208 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



fore, pleasure in seeing in their native place. Many of them 

 are in flower. 



Properly speaking, there is no winter here. To-day, they 

 say, is one of the coldest, yet the thermometer has not been 

 below 65°. It is blowing a northerner, but this cold wind is 

 softer and warmer than any west one I ever felt. I shall not 

 care to delay here, the land flora is so scanty ; but I hope to 

 stay long enough to get most of the seaweeds. I have already 

 got several new ones, and better specimens of others than I had 

 before ; but of many I have as yet found only scraps, from not 

 knowing their places of growth. There is very little tide here, 

 so the deeper ones must be had by dredging, which I hope to 

 try the first calm day, and shall take the precaution to use a 

 large umbrella in the boat to ward off the sun, as is quite 

 necessary. 



The chief business of this place is wrecking — that is, going- 

 out to vessels in distress, bringing them in, or saving their 

 cargoes, and then taking salvage. Wrecks are, therefore, the 

 chief subject of conversation, and the season is thought good 

 in proportion to the number. Just now " trade is dull," no 

 wreck having come in lately. Great numbers of vessels are 

 annually cast away on the numerous shoals and reefs, and large 

 salvage awarded. The salvage on a single vessel lately wrecked 

 was 20,000 dollars ! the cargo saved being about four times that 

 value. The town is a neat, quiet little place, and there are 

 some large and well-furnished " stores " (or shops), like those 

 in country towns, where all things from a needle to an anchor 

 can be had. The common meat is turtle, which is not bad, 

 being cooked " after a fashion ;" but the luxury that I prefer 

 is corned pork and cabbage, which we have been favoured with 

 both days since my arrival. I have been living for the last 

 month on roast turkeys ; now we shall try a bout of salt pork. 

 It is curious that one fancies salt meat in a hot country to be 

 better than fresh. We have no fruit nor luxuries of any kind. 

 I am thankful, however, to have a clean bed and quiet quarters, 

 which is more than I expected. 



I think I told you that I had refused a call to New Orleans. 

 I hated the idea of going wholly among strangers, so I pleaded 

 previous arrangements, and came here. 



21s/. I have decided to remain for the next boat, so am 



