16 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



authority of Dr. Dieffenbach, that when St. Jago, which now 

 appears to equal St. Vincent in barrenness, was discovered, 

 " the immediate neighbourhood of Porto Praya was clothed 

 with trees, the reckless destruction of which has caused here, 

 as at St. Helena, and at some of the Canary Islands, almost 

 entire sterility." 



We came to an anchor soon after noon, and shortly after 

 a ceremony, with which all those who have visited foreign 

 parts are familiar, took place, — the arrival alongside of the 

 health-boat, with a doctor and interpreter in her ; the former 

 being, in this instance, a queer-looking old fellow in a wide- 

 awake hat, with a handkerchief wound round it, and pro- 

 vided with a symbol of of&ce in the form of a long stick ; 

 who was at first anxious to put us in quarantine for a couple 

 of days, but on being told that in that case we would not 

 remain but proceed on our way, graciously relented, and 

 granted us " pratique," much to our satisfaction. Thereafter 

 several boats came alongside with "a cargo of fruit, consisting 

 of very green oranges and bananas, grown on the neighbour- 

 ing island of St. Antonio, which boasts some permanently 

 verdant patches. A cage of beautiful little love-birds 

 {Psittacula jpullaria) was in addition offered for sale, but 

 met with no purchasers. But few of us went on shore that 

 day, some of those who remained on board occupying their 

 idle time in fishing, and meeting with tolerable success. 

 Among the fish obtained in this manner was a specimen of 

 the curious Argyreiosus setipinnis ; but this was unfortunately 

 thrown overboard by mistake. 



The next morning I landed with Captain Mayne and 

 some of the officers who were going to take sights, and walked 

 with them to the of&ce of the British consul, Mr. Miller. As 

 he had not yet come down from his house on the hills, I 



