258 BLUEPIELDS. 



studding the dark trees like stars on a winter night's 

 sky, as fragrant too as lovely ! The Star-apple with its 

 parti-coloured leaves, shining green on one surface, and 

 on the other a bright golden bay, has an indescribable 

 effect, as its mass of foliage, all quivering and dancing 

 in the breeze, changes momentarily in a thousand 

 points from the one hue to the other. But there are 

 two other trees which help more than all the rest to 

 produce the admired result. Both are of stately form 

 and noble dimensions. The one is the Mango, which, 

 though introduced at no very distant period, now 

 grows almost everywhere, at least around every 

 homestead, gentle or simple. It forms a towering 

 compact conical head of foliage peculiarly dense and 

 dark, through which no ray of the sun penetrates. 

 He who has once seen the Mango growing in its own 

 ample dimensions, will never mistake it for another 

 tree, nor ever forget the impression produced by its 

 magnificent form and massive proportions. The other 

 is the Bread fruit ; like the Mango, a foreigner made 

 to feel himself at home. The negroes cultivate it 

 more than the higher classes : I was myself disap- 

 pointed in the fruit ; it has a sort of woolliness not 

 agreeable ; but I bear willing testimony to the fine 

 appearance presented by it when hanging by scores 

 from the thick many-jointed twigs. The enormous 

 leaves, eighteen inches in length and breadth, elegantly 

 cut into fingers, and of a beautiful green, well set off 

 the large depending fruit, and seem to suit its colossal 

 dimensions. 



These are the grander features of the scene, which, 

 mingled with other trees, form groves of many tinted 



