JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 93 
* leaves ; people clustered about them, from the little picanninies to 
the wrinkled grandmothers, all looking happy and contented. Here 
was this panorama before us, not to be surpassed in the world, of 
everlasting hills in the distance, with the sun and shade presenting 
one of the most magnificent sights that man could conceive. One 
became weary in speech and silent in admiration, as new scenes 
greeted the vision at every turn. Everywhere, as we drove along, we 
found God’s messengers of love—stars in earth’s firmament, flowers 
of every kind and of the most gorgeous hues. They seemed to 
enjoy the very air they breathed, as much as we did who delighted 
in their loveliness. In this land of cloudless skies, this land of 
eternal summer, were plants regarded almost as weeds there which 
would be treasured in Canadian greenhouses. Passing on we see 
coffee trees, pimento bread fruit, custard apple, figs, oranges ; and 
I might go on and fill a page detailing the plants and trees which 
came within our reach of vision. It was a pretty heavy pull up this 
grand mountain, and our horses gave indication that the load was 
too heavy. I felt that I must set an example, in the interest of 
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, so I jumped from the carriage. 
The others followed suit, and we made our way to the summit of the 
mountain on foot. We were somewhat thirsty when we got to the 
top, and our intelligent dusky driver, seemed to anticipate our 
wishes. He climbed a cocoanut tree, knocked down some green 
cocoanuts, chopped off their heads with a machette, and we drank 
the cool, refreshing water of the nut. Every man in Jamaica owns 
a machette ; he uses it for almost everything. 
As we commenced our descent to the Carribbean Sea, we came 
upon a scene which no pen of writer or brush of painter has ever or 
can ever describe or portray. It is called the “Fern Valley.” It 
has never been photographed, because it is impossible to do so. 
Three and one-half miles long, precipitous rocks on either side, and 
these covered with ferns to the very summit, creeping plants and 
flowers, with only here and there bits of the rock projecting, giving 
you an idea of its formation. There were great caverns with 
entrances festooned with tangles of vines and flowers. The drive 
down this wonderful place was cool, calm and inspiring. It was 
like a glimpse of heaven. The variety of scenic effects appear to be 
endless. Sometimes the rocks so nearly met over our heads that 
