1832.] ST. PAUL'S. 239 



open valleys. I was not previously aware how intimately 

 what may be called the moral part is connected with the 

 enjoyment of scenery. I mean such ideas, as the history of 

 the country, the utility of the produce, and more especially 

 the happiness of the people living with them. Change the 

 English labourer into a poor slave, working for another, and 

 you will hardly recognise the same view. I am sure you will 

 be glad to hear how very well every part (Heaven forefend, 

 except sea- sickness) of the expedition has answered. We 

 have already seen Teneriffe and the Great Canary ; St. Jago, 

 where I spent three most delightful weeks, revelling in the 

 delights of first naturalising a tropical volcanic island, and 

 besides other islands, the two celebrated ports in the Brazils, 

 viz. Bahia and Rio. 



I was in my hammock till we arrived at the Canaries, and 

 I shall never forget the sublime impression the first view of 

 Teneriffe made on my mind. The first arriving into warm 

 weather was most luxuriously pleasant ; the clear blue sky of 

 the Tropics was no common change after those accursed south- 

 west gales at Plymouth. About the Line it became weltering 

 hot. We spent one day at St. Paul's, a little group of rocks 

 about a quarter of a mile in circumference, peeping up in the 

 midst of the Atlantic. There was such a scene here. Wick- 

 ham (ist Lieutenant) and I were the only two who landed 

 with guns and geological hammers, &c. The birds by myriads 

 were too close to shoot ; we then tried stones, but at last, 

 proJi pudorl my geological hammer was the instrument of 

 death. We soon loaded the boat with birds and eggs. Whilst 

 we were so engaged, the men in the boat were fairly fighting 

 with the sharks for such magnificent fish as you could not see 

 in the London market. Our boat would have made a fine 

 subject for Snyders, such a medley of game it contained. 

 We have been here ten weeks, and shall now start for Monte 

 Video, when I look forward to many a gallop over the 

 Pampas. I am ashamed of sending such a scrambling letter, 



