GRAND PROSPECT. 301 



While remaining at Spanish-town, enjoying the hos- 

 pitality and society of my valued friend, Richard Hill, 

 Esq., I made an excursion with him to the summit of 

 the Liguanea mountains, an elevation of about 3000 

 feet. Little of interest occurred on the way up, until 

 we arrived at the top, when a magnificent view of the 

 interior to the Santa Cruz mountains, of the sinuous 

 coast from Kingston to near Alligator Pond, and of 

 the broad plain of Liguanea, spread out as in a map, 

 with Spanish-town in its centre, — repaid the toil of 

 ascent. This prospect has been sketched by Sir 

 Henry De la Beche, in the Geological Transactions, 

 (vol. ii. 2nd ser.) from which an idea of its grandeur 

 and vast expanse may be obtained. Turning north- 

 ward, the sea was visible between the peaks on the 

 opposite side of the island, near Annotto Bay ; but 

 on the east the view was shut in by a dark and 

 frowning mountain, of greater elevation than that on 

 which we stood, concealing the whole windward end 

 of the island. 



Six hours spent in ascending left but little of day- 

 light remaining ; and after the beasts were cared for, 

 and our own weariness a little recruited by rest and 

 refreshment, it was almost evening. I spent an hour, 

 however, searching for shells and insects, though with 

 little success ; a specimen or two of a Cyclostoma 

 hitherto new to me {C. fascia), and many of some of 

 the kinds abundant around Bluefields, with the very 

 common Cylindrella cylindrus, were all I could find ; 

 and insects there were none. Very few birds occurred, 

 and none that were not familiar to me ; the Hopping 

 Dick [Merula leucogenys) was most numerous; but 



