188 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 
slowly ascended the winding path, over ridges covered 
with calumet grass, and through forest-like groups of 
tree-ferns and wild plantains. Having given Betsey a 
taste of the grass, while she was resting beneath a 
shade, she was prone to stop and loath to go ahead, 
and it was late when I reached the “ maroon tree,” 
half-way up the mountain-side. 
Over and through the broad-leaved plants darted 
the humming-birds — crested, violet-breast, and crim- 
son-throat. Most conspicuous and numerous was the 
latter, with back of purple-black and throat of crim- 
son-gold; I found him oftenest in the upper forests, 
in the dark recesses of untrodden glens and along the 
borders of the mountain path. If you hear a sharp 
chirp in these silent woods, or are startled by a sud- 
den whir, be sure it is he. Sparrows, finches, and 
humming-birds were in profusion ; they flew hurriedly 
across the space in front of the tree, and darted at once 
into a thicket, as though afraid in the open, but re- 
assured in the shade. 
Finally my men appeared, loudly complaining of 
their loads ; though I knew they had loitered and were 
at that moment chuckling to themselves over the man- 
ner in which they had “fool Massa Buckra.” A 
wood-pigeon had been all the while feeding in the 
trees above, and parrots had proclaimed their presence 
by loud cries below, but both disappeared at the ar- 
rival of the men. After a biscuit and sup of beer, we 
went on; the trail, increasing rapidly in steepness, 
left the tall trees behind, and led through smaller ones 
scarcely fifteen feet in height. Soon even these alto- 
gether ceased, and we climbed the backbone of the 
long hill leading to the summit, which is destitute of 
