158 EAMBLES AFTEE SPOET. 



to Newcastle commences^ I was charged 12s., whicli I 

 should imagine to be something more than his utmost 

 value^ skin included. The country just outside Jamaica 

 somewhat resembles parts of Dorsetshire, with hedges on 

 either side of the roads, these latter being excellent, and 

 kept in good repair. Now and then a palm tree or stately 

 cocoa nut gave a tropical appearance to the scene, but 

 nothing struck me as being remarkable till I arrived at the 

 Mona estate, where I unfortunately found the proprietor 

 out, but was hospitabty received by his wife. The scene 

 from here was very fine, blocks of granite, cropping up 

 from the soil, formed a pleasing contrast to the broad fields 

 of waving cane. After leaving Mona I passed through 

 Mango Walk, which resembled a beautiful English park, 

 herds of sleek cattle feeding beneath the trees, and, as 

 its name implies, hundreds of mango trees were scattered 

 about, loaded with fruit ; it is a noble tree, and it always 

 raised in me feelings of admiration from the fact of its 

 growing with the vigour of an English oak ; I rested 

 under one of these giants, and allowed my horse to graze 

 a few moments, as the heat was overpowering. The 

 whole ride from here to Newcastle is perfectly lovely ; the 

 road wound along the river, fringed with palms and ferns 

 and cocoa nuts. Every now and then some unknown tree 

 hung its fruit down almost to the ground, or some huge 

 flower blazed by the roadside ; sometimes the river ran 

 slowly down towards the sea, and at other times it 

 lost itself for nigh a mile amid moss-covered rocks and 

 ferns and bamboos, till all of a sudden I came upon 

 it as it bubbled o^er a ledge, cool and sparkling, or 

 caught sight of it far away down the valley, glittering 

 in the noonday sun. The whole only wants breadth to 

 make it unsurpassable anywhere ; as it is, there are por- 



