/TS APrEARAXCE 



517 



cnulil iiiaLc oxciirsioiis in ever)- <Jircili(Mi. J hin'ii;.; llic lour 

 il.i)s 1 ,st,i\ ril here, I \\'aii(lcrctl i>\cr the island Irom mornint,'" 

 tn niijht, and examined its t^edlogical histni)-. M)' lodginj,'s 

 were situated at a height of about 2000 feel ; liei'e the weatlier 

 was cold and boisterous, with constant showers of rain ; and 

 c\er)' now and then the whole scene was veiled in thick clouds. 

 Near the coast tlic rougli Ia\a is quite bare ; in tlie central 

 and liiglier parts lelds[)athic rock-s b)- their decompositiriii ha\e 

 pioduccil a ckiye)' soil, which, where not covered liy vegetation, 

 is stained in broad bands of many bright colours. At this 



Si. IIKl.Ki"JA. 



season the land, moistened by constant sliowers, produces a 

 singularl)' bright green pasture, which lower and lower d<j\\n 

 gradually fades away and at last disappears. In latitude 16 , 

 and at the trifling elevation of 1500 feet, it is sur[)rising to 

 behold a vegetation possessing a character tlecidcdl}- British. 

 The hills are crowned with irregular plantations of Scotch firs ; 

 and the sloping banks are thickl)' scattered o\er with thickets 

 of gorse, covered with its bright yellow flowers. Weeping- 

 willows are common on the banks of the ri\'ulets, and the 

 hedges are made of the blackberry, producing its well-known 

 fruit. When we eonsieler that the number of jjlants now found 

 on the island is 746, ruid that out of these fiftN'-two alone arc 



