where the bag had been shaken 

 out. The grass was protected, and allowed to go to 

 seed ; when it proved to be what is now known as 

 Guinea-grass {Panicum jumentorum) ; it is now cul- 

 tivated all over the island, especially on the lowland 

 plains of the south side, where it covers even the 

 most rocky soil with its dense tussocks of juicy, 

 nutritive, and ever-verdant pasturage. 



Near Mount Carey, one of the stations of the 

 Baptist Missionary Society, there is a singular little 

 grotto close by the road side, half concealed by the 

 climbing plants and slender creepers that hang and 

 trail over it, like that of the Mantuan swain, — 



Silvestris raris sparsit labrusca racemis." 



ViRG. Ed. V. 6. 



The contrast between its refreshing coolness and the 

 burning heat of the dazzling white road I found 



