LA POUCE MOUNTAIN. 37 



stream and skirts the steep face of the hill over 

 rough ground covered with burnt up grass, and 

 straggling bushes. To this succeeds a region of 

 evergreens (among which the wild mango is the 

 prevailing tree), where a species of monkey intro- 

 duced many years ago into the island has taken up 

 its abode. I saw none, however, but occasionally 

 heard their chattering as they hurried along among 

 the bushes. Where the path crosses the ridge, it 

 widens out into a succession of rounded eminences, 

 with the summit of La Pouce rising suddenly from 

 its centre in a thumb-like form. Its base is wa- 

 tered by a small gushing rill, and the vegetation 

 now is very luxuriant from the continual supply of 

 moisture. The most striking plants are the tree- 

 ferns ( CyatTiea excclsa and C. Bourhonica), some of 

 which attain a height of from fifteen to twenty feet. 

 From the eastern margin of the ridge the view is 

 very fine ; a sloping precipice, several hundred feet 

 in height, covered with stunted bushes, overlooks 

 Wilhelm's Plains, nearly all under cultivation and 

 studded with sugar plantations. The soil, when 

 neA\iy turned up, appeared of a dull red colour. 

 Numbers of tropic birds were flying along the face of 

 the clifli" where they probably breed. Eight species 

 of land shells were picked up here, either creeping 

 up the grass or under stones and logs ; they were 

 of the genera Caracolla, Helix, and Pupa. 



A narrow path, difficult to find among the long 

 grass, leads to the summit of the mountain, 2,600 



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