NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 371 



into those islands ; a veritable Gorse thicket on the north 

 shore of Pembroke parish being then in bloom. It ex- 

 presses a hope that the sunny shores of Bermuda may, 

 in a few years, be clothed with a livery of its luxurious 

 golden bloom, which would certainly be a pleasing con- 

 trast to the miserable foliage of the Sage-bush, which, 

 from time immemorial, has covered the rocky hills and 

 fertile valleys with its useless form. 



The Gorse here mentioned was probably raised from 

 seed gathered by myself on the Southampton Common. 

 This seed was forwarded to my friend, John Mathew Jones, 

 then resident in those islands, by whom sundry plants 

 were presented to the Governor, General Le Froy, who 

 lived upon the slope above mentioned. 



" Whitfield's Tree." — In the grounds of Cavendish House 

 near Hamilton, the residence of John Darrell, Esq., 

 Attorney-General of the islands, formerly stood an ancient 

 Locust (Hymencea coubaril), under the shade of which the 

 the great Whitfield is said to have preached to the native 

 population many years ago. A stone marked the site of 

 this tree when I visited the spot, about the year 1850. 



Whitfield, like the Wesleys, made repeated tours to 

 North America, generally preaching in the open air. 

 Whitfield is said to have visited Bermuda for his health, 

 arriving on March 15th, 1748, and remaining till the 

 end of the following May — " the people loading him with 

 provisions and other stores for his voyage, and presenting 

 him with one hundred pounds sterling." 



The Calabash Tree (Creseniia cujete). — A few of these 

 trees are found growing in the Bermudas. The Calabash 



