THE VOYAGE OF THE HASSLER 121 
question. Some of the ascents are provided with a 
stair which brings you to a level terraced road cut 
into the side of the hill; another stair to a road above, 
and so on. Beyond the town we came into the wind- 
ing path leading up the hill. The air was heavenly 
with every kind of delicious fragrance from the earth 
and trees; almost nothing was stirring. The lizards 
had not yet come out and even the birds had nothing 
to say or sing, except some doves that were softly 
cooing in the wood. We were half way up the hill be- 
fore the sun had fairly risen, and though you always 
say the sun spoils everything by his intruding pres- 
ence upon a sunrise, I must say that this time he came 
in beauty, gradually filling the great soft clouds on the 
horizon with light and pouring his radiance through a 
blue window in the midst of the mass down into the 
near valley, making it a vivid green while the hill be- 
hind remained in shadow. When we looked out we had 
just reached a point where the harbor with all its 
shipping and the many islands beyond lay just below 
us. We kept on, meeting only a negro now and then 
riding on a donkey between laden panniers in which he 
was taking milk or vegetables to market, till we came 
to the house on the summit. There I must say the 
view is startling. You stand on the edge of the island 
and look down to the sea on either side. Many beau- 
tiful smaller islands break the view on both shores. 
Just below us we looked down upon a crescent shaped 
bay where hundreds of pelicans were breakfasting 
upon shoals of fish. We sat for a long time on the house 
terrace talking with an old negress who keeps the place, 
